Quentinp

Good way to get into manageable ship combat? (To level up pilot skill)

https://lemmy.ca/post/5562023

Good way to get into manageable ship combat? (To level up pilot skill) - Lemmy.ca

If’d put points into piloting earlier I might have been to level 2 in ship combat, but i’ve just started looking into class B and higher ship parts so I need the licenses. I get totally wrecked most of the time in ship combat (using the Razorleaf with what upgrades I could manage with class A). I guess I could use my ::: spoiler spoiler Starborn Guardian II - I beat the final ship encounter by hugging an asteroid and taking out the three ships as I can, if they don’t glitch themselves to death first. ::: my guns can take an average ship down in one pass, but shields are usually gone by then, especially if there’s multiple enemies. Heh and if I do get a decent random encounter of course half the ships ::: spoiler spoiler Do the “Oh crap it’s the Mantis” thing and run away. though i can tag one. ::: Are there systems that are good for grinding out some ship kills? On the ground I’ve taken to putting difficulty to hard.

Sep 18, 2023 at 4:21pmWeb
Show threadJonnyBlazeSep 18, 2023
Using 4 of the 3300 guns. Get in the habit of flying in places and immediately doing a 180 boosting away. Get out a bit over 4km from the target, which most of the time you can, then you can flip back over and long range blow most things away.
Show threadQuentinpSep 18, 2023
Thanks for the tip i’ll give it a try. Man one time I had a save the loads just as a a larger ship engages you, I reloaded about 10 times until i finally got a lucky crit or something and boosted past it just right.
Show threadJonnyBlazeSep 18, 2023
the key is getting that initial distance as soon as you spawn in then being patient to get out far enough.usually ive found they dont seem to follow as well if you get a good jump… for now
Show threadnoobdoomguy8658Sep 21, 2023

Nah, that tactic with singling them out by creating distance is probably the easiest way with most ships. You could also build a corner ship so there’s nothing in its middle (the ship builder interface will always have it’s center in ship’s center of mass) - the AI aims for the middle of your ship, so if there’s nothing there, they can’t hit you. That way you’re going to be able to avoid most hits and have enough time to regenerate your shields between the hits they manage to connect.

Safe travels.

Show threadTheLedSep 18, 2023
Use the ship simulator when you join the UC Vanguard. Taking out the AI counts as kills and when your ship blows up you just restart the simulator. No need to use your own. You can grind out the whole piloting skill tree
Show threadQuentinpSep 18, 2023
I didn’t know about that at all, haven’t tried that questline! Thanks!
Show threadCubbyTustardSep 18, 2023
whoa I didn’t know about that!!
Show threadCubbyTustardSep 18, 2023

I play on extra hard. I am level 28 rn and have found the space combat delightfully difficult! I am still in class A ships with shields maxed and pilot 2 and design at 1 otherwise no points in piloting. I am currently not yet able to do the very last mission of a long quest string that climaxes in a huge space battle but otherwise have been holding my own. I took the perk that gives you bounties and have done a fair few combat missions; I am 2 kills away from my class b license which I just started trying for a few levels ago because I got a free class B ship.

here is what works:

  • have crew with ship upgrades - you can swap the top hab out on the 'leaf for an engineering module and get it up to 4 crew. Vasco will give you a 20% bump to shields.

  • If you are friends with crimson fleet you can get a couple upgrades from The Key that boost your shields and lock on times and that helps as well.

  • do not try to keep 3 weapons systems powered up. I like one double particle autocannon at 3200 meters to remove shields. double long range missiles. The big short range EM gun as your solo w3

  • when fights start, boost immediately directly at your attackers to get behind them

  • if possible immediately take out the toughest ship, if you do it right you can usually strip most of the shields from their toughest ship while boosting directly at them before they all lock you. all power to particle cannons, shields and engines, any leftover power in missiles.

  • after you zip past your target reduce throttle to make a very tight loop and post up on his ass, hopefully his shields are gone at this point and you can VATS target him. this is your most vulnerable point you are not at max speed and should be empty guns and missiles. ideally your weapons regen and you can finish him in VATS in that first pass, if not you have to disengage from VATS and boost or you will get shredded.

You essentially repeat this boosting at them/tight turn to get on their asses one by one until you have the last ship.

when you are at the last guy i watch switch from missiles to EM, disable the engines and board. I board the last attacker in every fight there are a lot of gold guns on the ships even if you can’t fly them.

Two big tips are; always keep you eye on your shields and be ready to boost away if you are being targeted. Ship parts are heavy as fuck, ammo is free. boost far away from the fight in a corkscrew while your shields regen and then flip and boost back into the fight.

hope these help you! I am excited to get into class B ships with a little more shields it can be tough when you get primaried by 3 fast movers all the boosts in the world can’t get you out sometimes. I find it really engaging!

Show threadQuentinpSep 18, 2023
I actually have Vasco and a random guy from a bar on shields. The shields just get melted. I’ve tried soem of what you’re suggesting, although I have two sets of guns that I have been trying to keep fully charged, and haven’t really used missiles much. I haven’t done the crimson fleet yet either i’ll have to look. Thanks for the tips!
Show threadCubbyTustardSep 18, 2023

the pb30 particle auto cannon is my main weapon if i am going to destroy a ship, with the heaviest missiles i can find getting as much extra power as the ship has helping. Usually full power to the pb30 and 80% to the missiles.

If you are having trouble with getting shredded i suggest trying to fly in third person a little bit where you can see what the angles are they have on you so you can learn to avoid them. There’s a lot of flying at max speed at low angles/corkscrewing you have to do to keep their hits off your shields. as soon as i see my shields getting hit unless i am boosting pass them I will be trying to evade. The one thing you don’t want to do is slow down; 90% of the time when I die I am on some ships ass and he ya barely moving and I want to hold a sec to keep pounding and finish him. this is almost always a mistake if there are more than one other enemy because even two ships 1/3rd your level will melt you if you aren’t moving and they have the angle. Always Be Boosting!

glad you are having fun too I really love this game

Show threadQuentinpSep 18, 2023
I’m definitely not moving around enough it sounds like from all the responses. I do try and boost past sometimes.