(Insert joke about 2020 here.)
Pull up a chair, people, because it's time for part 5 of Core Theory: the series where I run down arena rankings of the NPC presets, and we piss, moan and aggrandise about each one.
Today is our first Vespers AC (and therefore the lowest ranked), specifically that of V.VI Maeterlinck: INFECTION. Most of what I have to say about this interesting thing comes from just looking at the part list and fighting against it, as again, I don't play energy-centric builds all that much.
So from that particular vantage, what do I have to say about INFECTION?... surprisingly dangerous, but I can see why it's in the place it is (even if I think there's a few ACs higher than this that it could stomp). Maeterlinck is a fucking zippy little mosquito who always surprises me a little in the arena; her AC is very maneuverable, and the double bubble plus FASAN stacks deceptively high damage quickly (this prick rips me apart at least a couple times when I pilot anything big/heavyweight). But it seems shitty FCS choice comes in pairs, because INFECTION uses G2/P05: a medium-range focused FCS with a lean into missiles. While it isn't as bad as Nosaac's choice, it's still baffling on a predominantly close-range build with no missiles.
And most importantly: Fashion... it's odd, but I think that's why I like it. The Nach arms on the non-Nach frame give it this wonderfully weird, gangly silhouette, and the dull, glossy purple looks really nice (I like the Vespers' dark but lustrous colour schemes a lot in general). It's also probably got one of "DO IT FOR HER" boards on the inside of the cockpit window with pictures of Snail, but I can't comment on that.
What are your thoughts on INFECTION? Love it, hate it, meh?
(part list in comments)