What ship for solo thargoid combat

Dr Nagi, the boosting away in FA off has helped. I've gotten better at timing the Shutdown Field Neutralizer so I'm actually able to run. Today, unfortunately, I ran straight at them and got owned again....FRACK!
 
If you want to use medium ships, I've used a Krait Mk II and the FDL (3 gauss cannons and 2 flak cannons for armarment on both ships) to handle Cyclops interceptors.

On big ships, I found the Federal Corvette to be best for me personally. It doesn't have the best armament like the Anaconda, or speed like the Imperial Cutter but it does have the best turning of the big 3 and that is pretty important for keeping the Interceptor in your LOS for shooting hearts.
 
Hey, so an engineering question. How much more protection do engineered HRP get as opposed to standard HRP? I'm only asking because to get the engineered, I'll have to open Selene and I've done no mining at all, so that would prove a real detour to get that done as opposed to just building an Anaconda with standard HRP.

Also, in some of the threads that I've read, it's been suggested that the mod to get for Thrag hunting is the "deep plate" mod, but I don't see that listed on Inara....what is that and how would I get it?

Thx
 
Thats quite simple. I've posted the planned build of an Guardian Shard Cutter . Except of the 1D HRP which is balancing the resistances for eventual pirate encounters all other HRPs are heavy duty with deep plating. The main effect increases the mass and the experimental reduces the resistances a bit, but the main increase the resistances significantly and both effects encrease the "absolute" hull strength.

In stats: a single engineered 5D HRP has than 738 armour instead of 390 of the non engineered one. Calculated on the whole Cutter it means 5087 engineered vs. 3666 non engineered, both absolute values. In last case you loose also the balance in the resistances and the reactive composite doesn't get rid of its weakness to thermal damage.
 
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And if you ever want to do exploration, but in at least a little bit protected ship, you will appreciate the lightweight G5 mode from Selene. I've also done mining only for Selene and for gathering matherials, as I haven't learned how to do the last in an SRV yet. Afterwards never did that. Same with the silent running for smuggling - except of some passenger missions (undercover passengers) and the unlock of The Dweller I never needed that smuggler skill.

But you do that unlocks only once - so take the "pain" and be happy afterwards (y)
 
@ everstream,

so you're going for the maximum face-tank build. I guess Cyclops will be blown away easyly with that kind of loadout. Still take care, those lightning attckas can get quite brutal and if the swarm gets full kamikaze on you, you might get in trouble, if you let it come to that. I have seen some inexperienced cutter pilots go up in flames against Cyclops. Tell us how it goes with the Basilisk.


Just a littel thing. If you really want to use those decontamination limpets, you will need some cargo hold to put the limpets into. Most probably you'll have seen this aleardy, if you need them at all that is. If so, you can easyly swap on of the MRP for a small cargo rack.

Not sure on the prismatics too. Sure they are the most powerful shields, but if they are down they stay down. With this shield size maybe bi-weave will take too long to recharge anyway. Can't say really, I don't have much experience with the bigger ships. In a medium ships bi-weave definitly are working better for me, because I can hit and run and recharge.
On second thought, in your case, for 4xShard in the face combat, I guess you are well served with the prismatics.

Good luck hunting - and don't explode!

Just looking your cutters credit cost again. That's many void opals to mine. :unsure:
 
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Let us know how you get on, I have to say i am not sure you will have enough DPS unless you synth premium ammo or something, happy to be corrected though, good luck!

o7
 
Surely, I'll give a feedback. Regarding DPS: well, it's noticeable below that of the fixed variants, but I think if four C3 fixed shards manage that so quick (50 deconds) I'll be able to do that within 2 - 2,5 minutes. The shields and the armour should hold in this face-tank-mode.

The prismatic shield is my "way of life" of of play. Call me lazy, but I don't want to bother about cell banks or pray for recharge seconds to run quicker. And I'm not that good with manoeuvring. That's why, I build the maximum of possible shields + armour and they should do their work.... or I'll die :)
 
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Just looking your cutters credit cost again. That's many void opals to mine.

