Crystalline Entity: After Action

[Morgan Shackelford]

/PRIORITY ONE ENDCODED
STARDATE 2411.07.29
MSGID ALERT
TO ALL HANDS
FR HEADQUARTERS SEVENTH FLEET
SUBJ CE3

CE3 ENGAGED TEENEBIA SECTOR
HEAVY LOSSES SUSTAINED
REINFORCEMENTS REQUESTED

ALL SHIPS FALL BACK TO ENGAGEMENT POINT BRAVO

CE3 HAS DIVERTED COURSE AND APPEARS TO HAVE SUSTAINED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE
CONTINUED ASSAULTS ADVISED, ENTITY REMAINS A HIGH LEVEL THREAT TO THE SECTOR
CE3 EXPECTED TO REGENERATE TO FULL STRENGTH BEFORE NEXT SCHEDULED ENGAGEMENT

//HQ SENDS

[Morgan Shackelford]

Footage from our only successful action against the CE:

During this engagement, we utilized the strategy of completely ignoring all fragments. It is important to note the following:

1. While torpedoes were used against the main entity, this is generally not recommended - however, the strikes were well coordinated and did seem to help in quickly taking off large chunks of the CE's health.

2. For the most part, fleet members were moving in the same direction around the main entity (i.e. all clockwise.) This is very helpful in avoiding head on collisions with large groups of fragments being kited by other captains.

3. Most captains were kiting the shards at different levels of altitude; some were above the entity, some below, others fairly even - this also helps to reduce the possibility of colliding with fragments.

It should also be noted that we had roughly 18 fleet members in a public instance, with the other 2 slots filled in by random players - so a full 20 ships were engaged. This makes a huge difference; and we have not been successful with anything less than 20 ships.

Apologies for the poor quality on the vid, it was my first video for the fleet.

[Morgan Shackelford]

A successful action by a group of approximately 15 klingon vessels.

They are utilizing the strategy we initially attempted on friday nights engagement: a static formation with the goal of annihilating fragments as they spawn and move towards the formation.

It appears that they are utilizing something that stops the large fragments in the tracks, probably Scramble Sensors, as well as Tractor Beam Repulsors.

Large volumes of disruptor cannon fire with Scatter Volley and Rapid Fire appear to be coming from the formation, which is what one would expect from klingon captains - unfortunately, we did not have the number of escorts/cannons available for this strat to be viable.

[CAPT Huckabee]

Well even though we didnt beat it was still worth taking off work for. Sadly if we had taken it down, I feel I had a first place in hand

[Morgan Shackelford]

Please forward the above video to 23 minutes and watch the MATH segment for some outstanding information on how to equip your vessel, what Boff skills to bring, and some basic mechanic info on the encounter itself.

[nibznibznibz]

This was my first proper fleet space run and it was awesome. its what ive always wanted from this game when i first heard it was in development.

turns out my mic was muted the entire time but thats ok, i need to rebind some keys.

definitely think ive made a good choice joining this fleet. keep events like these coming!

[Jason32]

sparrow794 wrote:

Please forward the above video to 23 minutes and watch the MATH segment for some outstanding information on how to equip your vessel, what Boff skills to bring, and some basic mechanic info on the encounter itself.

For those of you that don't want to scan through and find the particular info the COS was talking about, I've included a written summary below on skills recommended/not recommended for the CE as presented by STOked.

Bridge Officers
TAC
NO:
Mines
Target Subsystems

YES:
Beam Overload
Tactical Team
Attack Patterns

ENG
NO:
Boarding Parties
Shield Heals/Resist

YES:
Hull Heals
DPS Increases
Eject Warp Plasma

SCI
NO:
?

YES:
Hull Heals
Energy Siphon
Scramble Sensors (deemed as HIGHLY unreliable but does have a 360 deg firing arc)

GENERAL CPT ABILITIES
NO:
Ramming Speed
Photonic Fleet
Fleet Support

YES:
Sensor Scan
Fire on my Mark

SUMMARY: STOked recommended escorts/cruisers over science ships

[Jason32]

I spent some time today respecing and changing configs for my Defiant refit and I want your opinion on what I should change.

