Easy Cyclop kill built for inexpert (like me): 10 minutes, no internal damage no need to deal with the swarm

Ship build: https://is.gd/mRIbz0
Ship: Python

For inexpert commanders (like me), this build helps to kill the Cyclop interceptor without the need to deal with the swarm or have to have a particular aiming skill. It requires a Python (πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•) that seems to have not enough love from the AXI community πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚

I'm a PS4 user using a Thrustmaster 4 Hotas. Unfortunately, this is the only Hotas available for PS4 and due to its poor built quality it has huge calibration issues that have to be "fixed" with high deadzone values, so precise aiming is not so easy in this condition. However, with this build I'm able to kill the interceptor without any particular difficulty.

It doesn't require flying FA off all the time. No need to chase the Interceptor, just go toward it, stop when nearby, and exert the heart with Gauss cannons. once exerted, the 2 large AX multi-cannons will greatly help to take down the heart. They are very effective in damaging hearts once exerted.

One large laser beam with long-range and thermal vent to keep the ship temperature lower than 20%. At the end of the combat in this video, I took only 25% hull damage. But you can easily take only 10% - 15% with some practice.

I keep 4 pips to shield to have better protection and just two for weapons (it seems that two Gaus cannons don't require much distribution power). As you can see, the shields never go down.

I hope this may be helpful for commanders who are seeking the thrill of killing the interceptors but their combat abilities are not so good!

 
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First off, congrats on your cyclops kill, it's no small feat and not many can manage this.
Looking at your build, it's pretty much perfect, all the correct engineering and optimal internals, very solid platform.

Though I would like to make a few small suggestions from the point of view of giving you the best foundation for taking on bigger bugs in the future.

It requires a Python (πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•) that seems to have not enough love from the AXI community πŸ˜‚

Primarily this is due to one simple reason. Speed and Agility. The Krait Mk.II is practically just a Python, but faster and more agile. The Krait Mk.II also has somewhat better hardpoint layout, making the use of Guass much more desirable. Hence we usually just say, it's "Grait" :p

As for hardpoints, I would actually recommend just using 4x Gauss, the actual effective damage of AX Multicannons is abysmally low when you consider the AP of the multicannons and the AR of Thargoids. While I understand using turrets makes sniping hearts a lot easier, the only way to get good at aiming is to actually practice it. Turrets will only help so far. This becomes a significant issue when taking on a Basilisk or higher, where the damage from AXMCs becomes almost zero in comparison.

Effective_Sustained_AX_DPS__1.5km_2.png


Using 4x Gauss, split them into two groups, firing two at a time will reduce your heat spikes and keep you a LOT colder, pop a heatsink when you are attacking and you will be blown away by the insane damage they deal.

A well placed volley of 4x Medium Gauss will 1-shot a Cyclops Heart!

I appreciate your approach of a build for someone "new" and just getting started, I emplore you give 4x gauss a try and I think you will benefit greatly from this.

Here is a typical build I would recommend to a new AX pilot: https://is.gd/ul39O4

Pulled from the Anti-Xeno Knowledgebase: https://axi.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/AKB/pages/33381/Ship+Builds+and+Engineering

Nevertheless, good job and good hunting.
 
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Hey OP, if you are on PS and want to join an AX group ping me a msg. AXI is always looking for pilotsπŸ‘
Nice kill btw, but as Mgram says 4gauss is the way to kill the bigger bugs. AXI discord has a wealth of great info even if you dont want to join and everyone is very helpfull.

Happy hunting o7
 
Thank you for your appreciation and for the detailed weapon damage chart! I absolutely agree regarding the 4x Gauss cannon effectiveness.

The main issue for me comes from my damn Thrustmaster 4 Hotas and its calibration issue. I've bought a second and it has the same issue. I've done some research and it seems that
all users are affected by this. It is caused due to its poor build quality.

The issue consists that the pitch axis goes randomly up or down. So to avoid that, I had to adjust the deadzone setting with a high value. This, however, prevents the proper aiming. You can see this behavior at 0:44, I perform a little tick to adjust the aim to center the heart and my python goes to much up. I wish that some more reliable Hotas were available for PS4.

So the classic strategy with fixed weapons to destroy the heart and especially to kill the swarm takes for me takes too much time. So much time that often it leads the Interceptor to go enraged... and usually this means the end of my beloved python. Furthermore I noticed that even if I manage to kill the swarm, very often the Cyclope spawns another swarm (even if it is not enraged).

From here I decided to approach with a different tactic let "time-consuming" (that actually works only with Cyclops): Turreted weapons to constantly hit the exerted hear, fixed just to take down the hull (and eventually directly hit the hear if I succeed to aim), full armor and shield to protect from the swarm and the classic laser to keep the ship cold.
It actually may help the new commanders to take "confidence" with the interceptor as the first step to a more appropriate combat technique and builds that can be applied also for the other Interceptors type :)

At last: Is there eventually any technique that I am missing to avoid Interceptor to go enraged and give me all the time I need? Is the swarm only affected by the Flak cannon? is there any other weapon less powerful but more "aim" friendly?

