Combat tips? I am rather frustrated...

bigdrip681 · Post by **bigdrip681** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 12:14 am

Ok, so I have only completed one combat contract and that was because I got VERY lucky.... Basically, every time I try to do one of those I just die because they lob a never ending volley of missiles at me and no matter how many I shoot down eventually enough hit me to kill me. Even though I have a Levi chassis, and class 10 shields and a class 14 cannon, its STILL not enough. What am I doing wrong?!?

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 12:43 am

Have you read the manual and the strategy guide where they talk about combat tactics?

BraveHart · Post by **BraveHart** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 1:23 am

The Joust tactic works well for beginning Pilots:

When you get your contract and jump to your nav point adjust your heading so that you are going to one side of the hostiles and engage your after burners to maintain max speed....then turn off your IDS and turn around flying backwards and watch the hostiles chase you. You can easily shoot down their missiles and return fire with your missiles....Your lasers and cannons are effective at 500m or less.

This is one of many tactics and as you progress you will find what works best for you....Try doing Co-op contract and missions online in MP.....there are a lot of pilots who will enjoy showing you the Ropes

"Good Flying"

[Edited on 3-16-2010 by BraveHart]

Scabbo · Post by **Scabbo** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 1:42 am

I was in your situation just a few days ago. Two things have helped me immensely. First, I bought an Excalibur Missile pack. Combined with the jousting technique described above and in the strategy guide, this little wonder lets you peel away the foes one by one while you fly back and forth only worrying about shooting down or flaring-out the enemy missiles. Buy a pack and see what THAT does for you.

The other thing that seems to help a lot is to hire a wingman! Especially if you either don't have the time or don't have the inclination to get into multiplayer (as is the case with me), you can hire one or more Friendly (green) ships which will follow you into battle and help out.

Good luck!
Scabbo

bigdrip681 · Post by **bigdrip681** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 7:35 am

Scabbe,

I was on the verge of buying an excalibur missile pack until they told me about the drawbacks such as it targets the next nearest ship and not always the one you want.... Hmmmmmm maybe I should have done it anyway.

DennyMala · Post by **DennyMala** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 8:14 am

You can keep your excals at bay knowing when to use them and when not....and passing from a target to another so that they finish their fuel and explode.

As for combat, as a beginner speed is essential.....never stay in IDS. NEVER.

Jump in and drift on the side of the cap ship or the bad guys pack lobbing excals.... at a safe range (somewhat around 3000) engage IDS to stop and gain some forward velocity. By that time you should have launched 2 excals salvos.
As soon as you fire the second one or are stopped and accelerating, jump again and turn off IDS so that you'll do the same on the other side.....and keep going this way.

You'll learn your ropes and be able to confront targets in different ways and with more advanced dogfights.

Ravenfeeder · Post by **Ravenfeeder** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 12:47 pm

Just to elaborate a bit on Yodas' excellent advice. Set your marker to the side of the combat way point. Shut down your engines, and turn of inertia. You'll be drifting in towards the hoard from about 5k plus. Get Excals. Your excals come into range at about 4,800, and, as they reload in 30 secs you will have time to fire another volley.

When you reach 2500, from your targets, put your inertial back on, hit reverse thrust, the "/" key, and reverse back to -1200, or thereabouts - at that range, and reverse speed their missiles can't touch you (inert on and facing the targets).

You can swoop in and shoot the odd wanderer, and then reverse back out of range.

The part about Excals targeting friendlies only happens when, A/ you accidentally target a friendly, or, B/ You've fired a salvo at the last red, and there are greens in the vicinity - when the excals have destroyed the red, they will seek the next target, red or green - normally if there is more than one red then the nearest red becomes the next target. Anyway, you've blasted the last red and your excals are still running with a green, or greens in the vicinity. Use your "T" key to switch targets - the excals will follow to the designated target, thus you can have them chasing all over the place as you switch targets, until they auto destruct.

Hope this helps, enjoy the game, and I hope to see you out in MP.

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 1:10 pm

Yep, all excelent tactics above to help you get started, also do not forget to use counter measures, they are free so no use in hording them in combat missions. I let the enemies chase me while flying backwards and facing them I do not need to use any missiles, I just shoot down any missiles coming my way and use countermeasures for the ones I miss and as they close in to 540 distance you can start taking them out one by one diverting all energy to cannons and keep pressing the energy to weapons so you keep shooting till you destroy the closest enemy hold your fire till the next one is in the 540 distance range and start cannons again. I manage to do 7 waypoint missions 70 enemies using only cannons and countermeasures........But then again I'm flying a Predator, but you should be able to do the same with a Levi...I think I did before getting the Predator....

:P:P:P:P

GORF · Post by **GORF** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 2:25 pm

"all excelent tactics above to help you get started, also do not forget to use counter measures, they are free so no use in hording them in combat missions. I let the enemies chase me while flying backwards and facing them "

make sure you have a rearview button programed;););)

My tip,

Always take your time.
By setting the pace of combat ,you can keep both energy and shield levels adjusted and hopefully avoid being shot down.

