AXCZs Role in Thargoid Conflict

At Anti-Xeno Conflict Zones you can combat waves of Thargoid Scouts, Interceptors and in some cases Hunters. They are Signals/PoIs and or Stations under attack in Systems with Thargoid conflict.

Find our own recommended default ship-configs on our AXCZs Builds page.
You can also find general information on AX-activities and -CZs on the AXI Wiki.

AXCZ Approach & Phases

These are great Scenarios to come together as a Team with other Commanders and fight Thargoids continuously.
During War-times, destroying Thargoid Vessels and completing the CZs will progress the War-System in which they are located.

Scenario & Instance

The Conflict Zone Signal (may be in open space, a Station or a Port) is the epicenter of the Scenario and spawns will mainly revolve around it.

  • Keep the Signal selected in your Navigation Menu and it will stay as a point of orientation even while you target other ships or enemies.

You will get an Invite to the Conflict Scenario via your top-left chat panel.
A progress-bar will appear on your top-right panel after joining. The radio voice will keep you up-to-date with the current milestones of the CZ.

Instancing

  • For most effective Instancing with other players we recommend winging up before dropping into the AXCZ.
    You may try to “dirty drop” and hope you end up in the same Instance, but this will not always work.
  • If you have serious trouble Instancing, have issues with Desyncs or can see other Players only as moving signatures in space rather than their ships please check your Port Forwarding.
  • Stuck progressbars or spawnwaves can often be soft-reset by everyone in Instance going out to ~35-45km or by sending Commanders out of the Instance one at a time.
  • Going out to ~50-70km will usually reset the Instance completely.

AX NPCs

  • AX Pilot NPCs will spawn to support you. Their use will be mostly limited to taking out scouts and exerting Interceptors depending on the amount of NPC focus. They can help with Hunters as well.
  • Interceptors will often focus and face these hot-running NPCs, which can be suboptimal when trying to snipe exerted Hearts.
    • NPCs will trigger Interceptor’s special attacks often, stay aware.

Main Phase

AXCZs consist of multiple Phases & Waves. Progress will be tracked by the bar on the top-right. Defeat enemies to progress.
You will receive a Bond-reward whenver you reach a milestone.

First Wave (Initial Scouts)

The First Wave will consist of 10-20 Scouts.

  • Focus Scouts with colored special-attack-pulses.
    • Taking out the green glowing Regenerators will make it easier for the NPC-Pilots to take the rest out for you.
    • Target the orange glowing Berserkers to prevent them from triggering annoying (even if not too dangerous) caustic missile barrages.
    • The pink-reddish glowing Inciters are of little concern.

After clearing the wave you will receive a bond and the next wave will begin.

Second Wave (Interceptors)

The Second Wave will spawn 2 Interceptors, often simultaniously.

  • Interceptors will emit Shutdown-Fields shortly after spawning in, make use of your SFN.
    • Defeating Interceptors grants their regular combat-bond reward for each.
    • Spawnrate for different Interceptor variants depends on difficulty of the AXCZ.

Continous Waves will keep spawning Interceptors or a handful of scouts.
Defeat all to progress from wave to wave. The bar will fill as you do.

  • High+ Difficulty and Station/Port AXCZs may spawn waves of 2-3 Glaives.
    • Glaives should always be top priority and focused asap.
    • They will emit Anti-Guardian Fields, destroying any unprotected Guardian equipment of affected Commanders.

Once the Progressbar is filled you will receive a bond for completion and the Hydra(s) will be announced, concluding the Main Phase and beginnning the Hydra phase.

Hydra Phase

This Phase is mostly optional, but completing it will give significant reward.
Progress bar(s) representing Hydra health will appear on your top-right HUD.
Damaging the Hydra will empty the bar.

The Hydra(s)

The Hydra(s) will spawn after the announcement, depending on the difficulty level it may be 1, 2 or even 3 in large Station CZs.

