Viper + FA off = Amazing combat

[Krighten]

I never really understood dog fighting in space games and what was essentially jousting.
Then I bought a viper and started doing bounties with FA off during the entirety, and holy cow - I get it now.
It's night and day in terms of excitement.

 

[Irritant]

I keep meaning to try FA off in combat, but I disabled the control for it since I never used it beyond the trick of maintaining boost speed with it.

 

[Hexen]

I keep switching between FA off and on. Both modes have it's uses although I have a lot to learn in terms FA off. After Eagle Viper feels like a brick, but with FA off it's like a falling anvil. Very hard to maneuver with such huge inertia. So I use FA off to turn faster, but then turn it on again to keep my vector straight.

 

[DMLeeroy]

I keep switching between FA off and on. Both modes have it's uses although I have a lot to learn in terms FA off. After Eagle Viper feels like a brick, but with FA off it's like a falling anvil. Very hard to maneuver with such huge inertia. So I use FA off to turn faster, but then turn it on again to keep my vector straight.

This is how I dogfight too, although Ive also taken to using it to spin myself around a coreolis station to line up with the letterbox, it looks awesome and seems so much quicker. FA off, pitch down, use vertical thrusters, kill throttle and keep the nose level. reengage FA and apply some throttle and bam, stable and lined up with the letterbox.

Another thing I've almost perfected using FA off is what I like to call 'the slide' when facing those elite anacondas in BB missions.
Boost at the devil head on whilst using vertical thrust down, full throttle FA off and pitch up until you're facing his belly, kill the throttle and release the thrusters and you can glide under him whilst looking at his belly and giving him both barrels, not only does it give you a smaller profile so to avoid being hit too much, it also gives you ample time to spin and reengage while he is turning, you can even get a few shots off at his drives of you're quick enough.