1. Get close. CLOSER.

Take time before a match to review the range and accuracy of your selected cannon. You may need to enable detailed tooltips in the GSF settings first. 3 sets of numbers will be listed. Make note of the range figure in the middle set and subtract 500 Meters. This is a good place to be early on. Later you will be a better shot and able to use the full range.

 

2. Press F1.

Or use your chosen keybind for selecting power to weapons.

 

3. Place your little circle on top of their little circle.

While keeping their little circle as close as possible to the center of your screen. This takes practice. Do not place your little circle on top of their ship.

 

4. Press your left mouse button and release.

We are firing in bursts. This gives us 2 major advantages.

• A. Accuracy. This is sovereign over all other stats. Every good thing in GSF follows your accuracy.
  
• B. Conserves Weapon Power. Watching your opponent fly away with no shields and little health because you are out of power is no fun lol.
  
• C. The Exception. There will be opportunities to unload on opponents having a difficult time evading you. LET THEM HAVE IT!
  

 

 

• Reduce mouse sensitivity. I fly at 600 DPI.
  
• Go into game settings and reduce camera shake for GSF to the minimum.
  
• Always take reduced tracking penalty if available
  
• Always take ignore armor if available
  
• Always take shield penetration if available
  

 

One final thought: Flying close will also greatly improve your chances to land missiles and torpedos. Stay Disciplined.

 

Comments: I have learned these things over the last 5 months or so from multiple sources. I wished more than once to find it all in one spot. Never did. For that reason I felt this was a worthwhile exercise. I take Zero credit for the suggestions. I do know from experience they are all good ones. I did deliberately avoid the actual mechanics of why each thing is good. Wanted to keep it fairly simple.

 

 

If anything should be added please Vets let me know. Thanks!

Edited August 4, 2021 by Gundahar

You have learned well in your five months it seems. Most people playing five months have grasped maybe half of this. Good job - keep it up.

 

There are things to add, but that would be getting into advanced techniques, and I like the simplicity of this. I wouldn't normally address those advanced things until someone is well practiced at all the points of this guide.

Appreciate the feedback. That's what I was hoping for. A quick read any new person could come away with a basic understanding of their primary weapon. Peeps are smart and they will figure out burst timing and where or when to take crit or w/e with experience.

 

I am playing around a little bit with a pile driver/proton setup. QCS, speed selected on the engines, regen thrusters. Practicing my drive bye-bye timing. Pretty fun. Simultaneous boosting, pile driving, and missile locking is pretty challenging. I like challenging. For me it is more fun. The obvious flaw in this build is that I won't be out turning anything in a dog fight. Better to run through a choke point, using my powerful engines to create separation - If I didn't get my target on the first pass that is. Stop. turn. wait. hope they take the bait and finish them off. Probs not the best setup for my gladiator but sure is fun lol.

Edited August 5, 2021 by Gundahar

The obvious flaw in this build is that I won't be out turning anything in a dog fight.

Yeah the traditional piledriver build is not suited to dog-fights. More a hit and run type ship that can do immense damage to unsuspecting targets or a joust machine. Try the Rapids + heavies with either Clusters or Concussions build. That is a far better dog-fighter and generally more versatile. In theory you lose a little ultimate burst damage in favor of having wider arc weapons that allow dog fighting. But if the kill time is slower, I never noticed it. It still packs a punch in a joust. Use double turning and it will even out dog-fight / out-turn Scouts. Not the really skilled ones mind, but the rest no problem. I used traditional piledriver for a very very long time, but the rapids version is superior in almost every way.

 

Thanks for the tips. I usually run ions/quads/concussions with double turning. The quads I will swap around a bit. Still trying a lot of different things. I do like concussions though. Easier to maintain locks at closer ranges and as long as I am through shields and into their hull can usually take them out or down to a sliver. Wish I could have pods on a dbl turning strike. I use clusters on the Sting and Jurgoran. They pair well with BLC.

Question: Would you take rapids over quads for the more traditional t1 strike set ups (with ions)? I've used both and can't decide. Love heavies but they just aren't suited for close combat. My early days before I learned to close with ppl I used them exclusively.

Thanks for the tips. I usually run ions/quads/concussions with double turning. The quads I will swap around a bit. Still trying a lot of different things. I do like concussions though. Easier to maintain locks at closer ranges and as long as I am through shields and into their hull can usually take them out or down to a sliver. Wish I could have pods on a dbl turning strike. I use clusters on the Sting and Jurgoran. They pair well with BLC.

 

Question: Would you take rapids over quads for the more traditional t1 strike set ups (with ions)? I've used both and can't decide. Love heavies but they just aren't suited for close combat. My early days before I learned to close with ppl I used them exclusively.

 

100% I would ditch Quads if running Ions. They are the weakest laser on Strikes. Much like LC is on Scouts. Quads are great if running Piledriver build, and if you are well practiced at getting the "double-tap" Quad and Heavy bolt to hit at the same time. But on their own, mediocre at best. Poor range, not enough damage, sub-par accuracy, too high energy drain. Rapids is a far better option if you are running Ions. Most people will go for Qauds over Rapids because they have troubles with aim and range. But once you are over that problem, Rapids are better. Buuuuuuut, I also don't think there's much call for Ions these days. The best combination on the T1F is Heavies and Rapids. Anything in a straight-ish line, Heavies + Rapids is going to burn it down faster than Ions + anything. In a turn fight Ion's don't have a very wide arc, so aren't much use. You're reliant on your Rapids + either Clusters or Concussions in that situation. So you might as well take the hard hitting Heavies.

 

Some people might disapprove of my dismissive attitude towards Quads and Ions. Both individually and separately. Its not like you can't do huge kills counts with them. Ofc you can. I just think the way the meta has gone, as people have refined more and more what works since 5.5, the standout best overall build for T1F is Heavies, Rapids.

Did swap out my beloved ions and quads for heavies and rapids. My accuracy has suffered about 10%, that's on me until I gut used to the rapid's burst timing. Just wanted to say its a great set up can burn down ships pretty quickly. always been a huge fan of the heavies. Read somewhere early on to switch rapids out immediately because they are the worst in game. Don't remember where but I wrote it in my notebook and haven't used them often until now. HUGE firing arc.

Did swap out my beloved ions and quads for heavies and rapids. My accuracy has suffered about 10%, that's on me until I gut used to the rapid's burst timing. Just wanted to say its a great set up can burn down ships pretty quickly. always been a huge fan of the heavies. Read somewhere early on to switch rapids out immediately because they are the worst in game. Don't remember where but I wrote it in my notebook and haven't used them often until now. HUGE firing arc.

 

They were the worst laser pre5.5, but they got buffed. You probably read something from back in the old meta. Or, someone who just doesn't know what they are talking about. Accuracy will come up, stick with it. Concentrate on your aim and range, you'll get there.