  • In a multi-Hydra situation you will have to decide on either focusing one Hydra and then the other, or alternating between them.
    • This will often depend on the time it takes in your Instance to whittle down the Shields between Hearts. Playerfocus with Beams or more will help here. NPCs can also be of help.
    • If you can get the shields down at a decent speed it is often not worth making everyone switch between targets. If it takes you a while you might want to switch targets while the shields of one Hydra are still up.
    • Having one experienced Commander, or another Wing weaken the second Hydra can be a solid option.
  • Be cautious of agitated Hydra Swarm Missiles.

Beware that another stray Interceptor will often spawn at some point after the Hydras. Do not let the Shutdown catch you off guard.

Each Hydra will give their regular bond when destroyed – defeating all will give you an additional bond by the Conflict Zone Scenario.

The AXCZ will restart at some point. If fighting the Hydras takes too long it might even restart while the Hydras are still alive.

AXCZ Intensity Levels & Types

The Environment and Intensity levels of a AXCZ can have major effect on the enemies you will encounter. Behavior and Number.

AXCZ Types

Open Space AX Conflict Zone

These will generally be without Gravity unless too close to a Planet’s cruiserange. RRR will not be available without leaving the Instance.

  • Low Intensity
    • 1 Hydra at the end
  • Medium Intensity
    • 1 Hydra at the end
  • High Intensity
    • 2 Hydras at the end
    • Glaives may spawn
  • Very High Intensity
    • 2 Hydras at the end
    • Glaives may spawn

Station under attack

Not seen since the end of the Thargoid War.

These are more mixed. Ground Locations will have Gravity. Stations/Ports that are still online may provide RRR when docking.

  • Groundports
    • Gravity
    • Interceptors will not have Swarms
    • 2 Hydras at the end
    • Glaives may Spawn
  • Outposts
    • 2 Hydras at the end
    • Glaives may Spawn
  • Large Stations
    • 3 Hydras at the end
    • Glaives may Spawn

Finding AXCZs

Listed below are current methods to find AXCZs.
Alternatively you can find current community targets on Discord in AXI’s #defense-targets or XSF’s #standing-orders.

Where to find AXCZs still left in Nebulas

At the current time we know only of a couple static Nebula AXCZs left in the California Nebula, ~1000ly away from the Center of the Human bubble.

  • California Sector BA-A e6
    • 1x High, 1x Medium AXCZ near Body 4 (both functional)
      • Medium CZ is at 450km altitude within orbital cruise, can be annoying.

BA-A E6 is currently the System where you are most likely to meet other Commanders – the High AXCZ sees the most traffic since it is most attractive in rewards. The Medium AXCZ will have gravity pull, which is more noticable in FA-off and can also trigger a bug occasionaly, be aware of that.

  • California Sector HR-W d1-28
    • 2x High, 1x Medium AXCZ near Body 3 (1 Medium and 1 High functional, other High not functional)
      • The Medium and High CZ on the same face of the Body seem to work,
        the other High CZ (lowest altitude of the CZs, 1.38Mm) seems broken at the moment of recon.
  • California Sector JH-V c2-12
    • 1x Medium AXCZ near body 6 (functional)

JH-V C2-12 hosts the most reliable Medium AXCZ for any Commanders who are looking for less of a challenge.

Thanks to CMDR Grimscrub of the AXI for sharing his reconnaissance
and SweetyKek for reminding of their existence

Where to find AXCZs in War Systems

Only occurs during War time. Last seen during the end of the 2nd Thargoid-Human War in December 3310.

They usually spawn in Invasion and Control Systems.
Open https://dcoh.watch/ and filter the Systems in the current Cycle for what you are looking for.
Systems – Current Cycle

  • Select the Titan(s) Frontline you want to fight at.
  • Select the State(s) you want to filter for if any.
  • The Features you want to filter for are AX Conflict Zones, Starport under attack, Ground port under attack. Depending where you want to fight at.

What to bring

Ships and Equipment

While they serve as the basis, there are some modifications that should be made to the Builds used for Interceptor-Duels to better fit the environment of a AXCZ.
You will encounter numerous Enemies, prolonged fights and NPC-triggered Interceptor special attacks at AXCZs.

Please reference our AXCZ Builds Page, recommended builds and AXCZ build theory are located there.