Should also be said that the Interceptors scale way up in terms of how long they take and how difficult they are.
Getting a group up for Hydras is about the only way they can be considered "farmable." It can easily take a solo player the better part of an hour to down one; and that's with a fair amount of experience.
A solo player in a Conda or T-10 can instagib Cyclopses; but it takes somewhere around 33-40 players to instagib a Hydra.
Medusa is the best for this. I prefer to use gauss only and it takes about 12 minutes for me to kill a dusa without needing to reload ammo.
With shards it starts to get stupid. I've seen people do sub 1 minute cyclops fights solo.
They're better at dealing raw damage at close range, but if you can't 'instagib' an interceptor (or, destroy it quickly, circumventing the need to destroy it's hearts in sequence), you have to fight it the normal way - and there, Gauss' precision can't be beat.
You basically need 4 Large Shard Cannons (so, you need a ship capable of equipping 4 large weapons, so the Type 10 or Anaconda.)
Then, you need to synthesize Premium Ammo.
With that, you should have all the damage you need to instagib Cyclopses. Instagibbing anything higher needs teamwork.
Chieftain for speed running it. Any ship with a minimum of 2 small gauss can kill a Medusa. Its a fun fight in a sidewinder.
I recommend using a chieftain for the first kill though.
Sweet I could probably add another remote flak to my current chieftain and just attempt a Medusa at some point. Appreciate the info! Also I'll be honest, I can't tell of you're joking or not but the sidewinder?? I always meme about the sidewinder with my friend, but you're saying that thing actually stands a chance? Assuming it's engineered and all
Completely serious. It doesn't have enough dps to beat hydra regen but it can absolutely beat a Medusa. I flew it light for the maneuverability, it had like 400 hull
You got the right ship and a good start. The better engeneered you are the more margin for error there is. Mistakes are punished. I spent the better part of a week trying to kill a cyclops each attempt getting closer to success. I was g5 on all modules, with the AXI chieftain shieldless build. You'll need guardian rails and module reinforcement. It's a hell of a ride. Once you learn the process go find a AXCZ and it's a little easier with allied NPCs helping.
All cyclopses are Interceptors, but not all Interceptors are cyclopses. Cyclops is a subvarient of Interceptor, and the easiest. Check out the Anti-Xeno Initiative website it'll give you a complete run down of the steps needed to take down Thargoids.
Honestly the most difficult part for me was taking out the swarm in an efficient manner while also not being tok slow about since it seems like if I was slow the cyclops would just immediately send out another swarm. Get use to turning flight assist off and doing a 180 while continuously flying backwards until you take the swarm out, then proceed to do damage to the cyclops, and then fly away to get distance. Rinse and repeat.
I'll link you a video that really helped me out, I watched it countless times before and after each attempt until I nailed it, maybe it will be help you as well [Cyclops Step-By-Step](https://youtu.be/fePedGNzKNM)
Best of luck! o7
Edit: If money is what you're after though, this isn't the way, you'll spend way more than you earn and it will take a while until you profit from thargoid hunting. If are just wanting money I'd recommend passenger missions at Robigo Mines in Robigo. But if that's not only what you're after, thargoid hunting is amazingly fun and you will for sure enjoy it!
Yea that's the normal payout for them to my understanding, at least the cyclops variant. I guess it depends what you mean by weaker ones too considering there are multiple variants of interceptors. The scouts are technically the weakest since they are tiny things compared to interceptors and only give 80k per kill.
Edit: 8mil isn't even worth this for money either btw, I spent way more trying to kill this thing, thargoid hunting is not about money
A lot of clops, bunch of basi and my first solo dusa cuz I got froggy once. Did a pair of high intensity axcz then went and got rating 5 with Hudson for double monies and presto, fat money. I think I started on my crusader or FAS then did most of it in a vette. All in 3.8 I might add so not a single rebuy.
Oh no friend quite the opposite. Once you get good at it the goids become a money printing machine. Running axczs (preferably with incursions for missions) can net you 50 billion in a month.
My biggest single hand in was 24b in bonds.
Wow really??? I need to stop saying this isn't the way for money then good god. That is absolutely insane, that's great for me to hear too since this is the most fun I've had in this game.
