What ship for solo thargoid combat

With a shield-tanky FdL, I can take down Cyclopes and Basilisks about 7/10 times nowadays - and I'm a pretty awful pilot.

All you really want is speed, enough gauss, and enough flak. And shields. Lots of shields (with strong hull too ofc).
 
So, here is the feedback, I've promised to give: the Guardian Shard Cutter has not worked good for me :) It hasn't done anything at all, because .... I got mad of the imperial christmas tree with thousand of lamps flashing with and without reason and white glossy panes dazzling me at every second turn o_O So I stored the engineered modules (just in case) and sold the Cutter.

But thanks to that imperial thing, I've learned about how useful the blue zone of engine is on a big ship. So I gave a second chance to a Corvette and I like it really at this time. The planned AX build will be this one: Guardian Shard Corvette . For this I've to head again to guardian sites to unlock the fixed variants of the guardian shards.
 
Here is what I am using.
Not necessary to be this beefy. This has been tuned more since my first successes. It is also armed to at least deal a little bit with hummies should they arrive.
 
So, here is the feedback, I've promised to give: the Guardian Shard Cutter has not worked good for me :) It hasn't done anything at all, because .... I got mad of the imperial christmas tree with thousand of lamps flashing with and without reason and white glossy panes dazzling me at every second turn o_O So I stored the engineered modules (just in case) and sold the Cutter.

But thanks to that imperial thing, I've learned about how useful the blue zone of engine is on a big ship. So I gave a second chance to a Corvette and I like it really at this time. The planned AX build will be this one: Guardian Shard Corvette . For this I've to head again to guardian sites to unlock the fixed variants of the guardian shards.
Why are you going with shard cannons? There is only one viable way to fight goids with shards and it is incredibly boring (and only works with Cyclops and Basilisk), sit in front of it, soak up all the damage they give you and fire and fire and fire and fire...
Go with Gauss cannons.
 
it is incredibly boring
Well, for me it's exactly, what I want - simply effective destroying of an enemy. I don't need/want to aim with lots of effort, hope to land shots and evade something through high-class-piloting. For me it must be 50/50 - I avoid the most stupid mistakes and engineer my ship to maximize the chance of a victory or at least survival. The ship does the rest. And I' don't want to manage SLF and other stuff. So: facetank this! In case, that it will not work against more powerful thargoids - well, then my role in protecting of humanity is a mid-class one. Just erading the disturbing mass of lower class goids to keep the sky claer for better pilots fighting against "elite"-thargoids.
 
Well, for me it's exactly, what I want - simply effective destroying of an enemy. I don't need/want to aim with lots of effort, hope to land shots and evade something through high-class-piloting. For me it must be 50/50 - I avoid the most stupid mistakes and engineer my ship to maximize the chance of a victory or at least survival. The ship does the rest. And I' don't want to manage SLF and other stuff. So: facetank this! In case, that it will not work against more powerful thargoids - well, then my role in protecting of humanity is a mid-class one. Just erading the disturbing mass of lower class goids to keep the sky claer for better pilots fighting against "elite"-thargoids.
Totally agree. I have spent a lot, and I mean a lot of time, effort and credits putting together a ship that can ace a cyclops and come out with 2/3 shields and 70% hull. Plus all modules working. Why would I want to disadvantage myself by switching to my FDL?? I know I am only a fair to good combat pilot and will never get better.
The whole point of the game is to win by any legal means. If you are not so confident in your combat abillities then go big, go tank and go firepower.
If you are a Top Gun combat pilot then take risks and accept the occasional re-buy, if it enhances your game playing pleasure.
But don't disrespect anyone that has legally and with a whole load of work and planning, built in their own combat advantages.
 
