Boron Ray Tactics

[Eater1]

For anyone who owns or is considering owning a Boron Ray, I thought I would put together a comprehensive guide to flying this ship (maybe the new Ultimate Guide might find this post useful?).

Part 1: Equipment & Armament
The Boron Ray is the cheapest M2 you can get (aside from free capped K's), at under 50 million.
To equip your Ray, you will ideally need 9 GPPC's, 6 BPPC's, anywhere from 6 to 14 Ion Disruptors (6 if you only intend to use it in battle, 14 for capturing), somewhere around 10 GIRE's or GPAC's if you intend to capture, and 3 GHEPT's to go in the rear turret, with an alternative 3 APSG's if you prefer using those for point defense (though these are completely optional).
Additionally, since the Ray has such a small amount of cargo room (this is also why I don't recommend APPC's in the back turret), you may want to get some M3's to pack energy cells for longer jumps. I prefer using two Orinocos, as they have the largest holds - the two docked to my Ray can hold 740 cells together. For longer jumps, if you don't want to unload some of your weapons to a docked fighter, you may want to jump as far as you can, go through the gate, and jump again (make sure you go through the gate first, or you will spend more energy cells).

Part 2A: PPC Tactics - Capital Ships & Corvettes
Against capital ships, the Boron Ray fights like just about any other M2, though the strafe drive and higher speed, combined with the relatively slim profile, makes it a bit easier to dodge incoming fire. To maximize your survivability, engage enemy capital ships one at a time with the top, right, and front turrets set to "Attack my Target." Keep the enemy in the top right of your cockpit view to allow all 3 turrets to concentrate their fire, and use the strafe drive to avoid getting hit. Keep in mind that you can use your strafe drive to adjust your aim as well, and remember to reduce speed (you can usually reduce it to 0 unless the enemy is running away) to avoid a collision.

Part 2B: PPC Tactics - Fighters
From my experience, most fighters will actually use more evasive tactics if you have them targetted, so I recommend not having anything targetted and setting all turrets on "Attack Enemies" (although you can equip the rear turret with Ions or PSG's and set it to missile defense if you find missiles a problem). I also recommend using 3rd person view for engaging fighters, since it allows you to rotate your ship to make the most use of your powerful side cannons. You will usually want to keep a low forward speed during these battles, as it tends to force fighters to make longer attack runs, thus giving your guns more time to destroy them.

Part 3A: Ion Tactics - Capital Ships
Using Ion Disruptors to engage capital ships can be either very successful or very dangerous, since the ion disruptors have such a short range compared to the PPC's. You will want to have the same setup as in 2A, but replace the three front guns with Ion Disruptors (you can also replace one or two of the top guns with Ion Disruptors if you want to down the shields faster - leave the side guns though, since you'll need the GPPC to kill the hull). The reason I recommend replacing all 3 front guns is that, if you leave one or two PPC's, all three guns will fire while out of ion range, which will not only cause your enemy to engage sooner, but will drain energy by the time you're in range. I highly recommend using the third-person view when you get in ion range to avoid collisions, as you need to stay within about 2KM (distance is measured from the bridge) of the enemy ship to keep the ions firing.

Part 3B: Ion Disruptors - Fighters
When you are in a hostile sector, this setup is probably the most effective for killing enemy fighters - it rips through just about anything in seconds. Simply replace one gun in each turret with an ion disruptor, and use the same tactics as in 2B. The Ion-D's will take down the shields almost instantly, and the PPC's will kill the fighters in only a few shots.

Part 4: Mass Capturing
The Boron Ray is probably best know for its ability to mass capture. The recommended setup for this is two or three Ion-D's in each turret and one GIRE/GPAC in all turrets which can take them (all except the sides). When you engage a large number of fighters (I recommend a pirate base - just be sure to take out the laser towers first, or they will kill your captures), leave your turrets on 'attack enemies' and keep a slow forward velocity - you may also want to rotate from time to time, as the fighters tend to outrange your Ion-D's if you stand still and you will get less hits. If you keep patient, you can easily capture around 10 Orinocos in about 15 minutes.

Eater.

[Warchild]

That was very well thought out...very informative...ust one thing....

