Titanfall: How to kill a Titan

The main attraction of Respawn's huge new release Titanfall are the Titans themselves. Jumping in a huge mech and destroying everything in your path is a blast. But what happens when you're on the receiving end of a Titan's rampage? Here we'll look at the best ways to dismantle them into scrap metal.


Pilot Anti-Titan weapons

When faced with the disadvantage of being a Pilot and coming up against a Titan, your first port of call is your Anti-Titan weapon. You can only carry one of these on you, so make sure to choose wisely.

Archer Heavy Rocket
The Archer requires a lock-on to fire its rocket at a Titan. Its damage is considerable and you can lock on from quite far away, plus you're more or less guaranteed a hit after you lock on and fire. It is best used however when assisting a teammate in a Titan vs Titan fight. This is because when you lock onto a Titan they will receive a lock-on message on their screen which also gives away your position. Considering this, it's best not to confront Titan's up front. The reload time and magazine capacity of 1 rocket per fire is also something to consider when using the Archer.

Sidewinder
The Sidewinder is everything the Archer is not. It sacrifices power for fire rate and isn't a guaranteed hit depending on your own aim. It fires mini missiles (25 per round) that explode upon impact with a Titan. An effective way to use the Sidewinder is to make sure you are near buildings when engaging an enemy Titan. Because of the lower damage you will need to get more hits on a Titan to do any serious harm. When firing the Sidewinder you will come up as a red blip on the enemy's mini map, dipping in and out of buildings and different windows while firing rapidly will enable you to do the max damage possible.

Titanfall hint: The Sidewinder can also be used against Pilots. Useful if when fighting a Titan a Pilot charges you rather than switching to your main weapon.

Mag Launcher
The Mag Launcher is an effective, but difficult weapon to use effectively against Titans. If you've ever used a grenade launcher in a FPS game before, this won't feel much different. With 5 grenades per round and range and accuracy lacking, you'll want to be as close as possible to get the best out of it. The grenades will 'veer' towards Titans (and Spectres) but it is still largely down to you to get your aim right. One thing to consider is what Titan type you are battling. Because of the low range previously mentioned, you have to be fairly close. Therefore, a fast Titan like the Stryder is not an ideal target. It will be difficult to score all 5 hits on it unless it's stood still, which is unlikely.

Charge Rifle
The Charge Rifle causes the most damage to Titans. It's range is unlimited and accuracy is all down to your own aim. Don't be fooled by the low fire rate shown on the stats page, you can get a few hits in a short space of time. It will only fire however once you've held down the trigger long enough. If you don't trust your shot, don't use it.

Titanfall tip: While not directly related to damaging a Titan, using a Pilot's tactical ability of Active Radar Pulse may help you plan your attack by being able to see through walls.

Aside from the Anti-Titan weapons, there are also plenty of other ways to plot your destruction of Titans - your ordnance can be a massive help. While not strictly for Titan combat, frag grenades and satchel charges will do damage if thrown/applied close enough. Even more useful however are the Arc grenades and Arc mines. Compared to frags, the arc grenades are a little less powerful. However similar to the Arc mines, they will cause interference to the player in the Titan (in other words, it will muck up their screen and make it hard to see what is going on). These can be very effective as there is one more thing you can do to do massive damage to Titans as a Pilot - Rodeo them.

How to Rodeo a Titan

Performing a rodeo is as easy as it is fun. Simply jump (or double jump for extra height and safety) r drop onto a Titan and your Pilot will dismantle the Titan to the point of where you can let rip into it's very core. Combining this with Arc Grenades is VERY recommended as while you're climbing on your opponent won't be able to see anything that is happening for a few seconds. While performing a rodeo is very effective and can be deadly, it comes with a lot of risks. Before the game if you can, take note of if you're playing a party of players (they may have similar names). It's not always possible to do this obviously, but can be helpful when deciding whether or not to rodeo. This is because if you are facing a party, their communication will probably thwart your attempts to take down a Titan as they'll let each other know they have someone on their back. For the same reason it is also not recommended to rodeo a Titan if they are surrounded by enemy players - if they see you, you're a free shot and will most likely be dead before you can react.

Do NOT use an Anti-Titan weapon like the Sidewinder when performing a rodeo. You will do a small amount of damage before you only succeed in committing suicide.

Titanfall tip: You can crush enemy Titans by calling your Titan in exactly where they are. The drop from space will squash the enemy Titan and Pilot inside (if applicable) instantly. A hard skill to master, but also made easier by using the 'Warpfall Transmitter' perk in your Pilot's Tier 2 Kit. This will make your Titan drop much faster.

To see more Titanfall hints, tips and guides, take a look at this page.

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