I know many people were very curious who Missiles-only was well sorry guys it was me the whole time.

I'd also like to take a second to apologize to the few people I had to blatantly lie to about this character, I wanted to keep it a secret. I kind of wanted to see how much agro my name normally draws, how much less I'd get focused while not on my normal character. Now I know it's not the same since everyone knew I was in a Pike, but for the first say 30 games when no one knew who Missiles-only was it was like night and day. No one gave me a second look and plenty of people died for that mistake.

I started this character a few weeks ago as kind of a joke, just to mess around with. Turns out because of how different the flying style was I had a really good time with it.

I ended up fighting all sorts of good pilots, I think I must have faught Despon over 20 times. I had to really push as hard as I could to kill them, it's been a long time since I've been able to just go all out every game. Even if I was severely handicapped it was still a very freeing feeling.

I have to say during the course of this whole thing I learned some pretty funny things, I'll share a few to show you guys what I mean.

Before you get armor penetration on concussions it takes 3 Clusters and 1 Concussion to kill 1 defense turret in domination.

It takes 1 Concussion and 1 Cluster to kill any of the Bombers drones.

It takes 2 Clusters and 1 Concussion to kill a Scout if they break none of them.

These kind of ammo counters became so important to my play, I needed to keep track of shield regeneration timers on certain ships so that I wouldn't have to land an extra missile.

After 100 games the ship is still not mastered (earning req is very hard without being able to shoot lasers) as of the last 10 games however it is technically mastered since all that's left are the lasers and capacitor which I wasn't using anyways.

I know not everyone is interested in stats but I like them so for those of you that are here are the screenshots of my stats after the 100 Pike games.

101 Overall screenshot 1

101 Overall screenshot 2

100 Pike screenshot 1

100 Pike screenshot 2

The first thing everyone is going to notice is that I don't have 100% accuracy this was due to a really aggravating error of mine. I alt+tabbed out of the game to talk to someone on skype and because I use 2 monitors to tab back in I left click on my swtor screen which fired 2 laser shots and probably scarred my neighbors because of how loud I yelled.

I'm very proud of these stats. I also have a few game screenshots I'm proud of if anyone is interested in those I'll put them here.

Game 1

Game 2

Game 3

Game 4

Game 5

Game 6

Game 7

Now that the secret is out if there is interest in it I guess I could stream a few games of this, although I'll probably get focused down a lot faster now that everyone knows it's me. Still if there is interest in watching this ridiculous ship fly let me know.

I'm still bitter about that DO from last night.

And for the record, you didn't "make" me Retrocide. I took a calculated chance, and was mistaken that there was nothing behind me. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

Regardless, cheers!

Also, you stumbled onto one of the reasons it's fun to make new alts, and why I have I think 12 toons that GSF!

The really funny thing is how that build (and the way you flew it) is surprisingly effective at harassing a Feedback Shield gunship. Having only Barrel Roll for a missile break makes the gs vulnerable to missiles, which are sparsely used against me otherwise. Being a strike, it's got good shields and since I couldn't count on extra damage from Feedback Shield (as no primary weapons fire was hitting me) it took forever in close to whittle down with BLC. Running from it really only delayed the inevitable if you wanted to keep shadowing me. It was pretty amusing after a while.

Despon

What is your build, since it seems slightly different than the one you played in your stream last night?

Oh it's very different it's a build specifically tailored for firing only Missiles.

No lasers

Cluster missile (Range/Damage over time)

Concussion missile (Range/Armor penetration)

Quick charge shield (Constant regeneration)

Barrel roll (Increased turning)

Munitions capacity extender

Turning thrusters

Lightweight armor

No capacitor

Crew passives:

Offense: 2 degrees firing arc/8% secondary cooldown reduction

Defense: 10% shields/5% evasion

Tactical: sensor focus/ communication (used mostly for co-pilot)

Engineering: 10% engine power/ 13% engine efficiency

Co-pilot: Running interference

Were you ever using Koiogran Turn at some point? I thought I noticed that, maybe early on?

