Still trying to get a "proper" setup for my viper. I'm doing pretty well with it currently, managing to take out Anacondas with "some" *ahem* help. The most problematic thing is the weapon setup. Currently I'm using 2x F2 Multi-Cannons and 2x G1 or F1 (can't remember...) Beam Lasers. All gimballed. I can usually keep track of my target when bounty hunting so should I change some of them to fixed? And are there any alternatives for multi cannons? Would eg rail guns be better against bigger targets? There's also the question of which lasers to use, I've tried pulse and beams both and they both work well but I'm still trying to figure out the real differences, haven't tried bursts yet... I'm usually using 4 pips in weapons and they're heating up quite quickly when firing constantly, I only have B power plant and distributors though.
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Newcomer / Intro Viper loadout (weapon choices)
- Thread starter Werppa
- Start date
It depends on several factors of your ship including Power Distribution and the Power Plant. Specifically, Thermal Load or Capacity
Projectile Weapons:
Multi-cannons: Have low Thermal load, 3-4/10 DMG
Cannons: Medium Thermal load, shoot a single projectile, 5-6 DMG
Railgun: High Thermal Load + Power Load, shoot a single projectile, 6-7 DMG
Frag Cannon: Low Thermal Load, Although shots are scattered so you could do very little dmg if you're far. I don't recommend.
Plasma Accel: Very High Thermal Load, Very High Power Load, Single Projectile, 7-8 DMG
Laser Type Weapons:
Pulse: Pretty good if for quick shots (Med DMG, Med Thermal Load)
Burst: As it says shoots a burst of energy unlike a single pulse (Med DMG, Med Thermal Load)
Beam: Constant DMG until you overheat. (High DMG, High Thermal Load)
(Pulse + Burst depend on whether you like close engagements, if you like up close encounters like 500m-1km I'd use Burst, if anything greater go with Pulse)
(Beam if for Med range encounters I'd say 1.5km-3km)
I'd say until you upgrade your power plant you should stick with Multi-Cannons + Beams then go for Cannons + Beams, I don't think Viper has the Power Capacity to fit 2x Railguns and 2x Beams
Projectile Weapons:
Multi-cannons: Have low Thermal load, 3-4/10 DMG
Cannons: Medium Thermal load, shoot a single projectile, 5-6 DMG
Railgun: High Thermal Load + Power Load, shoot a single projectile, 6-7 DMG
Frag Cannon: Low Thermal Load, Although shots are scattered so you could do very little dmg if you're far. I don't recommend.
Plasma Accel: Very High Thermal Load, Very High Power Load, Single Projectile, 7-8 DMG
Laser Type Weapons:
Pulse: Pretty good if for quick shots (Med DMG, Med Thermal Load)
Burst: As it says shoots a burst of energy unlike a single pulse (Med DMG, Med Thermal Load)
Beam: Constant DMG until you overheat. (High DMG, High Thermal Load)
(Pulse + Burst depend on whether you like close engagements, if you like up close encounters like 500m-1km I'd use Burst, if anything greater go with Pulse)
(Beam if for Med range encounters I'd say 1.5km-3km)
I'd say until you upgrade your power plant you should stick with Multi-Cannons + Beams then go for Cannons + Beams, I don't think Viper has the Power Capacity to fit 2x Railguns and 2x Beams
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Okay, my coin. Beams + MCs and a great combination for a Viper.
Fixed beams. Definitely. Gimballed go bonkers and never hit anything. With fixed you can snipe things from 3km away - Ideal for a Viper who can easily outrun almost anything.
On the other hand, I never made fixed multicannons work. So go gimballed with them.
Also I would recommend trying an inverse setup - C2 Fixed beams and C1 Gimball MCs. More DPS that way. Plus you can work on their shields out of their reach, so to speak and then go closer and let MCs work on their powerplant.
I would also suggest all beam setup, but Viper has some serious power issues, usually.
Fixed beams. Definitely. Gimballed go bonkers and never hit anything. With fixed you can snipe things from 3km away - Ideal for a Viper who can easily outrun almost anything.
On the other hand, I never made fixed multicannons work. So go gimballed with them.
Also I would recommend trying an inverse setup - C2 Fixed beams and C1 Gimball MCs. More DPS that way. Plus you can work on their shields out of their reach, so to speak and then go closer and let MCs work on their powerplant.
I would also suggest all beam setup, but Viper has some serious power issues, usually.
I've done a lot of bounty hunting in a viper and tried many weapon combinations. I've found class 1 fixed beams great for big ships. You really don't need gimballed beams period. You can't miss using fixed beams against an anaconda and against a small ship gimballed beams don't lock-on fast enough.
I don't think anything can beat class 2 gimballed MC's in a viper, although I may try class 2 cannons or even class 2 dumbfire missiles just for poops and giggles.
Since most of my bread and butter hunting while waiting for clippers, dropships, anacondas and pythons are all small, fast-manoeuvring ships I've reverted to gimballed burst lasers in my class 1 slots. Also, I don't think fixed weapons or gimballed beams would be much use against another player. For me then, gimballed class 1 burst lasers are the best compromise and I can fire them almost continuously with an A4 power dizzy.
