Combat Tips for a newbie?

[Bluehair]

Hi - used to play Privateer when i was a wee little kid and I LOVED the game until I lost the cd.

Problem I have now as an adult is the same thing as I had when I was a kid - dogfighting.

Anyone have any general tips for it? Already read the manual and stuff but that didnt help. Problems I have is that they generally ram my Centurion (saving up to get another autotracker for my second Taychon) and I can't aim at them manually... mainly because they fly in spirals.

Only use a mouse and keyboard and compared to what I play now for modern flight combat, the mouse is VERY sensitive to movement. Anyway to change this?

...Or am I doomed because I don't have a joystick?

[Neskiairti]

use dumbfires tactically.. if they are spiraling.. turn away, and get some distance.. before trying in again..

[Bluehair]

Currently using FFs/IRs. Though they're weaker in damage... they're usually sure-fire weapons.

[OnyxPaladin]

Never used the mouse myself but i know from experience the keyboard is a bit crippling, it seems that you gain more inertia than you should using it. A joystick is better, i have a rather crappy joystick and it's better than the keyboard imo. But even with the keyboard most fights just seemed to take me longer, which more or less by default meant i took more damage.

Unfortunately them ramming you is not likely to stop, My ship of choice is a Gothri and my enemies have purposely turned INTO the path of my ship countless times. It seems they realize the only sure way to damage me is to sacrifice themselves...bloody pests.

Your best bet might be to do as many cargo runs (Galaxy is recommended as it will allow to gain funds much faster)as possible to accumulate the funds necessary to fully deck out your Centurion. Personally i found the Centurion less than...Worthwhile.

If you haven't already check out the Parallel Universe mod, it addresses some balance issues and adds a number of new ships, which you may find you like very much. It's a work in progress but without a doubt worth downloading and trying out.

[Dilloh]

Unless you don't want to break your hand bones, use a joystick. Dogfights won't become slower when you advance in the game, no matter if it is because of the storyline or your equipment.

[micheal_andreas_stahl]

Use missiles and be statigic. watch how a Demon fly's. practise that. Also there are different style's and ships. each ship is different. I like heavy ships and fight like i'm in one.

[Bluehair]

Only problems I encounter are with the Kilrathi (anyone remember the good ol Wing Commander 1 days when Dralthi were oh-so-easy to kill?) They match the speed of my Centurion, so I can't do the outrun, 180, and shoot.

I think I'm getting used to using my mouse more, but as one said, the keyboard cripples your dogfight movement. Usually dont use the keyboard unless I'm in an asteroid field and there's no enemies around.

Can only choose from the Galaxy, Orion, and Cent at the moment and peopleseem to prefer the Cent to get past the main storyline.

[Vector_Matt]

In the SVN of Vegastrike when you hit shift+a it automaticaly make the ship point at, and move towards, the target, which makes dogfights with beam weapons easier. Not sure if PR 1.2 has it though.

[Neskiairti]

well, we dont have beam weapons either.. ^.^ (unless you write them in, like me.. but imdoing it for capital ships, so wont help the poor little fighter..)

[micheal_andreas_stahl]

I like the broadsword as you can spray the fied with my beam weapons.