thumping thargoids... or trying to...

[cargorunner1969]

does anyone else think its high time the near-bleddy-useless xeno scanner needs to be able to be engineered?

i've only just started on the ax stuff but it does seem to me that the hardest bit isn't nailing the interceptor but scanning it in the first place....

maybe its just me...

 

[Tividar]

Yes. Should be an experimental modification for sensors with the range dictated by the sensor.

 

[Kissamies]

Maybe not even engineering, just straight upgrade. Just magically give it 1000m more range and justify it as a 'firmware update'.

The current scanner was fine for the "mutual scanning" at the signal sources, but not when the interceptor starts as hostile. You can scan hostile 'Goids with a lot of effort, but usually it's not worth it. Seeing the hull and shield strenght, size of swarm, scout types and number of hearts is still useful, though. It'd just be nice is scanning was still feasible as well.

 

[cargorunner1969]

Might just as well ditch it and have a heatsink there. I have three gauss cannons and one turret ax multicannons so it's not as if the turret is that much help taking out the hearts. Haven't found guardian Hull plates much use either. Level 1 Decon limpet cleans the Hull....

 

[Kissamies]

I understand all the damage Thargoids do is caustic, so couple of small Guardian Hull Reinforcements could be used to minmax the hull points with the resistance bonus. That's not hugely important, though. As for weapons, try to get your hands on some Salvation modified Guardian Plasma Chargers. Those things are wild. The Bright Sentinel is still in Maia.

 

[CardioTherapy]

I understand all the damage Thargoids do is caustic, so couple of small Guardian Hull Reinforcements could be used to minmax the hull points with the resistance bonus. That's not hugely important, though. As for weapons, try to get your hands on some Salvation modified Guardian Plasma Chargers. Those things are wild. The Bright Sentinel is still in Maia.

Not all damage. Only the damage of the caustic missile is caustic. The main guns and the swarm deal absolute damage. Caustic missiles are easy to avoid.

 

[cargorunner1969]

Yes they are. I got a krait 2 with Hull plates at level 5...deep plated... And I got an anaconda with the guardian plates. Much prefer the krait and with its much better speed it takes less damage and cheaper to fix

 

[GroG79]

The scanner is for sure optional as -apart from the Hydra- the hearts are very visible. The scanner is an advantage when fighting the Hydra.

 

[Kissamies]

Not all damage. Only the damage of the caustic missile is caustic. The main guns and the swarm deal absolute damage. Caustic missiles are easy to avoid.

It's all caustic according to AXI wiki, though the phasing damage through shields is absolute, as with Human phasing weapons. At any rate, the benefit is so small I wouldn't worry about it either way.

The scanner is for sure optional as -apart from the Hydra- the hearts are very visible. The scanner is an advantage when fighting the Hydra.

The Hydra heart is not that hard to spot in Odyssey, at least. Scanning mainly benefits new players who want some feedback on if they are really hitting or not. Beyond that, it's all about the secondary benefits you get without scanning. Are they good enough for a module slot or not? That's for everyone to decide.