Thread = question. Why are rail guns less popular at higher tiers?
Gauss cannons are quite common actually.
Assault Railguns are unpopular because they are just flat-out bad weapons compared to the alternatives. Most other rail weapons have a following because they are either good all-round weapons, or good for specific builds.
Assault Railguns are unpopular because they are just flat-out bad weapons compared to the alternatives. Most other rail weapons have a following because they are either good all-round weapons, or good for specific builds.
How are they bad? Is their DPS low?
How are they bad? Is their DPS low?
Ions burn through resistances. Gauss has superior range and alpha strike capabilities. A while back I used bubbles on my tackler and they can melt frigs pretty easily, plus with decent aim you can hit intys at point blank range.
If you divide pilots in 2 groups:
G1) Below average and average pilots
G2) Above average pilots
You will noticed that in, general, G1 uses Ions and Bubble Guns out of 4 weapons, but if you look at G2, you can see that all 4 weapons are relatively equally spread in usage, because they are not used for “big” numbers in stat window or due to how “easy”/“hard” to use/aim a weapon, but rather use it as a supplement to complete a ship build to its advantages.
In T3+ Assault Railgun is an excellent weapon, but, in the same way as any other weapon in the game, require a thought out “ship build” to back it up.
In T2 Ions are simply better than anything else (well except when you are flying a Kalah), due to multiple factors (Projectile speed, Low over all resistances, Overall slower ships, Lack of Energy for dogfighting)
Assault Railguns are unpopular because they are just flat-out bad weapons compared to the alternatives. Most other rail weapons have a following because they are either good all-round weapons, or good for specific builds.
They are not unpopular, and they are not bad. They are great dogfighting weapons, and the DPS is the best in all weapons.
Imo in T5 Rails > Bubbles > Ions
3k DPS on the Sword S, and I still need to get blue dischargers (then purple) and the level 8 +10% weapon damage
Rails are deadly in t3… with 288rounds/min
Rails are deadly in t3… with 288rounds/min
You need 3 heatsinks and rate speed ammo for that
rather use it as a supplement to complete a ship build to its advantages.
In T3+ Assault Railgun is an excellent weapon
You need 3 heatsinks and rate speed ammo for that
that 
i like using ions on my gunship because i play defensive/second line due to my armor and slow speed. If I was using an fed gunship however i’d probably use assault rails or singularity
Try playing the Kalah at tier 2 with rails. You will never hate rails again.
I love assault rails on Tier 3, Since everyone uses Empire ships (well, almost) they have ridiculous shields, so 1 em missile you empty their shields and then start the mayhem and crush a hull in seconds.
I love assault rails on Tier 3, Since everyone uses Empire ships (well, almost) they have ridiculous shields, so 1 em missile you empty their shields and then start the mayhem and crush a hull in seconds.
*brings out styx with anti em in shield* i kinda doubt the missile will help you much here.
*brings out styx with anti em in shield* i kinda doubt the missile will help you much here.
It will kill the drones
I love assault rails on Tier 3, Since everyone uses Empire ships (well, almost) they have ridiculous shields, so 1 em missile you empty their shields and then start the mayhem and crush a hull in seconds.
But ions burn through everything anyway. And empire ships aren’t that fast so it’s easier to keep the beam on target.
personally i love my t3 M4 assault rail gun.
with heat-sink m4 and increased range CPU (not sure of name)
with the ammo that increases projectile speed
i have found this to be very effective on my wolf and wolf m
this maybe because i do hit and runs on sole ship the most of the time or in large groups pick off the weakest (or target the engis) with the overdrive and critic increases module (m2)
and pulsar (not sure on exact name) to finish them off
and after writing all this i see the words “higher tiers” but don’t care after writing all this
But ions burn through everything anyway. And empire ships aren’t that fast so it’s easier to keep the beam on target.
Aren’t fast you say…
Thats not a very good build tillo…