Xeno Hunter

Ever since the alien race called the Thargoid became prosperous again in 3303, human civilization has been in desperate need of commanders to help repel it. The stakes of this type of battle are high, requiring special weapons and knowledge of special tactics to fight them. Despite the benefits, the battle with the Thargoids was an exciting experience for the surviving pilots.

This career is a part of them, involves finding Thargoids, cold orbitting and more.

Thargoid Variants

Thargoids come in 5 known classes: Titans, Interceptors, Hunters, Scouts, and ground variants.

Thargoid Scouts

Main article: Thargoid Scout

Thargoid Scouts

Thargoid Scouts are a smaller variant of the Thargoid interceptor. They come in four variants: Berserker, Inciter, Marauder, and Regenerator. Each with different special abilities. Scouts are immediately hostile and in groups can deal significant damage to an unprepared pilot. Scouts, unlike interceptors, have 77% resistance to human weapons, rather than 99%. This reduced damage resistance makes it possible to kill Scouts with human weapon systems, however specialized AX weapon systems are still far more effective and efficient than their human counterparts.

Thargoid Interceptor

Main article: Thargoid Interceptor

Thargoid Interceptor Orthrus

Thargoid Interceptors come in five variants: Orthrus, Cyclops, Basilisk, Medusa and Hydra, in ascending level of difficulty. Each next variant has more hearts and is tougher than the last, requiring more damage destroy them. The Orthrus is a special class of interceptor without hearts. Interceptors use very high damage output weapons, crowd-control style special abilities, and deploy Thargon drone swarms to wreak havoc on the battlefield.

Thargoid Hunter

Main article: Thargoid Hunter

Thargoid Hunter Glaive

Thargoid Hunters are the newest class spotted, and come in two variants: Glaives and Scythes. Hunters have very high mobility, fire FSD disruptor and caustic missiles, and deploy an anti-guardian field similar to the Orthrus.

Thargoid Titan

Main article: Thargoid Titan

Thargoid Titan

Thargoid Titans are large capital class Thargoid vessels, and can be found at the center of Maelstroms. Thargoid planetary structures surface sites, and barnacle matrix sites also bear many similarities to the Titans found in space.

Where to find Thargoids

File:Thargoidmap.png

Thargoid Activity Map

Thargoids can be found at systems located within the Coalsack, Pleiades, Witch Head Nebula. Through it has been reported by the community that the Pleiades and Witch Head Nebulas seem to have the most Thargoid activity. There are a few ways to find them while within these Nebulas.

Non-Human Signal Sources

Main article: Non-Human Signal Source

Found in areas with Thargoid activity, these signal sources can usually guarantee an extraterrestrial encounter of some kind given the name. These signal sources can be found in supercruise, and scanning a Nav Beacon when entering a system will reveal all of the Non-Human Signal Sources.

When found, the signal sources will have a threat level attached to them. Many different combinations of Thargoids can be found in groups or solo based on the attached threat level. It should go without saying that the higher the threat level, the more difficult, and the lower the threat level, the least difficult.

Hyperdiction

Main article: Hyperdiction

In a twist of fate, Hyperdictions are not a way for the player to find Thargoids but instead to find the player. A Hyperdiction is the act of pulling a player directly out of Witch Space while in the middle of traveling to a different system. It is a very cinematic and unique experience that every player should have the opportunity to experience for themselves.

When a player is Hyperdicted, they will drop out of Hyperspace somewhere between the star systems they were jumping from. Upon dropping out, the Thargoid will emit an EMP attack shutting the ship’s system down.

Suggested Ships

There are three recommended ships for Xeno Hunting.

Alliance Chieftain

The shieldless Alliance Chieftain is the undisputed AX meta, just like the Fer-de-Lance in PVP. Providing good hull, cargo space, agility, and firepower, the Chieftain is able to effortlessly cold orbit while maintaining devastating gauss fire. Its ample hardpoints also allow for four gauss cannons in addition to a flak launcher and thermal vent beam laser. Its sister ship, the Alliance Challenger, provides more damage and hull at the cost of speed.

Alliance Challenger

The Alliance Challenger, sister ship of the more popular Alliance Chieftain, is a slower alternative with higher damage output against an interceptor’s shields. Depending on preference, it can also have more raw hull than a standard Chieftain build. Its three medium hardpoints with good convergence make it a better platform for running modified Shard Cannons or Plasma Chargers.

Krait Mk II

The Krait Mk II is a tried and true favorite of maelstrom divers, as it offers substantial firepower and optional internals, while still maintaining good maneuverability.

Commom Mistakes

Without a solid understanding of AX Mechanics it is very easy to make simple mistake when putting together an AX Ship. Here are some common mistakes people have made in the past… so you don’t have to!

Point-Defence Turret

Although it may seem like a good idea at first, point defence is hopelessly ineffective in Thargoid combat. Point Defence will fire upon both caustic and Thargon missiles, but it is incapable of actually hitting them. On top of this, they also have a habit of shooting down friendly Flak Launcher projectiles.

Ship-Launched Fighter

A somewhat controversial topic as there are still some particular uses for these, however in typical AX fights, Ship Launched Fighters (or SLFs) are more of a bother than they are a benefit. Due to their paper thin hull, mediocre damage and laughable lifespan, even a SLF in the hands of a good pilot will still be less beneficial to perhaps using that same module slot for some more armour. Keep in mind that an AI pilot will also be taking a cut of all profits and rank obtained in the meantime too.

Resistance

Thargoid weapons deal absolute/caustic damage, this means any Thermal/Kinetic/Explosion resistances on either your shields or hull will do nothing and be completely bypassed. Focus only on absolute shield and hull values.

