Advice for xmass combat or exploration

[NathanM]

Hi, I played ED from release but stopped when Odyssey hit ( I have a carrier, 10 or so fully equipped ships and about 30 billion cr) - I will have some time over xmass to play again starting maybe as early as this weekend and would like some advice. I would like to progress my exploration and or combat ranks a bit (exploration is quite low rank, combat is about 80% of the way through dangerous).

What I really dont want to do is spend all my time (maybe two hours per day average for the next two to three weeks) getting ready to play, and then not have time to actually play.

Exploration: I recall from pre-Odyssey that exploration is just go explore/scan and sell the data and I have a stripped down engineered conda with guardian upgrades already, does it matter what direction I go in or if I fully scan systems I pass through? Also is the carrier any use here or will it not add much?

Combat: As im already dangerous I need to target higher rank enemies, can someone link a good guide that is still current but doesnt take many hours to prepare for (e.g. by getting a ship that requires rep or time consuming upgrades)? I dont care if its not the most efficient, just that its not inefficient in terms of time

happy xmass all, see you in the void!

 

[HappyMoonMonkey]

There are ways of grinding these things and there are ways of enjoying these things.

For combat I'd recommend engaging in the current story line and shooting a few thargoid scouts. Ship requirement isn't huge, you don't need max engineering. Take a look at the recommended builds on https://wiki.antixenoinitiative.com/en/home
And then go and fit a few of the enhanced AX multicanons available at the rescue megaships. You'll be sliding through scouts in no time.

Alternatives include standard human CZs, engaging the special ops in the medium and highs as these are high rank NPCs and plentiful.

Exploration wise, go up or down from the bubble about 1000ly and then head out. You should start to find first discoveries a lot sooner. Or do road to riches if you just want to grind rank.

 

[Riverside]

There are plenty of choices for combat, personally I favour regular war CZs (needs a pretty tough, high DPS ship) for ranking up but a haz RES will do if you just have regular multi-role ships. AX combat will be good for ranking up but does require specialist outfitting & techniques (and ideally other players to help out).

For exploring if you have a carrier, buy some tritium, put it in the carriers hold & then jump it somewhere 500ly away & fly out to it in whatever fuel scoop & DSS equipped ship you enjoy flying. You'll soon rack up explo data & maybe even spot something that grabs your attention on your travels

 

[Aleks Zuno]

Combat: As im already dangerous I need to target higher rank enemies, can someone link a good guide that is still current but doesnt take many hours to prepare for (e.g. by getting a ship that requires rep or time consuming upgrades)? I dont care if its not the most efficient, just that its not inefficient in terms of time

To get yourself flying with something functional as quickly as possible without having to learn gear-boosting or too much distributor management, start with buying yourself a Krait 2 and covering it with Multi-cannons, then switch one for another weapon later if you want. It is a fact of combat that you will have to temper your expectations if you do not invest in engineering all aspects of the starship, but otherwise it looks a bit like this. This is probably the best you can do to maximise efficacy with laziness.

The class 3 Multi-cannons have Incendiary, the class 2 Multi-cannon has Corrosive Shell, and the Rail Gun has Feedback Cascade (actually an Imperial Hammer, but a normal Rail Gun is fine). All have Short Range there, though by all means go with Long Range and maintain a greater distance if you prefer. Also, please excuse my penchant for percussion; it is fine just to fly backwards gently and hold the trigger.

Behind the wall of investment into flight methods, heavy engineering and Powerplay lies some very fast hunting based on Fragment Cannons, with which you can explode large targets quickly and/or efficiently with a grapple and execute. Some Commanders prefer the Rapid Fire approach.

 

[Astaran]

Hi, I played ED from release but stopped when Odyssey hit ( I have a carrier, 10 or so fully equipped ships and about 30 billion cr) - I will have some time over xmass to play again starting maybe as early as this weekend and would like some advice. I would like to progress my exploration and or combat ranks a bit (exploration is quite low rank, combat is about 80% of the way through dangerous).

What I really dont want to do is spend all my time (maybe two hours per day average for the next two to three weeks) getting ready to play, and then not have time to actually play.

Exploration: I recall from pre-Odyssey that exploration is just go explore/scan and sell the data and I have a stripped down engineered conda with guardian upgrades already, does it matter what direction I go in or if I fully scan systems I pass through? Also is the carrier any use here or will it not add much?

Combat: As im already dangerous I need to target higher rank enemies, can someone link a good guide that is still current but doesnt take many hours to prepare for (e.g. by getting a ship that requires rep or time consuming upgrades)? I dont care if its not the most efficient, just that its not inefficient in terms of time

happy xmass all, see you in the void!

Carrier based exploration is an entirely different experience from "normal" exploration. For one, you can (and should) take several different exploration ships with you, especially those that are not "ordinarily" used for exploration. I have Cobra Mk III, an Imperial Courier, a Chieftain and a Keelback that can be used for exploration (also the usual suspects like AspX, Krait Mk II, Phantom etc.) oboard my FC. I pick whatever I like at that day.
Your FC is your mobile base of operations, and especially when you're 10k+ LY away from the Bubble it really feels like "coming home" after a few days of exploration. Keep in mind, you don't make every single jump with your FC. You park it somewhere and then explore the surrounding systems with your player ship.