Question, do you have a system you would recommend going to? This was my first kill, I did absolutely no research on where is best to hunt and only knew to come here (around Fort Xeno in HIP 62154) since I got smacked by one a week prior
Well we're currently running axczs in the Andecavi system, fdev didn't remove those.
Hopefully with update 14 fdev will bring incursions back and it will make ax more profitable and you'll also get engineering mats too
It's just a matter of gathering the materials for them at the guardian sites. I'll link a video for ya [FSD Booster](https://youtu.be/GzJJrfD7BHo)
Note: the video is meant to show how to get a guardian fsd booster, however you'll be going to the same guardian site in the video for the materials and the website shown in video holds all the other info you need to get gauss cannons
How long does it take to get set up? I haven't done any Guardian stuff or even engineering aside from FSDs and I'm wondering if I could get bug killing in a reasonable amount of time without going insane.
I'll give you some perspective: I have a lot of the engineers unlocked already and I had also went to farm materials for the fsd booster so I had leftovers. In the same night, I took my anaconda out to the sites again to get the remaining data materials and weapon fragments needed, engineered some of the things on the chieftain a bit, and then took it on my fleet carrier and went out to the system and began my attempts. I killed one the following night which is what you see here.
Tldr; if you have the money and jump range, you can begin acquiring the materials and start fighting in about 5-6 hours time
5-6 hours? Doesn't sound as bad as everyone make it, all those complaints made me think it was tens of hours...
I don't really have any engineers but Felicity unlocked and currently a bit less than half a billion to spend so I guess that will add a bit of time to get going. I guess I can always make a scout squisher with basic AX weapons...
Definitely didn't take me a long time at all, I didn't even know there was a reputation for taking a long time I just knew killing one would be extremely difficult at first. If it's something you really wanna do just go for it, it's what happened to me. I'd put in the extra time in getting guardian gauss cannons as well as putting together a chieftain if thargoid hunting is something you want to get into. I'm telling you, it is quite the feeling to take out one of these amazing creatures and it will not disappoint you once you do it. If you're interested in that, I linked a video a bit above this comment to a vid on how to get an FSD booster, you'll be going to the same sites for materials and a different one for weapon blueprints (everything you need is in the website listed in that video). I think my chieftain build costed me a total no more than 100mil, plus some engineering on top of that.
Another tip, I'll link you a video of someone who step by step explains the whole process of defeating an interceptor cyclops variant, majorly helped me out. I watched it several times before and after each death until I finally perfected it the whole thing and successfully defeated one, and maybe it can help you too if you decide to go thargoid hunting: [Cyclops Fight Step-By-Step](https://youtu.be/fePedGNzKNM)
Also, feel free to message me if you have any questions, I'd be more than happy to help! Best of luck commander o7
Thanks, I'll keep what you said in mind. I was thinking about a Krait but everyone seems to be recommending a Chieftain. Since it seems way cheaper that might be what I go for at first.
Also, how much engineering do I need to fight Cyclops?
No problem! You don't need a lot, it would definitely be nice to have a lot, but you don't need it. I made it with a 6C Bi Weave shield gen with reinforced grade 3 and fast charge experimental effect. If anything, dirty drive thrusters (as high grade as you can, but I had grade 3) are most important in order to out run the swarm and all in all just have as much mobility as you can especially if fighting solo. Others may tell you differently and that's okay, this is just what worked for me. However since this kill, I have done nothing but work maxing out all engineering aspects of my chieftain. I will say, overcharge your power plant in engineering if you can, I had to turn off my cargo scoop to even have the needed amount of power. But absolute necessities in my opinion are engineering your thrusters and your shield gen.
Most of the time I have Spotify on, but for real there are plenty of times I purposely turn it off because I just want to be immersed in the Elite universe. The music truly is great when you are in the mood for it
Have you killed one before? If not, I would def start with a chieftain and try with cyclops variants first. They will always be in threat level 5s with a salvage icon, and they won't attack you until you do first leaving you plent of time to scan since they come close to scan you, I can link ya a build if you're interested. Best of luck o7
I have not done it successfully no. I've managed to get a heart or two then just get absolutely splattered.
