After JJ posted the results from his Illuminator vs Assailant test and kicked up a debate over mitigation, I decided to run my own tests to find out exactly what is happening with mitigation vs damage of each unit. Here's what I discovered:
JJs test between 1 illum and 1 assailant said more than what many accepted as truth. People said that 1 vs 1 rarely ever happens and is not representative of a real battle with multiple ships firing on sigle targets. Truth is these 1 vs 1 scenarios happen ALL THE TIME during battles with illums but in a slightly different way. I noticed that during the battle the illuminators generally chose the same primary target, but as they rotated to take aim, their sidebeams acquired different targets much more frequently. 2 sidebeams deal approximately the same damage as 1 front beam, which JJ showed in his test is not enough to raise mitigation, so while the illums primary target was mitigating the damage it was receiving, the assailants gettign struck by sidebeams had their mitigation rise slowly if at all. Most hovered around 20-30%, taking more damage from the sidebeams. I took some single fire notes to explain what I mean:
(all tests are run with no Upgrades)
Illuminator fires 1 shot from its forward array and deals ~46 damage to 15% mitigated Assailant
Illuminator fires 1 shot from a side array and deals ~21 damage to 15% mitigated Assailant
Illuminator fires 1 shot from its forward array and deals ~20 damage to a 57% mitigated Assailant
Illuminator fires 1 shot from its side array and deals ~ 9 damage to a 57% mitigated Assailant
These tests show the difference between mitigated and un-mitigated shots, and the math adds up correctly/
So with this you can say that Illuminators can deal ~88 Total per shot to 15% mitigation and ~38 damage per shot to 57% mitigation (if all 3 targets were at full mitigation).
Assailant fires 1 shot and deals ~ 70 damage to 15% mitigated Illum
Assailant fires 1 shot and deals ~ 32 damage to 57% mitigated Illum
The math adds up as Illums deal more per shot than Assailants, but here's the thing, mitigation climbs much much slower (if at all) for vessels taking hits from the sidebeams (especially since sidebeams do no focus fire as frequently as front beams, and 2 sidebeams deal approximately the same damage as 1 front beam). So in essence, the more targets a fleet of illuminators has, the more of their damage goes un-mitigated, thus increasing their damage output far beyond Assailants, which is why Illums kill them so easily. Half of illums damage is taking full mitigation while the other half is only taking ~20-30% mitigation.
In my tests I discovered 2 illuminators firing sidebeams on 1 assailant killed the assailant almost as fast as the assailant they were firing their forward beams on, due to low mitigation. Adding a third sidebeam still makes mitigation rise slower than 2 forward beams.
So in a larger battle you have your Illums rotating and focus firing on targets, while their sidebeams are acquiring separate targets and dealing close to the same amount of damage to other assailants (with low mitigation) as their forward beams are to their primary target (who of course reaches max mitigation very quickly). While assailants, no matter how many targets there are, are raising mitigation with every shot much faster than the illums.
How to fix very easily?
(EDIT)
Adjust damage division between beams. Based on mBarons tests, I recommend 33% forward, 33% for each side. This way all beams are mitigated equally, eliminating the damage bonus Illums get for having weapons that do not raise mitigation (in large groups, 1v1 would not raise mitigation).
Why not just fix mitigation and lower the 12.5dps to raise mitigation?
Mitigation effects all vessels and changing the DPS to raise mitigation would have adverse effects elsewhere in the game. Capital ships being an example. Cap ships damage is divided amongst their weapons just like illums, changing the mitigation floor would make ALL cap ships significantly weaker, as more of their damage is mitigated by enemy vessels. Flak would become a lot weaker to non-SC vessels (not that anybody really cares that much about that). The crusaders ability Ruthlessness would become weaker (as mitigation under its effects would rise quicker). Illuminators are the only vessel that is made unbalanced due to mitigation effects, so it is the only ship that should be adjusted.
If you Agree with this assessment, or completely disagree, let me get your vote..
HERE
https://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/356646
