Hey all,

Really enjoying the game and getting into the pvp side of things. Currently running a tactical officer in an escort ship. However whilst I am doing okay (as okay as you can do in the usual 3v5 setups I usually end up in ) I don't feel I am reaching any kind of potential. I'm not sure if basically I am carrying a science/engineering officer type setup in a warship.

Now, assuming there is nothing I can do about the usual game start (fly about with team until all 5 klingons decloak and take out the escorts in 0.03 seconds) it is from here that I could do with advice and maybe some BO skills I should be taking.

I am currently Lt Cmdr 5 so only in the Tier2 bracket, but I'd rather get the advice now than wait until I hit RA and n00bify any teams I join.

I have been running with Hazard Emitters I and Emergency Power to Shields I (as at Tier2 I only get ensign slots for Sci/Eng). Now is this a holdover from my previous attempts at levelling science/engineers? It seems to me in an escort I die regardless of the use of above skills? Is it worth keeping the skills, just using them on PvE only? What would be a better use of skills? Mask Energy Signature/Jam Sensors/Engineering Team?

Weapon-wise I am fully kitted out with Phaser-type weapons - but are these the right ones to use? Disrupters give a debuff chance, Plasma a DoT effect - should I be looking at something else or mixing them up? Should I save for uncommon/rare versions of said weapons?

I will qualify the above with my slight variation on weapon setup - I have two dual heavy cannons and one dual beam bank - backed up with a turret. I'm not using torpedo's this is through choice (I am, at least currently, finding I kill far quicker without torpedo's *shrugs* no idea why, but it is noticeable). So on the tactical officer side of things I am running with Beam Overload/Fire at Will & Cannon Rapid Fire 1. Both in PvP and PvE I can kill multiple foes quick enough (granted not always quick when I am 1v5 against Klingons! ).

Here's another problem. After I die in PvP I respawn on the other side of the map - usually by the time I get back to the fight everyone is dead, but sometimes the fight is still going on - if I come in guns blazing my power is usually 5 and takes a while to get back up. So my choice is to either sit and wait till it gets back up (and usually people are dead by then) or try and fight anyway, but get nowhere until my guns charge up... Would investing in Emergency Power to Weapons be a sensible choice for a "come in guns blazing" idea?

Any advice would be welcomed - thanks!

I consider myself a terrible Escort player, so take everything I say with a grain of salt and wait for the real experts to correct me.

You sure got the right spirit. Instead of doing it like, say, me, and entering RA 5 PvP unprepared, you start early. That's a good thing to do and you will probably learn alot.

You alone probably can't do anything. If you got good allies, they might help you stay alive. No guarantees, particularly not at your current level, but it seems it can be done, at least experienced players report it being done. Consider running when it comes to the initial onslought, and go back once the Klingon ships have all buffs on cooldown and are fighting with your cruisers.

Hazard Emitters is usualy a good choice, and EptS isn't bad, either. The important might be - you areno longer a tank. That's what you were in your Cruiser and possibly even in your Science Vessel. You can't take the heat. So avoid it. Run. Emergency Power to Engines might help you more. Jam Sensors is great to escape - figure out who's shooting you, Jam him, run. Even if he has the counter-measures, he will take time to find you now, and is most likely looking for a new target already.


You should, once possible, upgrade to uncommon/rare versions of these weapons. The weapon type choice itself is not really that important, overall, In think.

Investing into EptW might be the right choice for you for this. Also, consider using a Weapons Battery. I personally find this one of the hardest aspects, regardless of ship I use. I see allies dying over there, I must rush to help them - but when I am there will all power levels at 5, I am usually useless.
I figure it's a matter of experience to figure out if you should make that rush, or rather find a new gathering spot for your team while the remaining allies ar eshot down. It's a difficult choice.

I'm glad you're interested

As of now your BO's seem fine. If you have trouble surviving with simple heals/resistance buffs then...

Evasive Maneuvers and Batteries (particularly Engine for running) are your friend Don't be afraid to *run early* before you start taking serious damage! (if you see more than one source of weapon fire focused on you then run immediately even if you're not taking damage yet). Pride is overrated.

Never come in "guns blazing" unless you have a weapon battery (or a teammate, for that matter).

I know you're not up to the RSP point yet...but I highly suggest learning to play without it and getting good at alternative survivability

I'm a Klingon with Battle Cloak but I frequently don't need it because I can run away so easily - I figure this applies to Fed escorts as well.

I personally use Phasers for the disable but weapons are pure preference. Disruptors are definitely viable.

This is debatable but - try mixing in some accuracy weapons because many PvP players are moving faster than NPCs (movement speed gives you defense). On that note, try to stay at full impulse (*edit* full speed - not actual full impulse) as often as possible to minimize getting one-shot.

Thanks for the replies.

I managed to find a group last night and get stuck into PvP. One of the group took charge and after a couple of near wins (including a 4v5) they took us back to the main Starbase and went over basic tactics and ship gear to help us out. I even got a fleet invite which was cool.

Anyway, seems I was using the wrong engine and I now have a Combat Impulse Engine with some +spd and +turn I think which already seems better. I used some of my 2nd order badges to get a dual phaser beam bank with +10% accuracy and a similar phaser turret. After looking at my skills we changed my shields for a more effective one and then changed my Hazard Emitters skill to Science Team 1 (and then changed the appropriate console as well). With shields being more important for paper-hulled escorts.

After that it was also explained that I should bind one of my keys to distribute shield power, which I did and I have to say in both pve and pvp that is doing a stellar job.

I keep trying to find some replacement dual heavy cannons mkiv (any type) with +acc, but they are pretty expensive tbh but I am saving. However at the rate I'm going (lt cmdr 6), I'll probably hit Cmdr before I buy them.

Anyway, after the advice, skill changes and re-gear, we went out into a couple of 5v5's (cracked planet) and we actually won them convincingly. It was really great seeing everyone work together and see the advice we were given both listened to and acted upon.

One question I did have is that long-term I am wondering what to get for the lt science BO I'll eventually have and I was wondering if there is any mileage in an escort grabbing tractor beam II?

Any other advice is welcome!

This is just one of those good news threads for a much welcomed change - great to see some enthusiasm, admission into a fleet with mentoring, good questions, good answers. Happy hunting and I'm sure we'll be seeing you soon enough.

To your specific question re sci. It really does depend. If you're in a consistent team then consult with your team members so that whatever you choose compliments the strategy of the team. Personally, I run Sci Team and HE2 with points invested heavily into aux systems and a handy supply of aux batteries. This gets me out of Jam Sensors and gives large Hull Heals when needed (which is often in a tac) along with eng team I I've seen Tractor Beam used very effectrively in a team setup and I run Omega 2 to mitigate any holds against me.

N'aZ
Tac BG5
I.K.S Taupo - GoD -

Actually if you are running an escort, I would suggest setting your engine power high enough to hit 26 impulse. I don't know what that would be at Tier 2 It's been a while, but I think 50 or 60 with Hyper impulse engines. Higher engine power also gives you some more turning speed.