Pirating - newbie asking for help!

Hi

Been playing the game for a couple of weeks on and off and think its really good but I'm having some issues with pirating (I'm still at the beginning of act I)......

- I go to the Blackthingie L-point to pick up cargo dropped in dogfights, but it takes a long time. I've pirated a couple of lonely transporters but picked up mainly small cheap cargos.

- I completed some of the sub-missions (like the one to pick up fuel pellets, which took a while to figure out!!), but they've stopped for the mo.

So, my question is what can I do to get more cargo, and specifically things that will let me get blueprints to manufacture eg missiles and guns????????

I'm enjoying the game but am finding it hard to find a good place to hijack cargo ships so any suggestions are welcome.

Also, is it OK to pirate Independent vessels or do you risk losing the game if they're affiliated to the Stepsons????

Thanks

Pixel

Hi and welcome to the forum.

Firstly, you're not doing anything wrong. The game's a little slow to start. That's because you really need the practice at getting good with the stick (piloting and combat). Make sure you're getting Jafs to do your cargo hauling for you. Once you've gotten pods free of their previous owner, just smack the "J" key and go look for some more; he'll come and take home one full load (for him) of pods automagically. I strongly recommend the Jafs mod, that will give him a bigger ship than the snrv (see downloads page, this site).

Keep hanging around Blackeye and Samarkand. You'll find small convoys with relatively poorly escorted loads. Then hit 'em: Send a few shots at the snrv, or cargo ship first, enough to get them to release pods, then get some distance and deal with the very pissed off escort(s) that will come gunning for you. This is where lots of practice comes in handy (use the instant combat feature for this...you'll need it). Pick your targets carefully. It is too easy to get a little cocky or greedy, especially after a few successful raids, and then get vaporised when you've gotten yourself in too deep. Then all those nice pirated poddies from previous raids are lost.

If you're in the middle of a mission, don't go home to Lucretia's until you've completed at least some of the objectives. It can break the scripting. Sometimes, you don't get clear missions for awhile, because you're supposed to just spend some time out there gettin' rich the old fashioned way: piracy. But keep checking your email just the same. If stumped, look at the FAQs at the ina board, or download the walkthrough, or just ask again here.

Luck.

--
Hot4Darmat

A safe way of getting loot is to "go vulture".
That is waiting for distrescalls, close to 20-25km and wait for the Mauraders to do the job.
The frieghters will release their cargo before they blow up and when all freighters are destroyed the Mauraders will leave the cargo behind for you to pick up. There may be up to four transporters attacked at once. That is an awfull lot of pods to pick up.
And don't leave the cheap cargo behind as you never know what trade item will asked for. I traded a few sacks of potatoes for a band new Cryo PBC.

Hi Pixel.

Some frown on this method, but it does bring in heaps of cargo.

Sit 20 km from an L-point. When an snrv approaches to use the l-point, aim near him and hit the forward thrust override key (W). Accelerate to 1200 m/s. Then hit the Flight Assist key (N). Now you can aim at the snrv while coasting at 1200 m/s on a trajectory which takes you right past him.

As you pass the snrv open fire with pbc's. The snrv will drop its cargo. Important: Do not fire upon the escorts! Now the escorts are pissed, but don't worry. Keep on coasting away... from a standing start they can't catch you.

The escorts will persue you until the snrv is ready to continue on to whatever destination it was going. As soon as it moves (about 10 seconds after it drops its cargo) the escorts will have to break off their persuit of you, and return to escort the snrv.

Now you need to decelerate, or you'll get so far away from the cargo it will be culled (cease to exist) by the game. Hit the N key and come to a stop. By the time you get set up again the snrv and escorts will be gone, and you can zoom in and call Jaffs.

Snrv's will drop their cargo at the first shot. But you can also use this method to take down bigger ships; when doing so, while accelerating, you have to fire off about four missiles at smaller freighters, and about seven missiles at Venice freighters. Then fire at the freighter as you pass, same as above. This method works on megafreighters too.

In the early stages of the game, the player does not have the firepower to slug it out with every ship he pirates. Hit and run tactics tend to win the day.

No confusion; just wrong or right ... Only Solutions

Shane: Could you explain how the flight assist key "N" works? I use basically the same method as you described, but have been using the fomate dock autopilot or whatever. This after some really shameful collisions with my target. I have note it's best to hit the target hard first while flying by as fast as possible. This allows you to create space to manuever in case the escorts (especially tugs) want to fight. Certain death is trying to slug it out right at the L-point. Corintha is a place where you can get in some good practice with both this and working properly with the T-fighters. Often, escorts will open up on you first at this place -- before you've done anything hostile. This is the first time I found that you could lose a T-fighter whiile it's still attached to the tug and the hull damage is not that bad. The "enemy" just has to get in a good first shot.

Hot4Darmat: What's the "instant combat feature" you mentioned? I think I missed that one. And don't forget to tag your cargo before calling in Jafs. Sometimes you'll run out of tags (more than he can carry in one load), and you'll have to call him several times to pick up everything. Claren's right about the cheap stuff -- but that Zero Brew does get a bit old after a while. If you have a Gatling cannon, don't forget to keep a good supply of ores on hand. That's how you'll get ammo from the Stepson's (also radioactives which are less common).