Elite Dangerous Wiki - User contributions [en-gb]

Combat

2018-12-11T13:22:27Z

82.70.121.81: /* Flight Assist */

{{RoleInfobox
| image = ATR unit 2.png
| risk = High
| reward = High
| timeinvestment = Medium
| suggestedships = [[Alliance Chieftain]]; [[Cobra MkIII]]; [[Eagle MkII]]; [[Fer-de-Lance]]; [[Federal Corvette]]; [[Federal Assault Ship]]; [[Python]]; [[Viper MkIII]]; [[Vulture]]
| suggestedupgrades = [[Fighter Hangar]]; [[Frame Shift Drive Interdictor]]; [[Hull Reinforcement Package]]; [[Shield Generator]]; [[Thrusters]]; [[Chaff Launcher]]; [[Shield Cell Bank]]s; [[Bulkheads]]; Assorted Weapons
}}
'''Combat''' is one of the three archetypal pilot [[roles]] recognized by the [[Pilots Federation]]. Combat encompasses multiple sub-roles, such as [[Assassin]], [[Bounty Hunter]], [[Mercenary]], and [[Pirate]]. Increasing Combat rank requires destroying other [[Ships]], and defeating pilots with higher Combat ranks rewards a greater amount of experience. Combat pilots use [[Hardpoint]]s equipped with weapons to disable a target's shield, and then deal damage to the hull until the target is destroyed. Combat can be experienced alone, in a [[Wings|Wing]], or in [[Multicrew]].

== Combat Tips ==
Learning to use [[thrusters]], keeping your throttle in the blue, situational awareness, good pip control and learning to anticipate rather than react to your targets actions are more valuable than [[Flight Assist]] off.<ref name=":0">https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/459810-Is-FA-off-the-answer-for-combat-flying/page4</ref>

=== Flight Assist ===
[[Flight Assist]] is one tool of many and not the most essential one. It allows you to make sharper turns which you couldn't have done without it, but there are more important things to learn.<ref name=":0" />

While it's a non issue in very fast turning ships, Flight Assist (FA) is essential for more boom and zoom style combat where you need to turn and gain distance at the same time so that your worse pitch rate is less of an issue. Without mastering FA-off, even something small like an [[Eagle]] can be a real pain to deal with when flying with a sluggish ship with an all gimballed setup.<ref name=":0" /> You can set FA Off on Hold for a handy button on the throttle. It can be used for drift/strafe, boost turns etc.

=== Pip Management ===
The most essential one is pip management (systems, engine and [[weapons]] power management). Know when you need energy in [[shield|shields]] and when you can afford to put it elsewhere. If you have a tool which allows you to assign macros, make some. For example use the two 4-ways on a HOTAS to quickly switch pip settings. However, while macros are helpful, the essential thing is to learn and know, when you can put power to weapons, when you should put them to engines and when you absolutely need them in systems. When fighting several enemies at the same time, permanent 4 pips in systems might be the way to go, but when fighting just one or two enemies, you can noticeably improve your performance by having energy elsewhere.<ref name=":0" />

=== Thrusters ===
About as important is to learn to use vertical [[thrusters]]. They can make substantial difference when trying to stay out of an enemies frontal view and thus to avoid incoming damage, while still keeping your [[weapons]] on target. Connected to that, know how to use the blue zone, when to leave it and when to return to it.<ref name=":0" />

=== Chaff, Shield Cell Banks, Heatsinks ===

After that, also know when to use [[chaff]], when to use your [[Shield Cell Bank|shield cell banks]], [[Heatsink Launcher|heatsinks]] etc.<ref name=":0" />

All in all, it's very much a matter of training and experience. You should take a small [[ship]], e.g. any kind of [[Eagle]] or [[Viper]] or the [[Imperial Courier]] and go fighting. Everybody makes mistakes when learning to fight. Mistakes usually are paid for at the rebuy screen. Thus learning in a cheaper ship is advantageous.<ref name=":0" />

As a side-note, people who learned to fight in smaller ships generally are also better [[pilot|pilots]] when going for bigger ships. People who started learning in big ship often just learned to rely on [[shield|shields]] and firepower to overwhelm the enemy. People who learned in small ships usually are better on the defensive side. This is all generally speaking. There are great pilots who started in big ships and people who started in small ships and just never learned.<ref name=":0" />