For me the game has changed since advanced weapons arrived. Your advanced weapons do not count towards the max of 4 x AX weapons that you are allowed. But you have to source the materials in order to reconfigure the ammo to anti-AX. That can take a few play sessions just scudding around planet surfaces in your fun buggy.
My favourite weapon against the Cyclops is the Guardian Shard Cannon. A great, short range shock weapon. About 1.5km max range.
But the cyclops also likes to do long range engagement and will fly away to maybe 4 kms or more whilst still shooting.
I found that very frustrating, so I got myself 4 x advanced m/c s and engineered them for long range.
Now if you reconfigure the ammo for anti-ax by using your synthesis facilities you can continue to give him the bad news beyond 1.5kms. Up to 8 kms in fact. With no damage fall off.
Furthermore,you can have the shard cannon and the advance m/c s. All your weapons in fact on the A trigger. So repeated pulls of trigger is Guardian Shard Cannon. But whilst GSC is reloading or out of range, you can just hold down the A trigger and let the AMCs continue firing.
That way, you can have the shut down neutralizer, in the same group as the weapons on the pinkie-switch trigger. So as soon as you see the bug go cyan, hit the pinkie trigger.
It's working well for me.
That won’t work against anything tougher than a Cyclops though. Those MCs are woefully underpowered for the effort it takes to make them work. And then once you’re out of materials it’s back to more Mat gathering to make them AX again. Such a stupid design decision...
 
But don't disrespect anyone that has legally and with a whole load of work and planning, built in their own combat advantages.
I didn't mean to disrespect, by all means. I just wanted to point that out that it only works to a minimal degree. You want a big ship and facetank rather than doing the ace-pilot? You can still do that for the bigger variants, the official AXI recommended builds for the "big 3" go with thick shields (prismatics) and lots of hull. But it just doesn't work with shard cannons, you want Gauss for that^^ The reason for that is the high armor value the stronger variants have, so you need the piercing capabilities of the Gauss.
 
What on earth is going on with that 0% temp-reboot thing, where the Interceptor just sits there doing nothing?
Sorry for the late response.
The Interceptor was just trying to find Aran to lock on its caustic missiles. Since Aran was cold, he had a very low heat signature so the Interceptor couldn’t lock on him. This is referred to as “being cold”, rebooting is “cold rebooting”, orbiting is “cold orbiting”. Cold rebooting does not work on the first heart because Interceptors don’t launch missiles after the first heart, they go straightly for the lightning attack.

Join AXI Discord for more advanced combat tactics: https://discord.gg/bqmDxdm
 
That won’t work against anything tougher than a Cyclops though. Those MCs are woefully underpowered for the effort it takes to make them work. And then once you’re out of materials it’s back to more Mat gathering to make them AX again. Such a stupid design decision...
It is.


Just wanted to thank you for your goid tutorial vid shwinky, it's a fantastic one to point newer ax pilots to o7
 
Does it have to be T10 anaconda cutter to have a chance or is a Python good enough.
Is it doable or will I just die a lot..
If you don't know when to cut and run the dying a lot will happen no matter what or whom your fighting. For me that has been one of the steapest learning curves in this game. Each ship you own will have that point where, if you don't perma-boost into an FSD high wake the heck out of there, you will wind up at the re-buy screen. In the immortal words of Capt. Jack Sparrow, "...have to fight, to run away." Now for my $0.02, the Anaconda just doesn't have the speed to kite (tactically run away from) the thargon swarm or the cyclops. It can tank a lot while you hammer at the cyclops and never mind the swarm, but in my experience the semantics of the fight rarely go the same way twice. So, I end up running from the fight more than doing damage just because the Thargoid isn't where she should be in the fight at that time. And not having the speed in the Anaconda to kite and redictate the terms of the engagment, my only option is to run. If you're going for; just tank it with kiting capability I would suggest the Cutter. It has enough speed to kite (when engineered), and enough hull to tank. If your looking for medium ship due to repair costs of the large ship, then I would suggest Krait Mk II. Has speed to kite, weapon size and placement advantage, and a fighter. It can tank somewhat, but not for long. In my opinion, any of the variants of the Federal brick class, are just not stable enough as a weapons platform. Oh yes they pitch, yaw and roll almost instantly, but are also extremely twichy when trying to make that Gauss Cannon shot to the heart. The same goes for the Alliance variants as well. Just not stable as a weapons platform. Which is why all mine have gimballed weapons. But that option is not available for Guardian weapons. And no the turreted versions of the Guardian weapons are only turreted for your 'real' crew members.
*FlameSuit engaged
 
That won’t work against anything tougher than a Cyclops though. Those MCs are woefully underpowered for the effort it takes to make them work. And then once you’re out of materials it’s back to more Mat gathering to make them AX again. Such a stupid design decision...
You are probably right there. To be honest I have never come up against one of the other variants. For me then, it would be just a survival slog. More hearts, more thargons per swarm. Him or me. I prefer it when I just know it's going to be him.
 