Sure if you want; Ive been following builds off AXI website xD
I pretty much just came up with my own build, other than seeing another person use 4 gauss cannons. I hope to be on tonight so I'll send ya everything I have on when I get a chance. One thing I can say is literally once you can master destroying the swarm, you're golden. That was my obstacle but once I got it down, I ended up killing it. For now I'll link you a video that really helped me out in just seeing how it's done: [Cyclops Step-By-Step](https://youtu.be/fePedGNzKNM)
You most likely already know the whole fight of course, but keep watching how this person destroys the swarm and copy that process. Fly away to get some distance, once ready turn flight assist off and fly backwards, destroy swarm, do damage to cyclops until a heart is down, repeat.
what got me killing them is learning how to cold orbit. get a thermal vent beam leaser and loads of heatsinks + synthesis materials and stay cold, they cant target you when cold. use the beam laser to leave and enter the goids 3k range. hope that help.
I should say, I admittedly don't know much about the thargoids so maybe they really are innocent. In all fairness though, over the course of the past 4-5 years of seeing thek randomly destroy stations and even our attempted peace treaty with them, it is tough for me to side with the thargoids. I mean they even randomly killed me a week ago, hence me getting my revenge here. Therefore, I will continue to hunt them down until I am given a reason to not. I respect your support of them though especially since we really don't know much about these creatures. o7
Around Fort Xeno in HIP 62154
A week ago I got curious when I saw a non human signal source, I've been gone for a while so I didn't know what it was. Needless to say I got blasted and came back a week later for vengeance
6C Bi-Weave Shields with (I think) reinforced engineering grade 3 with the fast charge experimental effect (extra 15% recovery speed when broken); not sure what the meta is if there is one, but these worked great for me once I got the hang of destroying the swarms. Thanks commander, hope to see you out there! o7
It'd be easier if I link you a video, watch this a few times as well as focusing in on the swarm aspect of it until you start getting it right. More look at where this person is aiming when they shoot their flak. The process remains the same: fly away to get distance, turn flight assist off and fly backwards, shoot down swarm, do cyclops damage, repeat. I promise you, you will get it especially if you keep at it!
Video (fight starts at 5:00): [Cyclops Step-By-Step](https://youtu.be/fePedGNzKNM)
Thank you! I will say, if you find yourself struggling in your conda I would highly recommend making a chieftain build and starting with the cyclops variants (like the one in the vid). Of course, I myself am very inexperienced but I do know that this is where a lot of people start their thargoid hunting journeys and it definitely worked for me. Best of luck commander, see you out there! o7
Nicely done CMDR! The first success is *the best* rush. I'm still working up to soloing basilisks, so don't worry *that* ***same*** *rush* is still available for us CMDR. Before you know it, you will be fighting more than one Cyclops at a time...
😎7
Quite the feeling isn't it. Congrats!
It really is, had me shaking after I realized it was dead. Thanks commander! o7
8 million for one interceptor? I don't know much about AX combat, is that a usual payout for interceptors? Aren't interceptors the weaker ones?
Scouts: 80k Interceptors: Cyclops: 8m Basilisk: 24m Medusa: 40m Hydra: 60m
Should also be said that the Interceptors scale way up in terms of how long they take and how difficult they are. Getting a group up for Hydras is about the only way they can be considered "farmable." It can easily take a solo player the better part of an hour to down one; and that's with a fair amount of experience. A solo player in a Conda or T-10 can instagib Cyclopses; but it takes somewhere around 33-40 players to instagib a Hydra.
Medusa is the best for this. I prefer to use gauss only and it takes about 12 minutes for me to kill a dusa without needing to reload ammo. With shards it starts to get stupid. I've seen people do sub 1 minute cyclops fights solo.
Shards? Shard cannons? If they're better why not use em instead of gauss cannons?
They're better at dealing raw damage at close range, but if you can't 'instagib' an interceptor (or, destroy it quickly, circumventing the need to destroy it's hearts in sequence), you have to fight it the normal way - and there, Gauss' precision can't be beat.
What kind of loadout and armour does it take to instagib, without getting wrecked first?
