New Fleeing Rules

[Schatten Research Facility]

Now that ships can flee all they want with absolutely no consequences, Fighters and bombers can show up out of nowhere, attack caps and leave them in the dust at any point in the fight.

Gunboats, which are supposed to be fighter hunters, no longer have any ability to kill (bluemsg or technical pvp death) fighters that aren't dedicated to fighting (since fleeing rules were the only thing keeping fighters/bombers to fights against caps).

In light of this, can we have more gunboat tweaks that counteract the fighter/bomber's ability to run? For instance, gunboat missiles with greater range and with cruise disruption abilities, decreased hitpoints for fighter thrusters, or a gunboat thruster speed buff.

*EDIT*

All I ask is that if fighters/bombers decide to attack a gunboat, that they should have to live with that decision :/ because there's there's almost nothing more frustrating during gunboat gameplay than getting attacked by a trio of fighters, then having the fighters run away one by one as you zero their bots/bats and much of their hull - only to get jumped by them once again after they've restocked.

[dodike]

Gunboats are supposed to repel snubs and kill them if they don't retreat, not to hunt them down.

[Schatten Research Facility]

Gunboats are supposed to repel snubs and kill them if they don't retreat, not to hunt them down.

Retreating used to have consequences, now it doesn't. When retreating did have consequences of pvp death, it was the purpose of gunboats to hunt fighters. Now that fighters have the consequence free option of retreating, the only time that a fighter ever dedicates to actually fighting a gunboat is when it's a fighterswarm on gunboat gank - which frankly isn't very much fun for the gunboat.

[dodike]

You are talking about fighter swarm against gunboat gank. Start thinking mixed forced, a gunboat supported by fighters.

[Schatten Research Facility]

You are talking about fighter swarm against gunboat gank. Start thinking mixed forced, a gunboat supported by fighters.

Errm... I'm more concerned about the vast majority of gameplay where lone gunboats patrol (since quite frankly, the vast majority of people don't really have the time or resources to always have a proper combat group patrol)

Also, that would mean that the only thing effective against fighters is other fighters. It's not very fun for people vested in gunboats and other caps when only fighters are effective against fighters while fighters are effective against everything :/

*edit* well, any more than it already is, anyway.

[dodike]

Errm... I'm more concerned about the vast majority of gameplay where lone gunboats patrol (since quite frankly, the vast majority of people don't really have the time or resources to always have a proper combat group patrol)

Also, that would mean that the only thing effective against fighters is other fighters. It's not very fun for people vested in gunboats and other caps when only fighters are effective against fighters while fighters are effective against everything :/

*edit* well, any more than it already is, anyway.

I'm yet to see a fighter that is effective against gunboat or bigger one on one. Superior numbers will always have an advantage.
Buffing gunboats the way you propose will only shift more people towards gunboats (since a single fighter won't be able to kill the gunboat nor run away) and you are where you started, your lonely gunboat patrol being shot down by multiple opponents and loosing.

[Niverlare]

Counting fleeing as a pvp death is as OORP as fleeing, refilling and joining right back into the fight.

Solution: Make repairs more realistic instead of just clicking repair-all equipment and get right back into the furball. Implement something that makes repairs take longer, and waste ressources or something similar.

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[Jeremy Hunter]

Gunboats are supposed to repel snubs and kill them if they don't retreat, not to hunt them down.

Thwen you and the BNG are doing it wrong, indie Order hunters.

Anyways.

Always have a few TCDs around. Best answer.

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May you ever walk in the Light, Shizune.

[ProwlerPC]

Well good for you that most people don't have the time to put together a good combat group so it shouldn't be too big of a problem only a rare occasional one. Argued your own self quite well there. Thanks for the help.

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[Schatten Research Facility]

I'm yet to see a fighter that is effective against gunboat or bigger one on one. Superior numbers will always have an advantage.
Buffing gunboats the way you propose will only shift more people towards gunboats (since a single fighter won't be able to kill the gunboat nor run away) and you are where you started, your lonely gunboat patrol being shot down by multiple opponents and loosing.

It's true that a single gunboat vs a single fighter will tend to end with a gunboat victory, but I've found that the most enjoyable gunboat:fighter ratio was about 1:2-3

The thing is, even before the rule change, fighters/bombers had the option of avoiding gunboats before committing to a fight. Now, fighters and bombers can run away at ANY point in the fight even after they've committed to the engagement.

The only thing I ask is that IF a fighter/bomber decides to fight a gunboat, that it has to live with that choice and not have the option to escape with no consequences.