What if you're using the gunnery script?
The crew men do all that for you. Oh...and then...with all those weapons...it makes a jump drive next to impossible. Al those PPC canons weigh alot.
Personally...I tend to keep only 3 Gamma PPC which are mainly used in the front. The rest that can take them have Beta PPC canons and gamma HEPTs.
The Ion Canons are a must as not only do they take care of incoming missiles, but they also knock the shields down really quickly eneableing either a capture or a faster kill.
Like I said. The gunnery script will fire the best weapon fiorthe best situation. The gamma PPC is a rather slow tracking weapon and most vessels would be out ofits range by the time you brought the turret around to engage it.
The Gunnery scruipt places somehting like an alpha IRE in the turret, tracks the target and then instantly changes weapons to the best weapon available and unloads on the target with it.
So...som o what you said might not fly with those that have the Gunnery script loaded.
Its a really good script and I have nothing but god things to say about it...but there are those that really don't like the better equipped turrets on the enemy ships. Going to Khaak sectors is a very dangerous thing now even in a capital ship...you would need a fleet of M2's and take heavy losses trying to clear out the sector.

Anyway..... I digress...
The tactics you use might work for some situations...but not for others...but they seem pretty sound. Personally...I find that since i have a script to take care of all the firing needs of my turrets, turning to meet a few of the threats is suffuicient. The gunners even have the brains NOT to fire the Ions in populated areas...which is bloody decent of them...no need for collateral damage as I take out a cluster or capture a pirate.

Every ship in thegame has a specific job and they are good a a few things. I'm talking about capital ships here.
The Ray reminds me of a Pocket Destroyer...or rather...something along the lines of a Fast attack destroyer as its very manueverable...sometimes it seems that its even more manueverable than the Split Python...but its not true ( I think the Split one is faster..I'll have to check later )
The point is this.
The ray seems to be suited for System defence as well as fast attack.
The Python, IMHO, seems suited for system defense and interception...sems rather good at it as it is somwhat underpowered for a destroyer and under shielded.
The Oddy...well...thi one to me seems like its best suited for front line attacks. Send in the Oddy to soften up the enemy ships and thin out the fighters a little bit then send in the rest of the task force behind it with a close escort of Corvettes and possibly a couple wings of fighters (20).

See what I mean? Every ship has it strengths and weaknesses...on te other hand, an Argon Titan can be a slow turning pig to one pilot, and with completely different pilot/captain at the controls...they can make it do ballet manuevers and make lying it seem easy.

Load outs are just as important seeing as some people choose a destroyer because of the weapons that it can mount.
Me on the other hand, I like the speed of a ship. So I'm more apt to go for a comprimise. I choose the Ay as it has a good speed...but it has devistating fire power as well. WIth the strafe drive and Aegis sstems installed along with the crew...it a pretty menacing vessel.

When you make a post like this, try and get all the information possible.
In the case of capturing...
There is a command for "MAXIMIZE CAPTURES"
And thats exactly what it does, It immediately attacks with one of the lower highpowered weapons available and lets lose in bursts of three to 5 rounds at a time.
I've captured many Khaak ships in this manner allowing me to be able to keep the Khaak Fighter in the from of the ships.
One of my favorite ships to pilot is the dragon.
It lacks in shielding...but it makes up for it with fire power. The speed is a definate plus...butits the dual Gamma HEPT's that caught my eyes...notthe 324 Kph nor the fact that it can only install one 125MW Shield.
Flown both offensively and at the same time defensively (HArd to explain) it is a very deadly Corvette. Three on one (Corvettes I mean) there is a good chance that you'll be going to an early grave. The speed might keep you out of trouble for a while...and if there is a gunnery crew on board, that ups the survivabilty as well...but plan for a LONG drawn out battle...sometime when its one on one as well....but its those dual gamma's that make short work of Khaak Clusters.
Anyway....
I thought what you wrote was very good...but you haven't played with the Gunnery Script...at least it didn't sound like it as you were setting targets. The script will track multiple targets for you and keep you safe from missiles as well.
Nicely done though.
Cheers

[Eater1]

Well, the reason I don't use the gunnery script is because I'm not too keen on tracking down a ton of crew, only to pay them 450,000/hour when on active duty, when I can still destroy just about any target with the tactics I describe. Obviously with the gunnery script you can pretty much forego all of those tactics and just keep capital ships in the top right corner and the turrets will take care of everything for you.
However, I cannot overstress the importance of having as many GPPC's as possible, even on the Ray - you can supplement the extra energy cells with docked Orinocos (I fly a fully loaded Ray with only 140 cells, but the Orinocos carry an additional 740). The difference is that the BPPC can barely punch through the shields of an M3, but the GPPC can down shields in only a few hits and is as powerful as a GHEPT. The turret tracking is a little slower, but the advantage in firepower far makes up for the handful of shots you will miss because of slower turret turning, and it is WAY more effective against capital ships (for reference, 3 BPPC's simply cannot down 625 MW of shielding).

