Which is the best way to equip an M3 ship for attacking Khaaks? I have a Nova and can manage to kill the odd two or three, but when I meet a cluster I usually end up dead.
Would I be better off with another ship?
Any suggestions would be welcome.
Thanks
Khaak clusters X3
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Hammerhead from 35 km range into unbroken Cluster that is still cruising at half speed.
PSG (cannot do in Nova).
My choice is to not fight at all. I just run away. Flying Split ships too much starts to affect you after a while.
PSG (cannot do in Nova).
My choice is to not fight at all. I just run away. Flying Split ships too much starts to affect you after a while.
Goner Pancake Protector X
Insanity included at no extra charge.
There is no Box. I am the sand.
Insanity included at no extra charge.
There is no Box. I am the sand.
Depends on the size of the cluster, as jlehtone says, a hammerhead will always do the trick. Though you should not have a problem with smaller clusters in an m3, the khaak are no where near as powerful in x3 as in x2. Their weapons don't seem to do as much damage and the m5's are very fragile. Just make sure you take out the km3 first, then pick off the scouts.
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shifty_powers
- Posts: 2536
- Joined: Sun, 2. Oct 05, 13:56
If you don't have any friendly targets around then a paranid m3 with a load out of beta psg's will rip apart most khaak clusters very nicely indeed. PSG's are a bad idea if there are lots of police/military around mind 
"I believe that inherent within the God-given right to the pursuit of happiness, is the equally God-given right to the pursuit of unhappiness. That is why I support gay marriage", Chuck Lorre, 2008
If you're flying a Nova take a full loadout of BPACs. Works much better than HEPTs against the khaak.
Of course if you just want them gone hop in the M7 with a load of PSGs and watch the slideshow.
Of course if you just want them gone hop in the M7 with a load of PSGs and watch the slideshow.
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Alienmoe "But come on. You screwed up if you're dead."
Parazac "in my case, they should change the words to:
'uh oh, you just tried something silly didnt you!'"
-Talking about "The End"
Alienmoe "But come on. You screwed up if you're dead."
Parazac "in my case, they should change the words to:
'uh oh, you just tried something silly didnt you!'"
-Talking about "The End"
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J. Spartan
- Posts: 409
- Joined: Fri, 18. Nov 05, 12:22
I always used the following method to defeat a cluster of any size:
-Go in, kill KM3, jump out to a gate in the same sector. While the drive charges, try to dodge enemy fire (it's hard in case of kyons, but I try anyway...), and try to kill one or two M5s.
-After the jump, wait at the gate, let your shileds recharge. The M5s will be coming for you pretty fast, but they tend to vary in terms of maxed speed so they don't come at you as a cluster. So what I do is start moving towards them at max speed, killing them as they come. If I get overwhelmed again, I just repeat the jump to a different gate.
I only failed with this strategy once, when I didn't pay attention, ran out of cells and couldn't make the first jump.
-Go in, kill KM3, jump out to a gate in the same sector. While the drive charges, try to dodge enemy fire (it's hard in case of kyons, but I try anyway...), and try to kill one or two M5s.
-After the jump, wait at the gate, let your shileds recharge. The M5s will be coming for you pretty fast, but they tend to vary in terms of maxed speed so they don't come at you as a cluster. So what I do is start moving towards them at max speed, killing them as they come. If I get overwhelmed again, I just repeat the jump to a different gate.
I only failed with this strategy once, when I didn't pay attention, ran out of cells and couldn't make the first jump.
"Give a man a bullet, and he'll want a gun. Give a man a gun, and he'll be giving away the bullets."
Depends on the size of the cluster, if its a big one then is give em a nudge with AHEPTs then launch a Hurricane immediately that should smoke the scouts while they are breaking up. Scream in on the fighter with the AHEPTs should be dead bt the time I pass it. If there are any scounts that survived the missile switch to mass drivers and mop up. If its a small cluster I dont bother with the missile. Thats with either my Nova raider or Chimera.
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Tetris Anarchist
- Posts: 163
- Joined: Mon, 14. Nov 05, 05:22
My eclipse has enough shields to last through most clusters (even the large ones), so I just use my AHEPTS...
Any standard M3 (not of the Bala Gi persuasion) will be destroyed by the largest clusters unless you are using the aforementioned Hammerhead (aka unknown object) or PSG methods... You would be surprised how much damage 20 khaak scouts can do unchecked...
Any standard M3 (not of the Bala Gi persuasion) will be destroyed by the largest clusters unless you are using the aforementioned Hammerhead (aka unknown object) or PSG methods... You would be surprised how much damage 20 khaak scouts can do unchecked...
This is what I've done, and I find it to work wonders against Kha'ak clusters: If you are able to, try capturing a Xenon LX. Equip it with 8 Beta Pulse Beam Emitters. The scouts pop in less than a second each. If you're a decent shot, you can take out the whole cluster with 8 BPE in about five seconds - less, if you hit them quickly, just when they break apart (because they will be close together).
