Squiddy McSquids possibly short life - {Possible spoilers inside}

[cobra mk2]

Arcturus wrote

I have a carrier named "Red Letter Day"

My fav mining ship is called " MS1 MANIC MINER"


I havn't used Jet Set Willy and Chuckie Egg yet, you could have those but Horace Goes Skiing dosnt seem to work as a ship title

[joelR]

Ok thats it, you sold me on this. I am going to try this as well. I wont be writing you with my progress but im going to try these rules out!!

[shireknight]

I'm tempted to do the same but I pretty much die every 2 hours or so anyway, so I don't think it will be worth it in my case

[TBV]

A very enjoyable read. Thank you very much.

[angels7707]

like your ships names.. mine are really boring.. like OreBelt Ore Hauler1...and HaksFaith SiliconHauler..l'm off now to rename all my ships...

[NUKLEAR-SLUG]

Bit of a mixed day today..

Started off well, captured another SF-L to add to my freighter collection, also getting quite adept at taking on these pirate convoys and managed to bag myself a second Blastclaw and even a Blastclaw Prototype. All of them bailed in the high 80's which was pleasing, however there was a small incident with the second Blastclaw where it appears I may have accidentally fired a Wasp missile at it. Instead of being treated to the view of my Wasp missiles spiralling off into the distance and the Jaguar I was targetting going up in smoke they spiralled off a short way, promptly did a 180 and flew back behind me. Eep!

I knew instantly what I'ld done and feeling a complete numpty had to do a quick about face myself and attempt to PBE wasp missiles out the air before they impacted my shieldless (obviously..) Blastclaw. I got a couple so the damage wasn't as bad as it could have been but from 80+% it was down to 45%. Not a good result and I've learned an expensive lesson, from now on I always carry an extra 25Mj shield to transfer across after a capture. It's not going to protect a capture from a determined attacker but it will at least protect them to some degree from my own stupidity. However this was not to be the end to my woes, nor was Wasping my own Blastclaw going to be the pinnacle of my incompetence for the day, No, that event was merely a warmup for what followed..

Scanning a couple TM weapons dealers I found one that was carrying, among other things a bunch of Tomahawks. Ideal, I thought, as my Hades only has a handful by this point and quadrupling its firepower was a most attractive prospect. As I commenced negotiations with the TM to part with it's goods I called my Hades in ready to transfer the dropped Tomahawks over. The TM however was not as fixated on me as I had first thought and as my Hades came into range it's front turret suddenly decided it preferred shooting at my bomber rather than me.

Now previous to this I'ld set up my bomber with a 100% firing ratio and equipped it ready to go so as soon it started taking fire it responded the only way it knew and started firing Tomahawks at the TM. Obviously this was not going to end well for somebody and I suspected that somebody would be me. Realising the danger I instantly switched back to EBC and pounded the TM, but even quad-EBC takes a while to get thru 400mj of shielding and before I could get the shields down and take the TM out my bomber decided to cross the path of my fire at the same time as it launched a torpedo. My fire intersected the Tomahawk, there was a huge explosion and when the screen cleared the only thing left was debris.

In a display of staggering ineptitude I've just blown up my Hades.. /cry

Total Assets:
1x Medusa 'Questionable Ethics'
4x 25 Mj shield
4x EBC+Ammo, 4x PAC, 1x PBE

1x Perseus 'Shifty Business'
2x Blastclaw
1x Blastclaw Prototype
3x Caiman SF - L
2x Caiman SF - S
1x Caiman Hauler 'Logistical Support'
1x Caiman Miner 'Red Dwarf'
1x Toucan Hauler 'Dropship - 01'
1x Hermes 'Dropship - 02'
170,000cr

[Arcturas]

Great googa mooga. that sounds like it was an expensive "oops".

I'm trying your Dead is dead approach to X3:R - XTM while I wait for X3:TC.

[KiwiNZ]

Somebody made you pay your bad deeds at last.

[Necrosexual]

R.I.P. Special Delivery

[ascmesomething]

Thats nothing.

Was travelling through Elenas Fortune with bad lighting, while trying to emulate the 'dead is dead' rules, i was so focused on a chasing a pirate that i failed to notice the asteroid between us.

*Thunk* *Boom*

[DocIceT]

A Special Delivery fell victim to some Shifty Business.

Sounds a little poetic.

Has Squiddy taken to Spaceweed in order to deal with the pressures of a lawless life?

[Ravenholme]

Actually it fell prey to some Questionable Ethics

[NUKLEAR-SLUG]

Dropped into Kingdom End today for a visit, not been here for a while, and as I exited the gate I was commed by a Dolphin. Apparently this joker has a couple mates who decided it would be a grand adventure to go waltzing into a Xenon Core sector. Not just any old Xenon you hear, but a CORE sector.. because what could possibly go wrong with that plan?

