Greetings, fine captains!!

I am considering purchasing the Tier 5 Nebula to use primarily in PvP and am wondering if its tachyon detection grid console is effective against cloaked Birds of Prey in actual combat, and whether it is worth picking up the Tier 3 Nebula as well just for its console. I have heard various things about the Nebula and whether its consoles are actually worth it. I would probably like to run mine as a tanky support ship with the ability to mess up BoP captains' ability to alpha strike and flee.

Thanks for your input!!!

Personaly (as someone who has it) I wouldn't buy it again. I would buy LRSV, because it will get a sweet fleet upgrade, while Noobula will stay a Noobula.

The T3 console isn't necessary but can be a nice boost if you need it. The T5 console is the AoE. Also I suggest the point defense console if you have it that thing can really ruin a Bop's day.

I believe there is a fleet upgrade for the Nebula, though I could be mistaken. I used my 600-day ship token on the LRSV, which I do really love.

I do have, and absolutely love, the point defense console, though I don't always bring it to PvP...doesn't seem as effective as in STF's. However, I might just put one on a Nebula, if I decide in favor of getting one.

Actually, there IS a Fleet version of the Nebula.

Fleet Advanced Research Vessel Retrofit
Boffs: 2t 3e 1s 4s 2u
consoles: 4e 2t 4s
weapons: f3 a3
hull: 34650
shield modifier: 1.43
crew: 750
turn: 9
device: 3
abilities: +15 power to Auxiliary, subsystem targeting, sensor analysis, can use tachyon detection grid
requires Fleet SY 3

It's shield modifier is one of the best in the game(the Fleet LRSVR is the only one I know of that matches it) AND it has nice HP. IF you want a Sci ship that can tank this is the one you're looking for.

If I had to choose between the Commander and RA Nebula ships I'd pick the RA ship. It's a lot more useful in the long run.

The VA token wont make your LRSV cheeper. And its fleet version will get tactical console, making it more interesting. The fleetnobula will just get another engineering console.

Don't get me wrong, i love the look on the ship, but it leaves sour taste in my mouth. I bought it, when the tachyon console buff provided buff for subsystem target,charged particle burst, sensor scan etc. It was later changed to plain steath detection - useless.

But if you truly want to be BoP Nemesis, you should also look on the emission seeking torpedo from T2 cruiser refit...

Ah, I thought I had heard about the Nebula getting nerfed. That must have been it...too bad. I'm not the best escort captain when it comes to PvP (love them for STF's though) and seem to do well enough and have enough fun running science ships. I do have the emission seeking torpedo console, though I haven't used it in PvP for a while if at all. I might drag that out of inventory sometime.

Thanks for the input so far, though. I'm going to keep watching this thread for a while and hopefully it'll help other players debating whether to purchase the Nebula. So far it's looking like buying the T3 AND T5 ships might not be worth it, unless somebody here thinks it's useful to run both Nebula consoles. That extra console slot, though, could go to a field generator or neutronium alloy or even RCS accelerator so there's that too, in addition to the $10 worth of Zen points...

Well the emission seeking console is useless more or less. The torpedoes are so slow they won't hit anyone with clue (ie. with evasive). The problem is, the torpedo is "slow" in T2, in T5 with everyone flying 25+ with escort and bop 35+, it's like targ fart propelled missile.

If you do have Armitage already, check Thunderchild T4 ship. The point defence phaser console is truly brilliant in STF and works in pvp as well. And the skin parts are compatible.

Yeah...the emission-seeking torpedoes may look like the canon one but they were too slow even against Donatra (although Donatra in Khitomer Accord Space Elite seems to be able to resist all or most cloak debuffs...I don't get it...) so that console just gathers "dust" in my inventory. It's too bad.

Oh well. Looks like we got some mixed opinions on the Nebula as a PvP ship. The Intrepid-class is of course a joy to play with and all three of my Starfleet Vice Admirals have used their 600-day ship tokens to get it. The question still hangs there...anybody really have success at decloaking Birds of Prey and other Klingon ships with the detection grid? If nothing else, the Nebula can tank and mess around with people...but so can other science ships and the Atrox carrier (though that ship is slow as heck...as I suppose it should be to balance out its runabouts). Indeed, I wonder which is the greater threat to BoP captains' hit-and-runs...the Atrox or a well-played Nebula.

Don't get me wrong. Nebula can be really tanky, or even a good healer. But being an incredible tank was never a good choice in pvp. Enemies will ignore you, and you won't be able to kill anyone. The turn rate add salt in the wound.

Oh and about the decloaking. If you stacked everything possible on top of sensor scan you might be able to see some cloaked ship close. But the question is, how worth it is....

As I said, I would not buy the ship now. Especially when I see the fleet versions. Fleet recon looks interesting.