Zen and the Art of Running away.. {spoilers guaranteed}

NUKLEAR-SLUG · Post by **NUKLEAR-SLUG** » Sun, 19. Apr 09, 13:18

Gothsheep wrote:You know...after being killed twice within 1 hour in TC, both times by jumping into a system, and being rammed by a M6-M7 in 0.1 seconds, I'm starting to wonder if that ever happened to N-S, and he just decided that it's such a terrible end to the story that he'd break his 'DiD' rule and reload it.

I've had a couple rear-enders but fortunately all times so far I've been the one with the bigger ship so it's been fine and the rep loss isn't a concern

75 - Pod Harvest

No sign of any Xenon yet despite a fair amount of time spent skulking around Scale Plate Green, not even a single N, I've a sneaking suspicion that they're ignoring my efforts to stir them up which would mean I lost Gold wing for nothing. That would be somewhat irritating.

Instead then I decided to go pod gathering instead. If the Atmo-lifter is that difficult to crack open then I suspect most of the other Terran ships of any decent size are going to be equally tough to get into so I might need a healthy supply so rather than going for the usual few Military Outposts that I can rely on to have them I decided to expand my horizons slightly and scope out some more oportunities elsewhere.

Crashing into military guarded sectors you'ld think would be a somewhat dangerous proposition and indeed I've been caught out a couple times in the past by the sudden appearance of something large and displeased to see me but it seems today my timing was almost perfect. I decided to start with Kingdom End and work my way down and did encounter some heavy resistance there, a Shark and Ray, although that's probably to be expected somewhat given that it's the Borons home sector. Aside from that tho it seems I managed to drop into pretty much every other sector while the homefleets were out and about on other business. Net result of operations today has seen the succesful liberation of no less than nine (count'em!) boarding pods. That should give me a good deal of scope for causing trouble I reckon..

Meantime Leo and the boys/girls are still working their way thru 'Hull-cutting 101' but it looks like they'll be a little while yet so tomorrows plan is a piracy run in Nopileos. I've not done one for a while so it'll make for a nice change of pace anyway but my specific targets for the day will be 25Mj shields and some replacement fighters for my wings so hopefully there will be a few OTAS TM's passing by. I should also have a few noob mercs available from the latest batch of capturees. They obviously won't have the same degree of talent as the 'Psychos' seem to have but maybe from the survivors I can get a second elite squad trained.

Could go after some Xenon ships then perhaps? Those Q's seem quite competent so might be worth a look...

Assets
1x Brigantine 'Why So Serious?'
1x Brigantine 'Deadzone'
1x Kraken 'Just Who Is This Steve Anyway?'
1x Medusa Prototype 'Burn Notice'
1x HCP 'Feersum Endjinn'
1x Albatross 'Two Jam Butties Short Of A Picnic'

2x Heavy Centaur 'Ying/Yang'
2x Solano 'Green Wing'
1x Solano 'Scout - 01'

1x Vali
1x Heavy Nemesis
2x TP
3x M8 Bomber
3x TM Zephyrus
1x M
1x Caiman Miner 'Ore miner - 01'

Credits: 4,016,956

phoenix-it · Post by **phoenix-it** » Sun, 19. Apr 09, 13:34

I hope you have some good fighters in that group... My results with Xenon ships are not so great. I tried 20 4 star fighters + 5 everything else on a J and they were all dead on deck 4.

Lancefighter · Post by **Lancefighter** » Sun, 19. Apr 09, 18:24

If you launch multiple pods against a ship, does each team work together? and is there just one cutting through the hull, or more?

Also, if you 'inject' more men into the ship after they've already started, how does that work? (i mean if ive got 5 people already on deck 2 of a tl, and i send another pod in, what happens? )

perkint · Post by **perkint** » Sun, 19. Apr 09, 18:46

As I understand it, if you launch lots at the start, only as many as the ship can hold will try and board. If you send more in whilst the boarding is happening they will reinforce the current operation.

What I don't understand is how to work out if you can fit more marines on board. If you launch 4 pods at a Xenon M7, how do you know when to launch more? What happens if only 3 have actually died and I launch another pod?

Tim

shanrak · Post by **shanrak** » Sun, 19. Apr 09, 18:49

when boarding xenon ships, just assume you're losing 5-10 5* marines every level, so always send 1 boarding pod per level, and sometimes 2 just to be on the safe side.

perkint · Post by **perkint** » Sun, 19. Apr 09, 18:52

Yeah, but what happens to the marines if I launch too many? Say I launch three pods and only 5 have died.

