Space combat, is it really that hard?

tk5800thesecond · Post by **tk5800thesecond** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 12:50 pm

Whenever I try to enter combat I cant help but die within the first few seconds

so I booted up a combat pilot account, geared him up with some good weapons and such...and the same thing happens, what am I doing wrong?

SeeJay · Post by **SeeJay** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 1:07 pm

Hi.

Here are some pointers for you:

To fight multiple enemies make sure that you pick one target
in the "edge" of the group. Point your nose slightly off target
so that you don't fly directly at him.

Make sure you have MDTS On.
That helps you with targeting.

Engage Inertia mode, that makes your heat signature much smaller.
Always keep your nose on target.
When in firing range, use Lasers to bring down his shields
and then switch to Guns for maximum hull damage.

You can switch between tageting Engines, Navigation and Weapons with "U" (default).

Continue strafing the target and pick them off one by one.
Remain in Inertia mode and use afterburner if needed to.

Take care of incoming missiles with either dispatching CM:s or using your guns.

Hope this helps a bit!

49rTbird · Post by **49rTbird** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 4:04 pm

Howdy, it may seem hard at first until you find the way to fight that works for you and SeeJay gave great advice. Never take on the reds head on until you get the hang of combat. Jump on to MP and join up with pilots on missions for help with that. Some Pilots have offered training it fighting but I can't remember what post that was in.

Raynor · Post by **Raynor** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 9:11 pm

I too when i started thought that combat seemed really hard to master. Well, after maybe a dozen fight i started getting the hang of it. Soon enough you'll realise that you can take on 20 enemies at once no problem. Just as long as you have a little patience and are not too reckless. Seejay's advice is pretty much it. PVP combat is surely another matter but personally i've never tried it.

countjimula · Post by **countjimula** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 10:57 pm

Reading this question I asked myself:

Do the pointers we are giving only work on the fully equipped stronger ships?

Would I just blow up immediately using just the ship and equipment given to players at the start of the game?

I started a new pilot as a fighter and tried a multi way point mission in the Talison war zone. I took a 3 or 4 waypoint mission and got through it with 8 enemy kills.

Tried again starting as a mercenary, flew to the Talison war zone (the easiest war zone in this game) and selected another mission (4 waypoints, 20 fighters I think it was). This time around the 3-4th waypoint I ran out of counter measures (I started with 25) and the very next missile hit me destroying my ship.

In conclusion:

The starter ships without any changes can be used for fighting, but there is little margin for error.

You start out the game with a ship with good speed, I do not know if I could fight in a slower ship without upgraded systems.

I would not want to take on a capital enemy ship with the starter ship, or even try to take on regular ships with an enemy capital ship around.

Without a laser to take down the shields and only having the starting weapon it takes a comparatively long time to destroy a ship. The recharge rate for weapons is also very slow.

PVP against a decent player/ship with a starter ship would be suicide. Against many players it is suicide for me anyway, but PVP is probably the most fun thing in this game (or for me any computer game that I know of)

Nova_Solo · Post by **Nova_Solo** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 11:26 pm

The best advice I could give is "keep at it." Start small and work your way up. Save often! Think of this Sim like a game of Chess. If you're losing, you're learning new ways to die, and not die! Just remember to familiarize yourself with the controls, and do your best to stay the course. Eventually you will find a niche that works well for you and allows you to stay alive longer.

SeeJay · Post by **SeeJay** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 11:36 pm

I asure you that using my stated technique earlier works with the starter ship as well as the best ship available.
(Normally I use class 1 or 2 guns at all times).

Against AI it's no problem. In PvP, it's a total different ballgame.!;)

I'll be happy to train with you in PvP when you're ready if you want!

countjimula · Post by **countjimula** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 11:48 pm

One thing I highly recommend is changing some of the default keys especially if you are using keyboard and mouse. I have changed the W and S keys from throttle forward and reverse to inertial forward and reverse.

I set the 2 mouse buttons to each fire one of the weapon types (beam/particle) while keeping the missiles as it is, on the easily accessible shift key.

Letoras · Post by **Letoras** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 2:04 am

get into multiplayer and join others to play pvp or do missions together, you learn way much faster....

..and damn it gets so beautiful.....

[Edited on 26-2-2012 by Letoras]

Post by **Marvin** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 4:46 pm

If starter ships were as good at combat as some of the better ships, there would be no need or incentive to upgrade.

Vincire · Post by **Vincire** » Tue Jan 22, 2013 10:57 pm

I find the combat WAY too hard, almost impossible. As a new combat pilot in the starter ship, I don't start with enough cash to hire a wingman let alone rearm my missiles. My ship is blown apart seconds after warping into a combat zone. There is very little I can do to escape missiles or survive these encounters. I want to like this game but every frustrating combat encounter just makes me want to uninstall it.

How is this fun?

hank · Post by **hank** » Tue Jan 22, 2013 11:59 pm

My 2 cents

1st: don't do combat right at first. Mine asteroids for a while. Build up a civilian frame with 5 cargo bays and fill them up with platinum and diamonds. Sometimes it pays to go to a neighboring system to sell and get a better price.
Buy some equipment in the low economy sectors and sell for a profit in the higher econ sectors (use the quadrant map in the nav screen - plus, see one of the nav map mods that show you economy and technology for each system). Buy a license at a centrally located spaceport to get better prices; then go to the other ports and sell for a profit.

