All my Neptune questions (thoughts during the challenge)

[Deleted]

Well sportsfans, we're over halfway through the competition here with Neptunes and Hydras and I've been thinking about the Neptune requisition tree.

My biggest question is about Neptune armor, it just seems like it's all over the map in terms of armor, deflection, and equip points. I would love for fallen to weigh in and just let me know that the math all adds up at the end of the day. Maybe it's because I'm not valuing deflection as highly as I should, but the jump from 3 level armor to 9 level armor for Neps seems pretty steep in terms of trade off for what else I could be packing with those 6 points.

I am testing out a build that relies on the Neptune's higher armor and I'll report back here on how it works. I know also that most things end up dead before they close with a Neptune. Anyway, the question to the forum: are you using anything other than Cannonier's Armor (lvl 3) on your Neptune? If so, what and why and how's it working?

Brutal seems to be a big step down in difficulty from Ironman, but my Neps never seem to be overheating. Maybe I'm just super conservative about heat, but I've found that I can take a turn or two break from one Nep to cool down and then waste everything in a couple shots when xeno get close. Anyone out there love using the Engineer as heat management for the Neptune? Mine never seem to be in the right place at the right time so the Neps just have to get by on their own.

As far as talents, I've always been a Neptune "purist" with Full Auto and Full Vent. I'm only now experimenting with an OW/Stabilize build and another CF/high armor build. I know that there are fans of suppressing fire out there, but I find that xenos often end up dead when faced with a properly kitted Neptune and I don't really need the hindering built into SF.

What attack talents do you use on your Neptune? Also, this is a safe place for Suppressing Fire fans to rant about how great it is.

Any thoughts out there on other favorite equipment for the ammo and plating slots? My high armor guy has some shiny new Goliath plating that won't be so shiny soon.

For team buffs, I've tried a leader in the ranks soldier, but I find the Neptunes do just fine on their own. My most used team buff is the Captain's +2 MP pressing need.

Anyway, that's a lot of questions but just wanted to get some more conversation going about how to use the best class in the game. Go Team Neptune!

[Brutus Aurelius]

I currently have 5 Neptunes on my team, between 3 builds.

My Officer is built in a support role, with Suppressing Fire and Full Vent as the main Talents.

I have two Cannoniers with Concentrated Burst and FV, with Full Auto third.

My Soldier-Neptunes are built to replace Soldiers on the battlefield, with Deadly Burst as their main attack and FV to manage Heat.

So far my Neptunes have been shredding everything before it gets close enough to attack them, but when they do get hit it usually slides off their Cannoniers Armor. When they have enough points the Cannoniers will get Goliath plating. The Soldiers get Recoil Harnesses.

As for the actual Soldiers, I use a Leader in the Ranks Soldier to augment them with Calling Shots and Rallying Charge when it is time to really book it. He also has some Grenades. 

[En1gma]

I love this thread already. I'm working on a Neptune group alongside the challenge, so this is exactly what I needed to read.

[fallen]

I've settled into a rhythm with the Neptune's gear -- prefer best weapon, prefer moderate armor, gear is secondary. I'd rather have the top level weapon (MK18 Dominant atm) with mid-level armor (Artillery is preferred) and no gear. Deflection is huge. It is what makes attacks bounce. If an attack penetrates, it never bounces.

As low level Neptunes, I was fighting near constant overheating. With the additional of Full-Vent, I've been able to control it better. However, I pump Willpower so that I don't have to worry about it, and really Full-Vent is then used to avoid the Critical Shutdown moments, and not to manage "low level Heat" (below 225).

I use Full Auto as much as I possibly can -- it slays. I am not currently using any other attack Talents at this point.

[Kanly]

Suppressing fire used to be overpowered and sadly it got the nerf it deserved. It was so much fun though. I find myself using full auto about half the time now. SF and and OW make for a good combo for a trailing Nep. As far as gear I build my Neps weapons first, then armor, then gear.

[contributor]

Since deflection has come up in this thread, I'm curious about how it works. My Hydra team has melted down on Orbital Guns level and aren't going to be able to beat it. I think I just really lost my appreciation for Inferno Seal as I was counting on it to make a captain who can take some hits. He had over 100% deflection but he was still getting tons of penetrating hits on him. Was it just sheer improbability that a Goliaths with 45% penetration were landing penetrating hits about 75% of the time, when I've got over 100% deflection? How is it supposed to work? I'm really feeling like counting on armor/deflection is always going to be a huge gamble and just making sure everything is dead is always going to be way safer.

[Deleted]

Apr 2, 2016 8:59:15 GMT -5 contributor said:

I'm really feeling like counting on armor/deflection is always going to be a huge gamble and just making sure everything is dead is always going to be way safer.

Exactly this.

My thoughts recently have been looking at getting not just deflection up, but also trying to shoot my armor sky high through buffs like grapple or power field, but the game seems structured to de-emphasize the armor component and to try to keep it as moderate as possible while favoring high damage weaponry. My Neptune with Obliterator Legion armor had to pass on the Mk18 Dominant and that's put him in a position where he depends much more on the armor, but he still has to fear everything except scitterings.

[fallen]

Apr 2, 2016 8:59:15 GMT -5 contributor said:

I'm really feeling like counting on armor/deflection is always going to be a huge gamble and just making sure everything is dead is always going to be way safer.

100% agree on this. You need to kill the enemy before they reach you. BF is not about a stand up fight in which you can weather hits from an enemy. Heroes of Steel features that toe-to-toe kind of system, where it is not the design of BF at all. Of course, always exceptions, this one being melee fighters who focus on using toe-to-toe fighting to their advantage with Counter-Attacks.

The exact rules of Deflection and Penetration are listed in the Combat Guide:
steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=522600159

contributor - you'd have to be really unlucky to see every hit going penetrating in that setup. With 100% Deflection, 45% Penetration, you'd get a Penetrating Hit 45% of the time. If you're above 100% D, then you're looking at less and less.

If you look at the spread of Penetration values between your own weapons and enemy's abilities, you'll find that Templar weaponry has exemplary Penetration values - with every class able to reach 80+ range (exception being Pistols and Hydras) and many having access to 100+. Narvidians change the balance by bringing high end Penetration to the field. The range of Deflection values are more closely aligned, and competitive if you look at the heavier types of enemies (Narvs, Goliaths).

This leads back to the original point - you can trump in both Penetration and Deflection. Deflection and Armor are good insurance, but you don't want to use your insurance policy, that is the point. You should avoid the wreck in the first place However, I know that when a Hunter or Shooter gets in on my Neptune, I am always happy to have the armor and deflection that can help turn a deadly hit into a few points of Dmg.