cobra vs viper. dogfights.

[Vess]

The Viper exists for it's price point. When you buy a Cobra you're not paying it for it's combat potential - that's the Viper's price tag - you're paying for it's flexibility.

If the only thing that interests you is bounty hunting, save yourself some creds and buy a Viper. That's why it's there.

Exactly!
Have only playing Elite for a short time, this thread is awesome read for info.
Took time to pimp my starter sidewinder geared for bounty hunting, have had tons of fun taking out Clipper, Python, smaller ships, all classes. Takes a long time I know on bigger ships with only 2 pulse lasers, but the experience is invaluable targeting Power plant can sometimes get a lucky shot an blow em at 50% hull

Having said that, just got a viper yesterday and have enuff credits to pimp it out, except for weapons as was not sure what to buy. Currently running 2 class pulse lasers and on top multi cannons.
Did not upgrade armour as it adds weight, wanna be as maneuverable as possible. Only hunt nav beacons at this point, find it fairly profitable. Looking forward to adjusting to Viper over my pimped sidewinder, Thanks guys for all your input, makes my future decisions much easier.

Cheers!

 

[heartorhead]

Did some testing: Viper and Cobra with A rated thrusters - rest outfitted to combat needs, for example no A rated FSD and other components with lowest weight (like life suport 7:30 min) etc. No armor.

Cobra: full speed 306, boost 450, lateral/vertical 252
Viper: full speed 323, boost 416, lateral/vertical 267

Yaw is the same imo. I will do a test for 360 deg pitch.
No point for me using Viper, only guns placement is better. Cobra has so wide class 1 that fixed weapons are unusable (both) there.

 

[Ixnatifual]

Looking to upgrade to a Cobra personally, although I prefer a centered pilot ship. The advantages of the Cobra just seem too big. Maybe an Asp later.

 

[Morbad]

BUT the Cobra can use far better shield cell, so ultimately the Cobra will always win no matter what

And yet, even after the introduction of SCBs, no CMDR in a Cobra has ever been able to shoot my Viper down, and I have at least a dozen Cobra CMDR notches on my belt since that point.

Did some testing: Viper and Cobra with A rated thrusters - rest outfitted to combat needs, for example no A rated FSD and other components with lowest weight (like life suport 7:30 min) etc. No armor.

Cobra: full speed 306, boost 450, lateral/vertical 252
Viper: full speed 323, boost 416, lateral/vertical 267

Yaw is the same imo. I will do a test for 360 deg pitch.
No point for me using Viper, only guns placement is better. Cobra has so wide class 1 that fixed weapons are unusable (both) there.

I did a more detailed comparison that featured pitch, speed, and acceleration figures a while back. Acceleration definitely shows the Viper in a positive light, though I should probably update it for the current version to account for any subtle changes that have been made to ship performance.

 

[Sargon]

I've got 2 size 2 gimbaled beams and 2 size 1 fixed autocannons. 90% of the struggle with most any ship is taking down it's shields, which the beams do nicely.
A well kitted Cobra will literally melt through anything... Since the release heat is no longer a problem so I'm finding the Cobra to come out on top. Because after the bounty I have room for the cargo for added credits.
Good post, great points.

 

[Bikky]

I can see your point, and loved a viper when I had it, but, I've gone back to a cobra.

I currently have gimballed beam upper right, and gimballed multicannons on the other 3.

When Thruster upgrades are in place, that Beam will become fixed, and I may replace on of my lower multi's with a railgun.

I have no problems with fixed weapon aiming in a cobra, and just don't bother with subsystem aiming. By the time i've selected the subsystem, I could have already had the shields depleted and gotten myself in close. However I do struggle against Anni's so fixed beam on the shields, and fixed rail for subsystem selection may be the way forward, before I'm in range. Anyone got any quick setups for selecting the subsystems panel? or is it a case of left panel, then over to SS?

 

[heartorhead]

There are hotkeys next/prev subsystem selection in Controls.

