Anti-guardian field is so stupid. How do you guys not get this?

[tolm]

I personally just toughed out the Glaives through a few repair cycles and/or NPCs killing them for me (especially after taking a good chunk of their hitpoints off with the shard cannons). Though I did also use a Krait which has the ability to get out of the mailslot and reach a Glaive before the weapons melt again, I imagine a shard-a-Conda would have more problems with the zippy little things.

I do also have a sort of hybrid setup for the Krait which uses either two (mod)shard cannons and three large multis, or inverted in terms of the numbers. Does actually work quite well, took on a Hydra with NPCs (only) in a low intensity CZ once and it was fairly easy (compared to that other time I attempted a Hydra takedown in that same CZ with all four shards and was at 2% hull on the final heart with caustic from a missile eating away at the hull, but a lifesaver decon limpet from an NPC allowed me to see it to completion). Did not feel like using this one at the Jameson CZ though so when I got Glaives I just had to do it the hard way.

... saying that, they would still be a fine enemy to include even without the AGF. They would do more if actually spawned alongside Interceptors - tougher ones, not the Cyclops cannon fodder that literally covers for 90-99% of spawns in station CZs - though, not sent in on their own where they mostly chip away at toughened hulls without inflicting particularly significant damage unless all three go for you at once (they rarely do, when they would do best as pack hunters... pun not intended).

I started in a FAS (2x Mod Plasma / 2x Mod Shard) which back when surface port AX CZs were first a thing was an incredibly fun ship and loadout.

I’ve now similarly switched to a “hybrid” Krait Mk II build: 2x C2 Mod Plasmas, 2x C3 EAX MCs (got the CG ones now!) and a C3 LR TV Beam.

I don’t like it to fly as much as the FAS but it gets hit less due to the TV Beam being able to keep the heat down and the MCs are enough to deal with Glaives even after the plasmas are out of action.

But, yeh, without the AGF I’d be very happy for more Glaives to spawn in for a bit of variety between the cannon-fodder Scouts and more involved Interceptors.

I should say … I ain’t solo’ing no Hydras! I’ve done Cyclops / Medusa / Basilisk in the past but, honestly, not since switching to MCs from the Mod Shards. Used to love eyeballing the heart shots with those … so satisfying!

 

[Kira Goto]

I should say … I ain’t solo’ing no Hydras! I’ve done Cyclops / Medusa / Basilisk in the past but, honestly, not since switching to MCs from the Mod Shards. Used to love eyeballing the heart shots with those … so satisfying!

I haven’t done any the ‘traditional’ way, at best I’ve done the Hydra in a low intensity AXCZ with NPCs about (so not technically a true solo, but without a station to use as support - my canopy stayed in one piece, mostly).

Though I did challenge myself to do the triple Hydra spawn at Jameson’s last week in solo play, because I am a masochist. It was successful, by the way.

(You won’t really solo a Medusa with AXMCs anyway - they are not designed as a primary exertion weapon and it shows, because their damage is reduced by the armor of a Medusa so much they are, even with the Azimuth variant, effectively incapable of exertion… or require a just obscene amount of time and ammo for the first 1-3 hearts, probably.)

Autoloader on the Azimuth multis is great, though. Took those for a spin in a low intensity CZ today and did not have to deal with any reload downtime whatsoever. Would not necessarily recommend them as a Hydra support weapon though, even their hearts are tough as nails despite the added damage. I tried at the port CZ currently active in Ixbaksha, dropped in on Hydras and was not too impressed with their performance against hearts. They do work well against a Medusa’s if you can get the NPCs to bring the hearts out for you.

And yeah, Guardian toys do are more fun but sometimes I'm lazy or a bit tired and not having to aim (as much) suits me. Plus, the multis are great Scout control tools to keep their numbers down before you engage the big guys. Berserker-supported swarms are nothing to laugh at.

 

[tolm]

I haven’t done any the ‘traditional’ way, at best I’ve done the Hydra in a low intensity AXCZ with NPCs about (so not technically a true solo, but without a station to use as support - my canopy stayed in one piece, mostly).

Though I did challenge myself to do the triple Hydra spawn at Jameson’s last week in solo play, because I am a masochist. It was successful, by the way.

(You won’t really solo a Medusa with AXMCs anyway - they are not designed as a primary exertion weapon and it shows, because their damage is reduced by the armor of a Medusa so much they are, even with the Azimuth variant, effectively incapable of exertion… or require a just obscene amount of time and ammo for the first 1-3 hearts, probably.)

Autoloader on the Azimuth multis is great, though. Took those for a spin in a low intensity CZ today and did not have to deal with any reload downtime whatsoever. Would not necessarily recommend them as a Hydra support weapon though, even their hearts are tough as nails despite the added damage. I tried at the port CZ currently active in Ixbaksha, dropped in on Hydras and was not too impressed with their performance against hearts. They do work well against a Medusa’s if you can get the NPCs to bring the hearts out for you.

And yeah, Guardian toys do are more fun but sometimes I'm lazy or a bit tired and not having to aim (as much) suits me. Plus, the multis are great Scout control tools to keep their numbers down before you engage the big guys. Berserker-supported swarms are nothing to laugh at.

Yeh - the Interceptor hull and tougher hearts is why I carry a mix of Mod Plasmas and MCs: plasmas for exertion, MCs for basic heart damage but can still follow that up with additional plasma shots.

 

[Screemonster]

Springing a hard gear-check in a game where you have to go back to a station to change your gear is awful design.

It's not so bad at titans and the like since you know in advance you're going into the zone.