Light Fighter Combat Tactics

[Fletcher]

I am usually only taking part in PvP combat fully with my LPI Liberator, since I don't have any other good combat ships.

The tactics I could use a refresher on is combating other fighters and bombers. Taking on a gunboat solo is not a good idea.

When I take on less agile opponents, I think I've manage to nail a tactic that can turn things into my favour. In my experience, people tend to hit engine kill a lot in a joust, I believe my tactic is turning this into thier folly. I drop a screamer mine after a joust, engine kill and as soon as he/she is in my sight, fire a CD at him/her, and if I'm lucky and he got near to it, will bring his/her shields down where my missiles can wreak havoc.

Not sure if I'm the only one using this tactic, but it is very effective against heavy+ fighters and bombers. This gives my Liberator a chance.


Are there any other tactics you'd like to share or critique?

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"Oh chuffing blimey, another day, another person being whiney!"
Fletcher's Feedback and Stories Thread

[Aoyagi]

Well, I prefer having shield busters and nukes for killing hull... But that might be because I flied Arrow for some time...

[Jimothy]

Well, I only use my LF for racing, but am currently in the process of setting up a Rheinland Police char, and he'll have a LF.
I may not have any tactics myself, but consider this one stolen for use by me...

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I was formerly know as Spiritar.

It's been a while.

[Fletcher]

Well, I only use my LF for racing, but am currently in the process of setting up a Rheinland Police char, and he'll have a LF.
I may not have any tactics myself, but consider this one stolen for use by me...

If mine is original, I claim credit for your kills with this tactic :laugh:

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"Oh chuffing blimey, another day, another person being whiney!"
Fletcher's Feedback and Stories Thread

[BaconSoda]

I prefer Ripper Mines. You know, the ones that don't insta-kill you but do 11,000 damage.

But, I use them sparingly. I usually pretend to joust first pass, then turn early. I missed some 1-2 seconds of jousting time, but I can stay on their tail now. By staying close and strafing around, I can make the person Ekill and drop a mine as I pass close or just rip them up with guns, and this is their folly, as you said. But in the same way, it is their savior.

The main thing I have found in a LF is that you can't get dragged into a joust. It's easy to let the person joust you as he Ekills, since you can't catch up to him, as you can in a bomber vs GB or something, but you can never let him.

Another thing I like to do is if I can't stay on the guy's tail, I let him think he is on my tail (Let him stay behind me and turn sharply), and then I can out-turn him. Eventually he will Ekill again, and then I repeat. It takes longer if I hustle them, but, it's more fun sometimes. :D

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[8:32:45 PM] Dusty Lens: Oh no, let me get that. Hello? Oh it's my grandma. She says to be roleplay.
[12:49:19 AM] Elgatodiablo: You know its nice that you have all that proof and all, Bacon... but I just don't believe you.

[ivr56]

Mines/Shield Busters and CDs are your best tools. So are missiles if you don't use Hull Busting Weps.

Since 2 9s or 2 8s or a combo wont do all that much damage.
Since you have a Liberator, Vengeances or Magma Hammers, two extremes (5.00+ Forgot what Vengies are and 2.00s for Hammers) You have to hit quite a bit to make a dent or difference.


Detpack, 2 Mines or more then CD it when they get close to em after you spin around to face them for another pass.
Do it when their Shield is down it does allot of damage if your using Ripper or Nukes. Works with Screamers also.
I personally prefer Nukes and Shield/Hull busting weapons.
If you get good at it, it can turn the fight in your favor.

Or you can stay behind them and harass them. Break earlier in a joust and follow em while using your weapons. He tries to drop mines you can shoot them once he drops em.

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[Drake]

CDs are your best friend. Versus ships which make use of missiles and mines, you can do a lot of damage.

Nuke mines are effective, but dangerous. One wrong mine and you're toast. I prefer Screamers, since they drop shields (a single LF with Screamers can even drop a transport shield, and make dents in GBs and cruisers), kill power plants, and don't kill you. Rippers also work well, and they're faster and track better, but are useless versus transports+ (though, really, LFs shouldn't taking on transports or gunboats solo).

I mostly use my LF in large group fights, so I no longer use missiles. The lag I get makes them useless, and I always end up running out. However, dueling with 3 Debs and a Cannonball can be very effective. Or 2 Debs and Screamers, a Cannonball and a Firestalker.

Never joust close. Shoot your missiles/drop mines/whatever, then veer off quick before they have a chance to really hit you.

If you dodge well, LFs are the best ships for surviving gankings. I once survived solo (in a Liberator) against 2 gunboats (with missiles), a Falcata and a Sabre for over 20 minutes, and would have killed the Falcata if the GBs hadn't started feeding him bots.

[Thexare]

I have a very counterintuitive suggestion for large battles, involving all sorts of fighters, bombers, and caps:

If your own capitals aren't in trouble, or you don't have any, charge right at theirs. Chances are they're not gonna be able to keep track of who is what ship, and they'll assume in the chaos of a battle that whatever is charging at them and shooting them actually can kill them. This will draw fire away from the bombers.

I've done this against smuggling Luxury Liners (in a Karasu HF) and the old Corsair Lunchbox (in a Scimitar) to great effect.

You'll have to be good at dodging to pull it off, though.

[Hundra]

I am usually only taking part in PvP combat fully with my LPI Liberator, since I don't have any other good combat ships.

The tactics I could use a refresher on is combating other fighters and bombers. Taking on a gunboat solo is not a good idea.

When I take on less agile opponents, I think I've manage to nail a tactic that can turn things into my favour. In my experience, people tend to hit engine kill a lot in a joust, I believe my tactic is turning this into thier folly. I drop a screamer mine after a joust, engine kill and as soon as he/she is in my sight, fire a CD at him/her, and if I'm lucky and he got near to it, will bring his/her shields down where my missiles can wreak havoc.

Not sure if I'm the only one using this tactic, but it is very effective against heavy+ fighters and bombers. This gives my Liberator a chance.
Are there any other tactics you'd like to share or critique?

lolwhy are you jousting in a light fighter?

[reavengitair]

lolwhy are you jousting in a light fighter?

Because its especially fun vsing people one on one in a lf when your opponent is in a barghest?