CZ first experience

[Aashenfox]

Python works well.

Big enough to pack a decent punch.

Small enough to not be considered an automatic Alpha Threat, and to run away when running away is called for.

I like fighting in the python, I really do, BUT I like fighting AGAINST pythons even more. They are so huge you just can't miss 'em. lol. I wouldn't take it to the CZ over the gunship or the FAS, or even a Vulture if I'm honest. But yeh, they have good runaway speed compared to some options (gunship is slow as crap), but they also have big bums, so are easily hit from behind while on the run.

I see big ships a lot in the low CZs, possibly even more than in high CZs for some reason. Maybe I just had weird luck. Makes me happy though, I like going big game hunting

Went into a low CZ the other day in my FAS. Only got to pop an Asp Scout before suddenly drawing simultaneous agro from a gunship (+SLF), a Corvette (+SLF), and an Eagle. Barely got out alive. Thrusters ended up taking a beating and started malfunctioning. I couldn't fly straight so I had to boost and turn FA off to drift out of there like an asteroid. Factor in the cost of repairs and PA ammo, I lost money on that venture. Fun though.

Yeh, I too find aggro is a bit of a mystery in low CZs at times, I tend to only bother with high these days.

 

[Eminor]

It should probably be pointed out that CZs with a [singular] Capital Ship are way more dangerous than those without (or easier - depending on which side you're aligning with !).
If you're backing the underdog - it's much more likely that you'll be seeing no green and a whole lot of flashing red on your scanner before too long .
Well, that's my experience anyway...

 

[Chris Simon]

Ha, yeah, it can get brutal. Little tip; enemies have a 'threat awareness', and your corvette is likely to trigger them. If you are unsure if you want to risk the rebuy, now or later, you can also do them in mch smaller ships. A viper, for example, will be much more fragile obviously but also far less likely to be ganged up on by groups of condas.

I can vouch for that. The best ships for CZs in my experience are a Vulture or engineered Courier.

 

[Spacecat]

I generally try to just finish off ships after my buddies get their shields down. If you need help, fly toward friendlies and they will distract the ships shooting at you. It's easy to get overwhelmed if you aren't paying attention.

 

[Limoncello Lizard]

I took my rares smuggling Asp into a CZ last night. Found that a 3D shield isn't really up to it. So three drops into a CZ resulted in one rebuy, one running away rather damaged and one with a couple of kills.

 

[jijik2]

Went back yesterday evening, and its was a lot better thanks to your advice.
Only strange thing is that no kills we added to combat bonds. I checked the faction and the faction i was killing. Still after like 3o minutes only 1 bond.....
Still it was a lot of fun. So i will be doing it this weekend more .

 

[d8veh]

A Corvette should be able to tank anything (NPCs) in a CZ. Figure out how to fire two shield cells with one heatsink. Go to the high intensity ones rather than LI to get the easiest ride. You didn't mention the fighter. Use the SLF to distract some of the enemies when they gang up on you. It often doesn't last long, so I use two bays for CZs rather than HRPs/MRPs because it's a bit risky hanging about in a CZ without shields, and I never lose my shields anyway.With two SLF bays, you can keep a fighter going all the time.

A few times when doing massacre missions, the CZ went into ceasefire, but that didn't stop me. With a Corvette, you can solo the whole field. My record is 13 kills before I had to leave. For that, you need two fighter bays.

 

[jijik2]

A Corvette should be able to tank anything (NPCs) in a CZ. Figure out how to fire two shield cells with one heatsink. Go to the high intensity ones rather than LI to get the easiest ride. You didn't mention the fighter. Use the SLF to distract some of the enemies when they gang up on you. It often doesn't last long, so I use two bays for CZs rather than HRPs/MRPs because it's a bit risky hanging about in a CZ without shields, and I never lose my shields anyway.With two SLF bays, you can keep a fighter going all the time.

A few times when doing massacre missions, the CZ went into ceasefire, but that didn't stop me. With a Corvette, you can solo the whole field. My record is 13 kills before I had to leave. For that, you need two fighter bays.

Didn't think about a SLF, thanks will do that.

 

[Aashenfox]

Went back yesterday evening, and its was a lot better thanks to your advice.
Only strange thing is that no kills we added to combat bonds. I checked the faction and the faction i was killing. Still after like 3o minutes only 1 bond.....
Still it was a lot of fun. So i will be doing it this weekend more .

Yes, you get one bond per CZ which increases in value the more kills you make. I was curious when earlier you said 50 combat bonds, what requires that? I must have forgotten.

Didn't think about a SLF, thanks will do that.

Fighters in a CZ are a bit of a liability, they sometimes hit friendlies and they always get instakilled when ganged up on. I used to take them, but their uptime even with a dual bay is pretty pathetic unless you micro manage them, plus they take 50% of your combat experience. Nah, leave the NPC cannon fodder behind, fit a really big HRP instead.

 

[Stigbob]

Fighters in a CZ are a bit of a liability, they sometimes hit friendlies and they always get instakilled when ganged up on. I used to take them, but their uptime even with a dual bay is pretty pathetic unless you micro manage them, plus they take 50% of your combat experience. Nah, leave the NPC cannon fodder behind, fit a really big HRP instead.

If you have a high rated NPC leave them to it in the mothership and take the fighter yourself, you get exploded quite a lot but that's why you have loads of replacements. Great fun, but you need to watch the shields of the expensive ship.

 

[Trueno33]

So, you own a corvette and you had never been in a CZ?
Times...
Edit: sorry I saw Whiterose´s post after posting mine. But nonetheless, I´ve been playing for almost 3 years and still don´t have the credits to buy a vette (not that I am so interested anyway) Different playstyles I guess

 

[_trent_]

I've spent quite a bit of time in CZs, and the three bits of advice I would give are:

1) Go for a high intensity over a low.
2) Stay close to the greens.
3) Stay close to the greens.

The rest is just practice.

 

[Limoncello Lizard]

Just tried a Type-9 in a CZ. It was fun, but I couldn't stay long.

 

[Schmack]

Like someone said, the CZ is the proving ground for your build (and your skill vs NPC, forget about PvP until you can master that).

I would not take a large ship into the CZ. There's too much to lose and not enough to gain. I took 1m Cr tonight in just a few minutes (it seemed) to unlock the engineer at Sol (forget his name) in an engineered Python. It's not the greatest combat ship but if you engineer it right and learn how to use FA OFF/ON for tighter turn radius, when to actually start your turn, how to stay engaged with your target without being fodder for a large weapon, etc... you'll pick your own time to leave. Sometimes I still have to put some distance between the group and myself, just to let my shields recharge (I don't have any cells on board) and those Vipers can really waste a lot of your time so I typically avoid them and focus on fatter, slower ships (and only attack the corvettes if they are under fire already from a couple decent size ships). I've found that corvettes aren't that hard to kill, so think about that while you're in one. If you're an expert level PvPer with engineered vette, you're probably a god in a combat zone, but doesn't sound like you're there yet.

I'd let the vette rest nearby and go in with the Vulture or FDL or something a bit more agile.

 

[d8veh]

Just tried a Type-9 in a CZ. It was fun, but I couldn't stay long.

Was it fully engineered? I can imagine that the lack of speed would be a big problem. Every ship that I target immediately flys out of range unless I have decent thrusters to chase after them.