Need help with Combat

[Troopi]

There's plenty to learn about pip management, but this is the most essential part: every point in shields reduces damage taken by 15%. So you can reduce damage taken by 60% just by putting four points there. That's a lot of survivability you can get from that. (In terms of combat endurance, it's not only a boost to shield capacity, but also to regeneration rate. The more damage you mitigate when taking fire, the less time your shields need to fully recover. )

I usually put 4 pips to shields at the beginning of a joust face-off. Then I reset (2 pips to everything) and keep boosting until finding a good position.
And I agree. 4 pips to shields does A LOT, but your ship slows down. So you have to evaluate the situation. Face-off against an FAS or a Vulture, ok. Face-off against a conda or FDL? No way, better boost and try another chance at his back.
PS: If your ship is small, just... don't joust. Please.

 

[Midian Cabal]

That is an option (which I have used myself) but now you have a krait with no HRP and even weaker hull than before.

Well as always it boils down to personal preferences and flight style... Because of its perma-boost, Krait is perfect to boost in, deliver pain and then boost out, without giving the enemy a chance to lower down my shields. Chieftain OTOH is much better in orbiting, and I fill all her slots with MRPs and HRPs. Unlike FDL, Krait is a well rounded hybrid tank and you can build her however you want.

 

[Troopi]

I used to fly a python, but then i got meself a Krait. And now, I don't care about big ships. Krait forever.

 

[Midian Cabal]

I used to fly a python, but then i got meself a Krait. And now, I don't care about big ships. Krait forever.

Python is a hauler (king) that can fight, and Krait is a fighter that can haul.
What I like most with easy to earn CR is the ability to buy ships, try them and if I like her, to engineer her.
Hmmmmm, what will I fly today?

 

[Sylow]

And I agree. 4 pips to shields does A LOT, but your ship slows down.

Yea. I didn't say that 4 pips to sys is the "always do" thing. It very much is situational, there's also advantages to pips at other places. For engines speed, agility and being able to boost more. Even for weapons, there's not only the obvious "weapons stop firing when out of energy", but the energy status also determines how much heat weapons generate.

But 4 pips to sys when under fire (or best, just before taking fire) is a really good start for a beginner. It makes a huge difference, the rest takes more time and experience to learn.

 

[Troopi]

I remember the beginning, sidewinder days, when I favoured a boost, FA-OFF to turn around, inverse throttle to max, 4 pips to shields, 2 pips to weapons, and fire at will at a target.
Stopped using it after meeting an FAS. Ouch.

 

[Deekin Scalesinger]

PIP management is something i'm familliar with. No problems there. But i'm gonna get some HRPs for sure. Also PA sound fun. Even though i cannot aim

 

[Northpin]

... but instagibbing ... will never get old.

THAT brings back sooo many UT memories

Anyway, i tried a Krait with 3 PA and 2 Rails. Engineered for like pvp - that is no Plasma Slugs... and i went in a Haz Rez to test them.
OMG at the amount of holes i put in the sky and at the amount of materials used to replenish ammo.
But the thing i liked most was the light effects on the enemies hulls from the plasma bolts passing majestically close by.

I will do it again, but this time with plasma slugs on everything.

 

[BDelacroix]

I am curious about the build since you say normal npcs are melting your shield. I plopped together a very weak combat build on my krait 2 when I visited colonia on the way back from DW2 to get the three engineers out there unlocked and up to 5. Didn't get melted even a little. Granted, I've been shooting npcs for a long time.
It almost sounds like an undersized shield.

Also, pick your battles. You aren't going to take on anacondas out of the box. Not successfully anyway. Don't be too proud. The proud are just dead. If you are in trouble, there is nothing but your pride saying you have to stand and take it. The npcs don't care. They aren't impressed with your bravado.
Don't take on wings of enemies right away either.
Don't panic. Not saying you were, but I've tried to do some game combat training with some people who panic when the light show starts and just staring blasting at anything.

 

[Morbad]

Why did it miss?! (sob sob gasp)

Because the lead indicator can only account for the current movement vector of the target, not any changes that occur between firing the shot and the shot reaching where the target would have been...compensating for that is on the shooter.

Of course, you can reduce that skill level a bit by modifying your plasmas to long range (faster). But they are still fixed weapons (A game choice only. Wouldn't understand why some space time weapon's company wouldn't build them gimbaled, or turreted even)

Gimbals and turrets are more for widening the arc of fire than compensating for poor aim; they don't compensate at all for changing target motion vector and this, combined with the slight wobble, makes most projectiles fired from gimbaled mounts relatively easy to evade at any significant distance. Most CMDRs who are decent shots can out do a gimbal...they still increase time-on-target and still allow for more active evasion while being able to keep firing at said target.

 

[zipline]

I've decided to try Plasma weapons on the two medium points on my Krait II (they make a nice purple splash, right?) .... So I decided to engineer them ...... arghhh I needed Bromellite !

So I swapped for my mining Phantom and ...... finally ..... 49 tons of Bromellite, 1 more to go .... took a break for more limpets .... arrived at my spot ..... attacked by a pirate with hatch-breaker limpets ..... killed the Cobra and ended up chasing around re-collecting some of my Bromellite again before I could start on ..... that .... last ... one ton. In the end, I used the abrasion blaster to knock a piece off an ice rock, which brought my total up to 50.