== Ranks and experience ==
{{Quote|Combat works slightly differently, this is done on the number of kills, but the points you get for each kill are based on the combat rank of the target relative to your combat rank so if you are harmless and kill an Elite ship you will get a large number of points, for example, if you are Deadly and kill a ship below Expert you will not get any.|Unnamed developer<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=167367 Answers from the devs #2]</ref>}}
This table is the current data of what experience points you earn for killing target ships with certain ranks.
{| class="article-table" style="font-size:75%;"
|+See the chart for a visual explanation of how rank progression works:<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=171025 Answers from the Devs #3]</ref>
|-
! rowspan="2" | Target Rank
! colspan="8" | Player Rank
|-
! Harmless
! Mostly Harmless
! Novice
! Competent
! Expert
! Master
! Dangerous
! Deadly
|-
! Harmless
|1.00
|0.75
|0.5
|0.25
|0
|0
|0
|0
|-
! Mostly Harmless
|1.25
|1.00
|0.75
|0.5
|0.25
|0
|0
|0
|-
! Novice
|1.50
|1.25
|1.00
|0.75
|0.5
|0.25
|0
|0
|-
! Competent
|1.75
|1.50
|1.25
|1.00
|0.75
|0.5
|0.25
|0
|-
! Expert
|2.00
|1.75
|1.50
|1.25
|1.00
|0.75
|0.5
|0.25
|-
! Master
|2.25
|2.00
|1.75
|1.50
|1.25
|1.00
|0.75
|0.5
|-
! Dangerous
|2.50
|2.25
|2.00
|1.75
|1.50
|1.25
|1.00
|0.75
|-
! Deadly
|2.75
|2.50
|2.25
|2.00
|1.75
|1.50
|1.25
|1.00
|-
! Elite
|3
|2.75
|2.50
|2.25
|2.00
|1.75
|1.50
|1.25
|}

==Notes==
*It takes approximately 2225 experience points to go from Deadly to Elite combat ranking. This equals 1780 Elite kills, or approximately 2400 kills based on a more average distribution of ships.<ref>[https://1drv.ms/x/s!Ar0FSkyFAeo_l_sqLZ_kByyQHSFerA Statistics collected by CMDR Remy Monsen]</ref>
*If a player has crew members (including AI crew members), combat experience points will be split amongst them. The exact split is unknown, though having one AI crew member roughly halves the experience points gained, doubling the number of kills required in order to rank up.
*If you want to fight [[Thargoids]], such as [[Thargoid Scout|Scouts]] and [[Thargoid Interceptor|Interceptors]], you'll need an entirely different set of weapons.
*[[Thargoid Scout|Thargoid Scouts]] are Elite rated, so if you're looking to improve your combat ranking or your NPC's combat ranking, scout-hunting is a fast way to do it.

== See also ==
* [[Crime & Punishment]]
* [[Interstellar Factors]]
* [[Bounty Hunter]]
* [[Smuggler]]
* [[Pirate]]

== Guides ==
<gallery>
File:Elite_Dangerous_Combat_Guide_(Episode_One_Thruster_Control)
File:Elite_Dangerous_Combat_Guide_(Episode_Two_Pip_Management)
File:Learning_FA_OFF_(Elite_Dangerous_Combat_Guides)
File:PVE_Corvette_-_Advanced_build_guide_Elite_dangerous_3.0_Beyond
</gallery>

== Videos ==
<gallery hideaddbutton="true">
File:Elite_Dangerous_(Trailer)_%E2%80%A2_CTRL_ALT_SPACE_2017
File:Ralfi%27s_Alley-_Elite_Dangerous_first_hours
File:%F0%9F%91%BD_Wing_VS_Thargoid_Cyclops_Variant_(Third_Person_View)
File:1v3_big_ship_pvp...this_is_why_you_engineer,i_let_them_live
File:Elite_Dangerous_EPIC_New_Camera
File:Assassin_Corvette_-_Built_For_The_Kill
File:CMDR_Marcus_Falden_vs_CMDR_KRUDDIE
</gallery>

