[X3:TC] Why do I keep losing my Argon Police Licence ?

[zapza]

(Vanilla TC on an iMac, no Bonus Pack, Mods or Scripts)

No big deal this, but I am curious.

I have top ranking with the Argon and with most other Races. I've also got all of the available Police Licences; I can buy them no problem, but the Argon Licence keeps 'disappearing'

Lately I've been capping lots of Paranid capitals, mainly in Paranid Sectors, then doing a quick Paranid build mission after each to get my rank back up to the top level.

The majority of my major complexes are in Argon space and I've yet to attempt to cap and Argon ship.

Conversely, I have relatively few assets in Paranid space but I am currently capping the bejasus out of them and then saying "sorry" to anyone close by.

I also tend to hang about in Empire's Edge. Over the past few weeks Argon Task Forces have been hammering away at Paranid stations in Empire's Edge while I've just stood on the sidelines. (Dunno if that's relevant)

Anyway, I've noticed that if I purchase an Argon Police Licence I come away with it stuck to my Hyperion's windscreen but when I get back into Paranid space the bloody thing's fell off !!! ie I no longer have an Argon Police Licence ...

As I said at the top, it's no big deal, but I would like to know what's happening.

Can anyone enlighten me ?

Thanks

[StarSword]

First thing that came to mind: are you having problems with bug-splatting?

For reference, that's a subtype of autopillock where NPC freighters have trouble avoiding an oncoming player piloted capital ship and get run over. This tends to result in loss of a license.

[zapza]

First thing that came to mind: are you having problems with bug-splatting?

Hi StarSword - can't say I've noticed much 'bug splatting'; I tend to roam around in a Hyperion which I didn't think was all that big.

My Argon rep is at about 80% of the top rank, I would have expected to see that drop quite a bit if I was a persistent "splatterer ...

[Geek]

THis can have a number of causes.
Maybe you have a factory dealing illegal products in Argon space (space fuel, weed etc).
Maybe one of your properties is set to hostile with the Argons. Check especially your capped Paranid ships since they dislike Argons.

[TTD]

Maybe you have a factory dealing illegal products in Argon space (space fuel, weed etc).

This what i thought,before even reading the OP.
It is one of the most common mistakes.

[zapza]

Well, none of my 'illegal' plants are anywhere near Argon space. I've got extensive weed and/or space fuel plants, but I've gone to great lengths to avoid the pitfalls you mention. In all cases these complexes have been in position for several months without any of them skipping a beat. They may have got a bit bigger in the last month or two, but none of 'em have edged over into Argon space.

@Geek The possibility of a factory with a 'hostile' setting is one I'm pursuing now - that's gonna take a hell of a long time to trawl through all of them, but thanks for that; it would never have occurred to me.

Thanks too for the heads-up on the capped Paranid ships. again I'd never have thought of that one; I've checked all my Hyperions, Zeus and Agamemnons, so far all come up 'clean'.

On a similar theme, I've deployed literally hundreds of laser towers recently, so far without incident (although the Pirates and Xenon don't seem too keen) - could it be possible that one of these has been involved in a 'friendly fire' incident with an Argon ship ?


All clever stuff, eh?

[Lelouch]

I'm don't think you need to check your factories. If you set a race to foe then it just can't trade with this station anymore - which is pretty useful.

[StarSword]

On a similar theme, I've deployed literally hundreds of laser towers recently, so far without incident (although the Pirates and Xenon don't seem too keen) - could it be possible that one of these has been involved in a 'friendly fire' incident with an Argon ship ?

I know for a fact I've had friendly fire incidents between corporation ships and the flotilla I used to have patrolling the Hub. I got fired from Jonferco and Terracorp for it.

I'm pretty sure it was caused by my flagship's IFF having been set to "Argon = enemy" for a pirate station defense mission. The change propagated through to my warships, and boom.

[Master of the Blade]

Instead of checking all your properties, you can set all the things you own to a particular standing with the races using the 'broadcast to all reachable properties' button in the global commands menu.

[Legionnaire]

Another option, is any captured/liberated ship in Argon tettitory carrying anything illegal?

[Triaxx2]

Do you have CAG's, or CLS ships running illegals in Argon Space? They shouldn't cause loss of lisence but it could be.

Do you have any military ships active in Argon M148? If so, they're probably running a foul of the Split Military there. I've had a couple of capitals and several freighters blown to shreds by the local patrols.

