Optimal strategy for using OPhelia skills?

[Quantum_Ranger 14]

Finally had an offer to acquire OPhelia from the BP shop... given her reputation for being OPAF, I picked her up for 99,999 BC.

The reload and acceleration buff are welcome, so now I'm left to figure out how to best use her shield skill in PVE.  Is the idea that when you have an ugly moment and are down to 1 hp, you have a few seconds to retreat and get maximal use out of your rebuild kit?  Or do you use the rebuild kit as usual and rely on the shield as total last-ditch insurance?

I'm also uncertain as to whether I really want to sacrifice HP for reload speed - is it really a good trade-off?? I suppose if you have the shield ability, HP becomes a little less crucial.

I understand she's pretty much used for MBTs, although I did put her in the ZTQ-15 for a couple matches and it was good fun.

As an aside, she's really whiny (now I understand why folks call her SB). Holy Moly!

DVC, 

QR

 

[knutliott 37]

I don't use her in MBTs - Douglas and Cortez are both better for MBTs depending on the gun.

I use Ophelia in vehicles that you might normally want to play stealthily, but can't because of their particular armaments and/or camo, so are constantly at risk of being spotted and insta-gibbed.  So basically any AC vehicle and some missile vehicles.  I also use her in Terminators.

For me, her shield is insurance because you can't really rely on it completely in PvE.  I still use its kits normally.  The problem with her shield in PvE is that it's only 15% of your max health, and that's not a lot when there may be multiple bots firing on you at the same time.  On a 3300 health Tier 10 MBT, for example, her shield is a whopping 495 health.  That's not even one hit, and it feels like about .003 seconds of incoming AC fire from a T-15.  Note: her shield does always absorb 1 hit, so the fact that it's only 495 health will still completely absorb a 1300 damage HEAT round from an XM1A3 140mm.  But then a single AC round from basically anything will kill you.

She's OPAF in PvP, but merely good in PvE.  I use her, Douglas, Cortez, Erin, JC, and Freja (SPG build) regularly.  I also use Vincent in certain tanks, and either Sabrina or Andrey if I want to kill components or crew respectively.  And I use Fyodor on those rare occasions these days when I need to train crew.

[dfnce 21]

6 hours ago, Quantum_Ranger said:

sacrifice HP for reload speed - is it really a good trade-off

To get it simpler to accept imagine that It is just like you got 1 AP hit from 120mm MBT gun and have permanent bonus for DPM for rest of game. You got much worse trades like Victor main perk and he was considered a good commander for a long time

6 hours ago, Quantum_Ranger said:

maximal use out of your rebuild kit

There is no single reason or tactics, it comes in synergy with a need to stay alive on certain place (like defending cap), and getting fully resupplied too. It works to its best in random SpecOps better than anything else in terms of flexibility. 

[Azdule 19]

I only tend to use her in my MBT's for heroics in ones that are a little weaker / easier to pen.  For me, the rebuild (Jesus kits) are used once the shield pops so that's my safety net.  To be clear, sit around, doing my think, Ophelia shield pops, I then pop the rebuild kit so I'm back to full hp after the shield expires (maybe a bit less if I take a few shots while shield is up - strange interaction with that).

The other times I use her are for meme tanks in pvp - the MT-LB S8 for example so I can ensure I get all of those rockets off and cause as much damage on my suicide runs.  I don't use her in the pindaddy though as I found that Sabrina works better in that for the wrecking of enemy tanks (plus you can use it in glops)

 

[knutliott 37]

Ophelia just saved my York on Desert Saber.  Got surprised by a final spawn that I thought we'd already killed, and took over half health in damage before I could even pop smoke.  Unfortunately the smoke didn't blind all of the bots, so they depleted my health before I could kill the one that could still see.  Ophelia's shield kept me alive, and I was able to retreat out of spotting range and get 2 more kills.

Kind of a perfect example of both the type of vehicle I use her in, and the situation she's there for.  The York is amazingly powerful, but has very little armor and so goes down fast if it gets focused by bots.  (Especially bots with missiles.)  One at a time I wouldn't have needed Ophelia, but 4 unexpected bots suddenly appearing out of nowhere was one of those "oh shit!" moments that Ophelia helps mitigate.