Newcomer / Intro Using Railguns/Fixed Weapons

[WhiteWeasel]

I'm breaking out of the generic multicannon/lasers meta of PVE, and wanted to try new weapon types. I switched to railguns on my fer-de-lance and want to practice power plant sniping. So far, using fixed weapons takes a lot of getting used to, and unlike beams or MC's I can't just spam them and get swiping hits. Any tips for aiming and making sure my railgun (or other fixed weapon) blasts don't miss the mark? Or is it one of those cases where there is no trick and I just have to practice a lot.

I'm also flying FA off (poorly), and using a stick.

 

[Tungshep]

First of all, stick with FA-off, and keep practicing it -- it's the only way of combat flying. I think it's great that you're trying it; there are way too many people just tanking all incoming damage, in a superior, heavily engineered ship. Those people will never learn to fly. As for Rails (and/or PAs), I'm afraid it's just a matter of practice. Make sure you have your controls set up right: Relative Mouse Axis ON, and your primary thruster control set on THRUST, not on THROTTLE. (If you know what I mean.) While you're in a free spin around your target, hopefully avoiding all incoming damage, practice to aim so when the Rails release (after the brief "spin-up" time), you have the opponent in your cross-hairs. It's really an art, especially if you use PAs and Rails, since PAs have such a slow travel speed and Rails are instant, which means that you have to switch between the PA reticule and the opponent's ship itself (for the Rails). Sorry, I can't explain it any better. Again, I think it's great that you're trying to fixed-weapon FA-off: It's extremely rewarding, if daunting at first. Keep at it, practice make perfect! Cheers.

 

[Tungshep]

Oh sorry, I didn't see you're not Keyboard-flying. For stick, I don't know the controls.

 

[Krieger]

I'm breaking out of the generic multicannon/lasers meta of PVE, and wanted to try new weapon types. I switched to railguns on my fer-de-lance and want to practice power plant sniping. So far, using fixed weapons takes a lot of getting used to, and unlike beams or MC's I can't just spam them and get swiping hits. Any tips for aiming and making sure my railgun (or other fixed weapon) blasts don't miss the mark? Or is it one of those cases where there is no trick and I just have to practice a lot.

I'm also flying FA off (poorly), and using a stick.

Indeed, for the most part fixed weapons take getting used to and a lot of practice FA-off is not so important for PvE combat but it certainly has its advantages. I don't do PvP myself so I can't comment on that. Neither fixed weapons nor FA-off are the only solution for combat. F(l)ight style and preferences differ a lot between players. Over time you will find your own niche.

 

[Tungshep]

Neither fixed weapons nor FA-off are the only solution for combat. F(l)ight style and preferences differ a lot between players. Over time you will find your own niche.

As for fixed weapons, I agree with you. For NPC combat, gimballed weapons are usually the better choice. As for FA-off, however, I strongly disagree. Do you need to master FA-off for NPC combat? Certainly not. However, you will never even get CLOSE to your ship's potential if you don't learn FA-off. What bugs me is people who take an engineered Vette into a CZ or HazRes, kill everything in sight, and farm themselves to high combat ranks. Those people can't fly for -- they just happen to sit on a ship that outtanks and outdamages everything. They're high rank only on paper. When I meet them in PvP, I fly circles around them in a DBS and kill them easily. The folks who deserve respect are those who take down an NPC Conda in an Imperial Eagle. And that is possible ONLY with FA-off. FA-on is a disease. It teaches aspiring Commanders all the wrong things. It has nothing to do with flying properly. OK, /end rant.

 

[Krieger]

... farm themselves to high combat ranks. Those people can't fly for poopoo -- they just happen to sit on a ship that outtanks and outdamages everything.

So what? It's a game. As long as players have fun all is well.

The folks who deserve respect are those who take down an NPC Conda in an Imperial Eagle. And that is possible ONLY with FA-off.

No, many can do it with FA-on.

FA-on is a disease. It teaches aspiring Commanders all the wrong things. It has nothing to do with flying properly. OK, /end rant.

That's just silly.

 

[Slange Lands]

OP,

First of all patience. I fly mostly FA off in PvP and it is glorious. But unlike many video game techniques, true FA off takes much much longer to master. The more skilled you are at FA off the more easy it will be to aim fixed weapons. So hone your FA off skills. One thing you can do is go to the Scientific Installation in San Tu and fly your FDL through the tunnels FA off without hitting any sides.

