well, if you lok at blazeme's mod fith gear ( no i am not advertising it!) it balances everything out so that if you are good, you can take on an entire fleet of vhfs with lfs, only if your VERY good mind!

"Im not sure about this, but could the SUR files of the Sabre be programmed originally in game to allow shots to go through the middle of the wings? Or were they lazy and make it a solid wing basically."
No, the .sur file matches the actual model of the ship quite well, holes and all. However, this is only when the shields are down, so to answer this:
"That would bring on further complications for a shield as well. Do shields and hulls have different applying sur files?"
Yes, they do. Well, actually, it's technically the same .sur file, but different parts of it. In all cases that I have seen, the shield surface is just a simple ellipsoid (or something close to that) that encompasses the entire ship.

Profile is hugely important, even with the semi-autotargetting that Freelancer has. In particular, the head-on profile is critical; light fighters such as the patriot and dagger often do well in PvP because they are difficult to hit from the front. In terms of maneuverability, LFs, HFs, and VHFs tend to fall into one of two major groups, with a few notable exceptions that you are bound to notice as you play (or you could just look at the files and see for yourself). In general, don't assume that just because your ship is "lighter" means that it will handle better than something meatier (though of course in some cases it will); however, most LFs do have smaller profiles than the HFs and VHFs, which translates to fewer hits scored against you on average. This balances against lesser shields and firepower.

I'm afraid of saying too much since it will kind of spoils things terribly, so I guess I'll leave it at that. Try things out, and if you find that you can't take advantage of an LF's strengths, definitely side with the greater firepower and durability of a VHF.

I like the light fighters the only problem is though they cannot equip class 6 or over shields (even though they sell class 9 light fighter shields at stations) you still cant equip them, its a bit dumb really why make a LF class 9 shields to buy when no LF can equip them highest is class 6

The titan has a great profile.

strafe! the three VHF's are equal in strength
You wouldn't use a cucumber to chop a tomato!

"its a bit dumb really why make a LF class 9 shields to buy when no LF can equip them highest is class 6"

7 (banshee)

All ships have their advantages.

VHFs are the best choice if you are unsure of your ability to dodge enemy fire or just like toting all that weaponry and armor around. They can also pass as light freighters, and are overall good multirole and exploration craft.

LFs are great choices for players who would rather dodge than soak up hits. They make great pursuit ships and very good raiders- kill transport, grab loot, and zip away without taking any fire at all.

If you don't think either VHFs or LFs fit your needs, go with a HF. There are some fine choices in the medium class range that often get ignored simply because they don't boast the same gun rack as a VHF does. They have the agility that VHFs lack, as well as the firepower LFs lack, so they are a compromise that gives you the vest of both worlds. Don't make the mistake of ignoring the HF class; many of them are quite formidable.




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Proud owner and operator of a Patriot!
Proud owner and operator of a Stiletto!
Proud ally of the Bounty Hunters' Guild!
Proud hater of Nomad weapons!
Proud user of all things underestimated!
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For the last time...there is no "N" in "TURRET"!

heavy fighters don't have the agility VHF's lack. the eagle is one of the most manuverable ships in the game; it is more manuverable than a dagger. how you are able to destroy other vhf's with lf's is simply because of your superior skill.

Ships that turn faster than a eagle: starflier, patriot, and drake.
ships that turn about the same: hammerhead, falcon, and maybe the hawk.

strafe! the three VHF's are equal in strength
You wouldn't use a cucumber to chop a tomato!

In my mind, profile is massively important. Here's a great example:

In the WTS mod (as well as a few others, like TNG) you have the option of purchasing capital ships. I actually made the mistake of doing this once (I think it was a mistake, anyway). The problem is that while capital ships appear to have WAY more hitpoints and gun mounts, they are huge, incredibly tough to maneuver and slow. And no amount of gun mounts or hitpoints can make up for this.

Now some will say it IS possible to make up for the size IF you can mount guns with a ridiculous range (2k plus) and IF you can take out packs of fighters with them faster than they can close the distance. That second one is a particularly big "IF."

Personally...I'll take a small fast, maneuverable fighter any day. Thus, my my ship of choice in WTS was the phantom...or the Whitestar (it's a cap ship that handles like a VHF...schweet!)

Weapon of choice - Dagger. If for no other reason that my ego gets a great massage every time a HF of VHF goes pop in front of it and I got bored beating AI in SP. I don' honestly think that I could beat a pilot of similiar or higher skill if they had a well equipped HF or VHF and the terms were fair with no ambush or surprise.

Fit long range weps like fast moving class 4 dragoons and dragoon turret along with Adv Scorpion class 3. Lots of energy drain if you are trigger happy but the alternative is slow and fairly low power missiles. With fast long range weapons you can pull out of the fight, turn and strafe. In close combat keep targets infornt where you can hit them and your profile is smallest. Most of all you need patience.

Ultimately LF's are not a match for VHF's but they are more fun and a greater challenge. When you crawl back into a Sabre you'll still have the skills which kept you alive in the LF plus the hardoints to match.

However that is only my very humble opinion.

Edited by - Druid on 11/23/2004 5:47:55 AM