I'm bad at combat, wrong ship or useless pilot?

[PS4gamer]

I've been trying to get into combat, I splashed some of my credits on a Vulture (figuring it would be excellent for combat)
and I added some gimballed weapons and upgraded most of the systems but oh my life, I am terrible.

Yes, I keep the throttle in the blue zone almost all the time but even so, I cannot stay with anyone during combat, I get behind them and get a few shots in and they simply out turn me and I struggle to get them in a firing position and when I do its 1-2 secs of firing and again they out turn me.

Did I pick the wrong ship or am I utterly useless?

 

[Cmdr Nemo]

I've been trying to get into combat, I splashed some of my credits on a Vulture (figuring it would be excellent for combat)
and I added some gimballed weapons and upgraded most of the systems but oh my life, I am terrible.

Yes, I keep the throttle in the blue zone almost all the time but even so, I cannot stay with anyone during combat, I get behind them and get a few shots in and they simply out turn me and I struggle to get them in a firing position and when I do its 1-2 secs of firing and again they out turn me.

Did I pick the wrong ship or am I utterly useless?

Comparing your real life driving ability to that of the very first time you drove, are you not better at it now. Gotta crawl before ya walk, gotta walk before ya can run. Stay with it,

 

[Bond00789lol]

I've been trying to get into combat, I splashed some of my credits on a Vulture (figuring it would be excellent for combat)
and I added some gimballed weapons and upgraded most of the systems but oh my life, I am terrible.

Yes, I keep the throttle in the blue zone almost all the time but even so, I cannot stay with anyone during combat, I get behind them and get a few shots in and they simply out turn me and I struggle to get them in a firing position and when I do its 1-2 secs of firing and again they out turn me.

Did I pick the wrong ship or am I utterly useless?

Vulture is designed for combat and is the most maneuverable ship in the game. Ensure you are using vertical and lateral thrusters, are you using your radar efficiently? Are you putting pips into engines for more speed? Boosting to close the gap or create distance?

Again, this ship has no other purpose than to be excellent at combat. It is the ship to be in if you want to learn combat. I suggest you just keep at it and start learning basic maneuvers.

 

[PS4gamer]

Cmdr Nemo, I see where you're coming from, but amusingly I don't have a driving licence

 

[stormyuk]

I think it's just not easy and as Nemo says will take practice. I have a similar issue. I like combat and I've set up nice controls on the DS4. I've tried all the usual tips boosting with directional thrusters which helps your turn and flicking FA off also helps but I find most ships in the High Res's usually out turn my Vulture but I guess lots of those NPCs are Elite, Master etc. So find it difficult to stay out of their firing line one on one. I think I need to find some guides.

 

[Bond00789lol]

Are you stalling out while using vertical thrusters? As in do you suddenly go to 0 speed even while having the throttle in the blue?

 

[stormyuk]

Can't say I have noticed that. My throttle setting goes to hell if I use FA off. I need to practice more. Going to also check these guides:

Combat Tutorials: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLST2VzDxDCrwvkU6wYfo-z4UhGbObjl_M

 

[Bond00789lol]

Can't say I have noticed that. My throttle setting goes to hell if I use FA off. I need to practice more. Going to also check these guides:

Combat Tutorials: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLST2VzDxDCrwvkU6wYfo-z4UhGbObjl_M

i wouldn't worry about FA off in combat until you master FA on flying. You shouldn't really pick any engagements where it's necessary yet ( master or higher )

 

[stormyuk]

Yeh I don't fully understand the thrusters interaction with the speed gauge. As when you apply thrusters is it draining your engine speed or switching display to thruster indication? So maybe that's what you mean by stalling? I am a noob at all this

 

[Bond00789lol]

The more vertical thrust you put into your turn, the higher probability you have of stalling out. Each ship has something we call the "sweet spot" it's the point of maximum turning when vertical thrusters are applied- and it sits just on the edge of stalling, the equivalent of spinning out when you oversteer your car. When your trying to pull up and applying vertical thrust at the same time and your speed suddenly drops to 0, you've stalled out and now your enemy is most definitely not in your sights.

To start, keep your throttle in the very bottom of the blue zone- this will ensure that you are moving slow enough with maximum maneuverability to keep the enemy in your sights. Practice keeping them lined up this way as much as possible. Once you've got this down- start applying your vertical thrusters and it will make it a bit easier. Once you find the sweet spot you'll know, and you shouldn't have any problem maintaining a target from that point on. Especially in a vulture. That ship has the capability of flying 360s around enemy ships while maintaining a visual. In fact, every ship can do it- just find the sweet spot.

 

[PS4gamer]

I just spent an hour in a high RES near Asellus Primus, I'm a little better but still not good, however I had a good hand in destroying 8-10 ships and I've not got credited with anything when the ships were destroyed, several of them I did 30-50% of the damage in total.

I'm guessing the 'last hit' gets the credits/bounty voucher?

