Won't tell you that I tried that stuff, but I can encourage you to go and do it.

Once your ship is mastered and you have all the habits and maybe get a little bit bored, a tiny bit of experiments will bring a whole new perspective to your old ship.

The combination you speak of isn't used much because Ion missiles were sub-par at best before last patch. They had a range of Quads. Now their stats are more balanced and I see no reason why it shouldn't work, especially against bombers.

I myself didn't try it yet because I am still somehow blindly looking for a second missile type to bring with Clusters. Have tried Concs, EMPs, Protorps, but no Ions yet. I shall change that soon, thanks for idea

...I was curious how people find Ion Missiles coupled with heavies. So, any comments?

I don't know anyone who put ship reqs into ion missiles. Now that they extended the range to 7km, I suppose they could be useful, but I don't want to give up my EMPs for them and concussions are my "heavy hitter".

The range is irrelevant since I'm using clusters anyways with 5k range. It's the effect the missile does that I'm curious about coupled with the shield destroying effect. They draw engine/weapon power like Ion railguns, that's what I'm curious about.

I'll just give it a shot and see how they work. Will have to up them before actually tryin them though as you need to up the heavies to get the armour ignore and to maximize the effect of the Ion.

The range is irrelevant since I'm using clusters anyways with 5k range. It's the effect the missile does that I'm curious about coupled with the shield destroying effect. They draw engine/weapon power like Ion railguns, that's what I'm curious about.

Actually the range is very relevant. With 5k range on Ions, you are already in Clusters and blaster range, and since Ions have 3s lock-on, you could just shread the shield "like a savage" with Cluster volley and blaster fire in about the same time, if not faster and more reliably.

Now, when Ions have 7k range, you can actually start off with Ion lock-on from distance, start firing Heavies once you get in 6k, you'd prolly have the Ions locked and delivered at about 4,5 - 5k, switch to Clusters, Cluster hit delivered in 2s, all while firing the Heavy laser. If everyhing goes as smooth as I just described, I don't see how the enemy could survive.

Now, when Ions have 7k range,

They have 7700 range, meaning any enemy displaying 7600 or less can be locked on to.

The thing is, you will often be able to heavy them while they have too much later movement to be ion locked, or ion lock them while they have too much wiggle to be shot. Both have merit.

I've played a few dozen games with mastered ions and mastered clusters, and I do believe it is effective, but not as much as you think. The problem is that an enemy who is hurt is the one who won't be able to boost away from the ion missile, and the ion missile only offers a snare there, and 400 hull damage (800 if you have to deal with a bit of shielding). An enemy who isn't hurt will frequently have an escape for the missile. It's VERY rare to see the 1600ish pop onscreen that this missile is capable of.

Remember concussions have a snare too.

especially against bombers.

What is it about bombers that makes everyone want to recommend sub par missiles?

Ions are the LEAST useful against bombers. Connect with an ion versus a scout, strike, or gunship, and you have exposed bare metal and can just put your blasters there. But a bomber has tissue thin shields with a ludicrous amount of hull. You can lock ANY damned missile onto a bomber, but everyone is all "oh, use a thermite torp!", "hey, proton torpedo!".

Just like... protons are ok. Concussions are your best bet, as they snare and actually hit for a lot of damage, unlike every other missile. Thermites are niche, and not normally worth the drama given the danger of flying close to a bomber. Protons whole trick- ignoring shields- doesn't even matter, because the bomber isn't really gonna die without his shields being stripped, so it just becomes a longer range, slower lockon, less damage version of concussion.

Oh, also concussion has a short reload time. Just use that.

Ions? Those are for anything BUT bombers, really!

Dropping a scouts speed by 40% is a death sentence for them.

Don't believe that. It is actually pretty manageable. If you'd only slow them by 40%, they'd laugh in your face, using their engine abilities and big boosters. If you'd however only drain their whole shield, they'd be gone in two or three laser hits. Slowing them may make these hits a bit easier, but it is definitely not the core of Ions missile.

If you want to give scouts death sentences, go for EMP missiles instead and choose the 15s engine ability lockdown. That is a major screw-up in any scout's plans.

What is it about bombers that makes everyone want to recommend sub par missiles?

It's not everyone, just me. I am the one with Thermites, too. I never said that my ideas are the best around. They are however different, fun, and they tend to work well.

Bombers without lock breaker are THE target for any missile. Anyone else who gets hit by a missile just made a mistake.

