In this video, the creator discusses the challenges faced by Star Citizen’s sub-capital military ships, specifically the Perseus and Hammerhead, in the current game environment. Despite their recent introduction and some engineering updates, these ships struggle with survivability when facing larger capital ships like the Polaris and Idris. The video aims to analyze these issues in detail and propose potential solutions to better balance these sub-capital ships, making them more viable and enjoyable to use in combat scenarios.
A major point raised is the disproportionate survivability of sub-capital ships compared to larger capital ships. For example, the Perseus and Hammerhead have significantly lower total and vital health than the Polaris and especially the Idris, despite having a considerable fraction of their mass. The current health scaling does not reflect their size appropriately, resulting in these ships being easily destroyed, often with a single hit from powerful weapons like the Idris rail gun. The creator suggests increasing the health of sub-capital ships to better align with their mass relative to larger ships, which would improve their battlefield longevity without undermining the power of capital ship weaponry.
The Idris rail gun is highlighted as a particularly problematic weapon due to its extreme damage, long range, and high projectile velocity, making it nearly impossible for sub-capital ships to evade. This leads to gameplay where Idris pilots prioritize quickly eliminating smaller capital ships like the Perseus and Hammerhead, which discourages players from using these ships in larger battles. A proposed solution includes reducing the rail gun’s projectile velocity to allow smaller capital ships a better chance to dodge shots, while still maintaining its effectiveness against larger targets. This change could create a more balanced and engaging combat dynamic.
Another significant issue discussed is the current implementation of ship armor and turret mechanics. Armor presently acts merely as an additional health pool without providing meaningful protection against smaller weapons, leaving sub-capital ships vulnerable to fighter swarms. Although upcoming engineering updates are expected to address armor thresholds based on weapon size, there are ongoing problems with turret effectiveness. Turrets often struggle to hit small, fast-moving targets due to weapon velocity and tracking limitations. Suggestions to improve turret performance include enhancing weapon velocity or range for turret-mounted weapons or introducing specialized turret weapons designed for better effectiveness against fighters.
Finally, the video touches on shield strength disparities and the general challenges of multi-crew ship roles. Sub-capital ships like the Perseus and Hammerhead have relatively weak shields compared to larger capital ships, further reducing their survivability. Additionally, multi-crew ships often underperform compared to multiple smaller ships with individual pilots, reducing the incentive to crew larger vessels. Improving armor mechanics, survivability, turret effectiveness, and shield capacity could make sub-capital ships more rewarding and fun to operate in group combat. The creator invites viewers to share their thoughts on these issues and potential solutions, emphasizing a desire to enhance the overall gameplay experience for all ship classes in Star Citizen.
