GALNET - THARGOID ‘HUNTER’ VESSEL CLASS CONFIRMED - 18 MAY 3309

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GALNET

THARGOID ‘HUNTER’ VESSEL CLASS CONFIRMED​

18 MAY 3309
Pilots’ Federation ALERT
A new type of Thargoid vessel, first encountered within the Maelstroms, is interdicting ships in Thargoid controlled systems.
Aegis highlighted the threat as part of its research into the Thargoid capital ships. Commodore Emil Varga, the Allied military liaison, gave this statement:
“The first explorers to breach the Maelstroms’ inner regions encountered a previously unseen Thargoid vessel, larger than a scout but smaller than an interceptor. These medium-sized craft have been categorised as hunters, with this specific class designated the ‘Glaive’ due to its blade-like protrusions.”
“The Glaives operated close to the motherships, so it was initially believed they acted as sentries. But in recent days they have appeared within systems under Thargoid control. Pilots lucky enough to survive these encounters report being forced out of supercruise by Glaives and aggressively attacked.”
“Personally, I believe that our newfound ability to penetrate the Maelstroms caught the Thargoids by surprise. In response, they have redeployed the mothership’s defenders to a more offensive role. Such rapid tactical adaptation is not typical of this species, which is a good indicator that we have them worried.”
Aden Tanner provided more details following a research mission:
“The Glaive is extremely aggressive and attacks any human ship within range. Its high-intensity energy weapons take the form of lightning bolts, similar to a Thargoid interceptor, but this vessel is faster and more manoeuvrable.”
“Anti-xeno pilots should be advised that Glaives are also capable of disabling Guardian-based weaponry. This only became apparent when encountering them outside of the Maelstrom systems, where the Thargoids’ anti-Guardian field is permanently present.”

 

[Ian Doncaster]

“Personally, I believe that our newfound ability to penetrate the Maelstroms caught the Thargoids by surprise. In response, they have redeployed the mothership’s defenders to a more offensive role.

I'm really unconvinced that follows. If the Thargoids dropped a few scout patrols into Sol, shot up a few system authority vessels, and then left again ... I can't see the human response being to redeploy additional Farraguts from Sol to the front lines. The other way round, if we were worried, sure.

They've also not changed their strategic balance (though, in fairness, their current strategy is well tuned to defeat ours while maintaining a strong defence) so there's not necessarily a motivation to.

Such rapid tactical adaptation is not typical of this species, which is a good indicator that we have them worried.”

Also, rapidly deploying additional ship types in response to escalated human threats is entirely typical of the Thargoids - the Hydras only showed up when the Gnosis started preparing to jump to Cone Sector; the Orthrus only showed up (in mass use, anyway) after the Proteus Wave significantly increased their need for scouting multiple human systems quickly; most of their mid-range interceptors weren't routinely used until the Cyclopses started getting shot down regularly.

 

[Kira Goto]

Also, rapidly deploying additional ship types in response to escalated human threats is entirely typical of the Thargoids

Easier to stick with the biases than to face the facts.

The whole statement reeks of that, to be honest. What happened to “The Thargoids know we’re coming”? Has everyone suddenly stopped taking Seo seriously, despite listening to her for a few months now?

Maybe we don’t know exactly how she interprets the hivemind, or a way to have evidence to the things she says, but at what point do you believe that she doesn’t say things to just say them?

 

[Lukozer]

Anti-xeno pilots should be advised that Glaives are also capable of disabling Guardian-based weaponry.

Not exactly thrilled to read that, but I'm hoping we can take it literally... the Glaive disables Guardian WEAPONRY, but any reinforcement modules remain intact.

 

[Untilting]

I suppose if you are no longer confident in your stronghold's static defences one response could be to switch to defence in depth, making it less likely that an intruder reached the stronghold in the first place. Titans can no longer just rely on their caustic moat and pulse wave castle walls, so they are deploying barbed wire and patrols for miles around.

In story arc terms I'm sure they are not surprised, and humanity's first attempt on a Titan will be a hubristic catastrophe. Perhaps they are trying to lure human fleets to the Titans, so that they can maximise the damage when they unleash their Suetorp Waves.

 

[Fedifensor]

“Anti-xeno pilots should be advised that Glaives are also capable of disabling Guardian-based weaponry. This only became apparent when encountering them outside of the Maelstrom systems, where the Thargoids’ anti-Guardian field is permanently present.”

I've been sticking to my guns and keeping my modified Guardian Plasma Chargers on my only anti-xeno ship. It's really disheartening to see that ship being rendered useless even outside of Maelstroms after the effort I went through to get it put together.

 

[avow555]

Whoopee firggin do!
Bugs get another new ship.

How about the players getting some new kit...?

 

[Rebel Yell]

yawn

 

[Chaparral]

What is the point of the hunter? The buffs to the scouts make surface AX CZs unplayable.

Look at the number of active players over the last two weeks. Crash and burn baby.

