How to make conflict zones more fun.

[Gridburn]

I've only recently tried some conflict zones after much bounty hunting in RES areas.
As much as I found the fast paced combat engaging I found that the way CZ's work just doesn't work well with the fact that you lose you combat bonds on death.
I get it for bounty hunting vouchers. In bounty hunting you pick your fights.
In a CZ death can come quite unexpectedly. I think CZ's would be much more fun if you went into them knowing that death is inevitable and you are going to take as many of the enemy with you as you can. The rebuy is still the rebuy, I'm not suggesting a consequence free death but going all out for as long as you can is way more fun than hit and run with constant interruptions to cash in your vouchers.

I truly believe this is why RES farming is so much more popular than CZ farming.

I am eager to hear people's thoughts.

 

[metatheurgist]

Nope. RES is more popular because it's more lucrative and easier. CZs are only profitable if you can load massacre missions. People don't normally do CZs for money. They do it to complete engineer requirements or to farm combat rank. CZs are meant to be more dangerous; they're all military spec ships. Regardless, a bit of engineering will make your CZ experience much easier anyway. If I'm stopping in the middle of a CZ to manually scoop Polymer Capacitors in my FDL, how dangerous is it really?

 

[Nero Tacitus]

Nope. RES is more popular because it's more lucrative and easier.

I'd love to know your RES method that can make 20M an hour, because I can do a single Allied/Elite contract in a CZ for that amount in roughly an hour. Lucky if I can break 4M an hour in an HRES, even with the Hudson 20% bonus. Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but CZs >>>>>>>> RES for income, even a single contract at a time.


As for CZ viability, I haven't died in one since upgrading in an FDL (unengineered). Once I upgraded it, I don't think I ever lost my shields. I don't think the problem with ship destruction in CZs is CZs themselves, I think it's ppl entering them and treating them like a RES, that's when you get yourself a rebuy screen. If you just fly around engaging at will, you will get ganked and destroyed by REagles and RASPs. You have to stick to the green, pick your fights and be more aware of your surroundings than in a RES. EG: If you hear the framshift boom, check your HUD. More often than not you'll have 2-3 enemy craft entering the fray and if there's no green between you and them, they will engage you, and will continue to until an NPC engages them.

Honestly, I think the current system is reasonable. If destruction didn't lose me my vouchers, it would take some of the thrill out of combat (engineers already kind of did). I've spent enough time in CZs to purchase an A Corvette, and I've never had an issue with the system as it is. I've lost 5M worth in my Vulture, but sh*t happens, move on. If you're not coping in CZs, I'd say the problem is your ship or your tactics (no offense, everything has a learning curve).

 

[metatheurgist]

I'd love to know your RES method that can make 20M an hour, because I can do a single Allied/Elite contract in a CZ for that amount in roughly an hour. Lucky if I can break 4M an hour in an HRES, even with the Hudson 20% bonus. Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but CZs >>>>>>>> RES for income, even a single contract at a time.

That's why I said "if you can load massacre missions". You have to find somewhere where you can do that. It's easier to just walk into any RES, and it's less effort. Path of least resistance wins.

 

[Gridburn]

So basically what you are saying is don't CZ without a highly upgraded, purpose built fighter... So basically people should avoid CZ's until they are already rich... Doing any content in an overpowered ship isn't fun, it's grindy. Going in with an eagle knowing you are going to die but you are going to take down as much of the enemy and get paid for it is way more fun. To be clear, i didn't say how to make CZ's easier, I said it would make them more fun.

 

[metatheurgist]

Yes, you are asking for easymode if you want to keep the rewards with no risk. Anyone can jag a kill and more than cover their rebuy, or they could do it in the freewinder and just keep piling up money for no risk at all.

I expect people who go into warzones to do it with a purpose built fighter, unless of course they're doing it for a lark like trying a combat Beluga.

 

[Jaylem]

CZ can be extremely profitable if you know all the tricks. 0:2000 kill death ratio in my anaconda (1:600 in python (got rammed and killed ) there are two approaches with this.

-in general come prepaid. no matter how big the ship. engineers and the right weapons will drastically increase your survival chances. do not select faction immediately. travel about 3km outside the zone and select, then move in and pick off targets 1 at a time.

-small ships it is best to equip a missile laucher with engineered range. NPC's react instantly when attacked and mostly go for you. sit outside the zone, pick your opponent, fire and lure him from afar and keep doing this. it is very unlikely that npc's will attack you otherwise (unless you enter a zone only with enemies...which has happened to me and is rather interesting.....)

- large ships like the python and higher already have an edge on most ships. when maxed with engineer mods you become a steamrolling god getting numerous kills per minute. when you get to this stage set up a music playlist, sit back and enjoy the carnage

another good tip is not to lose shields. whenever my shields get to 3rd ring I pill out, recharge and come back for more. this also decreases your odds of death


best of luck mate! you will get there eventually!

 

[Gridburn]

CZ can be extremely profitable if you know all the tricks. 0:2000 kill death ratio in my anaconda (1:600 in python (got rammed and killed ) there are two approaches with this.

-in general come prepaid. no matter how big the ship. engineers and the right weapons will drastically increase your survival chances. do not select faction immediately. travel about 3km outside the zone and select, then move in and pick off targets 1 at a time.

-small ships it is best to equip a missile laucher with engineered range. NPC's react instantly when attacked and mostly go for you. sit outside the zone, pick your opponent, fire and lure him from afar and keep doing this. it is very unlikely that npc's will attack you otherwise (unless you enter a zone only with enemies...which has happened to me and is rather interesting.....)

- large ships like the python and higher already have an edge on most ships. when maxed with engineer mods you become a steamrolling god getting numerous kills per minute. when you get to this stage set up a music playlist, sit back and enjoy the carnage

another good tip is not to lose shields. whenever my shields get to 3rd ring I pill out, recharge and come back for more. this also decreases your odds of death


best of luck mate! you will get there eventually!

I appreciate the advice but I think you are missing the point.
For me going into a CZ with a big engineered ship is not fun. I don't see the problem in keeping your combat vouchers. There are way easier things to exploit for money so it's not like it would be an issue. I just think it would be more fun... like you are on the brink of death but so is one of the the ships attacking you so you focus him and try to take him down with you... it's exciting and fun. "Shields are down, quick FS out of there fast before I lose my rewards" is not fun. My opinion at least. I can see no one agrees though so I'll just avoid that content quietly in future.
PS. I have a Python and I can farm/grind CZ's just fine in it.... it just lacks excitement.

Edit: perhaps it would make more sense to take a 25% penalty to your vouchers? Surely people can admit that losing EVERYTHING is a bit harsh?

 

[Gridburn]

@metatheurgist
Pile up money with no risk at all... you mean like Quince? There are much easier things to exploit for money. I'm not talking about using it to make money. I'm talking about it being more fun if you can be more aggressive in combat without guaranteeing a loss of money.

 

[zegram33]

It HEAVILY depends on your ship loadout, there are ships that wreck face in REZ's that struggle greatly in CZ
good example being my fave Rez ship, the combat T9 carrier. engineered for stealth, size 7 bay, in a rez cankill the thrusters and sit at a pretty 11% thermal sig whilst piloting functionally infinite fighters around searching for bounties.

In a rez with tons of asteroids to weave between that works. In open space fancy flying doesn't help AS much, so you'll get swatted way quicker.
best way I've found to do CZ's as a fighter (slf or "proper") is find a big friendly ship and cuddle it. If you can grab a friendly wing with 1 or more anacondas, and draw enemies to them, you pretty much get free money for no risk