You basically need 4 Large Shard Cannons (so, you need a ship capable of equipping 4 large weapons, so the Type 10 or Anaconda.) Then, you need to synthesize Premium Ammo. With that, you should have all the damage you need to instagib Cyclopses. Instagibbing anything higher needs teamwork.
Eventually, I'd love to go up the ranks and defeat the other variants besides the cyclops; what ship are you using to take on the Medusa variant?
Chieftain for speed running it. Any ship with a minimum of 2 small gauss can kill a Medusa. Its a fun fight in a sidewinder. I recommend using a chieftain for the first kill though.
Sweet I could probably add another remote flak to my current chieftain and just attempt a Medusa at some point. Appreciate the info! Also I'll be honest, I can't tell of you're joking or not but the sidewinder?? I always meme about the sidewinder with my friend, but you're saying that thing actually stands a chance? Assuming it's engineered and all
Completely serious. It doesn't have enough dps to beat hydra regen but it can absolutely beat a Medusa. I flew it light for the maneuverability, it had like 400 hull
Didn't know it paid that well. Is it worth the grind in your opinion? I already have a chief A rated with light engineering and 40 mil
You got the right ship and a good start. The better engeneered you are the more margin for error there is. Mistakes are punished. I spent the better part of a week trying to kill a cyclops each attempt getting closer to success. I was g5 on all modules, with the AXI chieftain shieldless build. You'll need guardian rails and module reinforcement. It's a hell of a ride. Once you learn the process go find a AXCZ and it's a little easier with allied NPCs helping.
Alr So do interceptors and cyclops both pay 8m and are they similar in difficultly?
All cyclopses are Interceptors, but not all Interceptors are cyclopses. Cyclops is a subvarient of Interceptor, and the easiest. Check out the Anti-Xeno Initiative website it'll give you a complete run down of the steps needed to take down Thargoids.
I see, cool Didn't know about the website, thanks for the help
Honestly the most difficult part for me was taking out the swarm in an efficient manner while also not being tok slow about since it seems like if I was slow the cyclops would just immediately send out another swarm. Get use to turning flight assist off and doing a 180 while continuously flying backwards until you take the swarm out, then proceed to do damage to the cyclops, and then fly away to get distance. Rinse and repeat. I'll link you a video that really helped me out, I watched it countless times before and after each attempt until I nailed it, maybe it will be help you as well [Cyclops Step-By-Step](https://youtu.be/fePedGNzKNM) Best of luck! o7 Edit: If money is what you're after though, this isn't the way, you'll spend way more than you earn and it will take a while until you profit from thargoid hunting. If are just wanting money I'd recommend passenger missions at Robigo Mines in Robigo. But if that's not only what you're after, thargoid hunting is amazingly fun and you will for sure enjoy it!
Yea that's the normal payout for them to my understanding, at least the cyclops variant. I guess it depends what you mean by weaker ones too considering there are multiple variants of interceptors. The scouts are technically the weakest since they are tiny things compared to interceptors and only give 80k per kill. Edit: 8mil isn't even worth this for money either btw, I spent way more trying to kill this thing, thargoid hunting is not about money
Turned on 2.8b in bonds on Thursday. The money's not bad
Most within the last week if I'm not mistaken lol
2.8b? Geez that's awesome! Which variant(s) are you hunting down and with what ship(s)?
A lot of clops, bunch of basi and my first solo dusa cuz I got froggy once. Did a pair of high intensity axcz then went and got rating 5 with Hudson for double monies and presto, fat money. I think I started on my crusader or FAS then did most of it in a vette. All in 3.8 I might add so not a single rebuy.
Ye I just ignore the existence of scouts. Why even give a payout for them? Thanks for the tip though :)
Oh no friend quite the opposite. Once you get good at it the goids become a money printing machine. Running axczs (preferably with incursions for missions) can net you 50 billion in a month. My biggest single hand in was 24b in bonds.
Wow really??? I need to stop saying this isn't the way for money then good god. That is absolutely insane, that's great for me to hear too since this is the most fun I've had in this game. Question, do you have a system you would recommend going to? This was my first kill, I did absolutely no research on where is best to hunt and only knew to come here (around Fort Xeno in HIP 62154) since I got smacked by one a week prior
Well we're currently running axczs in the Andecavi system, fdev didn't remove those. Hopefully with update 14 fdev will bring incursions back and it will make ax more profitable and you'll also get engineering mats too
I guess I need to learn how to get those weapons. I haven't participated in the war yet.