Meanwhile I'll continue practicing to fully master the 4x Gaus cannons!
 
Understandable about the control scheme, having joystick issues will certainly make gauss a lot harder to utilize, I personally use a stick and it did take very long time to learn but keep perservering and you will get there.
Is there eventually any technique that I am missing to avoid Interceptor to go enraged and give me all the time I need?
The only way to avoid enrage is to go faster, however since you are ignoring swarm it won't really matter as the enrage only causes the swarms to deploy indefinitely. You will not have to worry about the missiles as long as you NEVER fly through the swarm, flying through the swarm will activate the "missile" mode.
Is the swarm only affected by the Flak cannon?
Yes, there are currently no other weapons that will reliably damage the swarm.
is there any other weapon less powerful but more "aim" friendly?
Unfortunately no, there aren't ANY gimablled AX weapons and the turreted Guardian Shards and Plasma Chargers only really work with Multicrew, otherwise they just act as Fixed weapons.

If you aren't aware of it already, the Anti-Xeno Knowledgebase is a huge website managed by myself and the Anti-Xeno Initiative with all the things you have asked above and more, I would strognly recommend checking it out as it has essentially years of research and data included.
 
Wouldn't worry too much about axi. if you are killing a thargoid, whatever you are doing is obviously working.

Good job.
Well the point is, it might not work on the next variant anymore :)
While many stay with cyclopses, there are people that want to go further after they made their first experiences even though they didn't think about it before (I was one of those).
 
Well the point is, it might not work on the next variant anymore :)
While many stay with cyclopses, there are people that want to go further after they made their first experiences even though they didn't think about it before (I was one of those).

Yes you totally right, this built applies only to easiest interceptor variation: the Cyclops (reported also in the title).

it is meant to be considered as the first step to the Xeno hunt. It may help the new commanders take some confidence with gauss cannon aiming focusing only on the Cyclops and ignoring the swarm (that it is not a good idea at all for other variations).
This helps to understand how the Cyclops move and how to approach it. The AX turreted multi cannons give some further help killing the exerted heart to prevent the Interceptor engagement after that too many missed shots. Those weapons have practically no effect on other variations.

It helped me a lot to understand and get more combat dynamics (reversky, distance from the interceptor, how the swarm behaves, how the interceptor behaves after killing a heart, its attacks ...), I think it may help other as "introduction" to the Xeno hunt.

...without counting that in this way the Python may find some love by the AX community as at least as a "training ship"!! πŸ’• πŸ’• πŸ’• πŸ’• πŸ˜‚ πŸ˜‚ πŸ˜‚

Currently, after training with the Python, I've switched to another ship (Alliance Chieftain) with a more classic build: Flak cannons + Gauss cannons. Still training on cyclopes but now I'm able to properly kill the swarm and then the hearts only using Gauss canons (but I still have to improve my aiming abilities).

...I'll never thank enough my beloved Phyton for giving me the opportunity to kill my first Interceptor and win my fear of them! Thank you Python! πŸ’• πŸ’• πŸ’• πŸ’•
 
I will always prefer alliance chieftain over any other ship for this. The extra hardpoints can really come in handy, and it is faster than the krait, especially engineered, and cheaper too. The only disadvantage I've noticed is the lower fuel tank size.
 
Understandable about the control scheme, having joystick issues will certainly make gauss a lot harder to utilize, I personally use a stick and it did take very long time to learn but keep perservering and you will get there.

The only way to avoid enrage is to go faster, however since you are ignoring swarm it won't really matter as the enrage only causes the swarms to deploy indefinitely. You will not have to worry about the missiles as long as you NEVER fly through the swarm, flying through the swarm will activate the "missile" mode.

Yes, there are currently no other weapons that will reliably damage the swarm.

Unfortunately no, there aren't ANY gimablled AX weapons and the turreted Guardian Shards and Plasma Chargers only really work with Multicrew, otherwise they just act as Fixed weapons.

If you aren't aware of it already, the Anti-Xeno Knowledgebase is a huge website managed by myself and the Anti-Xeno Initiative with all the things you have asked above and more, I would strognly recommend checking it out as it has essentially years of research and data included.
I'm sorry, but I don't feel like making a new move.

Thank you for the site, I went through the old and new options and got confused.

1.del.

2. I read about the lightning and didn't understand what kind of damage it does? I used to read that interceptors only do absolute damage. Lightning, too ?

I'm sorry I didn't find this on the sites :(
 
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I'm sorry, but I don't feel like making a new move.

Thank you for the site, I went through the old and new options and got confused.

1.del.

2. I read about the lightning and didn't understand what kind of damage it does? I used to read that interceptors only do absolute damage. Lightning, too ?

I'm sorry I didn't find this on the sites :(
They do absolute. It also pulls you to face it, so it works both ways.
 
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