 

[Unknown Zombie]

What is the point of the hunter? The buffs to the scouts make surface AX CZs unplayable.

Look at the number of active players over the last two weeks. Crash and burn baby.

Scouts got fixed (supposedly -- I haven't went looking for any to check for myself).

 

[Vardaugas]

So, how fast is it? What's the mass lock factor? Are Glaives inescapable AX combat encounters now? When do we get an FSD upgrade module that allows us to escape Thargoid interdiction in supercruise?
Questions, questions.

 

[Kira Goto]

how fast is it?

Fast enough that you can’t bother trying to outrun it. Never going to happen - this thing puts the Basilisk to shame. It also has FSD reboot missiles, though that has been mentioned already.

When do we get an FSD upgrade module that allows us to escape Thargoid interdiction in supercruise?

This I would find nice. The ‘sumbit and drop out, boost away and go to supercruise’ isn’t that engaging. I could see why Frontier would keep that in from a lore standpoint about Thargoid technological superiority, but I feel like the fun of the game should come first here. No one enjoys a - for all intents and purposes - unbeatable interdiction game.

 

[Elpapo]

I've been sticking to my guns and keeping my modified Guardian Plasma Chargers on my only anti-xeno ship. It's really disheartening to see that ship being rendered useless even outside of Maelstroms after the effort I went through to get it put together.

I was able to fight 3 of them at once during settlement AX defence, with my plasma charger krait, and lost about 30-40% of my guardian modules intergrity after dealing with 3 of them. Thier disruptor field is smaller and weaker than what Orthus uses, but if they are taken cared of quickly, its viable to handle hunter wave or two before need to repair.

It took about 3 maxed charged salvos per each hunter from 5x plasma charger krait. Again, just make sure if they come out, that they dont stick around for too long, ingoring them in AX confict zones can be fatal for guardian based bulids, thats why they should become priority number one of any cmdr (who uses guardian modules obviously) once they appear.

So, how fast is it?

They preety fast. Seems like about 650-700 m/s, from what I could tell fighting them. If anything, only racer bulids might outrun them.

What's the mass lock factor?

Had not try run from one, but I dont think they massive enough to masslock bigger ships.

Are Glaives inescapable AX combat encounters now?

Given they also seems to employ seeker anti-FSD misslies (thargoid versions of grom missiles - however these missiles are weaker than what scouts use but much more faster, probly fastest missiles in game), so it might be very tricky to escape them easly, but they dont do that much dmg to be worried about.

 

[Banana's_Are_Good_For_You]

@Chaparral
May is always a dodgy month. Exam season this year is 15th May-27th June in the UK. Dunno about elsewhere but Steam won't see a rebound till June, traditionally.
Odyssey launch being the only exception.

 

[Chaparral]

@Chaparral
May is always a dodgy month. Exam season this year is 15th May-27th June in the UK. Dunno about elsewhere but Steam won't see a rebound till June, traditionally.
Odyssey launch being the only exception.

Possibly. Many posters in previous years have said summer months are always lower than the school calendar year because of "vacations" (not me).

Patch 15 had a a pretty significant block of content with Thargoid Titans, Glaives, Enhanced Scouts, Revenants, a new FPS mission type, updated Thargoid Pulse Neutralizers - and there is a gentle decline in player numbers.

Not saying any of the content is "bad", it just doesn't seem to be engaging more players.

 

[MVBanks]

Glaive's speed is 800 - 820 m/s, mass factor 20, reward 4,5 M.

 

[Banana's_Are_Good_For_You]

@Ian Doncaster
Never trust human experts in galnet.
It lies from time to time because they are guessing..
Best knowledge is always gained first-hand.

 

[Banana's_Are_Good_For_You]

@Chaparral
It seems very specialized.
However, they always seem to allow a window for ppl to work these things out.
I imagine that when that is done, then yt will spread the word, on some things.
Ppl are asking questions about how best to do things so it's not all bad..

 

[Uiros Ueramos]

Possibly. Many posters in previous years have said summer months are always lower than the school calendar year because of "vacations" (not me).

Patch 15 had a a pretty significant block of content with Thargoid Titans, Glaives, Enhanced Scouts, Revenants, a new FPS mission type, updated Thargoid Pulse Neutralizers - and there is a gentle decline in player numbers.

Not saying any of the content is "bad", it just doesn't seem to be engaging more players.

I believe the decline is caused mostly by the AX Combat bugs.

 

[Uiros Ueramos]

Glaive's speed is 800 - 820 m/s, mass factor 20, reward 4,5 M.

As I said before on a couple of occasions, WAAAY too fast. And for such a MLF !!

Specially with all the stuff they are capable of doing like the FSD Reboot missiles, salvo of 4x Caustic missiles, the Lightning Attack and the Guardian Modules Degeneration Field.

Hunters are very unbalanced for AX newbies. These will be going to the rebuy screen in droves. Not a good way to attract more people to this type of content...