[T3 Cover Ops] Ricasso vs Kite

Hello,
I’ve been flying jericho interceptors before the big update with ECM modules and Coccoon. So now I am flying Kris- AE.

Now my Ricasso has the plasma web. Special weapon I was thinking it is not cool. Still do, but it does add some extra damage. 
Also it is my Cover Ops interceptor. 
I amm used to have good ammount of shields, so Ricasso is no brainer, BUT I checked out the Kite interceptor from Federation. It has less shields (almost half) but compensates in alot more speed. And since it is rank 9 ship has extra passive module. 

So my question to experienced Interceptor Pilots is - which one do you think will work better? With 2000 less shields I basically have 33% less durability, but can fly around faster and maneuver better.

I am using rapid railguns with range upgrade so I usually fight at ~1.8- 2.2km except when using the new plasma module to burst down frigates.

Modules I am using : the damage boost, the targeting jammer, radar invisibility and the plasma triangle.

I do not own any Federation interceptor (due to them having plasma web before and me do not care about that) so getting Kite will cost me about 12Million. 

Please give me advice.

Thanks!

Ceptors are all about speed. The faster you fly, the less damage you take (in theory). CovOps are about hit n’run tactics. Fly in, dish the pain, gtfo before they deploy Minefields and Pulsars.

 

The Ricasso, albeit taking advantage of an excellent tank, isn’t as manoeuvrable as the Kite and it suffers from that on the field, especially under a Tackler’s speed debuffs or the Guard’s Engine Suppression.

 

Your only option is to choose. More physical tank or more speed.

 

 

White Noise Jammer is mildly useless if you’re using it against an experienced pilot, he’ll still know where to shoot, so I’d replace that with something else. Orion, Cloak and Plasma Arc are fine.

 

You can still use the Ricasso just as well as the Kite, you just need to be mindful of WHERE you fly it.

When attacking lone guard frigate (those are rare, but still) I try to rather burst it down than to run from the pulsar. 
 
Experience made me realize it is better to go down fighting, leaving it on 10% hull, rather than run and die to its lasers or other (almost) hit scan weapons with 5000 range.
 
My shields have starting + 46 resists which gives me 46 thermal and it helps. Stat wise both have the same turn/roll rate and all the difference is the speed. 
 
post-242321-0-17326800-1372539150.jpgpost-242321-0-51154400-1372537999.jpg
 
 
But to be honest I always wanted a fast ship not to arrive <1 sec after I hear “Beacon captured” and Kite is the fastest ship in the game (T3) right ? Although 12 million will take alot of time to get for just one ship, when missing rank 9 command and gunship fighters.
 
I dislike the micro warp engine and now with the active modules restriction there is no force that can make me play this kind of interceptor.
 
 
Can u suggest me good combo of Armor plating and Capacitor upgrade ? 
post-242321-0-24992400-1372538232.jpg
 
Hull : 

Hull + 35% - good, but I rather have that on Elf 2 interceptor. 
 
Hull regeneration used to have some value, but I suspect it does not regenerate while in combat. My armor values does not change for few seconds after combat and in ~5 it starts.
 
Damage resist - Same as Hull strength.
 
So while typing this I am realizing that 13% hull is not that much multiplied by 2500. I was going to get lightweight hulls on Kite for sure (boost even more my advantage).
 


Now to the capacitor :  I tried with that damage for less energy regeneration one, but My pinkie is always heavy in the SHIFT,


so with energy regeneration of 53 and afterburners taking 63 with total energy ~300 it feels bad.

 

 I can not simply press 1 (Orion) and start bursting. 2 seconds is alot of time to wait before burst.

 

Using the multi capacitor somewhat stabilizes the things (60 regen vs 63 afterburners with ~350 energy), but every time I leave a frigate on 10% hull I have that feeling that I could’ve taken him down.

 

Sacrificing energy for speed seems reasonable, leaving me with 57 vs 63 and capacitor cap on just 250.

 

You would ask why not take the 20% reduce implant ?

 

Occasionally I fly Command fighter and due to the new shield I have the 15% dmg to energy.  Even if I die only once in fight my income is not high enough to spend 50K every time I decide to switch, which is frequent.

Just equipped light weight hull mod and the speed capacitor for total of 14% speed boost.  

Tier 1 items. Can be as high as 19%, but I will never get the legion rep so wont knit pick.

 

First I want to say that flying at ~506 feels alot better than ~440.

 

Calculated that if I have that 15% boost I will have :

 

[506] to [546] 40-41 more afterburner speed, which is about 10%.  Considering the boost I felt from 70 speed I wonder what another 40 will do.

[337] to [362] 25 more normal speed. 

 

Those can be upped a little more with better modules, but the difference of 4%*314 - 4%*292 is less than 1, so wont knit pick.

 

So to dumb that down - 8-10% more speed vs 60% more shields to help you tank some of that pulsars, mines and covering fire while taking down frigates ?

This is my kite:

m7dz.jpg

 

Ricasso has an advantage of being better in terms of damage output due to special bonus and a more survivability. On the other hand, it loses one passive module slot, a lot of speed, one implant slot as well as special bonus of kite which allows it to activate modules for less energy (meaning more afterburner).

