Can anyone please post a good Coriolis or E: D Shipyard ship design to fight a Thargoid Interceptor? Anaconda/Federal Corvete/Imperial Cutter are good examples to try on.
Good Ship Design to Fight Thargoid Interceptor
- Thread starter livewater
- Start date
https://eddp.co/u/N7C2Crhs
Switch out the dumb fire and fixed multicannon with Ax Missiles and Ax Multicannon, 5A collector with 5A repair. Take one of the heat sinks out for Xeno Scanner.
Switch out the dumb fire and fixed multicannon with Ax Missiles and Ax Multicannon, 5A collector with 5A repair. Take one of the heat sinks out for Xeno Scanner.
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Here is my Black Swan.
Except where you see burst lasers plug in Ax missiles/multicannons and Xeno Scanner for kill warrant scanner.
I found 2.5k hull/2.3k shields to be adequate, it boosts slightly faster than indicated to 444m/s, but has slightly lower jump range at 21ly. Doesn't matter really.
Point defense helps with caustic missiles, and fighters can keep swarm busy. And of course, standard multicannons will keep you safe from regular pirates.
Except where you see burst lasers plug in Ax missiles/multicannons and Xeno Scanner for kill warrant scanner.
I found 2.5k hull/2.3k shields to be adequate, it boosts slightly faster than indicated to 444m/s, but has slightly lower jump range at 21ly. Doesn't matter really.
Point defense helps with caustic missiles, and fighters can keep swarm busy. And of course, standard multicannons will keep you safe from regular pirates.
![BigBANGtheory [VR]](https://forums-cdn.zaonce.net/data/avatars/m/71/71385.jpg?1644873788){kind=avatar}
I have arrived at a similar build to yours (mine is more tanky) but I'm struggling to take down a Thargoid atm. I can get 2/4 hearts and then I'm essentially out of AX missiles
some back of the envelope calculations show you need 4 double volleys (so 8 missiles) with a stock of 128 to expose a heart and hammer it. You are lucky to get 50% off a heart before it becomes protected again and if you don't hit the Thargoid with the 4 double volleys in quick succession it will heal itself so your knackered if the missiles need to reload hence you chew through your missile stores even if you mostly score hits. That means allowing for a few stray shots you have to land your hits and take advantage of the exposed heart all the time or else you run out of ammo.Hats off to you if you can currently solo a Thargoid imho what I'm learning is you have to predict and position yourself to only engage when you see yourself landing the 4 volleys of missiles and have quick access to subsystem targeting to aid you in damaging the hearts.
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People have posted videos of soloing a Thargoid with only One AX missile rack and 3x AX multicannons. So 2 AX missile racks should be more than enough. I personally use 2 of each and that's a sweet spot for me. I suspect that you're not doing enough Heart damage during the window of opportunity, hence you end up needing more missiles. Using fixed AX weapons helps with the DPS, but requires moderately decent aim.
For reference, with good aim, I can drop a single heart with single clip of 2 AX MC rounds. So really I technically have enough missiles to drop at least 2 Thargoids (or eight hearts).
I use a Corvette and have no issues with soloing Thargoids, other than negating their corrosive missile attack (MRPs help big time though) Some people have used Belugas. Really you can use anything with an SLF that can spot 4x medium hardpoints and enough Hull tanking capacity.
The above makes it sound like soloing a Thargoid is easy, but that is not accurate. I regularly end up limping back to the station with corrosion damage and less than half a hull, needing to keep repairing my canopy to keep it from popping.
For reference, with good aim, I can drop a single heart with single clip of 2 AX MC rounds. So really I technically have enough missiles to drop at least 2 Thargoids (or eight hearts).
I use a Corvette and have no issues with soloing Thargoids, other than negating their corrosive missile attack (MRPs help big time though) Some people have used Belugas. Really you can use anything with an SLF that can spot 4x medium hardpoints and enough Hull tanking capacity.
The above makes it sound like soloing a Thargoid is easy, but that is not accurate. I regularly end up limping back to the station with corrosion damage and less than half a hull, needing to keep repairing my canopy to keep it from popping.
