How do you dogfight in a Cobra? The reason I ask is because whenever I'm interdicted in one I can't get the attacker off my rear - it's not manoeuvrable enough, or so it seems. I have the basic fitting given to us with the gamma. Have only been playing a few weeks btw, so quite noobish, and using an X52 Pro not keyboard. Both the sidewinder and eagle seem more manoeuvrable and better for fighting (against NPCs btw).
Combat in a Cobra.
- Thread starter RobinsonUK
- Start date
While you're being dumped do this:
1. Reverse engines full
2. Ready hardpoints
This will put you at the interdictor's six with your weapons hot.
OK so basically don't bother trying if you can't 1 shot it for those few seconds you're behind it.
That's a shame.
That's a shame.
you can also increase your turn rate by using vertical thrust in the turn, sidewinders aint all that. in fact the only problem i have against them is they jump away too quickly to kill with fixed lasers.
had no problems, throttle in blue sweet spot, 4 pips to engines and if you still can't - bring in some distance (vertical thrust down helps to add distance between you if he's above), i fly cobra with worst thrusters and always can get on enemy, it just is harder and takes more time, but i expect with best thrusters they will be 'under' me all the time 
The thing to remember is that although you can't out-turn a sidewinder (or eagle) a Cobra is nearly twice as fast as a sidewinder when all pips to engines. Lock your aggressor and run away until they're at about 5km range, put all pips into shield and drop your speed into the blue zone, then turn to face. Once you're in range (about 3km) all pips to guns and let them have it (remember to dodge so they don't ram you). Once you pass them, keep going until the range is out to 5km again, then repeat. If they make a break for it (often they will if they have lost shields), follow them until they start to turn.
The Sidewinder doesn't have enough guns or shields to keep that up for very long. The Eagle is if anything slightly more fragile than the sidewinder (though with an extra gun).
The Cobra isn't a dogfighter, it's a brawler. I'm in the process of making a tutorial about the different combat styles, but the thing to keep in mind is that its high top speed is for getting a good strike vector and jousting it out.
I do all right for myself with my new cobra. I haven't upgraded the thrusters on it, and I use two class 2 fixed pulse lasers. I can pretty reliably stay behind a Viper, and an eagle I can at least stop them from getting behind me. The trick is to find the sweet spot for turning speed while using vertical thrust, usually involves keeping the throttle just under the blue section and tapping thrust down while pulling up to face your target. The other part is constant power management: maneuver with full power to engines, line up your shots and then put full power to weapons. Let 'em have a few shots then put power back to engines and close the gap or match their maneuvers. I'd say there is a lot more personal skill involved with the combat opposed to relying on the stats of your ship, and with some practice you'll be amazed what you can pull off. The stats of your ship are secondary to an extent.
The only thing that gives me trouble at this point are ships loaded up with turrets, but only because I don't come across them too often. Given a few more encounters I'm sure I'll find a trick or two that works for me.
EDIT: Also, if you see them 'boost', hammer your boost key as well. The quicker you close that gap, the less chance they have to turn around and put you in a head on situation where you'll be under fire.
The only thing that gives me trouble at this point are ships loaded up with turrets, but only because I don't come across them too often. Given a few more encounters I'm sure I'll find a trick or two that works for me.
EDIT: Also, if you see them 'boost', hammer your boost key as well. The quicker you close that gap, the less chance they have to turn around and put you in a head on situation where you'll be under fire.
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I've massacring NPC pilots in Gamma using a fairly basic Cobra - two fixed C2 Pulse lasers, two gimballed C1 multicannons.
It's lovely flying an Eagle (I tend to forget how nice they are when I fly other ships) but the secret to dogfighting is picking the right speed from moment to moment and sometimes using the side thrusters to give your rate of turn an effective boost.
It's lovely flying an Eagle (I tend to forget how nice they are when I fly other ships) but the secret to dogfighting is picking the right speed from moment to moment and sometimes using the side thrusters to give your rate of turn an effective boost.
With 4 gimballed multi cannons I'm having a whale of a time in the Cobra. Only thing it seems to be not so good at is yaw.
Having no trouble getting on the tails of NPCs (not seen any players yet) and staying there. Vertical thrust down helps and 4 pips to the engines.
Sod the shields, if you're hitting them you don't need to worry about your own shields
Having no trouble getting on the tails of NPCs (not seen any players yet) and staying there. Vertical thrust down helps and 4 pips to the engines.
Sod the shields, if you're hitting them you don't need to worry about your own shields
I've had no real problems in mine. Sure, it's no Eagle, so it takes longer to line up a shot, but with 4 pips in your engine in the blue zone, vertical thrusters and a bit of bobbing and weaving, you'll line them up for justice eventually.
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Make sure your shots count!!
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Don't be afraid to use your boost sometimes as well; it can increase the distance between you and the aggressor, but if you then line up with them and start barrelling, you'll take a lot less damage.
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Make sure your shots count!!
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Don't be afraid to use your boost sometimes as well; it can increase the distance between you and the aggressor, but if you then line up with them and start barrelling, you'll take a lot less damage.
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Use them strafe thrusters boy! I havnt had many issues, and my main profession is piracy, so it requires not only keeping the target in sight, but trying to keep them on their belly...
The first part I dont have much a problem with... But they really dont like to reveal their cargo hatch once they realize I'm shooting it. Never the less, I made around 150K in the first couple hours.
I find the key to success in combat is to not think of it like an aerial craft, and realize you can move in 3D. Use that Flight Assist Off to maneuver. I like to turn it off while strafing, and re enable it when I go to aim. I find intermittent use to be the smoothest combo of agility and accuracy, and the quickest path to victory. I learned to do this during beta, with the Viper which is far less agile than the Cobra, and never had any issues. I dont even use gimbaled weapons so its very possible.
Analog control over the strafe thrusters will help enormously too. I use the rotary hats on my X65f for it (though I have a tendency to forget theyre on when I go to dock, causing some hilarity for any onlookers)
The first part I dont have much a problem with... But they really dont like to reveal their cargo hatch once they realize I'm shooting it. Never the less, I made around 150K in the first couple hours.
I find the key to success in combat is to not think of it like an aerial craft, and realize you can move in 3D. Use that Flight Assist Off to maneuver. I like to turn it off while strafing, and re enable it when I go to aim. I find intermittent use to be the smoothest combo of agility and accuracy, and the quickest path to victory. I learned to do this during beta, with the Viper which is far less agile than the Cobra, and never had any issues. I dont even use gimbaled weapons so its very possible.
Analog control over the strafe thrusters will help enormously too. I use the rotary hats on my X65f for it (though I have a tendency to forget theyre on when I go to dock, causing some hilarity for any onlookers)
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You know, you can pull the same manoeuvre more than once.
Just switch to reverse every time it looks like the enemy is about to stop being directly in your front.
But whenever I've tried I've noticed my shields pretty much gone by the time I've got into a vaguely decent position. So I need to boost to 5km out and then head back into towards the target in a straight line?
Keep the speed in blue if you want to turn in order to maximise maneuverability (but don´t shy from being flexible with the throttle)
Buy yourself gimballed weapon (at least a set of gimballed pulse lasers for your light hard points, put to your secondary weapon button of your primary fire group)
Buy yourself gimballed weapon (at least a set of gimballed pulse lasers for your light hard points, put to your secondary weapon button of your primary fire group)