Meta alloy hrp question

[zipline]

Hi cmdrs,
I've been hanging out at ax combat zones most of the weekend and finding them very difficult as a solo player.
The first phase with just scouts is no problem, and I was bugging out after the interceptor alert and returning for a repeat.
I got myself a shutdown field neutraliser so I could stay for the second phase (without getting stunned) and just focus on the scouts (I did have a few pops at interceptors but I only have ax weapons so eventually saw the rebuy) but I am constantly finding myself as the last man standing and am getting a severe beating from the goids, escaped some, but a few rebuys too.
So I was looking at the stacking of the guardian & meta alloy HRPs, and if I fill up with them I get around 18.5% caustic resistance for the guardian hrp and 16.5% for the meta alloy hrp, so not a massive difference.
But what I don't understand is the concept of caustic resistance. Every time I exit the ax cz I am getting caustic damage and the decon limpets get rid of it, but if I fill up with HRPs I won't have space for limpets. So what would say that 16.5% actually buy me? Will I still be getting caustic damage when I leave the ax cz but it will take longer to burn away my hull, or something different?
Wondering whether the caustic resistance is worth the effort or just stick with the decon limpets.

 

[Chris Simon]

Caustic damage is a damage over time dealer. 16.5% resistance therefore gives you 16.5% more time of taking that damage before you die. (I don't think it's that simple but as a rule of thumb)
Diminishing returns is the keyword here and there isn't much point in stacking more resistance after a certain point. It's really just better to fall back, decontaminate, repair and go back.
Unlike combat with "human" NPCs, when comes to Thargoids, you will never be able to avoid taking damage entirely, I think, but in the end, I am talking from a perspective of someone who only has experience with running away from them.

 

[Dillon Fallon]

A few months back I spoke to some of the guys on the Thargoid sub-forum and it seems to be standard practice to run away once the interceptors arrive. Risks of being blown up rise dramatically and your kill count drops as you're avoiding the interceptors.

If removal of the Thargoids from a system is your aim, a kill is a kill, whether it's a scout or an interceptor. You also don't get a penalty for leaving an ax CZ. No shame in a tactical withdrawal.

 

[zipline]

A few months back I spoke to some of the guys on the Thargoid sub-forum and it seems to be standard practice to run away once the interceptors arrive. Risks of being blown up rise dramatically and your kill count drops as you're avoiding the interceptors.

If its removal of the Thargoids from a system is your aim, a kill is a kill, whether it's a scout or an interceptor. You also don't get a penalty for leaving an ax CZ. No shame in a tactical withdrawal.

I am just trying to get "comfortable" fighting these goids, lose the fear factor, try out all the weapons, etc, as I think they are going to figure more in the future so getting myself goid 'battle ready'. Now if caustic resistance will somehow help me stay in an ax cz longer then it will be worth getting the MRPs, but if it just means the caustic damage will take a little longer to kill me after I leave then maybe not worth it.

 

[Dillon Fallon]

I am just trying to get "comfortable" fighting these goids, lose the fear factor, try out all the weapons, etc, as I think they are going to figure more in the future so getting myself goid 'battle ready'. Now if caustic resistance will somehow help me stay in an ax cz longer then it will be worth getting the MRPs, but if it just means the caustic damage will take a little longer to kill me after I leave then maybe not worth it.

I don't think it's a case of experience, the problem is that against scouts and interceptors you need different builds to be truly effective. Possibly you could use an interceptor build to knock down scouts, but as we're now at the limits of my knowledge on the subject, hopefully someone else will jump in to help out.