Best weapon loadout/tactic for taking out an anaconda?

StephenB

StephenB
Greetings commander, I need your expertise.

I am trying to complete one of the 160,000Cr Anaconda kill missions, but have so far had to leave 3 times with no canopy and <20% Hull. Each time I have changed my weapon loadout, every time I have failed. I have spent more on repairs/ammunition than what the reward is but I'll be damned if I don't kill this guy. I don't care about the money, I want to see that ship explode!

I am using a Cobra MKIII and here is my current loadout:

WEAPONS
----------
c819d005a46d9ebb4426c4ae5425899f.png

INTERNALS
-----------
133b5390b51e68fba45d5ab5609be789.png

I tried using a B2 Rail gun for the shield but it did nothing, shot after shot there was minimal damage to shields.

I have yet to try missiles, I will use them when I find a way to quickly remove shields.

I'm an accurate shot even though I'm using a mouse and keyboard, so that's not a problem. I just need to know what the best setup is.

Thanks in advance!
 

Padaxes

Padaxes
I use a viper but the principal will be the same.

I use two beam lasers for the shields and two cannons , targeting the power plant.

Your fitting is multi purpose.

Switch out the scanners for Chaff and point defence or something. Chaff is really useful against their turrets.

Drop the discovery scanner or a cargo rack add another shield cell.

The safest place is behind so try and stay on it's tail.
 

StephenB

StephenB
Padaxes said:
I use a viper but the principal will be the same.

I use two beam lasers for the shields and two cannons , targeting the power plant.

Your fitting is multi purpose.

Switch out the scanners for Chaff and point defence or something. Chaff is really useful against their turrets.

Drop the discovery scanner or a cargo rack add another shield cell.

The safest place is behind so try and stay on it's tail.
Click to expand...
I find it difficult to stay on it's tail, I have tried. The chaff launcher is a good idea.

Should I equip the beam lasers to my Class 1 Hardpoints and my cannons on the Class 2, vice versa or mix it between the two (1 on each class)?

Thanks.
 

DMLeeroy

D
Exactly the same as padaxes, although I uses c2 multicannons. Also, use a b2 cell bank, it holds more charges than the A class.

Chaff is a must because of its turreted beam lasers.use your vertical thrust a lot to keep below it, away from the turrets on top and the plasma accelerator/railgun on the front. The underside has the weakest weapons.

Get the shield down and target the power plant.

I've just upgraded to c2 fixed beams, a dumbfire missile rack and a railgun. Cant wait to test it!
 

Ganjis

G
If it is about the kill, not the money, fit class 1 dumbfire missiles in every slot. Open up at point blank with the first salvo and then boost away, likely using a shield cell and chaff. When you are reloaded finish him off. You will need nearly every missile to hit, which is tricky with a Cobra. So if it takes another three or four passes to make them land, just keep your cool and make sure you have enough shield cells. Watch out for getting rammed, a serious hazard with this tactic.

I have not actually done this in a Cobra, but have done it in an Asp with a bit of laser fire and 1/4 of my missiles left by just tanking the target while I reloaded keeping four pips to shields. Pretty sure four dumbfires would do it, they certainly would if you had class 2s where available.
 

lefty1117

L
On my cobra i'm running with two beams underneath and two multicannons on top ... all gimbaled. Shield cell is a must have, but don't forget to use it before your shields are fully down! Chaff is a must have also. I prefer to target the FSD in the first instance because I did have one jump on me the other day. If you get FSD to zero the ship will explode, just like the power plant.

Don't be ashamed either to use system security assistance if needed. With the recent change in AI it's a much lower chance that they'll make the kill shot, but they can provide a nice distraction if needed.
 

Padaxes

Padaxes
It can be tricky staying on their 6, but practise makes perfect. Just watched a video and the guy had two chaff launchers which I might use as well.

Multi cannons are good too as Leeroy says. But I like the punch of the Cannons.

I have 5 charges per shield cell but have seen video of a viper with 9 charges per cell, which one does that ?