 

In the end, they’re about equal. It’s up to your playstyle. It’s also worth noting that you can survive some of the nastiest situations in kite if you take imperial R9 implant (though in most cases you should opt for federation one, but if you really want more survivability at expense of speed, that will give you a lot of it).

 

 

It’s worth noting that the only reason my afterburner max speed is not 700 is because I took maneuverability implant instead of max speed one. With max speed implant you should be able to max out at 700.

Thank you for pointing out some things I missed completely.  Obviously speed was my goal, but no on the 700 extend. 

I’ve built my ricasso for burst damage and now using the increased shield resistance module instead of white noise.  + 67 resist is making my thermal about 110-120. Previously a pulsar drained my shields to 0, now barely taking 30-50%

 

My choice is Ricasso then. With the extra damage on the plasma arc and 144% instead of 120 on orion it makes up for it. 506 (soon ~550) speed seems enough for me. 

 

ATM I am using R9 Jericho implant, but for the purpose I use it for 1 passive and 1 implant may not be enough to suit me. 

Although by using RFR I need the range passive, because 2K is just too short. 2500 is better.

 

Do you think I can get used to the 200 range and deal w/o the range boost ?

Also : Do you use the range implant or the 10% crit one ?

 

I have 54% crit when thermal and 70% when hitting hull.

My choice is Ricasso then. With the extra damage on the plasma arc and 144% instead of 120 on orion it makes up for it. 506 (soon ~550) speed seems enough for me. 

 

ATM I am using R9 Jericho implant, but for the purpose I use it for 1 passive and 1 implant may not be enough to suit me. 

Ricasso is rank 8 so the R9 implant has no effect on it. As for pulsars, 1 thermal shield hardener does the job for me (adding to that i know everything about how pulsars work and the extent of their capabilities).

 

Implants apply only for the ships of their rank and above.

I know about the implants not applying. Meant something else.

I guess some day when I save up 12 Mil I will get the whole branch up to Kite.

But first I need to spend 8M on other ships and another 2M to upgrade my ricasso’s modules.

My implant tree:

 

4pfh.jpg

 

R2 and R5 are a matter of taste.
 

Side question :  Since seems that everyone is stacking thermal resist on 2 out of 3 targets I do more Kinetic damage than Thermal TO SHIELDS ! Is it even worth to equip antimatter ammo anymore of Just to get The crit one and The projectile speed maybe for those interceptor dogfights ?

Side question :  Since seems that everyone is stacking thermal resist on 2 out of 3 targets I do more Kinetic damage than Thermal TO SHIELDS ! Is it even worth to equip antimatter ammo anymore of Just to get The crit one and The projectile speed maybe for those interceptor dogfights ?

T3 Railgun mods should always be Crit + Speed. Only Heavy Railguns should have Thermal in T3 and barely anyone uses those due to the large spread.

Side question :  Since seems that everyone is stacking thermal resist on 2 out of 3 targets I do more Kinetic damage than Thermal TO SHIELDS ! Is it even worth to equip antimatter ammo anymore of Just to get The crit one and The projectile speed maybe for those interceptor dogfights ?

You should always have a mod for different damage and test the enemy with fire to see which damage he’s more susceptible to.

 

Not to even mention attacking guard frigates with more than half a brain who will keep adapting their phase shield to your damage. Don’t have damage type changer = feed them fifth turret and do next to no damage.

 

Finally very few if any ints stack thermal resists. Those who die pop like flies due to crap speed and the rest take a lot of damage to shields. This is especially true to people flying in jericho ints.

My thoughts exactly. 

I have a question thou. Why Heavy and Long range plasma are the same ? I mean the way they shoot ?

I love the assault plasma on my ECM, but I try to restrain using RFP on the ricasso. I used to use it on both, but lately I shoot at people at ~2500-2700m and I need 2 range modules or implant to achieve that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyO72HfUQnY

 

^ OP on his “hard” choice between a Ricasso and a Kite.

 

I know I already posted this vid here somewhere, can’t find it.

The kite is way better for the simple fact that its a rank 9 ship.  

 

 

 

And you should try to fire your rapid fire railguns at sub 900 range.

The kite is way better for the simple fact that its a rank 9 ship.  

 

 

 

And you should try to fire your rapid fire railguns at sub 900 range.

And the Ricasso has a lot more tank than the Kite and still does the same job (if not relatively better), even despite the missing passive. Your point being?

Its missing a passive slot, it has less synergy levels, it cannot use the rank 9 afterburner speed implant AND  It has inferior base speed.  Shield is also not that great on an interceptor because of the larger hitbox.

So… nothing regarding actual pilot skills?..

As the people above have stated, it really is a personal preference. I like the way the Ricasso feels in my hands over the Kite. That, and while there is a speed cap of 700m/s, sustaining 700m/s is hardly necessary in most situations.

 

I will say though that I prefer seeing Kites on the battlefield if only because I’m terrified of facing another Ricasso built like mine.

Thinking of it, i think ill try Ricasso sometime early.

Kite is indeed insane fast but very wobbly as well. Any idea if R. is more stable in chaotic flight?