Kill Target Elite Anacondas and Viper 1.1

[Stalzy]

Imma bounty hunter. I'm still in my Viper and even with the Shield Cell nerf and power usage, I pretty much can still run it optimally. Farming Kill-Targets on Elite Anacondas was fun and albiet too easy once you got the hang of it. But man, I still had 2 left over bounties to find these NPC Pirates and blow them out of the sky for 150k+ credits. Because that's what I like to do, bounty hunt.

But man... these Kill-Target elite Anacondas are something entirely now. The way they can out maneuver me in my viper is insane. They are literally always constantly twisting and turning and outturning me at times even in my optimal range! I understand making these targets harder to kill was a priority, but the increase was from like 1 to 11!

I started playing about 2 weeks ago, got my CH Products gear in and consider myself a good pilot. But the constant amount of maneuverability, the angles the Anaconda can hit you from are insane! They can almost shoot straight back at you, even if you're on their tail. They have like a 40 degree blind spot! It took me 2 hours to kill 2 of them. And some of the Elites seem to be even more maneuverable than others.

I don't think we need to scale back the Anacondas any, but I think the hit to the Vipers power management/heat/shield cells was a little much. Are you supposed to even hunt Ana's in a Viper?

I know I'll get skilled enough in a day or 2 to take these down. Hell my god damn wrists are sore from turning/strafing/switching fly assist on/off. I just needed to say something.

 

[xaisis]

seems fine, 1 viper should not be able to take on a anaconda unless that viper pilot is a rambo.

but as it is now, just fly close to the anaconda and give it a hug. that should kill it in 1-2 secs

 

[Shads]

I don't think we need to scale back the Anacondas any, but I think the hit to the Vipers power management/heat/shield cells was a little much. Are you supposed to even hunt Ana's in a Viper?

.

No of course not. If you can kill them in a viper what does it leave for the anaconda pilots to do? An Elite Anaconda is now at least a little bit more of a challenge for a conda pilot which is a step in the right direction.

 

[Aewarin Jameson]

There are in effect 3 classes of ship - small, medium and large. IMO taking a ship down that's of a class larger than your ship should be tricky - some can fight back, others can simply absorb damage more easily. The viper is a great little combat ship more than capable of taking out sidewinders, cobras and other viper ships but the larger combat orientated ships (Anaconda's & Drop ships for example) should be a challenge.

You said yourself in the previous build that once you got the hang of it then it was easy - now its difficult until you learn some new tactics. I am sure they will come in time

 

[soma]

Are you supposed to even hunt Ana's in a Viper?

Thats a bit like asking "Am I supposed to hunt a Destroyer in a Speedboat?". I think it is better now. If I am in a Viper and see a hostile Anaconda bearing down on me I want to think "Oh, potato" not "Sweet, free credits".

 

[Stalzy]

Yea, just the difficulty ramp was cranked WAY up from before. Pretty radical change. Was like the only other source of income for a bounty hunter type player. And it was nice because it wasn't always there. If I have to mine or trade, I think I might die.

 

[SirKiwi]

Yea, just the difficulty ramp was cranked WAY up from before. Pretty radical change. Was like the only other source of income for a bounty hunter type player. And it was nice because it wasn't always there. If I have to mine or trade, I think I might die.

Surely it is better to have a challenge?
Vipers are dirt cheap, and anacondas used to be so easy you could look at them too hard and they would die.

 

[xaisis]

Thats a bit like asking "Am I supposed to hunt a Destroyer in a Speedboat?". I think it is better now. If I am in a Viper and see a hostile Anaconda bearing down on me I want to think "Oh, potato not "Sweet, free credits".

what he said

 

[soma]

Yea, just the difficulty ramp was cranked WAY up from before. Pretty radical change. Was like the only other source of income for a bounty hunter type player. And it was nice because it wasn't always there. If I have to mine or trade, I think I might die.

I agree that they need more variety for bounty hunters / combat oriented players.

I dont know if they changed the bounties in 1.1, but in 1.07 I really liked protecting the miners at resource extraction sites. There are usually a lot of Wanted Cobras there which each net you 10-20k. As an added bonus the combat in the asteroid field is fun and adds to the variety.

 

[Darth Ender]

I am a viper pilot. This rebalance was good. I should not be able to crush anacondas alone unless they aren't fighting back. Though i believe they should have removed shield cells entirely. They are a stupid crutch that has dubious in-game rational for existing.

