Elite: Game talk

You can fight very well with the Mandalay. Two days ago I was attacked by a ganker in a Mandalay in Systen Orrere. My ship was an Imperial Cutter with a 6A Prismaschid, 5 railguns and two beam lasers. The Cutter is a freighter, armor 2500, no module reinforcement. The Ganker Mandalay was armed with two railguns and four missile racks. The rockets had the experimental effect of Penetrators Munitions. The ganker damaged all of my modules (approx. 33-77 percent) and 79 percent of my armor. The Mandalay was far too maneuverable and too fast, so I could hardly use my railguns. My shield barely received any damage (97 percent). He only let go of me because I rammed him three times and his armor was below 30 percent. What I want to say is that the Mandalay is definitely suitable for PvP and also for PVE combat. Properly configured, it can also be used for Thargoid combat.

08 Nov 2024, 12:55pm

Atusia DuvalYou can fight very well with the Mandalay. Two days ago I was attacked by a ganker in a Mandalay in Systen Orrere. My ship was an Imperial Cutter with a 6A Prismaschid, 5 railguns and two beam lasers. The Cutter is a freighter, armor 2500, no module reinforcement. The Ganker Mandalay was armed with two railguns and four missile racks. The rockets had the experimental effect of Penetrators Munitions. The ganker damaged all of my modules (approx. 33-77 percent) and 79 percent of my armor. The Mandalay was far too maneuverable and too fast, so I could hardly use my railguns. My shield barely received any damage (97 percent). He only let go of me because I rammed him three times and his armor was below 30 percent. What I want to say is that the Mandalay is definitely suitable for PvP and also for PVE combat. Properly configured, it can also be used for Thargoid combat.

Fantastic story, thanks for sharing! And this person really tried something against a Cutter

The agility of the Mandalay is mind-blowing, if you switch between FA on and off, you can do weird stuff. And with the right weapons, this is a deadly ship. For AX combat I will definitely get a weapons focused distro. But even with the usual charge enhanced/super conduits you do fine against Cyclops, Basilisks and even Medusas. Only with Hydras you need help (or need to be veeeery patient, which I'm not).
For me, the Mandalay is hands down the best ship released this year and easily in the Top 5 of all ED ships.

08 Nov 2024, 1:30pm

Atusia DuvalYou can fight very well with the Mandalay. Two days ago I was attacked by a ganker in a Mandalay in Systen Orrere. My ship was an Imperial Cutter with a 6A Prismaschid

The cutter maneuvers like a whale, it's not a good example to give when it comes to combat.

In my last sortie in a CZ I was targeted by two ships while engaging a target (that's 3 ships firing at me), I doubt very much that with this lack of Power a Mandalay would last half as long than a Krait MK II, you need Power to feed those modules and the Mandalay doesn't have much, try one in PvP against a good ship and a good pilot and come back when you get your story right.

So as I was saying it restrains this ship to passive modules and AX combat, more maneuverable or not, it won't last long in the conditions I have seen in a CZ.

RawnuThe agility of the Mandalay is mind-blowing,

If I can take down Viper and Vulture with a Corvette, I bet that there are more than a few ships which would take down a Mandalay on the basis of the low power and combat persistence.

Agility is no substitute to good shielding.

Just to remind you that you two were revving about "Paper build" not so long ago, that's the Mandalay in short.

Last edit: 08 Nov 2024, 1:36pm

08 Nov 2024, 1:52pm

Thinder

RawnuThe agility of the Mandalay is mind-blowing,

If I can take down Viper and Vulture with a Corvette, I bet that there are more than a few ships which would take down a Mandalay on the basis of the low power and combat persistence.

Agility is no substitute to good shielding.

Just to remind you that you two were revving about "Paper build" not so long ago, that's the Mandalay in short.

This Mandalay here wants a word with you

I do agree with CZs, those are difficult but mainly because the most efficient and impactful weapons on the Mandalay are rails. And if you don't want to slug your fuel at people, you gonna run out and synthesizing is... well, you talked about it already. But against three Elite NPCs around a CNB or a HazRes site? I dance around those any day (in fact I did that Mon thru Wed evening this week).
The Mandalay is the most versatile and interesting ship ED has brought out this year, I'm very much in that camp.

So, Mandalay all the way

08 Nov 2024, 1:54pm

By the way, this is my updated AX Mandalay, I can highly recommend trying it out. It's no "meta", but damn is it fun! Fly like a butterfly, sting like a bee

08 Nov 2024, 2:44pm

Rawnu

I do agree with CZs, those are difficult but mainly because the most efficient and impactful weapons on the Mandalay are rails.

You just made my point.

Rawnu
The Mandalay is the most versatile and interesting ship ED has brought out this year, I'm very much in that camp.

So, Mandalay all the way

Perhaps well but it doesn't make a combat ship of her for the reasons I have given.

What's your shielding? How many Shield Boosters do you have? How many Shield Cell Banks? What happen when you're hit by powerful weapons or multiple ships? So you find CZ difficult but didn't come across a worthy adversary yet?

40+° Yaw rate does nothing for fixed weapon accuracy and here we are talking REAL combat/high Weapon output/DPS, where ships exchange HP.

The reason why you find CZ difficult is because you can't kill your targets FAST enough and that relaxing the stability with Flight Assist OFF does make a slow, immobile target asking to be shot at.

CZ are the real world of ED Combat, there isn't much there other than killing your target fast because if you can't you already lost.

So Mandalay is not suited for those, she can't handle strong shield and strong weapons at the same time, I have one, I know her limits and wouldn't take her on a CZ for this reasons.

