Is both the wiki entry and the xenopedia entry for the corsair just wrong then?

[Person012345]

The wiki says that the corsair retains the same hardpoints as the condor and the xenopedia text, whilst not outright saying it can carry light missiles, implies that it can by specifically mentioning that it can't carry heavy torpedoes. Though looking closer it does list the hardpoints as 2x cannon, so is the text misleading? And why did I just build one, how is this even an upgrade? Survivability and speed? The speed's not much use when I have to combine it with a condor anyway.

[kabill]

Corsair has two cannon hardpoints, so yes they're incorrect (it was a fairly late change, after all the Xenopedia was written).

As for whether it's an upgrade: two cannons is actually quite effective. Overall the damage is less than a Condor could do, but it's more reliable (i.e. can't be dodged) and easily enough for the Corsair's role (i.e. a dedicated fighter-killer). Indeed, unless you're very skilled at air combat you'll struggle to win late air combats with Condors while it's very hard to lose with a Corsair. Don't be put off by their hard-points.

[ViniJones]

I tested this on some heavy fighters and bombers and plasma cannons corsair actually carries slightly more damage potential than a plasma rocket/cannon condor.

EDIT: What this means is, it is not only faster and more durable than a condor, it also does more damage, even when both condor rockets hit.

Edited July 21, 2014 by ViniJones

[Person012345]

Corsair has two cannon hardpoints, so yes they're incorrect (it was a fairly late change, after all the Xenopedia was written).

As for whether it's an upgrade: two cannons is actually quite effective. Overall the damage is less than a Condor could do, but it's more reliable (i.e. can't be dodged) and easily enough for the Corsair's role (i.e. a dedicated fighter-killer). Indeed, unless you're very skilled at air combat you'll struggle to win late air combats with Condors while it's very hard to lose with a Corsair. Don't be put off by their hard-points.

I suppose it's nicer when you have more than one? Right now it doesn't have enough damage output to be useful on it's own so I have to pair it with condors, largely negating the speed benefit. And it's a dedicated fighter killer, rather than a straight upgrade to the condor (which I guess is more multirole)? Ok then, I gotcha.

[kabill]

A single Corsair is fine. On it's own, a Corsair will stomp all over a squadron of alien Heavy Fighters and will handily defeat the escorts of larger UFOs while allowing Foxtrots to deploy their playload on the main ship. In contrast, a Condor will struggle in both roles as it will slow your squadron down (meaning you'll struggle to catch Landing Ships or larger UFOs) and unless you know the knack you'll lose every time to a squadron of Heavy Fighters with a Condor.

[Dranak]

Condor/Corsair combo is generally a terrible idea. It's escorting an escort killer with an worse escort killer. Corsair/Foxtrot is a much better combo.

[steave]

I suppose it's nicer when you have more than one? Right now it doesn't have enough damage output to be useful on it's own so I have to pair it with condors, largely negating the speed benefit. And it's a dedicated fighter killer, rather than a straight upgrade to the condor (which I guess is more multirole)? Ok then, I gotcha.

That's your problem right there.

The interceptor progression is supposed to be Condors for everything -> Condors for fighters, Foxtrots for others -> Corsairs for fighters, Foxtrots for others -> Marauders for everything

I don't build more than 1 Condor/Corsair per base, which is plenty for taking out any air superiority UFO missions if there is one or the escorts for a big ship if there are no air superiority in the area. Neither of them is supposed to be a mainstay of your interceptor force. Worst case, the Condor/Corsair in that base might be busy taking care of an air superiority while there is an escorted big UFO in the same area, but even then you can just use a pair of Foxtrots to specifically target the main craft and kill it and then just retreat. You won't get the extra alenium and alien alloys from the fighters, but they'll all be removed.

In a pinch, you can pair a Corsair with a Foxtrot and they will have the firepower to take out medium ships too, and while the Condor might do so too, it's not fast enough to get on the UFOs tail to safely deliver its cannon damage without taking return fire.

Absolutely worst case, you can even refit your Foxtrots with missiles instead of torpedoes to take out some UFO fighters, although that's of course not desirable.

Basically, the point is, focus on Foxtrots and Marauders while just building the bare minimum of Condors and Corsairs and then use them for the role they were designed for.

[Chris]

The Xenopedia isn't incorrect - it just says it can't carry torpedoes. Admittedly it could probably be more clearly worded but I don't think it's actively misleading.

I would update it but I'm generally trying to avoid making changes to key game files at this point in development because the updates break people's mods.

[FireStorm1010]

I actually didnt buy any condors apart from the starting ones. They are just to damn slow , eveyrthing escaped from them while they were doing circles pursuing ufos then coming to base empty handed when fuel run out. I just built enough foxtrots and used with missiles, imho the fact they could catch nearly everything payed back fast the construction costs in increased funding and airstriked ufos.

So then pairing a corsair with 2 foxtrots is a pretty soldi combo , same speed, and able to tackle anything for long time, just refit foxtrots with torps or missiles.

[steave]

I actually didnt buy any condors apart from the starting ones. They are just to damn slow , eveyrthing escaped from them while they were doing circles pursuing ufos then coming to base empty handed when fuel run out. I just built enough foxtrots and used with missiles, imho the fact they could catch nearly everything payed back fast the construction costs in increased funding and airstriked ufos.

So then pairing a corsair with 2 foxtrots is a pretty soldi combo , same speed, and able to tackle anything for long time, just refit foxtrots with torps or missiles.

Don't even need to do that, air superiority missions will go after your Condors instead of running if you haven't replaced them with Corsairs yet, and the few escorted ships you'll see before you have time to get the Corsairs will be slow enough to be caught by Condors. Worst case, you just take out the main craft and retreat.

I think I stuck to my starting 2 Condors too, but I built up my bases pretty quick and got my third one started already during the second month (second one was built on day 1), so I might not have had Corsairs yet by then and bought a third Condor for that base, I don't remember exactly. Other than that though, 2 Foxtrots per base should be plenty for early game, maybe 4 wherever most of the action is.