Dogfighters

[Mr_Average]

I want to shoot at things. I want to shoot at things and have a decent chance of winning cos I'm shite at shooting things (can't beat that Tutorial where you have to use silent running - and I've tried loads of times). I started the Viper loadout thread to learn what I'd have to do to setup a decent dogfighter so I could shoot at things. Now it seems the Viper has been hobbled.

I've got a million Cr. I want to be able to setup either a Sidey or an Eagle or a Viper or a Cobra so that I can have a very high chance of winning dogfights.

So ... can the Sidey be setup to be shit-hot?
Is the Eagle worth spending dosh on to make it better?
Is the cost difference for a Cobra justified?
Can a Viper be the tough guy with a million Cr?

[Brightside]

I could do with some help as well.

I'm flying a Cobra with just about every system upgraded. I've splashed about 1m on it and this is my loadout.
2x Class 2 Gimbled Multi-cannons
2x Class 1 Gimbled Burst Lasters
Chaff Launcher
Point Defense Turret
Reinforced Alloys
4C Power Plant
4C/D Thrusters
4E Frame Shift Drive
3C Life Support
3C Power Distributor
3E Sensors
4E Shield Generator (needs upgrading)
2x Class 4 Cargo Racks (32 Tons)
Class 2 Cargo Rack (Looking to replace this with a Surface Scanner or something)
Standard Docking Computer (best buy in the game, 4/5 of my deaths have been docking mishaps of one kind or another)
Basic Discovery Scanner

This being the case, I am sourly disappointing at being continuously outmatched in combat. I've only made 4 kills and whenever I go near a combat zone or get into a fight with multiple ships I get my ass handed to me. Can anybody advise what I could do to improve my combat capabilities or skill?

(Don't tell me to get a joystick or HOTAS system)

[Rune]

I can only speak from experience on the Cobra as I've been pretty much been flying that exclusively since B2, here's my thoughts for what they're worth.

@Mr_Average

Get an Eagle. Designed for combat more than the Sidewinder and the upgrade parts won't cost as much as a Viper or Cobra due to it being a smaller ship. 1 million credits won't get you very far upgrading a Cobra (best parts on power plant, FSD, thrusters etc are A4 which cost 1.6 million cr a piece). I'd imagine you'd be able to kit out an Eagle quite nicely with that though. Just remember you will be limited to small cargo runs if you fancy doing something other than combat.

@Aves Roke

You need to do some more serious upgrades. E4 thrusters are pretty poor and give very little turn rate so you're going to get out manoeuvred in combat. I've currently got Power Plant - B4, Thrusters - A4, Power Distribution A3 and military grade composite.

Not at my desktop PC atm so can't check weapons but think I have a Class 2 turreted multi cannon, Class 2 gimballed beam laser, class 1 gimballed pulse laser and a class 1 missile launcher. Only fights I've had have been when I've been interdicted but haven't lost any yet *touch wood*.

[Avago-Earo]

I have seen a You Tube video where someone had indeed rigged up a Sidewinder into a well good bollock kicking competition winner. I think this was in Beta 3. A lot of stripping down with lighter modules to allow for extra power to weapons I'm quite sure. Also something done to make it more nimble if I recall correctly. Whatever, it punched well above it's weight. I will try to find it but don't hold your breath.

[SJT]

I've got a Sidewinder in the hangar at the moment with a bunch of class A units on it. (still looking for better shields). Went toe to toe with a PC in Open play (he started it) and I almost won but had to bug out in the end. The weapons were bog standard Pulse Lasers.

I'm not a great dogfighter but the kit makes a hell of a difference.

[Ironclad]

My 2 cents, Having flowen the Eagle, Viper and Cobra (Eagle & Viper on B2 Cobra on B2 & B3).
The stock Eagle was a joy, with the right weapon combo and upgrades it can dish out alot of pain...BUT it can't take any pain. Your best tactics are to boom & zoom (or joust) get in close, unload everything on him, get away fast. Since alot of the NPC AI will not be tempted to go toe to toe with you in a turning fight but will prefere to joust (specially the tougher, higher ranking ones) the Eagle strength is somewhat negated. I used a stock Eagle with 2 multi cannons and a regular cannon. Worked well on sidy's not so well on bigger ships. Using energy weapon requires you upgrade the components since it lacks the power for the 3 weapon slots. Also since the data delivery missions (go there, deliver this data) pay was cut drasticlly, you are very limited.

The viper is a mean machine. Hard hitting, can take a beating and fast enough to get you out of trouble IF you upgrade it. Stock Vipers are very short ranged and turn slower than a Cobra. The Viper requires alot of credits to maintain and upgrade. With the tight weapon grouping i ran 4 class 1 cannons and with practice could score alot of hits close range. Now with the "smarter| AI, i would go 2 AC's and 2 Beam Lasers probably. There are numerous threads on the viper on the Frontier forums.

Cobra, what can I say, it can & will do everything. Want to trade? has 18 cargo units from the get go, can upgrade to 3x16 . Want to bountyhunt? Tough, good shields, same wpn loadout as a viper (not as good wpn grouping though), good range. Explore? Mine? Can do.
I have about 1mil credits in my Cobra and the sky is the limit since top tier upgrades are in the millions.

I would, however, start slow. Tke the cidy to the resource extraction stes, You can pick your fights, the pirates will not engage you unless you have engaged them and I havn't seen them gang up on me (lthough I have read in the forum it happens).

Taking on the USS and NAV points might get you in trouble fast. This morning i was jumped by a wanted fed drop ship that came out of no where and attacked me. Bad mistake, i took some dammage and got a nice 13k bounty. I dount i could have survived if I wasent in a cobra or a viper.

Experiment, get to know the ships, and figure out your fighting style.

Good Hunting!

[JonnyCombat]

The Eagle is a very underestimated and capable fighter. 2 lasers, and a multi cannon on the roof make it a great fighter. It can out turn anything, isn't too slow, and the lack of decent hull armour will make you a better pilot in the long run.

The only debilitating characteristic is the god awful power plant in comes with. Upgrade that thing first (Moxon's Mojo in Bolg seems to stock good power plants).

[Mr_Average]

@Rune thankyou for the advice. I got an eagle and really enjoyed myself. Never had to use the shield cells (not actually sure that I know how) and at the end of my fighting the hull was down to 73%, but the manoeuvrability was impressive - lots of thruster usage to turn quickly and the speed was fine against the cobras. Might swap a multi-cannon for a gimballed laser.

[Flip]

Never had to use the shield cells (not actually sure that I know how)

You can assign them to a fire group, or give them a hotkey/button. To use them, just trigger them before your shield is completely down. They will increase greatly the speed at which the shield regenerates. You have only six cells, so keep that in mind to make sure you don't run out during a fight. They're reloaded in stations with the rest.

[Rune]

@Rune thankyou for the advice. I got an eagle and really enjoyed myself. Never had to use the shield cells (not actually sure that I know how) and at the end of my fighting the hull was down to 73%, but the manoeuvrability was impressive - lots of thruster usage to turn quickly and the speed was fine against the cobras. Might swap a multi-cannon for a gimballed laser.

Excellent, glad to hear that you're enjoying your new ship