Do they still board and bypass the limit to how many should be on board? Do they end up in space when the pod connects? Do they cause the death of some of the ones still on board?

Anyone know?

Tim

shanrak · Post by **shanrak** » Sun, 19. Apr 09, 18:55

they end up in space so you'll have to collect them, not a big deal

JoeVN09 · Post by **JoeVN09** » Mon, 20. Apr 09, 04:26

I also have had {expletive deleted} luck with the Xenon, and from what I`ve heard Qs are notoriously difficult to capture.

Do you have a boarding team other than Leo`s? Because I`d have to recommend saving those guys for the Atmo-Lifter.
Good luck, whatever you decide to do.

LTerSlash · Post by **LTerSlash** » Mon, 20. Apr 09, 07:54

About the PBG fab that NS got in this start...

after 8 game days GOD havent rebuilded the pbg fabs, the two NPCs fabs in Danna Chance where destroyed at day 2 in my game.

There just two fabs remain in the universe and i have TS in both fabs always buying the stuff, so they are always empty, there is no way that GOD may think that is not a good idea to rebuild them.

So my assumptions are... the PBG fabs NEVER get rebuilded, same happends with Tractor beams, IBLs, etc... BUT GOD seems to build a second PBG fab in Danna Chance early in game (seems to be in day 1), this seems to be a scripted event or something, and thats the fab that NS intercepted

EDwaggy · Post by **EDwaggy** » Mon, 20. Apr 09, 08:05

The PBG fab in Danna's got rebuilt once in my game (back in 1.4 though). I even encountered the TL transporting it, but unfortunately i didn't have the marines ready to liberate it

Snowship · Post by **Snowship** » Mon, 20. Apr 09, 09:02

I've got one rebuilt in Maelstrom (If I didn't get a Taxi mission to it I'd never had found it)

LTerSlash · Post by **LTerSlash** » Mon, 20. Apr 09, 10:12

There are 4 PBG fabs in-game at start.

Spoiler

Show

1 in Danna Chance, 1 in Maelstrom, 1 en Leo and 1 in Unknown Sector next to PTNI

GOD always built a second one in Danna Chance around day 1 (ive seem this way too many times), so, maybe if the first one got blow up, when GOD built the second one it may seem as a rebuilt, but it always do this.

So, when it build the second one in Danna Chance that maybe the only chance to get one, so better rush with those Marines

Someone can confim if really see a PBG forge behing rebuilt after taking all of this intro consideration?

NUKLEAR-SLUG · Post by **NUKLEAR-SLUG** » Mon, 20. Apr 09, 22:54

JoeVN09 wrote:Do you have a boarding team other than Leo`s? Because I`d have to recommend saving those guys for the Atmo-Lifter.
Good luck, whatever you decide to do.

Not yet, but I'm attempting to train up a second squad which isn't going so well cos they're a bunch of ham-fisted gibbons.

LTerSlash wrote:So my assumptions are... the PBG fabs NEVER get rebuilded, same happends with Tractor beams, IBLs, etc... BUT GOD seems to build a second PBG fab in Danna Chance early in game (seems to be in day 1), this seems to be a scripted event or something, and thats the fab that NS intercepted

I was past day 1, but you could still be right there.

76 - Goodbye Old Friend

Lost my Medusa Prototype today, faithful old ship that it was. Saved my life all that time ago fleeing Split space with half the Rhonkar Family fleet on my tail. With me through thick and thin ever since from humble beginnings to where I am today. I'ld like to take a moment to recount to you all of the heroic battle we were engaged in when my faithful companion fought valiantly, but inevitably succumbed, to overwhelming enemy forces..

http://dbbr17626.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/ut/76-1.gif

.. Unfortunately I can't because I ran it over myself.

It's not like I was even doing anything dangerous at the time either, if I was then perhaps the loss wouldn't be quite so embarassing but all I was doing was jacking energy traders over in Ceo's Doubt as they were leaving the XL-SPP's. So basically I managed to grind it into iron-filings while in the process of scooping up energy cells. Just to rub salt in the wound that's another four 25Mj shields down the pan as well.. <sigh>

Fortunately elsewhere in the universe things have been going a little better..

http://dbbr17626.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/ut/76-2.gif

.. Caught this little lot during one of my regular checks whilst I was pirating in Nopileos today. A few missiles to take out the lightly shielded ones left not a lot and definitely not enough to threaten my HCP, even if they do come bristling with PBE these days, and raised my rep to Company Helper. Still needs a bit higher so I can get access to some of the more useful stations, but it's a good start.