 

[Elfman]

Shame they haven't brought out the Vulture yet which is the upgrade path from the Viper as it seems from looking at the spec to be designed to kill anaconda's

 

[xaisis]

Yea, just the difficulty ramp was cranked WAY up from before. Pretty radical change. Was like the only other source of income for a bounty hunter type player. And it was nice because it wasn't always there. If I have to mine or trade, I think I might die.

What would be nice: if they add fighters to defend the anaconda, make the reward like 1 million. then make it so that players could join up and do it together. maybe sometimes more then 1 big ship on the location. or other changes, so its not allways the same.

Intercepting a small task force

the surviving players split the reward somehow.

 

[salad]

This is a good change.

PvE used to be trivial once you could buy and equip a Viper, now we have more of a challenge.

This is one of the reasons I went back to my Eagle, flying a Viper I never died doing assassination missions.

 

[Mungrul]

To be honest, those eilte Anacondas have never been the best buck for your bang anyway. Resource Extraction Sites and Navigation Beacons always offered more profit per hour, as you didn't have to go looking for targets; they came to you.
I can't say if this is still the case in 1.1; I only played for about half an hour last night. But I still made ~40,000 hunting in my preferred ring with just Sidewinders spawning.

 

[Dreadp1r4te]

There are in effect 3 classes of ship - small, medium and large. IMO taking a ship down that's of a class larger than your ship should be tricky - some can fight back, others can simply absorb damage more easily. The viper is a great little combat ship more than capable of taking out sidewinders, cobras and other viper ships but the larger combat orientated ships (Anaconda's & Drop ships for example) should be a challenge.

You said yourself in the previous build that once you got the hang of it then it was easy - now its difficult until you learn some new tactics. I am sure they will come in time

True, but with the buff they're even terrifying in my combat-fit Imperial Clipper, which is in the same weight/size category as the Anaconda. This presents a big problem in terms of finance; what am I supposed to kill in my Clipper that's worth the time, offers financial advancement, but won't completely obliterate me? I need to work on my SCB timing obviously, but I still think pirate Anacondas and warzone Anacondas should be worth a LOT more to kill.

 

[Dr Roly]

Pirate Lord Anaconas used to be trivial in a Viper, so I'm glad they toughened them up.

I've taken one down post 1.1 in my Asp but I had to run, recharge shields and re engage. I'm glad of the extra challenge.

 

[Dreadp1r4te]

To be honest, those eilte Anacondas have never been the best buck for your bang anyway. Resource Extraction Sites and Navigation Beacons always offered more profit per hour, as you didn't have to go looking for targets; they came to you.
I can't say if this is still the case in 1.1; I only played for about half an hour last night. But I still made ~40,000 hunting in my preferred ring with just Sidewinders spawning.

And a trader makes 2.5-5 million in the same half hour. That's not balanced at all.

 

[EddyRockSteady]

Are you supposed to even hunt Ana's in a Viper?

Lol I cannot believe this question even comes up

Let's see.......PT Boat vs Destroyer:

The very fact that you could tank an Anaconda in a Viper previously is testament to the fact of how very, very broken this game was. As least now things are starting to get rectified but there is still a looooooong ways to go me thinks.

Sure you can attack an Anaconda. Fact is that you are going to die........Only question is how long it takes you.

 

[Ari Ben Zayn]

And a trader makes 2.5-5 million in the same half hour. That's not balanced at all.

But we traders need the cash for when an NPC or player brushes against us while docking and destroys us instantly. x)

 

[Dreadp1r4te]

Lol I cannot believe this question even comes up

Let's see.......PT Boat vs Destroyer:

The very fact that you could tank an Anaconda in a Viper previously is testament to the fact of how very, very broken this game was. As least now things are starting to get rectified but there is still a looooooong ways to go me thinks.

Sure you can attack an Anaconda. Fact is that you are going to die........Only question is how long it takes you.

This is a bad analogy. The Viper isn't a PT boat, it's classed as a fighter, which makes it akin to an F/A-18 or F-35. Now, an F/A-18 taking down that same destroyer? Abso-freaking-lutely. AGM-84L Harpoon ASM would sink a destroyer in 1-2 missiles from over 200km away.