A Question of Hardpoints

Dad Rock

Dad Rock
Hello All,

I've been trying to improve my PvP and PvE skills lately, having spent most of my time smuggling, trading, and exploring across the galaxy. It's a whole new universe for me, and I've been having a great time tinkering away with my Sidewinder, "Iblis". My big problem is with finding the right hardpoints for the thing. I use fixed hardpoints to try and improve my aim while flying, but I'm at a loss as to what to use. I've been experimenting with engineered Fragment Cannons, Cannons, and Railguns (the delay in firing has had me pulling my hair out), and I've had mixed results.

1. Unless I am literally staring the opponent in the face, I can't seem to get a shot at them.
2. When I'm up against bigger opponents, it's like I'm throwing a pack of peanuts at them.
3. If I'm going against smaller ships (other Sidewinders or Eagles especially), it's virtually impossible to nail the suckers down long enough to get a shot.

Any advice or wisdom you can share with me would be most appreciated!

Why a Sidewinder? Because this thing can go *FAST* (top speed 423m/s and boost is at 615m/s and that's with Engineered Hull Reinforcements), but also because I've had experience with some well known PvP'ers who have been cleaning up with just a Sidewinder, and I too want to be that good and that dangerous :D

So what guns should I fit on this little demon from hell?
 
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bladebss

bladebss
One tip.. it sounds like you need to practice combat flight manuvers. Lateral and horizontal thrusters are key but so it throttle controll and knowing your enemys movements.

A very good way to do this os to go to a haz rez and dont shoot anything. Wait untill some thing comes to scan you and try to avoid the scan buy strafing round the enemy ship. It will try its very hardest to keep its nose pointed at you. Once you can avoud the ships scan attempts forever and maintain a good bead on the target walst doing so. You will be redy to takle anything.

It will take some experiments and time. But after that get some enforcer cannons and have aome fun.. or rails.. they are fun too but you have to get used to the way they fire.
 

GhostUrsa

G
If you give the cannon the long range engineering tweak, it not only gives them more range but also more speed. This allows it to work better against faster targets. You'd still want to keep the fight at shorter range to improve accuracy, but it definitely helps. I don't think I do anything but long range anymore. :/
 

Stigbob

Stigbob
Fixed weps is all practice but they'll never be as quick to kill NPC's as gimbals, railguns really are worth persevering with and you can make life easier for yourself if you get a plasma slug mod so you can reload by scooping. Pick on asps they are slow fat and really easy to hit until you get your eye in. I like fixed beams as you can "walk" the beam onto the target.

You can also deselect target and fire as fixed when using gimbals if they chaff (or just for the practice), that's the most efficient thing I've found as you get some of the advantages of both weapon types.
 

bladebss

bladebss
One trick i use on some of my ships if the hardpoint are close together is have a laser guided rail gun. Use the fixed laser to get a good feel for your aim and walst you are maintaining the beam fire the rail gun. Works best at long range but can be very good at sniping power plants
 

Stealthie

Stealthie
Not going to work on a sidey but, for ships that have at least 3 hardpoints, a good "training aid" is to fit one turreted weapon of a given type and then fit another fixed weapon of the same type.
So, for example, on a Cobra, you could fit a #1 turreted MC and a turreted #1 beam laser and then also fit a #2 fixed MC and a fixed #2 beam laser.
With that done, assign both MCs to one fire-group and both beams to another fire-group.

In combat, select the fire-group of choice (beams to start with, probably), take your first shot and then, once you've scored a hit, the turret will start shooting at your target too.
That's handy cos it'll show you where YOU need to aim the crosshairs to score hits along with the turret.
Same thing when you switch to MC's - fortunately the bandit will already be showing as hostile by then so the turreted MC will open up immediately, allowing you to point the crosshairs at where the turret is shooting in order to score hits.

Beyond that, try to match speeds with the bandit, don't allow yourself to get into a "jousting match" with them and use your thrusters (all 3 axis' of them) to adjust your position relative to the bandit.
And then there's FA-off, but, erm, maybe leave that for another day, eh?
 
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