M8s - How and Why

[shifty lookin spoon]

Ok so i thought i have to get my hands on one and with the only real factor in an m8 being its speed i thought the Viper is the only one for me, little did i know that this was more of a fantastic decision than i realised.

At first i regretted my new purchase, any number of missiles shot from a long range were being shot down unless 3 or 4 volleys for a single m6 were being sent through but i found the key to making at least one or two connect every time-

What is important is that the Viper's speed is the closest to that of the Tomahawk so while heading direct at my target maybe 5 km off and easily out of range i found if i fire single missiles as rapidly as possible while strafing in one direction this creates a fan shape of missiles heading for an opponent that turrets have alomost no chance of shooting down (especially if your oponent is heading toward you as this gives the turrets even less time)

Anyone else have any bright ideas to add? I wish one of the M8s could mount wasps too - the ultimate turret distraction tool... do fighter drones work well? Or do they just get in the way of the missiles...

Gotta say, I love this latest incarnation of X

[thiosk]

don't m8s have a barrage command? I thought they did anyway. I think you'll find fresh utility if they do.

[shifty lookin spoon]

Yeah they do but launching 8 missiles very close to each other seems to more often than not all being shot down very quickly... its too inefficient for my liking

[NUKLEAR-SLUG]

Barrage is fine for large capital ships and stations but for smaller ships it's better to single-fire.

[Thelic]

In my experience M8s are better used as stationary artillery platforms outside the battlespace than as missile-toting fighters. Keep them out of the line of fire and use them yourself to prep ships for boarding or remotely order barrages to clean out sectors.

[Snowship]

I use M8 primarily for Capital ship killing (M1/2 only) in Corp/Assassination & Patrol missions only... I find them more missile efficient than using a M7M.
It's really the only use my M8's get

[Tiedyeguy]

I use M8 primarily for Capital ship killing (M1/2 only) in Corp/Assassination & Patrol missions only... I find them more missile efficient than using a M7M.
It's really the only use my M8's get

They are also great for clearing the home sector of what ever race you dislike the most

[MadGizmo]

M8s seem to be great to bomb stationary objects at a distance. They don't have the shields to engage in combat. If you want to use similar missiles for combat purposes then use a M7M.

[X-Tie]

M8s would do better with some kind of Flail-like missile to distract turrets... Using fighter drones is an option though, but most of them get blown away by the tomahawk blasts I've found.

Missile barrage on an M8 works fine, but you need to be far away: they fire out really close together and will get shot down easily that way, however the further you are the more they spread out and the more efficient they will be. Better still to position yourself with the target flying in your direction that way missiles don't chase after it and more will hit.

[paul1290]

I use my Gladiator as a sort of on demand fire support.

I usually fly around in a Heavy Centaur Prototype. Whenever I need something M7 or bigger dead I just have my Gladiator jump in through the safest gate and tell it to fire off a couple volleys with the missile barrage command.