In general, yes. Never got into the topic how much the void opals bring on credits, but even with transportation jobs with 3-5 Million per job it's quite a lot of grind. But you have to remember, that the coriolis doen't count the 10% discounts applied of Shinrarta due to Elte ranks and all the modules which are in your storage, especially if you have had an Anaconda as a waypoint in your career. And if you have earned anough to get a cutter, you'll probably already have the Elite rank in trade or exploration.

For me it's even easier - I've had an all purpose Anaconda, mostly used for cargo/passenger-transportation. The poweplant and the 4C MC I still have in storage, that's already 123 Mio. Than all utilities and HRPs and MRPs and 6A Fuel Scoop are either in storage or on the Python and can be directly swapped. So further 30 Mio.

But yes the 1355 Mio in total, that's the price. I just hope' I'll manage with this huge thing through the mailslot of Jameson Memorial and not get killt by the station defences due to being "parked" in the slot. Such "parking difficulties" were the reason, why I've sold the Corvette very quick :D
 
In general, yes. Never got into the topic how much the void opals bring on credits, but even with transportation jobs with 3-5 Million per job it's quite a lot of grind. But you have to remember, that the coriolis doen't count the 10% discounts applied of Shinrarta due to Elte ranks and all the modules which are in your storage, especially if you have had an Anaconda as a waypoint in your career. And if you have earned anough to get a cutter, you'll probably already have the Elite rank in trade or exploration.

For me it's even easier - I've had an all purpose Anaconda, mostly used for cargo/passenger-transportation. The poweplant and the 4C MC I still have in storage, that's already 123 Mio. Than all utilities and HRPs and MRPs and 6A Fuel Scoop are either in storage or on the Python and can be directly swapped. So further 30 Mio.

But yes the 1355 Mio in total, that's the price. I just hope' I'll manage with this huge thing through the mailslot of Jameson Memorial and not get killt by the station defences due to being "parked" in the slot. Such "parking difficulties" were the reason, why I've sold the Corvette very quick :D

How can you fit an Anaconda through but not a Corvette?
 
Quite simple: the Corvette was my first big ship, as I didn't like the design of Anaconda from outside. So I wasn't used to, how a big ship handles. Additionally to that, the bridge/cabin of the Corvette is located far at the rear end of the it and the part of ship, before is quite longe and very "narrowed" to the nose. It was diffucult to aim the slot with it and shortly before entrance the nose begun to "jump" up an down ... The Anaconda's bridge is nearer to to middle of the ship and the ship itself doen't "narrow" that much to the nose. The Annie felt steadier and more controllable therefore. Also the bringe of the Corvette is very tiny - probably added some more points to the optical "bad feeling"...
 
Quite simple: the Corvette was my first big ship, as I didn't like the design of Anaconda from outside. So I wasn't used to, how a big ship handles. Additionally to that, the bridge/cabin of the Corvette is located far at the rear end of the it and the part of ship, before is quite longe and very "narrowed" to the nose. It was diffucult to aim the slot with it and shortly before entrance the nose begun to "jump" up an down ... The Anaconda's bridge is nearer to to middle of the ship and the ship itself doen't "narrow" that much to the nose. The Annie felt steadier and more controllable therefore. Also the bringe of the Corvette is very tiny - probably added some more points to the optical "bad feeling"...

I use the old 'lever trick'. Just stick the Corvette's nose in, then pitch down so your bridge gets dragged up, then fly in. Or, y'know, just fly in normally.
 
I've to correct this one
Calculated on the whole Cutter it means 5087 engineered vs. 3666 non engineered, both absolute values.
I've forgotten to reset the engineering on the hull itself, so the unengineered value would even go down to 3070.
 