Destroying an joined cluster can be pretty simple with a little luck. First, if you decide to stay with the Nova, I would use the following load-out:
Weapons Group 1 -- 2xAHEPTs
Weapons Group 2 -- 2xAHEPTs plus the two from WG1 (total of 4xAHEPT)
Weapons Group 3 -- 2xMass Drivers
Weapons Group 4 -- Fill in your own here, but I'd normally use 2xAPACs
As you are approaching the cluster, switch to WG2. Once you are within firing range, just blast away. It takes a bit for the shots to reach the cluster. Once the first shots hit the cluster, it breaks apart and the trailing shots start to destroy scouts. Once the cluster breaks up, you should be within the 1-1.5 km range. Switch to WG3 and take out any scouts that you can in the first pass. If Betty decides to target the Fighter, switch to WG1 to destroy it. The rest is just mop-up work.
BTW, once in a while, one of the ships will think that it's smart to launch a missile while they're powering up. This usually happens as my HEPT fire is still incoming, so the missile is destroyed as soon as it's launched--taking out most, if not all, of the remaining ships.
I actually use this strategy with a Chimera and BPBEs instead of MDs. The only time I have troubles is:
1. The Cluster decides to break apart before I can get within HEPT range.
Time to run away unless it's a small or medium cluster.
2. It's one of the biggest clusters, none of the kha'ak ships fires a missile and Betty decides to target the fighter just after I switch to PBEs. Obviously, all three of these happening at once is very rare, so I've only run into this problem once or twice.
HTH
-red
Weapons Group 1 -- 2xAHEPTs
Weapons Group 2 -- 2xAHEPTs plus the two from WG1 (total of 4xAHEPT)
Weapons Group 3 -- 2xMass Drivers
Weapons Group 4 -- Fill in your own here, but I'd normally use 2xAPACs
As you are approaching the cluster, switch to WG2. Once you are within firing range, just blast away. It takes a bit for the shots to reach the cluster. Once the first shots hit the cluster, it breaks apart and the trailing shots start to destroy scouts. Once the cluster breaks up, you should be within the 1-1.5 km range. Switch to WG3 and take out any scouts that you can in the first pass. If Betty decides to target the Fighter, switch to WG1 to destroy it. The rest is just mop-up work.
BTW, once in a while, one of the ships will think that it's smart to launch a missile while they're powering up. This usually happens as my HEPT fire is still incoming, so the missile is destroyed as soon as it's launched--taking out most, if not all, of the remaining ships.
I actually use this strategy with a Chimera and BPBEs instead of MDs. The only time I have troubles is:
1. The Cluster decides to break apart before I can get within HEPT range.
Time to run away unless it's a small or medium cluster.
2. It's one of the biggest clusters, none of the kha'ak ships fires a missile and Betty decides to target the fighter just after I switch to PBEs. Obviously, all three of these happening at once is very rare, so I've only run into this problem once or twice.
HTH
-red
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Tetris Anarchist
- Posts: 163
- Joined: Mon, 14. Nov 05, 05:22
Most of the time, the Cluster breaks itself apart before I am in HEPT range... I can usually take out the fighter and a few of the scouts before the cluster actually goes "active" (i.e. flying around at high speeds), but 20 scouts can easily overwhelm any M3.
But I also get the enemy missile launch every now and then which takes care of all the scouts...
But I also get the enemy missile launch every now and then which takes care of all the scouts...
Careful use of the in-sector jump keeps you from getting overwhelmed in an M3.
Khaak ships have OK shields, but their hulls are about 60% of the hit points of any other race's ships of the same class. And the scouts are fast, so (after they become active) it helps to use a fast-moving projectile weapon.
When I'm fighting a mass of them, I swap mass drivers into all 8 forward slots, and each scout just dissolve as soon as I fire for effect. Kill one, jump in sector to the gate, then kill one or two more while the jump is powering up and your shields are wearing down. The jump takes effect, and your shield recharges while the Khaak close. Repeat. When you get them down to 4-5, as long as you keep moving dodging and killing, you don't have to jump away, even in a 1 25mj shield Mamba Raider. In a Mamba Raider, be careful not to use up your last mass driver ammo, because that leaves you with no ammunition for the anti-missile turret.
Hurricane missiles are sure-fire scout killers. (As are disruptors, if you're flying a Nova Raider, which unlike the Mamba can use that missile.) Wasps are OK, but only if the scouts are moving in a line toward you as opposed to maneuvering near a station--in the latter case, your swarm wasp missiles miss to often and sometimes hit the station instead. (So, with the jump technique, wasps are useful AFTER the first jump for breathing space. Remember that jumping, even in-system, breaks your missile locks, rendering any wasp that hasn't hit by then useless.)
As I understand it, killing Khaak scouts by blowing up their own missiles is a waste of potential rep-building killing opportunities, since you don't get credit for any enemy killed by its own missile.
Khaak ships have OK shields, but their hulls are about 60% of the hit points of any other race's ships of the same class. And the scouts are fast, so (after they become active) it helps to use a fast-moving projectile weapon.