2nd: in combat don't warp straight into a waypoint for combat. Pick a nav point slightly outside the mission waypoint so you can get your bearings and enter the fight on your terms. This has helped me immeasurably ... when you warp into a "furball" its almost impossible to get your bearings and where the enemy is when the Reds are pummelling you.

have a nice day

[Edited on 1-23-2013 by hank]

Post by **Marvin** » Wed Jan 23, 2013 1:17 am

If you insist on engaging in combat before you or your ship is ready, jump into sombody's turret and perform gunnery duties. It's almost as good.

morbosfist · Post by **morbosfist** » Wed Jan 23, 2013 8:27 am

Combat is definitely a steep learning curve in this game, but at least you get computer-assisted aiming. So does your enemy, of course, but they at least can't shoot much better than you can.

SeeJay · Post by **SeeJay** » Wed Jan 23, 2013 8:45 am

It took a while for me in the beginning before I started doing combat.

Mining/Trading so I could get my ship as I wanted it. Then Olympus attacking random enemies.
Then taking contracts there (4 enemies). Lots of work here before I felt confident enough to move on.

Then I did part of the IMG.

Went to Talison WZ for some combat training against Vonari.
Got my MIL rank up a bit.

Finished the IMG.

Now I was good enough to fight in any Warzone to bring my MIL Rank up all the way.

It takes time to master combat. That's what I love in this game. You don't learn everything quickly and get
bored of it. Lots of practice is needed and don't underestimate doing lots of Racing.
That really improves your ship handling. That will help you A LOT when in combat.

Joining MP and fight with others will also speed up your learning curve a lot.

Keep at it, we have all gone through it and combat will be great fun once you master it.

Sinbad · Post by **Sinbad** » Wed Jan 23, 2013 10:23 am

I understand your frustration Vincire, but combat in this game is difficult for a reason... To allow for continuous development of your skills as a pilot. Even after playing the game for years you are still being challenged and learning new tricks in combat. That's why the game never gets too boring.

As a beginner it's best to start gradually with combat. As others have said start practicing against just 1 or 2 enemies in systems like Olympus until you can upgrade your equipment. If you're really hungering for intense action join combat missions with other players in MP ... You will learn quickly and it's a lot of fun!

Busch · Post by **Busch** » Wed Jan 23, 2013 4:39 pm

If I may suggest... When conducting operations in the Talison CZ, try alternating your mission selections between Command Alpha station and the Eclipse carrier. Some times, the missions offered from the carrier pay about the same as from the station, but with one or two less antagonists...usually.

Also, as the "principle pilot" you can use the "Order" toggle/drop-down, to spur the AI/NPC Navy pukes to battle. For all intents and purposes, these are your wingmen. If you hang with them/treat them as such, the Von AI's don't appear to be as on purpose about taking them out first, then coming after you enmass.

And, consider your missile load-out options. As I'm fond of spawning a new fighter profile now and then, I've developed a real liking for the Exodus. I know, you'll have to depart the Tal A.O. in order to buy them elsewhere. But, if you're circumspect about returning to the carrier after each combat mission, the carrier will "re-spawn" your fave missile selection in the items offered menu, so you'll not have to leave and come back repeatedly.

Lots of really good, do-able suggestions from all the above. Hope we've helped a bit!

Vincire · Post by **Vincire** » Wed Jan 23, 2013 5:42 pm

Why even bother giving us a "combat pilot" role if it's impossible to be successful with the given resources? I am about done with this game because I really wanted to a fun space flight sim and I am not interested in grinding boring mining nodes in order to get to the point where I will enjoy the game. The Developers would do us a great service by toning down the combat missions in the beginning so that those of us interested in playing a combat pilot have a better platform in which to ease into more difficult missions as we earn better frames. As the game is now however, I just want to uninstall it and play something fun.

Post by **Marvin** » Wed Jan 23, 2013 5:59 pm

From post: 156610, Topic: tid=8998, author=Vincire wrote:The Developers would do us a great service by toning down the combat missions in the beginning so that those of us interested in playing a combat pilot have a better platform in which to ease into more difficult missions as we earn better frames.

Such is already the case. Each star system has it's own level of difficulty.

Steer clear of Moderate and Hostile systems and you should do just fine. Eventually.

Professor Paul1290 · Post by **Professor Paul1290** » Wed Jan 23, 2013 6:27 pm

From post: 156610, Topic: tid=8998, author=Vincire wrote:Why even bother giving us a "combat pilot" role if it's impossible to be successful with the given resources? I am about done with this game because I really wanted to a fun space flight sim and I am not interested in grinding boring mining nodes in order to get to the point where I will enjoy the game. The Developers would do us a great service by toning down the combat missions in the beginning so that those of us interested in playing a combat pilot have a better platform in which to ease into more difficult missions as we earn better frames. As the game is now however, I just want to uninstall it and play something fun.

You don't need to grind or mine be effective in combat.

As others have stated earlier, what you start out with in the "combat pilot" start is already good enough to do take combat missions.
It's only if you start with one of the civilian ship start do you need to build up cash first.

If I remember correctly, with a "combat pilot" you start out in a military fighter of some kind, which is already better in a fight then the cheaper civilian frames you get in the other starts.

The missions at the beginning are already toned down significantly.

[Edited on 1-23-2013 by Professor Paul1290]

Vincire · Post by **Vincire** » Wed Jan 23, 2013 10:36 pm

[rrquote=156628&tid=8998&author=Professor Paul1290

The missions at the beginning are already toned down significantly.

[Edited on 1-23-2013 by Professor Paul1290][/rrquote]

Not nearly enough. I haven't been able to complete a single combat mission from the starter carrier yet. If I am not instantly killed by constant missile spam, the enemy soon breaks off from whatever they are doing and comes right at me. This game is not fun at all.