How to chase down Viper

[Forzeti]

So I was in this 'fight' with an enemy Viper, that was only just running away for minutes without really fighting back until it finally hyperjumped away.

I was in a Viper myself at the time with gimballed C1 Beam Lasers and C2 MultiCannons.
Since it was running away and flying loops, it was quite difficult to get a decent number of shots in, the Viper being the fastest ship and all. I really have no idea how I could've kept it from jumping away.
I even targeted its drives, though not its frameshift drive, but it seems I did no damage to them.

How should I have handled the situation?

 

[warbaby2]

You beat on bush, and when comes out, knock it with club... sorry, couldn't resist.

 

[Iain M Norman]

With the current way the FA-OFF works, if someone turns if off and boosts you are never going to gain on a viper, even if you have one yourself.

It's going to change though.

 

[Vander Mey jr.]

How should I have handled the situation?

If a ship of the same type decides to run, there is little you can do about it. You either cripple him in the initial encounter, or he'll be able to at least keep the distance constant (unless he's making a mistake). If that is out of, or at the limits of your weapon range...

Gimballed and projectile weapons hit poorly at long distances, all the trump cards were on his side. If you had fixed lasers or railguns, things might have gone differently, possibly getting enough damage dealt before he jumps out.

 

[Forzeti]

If a ship of the same type decides to run, there is little you can do about it. You either cripple him in the initial encounter, or he'll be able to at least keep the distance constant (unless he's making a mistake). If that is out of, or at the limits of your weapon range...

Gimballed and projectile weapons hit poorly at long distances, all the trump cards were on his side. If you had fixed lasers or railguns, things might have gone differently, possibly getting enough damage dealt before he jumps out.

I guess, I'm gonna go for the bigger targets then.

 

[Tacheel]

With the current way the FA-OFF works, if someone turns if off and boosts you are never going to gain on a viper, even if you have one yourself.

It's going to change though.

Using a similar tactic is probably the best way to be able to keep energy to weapons and maintain max speed to keep same distance with it however. good luck aiming though.

 

[Vander Mey jr.]

Using a similar tactic is probably the best way to be able to keep energy to weapons and maintain max speed to keep same distance with it however.

Assuming your target does a straigt run: Unless you just happen to get on an identical vector to your prey, you will slowly drift apart. Even correcting your vector will at best keep the distance constant. You cannot close the distance. (That's why I, and several others, consider the non-bleed-off FAOff-Boost to be broken.)

 

[Forzeti]

Assuming your target does a straigt run: Unless you just happen to get on an identical vector to your prey, you will slowly drift apart. Even correcting your vector will at best keep the distance constant. You cannot close the distance. (That's why I, and several others, consider the non-bleed-off FAOff-Boost to be broken.)

But having it slow down also doesn't seem right.

 

[forger]

yeah, don't bother, why would you want to kill poor vipers anyway, if enemy wants to run away i always let

 

[ToadMan]

But having it slow down also doesn't seem right.

Yes....

An unfortunate situation of reality vs gameplay...

Personally I don't think either gameplay or reality will win when they put drag in again.

Toad.

 

[Tacheel]

Assuming your target does a straigt run: Unless you just happen to get on an identical vector to your prey, you will slowly drift apart. Even correcting your vector will at best keep the distance constant. You cannot close the distance. (That's why I, and several others, consider the non-bleed-off FAOff-Boost to be broken.)

Good point - you're going to slowly drift unless quantum level perfect in alignment, the fleeing party can easily just reboost in a slightly different vector to maximise on this, it's about the best you can do, but at the end of the day they're gonna get away.

Fastest ship will always have this advantage though.

 

[ToadMan]

Good point - you're going to slowly drift unless quantum level perfect in alignment, the fleeing party can easily just reboost in a slightly different vector to maximise on this, it's about the best you can do, but at the end of the day they're gonna get away.

Fastest ship will always have this advantage though.

Bear in mind this is a PvP and player advantage - the AI doesn't use it.

So the PvP is effectively consensual - something a lot of people wanted.

It's unfortunate about the NPCs though - makes trading a lot safer than it should be.

Toad.

 

[Forzeti]

yeah, don't bother, why would you want to kill poor vipers anyway, if enemy wants to run away i always let

Because I want that bounty.

 

[Davevti]

We need a disrupter missile, disables frameshift drives.
But make it very expensive so there not wasted like candy.

 

[Theaghan Black]

Like the Air Forces have learned during the WW2, speed and range (plus visibility) are the most important features of a fighter: with these ones a fighter can choose to attack and to run away at will.

The "problem" with the Viper can't be fixed: there always will be a fastest ship out there.

I think that speed in ship's prices should be the most important factor in calculating its price, since it's the main factor in survivability.

The Viper, for its features as fighter, should be really expensive, at least as the Cobra.

 

[alchemy42]

In future I believe there will tools for jamming the frameshift drive. I think you will also be able to track and follow you prey through supercruise/hyperspace.

I'm also wondering if engines are balanced yet? Your weight has an affect on hyperspace range, but doesn't affect your main drive, which seems kind of odd.

 

[Vander Mey jr.]

So the PvP is effectively consensual - something a lot of people wanted.

No it isn't. The Cobra is still catching the Hauler, the Eagle is still catching the Type 6, and the Viper is still catching everybody else.

This isn't a fix that's making PVP consensual for player satisfaction, it was a testing nod to "proper" physics, which turned out to have various detrimental side effects, gameplay wise.

 

[warbaby2]

This isn't a fix that's making PVP consensual for player satisfaction, it was a testing nod to "proper" physics, which turned out to have various detrimental side effects, gameplay wise.

Aside the fact that PvP in this game will always be kinda consensual, since you willingly opt into open group... what side effects?

 

[Bruce Warren]

I think someone reported that the Type 6 on fa boost is actually quicker than an eagle, but I suspect that'll change. It's the 9 that can barely move. OTOH with it's shields and guns it might not need to.

Going to back to the viper, what happens if you try to knock out it's FSD on the initial attack?

I was flying a somewhat beat up hauler once and tried to jump,

To my horror a blue message flashed up "Frame shift malfunctioning" and she wouldn't jump.

I tried again and this time she did. Turned out the drive was at 70%. I guess if it had been significantly lower I'd have been stranded.

How hard is it to knock out, and does it affect NPCs?

 

[Vander Mey jr.]

what side effects?

Let's say two Cobras engage each other. With FAOff-Boost...

• ...you can go quite a bit faster than with FAOn-Boost,
• ...while not generating any heat after the first boost,
• ...while not requiring any pips to engines,
• ...completely denying the roll & pitch dogfighting that is intended to be the primary means of combat.

Ergo, FAOff-Boost, kill throttle, swing around 180 degrees, all pips to shields and weapons, and you will rip apart any similar ship pursuing you with FAOn. (Use gimballed weapons for maximum effect. Look ma, no aiming required...) Wait until he breaks off in favor of another target, then swoop in on his tail. If he turns toward you, just FAOff-Boost away again.

FAOff effectively became a "I get it my way" switch, something it was not intended to be. With the bleed-off, you were not faster, you needed to re-boost (i.e., heat and energy), and you couldn't re-boost while facing your pursuers.

I do understand why some would like FAOff to be "the way of the Elite" (I was among them initially before I actually had some FAOff encounters and found them incredibly dull), but there's another side effect that doesn't become apparent yet as grouping is not common yet:

Any "furball" encounter (many vs. many) will immediately turn into lots of seperate engagements that "explode" into space as each encounter goes along a linear vector at top speed, leaving you with an empty conflict zone...