Best:
  • Krait
  • Cutter
  • Chieftain
Great:
  • Federal Corvette
  • FDL
  • Challenger
  • FAS
Screw the others and Type 10 is a meme ship.

Gonna try listing pros and cons:
Krait: Pros: Fighter bay, can mount 4x medium Gauss + 1 Flak, is fast and has decent hull. Cons: Not much Utility, only 5 hardpoints.
Cutter: Pros: Big ship with lots of Utility mounts, fighter bay, can mount 4x medium Gauss + 2x Flak + 1 Huge Thermal Vent Beam for cooling, can still make 500+m/s Cons: Turns slow, costs a lot.
Chieftain: Looks cool af, can outrun Basilisk, decent hull. Cons: Can at max mount 2x medium Gauss + 1x Flak + 2x small Gauss <- less DPS, no fighter bay.
Corvette: Pros: High Armour, good turn rate, fighter bay, lots of Utility. Cons: Very Slow, Hardpoints not optimal (Huge ones are a bit of a waste + 2 smalls)
FDL: Pros: Fast, can mount 4x Medium Gauss + 1 Flak, 6 Utility Slots. Cons: Is a shieldtank… no fighter bay.
Challenger: Pros: Very good Armour for a medium ship, can mount 3x medium + 1x small Gauss + 1 Flak, Speed is okay but not enough for Basilisk. Cons: No fighter bay, less dps than Krait/FDL
FAS: Pros: Good Armour and Speed. Cons: No fighter bay, can only mount 3x medium Gauss if you want a Flak.
FGS: Pros: Very good Armour, Fighter bay, can mount 4x medium Gauss + Flak. Cons: Slower Speed and turn rate.
Type 10: Pros: Best Armour and DAKKA in the game, fighter bay. Cons: Slow, bad turn rate, hardpoint placement.

You can correct me on these or make additions if you want.
 
In general, SLF's are not really useful against Interceptors, we often take them only into CZ's to make them kill Scouts and conserve some Gauss ammo. FGS and Type-10 are terrible anti-Interceptor ships. FGS flies like a big ship -slow and not maneuverable-, and has all the disadvantages of mediums, not tanky like Corvette or Cutter. And Type-10 is "I don't know what the hell were you thinking when you built that" ship.

- Krait is OP. It has big PP and PD for its size, perma-boost with 2 pips on the ENG, armoured+thermal vent PP (which is the perfect engineering combination for AX), ballanced hull/shields and decent speed, just enough maneuverability, good hardpoint convergence. Huge fuel tank and good jump range. I got all my solo kills with Krait, it's great while both shielded and shieldless. Cons: 🤷‍♂️

- Cutter is considered the easy mode for AX combat. It can outrun Interceptors, has ridiculous shields, good Gauss convergence, great flak placement on the wings, lots of utility slots and can equip thermal venting beam without sacrificing anything. Cons: Low turn rates, boring, PP and PD are not good, need to use overcharged+monstered PP (which has terrible integrity and efficiency), distro draw is high, you'll heat up pretty quickly.

- Chieftain is fast, maneuverable, great main and lateral thrusters. You can stealth orbit like there's no tomorrow. Works great with shieldless builds, decent hull tank, our veterans are doing great with it. It can equip 4 gauss (2m+2s) + 1 flak + 1 Thermal vent beam. Cons: Little lower DPS, not beginner friendly - needs some expertise to make it work.

* Join AXI Discord for detailed info regarding AX combat, ship builds and flight tactics we use: https://discord.gg/bqmDxdm
 
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- Chieftain is fast, maneuverable, great main and lateral thrusters. You can stealth orbit like there's no tomorrow. Works great with shieldless builds, decent hull tank, our veterans are doing great with it. It can equip 4 gauss (2m+2s) + 1 flak + 1 Thermal vent beam. Cons: Little lower DPS, not beginner friendly - needs some expertise to make it work.
Interestingly this is the ship I started fighting interceptors in^^
 
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