The video showcases gameplay of the Starlancer TAC during a combat test in Star Citizen, highlighting its poor performance due to slow speed, limited maneuverability, fragile shields, and ineffective turret design. Overall, the ship is deemed underwhelming and in need of significant improvements to be a competitive combat vessel.
The video features gameplay footage of the Starlancer TAC during a combat test in Star Citizen, highlighting its performance and issues. The players engage in a firefight, exchanging fire with enemy ships such as Hornets, Constellations, and a Hammerhead. The combat is intense, with the team utilizing missiles, guns, and tactical maneuvers to take down their targets. Despite some successful hits and kills, the overall impression is that the ship struggles in combat, especially due to its slow speed and limited maneuverability.
Throughout the gameplay, players note the ship’s sluggish acceleration and slow response, which hampers its ability to evade enemy fire or reposition quickly. They express disappointment that the ship’s speed is not faster than the Starancer Max, especially considering it’s a dedicated combat vessel. The ship’s turret system is also criticized for its poor angles; the size five turrets are only effective if facing directly forward, requiring the gunner to rotate extensively to engage targets, reducing overall firing efficiency. This limitation makes it difficult to coordinate attacks and reduces combat effectiveness.
The players observe that the ship’s shield and health are relatively fragile, with only about 116,000 HP and a single size three shield. Once shields are depleted, the ship becomes highly vulnerable, as seen when the ship is quickly destroyed after taking multiple hits from enemy fire, including missiles and larger ships like the Hammerhead. They compare it unfavorably to other ships like the Constellation, which has more HP and better shield configurations, making the Starlancer seem underwhelming for its role.
Another point of criticism involves the ship’s turret design and lack of vertical and lateral movement. The turrets are mostly fixed, forcing the gunner to rotate the entire turret to aim at targets on different sides, which is inefficient in combat. The team suggests that future versions should have turrets that can extend or rotate more freely, similar to other ships like the Caterpillar or the Hammerhead, allowing for better targeting and coordination. These design flaws significantly hinder the ship’s combat potential and make it less effective as a frontline fighter or gunship.
In conclusion, the gameplay reveals that the Starlancer TAC is currently a weak and underperforming combat ship. Its slow speed, limited maneuverability, fragile shields, and poorly designed turrets make it less suitable for intense combat situations. The players express a desire for improvements, especially in turret articulation and ship agility, to make it a more viable option in starfighter battles. Overall, the ship is seen as lacking in value compared to other more capable ships, leading to the consensus that it needs significant upgrades before it can be considered a reliable combat vessel.