Eater.

[AdmiralTigerclaw]

I came out of the west gate, in the southernmost of the Xenon sectors with a fully outfitted Boron Ray, and got myself handed back in a matchbox in less than a minute. I barely came through the gate when three Ks pounced. What's a good way to get yourself out of a three way Pincer move and still be able to fight? (One front, one left, one right)

I am using the laser rebalance mod. (Faster and longer ranged shots for many weapons.)

I do starfighter and light ship combat manuevering, and fighting with a sluggish performing capital ship is not my best combat skill.

I hear tales of lone capital starships taking down entire Xenon or Khraack sectors... So how in the blue blazes do you survive a capital ship pincer manuever?

[stu25]

Strafe Drive

[Pirate Hunter]

Nice to see people writing big posts like this again.

Its an exellent post which alot of people will find usefull.

But Im afraid Warchild is wright the gunnery script does do all of the above for you. Personaly I dont like the script because of all the cargo you space required and the Fact Xenon Sectors are way to dangerous to enter now but most people have it installed now (including me).

I will add it it the new ultimate guide now anyway and see what people think of it.

PS. more guides on individal Capital Ships would also be usefull.

Edit: is the ray any good with the gunnery script. I dont think it has mutch space on it!

[GCU Grey Area]

is the ray any good with the gunnery script. I dont think it has mutch space on it!

The Ray is lethal with the gunnery script installed. It was pretty good before & definitely my favourite over all the other M2's, but since I installed the script it's turned into a bit of a monster. You should see what happens to an enemy ships shields when up to 9 Ions (ie 3 turrets) converge on them - they don't last very long at all.

Space is a bit cramped, I'll admit. To fit in the crew I had to downgrade the upper & lower turrets to A-PPC, but managed to retain a full set of G-PPC for the front, left & right turrets. I also installed 15 Ions & 12 G-IRE (to enable fast turret tracking). Rear defences are provided by 3 A-HEPT or 3 A-PSG, depending on the presence/absence of friendly ships in the vicinity. With all those weapons (& full shields etc) there's still enough cargo space for over 270 E-cells (or missiles etc), enough for a trip to Khaak space (just make sure you've loaded a docked support ship with enough E-cells for the jump home).

By the way, this script has also made missiles a practical idea for the Ray. Before I installed the gunnery script there wasn't much point to using missiles with a Ray - the fixed mount Ions would always take them out, whereas now the turrets only switch to Ions when they're going to be effective & switches back to PPC's when Ions become useless (ie targets shields are already down).

[Sparky Sparkycorp]

Hi there,

My first destroyer was the Ray and I don't think that you really win that fight can if it stays at 1-on-3 until someone dies.

On average in these situations, a Ray will be faster than 2 or perhaps 3 of the Xenon M2s so I think that you really need to use that speed advantage. As soon as possible after you exit the gate assess the situation and if you are seriously outnumber by M2 in weapons range, run and let them chase you so that after a few kms, you can fight 1 on 1 with the fastest M2.

If you face a rare K with 250+ km/s, then perhaps you might like to go straight back through that gate! Depending on the speed difference, sometimes you can keep ahead of faster ships by using the strafe drive so that their extra speed is wasted by angling back and forth to chase you.

One last point: If there are 3 Ks near a gate, there is less likely to be 3 around a different gate so check the map as soon as you enter and consider jumping to the other gate. From there, you might have more chance of engaging Ks 1-on-1. Especially if they had attacked you as they might turn around and chase you so they will arrive in speed order.

Good hunting,
Sparky

[Sparky Sparkycorp]

Edit: is the ray any good with the gunnery script. I don't think it has much space on it!

...given that:

1) You can only get 3 turrets (9 weapon mounts) to fire on any one target.
2) Only 6 GPPCs can be used on any one target (front + 1 side turret)
3) Not often will you take on 2+ M2s simultaneously!

