X:Tension Revisited. The Perseus Mission. Anyone remember that one?

[Mighty Midget]

I am currently doing the Perseus mission in X:Tension and have tracked down the stolen ship. Here's where I hope someone still remember how they managed to take down its shields... With the recoil from the shot and realigning the ship, I am lucky to get a double hit per second, more likely 3-5 seconds between hits, doing single twin shots to minimise the recoil, and still the shields won't go below 40%. As soon as they go below 50 it seems they recharge somewhat faster and 2-5 seconds between hits are just too much.

I know it's a tough one so I don't expect any easy way out of it but the way it is now, the shields recharge just too quick.

Is it just that I'm a terrible shot? Anyone remember this one?

[Rapier]

In the end, it just comes down to skill and perseverance. You need to get back on target quickly after the recoil, so I tended to go with single shots and use a joystick (for the finer movements required). It sounds like you're on the right line, just more practice needed. It also helps if you can judge when the recoil hasn't pushed you off target so you can get a quick second shot in.

I'm assuming you're keeping a short but safe enough difference in distance so the perseus isn't trying to evade at all.

[Mighty Midget]

Thanks tons for the reply. Seems someone still do remember it. Could it be because it's horribly difficult?

Yes, I keep it within 50-100m but too close I have already experienced the recoil throwing me off enough for him to escape and go into dogfighting.... not fun.

I do have a joystick. Brand new x52 Pro. Truth to be told XT is the Test of this new stick.

Perseverance and skills, ok, gotcha.

[Rapier]

I remember, in part because I found this earlier:
[ external image ]
Once you get it, try not to do this!

[Nanook]

I do remember that mission, quite clearly. My right wrist ached for hours after finally successfully completing it. I think I fought it for literally hours, too, over and over until I succeeded. Thanks for bringing back a physically painful memory.

P.S. One of the best, most intense fights I've ever had in an X game, btw.

[saibot]

You could attack the Perseus with a flock of drones or fully tuned Mambas to soften it up before you attempt a capture. Or you just let the Mambas blow it up if you're too frustrated.

[Mighty Midget]

Man this is bizarre. My 2 BHEPT's can't deal with the shields but 2 mambas made scrap metal out of it in a matter of minutes This makes very little sense to me. Is the game saying I should fly my personal mamba? (Not entirely serious there but what on earth?)

EDIT: Drones eh? That sounds like an idea!

EDIT #2 (the Reply button only takes me to the main forum index):
YAY. Finally got it. Brought the two mamba wingmen again only this time I got better at calling them back when the shield got too low. Took a few tries though, they tend to block eachother's shots and take the hit themselves but FINALLY: It worked. However, and this is where I need to take a deep breath: I thought I would have an opportunity to jump back to my carrier to stock up on hornets.... So now, replay. But that will be after the Holidays.

[Xenon_Slayer]

I'll be trying to get to the Perseus mission over the holidays. I've only done it once, way back when. I can't remember how long it took, maybe a hour.

[saibot]

General advice: A Joystick with a Z-axis should help to increase the probability of both guns hitting each shot. The perseus is a wide but fairly flat target and one problem I recall were one or both shots passing above and below (my stick at that time didn't have a z-axis). OTOH the widely spaced guns of the mamba should increase this problem for your wingmen. Strange.

[Mighty Midget]

Back at it and things have gone very well so far. Only one Xenon destroyer between me and the goal now but whoah that is one tough mother. Until now I have been very conservative on my wingmen using them only to help capturing the stolen ship but looks like all my squadrons of piranhas, mambas, prometheuses and whatnots are gonna have to earn their money. Good thing too my TL is nearby with a cartload of hornets. Methinks I don't have one too many of those.

[Mighty Midget]

Holy necro but instead of opening a new topic about the exact same thing as before, I hope the mods here forgive me.

Ok my Gold edition went caput but Steam came to the rescue. Nice. So, back at it again starting a new game from scratch. This mission has been as tough as I remember it but I finally have only one Xenon destroyer between me and victory. Went a different route this time to capture the Perseus. Had 2 Mamba wingmen and quick access to wingman commands through the stick. We took turn to bring down the shield and yet again I'm the proud owner of a ship I could consider trading in for one of these Xperimental ships... if only...