== References ==
<references />
[[Category:Guides]]

Combat

2018-12-11T13:21:48Z

82.70.121.81: /* Flight Assist */

{{RoleInfobox
| image = ATR unit 2.png
| risk = High
| reward = High
| timeinvestment = Medium
| suggestedships = [[Alliance Chieftain]]; [[Cobra MkIII]]; [[Eagle MkII]]; [[Fer-de-Lance]]; [[Federal Corvette]]; [[Federal Assault Ship]]; [[Python]]; [[Viper MkIII]]; [[Vulture]]
| suggestedupgrades = [[Fighter Hangar]]; [[Frame Shift Drive Interdictor]]; [[Hull Reinforcement Package]]; [[Shield Generator]]; [[Thrusters]]; [[Chaff Launcher]]; [[Shield Cell Bank]]s; [[Bulkheads]]; Assorted Weapons
}}
'''Combat''' is one of the three archetypal pilot [[roles]] recognized by the [[Pilots Federation]]. Combat encompasses multiple sub-roles, such as [[Assassin]], [[Bounty Hunter]], [[Mercenary]], and [[Pirate]]. Increasing Combat rank requires destroying other [[Ships]], and defeating pilots with higher Combat ranks rewards a greater amount of experience. Combat pilots use [[Hardpoint]]s equipped with weapons to disable a target's shield, and then deal damage to the hull until the target is destroyed. Combat can be experienced alone, in a [[Wings|Wing]], or in [[Multicrew]].

== Combat Tips ==
Learning to use [[thrusters]], keeping your throttle in the blue, situational awareness, good pip control and learning to anticipate rather than react to your targets actions are more valuable than [[Flight Assist]] off.<ref name=":0">https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/459810-Is-FA-off-the-answer-for-combat-flying/page4</ref>

=== Flight Assist ===
[[Flight Assist]] is one tool of many and not the most essential one. It allows you to make sharper turns which you couldn't have done without it, but there are more important things to learn.<ref name=":0" />

While it's a non issue in very fast turning ships, Flight Assist (FA) is essential for more boom and zoom style combat where you need to turn and gain distance at the same time so that you're worse pitch rate is less of an issue. Without mastering FA-off, even something small like an [[Eagle]] can be a real pain to deal with when flying with a sluggish ship with an all gimballed setup.<ref name=":0" /> You can set FA Off on Hold for a handy button on the throttle. It can be used for drift/strafe, boost turns etc.

=== Pip Management ===
The most essential one is pip management (systems, engine and [[weapons]] power management). Know when you need energy in [[shield|shields]] and when you can afford to put it elsewhere. If you have a tool which allows you to assign macros, make some. For example use the two 4-ways on a HOTAS to quickly switch pip settings. However, while macros are helpful, the essential thing is to learn and know, when you can put power to weapons, when you should put them to engines and when you absolutely need them in systems. When fighting several enemies at the same time, permanent 4 pips in systems might be the way to go, but when fighting just one or two enemies, you can noticeably improve your performance by having energy elsewhere.<ref name=":0" />

=== Thrusters ===
About as important is to learn to use vertical [[thrusters]]. They can make substantial difference when trying to stay out of an enemies frontal view and thus to avoid incoming damage, while still keeping your [[weapons]] on target. Connected to that, know how to use the blue zone, when to leave it and when to return to it.<ref name=":0" />

=== Chaff, Shield Cell Banks, Heatsinks ===

After that, also know when to use [[chaff]], when to use your [[Shield Cell Bank|shield cell banks]], [[Heatsink Launcher|heatsinks]] etc.<ref name=":0" />

All in all, it's very much a matter of training and experience. You should take a small [[ship]], e.g. any kind of [[Eagle]] or [[Viper]] or the [[Imperial Courier]] and go fighting. Everybody makes mistakes when learning to fight. Mistakes usually are paid for at the rebuy screen. Thus learning in a cheaper ship is advantageous.<ref name=":0" />

As a side-note, people who learned to fight in smaller ships generally are also better [[pilot|pilots]] when going for bigger ships. People who started learning in big ship often just learned to rely on [[shield|shields]] and firepower to overwhelm the enemy. People who learned in small ships usually are better on the defensive side. This is all generally speaking. There are great pilots who started in big ships and people who started in small ships and just never learned.<ref name=":0" />

