Beta 3 Combat Analysis

[ZATZAi]

So I'm hoping to get feedback from others on how they think the combat in Beta 3 has changed compared to Beta 2.06. The combat changes specifically...

I got right back in my Cobra after the wipe and ran a slight different load out than what I had before. Whereas before I was more jack-of-all-trades for exploration, trading and combat. Now I am focusing on combat for the purposes of Bounty Hunting. I still have my cargo holds (For the moment) as I do still like to do some light trading. Here is what I have noticed so far about Beta 3.

First of all we have new weapons and new, working counter measures. We now have a torpedo launcher (Which I have yet to try) that carries and fires a single round. We also have Chaff which now works and the new ECM. In the old Beta Chaff broke gimbal and missile locks, well it was supposed to anyway but it never worked. In Beta 3 Chaff only breaks gimbal locks and ECM breaks missile locks.

Another nice feature is that Chaff, ECM and Shield Boosters now all have Hot Keys in the controls that you can customize (They are blank by default). This means you do not have to assign these items to a Firegroup to use them, just like with a Heat sink. I'm very happy they added that feature as using twitch defensive measures via a Firegroup would just be nutters. You'll find them under Miscellaneous in the controls, towards the bottom.

I have not used ECM yet, but Chaff does work. I've fought a few Disco Cobras now (Cobras with nothing but laser turrets/gimbals) and they can be a real pain to deal with. Before I got the Chaff they were quite hard to beat, but with the Chaff things are a lot easier. The lasts for around 5-10 seconds (Not sure if proximity matters) and you get 30 rounds. Like your Heat Sink it draws power from the System capacitor. I've found it's very useful for when jousting with another Cobra or Viper and it does not affect my own weapons lock. I have yet to see the Ai use it...

The biggest difference of course is the Ai seems tougher, smarter. They make better maneuvers, they try to avoid running into you now and they don't always run (Collisions do less damage too). Many will in fact chase you down even if you travel several thousand kilometers to get away. They're also more likely to pre-emptively open fire on you if they themselves are wanted.

Some of them have very good shields that recharge very fast. So they must be using upgraded parts rather than just the base parts. They also seem to be more colorful with paint schemes based on their clans (This is also a good indication of which ones are tougher to fight).

I have found the game really requires a change in tactics, you can't just slow down and get into turning wars anymore. You'll need to go a strafing runs, boosting away and coming back in (At least in my Cobra I find this works well). The closer you are the bigger the damage you'll deal, even with lasers (Though to a lesser extent), so get inside 2Km or heck even inside 1Km if you can. It's even more important now to constantly change your power settings, power to engines while chasing, then power to shields while engaging, them power to weapons to recharge, etc, etc. It's a lot like fighting in a Sidewinder was if any of you didn't immediately jump out of the Sidey in Beta 2. It also helps to change up tactics during a fight, if you do the same thing over and over again the Ai seems to be able to adapt a bit better than it did before.

I still don't see Ai wolfpacks, unless you accidentally piss off a second ship. That said if a faction doesn't like you because you killed their allies, then when new ships of the same faction warp in they might just come gunning for you straight away.

The Imperial Cruiser is fast but not that hard to kill. It's side mounted weapons can shoot backwards though so be aware of that. The Federation dropship is basically an Asp and similarly easy to deal with, but usually not as profitable to kill. The Anaconda is still a bitch to fight, and I have not fought a Lakon 9 yet. Other ships are about the same with the smarter Ai that I have already talked about.

What have you guys noticed? Have you tried any of the new weapons counter measures or ships?

[Philip Coutts]

Interesting stuff and well written. I had a very quick spin in Beta 3 last night but didn't get to try any combat. I'm very interested in the new AI and the new countermeasures. I also think turrets are a complete pain to fight against. I'm kind of hoping they make them very expensive to discourage the use of them!

[ZATZAi]

Interesting stuff and well written. I had a very quick spin in Beta 3 last night but didn't get to try any combat. I'm very interested in the new AI and the new countermeasures. I also think turrets are a complete pain to fight against. I'm kind of hoping they make them very expensive to discourage the use of them!

Yah turrets are more expensive than gimbal, usually twice as much to buy them. Don't know if the ammo is a different cost but I doubt it. That said Chaff is the answer to them, that and evasive maneuvers of course. All ships have blind spots, you just gotta learn where they are (But it's usually the ass end).

[Flip]

Some of them have very good shields that recharge very fast. So they must be using upgraded parts rather than just the base parts.

They can use the shield cell banks, now. They couldn't in b2.

Good post, BTW!

[Jockgit64]

Excellent post.

Looking forward to getting into some combat, I have tried to keep away from it but thought I might as well give it a go before the Gamma wipe.

Going to spend some time practicing using the tutorials before I throw myself into the fray though.

[GlobusDiablo]

Good read. Nothing to add. Thanks.

[ZATZAi]

They can use the shield cell banks, now. They couldn't in b2.

Ah that makes sense. The Ai is slowly becoming more human!

[Jockgit64]

I, for one, welcome our sentient AI overlords.

[ZATZAi]

So I ran into some interesting things tonight while hunting in Morgor. One is I came across an NPC Furball, 2 Cobras and 4 Sidewinders all dogfighting with each other. The Cobras and Sidewinders appeared to be from different factions and they were working in teams to take each other out. This was at the Nav Beacon not a war zone. Other ships came and went during the fight, and I took on whoever had a bounty...

I also came across my first NPC Wolfpack later that same night. Two sidewinders that were double clean (No local or K-Warrant bounties) working together to attack targets, including me. When I attacked one the second tried to help, sort of, it had a hard time keeping up with me. Eventually the first ship tried to run while the second continued to fight. Nipped em both, but it was interesting.


-ZATZAi