Confused about the new 3.2.2 Generix/Spectre Refit

posted on April 27th, 2011, 6:44 pm

I'm really having problems wrapping my head around this new configuration.....as it seems to be backwards form the previous 3.1.5 configuration. 

If I'm reading the tooltips correct, the Spectre Refit does best against Short-range Low-defense units.  By the time that I have built the Research Institute and Upgrade Facility necessary to get the Spectres....most fleets have transitioned out of those type of ships for mid-to-late game "large yard" ships. 

Seems like it would make more sense to have the Generix start-out with the Projectile Weapons, with the upgrade to Arlterium Disruptor.  Then have the Spectre refit add Torps (in place of the Projectile Weapon), with the Refractive Shield Dome upgrade.

Is anyone else seeing this issue as well?

As an aside, I really hate bring-up this topic about the new Generix setup, because the base torpedo setup appear to work wonders against early-game Borg in general, which was my weak point playing as Romulans. 

posted on April 27th, 2011, 7:10 pm

This ship is perfect for dealing with small ship spam, which can happen quite often.  So if you tech up to spectres and your opponent keeps fielding early game units, most of them get countered by this refit.  Also, even if your opponent techs up, they still might have their early game fleet intact, which is usually what you attack first, so having a few spectres to help burn down that mass of starting ships is great.

I REALLY like how they've done this.  The spectre is actually more powerful than before, but harder to get to and more expensive.  Think of it more as a very powerful specialist unit, that "specializes" in killing half the ships in Flops.

posted on April 27th, 2011, 9:16 pm

The Projectile Weapons do not deal reduced damage to stations or large sized units so the Specter Refit can actually last longer in the game as well

posted on April 27th, 2011, 9:50 pm

I REALLY like how they've done this.  The spectre is actually more powerful than before, but harder to get to and more expensive.  Think of it more as a very powerful specialist unit, that "specializes" in killing half the ships in Flops.

The harder to get and more expensive are the parts I was struggling with. 

Of course, I've been testing against Hard AI.....which spams units with no thought of cost.  Maybe that's the issue...

posted on April 27th, 2011, 10:05 pm

That could definitely be it.  It not like before where you made it an early game staple that you spammed all the time.  There's more of a conscious decision to tech up to it.  But you'll rarely regret teching to it, since like most romulan ships, it still has its "one-size-fits-most" appeal.

posted on April 27th, 2011, 10:10 pm

I like it, finally the specter is as expensive as it is good

posted on April 28th, 2011, 2:43 pm

That could definitely be it. 

I think that was the problem.  I have been "spamming" Generix, because I wanted to see what they would do (without help from other ships)...that was my mistake.

I just had a couple good AI & Multiplayer games, and I think I have them figured-out now.

The new Generix seems to work best in mixed-fleet situations, rather than a "spammable" unit.  You need some phase-plated Rheinns or a Leahval or two to Tank damage & make these ships really work well.

At the point where you would start to need the Spectre refit, is about the decision-point where (in 3.1.5) I would normally consider either putting up a Tal'Shiar for Generix or Upgrade Facility for Rheinns anyway.

Taking the time to refit two or three Generix to Spectres with this "mixed fleet" approach really showed their benefits.  Early game, my Leahvals were ranking-up, while the Generix were stagnated around Officer rank or below.  When the Spectres came onto the boards, the ranked-up rapidly & seemed to bring-up the standard Generix as well.

posted on April 28th, 2011, 2:53 pm

you seem to understand it good now nerodan.

Leahval spam is expensive and pure leahval spam (with both specials) is hard to keep up. thats just 1 yard of course.

Mixing in gens will be great. The gens hit hard but dont tank. While the leahvals have 2 less def value, they will get auto targeted, and tank well with auto repair

posted on April 29th, 2011, 2:48 am

See, mixed fleets are starting to really show how good they are 

posted on April 29th, 2011, 3:21 am

The new generix setup is growing on me, as a long-time Romulan player it's a bit of a shock to have the ship be so different from before, but once I'm over that I'm sure I'll enjoy it.  At first I didn't see the decision to make projectile weapons like beams instead of pulses and once again, I'm very glad but it'll take forever to stop thinking of them as pulses.

I do wish the refractive shield was less...specialized, though.  I know we don't want just another phase plates but giving a resistance against pulses only affects certain races.  If possible I think Fleet Ops should move away from the old dynamic of klingon=frigates, feds=spectres.  Defenses based on pulse or torp weapons were a neat idea, but I'd rather go without.

Here's my idea for the Spectre: Black Ops cloak.  In addition to its regular cloaking device, the Spectre can spend more than half of its energy to cloak in 1 second instead.  It also gains a movement speed bonus for a few seconds.  This allows it to intercept vulnerable targets or escape from battle like a true Black Ops ship.

With the Spectre acting as a black ops refit with high offense, reintroduce the Frigate as a frontline refit and give it the shield special and higher defense like the Spectre used to be, only this time it can't cloak with the ability active so it isn't overpowered in the early game.

posted on April 29th, 2011, 3:34 am

I agree with the fact that the specter special is kinda dumb but I don't think the 1 second cloak is very balanced on a ship that can be so easy to spam