Despon

Were you ever using Koiogran Turn at some point? I thought I noticed that, maybe early on?

 

Despon

Nope I checked and I haven't even baught it. If you happened to be in my very first game on the character I played a stock Starguard just to get the entry quest done.That starts with Koiogran turn, maybe that's what you're thinking of?

The really funny thing is how that build (and the way you flew it) is surprisingly effective at harassing a Feedback Shield gunship. Having only Barrel Roll for a missile break makes the gs vulnerable to missiles, which are sparsely used against me otherwise. Being a strike, it's got good shields and since I couldn't count on extra damage from Feedback Shield (as no primary weapons fire was hitting me) it took forever in close to whittle down with BLC. Running from it really only delayed the inevitable if you wanted to keep shadowing me. It was pretty amusing after a while.

 

Despon

Absolutely I started targeting Gunships with Feedback once I noticed the same thing. I actually had a very high success against Distortion ones too. It's just so many missiles it's hard to dodge them all. While you can manually evade for quite awhile it's exactly as you put it, I've basically taken you out of the game and eventually you will die.

What you and other Gunship pilots facing this build learned after awhile, is that in close quarters even just your Burst lasers outpace my damage. Once you guys started just dogfighting with me and racing for damage instead of the typical run for your life strategies I really couldn't do anything anymore.

It was really funny how much this build just slowed down the entire game, I had many many games go to time out because of it.

lol, awesome. figured it had to be someone I knew, but obviously I had no clue it was you.

last time I was able to log in - monday afternoon - I grouped with meraxis (sp?) for one game. I'd run into missiles-only a few times prior to that, but after this particular match I actually typed out "I have all kinds of respect for missiles-only." meraxis agreed. well played, well played.

While I have not flown enough on other servers to have seen you about, Drak/Missiles-only, I think it's fun even just to hear of others trying this experiment too. Flying "missiles only" matches with my Pike has been my way of challenging myself (and evening the playing field) in any match when I see my team totally stacked against the other team. I've found it to be extremely entertaining, and I agree that it absolutely teaches you some new tricks.

I first fell in love with Concussion missiles with armor piercing while using them in my Starguard experiments (paired with Ion Cannons, they can be pretty devastating, amounting to a one-two KO against many ships). I hadn't actually tried them on my missiles only Pike runs, though, opting instead for Protons. I can see a lot of dogfighting fun potential in your Clusters+Concussion build, though. Might be something to try next time!

I had to laugh at your description of the yell you gave when you accidentally fired the cannons that one time. Whenever I fly my missiles only matches, I've taken to hovering my index finger above the mouse entirely so that it's not even resting on the mouse button, lest I twitch at the wrong time and screw up that 100%. Either that or shifting my grip a bit to rest the index finger on the scroll wheel. After all, if you're gonna do it, better do it right!

I'm a tad disappointed, but if I knew it was you I'd chase you more automatically.

I just wouldn't have expected it to be you because:

1. You weren't in a typical premade, or at least one that I was aware of usually of

2. I wouldn't expect you to waste an entire weapon system

<Still 1 is the main surprise =p

I'm a tad disappointed, but if I knew it was you I'd chase you more automatically.

 

I just wouldn't have expected it to be you because:

 

1. You weren't in a typical premade, or at least one that I was aware of usually of

2. I wouldn't expect you to waste an entire weapon system

 

<Still 1 is the main surprise =p

Well the whole idea of it was to keep it secret or yes I would have been focused to all hell as usual.

As for #1, I played this more as a like, hey I have extra this afternoon why not do some for fun solo queue ing before I play with my team later.

As for #2, I've actually done a lot of silly stuff like this while streaming. I play all sorts of troll ships to entertain people when the matches are very uneven. Since we started playing a lot on Harbinger I haven't really been able to do this since I'm still gaining requisition on my meta ships, but I do have some for fun ones I play like my Clarion for instance.

I've done many missiles only games on stream before which is why I was a little worried people would figure out it was me. Some of the troll build requests I get while streaming are pretty hilarious, someone made me play a missiles only Ion/EMP Pike once. That was an experience.