This tip is very hard to follow ,
I myself find the "berserk mode" take over way to often, try to rush the fight and end up space dust.

My secret weapon is to play some music and fly to the beat.

Ravenfeeder · Post by **Ravenfeeder** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 3:52 pm

Would that music be "Old McDonald had a farm" Gorf? Mooo.

BraveHart · Post by **BraveHart** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 3:59 pm

"I heard Cow Patties work well as fodder for the cannons Gorf".......Moooo

Sinbad · Post by **Sinbad** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 5:42 pm

When doing combat missions, I would recommend using a more agile frame. The Levi, also known as "The Flying Brick", is about as maneuverable as a lump of lead in a barrel of concrete. If I'm not in a military fighter I prefer using the Hunter frame for combat missions. You've still got your 8 hardpoints for an excalibur and if you cut back on the fuel tank you can still get pretty high shield and engine levels, with much more maneuverability.

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 9:18 pm

ROFL @Ravenfeeder and BraveHart..........Hahahahahaha....

:P:P:P:P:P

bigdrip681 · Post by **bigdrip681** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 10:20 pm

Thanks all! This is way more advice than I expected.... WOW.... So I guess the answer to my original question "What am I doing wrong?" would be um..... EVERYTHING!!! AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 10:57 pm

No not everything, you did one right thing by posting your question....LOL....

:P:P:P:P

Riker_Beardme · Post by **Riker_Beardme** » Sat Mar 20, 2010 9:02 pm

Can I ask a Q here? I can't seem to get reverse thrusters to work. Do only some wings/engines have them? I have it mapped...

Post by **Vice** » Sat Mar 20, 2010 9:24 pm

If you're referring to the reverse engine thruster control, then like the afterburner key, you need to hold down the key or button you've mapped for the control.

49rTbird · Post by **49rTbird** » Sat Mar 20, 2010 9:31 pm

Push and hold down Reverse thruster key while pushing thruster key to get reverse thrusters.

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 2:37 am

Yes, is kinda awkward having to push thrusters and reverse thrust at the same time...luckily I mapped them to my X52 throttle....

49rTbird · Post by **49rTbird** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 2:05 pm

Originally posted by Maarschalk
Yes, is kinda awkward having to push thrusters and reverse thrust at the same time...luckily I mapped them to my X52 throttle....

I remapped mine to be next to each other.

Hendar23 · Post by **Hendar23** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 9:22 pm

Do the AI ships have a limited number of missiles? I have tried dodging missiles until they run out so I can use my guns safely, but they seem to have an endless supply. I find it very hard to use my guns because my targets wing men will launch a missile at me from close range where it is impossible to dodge it. Kinda frustrating because the missiles will either one-hit kill you or hopelessly cripple your ship.

Weird because my first combat mission ever I took out three ships (with the basic frame and C2 shields

) and have had my ass handed to me ever since

I will persevere...

BraveHart · Post by **BraveHart** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 10:13 pm

I believe the hostiles have the same load out of missiles as you do depending on what ship they are flying....I actually counted one time and when I thought they were out of missiles I aggressively turned on them taking out four of them in quick time....Though there have been a few times I miscalculated

but I did survive to fight again

Hendar23 · Post by **Hendar23** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 11:26 pm

Originally posted by BraveHart
I believe the hostiles have the same load out of missiles as you do depending on what ship they are flying....I actually counted one time and when I thought they were out of missiles I aggressively turned on them taking out four of them in quick time....Though there have been a few times I miscalculated but I did survive to fight again

Kewl. Thanks.

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Mon Mar 22, 2010 1:43 am

Yes, they do run out of missiles, I did count them also specialy when doing 5 waypoint missions with each waypoint having 10 enemies launch missiles at you that is 80 missiles per way point coming at you so you have to count very carefully to know when they are all out....one miscalculation can be very dangerous when you close in at close range to take them out and they launch one or 2 missiles they have left from your six and some times you take out some enemies and you do not pay attention to new enemies joining in with a new load of missiles....heck where did those 16 missiles come from.....LOL....

:P:P:P:P

MiaZ · Post by **MiaZ** » Mon Mar 22, 2010 2:45 pm

I find it very hard to use my guns because my targets wing men will launch a missile at me from close range where it is impossible to dodge it.

Not sure of this helps much but I try to always keep the reds
directly in front of me. Drifting sideways a LOT but always facing the nearest threat.
If possible keep as many reds in the front view as you can while still having the nearest red also in front view.
Still drifting to either side but maintaining close range distance to nearest red.
The drifting will make the AI's particle weapons almost useless while yours will still be effective. When the missiles come, your guns are already lined up and facing to shoot them into space dust.

It helps to use a particle weapon that has a fast firing rate. Might also want to keep energy bias towards the wep rather then shields so as to avoid the possibility that your guns run out of energy and cant fire.
If any missiles do slip through let off some countermeasures.
Just hold button down, Cm's will keep firing.