Warfare & Tactics

Not really. A properly flown nano-kiter like the comet will either kill you or go away. Ships that can make it go away are most dessies that can project damage out to 20-30km. The other option is to find a faster brawler ship to catch it, scram/web it, then kill it while staying alive long enough to do so.

Tried a td ancilary firetail?

TBh can't remember the last time I fought a comet in something that wasn't a hard counter or straight up better at the same job. They tend to run when they sense blobs and are pretty damn good at it too.

Hmmm...this advice is specific to the ab/scram/web rail comet but should do good against full kite ones too. Since you started with a destroyer:

Arty thrasher will do well, not the glass cannon kind but something that fits tank in the lows and has a web. The rocket corax, rocket talwar, and the algos should be viable against rail comets. The dragoon will wreck their world, and the coercer should work too.

If you're in a frig it's all about making the comet warp into you and identifying what range they want to be fighting at based on their speed. Without going into pirate factions, I think the hookbill might stand a chance if fitted and flown correctly.

As for pirate factions, the new Worm will eat them alive, and the succubus can disengage at will. In the hands of a skilled pilot a blaster daredevil can emerge on top, but I imagine dramiels and cruors will be dumpstered by a good rail comet.

Aren't there 2 types of rail comets? Scram kiting ones and pure kiters. Scram kite is just trying to get under his guns if your ship is fast enough. Pure kitey ones are more annoying but doable if you land a scram on them.

Overall droneboats i'd say.

Tristan, Worm, Algos, Sentinel.

How often do you actually pop people before they realize they aren't pointed/scrammed?

Fair enough. I've fought against double webbers myself and quickly realize I can warp out. Exceptions occur like dual web hookbills. In the end I suppose it separates the attentive to those who just go orbit/approach f1, f2, f3, and f4 all day everyday.

More evil ones include a double web AC trasher zero on a plex and fit for gank no tank. My god my tank didn't even last 20 seconds on that guy.

if we talking about a scram kitey Comet, that fit won't work. Difference in DPS is not enough to compensate the relatively massive tank an AB railcomet can fit (200mm plate + ANP II + SAAR/SAR II).

If we talking about a 100% kitey nano comet, you won't ever catch him, simply put, unless you're waiting in a plex and for some reason (major case of blueballs perhaps) he slides in.

Dual web hookbill with TD stands a way better chance but it's still surprisingly close, i lost to a 200plate saar anp rail comet in a 400 plate 2 web td rocket hoobill, slowly worn down by hobgoblins and being hit by his rails a grand total of 2 times while closing the initial distance. Granted i took something like a 14% from a npc rat, but i'm 100% not sure i'd have won without that interference.

in my experience, stuff that works against comets, considering only t1 and navy frig, which dessies and pirate and AFs are kinda obvious
- vs kitey nano comets (long point, often pretty much tankless to make space for TE and magstabs)
anything that can project damage to 20ish KMs and has a tank. Speed bonused drones (warriors) unless he's linked or has snakes
slicer unless the comet pilot is really good starting with spike out of slicer range and then close in, slicer pilot being dormant and not managing to run away. same goes for arty tail
any mwd brawler with a tank

-vs scram kiety comets (ab)
any kitey ship (mwd long point) obviously will not be killed, but the comet might still shoo you away if you don't have a tank
stuff that can kill it:
dual td kitey ship (one TD (opt rng script) won't be enough if he loads spike, unless it's an inty in which case orbiting you might out track him with tracking script if you're fast enough), no problem, just gonna take a while)
AC-TD firetail (close call)
dual web td rocket hookbill (close call)
neut tristan
blaster comet


and more stuff, but you get the picture

stuff you don't want to face a rail comet in:
blaster boats, unless you have 2 webs and a hefty tank (pretty much only another comet)
lazors boats, unless slicer in the fore mentioned case
anything minmatar except the firetail depicted above vs scram kitey comet, against long point comets as long as you have a mwd and a some tank you can be fine

Actually daredevil, 90% web, OL that ***** and snag him, Plus with 400mm plate you got plenty of tank and about 400 DPS standard, You will beat him once you're in close enough to apply your DPS properly, its all about how you get into range though