Reference: PSA: Burning AICBs

Hello La [FAM]ilia Members,

I do not believe that this is a useful PSA for most of you now. Using AICBs to boost your stats is an excellent way to get stronger much faster, but every level you gain (and the bigger your ship and better the research gear), you will get a better return for your AICB.

I think, however, it will become useful as you get stronger, so I'm writing this and dropping it in the forum for future reference.

If you would like to burn some AICBs, I recommend renting a labcoat. That is, go to a fleet that has a top-end labcoat and pay a small fee.

If you do this, I recommend having some points handy so that you can refill your energy - it makes the process much faster.

Research Formula

Energy Used * Current Research / n, where n is a number divisible by 20 between 900 and 2000, with an average of 1300.

Earning Research

Your research is affected by:

Level: 1 point per level
Equipment: 1 for CAI, 4 per ECAI, 6 per CPAI, 20 per SFP
Consumables: None.
Sunspots: +1 Research
Ship: Between 10 and 250

Using AICBs without Points (AKA Slow Burn)

If you are not using points to refill your energy, use the following process to maximize your returns from AICBs.

1) Start with full energy and zero or minimal (less than 5%) research.
2) Equip all research boosting gear you can (preferably CPAIs and ECAIs)
3) Use the AICB
4) Research
5) Equip all the energy boosting gear you can (preferably C3ETs)
6) Wait until your energy is refilled
7) Research
Wait until your energy is refilled
9) Burn the rest of your research (this step may be skipped if you have little or no research)
10) Equip all research boosting gear you can (preferably CPAIs and ECAIs)
11) Wait until your energy is refilled
12) Goto Step 1

Using AICBs with Points (AKA Medium Burn)

If you are using points to refill your energy, use the following process to maximize your returns from AICBs and your energy refills.

If you use lots of shortcuts, you should be able to burn 1 AICB per minute.

1) Start with zero energy and zero or minimal (less than 5%) research.
2) Equip all energy boosting gear you can (preferably C3ETs)
3) Refill your energy
4) Attack a small pirate (one you can kill in your labcoat)
5) Remove the extra energy boosting gear, so that you have 100% energy again.
6) Attack a small pirate (one you can kill in your labcoat).
7) Equip all of your research boosting gear. If you can time it, this is a good time for the minute to roll over, so that you have 100% energy.
Use the AICB
9) Research
10) Equip all the energy boosting gear you can (preferably C3ETs)
11) Refill Energy
12) Research
13) Refill Energy
14) You have several options here:
- If you have no research left, Go to Step 4.
- If you have research left, use enough to burn it all (though you probably don't want end up with more than your basic energy)
- If you still have surplus energy, go to step 4.
- When you have no surplus energy, go to step 7.

Using AICBs with Points (AKA Fast Burn)

This process is used by top-end pirates who want to burn a lot of AICBs very quickly. Some pirates (NinjaPirate and Undertaker) have done over 120 AICBs in 30 minutes - as they are using a C.O.A.L. and they want to maximize the return from the +3 energy that it gives them.

1) Start with zero energy and zero or minimal (less than 5%) research.
2) Equip Research Gear (CPAIs)
3) Use AICB
4) Refill Energy
5) Research
6) Equip Energy Gear (C3ET)
7) Refill Energy
Research
9) Goto Step 2.

Bridgeburners wrote:
Using AICBs with Points (AKA Medium Burn)

If you are using points to refill your energy, use the following process to maximize your returns from AICBs and your energy refills.

If you use lots of shortcuts, you should be able to burn 1 AICBs per minute.

1 ) Start with zero energy and zero or minimal (less than 20) research.
2 ) Equip all energy boosting gear you can (preferably C3ETs)
3 ) Refill your energy
4 ) Attack a small pirate (one you can kill in your labcoat)
5 ) Remove the extra energy boosting gear, so that you have 100% energy again.
6 ) Attack a small pirate (one you can kill in your labcoat).
7 ) Equip all of your research boosting gear. If you can time it, this is a good time for the minute to roll over, so that you have 100% energy.
8 ) Use the AICB
9 ) Research
10) Equip all the energy boosting gear you can (preferably C3ETs)
11) Refill Energy
12) Research
13) Refill Energy
14) You have several options here:
- If you have no research left, Go to Step 4.
- If you have research left, use enough to burn it all (though you probably don't want end up with more than your basic energy)
- If you still have surplus energy, go to step 4.
- When you have no surplus energy, go to step 7.

I'm thinking of starting to use the Fleet labcoat, so I'm studying up on how to use it. I ran across this PSA, but I'm having trouble understanding the section quoted above.

Specifically, what do steps 4 through 7 accomplish? You fill your boosted energy levels, then attack a pirate using up some of your energy, then remove the energy-boosts? What does this accomplish? Does it reset your energy to 100% But it will still be a lower number than with the energy boosts (since the research is calucalted from the energy value and the research value, right?).

Can anyone in La Familia help a younger cousin with this? Muchas gracias!

I'm thinking of starting to use the Fleet labcoat, so I'm studying up on how to use it. I ran across this PSA, but I'm having trouble understanding the section quoted above.

Specifically, what do steps 4 through 7 accomplish? You fill your boosted energy levels, then attack a pirate using up some of your energy, then remove the energy-boosts? What does this accomplish? Does it reset your energy to 100% But it will still be a lower number than with the energy boosts (since the research is calucalted from the energy value and the research value, right?).

Excellent Question. I'll walk through these in a little more detail - please let me know if I'm not being clear.


1 ) Start with zero energy and zero or minimal (less than 20) research.

A simple starting point.

2 ) Equip all energy boosting gear you can (preferably C3ETs)

This will boost your energy bar to the highest possible total, based on your available equipment and your level. If you don't have access to a set of C3ETs, you will probably only get one free attack. C3ETs are very powerful - but very expensive.

3 ) Refill your energy

Pay 10 points and refill your energy.

4 ) Attack a small pirate (one you can kill in your labcoat)

This is a free attack - remember that your research is currently empty, and you can't actualy research. All you are trying to do is maximize the value you get from spending 10 points in Step 3.

5 ) Remove the extra energy boosting gear, so that you have 100% energy again.

This is a much easier process if you are notorious, as you can create favourite builds for each of these.

as you are attacking with a smaller amount of total energy, the actual energy that you use is lower - meaning that the attack is cheaper.

6 ) Attack a small pirate (one you can kill in your labcoat).

As before, this is a free attack, and you are getting more bonuses for the 10 points spent to refill your energy.

7 ) Equip all of your research boosting gear. If you can time it, this is a good time for the minute to roll over, so that you have 100% energy.

By removing all of your energy boosting gear, you should still be at (or near) 100% energy. Allowing the minute to roll over gets you 5% or 7.5% of your total possible energy, which should take you to 100%.

By equipping all of your research gear, you have maximized your total possible research, though your actual research is still basically non-existent.

8 ) Use the AICB

Your research is filled up.
9 ) Research
10) Equip all the energy boosting gear you can (preferably C3ETs)

By removing all your research boosting gear, you are going to be pretty close to full research. Using energy boosting gear maximizes your total possible energy.

11) Refill Energy

Pay 10 points.

12) Research

Max something. I chose shields half the time, but everybody's different.

13) Refill Energy

You should reequip your energy boosting gear here - I missed that step.


14) You have several options here:
- If you have no research left, Go to Step 4.
- If you have research left, use enough to burn it all (though you probably don't want end up with more than your basic energy)
- If you still have surplus energy, go to step 4.
- When you have no surplus energy, go to step 7.


Clear as mud?