Anyway, saw the Boron Orca safe and sound to its destination and took out 1 destroyer that had been harrassing the Borons for ages, before clearing out this new sector, with a little help from my friends. The innermost enemy sector proved to be tough but I finally struck gold with a new tactics:

Ignoring the capitol ships, including a stupid fast destroyer, I aimed to take out the fighters, starting with the M3 ships. When they were down to 1 or none (things were a bit chaotic so I don't know), to my pleasant surprise, a Splitt M5 showed up and made mince meat of the Xenon M5s while I took care of the M4s. I can't remember getting help like that before but he was a very welcome sight. While dogfighting I managed to take out the 2 super slow capitol ships with a hailstorm of hornets. Finally, now it's only the fast one left but he is quite the challenge. Too fast for missiles and nasty shields that recharge too quickly for comfort. I am considering jumping out, and call in my 2 mambas with their AHEPTs. Or I should let them cool down after their trigger fest with Perseus. Those 2 maniacs don't care what crosses their crosshair. If it moves, which my ship tend to do, they open fire if they're not busy firing at eachother.

[Martin Head]

I seem to remember way back, when I played BTF/x Tension. If I had a capital ship that could out run missiles.

I would get it to target and chase me. Then I would get a good distance from it, then turn and fly straight at it. Just before I got within it's firing range, I would launch a few missiles, then veer off.

And the capital ship would not have time to get out of the way of the missiles.

[Mighty Midget]

I seem to remember way back, when I played BTF/x Tension. If I had a capital ship that could out run missiles.

I would get it to target and chase me. Then I would get a good distance from it, then turn and fly straight at it. Just before I got within it's firing range, I would launch a few missiles, then veer off.

And the capital ship would not have time to get out of the way of the missiles.

Funny you mentioned that tactics as it dawned on me just a few moments ago so I tried it. This is how it went down:

Got it to about 4km before it had completed its turn and came racing in towards me.

Turned for a head to head and aimed slightly off to avoid a collision.

Launched about 10 hornets at 2 km range.

Each and every one of the hornets veered off to avoid the incoming target, to position themselves behind it! The trail of hornets was clearly visible on the radar and they did indeed avoid the destroyer, only to turn in behind it.

This is a bit ridiculous.

I had slightly better luck lurking around the jump gate, very close, forcing the destroyer to either ram the jump gate, break off at speed or slow down.

1 in 5 it slowed down and the hornets managed to bring the shield down to 50% when he raced off to 10 km and stayed there until the shields were back at 100%.

This will take a good while.

EDIT:
This is truly ridiculous. So, I tried to use an asteroid as cover. That didn't end well. The maniac Xenon rammed the asteroid pushing the bloody rock so it slammed into my ship, instantly disintegrating it.

EDIT 2:
Ok, gloves off. Left the sector and the poor Splitt wolf to its destiny, and boarded the pegasus waiting nearby. 2 mambas and Perseus, all maxed out got to outside the enemy gate while I went in to draw some attention away from the gate. All 3 are through and expected at Getsu Fune shortly, where they will join the X Shuttle. If Perseus can't sort out that destroyer, I will call in the wingmen but I'd rather not seeing their trigger happyness and not always bright decision making.

EDIT 3:
28 hornets later and with the help of my 2 mambas and perseus, the last destroyer is history and I am now the owner of a TL. Yay. This was one tough mother to get through.

[Nanook]

Since this was your thread originally, I'll ignore the necro.

The way to do it with the missiles is to get a long ways away, say 20km or more. When it comes after you, make sure you're lined up dead on to it. When it's just in missile range, start firing off as many hornets as you figure it will take to kill it. As long as you stay perfectly aligned with the destroyer, the missiles won't veer off. Instead, the destroyer is moving so fast it runs over the missiles before they have time to swerve. I've taken out many a fast destroyer in X-T with this method. Good luck!

[Mighty Midget]

Since this was your thread originally, I'll ignore the necro.

The way to do it with the missiles is to get a long ways away, say 20km or more. When it comes after you, make sure you're lined up dead on to it. When it's just in missile range, start firing off as many hornets as you figure it will take to kill it. As long as you stay perfectly aligned with the destroyer, the missiles won't veer off. Instead, the destroyer is moving so fast it runs over the missiles before they have time to swerve. I've taken out many a fast destroyer in X-T with this method. Good luck!

Getting some distance was very tricky seeing the destroyer was faster than the shuttle. It did run off to about 10 km though if I managed to drop his shields below 80% but what appeared to have happened here was: Since I caught up with it before wingmen got there, it continued to turn allowing the slow mambas and perseus to catch up, engaging it continuously so it never ran off. That appears to have done the trick for me here. Then again, who knows.

[Nanook]

I seem to recall using a horde of drones to keep it in place for a while as I attempted to get more distance from it. However, it's been well over 10 years since I last played X-T so my little gray cells could've rearranged themselves by now.

[Mighty Midget]

so my little gray cells could've rearranged themselves by now.

Hah! Sounds vaguely familiar. I remember everything clear right until I have it in front of me. Then it's all new and mysterious