...I would suggest that for M2-M2 combat you can get away with just 6 GPPCs and save 450 cargo space for Ion disrupters, fuel and lighter guns to kill fighters with.

Sparky

[CHAZZ]

I cleared X347 and X472 two times in one playing session.I used only the Osprey. I planned ahead a bit, and developed some kind of my personal tactic against those 'K's, no matter how many. What i do, i go head-on in small spirals and fire the two BPSG's. By the time we meet, the K starts to maneouver. At that point i swiftly fly under it, and position myself right under his nose, so close that we bump into eachother from time to time. Going in the same direction, none of us takes any damage from that 'friendly bonking'. The interesting part comes right now: since i am glued under his nose, i take fire from his belly guns only, but, being his huge hull so long, it protrudes itself for quite a bit behind the Osprey. So, actually my turrets (GHEPT + BHEPT) kills the K in matter of seconds. All i lose is about 25% shielding. The stupid K would never try to change its direction as if doing so, he will ram me, so keeps flying straight (for minutes and minutes if needed at max 150 speed, well into the Osprey's speed range. Its almost pitiful to see that @ work. Sometimes there are other K's and all they do is killing his mate under which belly i am glued.
Intriguing. Can even launch Hornets from there. I found it better than sit glued at his a$$, since there the other K's or Xenon fighters are hitting me easily and my turrets are (except the top one) useless(not hitting the K).

Chazz.

[Aliens62]

@CHAZZ....what a great idea...will have to try that!!!

[Eater1]

I came out of the west gate, in the southernmost of the Xenon sectors with a fully outfitted Boron Ray, and got myself handed back in a matchbox in less than a minute. I barely came through the gate when three Ks pounced. What's a good way to get yourself out of a three way Pincer move and still be able to fight? (One front, one left, one right)

I am using the laser rebalance mod. (Faster and longer ranged shots for many weapons.)

I do starfighter and light ship combat manuevering, and fighting with a sluggish performing capital ship is not my best combat skill.

I hear tales of lone capital starships taking down entire Xenon or Khraack sectors... So how in the blue blazes do you survive a capital ship pincer manuever?

Just get the hell out of there as fast as you can. Since you're using hte laser rebalance mod, this will be a little difficult, but if you strafe in a direction where there are no enemy ships (up or down) and use third person view to try to dodge the stream of PPC blasts, you should be able to survive long enough to get away and "string out" the K's according to speed so you can engage them one at a time.
It's easy to clear a sector, but you have to engage the cap ships one at a time.

Space is a bit cramped, I'll admit. To fit in the crew I had to downgrade the upper & lower turrets to A-PPC, but managed to retain a full set of G-PPC for the front, left & right turrets. I also installed 15 Ions & 12 G-IRE (to enable fast turret tracking). Rear defences are provided by 3 A-HEPT or 3 A-PSG, depending on the presence/absence of friendly ships in the vicinity. With all those weapons (& full shields etc) there's still enough cargo space for over 270 E-cells (or missiles etc), enough for a trip to Khaak space (just make sure you've loaded a docked support ship with enough E-cells for the jump home).

Especially if you're using the gunnery script, you're probably better off switching the BPPC's to GHEPT's instead of APPC's - they'll take up less room and will do about as much damage as GPPC's, only at shorter range. The APPC is really, really weak.

Eater.

[AdmiralTigerclaw]

Well, I had JUST come through the gate, and my first thing to note was the K directly ahead at about six Kilos.

A glance at my gravidar... Another K left, another K right. "CRAP."

Since it was the first engagement I had taken my Ray into, and I had the shields maxed all the way out... I figured I was okay, and figured that even moreso when I started feeling (Seeing the ship cockpit shake) the ship take fire from my opponents, and my shield indicator didn't budge. So I go full on and try to pour fire into the K ahead... next glance I get I'm being closed on by the Ks, shields are dropping like flies in VX gas, and "The End" scrolls on in fifteen seconds later.

Gunnery is installed (I had no crew either.)... and I got my @$$ handed to me on a silver platter.

So here's some questions.

-How exactly DOES the targeting of the AI get affected by a strafe drive manuever?
-I should probably get crew right?
-Would bringing a Teladi Osprey flight group help me?
-Bring bigger guns?

[VincentTH]

So here's some questions.

-How exactly DOES the targeting of the AI get affected by a strafe drive manuever?
-I should probably get crew right?
-Would bringing a Teladi Osprey flight group help me?
-Bring bigger guns?

Gunnery Crew: Definitely. It helps tremendously. Either that or unload the script (Reinstall the add-on package with the Aegis unchecked). When you install the Aegis system, the Khaaks and Xenons fight a lot better, compared to without the script regardless of whether you use the Gunnery crew or not.
As for the strafe drive, the guns never takes that into account, so you will miss often. If you do strafe, strafe in the direction of the K, such that it will nullify the effect (i.e. your target and your strafe have relative speed of 0).
Bigger guns: On the Ray, load a strong side with GPPC, and a weak side with GHEPT to cram everything in it. For example, Strong Side = Top + left + front. Weak = right + bottom + rear ( of course). In combat, face your strong side to the Ks.

[AdmiralTigerclaw]

*Starts having visions of Zerowing.*

In AD 2101, WAR was begining.

*President's End explodes*

"WHAT HAPPEN?!"

"SOMEONE SET UP US THE BOMB! Ó"

"WE GET SIGNAL!"

"WHAT!?"

"MAIN SCREEN TURN ON!"

KHAAK/Xenon hybrid: HOW ARE YOU GENTLEMEN....

"ALL YOUR BASE ARE BELONG TO US!"


Now I'm gonna rename a fighter 'Zig'.

[Eater1]

I actually find that strafing seems to have less effect on your own aim than it does on the enemy's aim - so even if you're strafing away from them, you might still hit (in cap ship combat), but he won't. This probably has something to do with ship sizes and relative movement and all that, but it's late and I don't feel like thinking about the geometry of this.

Eater.

[AdmiralTigerclaw]

I was playing yesterday in my Split Mamba, and took on one too many Xenon Ls at one time... and remembered I had the strafe drive in. Now, this suddenly clicked...

While I was strafing, I noticed the fire I shot while strafing left remained directly in front of me. It did not trail off to the right as one would expect from a different game where shots went straight forward... the fire of my shots had bonus momentum based on my speed and direction.

Therefor, I can say that, while you are strafing, and your shots get your bonus momentum, the enemy aims directly at you (Or I should say, the target cone), and fires shots with no 'sliding motion' to them. Because the shots don't slide like yours are doing, they can't track your movement correctly. The result is that they pass just to the right of you, the left of you, above you, or below you.

This also helps me conclude that a high speed advance on a target gives your shots a range and speed bonus by adding YOUR flight velocity to the base velocity of the shot. In this way, the B HEPT on a Split Mamba is more dangerous than the B HEPT on an Argon Nova. Because the Mamba can engage further away and you can hit before the computer actually calculates your weapons are in range. All ranges are based on Zero Velocity firing point. Which explains why I can engage a Khaak M3 in a Mamba head on and manage to get about the same attack range as it has.

If you boosted the speeds of all ships up to higher levels in the range of thousands of MPS, you would notice it a whole lot easier, and combat dynamics would change drasticly. However, since most ships have the speed less than 300 MPS (The ones I've used anyway.) This attack speed bonus is hard to spot.

For another example, get a split dragon going to top speed, aim your turret up, and fire a shot. You'll notice it stays with your ship instead of draging off behind like one would expect a bullet in an atmospheric fighter to do. Correct physics there. Imagine the speed of shots flying off a full throttle Peggy. (Although damage would be neglegable.)

MUAHAHAHAHAHA....

[stu25]

-How exactly DOES the targeting of the AI get affected by a strafe drive manuever?

If you use the monitors and have one set to external view of your own ship you can see. Anything but Khaak Lasers + Ion Ds fire in a straight line, whilst your moving forwards AND L/R/U/D, the 'shots' cannot change direction laterally as well as forwards. So they appear to arc away from you, but in fact they are going straight and you are 'arcing'.

Works best against Xenon and any M1/2/6 cept Khaak.

Oh yeah, once youve bought it hold down Alt Gr and Arrow Pad, if you let go of Arrow key first you will stop, if you let go off Alt Gr first you will keep strafing til momentum stops. Also good to tap Alt Gr after a collision, stops you bouncing around, espec useful when trying to get some hidden containers.

[CHAZZ]

Yup, getting containers and easy positioning to some nasty asteroid to be mined, eh?

Chazz.

[Sparky Sparkycorp]

...how do you find those containers please?

I've never seen one but I don't think I look properly.

Cheers,
Sparky