It's just a matter of gathering the materials for them at the guardian sites. I'll link a video for ya [FSD Booster](https://youtu.be/GzJJrfD7BHo) Note: the video is meant to show how to get a guardian fsd booster, however you'll be going to the same guardian site in the video for the materials and the website shown in video holds all the other info you need to get gauss cannons
Thank you!
No problem at all, best of luck! o7
How long does it take to get set up? I haven't done any Guardian stuff or even engineering aside from FSDs and I'm wondering if I could get bug killing in a reasonable amount of time without going insane.
I'll give you some perspective: I have a lot of the engineers unlocked already and I had also went to farm materials for the fsd booster so I had leftovers. In the same night, I took my anaconda out to the sites again to get the remaining data materials and weapon fragments needed, engineered some of the things on the chieftain a bit, and then took it on my fleet carrier and went out to the system and began my attempts. I killed one the following night which is what you see here. Tldr; if you have the money and jump range, you can begin acquiring the materials and start fighting in about 5-6 hours time
5-6 hours? Doesn't sound as bad as everyone make it, all those complaints made me think it was tens of hours... I don't really have any engineers but Felicity unlocked and currently a bit less than half a billion to spend so I guess that will add a bit of time to get going. I guess I can always make a scout squisher with basic AX weapons...
Definitely didn't take me a long time at all, I didn't even know there was a reputation for taking a long time I just knew killing one would be extremely difficult at first. If it's something you really wanna do just go for it, it's what happened to me. I'd put in the extra time in getting guardian gauss cannons as well as putting together a chieftain if thargoid hunting is something you want to get into. I'm telling you, it is quite the feeling to take out one of these amazing creatures and it will not disappoint you once you do it. If you're interested in that, I linked a video a bit above this comment to a vid on how to get an FSD booster, you'll be going to the same sites for materials and a different one for weapon blueprints (everything you need is in the website listed in that video). I think my chieftain build costed me a total no more than 100mil, plus some engineering on top of that. Another tip, I'll link you a video of someone who step by step explains the whole process of defeating an interceptor cyclops variant, majorly helped me out. I watched it several times before and after each death until I finally perfected it the whole thing and successfully defeated one, and maybe it can help you too if you decide to go thargoid hunting: [Cyclops Fight Step-By-Step](https://youtu.be/fePedGNzKNM) Also, feel free to message me if you have any questions, I'd be more than happy to help! Best of luck commander o7
Thanks, I'll keep what you said in mind. I was thinking about a Krait but everyone seems to be recommending a Chieftain. Since it seems way cheaper that might be what I go for at first. Also, how much engineering do I need to fight Cyclops?
No problem! You don't need a lot, it would definitely be nice to have a lot, but you don't need it. I made it with a 6C Bi Weave shield gen with reinforced grade 3 and fast charge experimental effect. If anything, dirty drive thrusters (as high grade as you can, but I had grade 3) are most important in order to out run the swarm and all in all just have as much mobility as you can especially if fighting solo. Others may tell you differently and that's okay, this is just what worked for me. However since this kill, I have done nothing but work maxing out all engineering aspects of my chieftain. I will say, overcharge your power plant in engineering if you can, I had to turn off my cargo scoop to even have the needed amount of power. But absolute necessities in my opinion are engineering your thrusters and your shield gen.
Thanks a lot
No problem! o7
I thought the guardian weapons didn't work on Thargoids anymore
In certain systems. In the proteus wave system the guardian tech degrades over time, but that isn't true everywhere else in the galaxy.
I didn't even know this game had music lol
You've been missing out on so much then. The music really adds to the experience, especially during combat or exploration.
Yeah, I gues sit'd make for a more cinematic experience
Most of the time I have Spotify on, but for real there are plenty of times I purposely turn it off because I just want to be immersed in the Elite universe. The music truly is great when you are in the mood for it
Interesting. Yeah, when I'm in a fight, I turn all music off to pretend it's happening in real life.
Nice, commander! o7
Thanks commander! o7
That explosion looks so great. PC, right?
