The Navy ships are getting a rework in Dominion and some new naval ships are being released, specifically the Tier 1 battleships: Dominix, Scorpion, Typhoon, and Armageddon.
I want to take a close look at the new Naval Scorpion.
Scorpion Navy Issue:
• Slot layout: 7 high, 8 med, 4 low slots, 5 launchers, 4 turrets, 350 calibration, 3 rig slots
• Fittings: 787 CPU, 10350 powergrid, 350 calibration, 3 rig slots
• New bonuses: 5% bonus to cruise and siege launcher rate of fire and 5% shield resistances per level
• Hitpoints: +50% hit points on hull (8203), armor (8203) and shields (9961)
• Dronebay unchanged next to standard hull
• Speed: +10% max velocity
• Sensor: +25% gravimetric sensor strength, -50 signature radius next to standard hull
My thoughts:
1) Its a split weapon system with bonuses to missiles, or a low DPS missile ship (i.e. one launcher less than Raven). Either way, it sucks. I HATE split weapon system ships, and 5 launchers on a naval ship seems too low. Especailly since...
2) Its not an ECM ship, so what the hell does it need 8 mids for? Take two of those mids and give it one more launcher hardpoint to make it DPS equivalent to a Raven.
3) It has a Rokh-like tank. Its got almost the same in the way of shield points and the 5% per level resistance bonus. Even with only 6 mid slots it would be able to match the Rokh's tank. I shudder to think of the tank it could do with 8 slots.
4) On the other hand, the extra mid slots could be useful for electronic warfare, just not ECM. Warp Disruptors, Webbers, Target Painters... you could tank like the Rokh and tackle. Interesting concept.
So, my conclusion is that the CNS as it shall be known will have piss poor DPS but tank like a son of a bitch and still have tackle gear, a potentially interesting combination but not the one I would prefer.
My ideal CNS would have 6 launcher points, 6 mid slots, 4 or 5 lows, and the rest as above. The missle DPS of a Raven with the tank of a Rokh.
(I would like to see DPS numbers from a CNS with a couple hybrid weapons with the five launchers, but I don't hold much hope for it.)

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