MindsEye

Join Date 05/2008

Dunov

So Darvin has some nice ideas about capships.I agree with them mostly and it got me thinking about the dunov.It is a horrible first cap and is hardly ever used.So why not make the shield restore able to cast on itself?This would greatly buff the ship but not its combat damage making it maybe viable as a starter cap and inline with some of the others.

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FO: Sir! the OMGUSUK have lost shield and is taking heavy damage! *Frzzzzt* Direct hit on rear quaters by a single fighter.

C: Activate shield restore on us, the WESUK shall not fall!

First off, the Dunov is not horrible for a first cap as the Dunov can go out and get experience from swatting down rebels. This will boost the shield restore ability which can make the Kol/Dunov a deadly pair in the early stages of the game. Second, using shield restore on the Dunov is not a good idea as they have subpar weapons and low in the HP department.

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So why not make the shield restore able to cast on itself?

I actually disagree with this. The fact that the Dunov can't heal itself should be its strategic liability. I'm up for suggestions as to how to buff this cap (it definitely needs something, but it shouldn't be pushed too far)

First off, the Dunov is not horrible for a first cap as the Dunov can go out and get experience from swatting down rebels

The problem is you don't have the sheer power of the Marza or Sova for killing those militia quickly, and you don't have the colonization ability of the Akkan to quickly expand. Justifying a Dunov as a first capital ship is extremely difficult.

This will boost the shield restore ability which can make the Kol/Dunov a deadly pair in the early stages of the game.

Problem with Kol/Dunov is that this pair has very low DPS and fleet support capacity, so any good player will just target your fleet and leave your capital ships for last since they don't actually do that much.

Second, using shield restore on the Dunov is not a good idea as they have subpar weapons and low in the HP department.

I think keeping it alive is a pretty good reason to use shield restore on itself.

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Dunovs become gold when they turn level 6 and can use flux field on your other capital ships. All your other capital ship's abilities are suddenly only limited by their cool down time. The problem is before then the only ability it has worth it's anti-matter is magnetize, and that is situational. Restore shields is far less effective at keeping ships alive then Hoshikos/Repair bays. It also has ridiculously damage output.

So, for a Dunov to contribute...

1. It has to reach level 6 (not an early game cap).

2. It has to be supporting other cap ships (not a good first cap).

3. It need supporting frigates to deal damage (not a good first cap)

I play multiplayer about 99% of the time these days and for TEC I recommend the Sova, Akkan or Marza as a first cap. If you play single player you can basically build whatever makes you feel warm inside because it isn't that important to the outcome of the game.

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Restore Shield is actually useful because it's instant and stacks with Hoshiko repair. I find it's invaluable for keeping other caps alive, but I do agree the Dunov needs more presence to match up to the other cap choices.

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I actually disagree with this. The fact that the Dunov can't heal itself should be its strategic liability. I'm up for suggestions as to how to buff this cap (it definitely needs something, but it shouldn't be pushed too far)

Its still a liabilty it doesnt do much damage on its own at all.When I get a dunov to support my marza people just ff it and kill it really fast cause it doesnt have much.Its easily killed.It cant support very well for this reason.There is no point in getting one unless you get 2 and then they are just to expensive.

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Fuzzy Logic

Join Date 05/2002

+493

Dunov is not a bad second choice to an Akkan aginst the AI. If you research laser tech to the full, both have significantly increased firepower, as does the Cobalt. You then have there a useful early fleet.

If you also research hull points, then the Akkan becomes quite tough. You can send this into the grav well first so the militia will target that, your Dunov can then come in as support and strengthen the Akkan's shields.

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I don't have any suggestions really on how to buff it or what not, but I honestly don't think it's supposed to be an early game cap. I'm sure everyone here will agree that if it's behind a force, or teamed with a couple of caps, shield restore is very nice to have, and flux field can turn an entire fleet into a festive sight as all kinds of ablilties activate over and over again. In late game, it's more than worth it's weight in resources, and I feel that that is it's rightful place. Not all caps are designed as starters, since not all caps are equal with the same goals in mind.

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The point is the dunov is so frail as a support cap you cant pick it first.IT WILL DIE.To be honest I dont even like getting it as a 2nd cap anymore unless I have mb cause there is no way to protect it.Everyone always ff on it first and it dies.Other support caps such as progen and skiratra heal themselves with their heal ability so why not the dunov.Other ships can heal infinite amounts of hp as well while the dunov is reduced to 1 ship for one cost so its very limited in its support role.The ability to heal its own shields would help it become a great cap and survive to later levels.Also I would like emp bomb to have greater range than repulse.Tech doesnt have much of a counter for it but all the while the dunov could be the answer.Its range needs to be 8000 or something so it has a chance of hitting them without being shredded by ilums.No reason you should have to sacrifice your cap to disable a round of repulse.These few simple and small changes could help the dunov make a dent in a game just like other caps do.It would make it a great cap to get.

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Other support caps such as progen and skiratra heal themselves with their heal ability so why not the dunov.

The vasari Marauder can also heal itself with the phase out hull ability. I don't think it would be out of line for the dunov to heal itself.

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While shield restore is awesome for keeping 1 ship alive how many overseer is it worth?Its only 1 ship with 1 am reserve so its not like healing itself would be rediculous.I would say 2 maybe 3 overseer = level 3 shield restore.Oh ya with range of emp blast raised to 8000 tec could have a counter to subs to which is badly needed for tec.As of right now the only thing tec has to combat repulse and subs is mb which is not enuf.

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The Dunov largely lost its utility after counters to the Marza became more viable. I remember that the Marza/Dunov combination worked extremely well for a while, because the Dunov's Shield Restore was essential to keeping the Marza alive.

For general balance, all I can really see is a range increase and lower cooldown for EMP Charge. All it's other abilities seem fine, and a better EMP Charge would make early Dunovs viable.

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i dont see why you NEED to justify the Dunov as a starting cap... some ships are just not good/worthwhile making a starting cap...

it really depends on your strategy, if you want punch, you should get a battleship, ability to suppress fleets, get a carrier, go on the offensive and attack planets quickly, get a seige cap, but a support cap is really only good for supporting fleets and early game there wont be enough fleet to warrant support.

mid to late game i find the dunov fine (though more AM would be nice), but i dont seea need to make changes to justify it as a starting cap...

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