 

[Jwood13LC]

Combat takes time too get decent at not to mention master. My recommendation is go to a rez site where you will get help from the local anchorites and learn how to maneuver the ship and get your self into position to make the kills. The more you do it the more confidence you will get to go one on one. I like the Vulture and actually just got one last night but the eagle is actually the most maneuver combat ship. It is on the weaker side. Also learn the ships and ranks that you can go up against. That plays a role in it as well.

PS4Gamer - go into solo mode and do these types a CG... You will get all the credits....

 

[goemon]

you are doing much better than me when i decided to get into combat several month after starting playing the game...

i did not know where to point my nose, whether i was flying forward or backwards... finally fitted a beam laser turret on my eagle, which acted as a laser pointer. go there! turn there!

today i'm elite in combat, and if i want to have a challenge, i need to jump into my eagle.

generally, besides throttle management, pip management is most important, and the usage of vertical and lateral thrusters. learning curve is steep!

 

[peteuplink]

I've been trying to get into combat, I splashed some of my credits on a Vulture (figuring it would be excellent for combat)
and I added some gimballed weapons and upgraded most of the systems but oh my life, I am terrible.

Yes, I keep the throttle in the blue zone almost all the time but even so, I cannot stay with anyone during combat, I get behind them and get a few shots in and they simply out turn me and I struggle to get them in a firing position and when I do its 1-2 secs of firing and again they out turn me.

Did I pick the wrong ship or am I utterly useless?

Don't sweat it too much. I've been playing Elite since 1984 and Elite Dangerous since the paid beta and I'm still hopeless at combat. Sure, I can kill AI ships that are a few levels below me, but anything above me I lose to... And PvP? Forget it!

 

[stormyuk]

The more vertical thrust you put into your turn, the higher probability you have of stalling out. Each ship has something we call the "sweet spot" it's the point of maximum turning when vertical thrusters are applied- and it sits just on the edge of stalling, the equivalent of spinning out when you oversteer your car. When your trying to pull up and applying vertical thrust at the same time and your speed suddenly drops to 0, you've stalled out and now your enemy is most definitely not in your sights.

To start, keep your throttle in the very bottom of the blue zone- this will ensure that you are moving slow enough with maximum maneuverability to keep the enemy in your sights. Practice keeping them lined up this way as much as possible. Once you've got this down- start applying your vertical thrusters and it will make it a bit easier. Once you find the sweet spot you'll know, and you shouldn't have any problem maintaining a target from that point on. Especially in a vulture. That ship has the capability of flying 360s around enemy ships while maintaining a visual. In fact, every ship can do it- just find the sweet spot.

Ahh thanks, yeh I am blindly applying thrust. I will try your tip.

 

[Bond00789lol]

I just spent an hour in a high RES near Asellus Primus, I'm a little better but still not good, however I had a good hand in destroying 8-10 ships and I've not got credited with anything when the ships were destroyed, several of them I did 30-50% of the damage in total.

I'm guessing the 'last hit' gets the credits/bounty voucher?

are you sure you're in a high resource extraction site? And not a conflict zone? If you tag a wanted ship with no other players around, you will always get the bounty voucher. The only way you won't get a bounty voucher is if 1. The ship is not wanted (you will receive a bounty for attacking, but not a voucher) 2. Another player not in your wing tagged the wanted ship before you. 3. You are in a conflict zone attacking the wrong types of ships that have no bounties.

 

[Tenshi]

I've been trying to get into combat, I splashed some of my credits on a Vulture (figuring it would be excellent for combat)
and I added some gimballed weapons and upgraded most of the systems but oh my life, I am terrible.

Yes, I keep the throttle in the blue zone almost all the time but even so, I cannot stay with anyone during combat, I get behind them and get a few shots in and they simply out turn me and I struggle to get them in a firing position and when I do its 1-2 secs of firing and again they out turn me.

Did I pick the wrong ship or am I utterly useless?

Go to a random asteroids belt without any npcs (you can drop in anywhere in the belt) And fly at full speed through the belt like Han Solo. Learn how the ship handles and learn to fly around the asteroids drop a canister of something and use that as a dummy target whizz around and then line up for the shot as quick as you can. This game is all about your own personal flying skills.

The Vulture is indeed the superior fighter of the space lanes, I can't get on with it personally, but I recognise it as a power combat vessel.

 

[Tetzmol]

Combat needs a lot of training. Look up Vindicator Jones's video's on youtube, he teaches you the best way. The trick is using up and down thrust (right stick) and staying behind your opponent.

 

[GG7]

You might want to spend a little more time doing other things in the game before you dive into combat. Many of us who have been playing ED for many years held off getting into that aspect of the game for several weeks to months when we first started playing.

If you can afford the Re-Buys, then go for it... But considering how hard it is out of the gate to make $$, you might want to focus on trade and exploration for awhile first. Practice your interdiction evasion skills as well, since this will come in handy down the road either way.

P.S. When you are playing in a CZ, you need to pick a side first. Right panel, look for the option there once you are actually dropped into the CZ and you have fighting ships all around you.

 

[flynlion]

My biggest problem is just keeping the enemy in sight, I simply lose track of where they are. Maybe I need to learn more about the radar and target selection?