Sorry to hear you were disappointed.

I don't think you'd get focused to all hell running missles only regardless of people knowing its you. Some matches I'll have five or more chasing me around, others I'm relatively free to pursue whomever.

It's not like you go gloating when you win and tell people they're horrid when you lose... or accuse people of cheating constantly =p

But perhaps disappointed wasn't the best word choice since I would have never guessed it was you and was earnestly surprised. I would have expected the name (missles-only) to merit people chasing on its own regardless of the player actually behind it.

I know many people were very curious who Missiles-only was well sorry guys it was me the whole time.

Please bring it out to play every once in a while. I'll never betray your secret.

Missiles Only is my single favorite pilot ever, just spamming his missile locks away until they burn a missile break and then finishing them off. You made me want to own a Pike/Quell just from watching how you owned that ship.

Question. This is the part that really gets me with the strike.

Once someone fires on you, what's your strategy. I'm guessing hold your quick charge until you need it, force a missile lock, break it with barrel roll, turn with the increased turning, then face them and start spamming the clusters until they turn away, but I wanted to hear your take. Also, I'm curious why Quick Charge instead of Directional Shield?

Please bring it out to play every once in a while. I'll never betray your secret.

 

Missiles Only is my single favorite pilot ever, just spamming his missile locks away until they burn a missile break and then finishing them off. You made me want to own a Pike/Quell just from watching how you owned that ship.

 

Question. This is the part that really gets me with the strike.

 

Once someone fires on you, what's your strategy. I'm guessing hold your quick charge until you need it, force a missile lock, break it with barrel roll, turn with the increased turning, then face them and start spamming the clusters until they turn away, but I wanted to hear your take. Also, I'm curious why Quick Charge instead of Directional Shield?

I presume its because Quick Charge by default (even without upgrades) has an increase to the "recently consumed" ENGINE regeneration rate. I think its labeled "Power Engine Regen Rate (when Recently Consumed)" and is +45% by default. Just like shields regenerate slowly for a second or two following getting hit before their regen rate accelerates, boosters and the engine power pool do the same. They are paper thin compared to Directionals but I presume he's using them for their offensive and defensive ability to close distances or escape, since the ship is harder to dogfight in. If you've burned your engine pool trying to close into a bomber or gunship and now they're focusing on you and you need to escape, that boost to "recently consumed regeneration rate" for engines can help you get behind obstacles to LOS or boost to a powerup or whatever. During that time between you finishing your gap closing and lining up some missile locks to maneuvering away, more of your engine pool will have regenerated relative to using Directionals.

I was wondering when we would get around to what strategies I used while flying this.

First let's answer the build question, Shallowhal asked why Quick charge shields.

I chose Quick charge shields because off it's recently consumed engine regeneration rate buff. It makes your engines regenerate 45% faster while you are using them (and 3 seconds after you stop).

An interesting bonus was that because I was never using power to weapons I'd often be in power to shields when dogfighting for the faster turn rate but because quick charge shields regenerate at 60% your regen rate while being fired upon this actually helped quite a bit. Couple with the fact that the fights were so long because well I'm trying to kill people with just missiles it ended giving me a ton of shields.

Many of my deaths were due to shield penetration because I was always in power to shields or engines I essentially was always flying defensively so I had a lot less moments of getting caught with no engine power left. (which is a really awful strike problem)

As for what I did when people started shooting at me that is way too broad of a question, it depended on ship/components/talents/player. I faught Despon a lot on his Gunship for instance the whole plan was Spam cluster until he used Barrel roll then concussion him rinse and repeat, for a long time this was working because he was running away from me a lot instead of engaging. In my last say 20 games of the 100 I played he started using a different strategy he would just eat the cluster and then dogfight me with Burst lasers, he won that fight every single time.