Additionally, you can break up your exploration gameplay with mining, either Tritium for your FC or valuable minerals that you can later sell in the bubble. Hhowever, I'd still strongly suggest to fill your FC with more than enough Tritium for both ways plus some change so you don't HAVE to mine to get back to the bubble.

Travel becomes a more relaxed experience in a FC. You don't have to be on your controls the entire duration of the flight. You can schedule a jump every 20 minutes to the next system on your route while you're actually doing something else in RL. It will take longer than flying the same distance with a dedicated exploration ship (500ly every 20 minutes), but it's a nice tool if you're actually busy with something else (cleaning the house, watching sports, wrapping Christmas presents )

If you own Odyssey, you can now walk inside your FC. You have a bridge and, depending on the services you've installed, Vista Genomics, a bar and pioneer supplies. You can actually watch the FC jump sequence from your Captain's Chair.

If you have Vista Genomics, Universal Cartographics and a Redemption Office installed, you can hand in all your exploration data at your FC. You will "lose" 12.5% of the value, though (a further 12.5% of the value are deposited directly into the account of your FC)

Last but not least, if you have Odyssey, I recommend getting the new Scorpion SRV for at least a few of your exploration ships. The new SRV is a combat SRV and lacks the Scorpion's wave scanner. But I just love the way it drives and the firepower when fighting skimmers (yeah, planetary POIs even exist in deep space)

 

[Ashnak]

...

Behind the wall of investment into flight methods, heavy engineering and Powerplay lies some very fast hunting based on Fragment Cannons, with which you can explode large targets quickly and/or efficiently with a grapple and execute. Some Commanders prefer the Rapid Fire approach.

Savage.

 

[He$$eeTant]

For combat at Dangerous level you need to kill elite pilots. Thargoid scouts are all poor at fighting and Elite status - it’s a win win (win) the third win being for humanity.

If however you decide to turn tail and run off then get an Artimis Suit, head to an FC admin system and enable Cartography and Vista Genomics, grab a few SRVs and head out to the black. Both the services above will pay the FC weekly charge and change.

 

[Aleks Zuno]

For combat at Dangerous level you need to kill elite pilots. Thargoid scouts are all poor at fighting and Elite status - it’s a win win (win) the third win being for humanity.

This was changed in Elite 4.0; the notes for one of those many updates contain a line about making it much less punishing on Combat rank to destroy starships of a lower rank. Given the relative ease with which pirates can be destroyed at a Hazardous RES than at a Compromised Nav Beacon, I would recommend the RES over the CNB for anyone rushing Combat ranks up to Elite, followed with the CNB for rushing Elite I and beyond (at least, by actually flying to get it...).

"Poor" is also an unfair assessment of rank gained from destroying Thargoid Scouts. It was disproportionately high in the past, and it is now "merely" decent. Besides, we would all love a new Commander to help drive the war response!

 

[He$$eeTant]

This was changed in Elite 4.0; the notes for one of those many updates contain a line about making it much less punishing on Combat rank to destroy starships of a lower rank. Given the relative ease with which pirates can be destroyed at a Hazardous RES than at a Compromised Nav Beacon, I would recommend the RES over the CNB for anyone rushing Combat ranks up to Elite, followed with the CNB for rushing Elite I and beyond (at least, by actually flying to get it...).

"Poor" is also an unfair assessment of rank gained from destroying Thargoid Scouts. It was disproportionately high in the past, and it is now "merely" decent. Besides, we would all love a new Commander to help drive the war response!

Poor was in relation to their fighting ability not the rank gained.

I had not seen the rank balance - nice

 

[NathanM]

Thanks for the info all, updating game now and will check out what you all suggested.

 

[NathanM]

Decided to farm thargoid scouts, kept track (using log files) of kills once I hit deadly and just got promoted to Elite after exactly 2,699 scout kills. I didnt kill anything else since focusing on combat rank.

 

[Hooplah]

Greetings,

You set limits to your game play then ask others how to override them or sort of. You want combat Elite rank well shooting Thargoid Scouts is a good start with a ship designed to deal with them. Currently in the game with a Thargoid war with other players it is easier to do.

Exploration in an Anaconda stripped down? I went from the bubble to Colonia in an A rated engineered Orca with a 52 LY jump range and had fun doing it. The point is not about the best jump range but enjoying the trip along the way. Meanwhile my paint job on the Orca was worse for wear. I'm proud of it. Play the game your way.

Regards

 

[NathanM]

@Hoplah - I was after advice on how to efficiently raise combat or exploration rank without spending a lot of time changing ships. I got good advice and followed it and am now Elite combat rank, actually I did not group with anyone to fight thargoids as I found it faster to do on my own. It took about 30 one hour runs to get from 98% through Dangerous to Elite which is not bad. I will probably do exploration next but over a couple of months at least. I would say I am playing the game my way but thanks for the input all the same.