Hunting the Hive
This page is intended to provide links to information about the Hive as well as anti-Hive tactics.
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Links To Information About The Hive
Anti-Hive Tactics
General Tactics
- Hit-And-Run
Unless aiming for specific types of bots, it is best to try and position yourself so that you can jump easily. Either stay 3000 m away from large objects or get near the storm exit point in ion storms. If necessary, jump away as soon as you have sustained too much damage. Disable your "flight assist" and always strafe and move fowards/backwards.
Hunting A Queen
The first step to hunting a Queen is to find it. Wait in a sector full of collector bots for them to fill up (this will take a while - don't attack any of them and dodge the ones attacking you) and then tail a bot as it attempts to warp away. Select it as a target and if you are close (1000 m or less) you should be able to see where it warps too. (In this regard, the Vulture and Centurion are very good for this role). Then once you have located the Queen, attack it! Be aware that in some sectors there may be two Queens in the same place at the same time.
The Queen is usually surrounded by a dozen or so escorts but are pretty defensless themselves. They are slow lumbering targets making them easy prey for missiles. Your goal once you warp into the sector is immediately plot a way out on your nav map and are ready to jump (fast charge batteries help). The Queens are mainly in empty space making it easy to jump away if you are heavily damaged. Quickly approach the Queen and dodge the escorts, either by barrelling through them and igonoring them or luring them away from the Queen then turn around and then make a run for the Queen. Be aware that it is rather easy to crash into a Queen! Avoid this as it causes heavy damage to yourself. Be prepared for a heavy concussion to your ship after the Queen explodes.
It is best to work in groups in attacking the Queen - some can lure the escorts away while others make an attack run. Others can also provide medical support. Once the Queen is destroyed, the XP points will be divided amongsts the group, with the one who killed the Queen recieving the most points. You will all get credit for killing the Queen.
It is also quite possible to hunt a Queen by yourself. There are two ways to do this.
The first is with energy weapons. In this method, you will want an extremely thin-profile ship (Such as the Corvus Vulturius), and you must be able to strafe well. It is reccomended that you purchase two mkII Neutron Blasters, as they have the highest damage-to-energy ratio among commonly available small-port weapons. When you enter the system containing the Queen, you will want to position the Queen between you, and the mindless swarm of Hive bots. There are two reasons for this: Firstly, you will not have to dodge as much energy fire from the bots. Secondly, the bots are capable of, and often do, hit with fire, and bump the Queen in attempting to get at you. If you can position the Queen in this way, you should be able to pour your Neutron fire into its huge target, while avoiding its Positron and Gatling Turret fire. If you are damaged, jump to a nearby station, and jump back, within a reasonable amount of time. Once the Queen is extremely damaged, on its last sliver of health, you have two options. You can sacrifice your ship by dying in the explosion, or you can get a ship with some missiles to finish it off from a distance further than 500 meters. Keep in mind that when you destroy the Queen, you may not be able to find the weapons it dropped (Hive Positron Blaster, Hive Gatling Turret), especially if you die, or leave, and have to re-enter the system. My name is Daggoth Korronoth, and I endorse this system.
The second way is much simpler, and involves mainly huge masses of missiles. A Ragnarok is best. Enter the system, set an escape route, target the Queen, boost towards the Queen while spamming it with missiles. As soon as you've emptied your missile tubes, jump out of there, and return to a station to restock missiles. Rinse, and repeat. Make sure that you are more than 500 meters away from the Queen when it explodes.
Remember, the most frustrating part of hunting Queens by yourself is finding the Hive weapons afterward. But when you do pull a Hive Positron Blaster out of your own kill, it's very rewarding.