On the subject of piracy, things went fairly well today. Grabbed a couple more Solanos to round out a new wing. Of course it's no use having fighters without shields so I was most pleased when I bagged fourteen 25Mj shields as well off a couple Plutarch freighters. That's enough to equip the whole wing and still have a couple spare so my new wing is up and running again. I shall keep a little more aware of what they're up to this time around tho, stay away from Q's seems the order of the day.

Training didn't go quite so well tho. Although I succesfully managed to capture a handful of passing M6, including another Heavy Centaur to add to Blue wing, it wasn't without losses. The Heavy Centaur itself was a hassle as it proved very difficult to get into position on it in the first place and then, after deploying the troops, it proved equally difficult to disengage myself so consequently I suffered some hull damage trying to maneuver out of firing range. The guys themselves weren't doing much better today either. Despite having a couple 5-star fighters along with them to spearhead things losses were unusually heavy today among the newbies.

Needs the firm hand of Leo 'Steve' Kayean to lead things it seems.

Assets
1x Brigantine 'Why So Serious?'
1x Brigantine 'Deadzone'
1x Kraken 'Just Who Is This Steve Anyway?'
1x Medusa Prototype 'Burn Notice' - In Memorium
1x HCP 'Feersum Endjinn'
1x Albatross 'Two Jam Butties Short Of A Picnic'

3x Heavy Centaur 'Ying/Yang/Yong'
4x Solano 'Green Wing'
1x Solano 'Scout - 01'

1x Centaur
1x Vali
2x Heavy Nemesis
2x TP
3x M8 Bomber
3x TM Zephyrus
1x Pleco
1x M
1x Caiman Miner 'Ore miner - 01'

Credits: 1,286,586

Post by **Nanook** » Mon, 20. Apr 09, 23:03

1x Medusa Prototype 'Burn Notice'

You should add a little something to the end of this line:

"1x Medusa Prototype 'Burn Notice' - In Memorium

Olterin · Post by **Olterin** » Tue, 21. Apr 09, 07:43

My condolences about your (however unexpected and rather embarrassing) loss

... I'm playing this start myself now, so I can feel the pain - that Medusa is one awesome and sturdy fighter when not being run over by larger ships..

Well, at least you weren't inside of it when the accident happened

Better luck for the future... and break a leg

theblackhunter · Post by **theblackhunter** » Tue, 21. Apr 09, 12:29

I was feeling like a chump, being about to buy a destroyer, after reading this and squiddy.

So instead I am training some marines and am going to capture an Ares and move up from there.

I have a Dragon with 8 PBG's (fitting hey) in front, so to take out the escort I just spun around firing, the generator keeps up perfectly. The Ares was well equipped, firing off flails, but those too fall victim to my "HNAAARAGHANAAAARGH" tactics. I even got my marines to latch on.

twice

They weren't trained much, just a few stars spread around, so now I am training them up real good and proper and I will nab me that ares

Llama8 · Post by **Llama8** » Tue, 21. Apr 09, 14:26

I feel for your loss NS, that Medusa is an awesome little ship, even if it looks like a normal ship that's been squished between two fat sisters...

Or a completely un-related note, how/where do you get your shields from? I'm trying to get some 2GJ shields for a pair of Oddys but I'm not sure where to look (normal Freight transports, High Tech transports, etc).

softweir · Post by **softweir** » Tue, 21. Apr 09, 15:45

He attacks traders, endlessly. In pirate space so he is less bothered by sector defence.

Creston · Post by **Creston** » Tue, 21. Apr 09, 17:16

Llama8 wrote:I feel for your loss NS, that Medusa is an awesome little ship, even if it looks like a normal ship that's been squished between two fat sisters...

Or a completely un-related note, how/where do you get your shields from? I'm trying to get some 2GJ shields for a pair of Oddys but I'm not sure where to look (normal Freight transports, High Tech transports, etc).

High Tech Transporters are usually your best bet for shields, especially corporate ones. It would stand to reason that the prevalence of a certain type of shield as cargo is tied into which race actually produces that shield, but I haven't really noticed much difference, to be honest.

Military Outfitters (forgot what the ship's designation is in X, haven't played for awhile, sorry) tend to have shields too. I've never seen shields on any other ships, at least not as cargo.

