I have a simple suggestion for making the currently pointless Combat Interceptors[1] useful again - add the Combat Recon Cruiser quality “Cannot be detected by directional scanners” to their hulls.
Obviously the utility of this is increased by delayed local chat, but would still be useful regardless. In the right context they would be a good ambush first-tackle. Since this idea does not buff the hull in any way once its on grid, overall ship balance is essentially maintained.
Constructive comments please. Plus, if you like the idea, bring it to the attention of some CSM members.
Stacee Joringer
[1] that’s the Crusader, Raptor, Taranis and Claw which lost their bubble immunity in October 2018 and are rarely seen in space since - they lost their utility in the context of Fleet Interceptors and Assault Frigates.
Combat inties definitely need some love, and this would be a novel approach to giving them a role in the current meta. They would also see a heap of use in wormholes if they were D-scan immune.
If it was combined with a reduction in combat probe launcher CPU requirement, or even a significant recuction in combat probe cycle time, D-scan immunity would make for an effective hunting ship in the right hands.
It feels a very odd bonus for a combat ship that is meant to see the heat of battle.
Additionally with delayed local coming this just feels like risk free roaming requests.
Ships should be either fast or stealthy really. Fast and stealthy just seems overkill.
When I first read this, I hated the idea. But the more I think about this, the more I think it makes perfect sense. In no particular order:
Combat Recons are literally the only ship in the game with D-Scan immunity. As such, it leaves them in kind of a lurch. Sure it’s a powerful trait, but you can only use it to the full extent if you’re only flying combat recons, which definitely limits your options. Having a set of frigate counterparts for combat recons would be incredibly useful for recon gangs.
As others have pointed out, Combat 'Ceptors have been neglected since they lost their bubble immunity. Right now, they’re just faster, lower DPS variants of Assault Frigates without anywhere near the tank.
Combat 'Ceptors “…utilize a combination of advanced alloys and electronics to reduce their effective signature radius.” (Straight from the description.) If that’s not fitting of a D-Scan immunity bonus, I don’t know what is.
I do have some concern about small FW plexes. A gang of D-Scan immune Combat 'Ceptors would make for an incredibly powerful plex trap.
Overall, I’m on board with the idea, but I also don’t like the idea of getting something for nothing, so I’d like to amend the proposal to be the following:
Grant Combat 'Ceptors D-Scan Immunity Decrease their base warp speed to 6.6 AU/s
This would further differentiate them from Fleet 'Ceptors, keep them more in-line with Combat Recons (exactly double their base warp speed), and reign in the mobility of large groups of combat frigates that don’t show up on D-Scan. Fleet 'Ceptors would be the “chase things down through hell or high water” interceptor, and Combat 'Ceptors would be the “catch you in a trap you never saw coming” interceptor.