And Ions should, in my head, also work wonders against bombers. Instead of pounding that shield with raw damage, it could be useful to disable a good chunk of it with an Ion missile. Especially when you have a second missile type that may or may not work better against hull.

Actually the range is very relevant. With 5k range on Ions, you are already in Clusters and blaster range, and since Ions have 3s lock-on, you could just shread the shield "like a savage" with Cluster volley and blaster fire in about the same time, if not faster and more reliably.

Now, when Ions have 7k range, you can actually start off with Ion lock-on from distance, start firing Heavies once you get in 6k, you'd prolly have the Ions locked and delivered at about 4,5 - 5k, switch to Clusters, Cluster hit delivered in 2s, all while firing the Heavy laser. If everyhing goes as smooth as I just described, I don't see how the enemy could survive.

This is exactly how I've setup this ship, Ion / heavy / clusters to finish them off while I'm still plunking away with heavies. Use concentrated fire as soon as you switch to heavies and it is rare you'll need to fire off some clusters. I have my clusters setup with the DoT so if I fire them with the target under 17-20% hp I break off and find something else to kill.

Don't believe that. It is actually pretty manageable. If you'd only slow them by 40%, they'd laugh in your face, using their engine abilities and big boosters. If you'd however only drain their whole shield, they'd be gone in two or three laser hits. Slowing them may make these hits a bit easier, but it is definitely not the core of Ions missile.

If you want to give scouts death sentences, go for EMP missiles instead and choose the 15s engine ability lockdown. That is a major screw-up in any scout's plans.

I often kill scouts while they are boosting away, with Quads or with clusters. Since the speed drop should affect boost speed as well as boost is a percentage of your ship speed, I imagine it would be even easier. Using boost doesn't make you immune or anything so I don't really know what you're on about.

Thermites are niche, and not normally worth the drama given the danger of flying close to a bomber.

We talking about the same thermites? Cause last I checked, 10 km was not "close". Or are you including time to shred shields with blasters?

I often kill scouts while they are boosting away, with Quads or with clusters. Since the speed drop should affect boost speed as well as boost is a percentage of your ship speed, I imagine it would be even easier. Using boost doesn't make you immune or anything so I don't really know what you're on about.

Yeah, you are right, but a target moving 2k m/s knowing he needs to evade and actually trying will manage to survive. If they are boosting in a straight line, you can kill them even without slowing them.

If I had to choose the worst of being slowed, having shields drained and having engine ability disabled, the engine disable would be the worst, and slow being the least dangerous for me.

We talking about the same thermites? Cause last I checked, 10 km was not "close". Or are you including time to shred shields with blasters?

Mostly the problem that a thermite needs the shields stripped. It's acceptable to use thermites, of course- they hit shockingly hard against an opportune target, and with bypass they can do a decent bit of damage even to a shielded target- but they don't have any special strengths against bombers. It doesn't help that bombers always have powers that make their shields bigger- from overcharged shield to engine to shield to shield projector to repair drone.

If a bomber is being harrased by others and has little shield, a thermite is probably the best missile in the game. But I don't think you can count on that- but ofc the scout doesn't have protons and concussions as an option anyway.

Well ill tell you and I own everything on my mastered pike and it is completely mastered not just one wep type or shield but the whole thing

the Heavys are you best blasters with rank 4 100 bypass armor and rank 5 shield pierce is around 600-800 at 6900 m

were not dog fighters we are heavy hitters

that said protorps at rank 5 with rank 4 speed increase 100% a must have and rak 5 range increased to 11.5 makes gun ships and bombers alike think twice ifthey are smart.

and for the secondary missle it is play style preff but the ion is still a joke concidering the conc does 1000 damage and slows and drains more eng power then the ion does but trust me when I tell you if they are dumb enough to come at you and let you get the protorp off and then the follow up of the conc from 7700 range you wont ever even fire a shot off your heavy but the heavys are the wep of choice to kill rones mines and players other wise you will waste a whole bar of wep power when a few shots of heavys with armor bypass does the trick very nicely and your off onto your next target

the new emp missle is nice range wep aginst bombers and all other because it stops them from laying drone and prevents other from barrel rolling away so it is my must have for secondary missle for my play style but will allways carry heavys protorps and secondary missle is up to you and ive fired well over 6000 missles according to new board and those were mostly protons and (concs and new emp maybe 500) rest were protons