Edit: Groose , its your video im referencing, which shield cells are you using ?
 

technophebe

technophebe
The assassination missions have been my main source of income since launch (I was a backer). I have an 'A' fitted Viper (it's better than the Cobra or Asp for this), this is my technique:

- Scan with KWS at the start for extra goodness (obviously!)
- Sub-system target his power plant or FSD (you can sometimes finish him by destroying these while his hull is still up near 50%)
- 4 pips weapons, 1 pip in the others
- Lasers for the shields, lasers and multis for his hull (I pack 2x Class 1 gimballed beam lasers, 2x Class 2 gimballed multi-cannons)
- If your weapon power gets low, multis only for a while to let heat drop
- Keep him between 1-1.5km by setting your thrusters to about 25% reverse
- Circle around him using lateral thrusters, spamming your chaff as often as possible and shield cells when necessary. (I pack 1 chaff and an A3 shield cell)
- Most important thing is to avoid his plasmas, as long as you're using and switching your laterals constantly you won't get hit by these at all
- You'll kill him before his shields have even had a chance to reset, 3-4 minutes tops, and with 1-2 shield cells to spare

I went back to the basic armor in my Viper in the end because I couldn't remember the last time my shields had dropped.
 
Last edited:

DMLeeroy

D
Padaxes said:
It can be tricky staying on their 6, but practise makes perfect. Just watched a video and the guy had two chaff launchers which I might use as well.

Multi cannons are good too as Leeroy says. But I like the punch of the Cannons.

I have 5 charges per shield cell but have seen video of a viper with 9 charges per cell, which one does that ?

Edit: Groose , its your video im referencing, which shield cells are you using ?
Click to expand...

The b3 cells have 9 charges
 

DMLeeroy

D
Groosenator said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikp2Xpfr5Dg&feature=youtu.be

Here is a quick video in a viper, you should be able to do the same thing in a cobra easy enough :) 2 chaffs and shield cells make the fights easy!
Click to expand...

I had planned on doing something similar for a video too, I was going to stack 3 of these missions up and do them without rearming, but the missions wouldn't generate.
So I did this instead
Hunting Anacondas & Players - Elite Dangerous Gam…: http://youtu.be/ogLZwooUzZg
 

superoc

S
technophebe said:
The assassination missions have been my main source of income since launch (I was a backer). I have an 'A' fitted Viper (it's better than the Cobra or Asp for this), this is my technique:

- Scan with KWS at the start for extra goodness (obviously!)
- Sub-system target his power plant or FSD (you can sometimes finish him by destroying these while his hull is still up near 50%)
- 4 pips weapons, 1 pip in the others
- Lasers for the shields, lasers and multis for his hull (I pack 2x Class 1 gimballed beam lasers, 2x Class 2 gimballed multi-cannons)
- If your weapon power gets low, multis only for a while to let heat drop
- Keep him between 1-1.5km by setting your thrusters to about 25% reverse
- Circle around him using lateral thrusters, spamming your chaff as often as possible and shield cells when necessary. (I pack 1 chaff and an A3 shield cell)
- Most important thing is to avoid his plasmas, as long as you're using and switching your laterals constantly you won't get hit by these at all
- You'll kill him before his shields have even had a chance to reset, 3-4 minutes tops, and with 1-2 shield cells to spare

I went back to the basic armor in my Viper in the end because I couldn't remember the last time my shields had dropped.
Click to expand...

Same technique, I would add that when you do this you can use your roll, to force the ana to roll/pitch exposing his belly and middle!
 

StephenB

StephenB
I did it! Thanks everyone, you really helped me out.

In the end I decided to go for 2 Class 2 Cannons and 2 Class 1 beam lasers, all gimballed. I have never really been a fan of using gimballed weapons but these are so great altogether that I won't be changing my loadout any time soon!

The chaffs worked really well keeping fire off me but my cell banks weren't as effective as I had hoped. I bought the B2 Cell bank (Thanks DMLeeroy!) which held more charges than my A2 cell charges (possible bug?) however I assigned them to the same grouping by accident and ended up using them at the same time so instead of a potential 18 shield re-gens I had 9. It worked out in the end so live and learn I suppose.

I really owe my kill to the security forces since they distracted the anaconda which left the belly of the ship exposed to my cannons.

Glorious moment the ship explodes:
8f77255f82f2637134ace218314e8eef.png

It was an intense battle and worth the 5 hours of attempts to kill it.

Thanks again everyone for your help!
 

DMLeeroy

D
Great stuff mate, well done! As a side note, you don't need to set chaff to a fire group, you can bind it to a key, or a button on you're hotas if you're using one, it frees up that fire group so you can keep your weapons out and still use it.

The sound an anaconda makes when it pops is a thing of beauty.

Also, it might be worth having fixed lasers, if an enemy has chaff and knows how to use it you are left toothless for a little bit. If you get the best censors you can the gimbals will sway less too :)
 
Last edited:

Tregajorran

T
Hang behind it - follow it's engines. The one I took out in my viper (with a little help from the feds drawing some fire) seemed to have a blind spot on the bottom as well as directly behind.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom