Honestly one of the most fun builds I've tried to date...

[Nugstar]

A Shieldless Mandalay, with Guardian Plasma Chargers and Frags. Takes down NPCs with ease and its a LOT of fun!

Build links:
EDSY https://edsy.org/s/vkFjCI0
Coriolis https://s.orbis.zone/qO8o

The build in action:

Source: https://youtu.be/humynWqvgdo?si=HRc3Wfs2MWkQshOz

 

[Dillon Fallon]

I was thinking of building something similar myself, but with multis instead of frags. Nice build anyway.

 

[DjVortex]

A Shieldless Mandalay, with Guardian Plasma Chargers and Frags. Takes down NPCs with ease and its a LOT of fun!

I always thought that Guardian weapons are weak against human ships and strong against Thargoid ships (while human weapons are the exact opposite). Have I been wrong? Or is that just the case for AX weapons?

Also, I don't really see the point in going shieldless against human NPCs. Against Thargoids it makes sense because their weapons mostly ignore shields anyways, but for human ships they'll just eat your hull integrity little by little, while a shield can regenerate.

One weapon combo I have seen some experienced commanders use in small ships is plasma accelerators in the medium hardpoints, and gimballed multi-cannons in the small hardpoints (one with the thermal shock and the other with the corrosive shell experimental.) The plasma accelerators need some getting-used-to, but once you get the hang of them, they really eat through shields and hulls like crazy (especially when fighting against large ships).

 

[Coolgroove]

I love to inspire Fun

ModPlasma with Frags or Mines = the Best weapon loadout for a Mandalay!

 

[Nugstar]

I always thought that Guardian weapons are weak against human ships and strong against Thargoid ships (while human weapons are the exact opposite). Have I been wrong? Or is that just the case for AX weapons?

Also, I don't really see the point in going shieldless against human NPCs. Against Thargoids it makes sense because their weapons mostly ignore shields anyways, but for human ships they'll just eat your hull integrity little by little, while a shield can regenerate.

One weapon combo I have seen some experienced commanders use in small ships is plasma accelerators in the medium hardpoints, and gimballed multi-cannons in the small hardpoints (one with the thermal shock and the other with the corrosive shell experimental.) The plasma accelerators need some getting-used-to, but once you get the hang of them, they really eat through shields and hulls like crazy (especially when fighting against large ships).

I built this without shields as I often (as seen in the video) get into some PVP shenanigans, and it's nice to be able to hit silent running and stay cold if needed. If it was for 100% pve I'd most likely drop in a biweave and a couple of boosters.

 

[geoffrey.hdt]

I built this without shields as I often (as seen in the video) get into some PVP shenanigans, and it's nice to be able to hit silent running and stay cold if needed. If it was for 100% pve I'd most likely drop in a biweave and a couple of boosters.

Does it help to use silent running?
I tried that in a shieldless Federal Assault Ship with 4 Sirius heatsink...was continuously silent running, popping heat sinks from time to time...but the other commanders was still nailing almost every single plasma shot... :-/
Was he just good, or does silent running not affect the aiming reticule?
Maybe because I was boosting, so my signature did not disappear?
I believe firing weapons bring back your signature, correct?

 

[Kira Goto]

Or is that just the case for AX weapons?

It is the case for Guardian weapons, too. But the plasma chargers do absolute damage like the plasma accelerator, offsetting the reduced output against human ships with that (and 110 piercing iirc). Of course they don’t punch quite as hard as a C3 or 4 PA (and are quite distributor hungry) but they are relatively decent.

Not to mention their 6,000 m/s shot speed makes hitting anything almost trivial. And less prone to missing if they try to throw your aim off.

 

[Jmanis]

I always thought that Guardian weapons are weak against human ships and strong against Thargoid ships (while human weapons are the exact opposite). Have I been wrong? Or is that just the case for AX weapons?

They are weakER than human weapons. It doesn't stop them from being partially effective in several use cases. Both Shard Cannons and Plasma Chargers are capable of fitting into standard NPC fighting.

 

[Stealthie]

A Shieldless Mandalay, with Guardian Plasma Chargers and Frags. Takes down NPCs with ease and its a LOT of fun!

Build links:
EDSY https://edsy.org/s/vkFjCI0
Coriolis https://s.orbis.zone/qO8o

The build in action:

Source: https://youtu.be/humynWqvgdo?si=HRc3Wfs2MWkQshOz

Only problem with that (like a lot of similarly fun weapons), is ammo' capacity.

10 years on, I'm (basically) still using the same "big beams & smaller MCs" combo' on my combat ships that I first used in 2015.
It's boring as hell but it means I can, basically, explode small/weak ships without expending any ammo' which, in turn, means don't have to RTB or burn through valuable mat's to synthesise exotic reloads.


Said it before but I really, really, wish FDev would implement some kind of "Magazine" module for carrying extra ammo'.
It'd be suitable for normal or military slots.
Once you fit it, you click on a drop-down list that shows all the types of ammo' your ship needs, select one and then, when you re-arm, it fills up with a heap (depending on size) of extra ammo'.
Maybe they could even set it up so that magazines, say, C5 and bigger allow you to store more than one type of ammo?

From a "balance" POV it'd probaly be handy too because it'd mean players building combat ships would have something besides HRPs/MRPs to fit in every slot, so there'd be fewer ships that end-up like flying anvils.

Sorry to go a bit OT but, basically, I just think it's a shame that so many cool weapons are reduced to "novelty" status due to ammo shortage.

 

[geoffrey.hdt]

Only problem with that (like a lot of similarly fun weapons), is ammo' capacity.

10 years on, I'm (basically) still using the same "big beams & smaller MCs" combo' on my combat ships that I first used in 2015.
It's boring as hell but it means I can, basically, explode small/weak ships without expending any ammo' which, in turn, means don't have to RTB or burn through mat's to synthesise reloads.


Said it before but I really, really, wish FDev would implement some kind of "Magazine" module for carrying extra ammo'.
It'd be suitable for normal or military slots.
Once you fit it, you click on a drop-down list that shows all the types of ammo' your ship needs, select one and then, when you re-arm, it fills up with a heap (depending on size) of extra ammo'.
Maybe they could even set it up so that magazines, say, C5 and bigger allow you to store more than one type of ammo?

From a "balance" POV it'd probaly be handy too because it'd mean players building combat ships would have something besides HRPs/MRPs to fit in every slot, so there'd be fewer ships that end-up like flying anvils.

Sorry to go a bit OT but, basically, I just think it's a shame that so many cool weapons are reduced to "novelty" status due to ammo shortage.

I like the idea!
But...FDevs spent already some time and money on the synthesis process (oh, I hate it, especially the standard/premium ammo and the grind involved...but at least I can use my beloved frags for PvE)...

 

[Kira Goto]

But...FDevs spent already some time and money on the synthesis process

It would still have its uses when you don’t want to carry a (probably) heavy module around just for the convenience of “free” in-field rearming. Like in an explorer ship. Or for FSD boost synthesis (not that I’m sure how many actually use it routinely except extreme fringe, no-carrier explorers in the absence of neutron stars).

 

[Cmdr Snuffler]

Your build links take you to youtube instead of EDSY or Coriolis

 

[aRJay]

Does it help to use silent running?
I tried that in a shieldless Federal Assault Ship with 4 Sirius heatsink...was continuously silent running, popping heat sinks from time to time...but the other commanders was still nailing almost every single plasma shot... :-/
Was he just good, or does silent running not affect the aiming reticule?
Maybe because I was boosting, so my signature did not disappear?
I believe firing weapons bring back your signature, correct?

They might have been good or they might have been really close.

Silent running reduces your signature which means you can’t be target locked, however the reduction effectively shortens the range at which you can be detected and targeted.

So if they were close enough they would have lock, if they were good enough they were shooting their fixed weapons at your ship which they can see perfectly even without a target lock well aided by the aiming reticule which would be fixed in place.

 

[Stealthie]

So if they were close enough they would have lock, if they were good enough they were shooting their fixed weapons at your ship which they can see perfectly even without a target lock well aided by the aiming reticule which would be fixed in place.

One thing, there...

If you can't be target-locked, you can't be scanned and that means other ships shouldn't be firing on you until they can confirm you're a criminal.

Obviously, this "works as intended" when you're doing stuff like docking in a hot ship or while smuggling.
Conversely, in places like a RES, you can gain a bounty and every cop within 50km will know you're Wanted, regardless of whether anybody actually witnessed what you did or whether thet've scanned you.

I mean, if we assume NPCs have "report crimes against me", how is that supposed to work?
You attack an NPC 20km out from a RES in, say, a white KM2, the NPCs sensors record the incident and broadcast it to the cops.
If you then return to the RES, silent running, how do the cops verify that the ship responsible for the crime is you until they can scan you?

 

[geoffrey.hdt]

They might have been good or they might have been really close.

Silent running reduces your signature which means you can’t be target locked, however the reduction effectively shortens the range at which you can be detected and targeted.

So if they were close enough they would have lock, if they were good enough they were shooting their fixed weapons at your ship which they can see perfectly even without a target lock well aided by the aiming reticule which would be fixed in place.

Ha!
OK, that explains it... I'm a bit fan of frags fired at point blank... :'-/

 

[Koma Pahu]

One thing, there...

If you can't be target-locked, you can't be scanned and that means other ships shouldn't be firing on you until they can confirm you're a criminal.

Obviously, this "works as intended" when you're doing stuff like docking in a hot ship or while smuggling.
Conversely, in places like a RES, you can gain a bounty and every cop within 50km will know you're Wanted, regardless of whether anybody actually witnessed what you did or whether thet've scanned you.

I mean, if we assume NPCs have "report crimes against me", how is that supposed to work?
You attack an NPC 20km out from a RES in, say, a white KM2, the NPCs sensors record the incident and broadcast it to the cops.
If you then return to the RES, silent running, how do the cops verify that the ship responsible for the crime is you until they can scan you?

You ship tells them, the same way your suit tells on you when you one-shot someone on foot. You think you COVAS is an assistant? - big tech spying on you and selling your data on to everyone

 

[Stealthie]

You ship tells them, the same way your suit tells on you when you one-shot someone on foot. You think you COVAS is an assistant? - big tech spying on you and selling your data on to everyone

Your ship tells the cops?

I mean, I'm perfectly willing to accept that the cops know you commited a crime but I don't really see any plausible way that the cops can know that the ship flying toward them, silent running, IS actually you... until they can scan you or get close enough to eyeball you.

 

[Nugstar]

Your ship tells the cops?

I mean, I'm perfectly willing to accept that the cops know you commited a crime but I don't really see any plausible way that the cops can know that the ship flying toward them, silent running, IS actually you... until they can scan you or get close enough to eyeball you.

My guess is, your own internal ship CPU recognises the crime, adds a bounty on you and notifies all law enforcement in the system of the ship signature, ID and crimes.

 

[Koma Pahu]

Your ship tells the cops?

I mean, I'm perfectly willing to accept that the cops know you commited a crime but I don't really see any plausible way that the cops can know that the ship flying toward them, silent running, IS actually you... until they can scan you or get close enough to eyeball you.

There’s no reason why they know, just the same as when you stealthily kill someone. Someone, or something, is ratting you out…

 

[Stealthie]

My guess is, your own internal ship CPU recognises the crime, adds a bounty on you and notifies all law enforcement in the system of the ship signature, ID and crimes.

Yeah but, with regard to silent-running, not only has your ship grassed you up to the five-oh when you did the crime but when you're, as far as they know, an unidentified ship silent-running toward a bunch of SysDef ships, your ship must be transmitting a signal saying "Yo! Guys! It's him! It's the guy who did the crime. You don't need to verify his ID or scan him. Just light him up like a roman candle on bonfire night"

Seriously, it's not a big deal but you'd think it'd be fairly simple to make it work more plausibly, whereby if you do a crime out of visual range of cops they need to complete a scan on you before they all turn red and start shooting.
You'd still be Wanted (because you were reported by your target when you attacked them) but the cops wouldn't actually become hostile until they scanned you to verify the ship they're looking at IS the one involved in a crime.