Creston

NUKLEAR-SLUG · Post by **NUKLEAR-SLUG** » Wed, 22. Apr 09, 15:36

77 - Revenge

Well, well, well. There I am parked up in Freedoms Reach doing a bit of fleet admin and generally minding my own business when this fellow drops thru the gate in front of me..

http://dbbr17626.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/ut/77-1.gif

.. That's exceptionally generous, I'ld have settled for just the one, but eight is absolutely fine. Asteroid towing problem resolved! A most excellent start to the day and the high point from which there could only be the inevitable fall. And my oh my was it a long way to the bottom.

Initial piracy runs were going well, no more 25Mj shields showing up but I was picking up the odd batch of heavy missiles, particularly a lot of Tempests oddly enough. Along with a smattering of M7M gear this now means my kraken is at least sufficiently equipped to be able to crush one capital ship before expending all it's ordinance rather than the previous situation of being merely able to tickle it with a few Flails before being forced to turn tail and run away very quickly. And then I received an attack warning on one of my factories..

I had to think about that for a second. Hang on I've only got one factory.. and it's back in Freedoms Reach with my fleet! Eep! Calling up the sector map I was all but prepared to find a Khaak attack fleet busy vaporising everything in sight but to my great relief it turned out to be not quite that serious..

http://dbbr17626.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/ut/77-2.gif

.. Just a few pesky pirates causing trouble. I'm not actually sure what their beef is, to my knowledge I've done nothing that could be in any way construed as 'anti-pirate' for ages. In fact I've been regularly doing the odd mission when I pass by a pirate base so I would have thought we'ld be on good terms. Rogue outfit I'm guessing. Fortunately my purloined ATF Vali I've been using as a sector patrol craft is on the ball and closing fast so I leave him to it. I still think it's an ugly ship, but it seems quite effective.

A while later and I find myself closing on a Minotaur that's passing thru Nopileos with intent to capture, tho it has to be said that my success rate for boarding operations today has been sketchy at best, not thru any fault of my troops but purely down to my own incompetence. A Centaur was failed as I managed to ram it, destroying it, just after I'ld ejected the troops. Fortunately they hadn't made it to the hull by that point so it just meant swinging about and retrieving them. Waste of a hull tho. I also managed to lose a Nemesis that I'ld captured at the loss of two men to a passing pirate patrol that decided it would be fun to fire on my unshielded ship. Luckily I'ld already beamed the troops back to me first and finally lost an opportunity on a large Heavy Centaur patrol by slightly miscalculating how tight his formation was and vaporising the lot with a Firestorm rather than just the intended Eclipses.

With that in mind I probably shouldn't have even been considering the Minotaur but I wanted to show some profit for my effort for the day and as it turned out I was right and really, realy should have left well enough alone. Barreling in behind the Minotaur then I loosed off one Firestorm to clear some of the formation and Silkworms at the surviving Busters then engaged the remaining Novas and Eclipse up close. There was only three Novas and the one Eclipse so I knew I could handle them before they could recover and get sufficient PBG fire on me to be a concern. Just as I'm in the middle of engaging tho and the first Nova has recovered and licking PBG fire my way I get an attack alert from Scale Plate Green. I think someones got it in for me today.

Scale Plate Green is currently playing host to my second Brigantine, 'Deadzone' which is my largely anti-fighter platform and is currently tasked with being on Xenon lookout. It succesfully found a group the other day, I have a sneaking suspicion that today the Xenon found it first. Unfortunately I'm stuck in a fiery furball (fireball?) at the minute so I need to finish up here before I can do anything about it. With the last Nova down I can check and see what's going on and as I bring up the sector map I'm just in time to see the last slivers of hull crumbling away before losing contact..

http://dbbr17626.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/ut/77-3.gif

.. The Minotaur will have to wait..

Assets
1x Brigantine 'Why So Serious?'
1x Kraken 'Just Who Is This Steve Anyway?'
1x HCP 'Feersum Endjinn'
1x Albatross 'Two Jam Butties Short Of A Picnic'

3x Heavy Centaur 'Ying/Yang/Yong'
4x Solano 'Gold Wing'
1x Solano 'Scout - 01'

1x Centaur
1x Vali 'SecDef - 01'
2x Heavy Nemesis
2x TP
3x M8 Bomber
3x TM Zephyrus
1x Pleco
1x M
1x Caiman Miner 'Ore miner - 01'

Credits: 744,026

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Zen and the Art of Running away.. {spoilers guaranteed}