Defence against missiles

[DavidPratt]

I have military shields, but keep getting killed by a type of missile (not sure which). The missile concerned seems to wobble on the screen. How can I stop this happening?

[Smivs]

Sounds like an OXP missile, so removing the OXP will stop it happening. What OXPs do you use which add missiles?

[ralph_hh]

You do have ECM, do you?

In general, if a missile hits you from the front, the damage is often lethal. Try to turn around and fly away from it, the damage is much smaller then. Also, you have a good chance to try ECM more often as it takes longer for the missile to reach you, sometimes even a ECM hardened missile gets destroyed this way. And you may even be lucky to hit the missile with the rear laser.

[Norby]

You can left behind missiles using Injectors, moreover missiles has limited fuel so you can turn back soon. My usual tatctics is to run into a safe distance where the enemy ship is barely not in my scanner, stop but turn back the nose, wait until the first missile arrive near, then assault using injectors almost facing them - the missiles will miss and left behind me, the target will appear back to my scanner and missiles has not enough fuel to arrive back into the dogfight.

An exception is the [wiki]I-Missile[/wiki] which has built-in injectors and faster than any core player ships on injectors. You should install this extension only when you are familiar with other missiles and want more challenge.

There is another interception missile in [wiki]Missiles and Bombs[/wiki] but this is only as fast as the slowest core player ship (Anaconda) on injectors so not a problem until you have enough fuel.

There are more general tips in [wiki]Missile tactics[/wiki] and details with calculation examples in dealEnergyDamage, whcih show that you should run away when the missile hit you to reduce the suffered damage, could save even on normal speed up to two energy banks.

[Cody]

... sometimes even a ECM hardened missile gets destroyed this way.

This happens far too often to my hardheads lately... at 350Cr each, I expect better!

[ralph_hh]

You know... Perhaps, sometimes you should open one of these parcels with prototype technology data and have a closer look

[Anonymissimus]

I'm interested in what to do if there's no rear laser (e.g. Adder start). Or no fuel left. Since basically everything other than repeated ECM seems to depend on both being present (and fuel injectors working). For shooting down a missile fired from relative close range (most of the time) with the rear laser there's first a little speed boost needed (and perhaps a second or a third time when missing the spiralling missile). For hitting the corkscrewing missile it's important to fire onto the spot where it will be, not where it is. And a (preferably cool) beam laser is needed, at least. (Actually, a beam laser is probably better than a military laser even...it allows for more shots until it overheats; any hit will destroy the missile, the damage is not important.)
Flying into the direction of the missile to make it miss as Norby recommends sounds very frightening. And should need a fair amount of fuel too.
Most lethal missiles seem to be fired from close range when firing hard onto some enemy with the front laser, as there's no chance to move away from the missile anymore because you are flying into the enemy's direction already, and the missile is flying to you. So I would strongly advice to not use the front laser when actually trying to kill an enemy, or be very careful to not come too close.
Also, please let me abuse this topic for a little shameless OXP advertisement: Missile warning. This makes sure no missile-ish things can close in on you unnoticed (which was the cause of my BOOM press space) encounters lately).

[Venator Dha]

I'm interested in what to do if there's no rear laser (e.g. Adder start). Or no fuel left.

Die
The adder start is always a challenge with missiles as even with an ECM installed you have to watch your energy, spamming the ECM is a good way to get yourself killed There's the firing of your missile at the missile or the enemy for them to use their ECM, but you only have one missile

Most lethal missiles seem to be fired from close range when firing hard onto some enemy with the front laser, as there's no chance to move away from the missile anymore because you are flying into the enemy's direction already, and the missile is flying to you. So I would strongly advice to not use the front laser when actually trying to kill an enemy, or be very careful to not come too close.

A preemptive ECM can help here. Certain ships tend to use this tactic more often than others so a little bit of tactical awareness helps. Again used too much can cause Energy problems in some ships.

Edit: to change wrong info.

[Norby]

Flying into the direction of the missile to make it miss as Norby recommends sounds very frightening.

First time enough if you continue your run and keep at least a few km distance until missiles explode. After some run you will have a sense about when will run out of fuel so you can turn back earlier, keeping a big safe distance while go back far below the missile. With enough experience you will not fear when you go back near them.

[ffutures]

One way to get ECM is to fire off one of your own missiles. Usually one of the enemy ships will immediately try ECM, your missile may be destroyed but there's a good chance the enemy ones will be too.

[Anonymissimus]

There's the firing of your missile at the missile

How exactly is that supposed to work ? I never managed to fire a missile onto an incoming missile. E.g. please describe how to do it in the tutorial with no addons installed.
(The problem is that the missile cannot be locked onto the incoming one, which is needed for launching it.)

[DavidPratt]

Thank you Smivs Removing the OXP worked!

[Venator Dha]

There's the firing of your missile at the missile

How exactly is that supposed to work ? I never managed to fire a missile onto an incoming missile. E.g. please describe how to do it in the tutorial with no addons installed.
(The problem is that the missile cannot be locked onto the incoming one, which is needed for launching it.)

I'd forgotten about that.

[Cody]

... sometimes even a ECM hardened missile gets destroyed this way.

This happens far too often to my hardheads lately... at 350Cr each, I expect better!

Damn it, two on the trot... again! Is it possible that these highly-accurate assassins are shooting my hardheads down? Fiendish!

[Fritz]

I'm quite sure I've seen them shooting their own missiles occasionally!