Lets say I faught Sting/Flashfire that I didn't recognize I would just get in a turning war (while in power to shields) and spam clusters at them until they were dead or tried to run. If they ran I'd just chase them down. (this is where quick charge comes in, minus the scout having booster recharge i could actually run them down)

When I faught really good Stings/Flashfire I'd try to just keep them busy in Domination or in Deathmatch I'd kite them until I got a Damage Overcharge. I needed that advantage to even have a chance. (which often even with the Damage Overcharge I'd lose anyways)

I Just like shields regenerate slowly for a second or two following getting hit before their regen rate accelerates, boosters and the engine power pool do the same.

Phal you're actually incorrect here. Shields don't have a recently consumed rate only weapons and engines do. Shields only begin regenerating after the standard 6 seconds shield delay. (this can be upgraded on ships to be lower with direcitonals or turbo reactor) The only exception is Quick charge shield which in it's final talent makes your shields regenerate for 60% in while getting shot, essentially giving you a recently consumed rate on shields.

In case you were interested where I got the numbers here is the link to the Dev's posting how all that works.

Link here.

Phal you're actually incorrect here. Shields don't have a recently consumed rate only weapons and engines do. Shields only begin regenerating after the standard 6 seconds shield delay. (this can be upgraded on ships to be lower with direcitonals or turbo reactor) The only exception is Quick charge shield which in it's final talent makes your shields regenerate for 60% in while getting shot, essentially giving you a recently consumed rate on shields.

 

In case you were interested where I got the numbers here is the link to the Dev's posting how all that works.

Link here.

Thanks!

I was wondering when we would get around to what strategies I used while flying this.

 

First let's answer the build question, Shallowhal asked why Quick charge shields.

 

I chose Quick charge shields because off it's recently consumed engine regeneration rate buff. It makes your engines regenerate 45% faster while you are using them (and 3 seconds after you stop).

 

An interesting bonus was that because I was never using power to weapons I'd often be in power to shields when dogfighting for the faster turn rate but because quick charge shields regenerate at 60% your regen rate while being fired upon this actually helped quite a bit. Couple with the fact that the fights were so long because well I'm trying to kill people with just missiles it ended giving me a ton of shields.

 

Many of my deaths were due to shield penetration because I was always in power to shields or engines I essentially was always flying defensively so I had a lot less moments of getting caught with no engine power left. (which is a really awful strike problem)

 

 

As for what I did when people started shooting at me that is way too broad of a question, it depended on ship/components/talents/player. I faught Despon a lot on his Gunship for instance the whole plan was Spam cluster until he used Barrel roll then concussion him rinse and repeat, for a long time this was working because he was running away from me a lot instead of engaging. In my last say 20 games of the 100 I played he started using a different strategy he would just eat the cluster and then dogfight me with Burst lasers, he won that fight every single time.

 

Lets say I faught Sting/Flashfire that I didn't recognize I would just get in a turning war (while in power to shields) and spam clusters at them until they were dead or tried to run. If they ran I'd just chase them down. (this is where quick charge comes in, minus the scout having booster recharge i could actually run them down)

When I faught really good Stings/Flashfire I'd try to just keep them busy in Domination or in Deathmatch I'd kite them until I got a Damage Overcharge. I needed that advantage to even have a chance. (which often even with the Damage Overcharge I'd lose anyways)

 

 

 

 

Phal you're actually incorrect here. Shields don't have a recently consumed rate only weapons and engines do. Shields only begin regenerating after the standard 6 seconds shield delay. (this can be upgraded on ships to be lower with direcitonals or turbo reactor) The only exception is Quick charge shield which in it's final talent makes your shields regenerate for 60% in while getting shot, essentially giving you a recently consumed rate on shields.

 

In case you were interested where I got the numbers here is the link to the Dev's posting how all that works.

Link here.

This is all extremely fascinating. Thank you for being willing to share your detailed thoughts about this build, which I just loved to death.

One thing that is so interesting about only caring about missiles is that it gives you a different flying style, because frequently missiles and blasters make you do different things to win, and when you normally care about both you often want to favor the lasers (for good reason).

I don't want to derail, but it does sort of show IMO a bit of a problem with the missiles, in that they don't integrate amazingly with blasters. Your missile effectiveness definitely increases if you fly just to favor them.