So no matter what ship I'm on, I'm having trouble once someone gets on my tail, i can't seem to shake them, I can pull barrel rolls and speed boost and flip on the engine power and it just seems like there's nothing I can do to shake someone constantly locking missiles on me. I feel like I turn like a semi truck even after investing in turning thrusters and it feels like when I'm on someone's tail they can turn a 180 on me almost instantly without even having to use their engine moves, how are they turning so quickly? I've tried slowing down but even at a full slop it feels like trying to turn a train it just slowly spins around. It feels like I'm trying to keyboard turn in PVP.

I know there's gotta be some tricks to it. What am I missing?

One very simple trick I've done since first playing flight sims back in the late 80s (still holds true today) when you're in the eternal "ring around the rosies" situation where you are both circling trying to line up the other in your sights, is to turn the other way. Usually your opponent will continue with the same trajectory as before for a bit before adjusting to your new motion, and in that time period you might be able to get behind them.

In other words, in GSF if the diamond is on the left side of your HUD and you keep spinning left to catch it, go right instead. It's counter-intuitive but it can work at times.

One very simple trick I've done since first playing flight sims back in the late 80s (still holds true today) when you're in the eternal "ring around the rosies" situation where you are both circling trying to line up the other in your sights, is to turn the other way. Usually your opponent will continue with the same trajectory as before for a bit before adjusting to your new motion, and in that time period you might be able to get behind them.

 

In other words, in GSF if the diamond is on the left side of your HUD and you keep spinning left to catch it, go right instead. It's counter-intuitive but it can work at times.

That might be what they're doing, yeah it does seem counterintuitive but it seems like it'd work, thanks!

That might be what they're doing, yeah it does seem counterintuitive but it seems like it'd work, thanks!

Rotate your ship with the A/D keys so that the target is directly at your 12 o'clock.

Pitch turn speed is faster than yaw.

Good luck

One very simple trick I've done since first playing flight sims back in the late 80s (still holds true today) when you're in the eternal "ring around the rosies" situation where you are both circling trying to line up the other in your sights, is to turn the other way. Usually your opponent will continue with the same trajectory as before for a bit before adjusting to your new motion, and in that time period you might be able to get behind them.

 

In other words, in GSF if the diamond is on the left side of your HUD and you keep spinning left to catch it, go right instead. It's counter-intuitive but it can work at times.

Yes, works.

Works excellent on me, although I never managed to do it myself so far in GSF. Worked excellently in X-Wing etc. , though.

This is also why you should have a wingman. If someone's locked on you, they shoot them off you. Once you have someone on your tail you're pretty much a goner unless someone forces them off you.

Otherwise prepare to get suicidal. Force them into maneuvers that are high risk to keep track of you such as weaving through tight spaces with lots of LOS breaking. NEVER get caught in the open if you can help it. Odds are you're more likely going to splat against something but that's more or less the point, get so high risk to follow you force them off you because they don't want to splat against something.

Of course this means you should always queue with a buddy or pick a random PuG and stick with them and hope they're not such a glory hound. Otherwise you're stuck in permanent suicide mode.

This is also why you should have a wingman. If someone's locked on you, they shoot them off you. Once you have someone on your tail you're pretty much a goner unless someone forces them off you.

 

Otherwise prepare to get suicidal. Force them into maneuvers that are high risk to keep track of you such as weaving through tight spaces with lots of LOS breaking. NEVER get caught in the open if you can help it. Odds are you're more likely going to splat against something but that's more or less the point, get so high risk to follow you force them off you because they don't want to splat against something.

 

Of course this means you should always queue with a buddy or pick a random PuG and stick with them and hope they're not such a glory hound. Otherwise you're stuck in permanent suicide mode.

Yeah queuing in a premade would be better but my friends would much rather do the expertise fest ground PVP that I absolutely despise (I absolutely refuse to do PVP where there's 1 stat to rule them all), or PVE, most of them don't like GSF at all.

this is also why you should have a wingman.

word.

Hold S to decelerate as you turn. This makes for sharper turns. And, as blooddodo said, make sure you're turning to 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock.

My favorite places to dogfight are mostly open with a few asteroids or other obstructions. By far the easiest way to break a missile lock is to mash afterburner and dive around something that breaks line of sight, even if only for an instant.

One very simple trick I've done since first playing flight sims back in the late 80s (still holds true today) when you're in the eternal "ring around the rosies" situation where you are both circling trying to line up the other in your sights, is to turn the other way. Usually your opponent will continue with the same trajectory as before for a bit before adjusting to your new motion, and in that time period you might be able to get behind them.

 

In other words, in GSF if the diamond is on the left side of your HUD and you keep spinning left to catch it, go right instead. It's counter-intuitive but it can work at times.

This

And

Rotate your ship with the A/D keys so that the target is directly at your 12 o'clock.

Pitch turn speed is faster than yaw.

Good luck

This.

Both work like a charm even when my striker is going against a scout. Sure I may not get on their tail to shoot them down but if I just get a few shots in they usually get scared off.