When I'm fighting a mass of them, I swap mass drivers into all 8 forward slots, and each scout just dissolve as soon as I fire for effect. Kill one, jump in sector to the gate, then kill one or two more while the jump is powering up and your shields are wearing down. The jump takes effect, and your shield recharges while the Khaak close. Repeat. When you get them down to 4-5, as long as you keep moving dodging and killing, you don't have to jump away, even in a 1 25mj shield Mamba Raider. In a Mamba Raider, be careful not to use up your last mass driver ammo, because that leaves you with no ammunition for the anti-missile turret.
Hurricane missiles are sure-fire scout killers. (As are disruptors, if you're flying a Nova Raider, which unlike the Mamba can use that missile.) Wasps are OK, but only if the scouts are moving in a line toward you as opposed to maneuvering near a station--in the latter case, your swarm wasp missiles miss to often and sometimes hit the station instead. (So, with the jump technique, wasps are useful AFTER the first jump for breathing space. Remember that jumping, even in-system, breaks your missile locks, rendering any wasp that hasn't hit by then useless.)
As I understand it, killing Khaak scouts by blowing up their own missiles is a waste of potential rep-building killing opportunities, since you don't get credit for any enemy killed by its own missile.
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SaUbastyya
- Posts: 18
- Joined: Tue, 23. Jan 07, 20:06
All that is vastly too complex, if you ask me. Here is what I stumbled on, just last night.
I needed to take out a couple of clusters in some sectors I wanted to move some of my other ships through (safely). I got really tired of getting my butt handed to me, and its even more boring to wait around for the AI ships to deal with half the cluster so you can go play clean-up. So I tried a new tack.
Try it. I think you'll like it.
It has the upside of making a fight with a Kha'ak Cluster short, brutal, and reasonaby exciting. Its also dirt cheap (free), since its just energy, no missiles, no energy crystals for jumping, etc.
Good luck!
I needed to take out a couple of clusters in some sectors I wanted to move some of my other ships through (safely). I got really tired of getting my butt handed to me, and its even more boring to wait around for the AI ships to deal with half the cluster so you can go play clean-up. So I tried a new tack.
Spoiler
Show
Bear in mind I am still only piloting the free Mamba Raider you can find. Its a lovely ship, but very light on shields for an M3. Still, I got this to work 3 times in a row last night.
Make sure the cluster is still a cluster. If its already split, this won't work.
Mount 2 AHEPT's in one weapon group, and as many CIG's as you can in another. I only had 2 when I did this...it'll be WAY easier with the four I have on there now.
Rush directly at the Cluster at full speed (200 in this case). Keep it centered in your crosshairs. When you get about 7-8 km away, it should turn and start coming directly at you as well.
Switch to the CIG weapon group. Start firing at 6-6.5 km away. Keep firing constantly. The CIG's won't even drain your energy noticibly. When you hit the 4.5 km mark, and your laser targeting recticle comes up, make sure you are firing directly at it. Keep firing. Never stop firing!
As the first CIG pulse makes contact, the Cluster splits. Thats when the other CIG pulses start slamming home...with an Area-of-Effect goodness. Scouts start dying horribly.
Keep charging and firing.
In three tries last night, the highest number of Scouts that escaped destruction was 3. Out of upwards of a dozen or more in the cluster. The fighter always escapes, but as soon as you pass by them, you simply switch to the AHEPTs and finish off the cluster. 1 Fighter and 2-3 Scouts is a wash.
Again, in 3 tries, it worked every time, and I barely even got shot. The CIG's throw them around nicely as you are rushing in.
Make sure the cluster is still a cluster. If its already split, this won't work.
Mount 2 AHEPT's in one weapon group, and as many CIG's as you can in another. I only had 2 when I did this...it'll be WAY easier with the four I have on there now.
Rush directly at the Cluster at full speed (200 in this case). Keep it centered in your crosshairs. When you get about 7-8 km away, it should turn and start coming directly at you as well.
Switch to the CIG weapon group. Start firing at 6-6.5 km away. Keep firing constantly. The CIG's won't even drain your energy noticibly. When you hit the 4.5 km mark, and your laser targeting recticle comes up, make sure you are firing directly at it. Keep firing. Never stop firing!
As the first CIG pulse makes contact, the Cluster splits. Thats when the other CIG pulses start slamming home...with an Area-of-Effect goodness. Scouts start dying horribly.
Keep charging and firing.
In three tries last night, the highest number of Scouts that escaped destruction was 3. Out of upwards of a dozen or more in the cluster. The fighter always escapes, but as soon as you pass by them, you simply switch to the AHEPTs and finish off the cluster. 1 Fighter and 2-3 Scouts is a wash.
Again, in 3 tries, it worked every time, and I barely even got shot. The CIG's throw them around nicely as you are rushing in.
It has the upside of making a fight with a Kha'ak Cluster short, brutal, and reasonaby exciting. Its also dirt cheap (free), since its just energy, no missiles, no energy crystals for jumping, etc.
Good luck!
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unknown_object
- Posts: 69
- Joined: Thu, 21. Dec 06, 11:52
you dont even need to wasted the hammerheads a firestorm torpedo from one of ur fabs will do as will 2 hornets in very quick succession: 1st one separates cluster 2nd one vaporises scauts then theres only a fighter to manage. Both these missiles work at roughly 25 and 15k respectivly
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