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I'm not used to fixed weapons so yes this is undoubtedly a factor and a learning experience.
I am finding it hard to keep the Thargoid in my sights long enough to land the last few missiles to expose the heart and then hitting it with fixed AX cannons, the slippery thing keeps manoeuvring away. Yes I do use reverse thrust and can use flight assist off but that then introduces a ton of wobble and it doesn't help much with the inertia of my tanky Cutter. I think I need to practice the manoeuvrers a bit more and keeping the Thargoid in my sights/distance for longer.
I'm tempted to re-outfit a Corvette or Anaconda as that should help with the inertia and aim. I picked the Cutter as my tool of choice because of the boost speed and shield tanking which works well if I can learn to aim better.
How many and what size MRPs do you recommend. I have a Cutter build that works wonderfully ( outside the nacel MC positions).... but also am building a DROPSHIP curious how many and what size MRPs you are using? Thx.
If you are so inclined can you simply share the build ?
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I have arrived at a similar build to yours (mine is more tanky) but I'm struggling to take down a Thargoid atm. I can get 2/4 hearts and then I'm essentially out of AX missiles
Hats off to you if you can currently solo a Thargoid imho what I'm learning is you have to predict and position yourself to only engage when you see yourself landing the 4 volleys of missiles and have quick access to subsystem targeting to aid you in damaging the hearts.
Yep, soloing is all about patience and precision:
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/380292-How-to-Solo-a-Thargoid-Interceptor-Video
I am using two MRPs 5D and 4D. The Corvette has about 5000 shields and 5000 hull, though the hull is overkill, the shields do drop every fight because of that crazy lightning attack. Would probably have better luck keeping shields up with SCBs, but the fights are quicker when I just focus on my aim and dealing DPS.
If you use fixed MCs on a Corvette, I recommend putting them into C4 slots because of the excellent convergence.
Thank you good sir.
I have an easier time doing heart damage in my Fed DropShip simply due to weapon convergence over the Cutter. My Cutter is 5800 Shield / 5000 Hull...and I too lose shields...considering a SCB as well.
If you strategically boost toward the Thargoid when entering the range of the scramble laser, you can either allow it to scratch your tail end and gain advantageous positioning because it slows you down, or boost past them completely to avoid damage. I find myself using the former tactic since it keeps me in 2km of the Interceptor most of the time.
It's easier to execute on a Cutter due to speed.
Also do not maneuver the ship with a downward thrust if you boost toward the Interceptor, you will likely crash into it due to their maneuver pattern.
I have been fighting the Thargoid with 3.5k shield (and a 8A SCB) and 2.8k hull in a Cutter. I can't afford face tanking so I maneuver instead (in a Cutter, I know...). I carry AFM, repair, collector, and a 64 slot cargo hold and 6A Fuel Scoop to keep myself multi-purposed at all times. It's been very convenient.
It's easier to execute on a Cutter due to speed.
Also do not maneuver the ship with a downward thrust if you boost toward the Interceptor, you will likely crash into it due to their maneuver pattern.
I have been fighting the Thargoid with 3.5k shield (and a 8A SCB) and 2.8k hull in a Cutter. I can't afford face tanking so I maneuver instead (in a Cutter, I know...). I carry AFM, repair, collector, and a 64 slot cargo hold and 6A Fuel Scoop to keep myself multi-purposed at all times. It's been very convenient.
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Eh, the boost-by tactic works maybe 50% of the time since the Goids are pretty agile, and if they grapple you with their lightning, your speed drops to ~100m/s and then they have you flanked and disabled at point blank range.
Eventually, I realized the fights are over in half the time if I just try to keep up my DPS during the attacks. Though it is a challenge to aim at a heart through the light show and glitching HUD. If you manage to do enough damage to ignite a heart then this can usually stop the lightning attack short.
If you have a wing, then a full missile boat usually has enough stunning power to interrupt or prevent a Cyclops lightning attack.
Have you tried on a modded Cutter? Its an effective strategy.