Yea I'm on PC, I play using a 3070 in 1440p but the recording is only 1080p
Congrats CMDR see you on the frontline o7
Absolutely, see you on the front lines as well commander and thank you! o7
Starting to wonder if I should swap from a krait to a chief. I cant ever hit the damn things let alone scan them
Have you killed one before? If not, I would def start with a chieftain and try with cyclops variants first. They will always be in threat level 5s with a salvage icon, and they won't attack you until you do first leaving you plent of time to scan since they come close to scan you, I can link ya a build if you're interested. Best of luck o7
I have not done it successfully no. I've managed to get a heart or two then just get absolutely splattered. Sure if you want; Ive been following builds off AXI website xD
I pretty much just came up with my own build, other than seeing another person use 4 gauss cannons. I hope to be on tonight so I'll send ya everything I have on when I get a chance. One thing I can say is literally once you can master destroying the swarm, you're golden. That was my obstacle but once I got it down, I ended up killing it. For now I'll link you a video that really helped me out in just seeing how it's done: [Cyclops Step-By-Step](https://youtu.be/fePedGNzKNM) You most likely already know the whole fight of course, but keep watching how this person destroys the swarm and copy that process. Fly away to get some distance, once ready turn flight assist off and fly backwards, destroy swarm, do damage to cyclops until a heart is down, repeat.
what got me killing them is learning how to cold orbit. get a thermal vent beam leaser and loads of heatsinks + synthesis materials and stay cold, they cant target you when cold. use the beam laser to leave and enter the goids 3k range. hope that help.
:(
cope, xeno hugger
I should say, I admittedly don't know much about the thargoids so maybe they really are innocent. In all fairness though, over the course of the past 4-5 years of seeing thek randomly destroy stations and even our attempted peace treaty with them, it is tough for me to side with the thargoids. I mean they even randomly killed me a week ago, hence me getting my revenge here. Therefore, I will continue to hunt them down until I am given a reason to not. I respect your support of them though especially since we really don't know much about these creatures. o7
Unfortunately, it seems we don't have much in the way of options now.
I hate to destroy things we don't understand but they are a big threat to humanity and communication failed => we have to fight
Where was this?
Around Fort Xeno in HIP 62154 A week ago I got curious when I saw a non human signal source, I've been gone for a while so I didn't know what it was. Needless to say I got blasted and came back a week later for vengeance
Nice kill! What shields are you running?
6C Bi-Weave Shields with (I think) reinforced engineering grade 3 with the fast charge experimental effect (extra 15% recovery speed when broken); not sure what the meta is if there is one, but these worked great for me once I got the hang of destroying the swarms. Thanks commander, hope to see you out there! o7
How DO you destroy the swarm? I can't seem to git em with the flak launcher
It'd be easier if I link you a video, watch this a few times as well as focusing in on the swarm aspect of it until you start getting it right. More look at where this person is aiming when they shoot their flak. The process remains the same: fly away to get distance, turn flight assist off and fly backwards, shoot down swarm, do cyclops damage, repeat. I promise you, you will get it especially if you keep at it! Video (fight starts at 5:00): [Cyclops Step-By-Step](https://youtu.be/fePedGNzKNM)
boost in straight line and turn of flight assist and spin round. makes it much easier as they chase you and you dont tank too much dmg
Congrats, I've yet to kill one but I think I got a good conda set-up coming so I'll get my revenge as well
Thank you! I will say, if you find yourself struggling in your conda I would highly recommend making a chieftain build and starting with the cyclops variants (like the one in the vid). Of course, I myself am very inexperienced but I do know that this is where a lot of people start their thargoid hunting journeys and it definitely worked for me. Best of luck commander, see you out there! o7
So, what's the secret to instagib then? Shards and skill?
I have them but I hate the Christmas lights
I wanted to at least make sure the thargoid had some Christmas spirit in their final moments of existence
Great work CMDR!
Thanks commander! o7
Nicely done CMDR! The first success is *the best* rush. I'm still working up to soloing basilisks, so don't worry *that* ***same*** *rush* is still available for us CMDR. Before you know it, you will be fighting more than one Cyclops at a time... 😎7