Defeating a Thargoid

To destroy a Thargoid, it is important to understand its shield and regeneration capabilities. There are four variants of Thargoid Interceptors: Cyclops, Basilisk, Medusa, and Hydra. Thargoid Interceptors are protected by a shield which deteriorates over time. It takes 1 minute 45 seconds for a Cyclops shield to fall, 3 minutes for a Basilisk, 4 minutes for a Medusa, and 5 minutes for the Hydra. The rule of thumb is 2, 3, 4, 5. The shield will decay on its own; do not waste ammunition on the shields.

Once you drop into the Non-Human Signal source, the Thargoid will approach and scan you. Either let it scan you and turn away (if you wish to scan it), or begin firing just as it closes within 1.5 km while reversing slowly away. Stay within 1.5 km to avoid the damage falloff at range from gauss, deploy a heatsink, and begin firing, using the reload indicator on your hud to ensure you are firing immediately after your cannons reload (1.6 seconds). After you hear the sound of the heatsink eject, fire another.

When you engage a Thargoid, it will deploy a swarm. The Thargoid will also deploy another swarm every time a heart is destroyed. However if a swarm is still active when a heart is destroyed, the Thargoid will bank the swarm, holding onto it until the other swarm is destroyed or depleted to a very low number (which it will then proceed to refill with the new swarm).

Thargoid weapons deal phasing damage, which means they will deal a percentage of damage directly through your shield, ignoring all resistances.

Once the shield is down, you must damage the hull of the interceptor to “exert” the heart. At this point one of the “petals” will glow red (or become smokey in the case of the hydra). You must hit the glowing part of the petal to damage the heart. You will know when you have destroyed it.

Continue firing until the heart is exerted (glows red and is listed as exerted if you have a xeno scanner equipped). At this point aim at the heart and fire. It should only take 3 direct gauss impacts for a Cyclops, 4 for a Basilisk, 5 for a Medusa, and 12.5 for a Hydra with regular ammunition.

Once the heart has been destroyed, transfer pips 2-4-0. Boost past the Thargoid if within 1 km, and away from the Thargoid if outside of 1 km. The Thargoid will charge yellow and begin chasing you, if it gets within range you will be hit by the lightning which will disrupt your systems, kill your momentum (Regardless of FA-OFF), and drain your shields.

Prior to attacking the next heart, you have a set time period during which the Thargoid is protected by a shield (2, 3, 4, 5 minutes for the respective Thargoid variant). In this time period you have three objectives, destroy the swarm, re-arm, and recharge your shields. After this time period and before the 6 minute mark (7 for Basilisk and Medusa, 8 for Hydra), you must exert and destroy the next heart. Otherwise the Thargoid will become enraged.

From this point on, fights are divided into two phases: swarm and heart destruction. Each Thargoid has a set number of “hearts” (4 on a Cyclops, 5 on a Basilisk, 6 on a Medusa, 8 on a Hydra). After the opening, you have destroyed one heart and have ~7 minutes until the Thargoid becomes “enraged”. An enraged Thargoid will launch a new swarm, and keep replacing it as soon as it is destroyed. The entire swarm will also turn into missiles at once, destroying less armoured ships outright. Enrage means you have likely lost.

Alternative way: Cold Orbitting

Cold orbiting is a technique used mainly with small and medium ships to avoid damage from the Interceptor’s main cannon. Cold Orbiting relies upon using heatsinks to stay cold while moving in an orbiting motion around the interceptor, a Thargoid cannot hit you with their main gun when: You are moving perpendicular to the Thargoid’s facing direction with sufficient speed and your ship’s effective heat is below 20% (Heatsinks, Thermal Vent or Silent Running). Cold orbiting can be used in different phases of the fight, while waiting for a shield to drop, cold orbiting can be maintained with a Thermal Vent Beam. During a Gauss attack run you will require constant heatsinks to avoid going above 20% heat.

Destroying a Titan

To destroy a Thargoid Titan, make sure to keep your ship cold to avoid various heat sources found in the Maelstroms. Open your Galaxy Map to locate a Thargoid Titan, you will see a red tornado icon on systems with Thargoid Maelstroms. Then plot a route to a system with Thargoid Maelstroms. Once arrived, as you proceed to the system, you will receive an Interdiction from Thargoids. The further you proceed, the more Interdiction you will receive.

Once you arrived at the Maelstrom, your team beacon will be disrupted by the Maelstrom and your FSD will fail as soon as you arrived in approximately 100 kilometers range. The destination marker will be disrupted, making the marker shows from place to place. You will receive caustic damage when you enter the Maelstrom, so the use of Caustic Sink Launcher is advised.

Set your throttle to maximum if essential and start your journey from the start to the centre of the Maelstroms. Make sure to use a Caustic Sink Launcher as you proceed and a Repair or Decontamination Limpet if your ship take enough damage. If your ship is above 20% heat, it is ill-advised to approach the Thargoid-like object named Thargoid Caustic Generator, as it will explode when your ship being close to it. When you see a shutdown-like field, activate the Thargoid Pulse Neutraliser and - remember to deploy a Heatsink Launcher if you see your heat is raising.

If you see a giant Thargoid ship, it mean you has arrived. Find and target Titan's heat vent then use your Guardian Torpedo Pylon to attack it until it is exposed. When it is exposed, attack it until it is retracted again. Then fly to a nearby asteroid and hide your ship behind the asteroid, then wait until a blue wave is generated. When the wave is ended, get out of the asteroid, locate another heat vent and repeat the process until a 24 hours countdown in the info panel show.

When a countdown is show, it mean the Titan is in a meltdown system, in which Titan will not send any attack anymore. A large explosion will occurr each destroyed Titan, and will disrupt the FSD. An inbox message will be send to the terminator of the Titan.

See also

Anti-Xeno Initiative