But it felt like ....a .... long ... grind for the sake of a couple of plasma weapons !

LOL, I remember that grind, and when I finally got them, I couldn't hit a barn door with them, so my gimballed frags went back on!

 

[Slange Lands]

OP,

If you really want to avoid jousting and get better at combat, I suggest you watch maneuvering videos. Vindicator Jones has some excellent ones. I am guessing you are not using your lateral thrusters enough. Until very recently, I was practicing in Rez sites with an unengineered Viper. After seeing a maneuvering video, go to a high res and take a cheap stock ship like the viper or cobra and practice just getting behind the target. Don't worry about aiming yet. Just try to stay on their six. Not only will this make it difficult for the target to hit you, it will also make aiming much easier. You really need to see a video showing the trajectory of the ships and how to counter them.

Yes, loadout helps, but really it's about maneuvers. You can do it and it is really fun.

o7

 

[Troopi]

Gimbals and turrets are more for widening the arc of fire than compensating for poor aim; they don't compensate at all for changing target motion vector and this, combined with the slight wobble, makes most projectiles fired from gimbaled mounts relatively easy to evade at any significant distance. Most CMDRs who are decent shots can out do a gimbal...they still increase time-on-target and still allow for more active evasion while being able to keep firing at said target.

I would love to have pilot-controlled turrets in the game. But despite that, my gimbal long range cannons work pretty well. They fire at the speed of a multi-cannon, so no, no one can dodge them if I get a lock. And that lock, I always confirm with beams. It's a cute trick. Both are gimballed. If the beams are hitting, then the cannons are free to fire. BOOOOM!

 

[Troopi]

OP,

If you really want to avoid jousting and get better at combat, I suggest you watch maneuvering videos. Vindicator Jones has some excellent ones. I am guessing you are not using your lateral thrusters enough. Until very recently, I was practicing in Rez sites with an unengineered Viper. After seeing a maneuvering video, go to a high res and take a cheap stock ship like the viper or cobra and practice just getting behind the target. Don't worry about aiming yet. Just try to stay on their six. Not only will this make it difficult for the target to hit you, it will also make aiming much easier. You really need to see a video showing the trajectory of the ships and how to counter them.

Yes, loadout helps, but really it's about maneuvers. You can do it and it is really fun.

o7

That's fine and dandy, until you meet a deadly/elite FAS or a FDL. They do the FA-OFF trick and you just can't keep on their tails. Jousting ensues. Always.

 

[Slange Lands]

I really cant git gud with PAs

Nope. You can get good, Krash. Akuma told me an interesting trick. Make as if you are going to ram your target(in FA off), then when it's the right time, fire your plasma potatoes.

I have to practice this myself. The reticle is not enough by itself. I know you like ramming. Your name says it all.

Edit: ramming in FA off.
o7

 

[Slange Lands]

That's fine and dandy, until you meet a deadly/elite FAS or a FDL. They do the FA-OFF trick and you just can't keep on their tails. Jousting ensues. Always.

Yeah you've got a point. I fly FA off most of the time. Nevertheless, if OP doesn't shoot, he/she can practice maneuvering to her hearts desire in a high rez.

 

[Troopi]

Yeah you've got a point. I fly FA off most of the time. Nevertheless, if OP doesn't shoot, he/she can practice maneuvering to her hearts desire in a high rez.

Also, OP, try to get the trick of boosting with lateral up/down thrusters pressed. The ship moves faster in that direction. It's a great way to counter/match the oponent's boost.

 

[Troopi]

Another PvE hint: enemies tend to boost right after they pass by you. You can take advantage of that with many freaky tactics.

 

[Phisto Sobanii]

The problem with plasmas is that. Slow, unexpected results. You end up missing a lot, and that means a long fight, and more damage to you. If you are fighting a wing of 3 then, you need to make each and every opportunity count. And so plasmas become the weapon of the best, those few that can really hit with them, that can anticipate the enemy's position.
Of course, you can reduce that skill level a bit by modifying your plasmas to long range (faster). But they are still fixed weapons (A game choice only. Wouldn't understand why some space time weapon's company wouldn't build them gimballed, or turreted even)
Me? I prefer gimballed long range cannons and laser beams. They do the work with a lousy shooter that I am.

Big part of the success to plasmas is force feeding your target. Boost at them like a dive bomber and fire at such a time where missing is very unlikely. Additionally learn the boost times and cooldowns of the ships you're facing. Catch them when they aren't able to maneuver.

Of course don't forget PIP management. No need for WEP if your capacitor is charged. Make use of your distributor to give you an edge.

In the end though it's just practice, practice, and more practice!

 

[Morbad]

They fire at the speed of a multi-cannon, so no, no one can dodge them if I get a lock.

1600m/s projectiles are far from impossible to evade at medium-long ranges. Depends on ship profile and manuverability of course, but if I'm trying not to get hit in a an agile medium, a significant number of projectiles are not going to hit the ship I'm piloting if there is much more than a second of travel time. With something like a Viper or Courier, I can usually ignore most MC and focused/LR PA/cannon fire outside 1.5km

That's fine and dandy, until you meet a deadly/elite FAS or a FDL. They do the FA-OFF trick and you just can't keep on their tails. Jousting ensues. Always.

If you are talking about NPCs, they never use FA Off...not that it's required to keep any ship off the tail of a FAS.