Hello SCon community,
I’m looking for information on how much degrees spread is acceptable to successfully land all pellets on a target at certain distances assuming perfect accuracy.
Different sized targets requires different calculations, an intercepter, will need less spread than fighters or frigates. I’m willing the do the calculations, but I’m not sure where to dig up the numbers on ship sizes and such.
Finally, if you have any “rule of thumb” based on experience that you use, feel free to share. It would be greatly appreciated. :good:
I have a very easy rule of thumb. If I can hit targets reliably in the middle of a dogfight, I have either enough or too much spread reduction. 
it’s something best experimenting with, as the exact amount which is ‘best’ varies from pilot to pilot. CPU Mod and Implant of course have a big effect on the decision.
I have a very easy rule of thumb. If I can hit targets reliably in the middle of a dogfight, I have either enough or too much spread reduction.
it’s something best experimenting with, as the exact amount which is ‘best’ varies from pilot to pilot. CPU Mod and Implant of course have a big effect on the decision.
That’s simple enough. However you’re wrong about the exact amount varying with pilot to pilot. Theoretically if you aim dead center at the target, the only factors that determine whether ALL of the shots hit is size of the target ship, distance, and the degrees of spread. If you want to be able to aim a bit off of the target and still hit every pellet, you need even less spread.
Basically my question is. How low does degrees of spread need to be to actually hit an intercepter from 1000 away… 2000… 3000?
Right now I’m not considering spread reduction, only the actual degrees of spread itself. Modules, implants, etc are just means to achieve the low spread that is required.
I consider 1km to be “iron sights” range, and would expect to land every pellet if firing at a stationary (non-inty) target from that range. I have, in T2 and T3, scored perfect hits on frigates from 1,500 to 1,800 using Rapid Rails.
Easiest way is to look at the " + " in the crosshair in battle. Imagine a ship in front of you, give it a size. Then when you hover your ch. over him if the ship fits within the + marks entirely you will hit it with all pellets. If it is bigger, you will hit it again. If it is smaller, the worse it fits in the center of the + as size, the more chances you have to miss it with some pellets or all of them (they fly in random directions). The + shows the spread at the end of your guns’ maximum shooting range, so imagine it as a cone originating from each of your guns (not ship, but each individual gun on the ship, so your ship’s hull matters too when spread is high and the opponent close).
Now, there’s also shape. If you for example look at a ship from the top it may fit within the +, but the same ship can appear as more like a line seen from the front (examples: Stiletto, Machete, Templar - all sizes) so it will probably in this case fit only from the left line of the + to the right, but leaves gaps down and above, so you can miss it from that position.
And there’s motion. You already know what this implies i suppose? Lead indicator, bullet speed, distance, PING / LAG (yes, ping and lag, take them in consideration and the closer or faster the target is, the further in front of the lead indicator you shoot), active dodging, way of dodging (chaotic, spirals, circles, point blank strafing, magriding walls -> all lead eventually to repetition of movement meaning they will perform at least one straight dash when the lead indicator shows the correct path = time to shoot from certain greater distances) and stuff i can’t think about now.
And there’s your own movement.
Ok, gotta stop here, need to get home now xP
This was very helpful information Astraal. Much appreciated.
Another thing to consider is that when using rail guns, the more firing speed you have, the more spread reduction you will need because the less the guns will stabilize between each shot.
This was very helpful information Astraal. Much appreciated.
Another thing to consider is that when using rail guns, the more firing speed you have, the more spread reduction you will need because the less the guns will stabilize between each shot.
Anytime.
And that’s correct, but for all spread affected weapons not just rails. What differs is the base spread recovery. A rapid plasma will recover faster than a stab rail for example. Also, having spread reduction mods does not reduce the recovery time, it looks like that only because of the reduced general spread and it’s actually an illusion. No need to worry tho, just time your shots to allow some recovery to happen if the target is fleeing or far away.
One thing i didn’t mention in the previous post is that firing a longer range weapon at a very close target will make your pellets shoot in an x pattern. The guns on the left aim and shoot right and the guns on right aim and shoot left to hit a very close target that’s smaller than you. This can be seen most of the times in wide frigates (zealot for one) with weapons far apart on their hull. In this case, a well aimed shot is bullseye for all pellets, no misses, however it is damn hard to aim for the target in those quarters due to maneuvering. In other words, the spread and max range cone seems to be reduced to the distance between the ship (it’s hull, not the lead indicator, so you have to shoot for the actual ship when it’s stopped moving or goes around very slow and the lead indicator is ON the targeted ship).
As a general rule, 30-40% of the guns’ max firing range is about the best range to shoot at will for good damage, decent aim and a fair chance of actually landing most of the shots. This is what i would call the optimal range for max effectiveness. However, this can vary between players, and fitting matters as well.
If you want to experiment, then take a LRF and put it at a range, and shoot with your weapon of choice. If all the shots hit, then move the LRF back until you start missing 50%. Putting a 30% stability on your gun at that range should put you back up to parity.
Basically, all you really need spread reduction for is extremely long range or extremely close range weapons. Everything else is too slow at range or doesn’t have much dispersal.