 

[MikeB]

Not in forward speed. Cobra can boost faster, and can maintain about the same, if not slightly better speed over distance with 4 pips in eng and boosting as often as possible.

A Viper pilot who is on the ball can usually get away from a Cobra, but the Cobra is the safest ship in the game.

That's not true, according to the shipyard ingame they both have a boost of 400. This gives the Viper, with it's higher standard topspeed, a small but important advantage...

[edit, just read your above post, should have done before replying! Silly me! If this is true then the Cobra needs to brought in-line with what it says in the shipyard]

 

[crushdepth]

Want your gimballed weapons to behave as fixed? Deselect your target (t). Now they fire forward

I don't agree that gimbals are useless on the bottom of a cobra. If you have the target ballpark centred all four weapons can be brought to bear and there is a lot of leeway. One set will fall off if the target starts to out turn you, but that is also true of fixed weapons, which are much worse in this regard.

 

[Dissentient]

There are hotkeys next/prev subsystem selection in Controls.

Well, you need to press that button more than ten times, each time looking at the result. It's completely useless. I'd understand if there was a button to target FSD or power plant.

 

[Lockheart]

It's the opposite for me, I shred through smaller ships like eating M&M's elite or not, really struggle with anything larger than a Dropship. I guess it's down to flying style.

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Same here, I mustn't hang with the cool kids, I've only ever had two PvP fights the time I've played this game, and one of them was the last day of Beta. I'm always in Open Play, someone come kill me, pleeeassee, killll meeee....

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It's a freeking barn door, I miss my Viper, but building rep in a Viper is a real chore with the low cargo space.

I've had my Viper at 16 Cargo space at one stage. I loved it because I saw it as a fail-safe way to continue my modest hauling needs while being able to fend off would be pirates with it's superior firepower and maneuverability. I saved way more money than when I was in my hauler van. In fact I started out in a Sidey, switched to a hauler then back to a souped-up sidey before finally slipping into a Viper. Admittedly I had enough Credits to increase the Jump capacity, Firepower, Shielding, Power Distribution and Cargo Capacity before it finally became useful as a Fighter/hauler and by the time I had all that I slipped into Bounty Hunter mode.

I do think as a Fighter, Hauler the Cobra edges the hauling and is on par with the firepower of a Viper, it just loses out on the nippiness factor for me as it can be a bit of a Whale at times. Ultimately though I think I'd love to have both kitted out to the max, then I could switch between the two, depending on what type of mood took me.

All a bit subjective I know but there it is.

 

[heartorhead]

Well, you need to press that button more than ten times, each time looking at the result. It's completely useless. I'd understand if there was a button to target FSD or power plant.

Well I use it that way. Targeting drive is usually quick. I agree that to target power plant you have to click many times but it's not that big deal. I find that better than taking my sight of target to use the left panel for that.

 

[Demonic Squid]

Used both and although the Viper edges the Cobra in combat, it's short range, and low utility, makes the Cobra my personal choice.

...and to be a complete philistine I use 2x Med Pulses, and 2x Seeker missiles at the moment; tried plenty of combinations and this suits me fine. You can fire the Pulses all day with 3 pips in WPN and an A rated power distributor, and once shields are down it's one or two volleys of missiles to take down anything up to your own size. If I do assassinations I might fit torpedoes...

Well, you need to press that button more than ten times, each time looking at the result. It's completely useless. I'd understand if there was a button to target FSD or power plant.

Eh? Use the left panel when you are warrant scanning them! Click look left panel >> Subsystems >> choose Power Plant (or FSD)... simples.

 

[CMDR Canaris]

Two medium pulse lasers and two seeker missile launchers seem optimal on the Cobra because the small hardpoints have horrid placement. One of the reasons I prefer the Viper's hardpoint cluster.

 

[Cortana]

I find killing Vipers much harder than killing Cobras. So first must be better for combat.

 

[Dissentient]

I find killing Vipers much harder than killing Cobras. So first must be better for combat.

Vipers are harder to hit because of smaller size and acceleration, cobras have higher class shield and more hull hitpoints. For me cobras always take more time to kill.