2 Steamrunners too powerful?

posted on June 13th, 2010, 9:08 pm

So there was talk on the forums about steamrunners, and how if you get them as a warp in somewhere, you can kiss one of your stations goodbye.  It is quite powerful against stations, and I was wondering if the steamrunner could be limited to just one per warp in.  Maybe give the extra % to the nebula class.  You know, the one everyone loves.  Discuss!

posted on June 13th, 2010, 9:17 pm

Disagree.  The chances are already on the low side, and you can say goodbye to your Steamy the moment your enemy swings his disruptors in your direction, making it a fire-and-forget kind of ship.  I think you should get some bang for your buck, since it's never coming home again.

posted on June 13th, 2010, 9:18 pm

My opinion: If Steamrunner is considered 'too strong', the fact that it's fragile (before rank-up) and fires slowly is forgotten. It's also completely helpless against ships, which are a quite common form of defence.

Ninja'd by the doomed one.

posted on June 13th, 2010, 9:37 pm

true they have a high chance of dying on the quick side. but i played a game recently where i got two steamies and took down my enemy's sfc with triloader. now that sucks hard. on a 1v1 double steamy is the end. it can pick and choose any station it would like to eat. it can clear out a mining expansion rather fast. or go for main base stuff like yard and research facility. which on a 1v1 ends it. even on larger games double steamy is the end of at least 1 building. possibly more if you catch their fleet unawares. and if u keep the 2 steamies in your fleet then your ships can help. put the steamies at the back and they last longer all the while dishing out death from afar.

i think it could benefit from limited to one per warpin, but slightly higher chance per warpin for that one steamy. meaning you'll see the same number of steamies on average in a fixed time interval, but not all at once.

posted on June 13th, 2010, 9:38 pm

You might have to say goodbye to your Steamies, yes, but the fact that a pair of them can destroy a shipyard (800/200+) within seconds FOR FREE is the point at which Mal is getting (I think).

 We know that the Warp-in will be getting some cost-association to prevent people from "suiciding" them like this, but still getting 2 Steamies means a shipyard or mining station is completely kaput without fail.  No other race has that kind of ability so soon (or for free ).

Ninja's by Myles

posted on June 13th, 2010, 9:39 pm

indeed, i forgot to mention that they are free as well. i would trade 2 steamies for a shipyard any day. thats a bargain.

posted on June 13th, 2010, 9:47 pm

It's also luck; you're far more likely to get a near-useless draw involving two Excelsiors.

posted on June 13th, 2010, 9:53 pm

excels arent near useless. add them to a fleet, they dish out some free offense, which is never bad. novas also increase their already decent torp rate. the only problem is that if the battle goes bad and u have to retreat, excels are too slow, and become your delaying force to let the rest of the fleet escape lol. but if u keep on fighting, then excels can rank and be good.

no warpin is by nature bad as its something for nothing lol. just be wary that if u warpin to the enemy base and u get 2 steamies u have amazing power, but if 2 excels and a neb come in then you might be lucky to kill one miner and run.

posted on June 13th, 2010, 11:36 pm

Id rather see more power go to the Galaxy Class i already know lobbying for the Ambassador is a dead cause.

posted on June 14th, 2010, 4:32 am

excels arent near useless. add them to a fleet, they dish out some free offense, which is never bad.

If you're warping in to the enemy's base/expansion for a sneak attack and you draw Excels, you're doomed.  That's all I'm saying.

Id rather see more power go to the Galaxy Class i already know lobbying for the Ambassador is a dead cause.

The Ambassadors are amazing.  I would spam the hell out of them if they were buildable (good thing they're not ).

[navyguy]

posted on June 14th, 2010, 5:04 am

Last edited by navyguy on June 14th, 2010, 5:09 am, edited 1 time in total.

The Ambassador Class while strong, is really a powerhouse when she hits the vet rank, why do we even concern ourselfs with outdated Excelsior's and steamrunner's, that Ambassador has so much potential ? I would bet that 2 Steamrunners would be no match for 1 ambassador. When ever i get the steamrunner there taken out, but here's one why not have the engine overload put into these ships, like in Armada 2? these would now become very dangerous ship's

posted on June 14th, 2010, 6:15 am

A steamy that could disable engines... now that is something I'd like to see.  That would also justify cutting the percentages down.

posted on June 14th, 2010, 6:46 am

steamy isnt overpowered.
a few aimed shots and its gone. Its only bad if you dont do something against em.

posted on June 14th, 2010, 7:25 am

The steamrunner is easily countered with bloody B'rel.  Or Sabres.  Or non-refit Rheinn.  Hell, DETECTORS can be a threat to them.  You have to protect the crap out of that ship.  It's not overpowered, it's made of tissue paper and crewed by morons.

posted on June 14th, 2010, 8:46 am

Guys ... before we get quacking too much here ... remember:


  THE POINT OF THIS THREAD IS THAT 2 STEAMIES IN 1 WARP-IN = DEAD BUILDING.

  The steamie itself is not OP at all.  It is forward-firing and very fragile.  The issue is that, if two arrive at once, a building as costly as a staryard/shipyard/ can be destroyed almost without hesitation.  THAT's the issue here, not whether the steamie is overpowered.

  Boggz is in a wrestling mood ... don't make him bring in the ducks ...