On the other hand, she might do well in AX combat because the limitation of her Power Plant might not apply to Passive Modules/Hull/Armor tanking, I don't know, I haven't tried but it might be possible to fit 4 X 2B MODIFIED GUARDIAN PLASMA CHARGERs or Gauss Cannons and Lasers.

BTW, this is my weapon fit for my Krait MK II and I have enough maneuverability to stay on target most of the time,, more shield, two Shield Cell Banks and I still find her limited at time, it depends of the level of aggressivity of the adversary.

Last edit: 08 Nov 2024, 2:54pm

08 Nov 2024, 2:58pm

"Real world of combat in ED" is a strong choice of words, neglecting bounty hunting, assassinations, pirating, AX, PvP etc. I do agree that CZs are not a strong suit for a lone Mandalay, as I've done in one of my very first posts about her combat abilities. In a wing, most certainly, she makes for a fine companion to a larger ship. But in all other instances, she has more than a fighting chance given the right pilot and right loadout. I will continue to experiment with her and see what more I can get out of this lovely ship.

Atusia Duval

08 Nov 2024, 3:06pm

Thinder You are well aware that a ganker attacks larger and larger ships in order to eliminate them. A ganker never chooses ships that are fast and heavily armed. I can't leave it alone that the imperial cutter reacts like a whale. I seem to have mastered the fight in FA-Off mode. In the FA-Off, the cutter can be turned to its opponent very quickly. If I hadn't fought in the FA-Off I probably would have been shot down. A well-equipped Mandalay will dismantle a Krait MK II in PvP. It's simply faster and more maneuverable than a Krait MK II. The ganker I fought against was Elite V and knew his stuff. Watch the video comparing the Mandalay, FDL and Python MK II.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNN0Iry_lws

Meowers

08 Nov 2024, 3:21pm

CZs?... One of the easiest things in the game. Only cardboard worthless idiots at HazRes and CNB are easier perhaps.

08 Nov 2024, 4:10pm

Rawnu"Real world of combat in ED" is a strong choice of words, neglecting bounty hunting, assassinations, pirating, AX, PvP etc.

The only ones I haven't done in quantity on your list are Pirating and PvP.

I don't consider Pirating/Ganking like fair and I'm a little old and slow for serious PvP.

I don't recall having to fight 2/3 ships simultaneously reading PvP report. Assassination, OK, I fought up to 5 target at once, two Escort Vultures, Two mercenary Anaconda, and the main target an FDL, they are harder to kill than bounty hunting.

I don't remember this being in the middle of a fureball with even more ships to kill and attacking you, that would be Combat persistence for you, not the Mandalay forte considering her Power output.

Atusia DuvalThinder You are well aware that a ganker attacks larger and larger ships in order to eliminate them.

From another game I got my motto Ganker are W.....s.

Atusia Duval A well-equipped Mandalay will dismantle a Krait MK II in PvP. It's simply faster and more maneuverable than a Krait MK II.

Again, agility is no substitute for shields. And BTW, the FDL is just as fast I kill them all the same.

Atusia DuvalThe ganker I fought against was Elite V and knew his stuff. Watch the video comparing the Mandalay, FDL and Python MK II.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNN0Iry_lws

Already watched this multiple times, it means nothing to me.

First of all everyone revs about the Yaw rate, but without curves, it doesn't work for fixed weapons accuracy, I have NO issues staying on target with my Corvette and killing fast and agile fighters using a 3C BEAM LASER [FIXED], even less with the Krait MK II using 2B MODIFIED GUARDIAN PLASMA CHARGER [FIXED].

Now tell me, with what weapon and what shield are you gonna dismantle a well fitted Krait MK II exactly? You point your nose at me, I'm gonna shot back and I have more of everything.

There's a limit between fantasy and reality, does she have more DPS than 3 ships on a CZ? As I said, if I can take down Vipers and Vultures I would have not much more problems with a Mandalay, I have MORE DPS, MORE shield and I can maneuver as well.

MeowersCZs?... One of the easiest things in the game. Only cardboard worthless idiots at HazRes and CNB are easier perhaps.

I'll pass.

Last edit: 08 Nov 2024, 4:18pm

Krunt9789

08 Nov 2024, 6:13pm

Vasil Vasilescu[quote=AH]
In my experience, ground combat pays way better for time vs reward. Just don't take the missions from Frontline solutions, it is a waste of time.

I've been trying to get Merits through Frontline Solutions, and failing.
Does applying for fights through Frontline take you out of Powerplay?

I'm not a ship combat guy, the on-foot stuff suits me just fine, IF I could get it to work.

08 Nov 2024, 7:30pm

OK. I'll pass the lectures on how to make of the Mandalay a Combat ship even so the developers themselves say it's not.

Here is a tip: Since GWanhers seems to have taken a liking for it, and it can't be fitted with 4 X MODIFIED GUARDIAN PLASMA CHARGERS, they most probably gonna resort to the use of X 2 Flechette weapons (Remote Release Flechette Launcher).

The fix is simple enough: Point Defence Turrets treats the projectile like missiles and destroy them before they can cause damages, mount two on top of your haulers, you'll know when they are fired and will have time to maneuver to open the angle for the turrets.

I have a few in store but don't need to use them, there aren't any in CZs.

Vasil Vasilescu

08 Nov 2024, 7:35pm

Krunt9789
I've been trying to get Merits through Frontline Solutions, and failing.
Does applying for fights through Frontline take you out of Powerplay?

I'm not a ship combat guy, the on-foot stuff suits me just fine, IF I could get it to work.

I can's say. I am not engaging in Power Play shenanigans.

Vasil Vasilescu

08 Nov 2024, 7:46pm