Second, since you are on joystick I would learn plasma accelerators first. Put four medium OC gimballed MCs and one huge efficient PA on your fdl. Notice that both the mc and pa reticle share the same vector. The pa vector is slightly further away. Use the MC reticle to train your eye to see the PA reticle. Now go into a CZ and shoot until you almost never miss with that huge PA. Yes, that includes vultures. Gradually substitute PAs for the rest of the mcs.

Third, an alternative to the previous set up is to put five long range rail guns on a Krait mk2. Or put some long range rails in combination with some long range pulse lasers on an fdl. You may have heat issues so you may have to theory craft.

Fourth, it's possible to get good in FA off with long range rail guns using a Hotas set up. However, with short range rail guns it will be vastly easier with a mouse. I used to use Hotas, but my favorite weapons are short range rail guns, so now I fly throttle and mouse.

 

[Tungshep]

1. Yes, it's a game. Chess is a game, too, and still I wouldn't like to start a game without my Queen.
2. No, you CANNOT take out an NPC Conda with an Eagle, FA-on. If you manage to do so, please post a video.
3. It's not silly. FA-on teaches Commanders to: always get bigger, more heavily engineered ships, since that's the only way to get the upper hand; stay tunnel-visioned on the direction they're facing; treat their main thrusters as the only "real" way of maneuvering.

If you've played FA-on for a long time, you lose all conception of what your ship can do. You need to unlearn all that crap to become a proper pilot. So yes, FA-on IS a disease.

 

[Para Handy]

1.........

I am sorry, this FA off "git gud" - "all people flying with FA on are pansies" - is all tosh.

I use FA off in combat but I am not a fan of combat - I fly FA on for convenience.

I find FA OFF snobbery very annoying.

 

[Tungshep]

I am sorry, this FA off "git gud" - "all people flying with FA on are pansies" - is all tosh.

I use FA off in combat but I am not a fan of combat - I fly FA on for convenience.

I find FA OFF snobbery very annoying.

I perfectly understand this sentiment, and I didn't want to come off as a snob. I also never said FA-on is for "pansies" -- it's certainly a convenience tool, and I myself use it in non-combat scenarios. All I meant was, you won't get the outmost mileage out of your ship if you don't give FA-off a try. So, I'm sorry if I tread on anybody's toes, I just happen to have strong feelings about this.

 

[Vedmo]

2. No, you CANNOT take out an NPC Conda with an Eagle, FA-on. If you manage to do so, please post a video.

I'm nothing special, fly with a hotas, and switch between FA on and off as needed for fast turns, but most of the time I'm FA on. I can take down a Conda with a Sidewinder, sure I could with an Eagle too. It's not that difficult, just takes a while. I use a Cyto to strip shields, then a rail gun to snipe PP. Only time I really get hit outside of turrets (if the Conda has any) is if I get impatient and go hard for a kill.

I have zero interest in KB+Mouse, as I like the immersion of a hotas, and that's more important to me than perfecting FA-Off.

Edit: Should say too, Tungshep is correct in saying the highest level of combat will be reached through mastering FA-Off.

 

[WhiteWeasel]

Thanks for all the input! So far, next session, i'm going to engineer a set of long-range plasma slug rails for aim practice at a CNB, as I use a rather embarrassing amount of ammo to kill even NPC's. To further explain why I'm nose diving into the deep end here: I think doing both FA Off and fixed at once is a good way to learn, as getting better aim means you have better control of your ship, and getting better control of your ship means you get better aim. It's like a feedback loop. And, yeah, I get that I don't need to use fixed weapons/FA off to kill NPC's, but as I've found out in several games, the easy solution isn't necessarily the fun one. It's a little bit of a pride thing too, combat is so much more engaging when it's you that won that fight, and not the ship. I remember doing bounty hunting in my (mostly) stock Krait II that I used in colonia, and having a blast because I had to think and make each move carefully to win a fight instead of relying on better equipment.

Also, I'm using a stick both for preference, and that my razer mouse is almost ten years old and showing it's age, and often registers clicks when it's not supposed to, completely trashing the use of charged/sustained weapons until I get my replacement.

Lastly, part of my reason for flying FA-Off is that i'm a stickler for hard sci-fi, and it's always bugged me that many space dogfights were just airplanes in space.

3. It's not silly. FA-on teaches Commanders to: always get bigger, more heavily engineered ships, since that's the only way to get the upper hand; stay tunnel-visioned on the direction they're facing; treat their main thrusters as the only "real" way of maneuvering.

Sounds like a perfect description of a FOO strategy.