I didn't mean to disrespect, by all means. I just wanted to point that out that it only works to a minimal degree. You want a big ship and facetank rather than doing the ace-pilot? You can still do that for the bigger variants, the official AXI recommended builds for the "big 3" go with thick shields (prismatics) and lots of hull. But it just doesn't work with shard cannons, you want Gauss for that^^ The reason for that is the high armor value the stronger variants have, so you need the piercing capabilities of the Gauss.
Yeah that's OK, I know you didn't mean anything. I was just pointing out that I'm no Top Gun. But I'm a good problem solver.
 
I hope this was in jest, as you have no chance of running away in the T10 - even fully Engineered...

Best ship is the Anaconda, there are numerous threads and videos for builds and tatics.
I managed to escape once. Died the second time.

Help please? I have an almost fully engineered T10 with AX multicannons and missiles, also engineered packhounds & seekers, a SLF taipan with AX M/Cs, 2 5B SCBs and I can't make a dent in a threat level 5 thargoid. Whenever I cause damage they just regenerate immediately. I can't stay close enough for long enough to xeno scan them so I can't target the hearts.
Now going to raise a glass or two to my dead crewmember. :cry:

PS. No guardian tech or prismatics I haven't gone there yet.
 
I managed to escape once. Died the second time.

Help please? I have an almost fully engineered T10 with AX multicannons and missiles, also engineered packhounds & seekers, a SLF taipan with AX M/Cs, 2 5B SCBs and I can't make a dent in a threat level 5 thargoid. Whenever I cause damage they just regenerate immediately. I can't stay close enough for long enough to xeno scan them so I can't target the hearts.
Now going to raise a glass or two to my dead crewmember. :cry:

PS. No guardian tech or prismatics I haven't gone there yet.
Get rid of the type 10, it's pretty much the worst ship you can use for ax. If you insist on only using normal AX weapons and not following the 'personal narrative' for the guardian weapons, choose one of the other big 3, or use a medium like chieftain/challenger/krait. You should be able to scan them while they're scanning you. That's the safest time to do it. Don't bother with any type of seeker missiles, they bounce straight off the goid and they lock on too slowly to shoot down caustics effectively. Again, it is highly recommended that you get at least the guardian gauss cannon.
 
Same problem in my Challenger (why I went back for my T10), only more so, and without the beefy shields, and no SLF :(
I guess I'll have to get some guards.
"Personal narrative"?
 
The Anaconda is great for soloing Cyclops. If you have Guardian shard cannons, all the better. Even lousy pilots like me can get in on the fun!

 
Same problem in my Challenger (why I went back for my T10), only more so, and without the beefy shields, and no SLF :(
I guess I'll have to get some guards.
"Personal narrative"?
Try one of the big 3 then. The 'personal narrative' is the word FDev used to describe the tech broker grinding.
 
So I don't know if I'm just not using the right weapons or perhaps the game is flawed but I ran into a group of Thargoid Scouts today (solo play) I have 4 1A pulse lasers and level 2 seeker missiles. There were only 4 scouts so I figured I would take them on. It didn't appear I did any damage to them. I would pick a scout, hang on to him and hammer the crap out of it with lasers and then launch missiles when I got lock. Missiles just vanished right before impact and my ship system couldn't even tell what I was shooting at, let alone if I was hitting it. After several minutes of chasing them around trying to kill one my shields were down and I was starting to lose more hull so I booked high wake. What kind of weapons will actually damage them?
 
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