Having taken a look at my own playstyle, I've found that I've spent a significant amount of time flying into point-blank range and not keeping targets in the crucial narrow forward arc for cannons to be effective. Its gotten so bad that I've decided into looking into speccing for beams instead.

Why beams, you say?

Well, for one, it will give me the option to sort-of broadside as well as fire frontal damage matching cannon usage via Dual Beam Banks, whilst maintaining more of an optimal DPS arc to the sides.

Has anyone else have experience in running a purely beam-escort layout?

It works. I've done it before because I enjoyed doubleing up on target engines and shield III and or beam overload 3. Don't go all beam crazy tho. Throw some torpedos in there. No point taking out shields if u can't capitalize on it.

I've thought alot about Beam-Based Escorts, but I don't think you can really handle the power drain.

I have thought of using Dual beams though. Double the arc and all that.

I'm not sure though. Let us know how it turns out.

I've got the multi-vector with 1 quantum torp in front the rest anti proton beams.
I only have beam overload 1 and 2 . the way I'm specced I've never had a problem with power.
It works really well for me because I'm always doing DPS, with cannons I have trouble staying in the fire zone and end up doing a fraction of the dps verses beams.

Sometimes I am tempted to try beams on my tac escort but I am always stopped because I cannot think of anything really beam-only friendly in terms of tac BOFF skills

The only beam tac BOFF skills are LTC skills (faw, Bo, btsx) . All of those can be used on an excelsior-r. You are only missing out on the second Ltc power. There are no commander level beam tac boff powers

Add to that the simple fact that cannons simply produce more damage than beams and I decided to learn to fly my escorts better so I can keep targets in my arcs.

I run a defiant refit with beams as my primary weapons and I do some wicked damage. ( stats to come at a later time once I've finished my data sheet)


I'm currently running

Fore: Antiproton Dual Heavy Cannons Mk X [Acc] [CrtH] [Borg]
Fore: Dual Antiproton Beam Bank Mk X [Acc] [CrtH] [Borg]
Fore: Antiproton Beam Array Mk X [Acc] [CrtH] [Borg]
Fore: Antiproton Dual Heavy Cannons Mk X [Acc] [CrtH] [Borg]

Aft: Antiproton Beam Array Mk X [Acc] [CrtH] [Borg]
Aft: Antiproton Beam Array Mk X [Acc] [CrtH] [Borg]
Aft: Antiproton Beam Array Mk X [Acc] [CrtH] [Borg]

in this day and age of Borg DSI's and the STF's I've become a heavy hitter, so long as I don't blow up first.

I cloak get just with in firing range and get all set up with my Cannon Rapid Fire III and Beam Overload II, Alpha Strike and Go Down Fighting III, than uncloak and unleash hell knocking they're shields out exposing them to the bombardment of cannon and torp fire coming from my fleet mates.

with the help of the Red Matter Converter, 2 [Console - Tactical - Antiproton Mag Regulator Mk X] 1 [Console - Tactical - Directed Energy Distribution Manifold Mk XI] and a [Console - Tactical - Prefire Chamber Mk XI]

paired with

the Aegis Shields, Impulse and Deflector, the Borg Assimilated Module I currently pack a punch.

Skill points are set up as follows

Engr Team leader - 7
Starship Attack Vectors - 7
Starship command - 7
Tactical Team Leader - 7

Escort Capt - 7
Starship Combat Maneuvers - 7

Heavy Escort Capt - 8
Starship Battle Strats - 7

Tactical Escort Capt - 9

Retrofit Escort Capt - 9

Starship Energy Weapons Training - 9
Starship Beam Weapons - 9
Starship Cannon Weapons - 9
Starship Antiproton Weapons - 9

Starship Projectile Weapons Training - 3

I also had issues with dying quickly when using DHC on a Escort, so I switched to Beam Arrays and Quantum Torps fore and aft and having a great time with them... The entire purpose of the setup is to knock down a target shield facing (either through brute force, or 'Target Shields'), then toss a High Yield 3 of Quantum Torps down that hole... I no longer have to worry about having to Banzai charge an approaching mob and can snipe from a distance to my hearts content. And by running a series of large 'S' curves, I can run away while still taking out the charging lead ships. As for that missing Cmdr. level Tactical skill, I use 'Attack Pattern Omega' to compensate for the deficient of BO Science skills, (and the missing 'Polarize Hull'), to fend off Breen and Borg tractor beams...

Running beams on an Escort is a bad idea, and I don't condone it, at least not for PVP. For STFs and what not, have fun, knock yourself out. But for PVP, I am highly against it. That doesn't mean I won't give you some pointers, but I'm still against it.

So if you really want to do this, I recommend the MVAM. Running beams requires less Tac slots then Cannons, so you may as well trade one in for an extra heal or magic trick; you can use PSW, Haz3, TSS3, whatever.
Ideally, your build will look like this:
Fore: 2x Beam Array, 1x Dual Beam Bank, 1x Torpedo
Aft: 3x Beam Array (OR) 2x Beam Array, 1x Torpedo

Now, I did play with this for a while, and let me tell you it can be ludicrously fun to level a target's facing shield, stun them with PSW, and then shove a tricobalt in the shield hole. It's also very difficult, and annoying, and everything in the game will kill your tricobalt so timing is critical and so is luck. Here's a suggested BOFF layout for the MVAM:

Cmdr: APB3, BO3, BO2, TT1
Ens: TT1
Lt: Target Subsystem 1, APB1

This build is sort of an Escort killer. In the MVAM's Beta Command mode, you'll have more agility then other escorts, letting you literally spiral around them and avoid their firing arc. You'll also be faster if you pop an engine battery and Evasive or Deut Tank. It's great for intercepting a fleeing, damaged escort, but be careful going up against a fresh one. To use the tactic I mentioned earlier, pick a target, activate all your attack buffs, get close, then MANUALLY fire the DBB (by clicking on it or keybinding it, whichever) and immediately after you fire it, hit your PSW to stun the target. Accelerate to get closer again since PSW will knock them back and launch your tricobalt. This needs to be done very quickly as you only have a 4 second window, and don't do this if your target already has a tactical team up, as it will simply balance out the shields and your torp will do nothing.

With practice this can be done without the PSW, simply evasive towards a target, fire BO3 to drop a shield facing and then launch the trike at the LAST possible second as you fly over/under them. I call this suicide tricobalting, as its very prone to failure and in some cases has gotten me killed if my shields were low because you are very close to the tricobalt when it detonates.

Once again, I do not condone this, this build is incredibly hard to use (effectively) and your teammates will hate you for not doing the damage an MVAM should be doing, but it can be fun to play with. It is alot of fun for PVE, I'll tell you that.

I ran a Beam boat Prometheus on tribble for testing, and frankly? Kicked a lot of ***. Could be a bit squishy, but all beams is definitely viable.

Red matter consoles? Sounds tasty! Is that a mission specific reward?