In the 4.7 test patch, Point Defense Cannons (PDCs) were shown to be effective against armor, especially with sustained fire and against smaller ships, with ballistic PDCs performing the best overall. While their damage is limited, PDCs can weaken shields and gradually penetrate armor, making them a viable defensive option when used strategically.
In this video, the host, along with friends Madra and Zero, tests the effectiveness of Point Defense Cannons (PDCs) in the 4.7 test patch, focusing on their ability to damage and destroy ships, particularly small ones. They begin by testing missile-based PDCs, noting that a previous bug preventing reloading has been fixed. While the missile PDCs can hit targets, they do minimal damage and struggle to shoot when enemies are too close. However, at a distance, they can chip away at shields and armor, especially on smaller ships, proving they are not entirely useless.
Next, the team switches to laser PDCs. These turrets are effective at reducing shields but do very little damage to armor initially. Despite this, with sustained fire, laser PDCs can gradually wear down even heavily armored ships, eventually leading to their destruction. The host is surprised by their performance, as continuous shooting allows laser PDCs to overcome the armor threshold and kill enemy ships, confirming their utility in prolonged engagements.
The final test involves ballistic PDCs, which the host expected to perform better than the others. The ballistic PDCs demonstrate strong shield reduction capabilities and successfully damage and destroy small ships during combat. The video shows that while ballistic PDCs may not instantly kill larger ships, they effectively eliminate smaller targets quickly, making them a valuable defensive tool. The team observes that ballistic PDCs might outperform laser ones in terms of killing small ships efficiently.
Throughout the tests, the host emphasizes that PDCs are not completely ineffective as some players might think. Although their damage output is limited and requires sustained fire to be lethal, PDCs can support ship defenses by weakening shields and eventually penetrating armor, especially against smaller, more vulnerable ships. The experiments reveal that the effectiveness of PDCs depends on the distance to the target and the type of PDC used, with ballistic PDCs showing the best overall performance in these trials.
In conclusion, the video confirms that PDCs do work against armor in the 4.7 test patch, especially with prolonged fire and against smaller ships. The host recommends using ballistic PDCs for their superior performance and encourages viewers to try out different PDC types based on their combat needs. The video ends with thanks to the friends who helped with the tests and an invitation for viewers to like, subscribe, and share the content. Overall, PDCs are a viable defensive option, particularly when used strategically in fleet engagements.