WEAPONS (all are MK XI Very Rare)
Fore:
Antiproton Dual Heavy Cannons x1
Antiproton Dual Cannons x2
Quantum Torp Launcher x1
Aft:
Antiproton Turret x2
Antiproton Beam Array x1

CONSOLES (All are Mk XI Rare except for Antiproton Mag Regulator)
ENG:
SIF Generator (+35 Hull Repair)
Plasma Manifold (+7 Weapon Power)

SCI:
Biofunction Monitor (+35% Crew Recovery)
Borg Universal Console

TAC:
Antiproton Mag Regulator x2 (+24 Antiproton Weapons)
Prefire Chamber x2 (+26 Cannon Weapons)

BRIDGE OFFICER SKILLS:
TAC:
Cannon Rapid Fire III
Cannon Scatter Volley II
Attack Pattern Delta I
Tactical Team I
Attack Pattern Beta I
Attack Pattern Omega I
Beam Array Fire at Will I

ENG:
Engineer Team II
Emergency Power to Weapons I

SCI:
Energy Siphon I
Mask Energy Signature I

Again, any help is greatly appreciated.

[CAPT Huckabee]

I recommend whoever is going to run it again, and is switchin to an escort, be prepared with shield heals/have teammates with them If your the highest DPS. Last night I was its sole target for the longest time and during the first stages I was constantly cycling my transfer power to shields I and II, and my x2 Tac teams and that was just enough to keep my shields at the lowest lvl of red to keep my hull safe.

When it comes to Cannon Scatter Volley and Rapid Fire, just the lvl 1 will do the trick. If you have 2 copies then you can constantly keep it cycling.

I prefer to use my Cmdr slot for Attack Pattern Beta III or Omega III. Beta III is the better choice for the CE, also Beta and Omega cannot be used at the same time if i remember.

If you got Beam Overload III, run it, if no torps run 2 copies if you got em.

Last night I was running x3 DHC and x1 DBB with turrets and AT stage 3 I broke off and switched everything out for beams for our run and target CE strategy.

Stages 1 and 2, I was cycling scatter volley and BO 3 and maintaining a distance of around 7-8k and just using reverse to maintain. It was enough firepower from me and the fleet to keep them off me.

If yall use torps tonight I suggest HYT3 mixed with a HYT 1.

Ive put alot of time in learning the defiant, so I hope this helps anyone needing it.

If yall beat it tonight, then I would greatly like to do another run in the future when im not puttin ppl in jail so I can put it under my belt

[Mac D. Ardell]

Thank you gents for for putting up some solid info. Finding a quality balanced build can definitely take some thought and no small amount of effort. I am a big proponent of finding the build that fits your play style and that you are comfortable with above all else.

I'll throw out some aspects of my primary build. For weapons, like Mr. Huckabee mentioned, I run a similar x3 AP DHC and AP DBB up front, x2 AP Turrets and an AP Array back aft. For consoles and BO skills, repair/resist is the name of the game, maximizing what you can in each slot.

For ENG: As an escort, a plasma manifold to increase weapon power should not be needed, its your ace power and can be maxed out through your spec and power lvl. (There is a skill planner and power lvl calculator on the STO forums that is great for nailing down your build, really helps to differentiate how Maintenance, Efficiency, etc impact your lvls)

http://forums.startrekonline.com/showthread.php?t=155777&highlight=power+calculator

http://forums.startrekonline.com/showthread.php?t=184995&highlight=skill+planner

I use a MK XI Field Generator for +35% Shield Cap and something that offers additional resist, or an EPS Flow Reg. For Skills Eng Team or Aux to SE with EPtShields.

For SCI: Borg Console and Halon System. For Skills Hazard emitters for combo hull points/resist, as well as Polarize Hull. If you dont like the shared cooldown you could sub for Transfer Shield Strength for TSS/EPtS combo.

For TACT: AP Mag Reg, or Prefire to fill in if need be. The Skills run down: Tac Team x2, APB, APO, CRF3, CRF1, BO3, BO1.

I'm not on as much as I used to be due to work and spinning up for deployment, but I'm always up for comparing notes and testing out builds.

Cheers Gents.

[Christian M. Hanson]

Thanks for posting footage of the battle. Looking Glass has taken possession of it's new computer core and will be online shortly.

[AUGERSON U.S.M.C. (Ret)]

Good try guys, had fun