At the very least this makes you less predictable and harder to shoot down if multiple enemies are on your tail. Using these tactics along with abilities and being attentive to my shields has kept me alive many times when I was outnumbered long enough for allies to come and shoot guys off my tail.

sometimes it's a good thing when people are chasing you. the more people chasing you means less people going after objectives.

there have been plenty of times where someone's clearly honked off that they got killed so they single out the guy that killed them and try to exact revenge.

Well that's all nice and good, but you're probably going to lose the match and thus get less requisition because you're indulging in your revenge lust.

Especially when I play the broken gunship to get my bonus requisition. Getting sniped by a stationary ship when you're dipping and diving through terrain tends to piss people off so you get a lot of revenge seeking players after getting sniped.

It's certainly harder to evade with a gunship, but if you're aware of the terrain, it's still possible.

It's just interesting because I think more players are interested in dogfighting than taking/camping objectives. so when they have these game elements that take themselves away from that, people tend to get...angry and chase you down obsessively, ignoring everything else.

You know they should have one all out dogfight brawl map though, just most kills in the time limit wins (I prefer that style of deathmatch to elimination deathmatch, sitting out an entire match isn't fun and you don't learn just sitting there waiting for the match to be over, but a timer and most kills wins you can keep trying and getting better.

Frankly the dogfighting and sniping are way more fun than capturing objectives.

sometimes it's a good thing when people are chasing you. the more people chasing you means less people going after objectives.

"Play the bait and get killed so that WE can get the laurels !"

Stopping was a mistake. While going slower increases your turning rate, stopping is extremely slow.

What ship are you flying? If you're a strike or a gunship, and its a scout chasing you...of course you're going to get out-turned and out maneuvered ( assuming decent skill. )

There are some things to help. First, don't just flee around in circles. If you're trying to really get someone off of your 6, fly past friends. Fly in and out of friendly turrets at a satellite....and very importantly...fly to your cap ship. That thing has a range of like 20km and insta-kills anything that comes close. This has saved my scout countless times. Every now and then, I manage to really irk some people, and end up with 3 or 4 ships chasing me. I target the closest one and just head for the nearest cap ship. Keep your distance moderate so they stay on you, but not letting them kill you either. I usually get 2 that forget about the cap, and keep chasing me all the way to the wonderful fireworks show:)

Oh, and remember that speed boost eats a chunk of power to activate. You want to use it for longer boosts rather than short ones to save engine power.

Time and again on my scout I run across people doing short speed boosts. I let them get a little distance on me, then use 1 boost to catch up. I'll then have a nearly full engine power bar, and theirs will be very low. At that point, their only option is for something else ( Friends, turrets, or cap ships ) to get me off of them. Those that try to move in and out of asteroids, away from everything else, will slowly die.

Already some good tips in here. Personally if someone gets on me I tend to dip and dive, fly unpredictable to shake them. Most players arent that good yet and it works.

another fun trick, that works once in a while, is the old Maverick/Top Gun trick. If they are under 800m hit a straight line away. Soon as you do smack "X" and stop, they'll fly right by and theres no collide dectection between ships in GSF. Its funny when it works.

Already some good tips in here. Personally if someone gets on me I tend to dip and dive, fly unpredictable to shake them. Most players arent that good yet and it works.

 

another fun trick, that works once in a while, is the old Maverick/Top Gun trick. If they are under 800m hit a straight line away. Soon as you do smack "X" and stop, they'll fly right by and theres no collide dectection between ships in GSF. Its funny when it works.

Done that myself in my Gunship. Also, rhe reverse thrusters achieve the same thing, but much more satisfying.

Do a barrel roll!

Time it right or you go face first into an asteroid.....

Stopping was a mistake. While going slower increases your turning rate, stopping is extremely slow.

 

What ship are you flying? If you're a strike or a gunship, and its a scout chasing you...of course you're going to get out-turned and out maneuvered ( assuming decent skill. )

 

There are some things to help. First, don't just flee around in circles. If you're trying to really get someone off of your 6, fly past friends. Fly in and out of friendly turrets at a satellite....and very importantly...fly to your cap ship. That thing has a range of like 20km and insta-kills anything that comes close. This has saved my scout countless times. Every now and then, I manage to really irk some people, and end up with 3 or 4 ships chasing me. I target the closest one and just head for the nearest cap ship. Keep your distance moderate so they stay on you, but not letting them kill you either. I usually get 2 that forget about the cap, and keep chasing me all the way to the wonderful fireworks show:)

 

Oh, and remember that speed boost eats a chunk of power to activate. You want to use it for longer boosts rather than short ones to save engine power.

 

Time and again on my scout I run across people doing short speed boosts. I let them get a little distance on me, then use 1 boost to catch up. I'll then have a nearly full engine power bar, and theirs will be very low. At that point, their only option is for something else ( Friends, turrets, or cap ships ) to get me off of them. Those that try to move in and out of asteroids, away from everything else, will slowly die.

most of that I know and I do, the main thing that is killing me is turn rate, but now knowing that pitching is faster than yawing has helped a ton.