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Multiple Targets

Fighting more than one conflux at a time can be easy, tricky, or impossible depending on the circumstances. This page will deal with multiple targets as separated into fighting alone with the various fighting styles, fighting using missiles as a wingman, fighting with a wingman, and fighting multiple c7-c10.



Solo Styles

Turreting
When fighting multiple squid, you can turret fight. There are two approaches which you can choose between or mix successfully. You can target the strongest squid and focus your firepower on it while ignoring the others. Once you kill the squid, you can move on to the others. This works if you have a decent shield and the escorts are either farther away or c1s. If the escorts are hurting you, you can alternate your targets, scoring hits on 2 different squids. Remember, when you hit them, they don't hit you. Turreting is suicidal when dealing with multiple targets if any flux other than squid are involved.



Circle Fighting and Drift Jousting
When fighting multiple c1-c5, you can easily keep moving to avoid snail fire while focusing on killing the more accurate squids. Focus on higher level squids first as they do the most damage. If you are fighting 3 squids and no snails, these two methods may be tougher since you may stay within range of the squids for extended periods. Multiple high level squids can be a tough fight in a shuttle. You may have more success jousting, but the short laser range of size one lasers will make even that quite difficult for laser users.

Jousting
The concepts of jousting multiple flux apply whether you are jousting multiple squid, manta, or kraken (laser using flux) as long as they do not have c7 manta or eel as escorts (see the later topics on this page for how to deal with those combos). Should you come up against a pair of laser using flux with one or more snail escorts, ignore the snails as they can do little if any damage to you while you are jousting. So let us take for consideration 2 squid or 2 manta or 2 kraken (2 laser using flux fighting against one pilot in a Shuttle, Light/Medium Fighter, or Fighter, respectively). If the flux are separated, the pilot should try to kill the closest, deadliest flux quickly (if faced with 2 squid and a snail, attack the closest squid first). If the 2 flux are together at the start (or if they end up together after you engage the closest flux), then you must make long jousting runs focusing on just one of the flux. When you hit the flux, it will turn (or "slide") and not shoot you, but this turning also has the effect of slowing its turn. So, the flux you are not firing on will turn much quicker and be much closer to you. This method keeps both flux in the same joust plane, but puts considerable distance between them. This gives you the luxury of not being shot at by both flux at the same time. Use afterburner liberally to recharge, give yourself distance, and to straighten the joust run. When you turn, remain focused on the same flux who is now farther away from you. Accurate shooting is required, as you need to down the first flux as soon as possible to reduce the amount of punishment you take each joust run. You can also sometimes hit both of them in the same pass if they are seperated enough, but you should keep your jousting plane straightest with the initial damaged target. Destroying one flux is better than damaging two.
This same concept can be used for three or more laser using flux, but it becomes more and more dangerous with each laser using
flux beyond two that you face.


Using Missiles as a Wingman
Though more expensive and not as effective as a wingman, you can use missiles to improve your chances against multiple targets.
Using missiles on any conflux but manta or kraken is a waste of money. Purgatory and Screwdrivers and MorningStars (a bundle of 4 Screws) are the best missiles for using on conflux, though some pilots have success with others. Purgs, SDs, and MSs seem to work best if fired at an approaching conflux at a range of 5-6k. Then, turn to a slight angle and fly straight until the missiles kill the flux. Both manta and kraken will try to dodge missiles, manta doing so successfully more often due to their greater top speed. It takes 2 Purgs, 4SDs, or 1 MS to kill a manta or kraken. If you are running from flux, you can fire at targets behind you and meet with a fair amount of success.

If the number of conflux attacking you is one greater than the number you can gun down, then you can use a missile to kill the extra flux. If there are two more flux than the number you can gun down, you can use two missiles, and so on to keep the others busy while you focus your guns on one.


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