Assassination tactics - pls help

Alcaeus

Alcaeus
I have a fully kitted Viper and have done a lot of bounty hunting. I have recently started taking the 'Target' Bulletin missions where I am basically asked to kill someone. I go for Bounties of $150,000cr to $200,000cr.

Although I could easily take out the actual targets (usually condas) they are always in a wing of 2-3 and I get shredded every single time and escape with 23% left of hull...

If I try to get the target first, ignoring the wings, the wings damage me so much that I can never finish the job. If I try to get the wings first, the main target jumps to hyperspace...

Any advise?

Viper loadout
M: 2F Multi-cannon
M: 2F Multi-cannon
S: 1E Beam Laser
S: 1E Beam Laser
U: 0E Kill Warrant Scanner
U: 0D Shield booster

BH: 1I Military Grade Composite
RB: 3A Power Plant
TM: 3A Thrusters
FH: 3A Frame Shift Drive
EC: E2 Life Support
PC: 3A Power Distributor
SS: 3D Sensors
FS: 2C Fuel Tank (Capacity: 4)

3: 3A Shield Generator
3: 3D Hull Reinforcement Package
3: 2B Shield Cell Banks
1: 1C Frame Shift Drive Interdictor
 

Kazacy

Kazacy
This is the fit i used in kill missions:
http://edshipyard.com/#/L=70M,7OX7OX7N77N701Q0_g,314s4s4s3w4s5A3c,7Pc7fO7dq9p2
I tried after 1.3 and is harder but possible in viper; the "secret" is to separate the wing, the small ones are faster than the anaconda/python, fly with 4 pips in shields, 1 in weapons, 1 in engine, boost a little, separate and kill the small ones, then go for the target. The problem is when you encounter a big anaconda and 2 vultures, i really don't have enough ammo for all, but if you kill the small ones first and came back, you get another spawn with another escort.

GL and steel nerves you gonna need it.
 

[HJ]-RedRaven

[HJ]-RedRaven
Are you sub-targeting the target's powerplant?

You could try dropping the 2 small beam lasers and use 2 small cannon on those hardpoints. This will hit hard against your target's powerplant - but won't use much WEP capacitor allowing you to put all four pips into SYS, where it'll harden your shields a LOT against incoming fire from the target's wingmates.

Could also drop the hull reinforcement and use a second 3A shield cell bank (turn it off until the first bank is exhausted).
 

Han Brannigan

Han Brannigan
Either get a better ship or take on lower paying missions. That would be the sensible thing imo.

But if you wanna test yourself:

- Maybe if you get another SCB ( instead of the hull reinforcement ) you can tank it out until the main target is gone.
- A possible strategy ( esp. with a fast ship like the Viper ) is to run away and attack the enemy once they are strung out. Kill/chase a few of the wingmates OR ( if strung out far enough ) boost right by them and attack the target while they are still turning coming after you...

Also I would probably go with two medium Pulses and 2 small MC OR two small railguns..
 
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marktay

marktay
I agree that you could do with a more powerful ship to give you a better chance with the new 1.3 AI. I would also take on his wing-mates first. Once you have killed his wing-mates and he has scuttled off, jump into Hyperspace and find him - I don't think his wing-mates will re-spawn so you have him on his own. You can tell when you scan him - he will have 'In a Wing (1/1)'.
Glad you can take out a 1.3 Anaconda 'easily' with that load-out, since 1,3 I have found them much more tricksy with SCB, Shield Boosters, decent load out, they have learned to use boost as a dog-fighting tactic and will ram you if they get a chance (even suicide ramming)
 

Chaplain Livius

C
my personal advice: change ship.

I would suggest you Imperial Courier or Vulture.
Vulture is a Beast.
Courier is very fun to play, cheaper, has a VERY low repair costs and can mount TONS of SCB wich are fundamental in assassination missions.
With all gimballed weapons is very very easy to bring down shield and focusing power plant, bring down condas.

Take note that with last patch npc ships have become smarter, they will chaff, shield bank and fly better.

For big hunt vulture i suggest: beam laser + cannon/plasma accelerator.
For Courier: beam laser + 2xMulti Cannon or 2xLaser + cannon.

Try to take their 6 , spam chaff, when you lose a ring in shield use shield bank, focus powerplant.
I personally use fixed weapons...is harder to kill ships with fixed weapons (at least smaller ones) but is a nice training.

p.s. i realized yesterday that if you bind a key to shield bank and you have multiple shield bank, you will cast ONE ammo of all them, leading you to overheat and spend unnecessary ammo.
You will need to divide them into fire groups or you can power only one of them remembering in your head the ammo count. when u finish ammo on one, rapidly open system panel deactivate the one active and activate the next one.
 

Philip Coutts

Volunteer Moderator
Philip Coutts
It's a tough ask for the viper. It is doable but you are going to need to get everything just right and carry a bit of luck. The best tactic for me is to take out the smaller ships first. You are going to need to use your pips a lot and keep your shields up. As I say tough ask and I would be tempted to try some easier targets and work up to a bigger ship. The Vulture has been mentioned a few times and it is a really tough old bird which would be more suitable for the task.
 

Lord_Crazy

L
It's hard enough in a Courier so I can only imagine how hard it must be in a Viper. It's a nice little ship but 1 vs 3 against fully kitted bigger ships it's simply not good enough.
 

M4rt1n

M4rt1n
+rep for taking on the targets in a Viper!
Don't listen to all those who tell you to upgrade to a vulture, of course everything is easy in the stupid vulture, but these missions are doable in smaller ships. More fun that way!
 

jou84

J
Kazacy said:
If you ram the bus i agree, but if you wanna go for another example:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_le_Grand_(pirate)
TLDR: very small ship captured biggest ship
or this one:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Myeongnyang
TLDR: 13 small ships vs over 300 (it's not a typo) and they lost just a few men; the japanese lost at least 32 warships and many other logistical ships.

Also for fun and adrenaline :D
Click to expand...

I am pretty sure it would have been a different story if there were turretted beam lasers about back then.
 

Dbrn47

Dbrn47
It's doable in something like the Viper or Courier, but really, it's a lot more work than it's worth. I used to do these in a Viper before the Vulture was available and now that they fit better, fight smarter, and fly in wings, it's a huge pain in the neck. That's not to say this is a bad thing, but really the Vulture is a great fit for these now. Enough defense and offense to take down the main target quickly enough so you don't even need to deal with the wing. A true Assassin. The Large points make a huge difference.
 

rightsideupsidedown

rightsideupsidedown
The Vulture is amazing but the Courier is really pretty impressive too. You're looking at ton more shields if you step up to a Courier or Vulture. If you are determined to do it in a Viper I would dump the KWS for a Chaff it's very helpful against AI.

Try this?
http://edshipyard.com/#/L=70M,7u57u55QR5QR0_q01Q,314s5A5A3w4s4s3c,7Pm7fO03w9ok

Try this setup with FSD, FSD Interdictor and if you have to Chaff on Power Priority 3. Set up Your Weapon Group 1 with 2xPulse & 2xMulticannon (or go 4xMulticannon) and Weapon Group 2 with 2xPulse and Chaff if you have power issues.
 
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Poseidal

Poseidal
Don't you need a wake scanner for that?

I like a Courier with two pulses and a railgun, or PA though the PA has problems if you use trailing targeting (like I do, as I find I'm much more accurate with it than leading), as the target indicator ends up under your nose a lot of the time.
 
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