[Coreblimey]

Do you have CAG's, or CLS ships running illegals in Argon Space? They shouldn't cause loss of lisence but it could be.

That's a very good point. It may be possible to lose the licence if the ship gets scanned. The ship would drop it's illegal cargo without further action against it and then continue on it's way without the player knowing anything was wrong.

[jelf]

Do you have CAG's, or CLS ships running illegals in Argon Space? They shouldn't cause loss of lisence but it could be.

That's a very good point. It may be possible to lose the licence if the ship gets scanned. The ship would drop it's illegal cargo without further action against it and then continue on it's way without the player knowing anything was wrong.

"(Vanilla TC on an iMac, no Bonus Pack, Mods or Scripts) "

So probably not the case for OP.

[Coreblimey]

"(Vanilla TC on an iMac, no Bonus Pack, Mods or Scripts) "

So probably not the case for OP.

Point taken. However this could still apply to ST & UT ships (if the OP has any operating).

[zapza]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys, I've checked and double-checked each one and so far I've drawn a blank.

It is, however, possible that one of my UTs or STs is picking up some 'illegal' stuff, but this all seems a bit too regular for the licence being taken away only when I dock in Empire's Edge.

I've just done another run to an Argon Trade station, bought the Licence, no problem, hopped around a few Argon sectors, no problem. Then I jumped into Boron, Split, Teladi and Argon space again - the Licence remained firmly attached to the windscreen.

So, I saved and hopped into Paranid space expecting to see the Licence disappear - it didn't. I hopped around to a few other Paranid sectors, still all seemed ok.

Finally I returned to Empire's Edge to witness a large Argon task force rampaging (yet again) on the far side of the sector. Still my Argon Licence remained intact.

I then docked at the Military Base in Empire's Edge and suddenly, no poxy licence again !!!

How does that work ? ? ?

Just to add, for the past few weeks Argons have been hammering Empire's Edge with little or no Paranid resistance. Just today they've destroyed a solar power station, 2 space jewellry fabs, a PPC forge and 2 Soya plants. In addition the Paranid Trade Station which has been down to 2% hull for the last few days has finally disappeared off the plot.

I don't know if this last bit is relevant but, as I said before, I like to hang out at the Military Base in Empire's Edge as it's handy for my complexes, PHQ and EQs in Yaki sectors and also handy for my major complexes in Argon space.

This Military Base got blasted last week and it's Hull has been down to 3% ever since.

I wonder if me 'parking up' there is pi**ing off the Argon ?

Whaddya reckon ?

[Geek]

OK... I have a theory but I never tested it.

If you are docked a station being attacked, your IFF may align to that of the station - enemy with the Argon in your case - even if it is temporary and reset when you leave.

[Coreblimey]

OK... I have a theory but I never tested it.

If you are docked a station being attacked, your IFF may align to that of the station - enemy with the Argon in your case - even if it is temporary and reset when you leave.

Nice theory, only the Friend/Foe settings doesn't work that way. It can only be changed by player input. Even if the 'show as enemy if enemy to me' option is set to 'yes' the Argon would show up as red, but in this case they are still blue.

[Geek]

It can only be changed by player input.

I am sure I have seen my ships changing IFF without any input.
IE if you send a trader to pirate space with pirates set as "friend", its IFF will change automatically if attacked by pirates (tested).

[Coreblimey]

I am sure I have seen my ships changing IFF without any input.
IE if you send a trader to pirate space with pirates set as "friend", its IFF will change automatically if attacked by pirates (tested).

If you've tested this theory, then I bow to your better knowledge. However, it is still unlikely in this situation, as the Argon would turn red, even if it's only temporary.

[zapza]

I think Geek is probably correct in his theory - I've seen similar when marauding pirates have been "admonished" by my Tiger defensive patrols. In one particular Sector I tried desperately to keep the Pirates 'on-board' and I was constantly re-setting individual Tigers back to showing Pirates as friendly. (Got fed up of this in the end so I just wiped the buggers out).

However, I don't think that this applies in the case of my missing Argon Police Licences. Once the Argon started pounding the Military Base in Empire's Edge I relocated to Preacher's Void - I didn't want to lose a Hyperion or my Griffon when I parked them there when I was off Aran Hunting.

I'm pretty sure (certain) that the only ships in Empire's Edge at the beginning of the Argon attacks were the Griffon and my main Hyperion, all their Friend/Foe settings are OK; in neither case have I had to adjust them.