Imperial Cutter - combat and loadouts

[Phillipus]

Anyone using the Imperial Cutter in combat (RES, CZ, pirates)? I've been spending more time recently with my combat Cutter in RES and I find myself getting into the slower pace that it has.

Here's my loadout:

http://coriolis.io/outfit/imperial_cutt ... cy%20Shift

Basically, it's a slow moving tank. A couple of medium beams to strip shields, followed by a few volleys of the cannons. It certainly does the job. Agile it is not, and I only go for the bigger targets, but it makes a change from the Conda and the Corvette.

Anyone else?

[blazingmaniac]

When i used mine before I went with this.
http://coriolis.io/outfit/imperial_cutt ... =.Aw18ZZA=

Never used a shield cell bank as the shields never dropped below 1 ring and if they were to I would have just jumped out. This was in a CZ not a REZ, I did have a go in a HAZ REZ with it but for me personally its just to unwieldy to risk it amongst the rock field.

[Schmobius]

I've been using my cutter in CZ to great effect. I don't have the coriolis loadout handy (its on my other computer... I know it's online, but it's in the web cookie, I think.), but I have an A8 shield, 8 class A shield boosters, an A7 distributor, C8 thrusters (which I find to be adequate, but will probably upgrade when I get more money), and a mess of pulse lasers.

I have the four medium pulse lasers as turrets. They give pretty good coverage, and since this thing doesn't handle like an eagle, I like that I can keep hitting something while I'm working to get the turn on them (which yes, I can). The 2 large and 1 huge have large gimballed pulse lasers. I anxiously await getting non-ballistic huge weapons. (I hate wasting ammo on missed shots, and generally don't like having weapons that depend on ammo, and can run out.)

Having all lasers means I can shred shields, but taking out hulls is a bit slow. However, the Cutter is a bona fide shield tank, so I can usually afford to take my time until 2 or 3 ships with particle accelerators gang up on me. I still have strong enough shields to sometimes make them regret the move, and always have time to escape if need be.

[Phillipus]

Took my Cutter out again last night to a High RES. The trick (at least for me) is to keep my distance from the target. If you get too close and the target gets behind you it's a real PITA to turn. So I regulate my speed to keep the target well in front of me. Once my lasers (the medium nacelle hard points) have stripped the shields I move closer and let fly the cannons at the Power Plant. A couple of "poomphs" later, the target is toast.

The shield strength of the Cutter also allows me take on wings of Pythons/Clippers - if things get a bit hairy then I boost, FA off, pitch around, and suddenly the enemy is 3km away allowing you to recover and close back in again.

It's a completely different approach to using, say, a FDL or Corvette. Slower, and you need a bit more patience.

[uvelius]

Linked in Ship Loadout thread list.

[Black Rose]

I altered the base build into a real monster, albeit a costly one.

Filled in the empty slots with armor, dropped the docking computer, went to an A rated fuel scoop, dropped one level on the sensors and added in reflective armor oh and doubled the price lol

http://coriolis.io/outfit/imperial_cutter/38A8A7A7D7A7B6C1r1o1o0s0s1l1l020204040404040l4r5s5n112d2d2d3229.Iw1-ADBLeQ==.EwBj5BGacj7Kcwg=?bn=Combat%20Cutter

[Phillipus]

I altered the base build into a real monster, albeit a costly one.

Filled in the empty slots with armor, dropped the docking computer, went to an A rated fuel scoop, dropped one level on the sensors and added in reflective armor oh and doubled the price lol

http://coriolis.io/outfit/imperial_cutter/38A8A7A7D7A7B6C1r1o1o0s0s1l1l020204040404040l4r5s5n112d2d2d3229.Iw1-ADBLeQ==.EwBj5BGacj7Kcwg=?bn=Combat%20Cutter

OMG

[Schmobius]

Why mirrored instead of military armor?

[Phillipus]

Today I changed my loadout to incorporate turreted beams and a couple of fixed pulses to help speed up shield stripping:

http://coriolis.io/outfit/imperial_cutt ... 0Shift%202

But the problem was that a stupid NPC in a RES wandered in front of the path of the turreted beams, which was later destroyed and *I* got a 5-day bounty as a result. Suicidewinder to the rescue again.

[Phillipus]

Swapped out for two medium PAs. Now, this one's a bit of a corker:

http://coriolis.io/outfit/imperial_cutt ... 0Shift%203