I've noticed that the Thargoids are a bit more sluggish when flying one of the big 3. So being able to boost to 470+ in a big ship would probably do the trick. (#imperialbias)
For reference, FDL boosting past at 530+ fails quite often because the Thargoids are much more agile vs small fast ships. I suspect that this "auto-scaling" of the Thargoids was intentional, otherwise fighting them in big ships would probably require gimbal weapons, and be a MUCH tougher fight. Then people would nerd rage about big ships being not worth it. Can't have that, so instead we get imperial bias cheese.
.Seriously though, one of these days, I'm going to jump on the imperial bandwagon just in time for the nerf.
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Interesting thread, i had success with a heavily engineered anaconda and corvette so far, 70% success rate. I recently sold my cutter cause i hate the sluggish brick. But i´m in the process of engineering a FGS for heavy armor, and a fast recovering biweave shield to test against the goids. Will post whatever i find out here.
Just killed a Goid with a wing of 2.
Full Tag Team Strategy
One Vette, one Cutter (mine).
Cutter Exerts, Vette Damages
Basic Loadouts
Cutter - (5800 mj shields / 4500 armor) + 7A SCB, 4 AX missles, 2 Long Range Beams, 1 Regen Beam, 2 MRPs
6 Fighter Hangar
Vette - (3500 Shields/ 3000 Armor) + SCB
4 AX MultiCannons, regen Beam , 2 regular MC(incend overcharged)
5 Fighter Hangar
Cutter was the 4x missle boat... the Vette was the 4x MultiCannon. Cutter is able to maneuver all over and keep Goid at distance whenever desired.
SLF’s distract, occupy swarm as needed.
Lots of exerted hearts were achieved (as Ziljan noted) by firing through the lightning attack.
Tanking with a heavily shielded Cutter is very doable and while the Vette is using MC to damage heart , the Cutter Regens the Vette shields with the Regen Seq Beam. This helps avoid module damage when applying heavy DPS TO exerted hearts, though you will still sustain the phasing bleed through damage over time to the Hull.
When the Vette left to rearm/repair the Cutter simply boosted around in circles using it’s SLF to occupy the Cyclops and swarm until Vette returned to instance, then resumed strategy and the Cutter resumed Exerting Hearts via missles for the Vette to hammer with MC.
Rinse/ repeat
This strategy worked quite well but still took a bit of time.
NOTICE: If anyone is in the area (HIP 17692, MAIA, MEROPE) and wants to test a build or encounter their first 'Goid in the safety of a wing or just have some fun
-- Feel free to message me IN GAME..same name as forum name.
Full Tag Team Strategy
One Vette, one Cutter (mine).
Cutter Exerts, Vette Damages
Basic Loadouts
Cutter - (5800 mj shields / 4500 armor) + 7A SCB, 4 AX missles, 2 Long Range Beams, 1 Regen Beam, 2 MRPs
6 Fighter Hangar
Vette - (3500 Shields/ 3000 Armor) + SCB
4 AX MultiCannons, regen Beam , 2 regular MC(incend overcharged)
5 Fighter Hangar
Cutter was the 4x missle boat... the Vette was the 4x MultiCannon. Cutter is able to maneuver all over and keep Goid at distance whenever desired.
SLF’s distract, occupy swarm as needed.
Lots of exerted hearts were achieved (as Ziljan noted) by firing through the lightning attack.
Tanking with a heavily shielded Cutter is very doable and while the Vette is using MC to damage heart , the Cutter Regens the Vette shields with the Regen Seq Beam. This helps avoid module damage when applying heavy DPS TO exerted hearts, though you will still sustain the phasing bleed through damage over time to the Hull.
When the Vette left to rearm/repair the Cutter simply boosted around in circles using it’s SLF to occupy the Cyclops and swarm until Vette returned to instance, then resumed strategy and the Cutter resumed Exerting Hearts via missles for the Vette to hammer with MC.
Rinse/ repeat
This strategy worked quite well but still took a bit of time.
NOTICE: If anyone is in the area (HIP 17692, MAIA, MEROPE) and wants to test a build or encounter their first 'Goid in the safety of a wing or just have some fun
-- Feel free to message me IN GAME..same name as forum name.
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