What are the most efficient ways of downing the mighty Onos?

Question

As the Frontiersman, it's a moderately terrifying experience to hear the roar of a Kharaa Onos rumbling down the halls towards your base (and your face). Many times, in that situation, my team has resorted to firing wildly at the thing, but to no avail. I've seen the Onos spawns charge into our house, make a mess of things, retreat a ways away, and then come storming back again and again.

What's are the best ways to stop these things in their tracks?

Do they have a softer side in which to flank? Is using mines effective? Is there a way to make them less lethal? Help!

Answer 1

NS2 doesn't have locational damage, so the best way to take down an Onos is just to pump it full of lead. Easier said than done, though! Here are some things to keep in mind:

• An Onos has no ranged attacks. The alien commander can research "Stomp", which the Onos can use to stun nearby marines, but it still has to get up in your face to gore you. Use your surroundings to your advantage: Get up on high ground where you can shoot at it and still get away, or jump over obstacles to get away when it runs after you.

• Even an Onos will run out health eventually, and likely sooner than later if there's a pack of Marines around. When it runs away, it's most likely dying. Chase it down and finish it off!

• Alien commanders will often build a cluster of Crags outside your base, possibly cloaked by a Shade. Aliens will run back here to heal after hitting your base. If you have the capability, try to take these structures out so the Onos has nowhere safe to run to.

Answer 2

the best way to take down an Onos is just to pump it full of lead

Not the best advice imho. Most experienced players will have a Gorge as support to heal them on the fly. You might not even notice it in the heat of the battle. If the Onos is seemingly invulnerable there IS a Gorge, and you might want to neutralize that cute little hippo first. It looks harmless, but it's your doom. If you don't take it out, bile bombs will rain down on your base as soon as the Gorge notices the Onos has still half of its AP.

4 late game Marines can easily stop an Onos with no support if they manage to spread out a little and don't cluster at one spot. When Onos brings his buddies Fade and Lerk: that's when you are fucked!

When it runs away, it's most likely dying.

Be careful! Experienced players will do a little "research" before going all in. I (and many others) will feint an attack, run off with 80% or 90% of AP still intact, only to turn around suddenly and kill every single marine that is foolish enough to chase me.