Thanks guys.
The only way to set the mines as enemy is to set Yaki as enemy which isn't a huge problem as they have no nearby ships but the yellow guidance arrows disappear so they're even harder to find and the minefield is quite spread out so it's not a matter of piling through.
PSGs did work but actually slower (because of ship speed) than in the Hyperion just flying into them. For the record, 1 PSG is enough, 22, turns out, is overkill
A little tip in case anyone is interested, I found found it easier to align either horizontally or vertically with the yellow arrows and then use the sector map to figure out the other axis: press "." then hover mouse over mine at top of sector list (the one the guidance is indicating) then press "Home" to zoom in on the mine and with switch axis (Insert) you can tell if you're headed the right way.
I was surprised how little damage a SQUASH mine does these days, I don't make a habit of flying into them, in X2 they were something to be feared, or do I have my rose tinted glasses on
Another tip I'd like to offer as someone who is best buddies with the Yaki and doesn't like killing those who protect his stolen ships so well, so far I have not killed a single Yaki ship, if you don't want to spoil the mission then close your eyes ... Now.
When you jump in to Menelaus' Paradise in the 1st part of the plot a PPC forge is spawned right at the gate you jump in at with the Yaki attacking it after which it blows up and the Yaki turn their attention on you. If you jump in via the East gate simply wander over to the weapons platform and the Yaki will follow you into a hail of CIG rounds, job done. You can also let the task force take out the station in Ocracoke's for you, I thought I'd have to do it so let them soak up the fighters and went off to negotiate with the Susanowa Prototype when there was a blinding flash of light and I got thanked for destroying the station.
That's as far as I've got so far.
You can open your eyes now