== Ranks and experience ==
{{Quote|Combat works slightly differently, this is done on the number of kills, but the points you get for each kill are based on the combat rank of the target relative to your combat rank so if you are harmless and kill an Elite ship you will get a large number of points, for example, if you are Deadly and kill a ship below Expert you will not get any.|Unnamed developer<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=167367 Answers from the devs #2]</ref>}}
This table is the current data of what experience points you earn for killing target ships with certain ranks.
{| class="article-table" style="font-size:75%;"
|+See the chart for a visual explanation of how rank progression works:<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=171025 Answers from the Devs #3]</ref>
|-
! rowspan="2" | Target Rank
! colspan="8" | Player Rank
|-
! Harmless
! Mostly Harmless
! Novice
! Competent
! Expert
! Master
! Dangerous
! Deadly
|-
! Harmless
|1.00
|0.75
|0.5
|0.25
|0
|0
|0
|0
|-
! Mostly Harmless
|1.25
|1.00
|0.75
|0.5
|0.25
|0
|0
|0
|-
! Novice
|1.50
|1.25
|1.00
|0.75
|0.5
|0.25
|0
|0
|-
! Competent
|1.75
|1.50
|1.25
|1.00
|0.75
|0.5
|0.25
|0
|-
! Expert
|2.00
|1.75
|1.50
|1.25
|1.00
|0.75
|0.5
|0.25
|-
! Master
|2.25
|2.00
|1.75
|1.50
|1.25
|1.00
|0.75
|0.5
|-
! Dangerous
|2.50
|2.25
|2.00
|1.75
|1.50
|1.25
|1.00
|0.75
|-
! Deadly
|2.75
|2.50
|2.25
|2.00
|1.75
|1.50
|1.25
|1.00
|-
! Elite
|3
|2.75
|2.50
|2.25
|2.00
|1.75
|1.50
|1.25
|}

==Notes==
*It takes approximately 2225 experience points to go from Deadly to Elite combat ranking. This equals 1780 Elite kills, or approximately 2400 kills based on a more average distribution of ships.<ref>[https://1drv.ms/x/s!Ar0FSkyFAeo_l_sqLZ_kByyQHSFerA Statistics collected by CMDR Remy Monsen]</ref>
*If a player has crew members (including AI crew members), combat experience points will be split amongst them. The exact split is unknown, though having one AI crew member roughly halves the experience points gained, doubling the number of kills required in order to rank up.
*If you want to fight [[Thargoids]], such as [[Thargoid Scout|Scouts]] and [[Thargoid Interceptor|Interceptors]], you'll need an entirely different set of weapons.
*[[Thargoid Scout|Thargoid Scouts]] are Elite rated, so if you're looking to improve your combat ranking or your NPC's combat ranking, scout-hunting is a fast way to do it.

== See also ==
* [[Crime & Punishment]]
* [[Interstellar Factors]]
* [[Bounty Hunter]]
* [[Smuggler]]
* [[Pirate]]

== Guides ==
<gallery>
File:Elite_Dangerous_Combat_Guide_(Episode_One_Thruster_Control)
File:Elite_Dangerous_Combat_Guide_(Episode_Two_Pip_Management)
File:Learning_FA_OFF_(Elite_Dangerous_Combat_Guides)
File:PVE_Corvette_-_Advanced_build_guide_Elite_dangerous_3.0_Beyond
</gallery>

== Videos ==
<gallery hideaddbutton="true">
File:Elite_Dangerous_(Trailer)_%E2%80%A2_CTRL_ALT_SPACE_2017
File:Ralfi%27s_Alley-_Elite_Dangerous_first_hours
File:%F0%9F%91%BD_Wing_VS_Thargoid_Cyclops_Variant_(Third_Person_View)
File:1v3_big_ship_pvp...this_is_why_you_engineer,i_let_them_live
File:Elite_Dangerous_EPIC_New_Camera
File:Assassin_Corvette_-_Built_For_The_Kill
File:CMDR_Marcus_Falden_vs_CMDR_KRUDDIE
</gallery>

== References ==
<references />
[[Category:Guides]]