I used to swear by Bursts on my Flashfire but I've recently switched to Rapids as I find them easier to use in dogfights, since they don't burn weapon energy as quickly. Surprisingly I find them to be quite effective at bomber popping because of the armor pen, and they've proven to be quite mean with Frequency Capacitor. So I ask the experts if they think Rapids/Clusters are able to compete at the meta with Bursts/Clusters?

Oh, and are there any major differences between Laser Cannons and Quad Cannons? My Flashfire is for dogfighting, so I'm setting up my Novadive for jousting with Gunships. Nova has LC's while Flash has Quads, but both have Pods, so I'm wondering how much LC's differ from Quads.

the major changes in this regard are that rapids were made better against armor their damage is still very low but given time on target and volume of fire they can do serious damage

BLCs were reduced in range and made less accurate at range however their damage increases exponentially the closer you are to target at point blank range their devastating even to heavy shielded targets.

Rapids remain the worst choice for dogfighting out of Bursts, Rapids, and Lights (I would pick them over Quads, however). Your other use case you mention, bombers, are somewhere that you can make a good case for rapids.

Rapids and lights are more different than before, but still more similar to each other than most of the other things. Bursts remain the "most unique", in that they are both unique, and more different to the other lasers than any other lasers are from each other.

Rapids will beat burst in sustained dps, which is usually not what happens in a dogfight. You also will usually prevent an enemy trying to regen shields from doing that slightly easier, but I don't recommend them on a flashfire for dogfights.

The efficiency of the laser is top notch, and the armor penetration is a strong selling point. For dogfighting I would suggest Bursts or Lights.

If you are running with rapids + frequency, you are going for a sustained dps gun that can ignore armor- you'll have a harder time versus scouts by quite a bit, and a tougher time versus strikes than you would like as well.

If you really don't trust bursts, try lights.

Rapids remain the worst choice for dogfighting out of Bursts, Rapids, and Lights (I would pick them over Quads, however). Your other use case you mention, bombers, are somewhere that you can make a good case for rapids.

 

Rapids and lights are more different than before, but still more similar to each other than most of the other things. Bursts remain the "most unique", in that they are both unique, and more different to the other lasers than any other lasers are from each other.

 

Rapids will beat burst in sustained dps, which is usually not what happens in a dogfight. You also will usually prevent an enemy trying to regen shields from doing that slightly easier, but I don't recommend them on a flashfire for dogfights.

 

The efficiency of the laser is top notch, and the armor penetration is a strong selling point. For dogfighting I would suggest Bursts or Lights.

 

If you are running with rapids + frequency, you are going for a sustained dps gun that can ignore armor- you'll have a harder time versus scouts by quite a bit, and a tougher time versus strikes than you would like as well.

 

If you really don't trust bursts, try lights.

I will focus on Lights and Pods after I've maxed Rapids and Clusters. I'm close to getting the Mastery bonus, I see no reason not to get that out of the way first.

heres the pekking order

BLC HLC LLC ION RFL QUAD Regular

if ur ship has the best laser u use that laser if u want to win in any mode. UNLESS it has HLC and LLC u pick which one u want ur ship to fly as. so HLC u want to play away from the objectives killing gunships and sniping targets from away from the satellite. LLC u stay on the objectives and kill while holding them for your team to win.

if i want to hold an objective u pick BLC. then LLC. never RFL. the exception on the type 1 starguard is if u want to use ion and RFL its ok BUT only bc ION and LLC and ION and BLC is not possible on that ship type. but TBH i would prefer 2 pick something like type 3 clarion or type 2 quell and use LLC and u get a 2nd missile or remote slicing.