Getting better against cyclopses, still not winning.
18 Aug 2018Thunktone
3304 August 18, Saturday13:18
The two big issues I've faced fighting the thargoids recently are hitting the hearts, and getting away from the "lightning" weapon. I've paid a visit to Professor Palin to get my thrusters upgraded. I can boost away from them quite effectively now.
I also had some fresh modules delivered from Shinrarta to upgrade my Challenger. I got a guardian power distributor and a bunch of weapon options sent out.
It now carries three gauss cannons which is even more devastating against the scouts. Two good hits can take one out and I just took out a pair of Marauders with 99% hull left. I went straight from there into a threat 5 and challenged a Cyclops. My best performance yet.
The new thrusters not only got me out of range of range of its lightning, they are giving me a much more stable platform to aim the gauss cannons. I took the first heart out very quickly. Then I didn't run for long enough, I think. I got hit by the lightning after turning back too soon.
But I proved the worth of the thruster upgrade, it's my own error that cost me. I quickly opened up a second heart and got a good early hit on it. But then my canopy gave in. Somehow I managed to destroy the second heart but it took way too many shots, lots of near misses.
I wonder if Aegis could come up with an AX cannon? Something that would still damage the heart a bit on a near miss. But what do I know about weapon engineering?
I fled after the second heart went. 50% hull. I know I can beat them with a bit more practice.
PS
I got hyperdicted for the second time earlier. I was heading back out to the Pleiades in my Orca and I got pulled out as I tried to jump to Maia. Fortunately I just had enough fuel to complete the jump.
15:58
So close and yet.. kaboom.
I just took out three hearts, then my canopy failed again. That's my biggest problem against a lone cyclops now, not my thrusters, and not aiming at the hearts. If I get three gauss cannons on the heart it very nearly pops in one go, two good shots is enough.
I was destroyed as I tried to flee, quite dramatic. The heat had devastated my modules - I never got hit by a corrosive missile. My thrusters kept cutting out and my FSD wouldn't function long enough to get me into supercruise. I rebooted twice, switched off all non-essential modules, but eventually I was destroyed.
I could have gotten away if I'd carried an AFMU, but that would be planning for failure. Or would it? I could use it to repair the canopy between hearts. It might be far more useful than a fuel scoop. It'd be quite a process though. Stow hardpoints, wait for AFMU to come online, repair canopy, ready weapons, back to the fight. The fuel scoop is unnecessary anyway. Extra module reinforcement is another option.
Replacing the shard cannon is actually worth considering, but I'm also tempted to replace the gauss cannon with those hybrid plasma things. I hear pilots say they are harder to hit with than the gauss cannons but I suspect they are sniping from a lot further away than I like to fight. Choosing when to release the shot could be a big boon. And with skillful piloting it may be possible to aim them through an intact piece of glass when my canopy goes.
And the heat was an issue. If I could get the heart in just two shots I might be OK, but three or four is burning me up. I don't think anything corrosive hit me this time and I have a sinking suspicion it was my own weapons that cracked the canopy. I'm certain it was them that prevented my escape by making my FSD malfunction.
So plasma is worth a try. Ehh, I thought I was done with Guardian puzzle boxes.