Before I could afford a good quality power plant & dizzy I used all gimballed MC's, and I still have a soft spot for this loadout... 2xclass 2 & 2xclass 1 MC's really rip ship hulls to pieces.
I don't think anything can beat class 2 gimballed MC's in a viper, although I may try class 2 cannons or even class 2 dumbfire missiles just for poops and giggles.
Since most of my bread and butter hunting while waiting for clippers, dropships, anacondas and pythons are all small, fast-manoeuvring ships I've reverted to gimballed burst lasers in my class 1 slots. Also, I don't think fixed weapons or gimballed beams would be much use against another player. For me then, gimballed class 1 burst lasers are the best compromise and I can fire them almost continuously with an A4 power dizzy.
Before I could afford a good quality power plant & dizzy I used all gimballed MC's, and I still have a soft spot for this loadout... 2xclass 2 & 2xclass 1 MC's really rip ship hulls to pieces.
I'm currently running C2 gimballed Pulse and C1 gimballed MC, although I've been swapping back and forth between fixed and gimballed for the pulse. With how far back the Class 2 mounts are on the Viper, putting kinetics in them doesn't really work too well with how I fly, since if you have your nose pointed far enough ahead to give the MCs the lead they need, the top mounts can't fire if they've got lasers.
So neither of them are good against other players?
That's how I see it. In a viper, I wouldn't choose any fixed weapons or gimballed beam lasers specifically for PvP. I would use all gimballed weapons for sure, just not beams, because they lock on so slowly and lose track very easily, which makes them dubious in a dogfight. However, if I was in an eagle I'd want fixed beams.
With gimballed weapons you can deselect your target, and then your weapons will fire straight ahead, handy if you enemy is firing chaff.
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I know what you mean. I found I just mostly needed the top mounts for small ships or big ship shields, and the lower class 2 MC for taking out the hulls of larger ships. In a close-in dogfight the lower weapons are hard to bring into a firing arc.
Specific weapon type qs
Just purchased and upgraded a viper tonight (went from an Adder worth ~500k to a Viper worth ~1 mill). Can anyone comment on MC vs regular cannon? And beam vs. pulse vs. burst? I'm definitely gonna roll with 2 lasers and 2 cannons (for economy's sake, and so I can KWS while I work on their shields with the lasers, then switch to all four for hull) -- I just need to choose which pairs and which slots to put them in.
Thanks!
Just purchased and upgraded a viper tonight (went from an Adder worth ~500k to a Viper worth ~1 mill). Can anyone comment on MC vs regular cannon? And beam vs. pulse vs. burst? I'm definitely gonna roll with 2 lasers and 2 cannons (for economy's sake, and so I can KWS while I work on their shields with the lasers, then switch to all four for hull) -- I just need to choose which pairs and which slots to put them in.
Thanks!
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Have a rep dear sir
. Now I got it, thought it was a typo at first lol. Think I'll try burst lasers next...Anyway, I still haven't quite figured out the heat build up thing. Can someone be kind enough to kinda elaborate it? So if the % on my left HUD builds up, the weapon locks up? How can I lessen it, by better power plant and/or distributors? I tend to fire everything at the enemy when their shield goes down (primary + secondary pew pew both). Dunno if I'm asking the right questions, been in a night shift which is ending now so my brain might not be thinking too straight currently...
The bar to the left of the radar is overall ship heat, not weapons heat - your beam weapons will lock up if you run out of energy in your weapons capacitor (more pips to weapons, more energy in the capacitor). That energy level is tracked above your pips and underneath the weapon name when your hardpoints are deployed.
My Viper is currently kitted out with C2 Pulse lasers and C1 Cannons, both gimballed. I'm finding it very heat efficient and quite a good damage combo - the beams by themselves melt Sidewinders, Eagles, and Haulers with ease (helps conserve the somewhat limited cannon ammo) and the cannons are crazy good against subsystems on the larger ships. I find I can stay out long enough to collect roughly 300 - 400k in bounties before I have to return and reload.
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Oh, I kinda figured that overall heat will affect your weapons somehow too
. Are you using A or B power plant and dizzies?Oh, I kinda figured that overall heat will affect your weapons somehow too
A all the way
InMemoriamSirocco
Banned
I recommend burst lasers on the class 1 hardpoints and class 2 multicannons that should be gimballed.
You'll only need the MCs with bigger targets. Burst lasers have decent hull penetration.
You'll only need the MCs with bigger targets. Burst lasers have decent hull penetration.
A all the way
Well, I think I'll continue to be a cheapskate and use B's since I can kill stuff with only minor overheating problems
On a Viper, Grade B stuff is far too heavy, it'll gimp your jump range and handling. I'm using a mix of grade C and A stuff, with the Power Distributor and FSD being top priorities for getting to Grade A.Well, I think I'll continue to be a cheapskate and use B's since I can kill stuff with only minor overheating problems
Oh snap... Guess I'll switch then. The combat part is a bit new thing for me still. Thanks for clearing that up