Anyways, this poor Boron has obviously got me confused with someone else because he's labouring under the misapprehension that a) I give a monkeys what stupidity his friends are perpetrating, b) That I'm as stupid as they are and also think a trip to Xenon-land is going to be a sunshine and pixies experience or c) I'm a suicidal manic depressive looking for swift end to it all. He'ld quite like me to take a trip over there and see how they're getting on. He's even given me the sector coordinates as if that's likely to encourage me. I've looked, they are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay the hell over the other side of the universe!

I'm all set to inform him of which particular orifice he can shove this plan when he suddenly mentions a reward. Oops, that does it, suddenly my greed gene kicks in and the whole situation loses a little of that 'absolute certain death' feel to it. I mean, I suppose I could always swing by the place.. I don't exactly have to go in there, I could just kinda go... near. Besides, if I encounter anything more threatening than a pocket calculator with attitude I can always run like hell. I'll just tell him I found them, they died horribly and it's all very sad. Its not like he's going to know any different is it?

Anyways, I tell him I'll get right on it and that seems to keep him happy. I'm not, but he doesn't know that. I guess I'll find myself down that way sometime (mebbe when I have an M6) till then I'm sure they'll keep.

It seems I've got enough captured pilots to get another squad up and running which is cool. Not so cool is the sight I find as I jump into Loomanckstrats. The Merc base is gone. Actually so is everything else as it happens. It appears the Boron/Paranid fleet have quite comprehensively finished the job after I left and the place has been completely devastated. This means before I can get another squad going I'm going to have to track down another Merc base so the two squads I have now had better do a good job when they start live ops because they're all I've got for now.

Spying a jumpgate off to the east I decide to investigate and find a pirate industrial sector. As I'm snooping around I spot another Dukes TP and always eager to bolster my ranks make a play for it. The Paranid pilot is a little reluctant to part with it at first but a little PBE diplomacy eventually convinces him of the best course of action. Parking up next to it I take a breather and organise some trading runs for my SF fleet, got to keep them active to fund my Merc training. I'm about halfway thru doing this when I begin to get that creeping feeling that somethings not quite right.. Never one to ignore a feeling of impending doom I quickly bring up the sector map and yes, that Pirate TM that was passing thru north to west has changed course and is rapidly closing on my position. Worse still as I'm watching on the sector map it suddenly spits out a wing of five Blastclaws. That's interesting in itself as a Pirate TM can only hold four fighters, but I've no time to worry about cheating pirates right now as I've got a whole bunch of Blastclaws armed to the teeth with burny deathguns overhauling my position and my TP is busted to the point it can only do a measly 50m/s. This can't end well.

Going for the distraction option I head one way and order the TP to make a break for the nearest station while I fire a wasp at each to try and get their attention. They're not taking the bait tho, they've obviously decided they've got me by the short 'n' curlies and they chase down and incinerate my TP before turning around and closing in on me. I've decided on hit and fade tactics and bolt for the nearby SPP, pull around the back and wait for them to get closer. As they do they open fire on me but I'm safe behind the back of the SPP array.

Or so I thought. Turns out PBG passes thru objects which is a bit of a cheat (damn pirates!) and I'm sat stationary on the other side getting roasted! A quick boost gets me out of the cone of damage and it's very fortunate for me that I am around the back of the SPP because to pursue they're all forced to go around the edge which puts me out of range. Just as well really as I'm seriously hurting! They burnt right thru 100mj of shields and incinerated my hull down to 55% in just a couple of seconds. Safe to say I'm not looking to play anymore and initiate an emergency jump out of there thanking my lucky stars my jumpdrive is still functional.

I guess I had it coming having been preying on Blastclaws for a while now but that's the most resounding whupping I've had to date. Ouch.

[fOSSil]

Oh Squiddy,

when I read the first paragraphs of your posts and could not see any asset list on the end of it, I got really sad, because I thought by the time I've finished reading I will have witnessed the end of your possibly short life .

I am so happy you made it though, and it was probably the most dramatic episode so far. I hope, that you will not give in to the Xenon patrol mission rewards watering your mouth that early in your life. There are safer ways to feed your mercs, at least for the time beeing... We will see.

(And please post an asset list again, I honestly thought you got killed.)

[softweir]

About that request from the demented Boron:

Spoiler

Show

It's the start of the Xenon hub plot, which segues into the Personal base plot. Provide very silly amounts of various wares and you can own a jumpgate-intercepting Xenon super-base PLUS the private base which manufactures ships.

Basically, not something you start unless you are in for the long haul.

[Al]

It couldn't be more entertaining if you made it up. I'm so glad its not just me that makes stupid mistakes.

[GCU Grey Area]

Not so cool is the sight I find as I jump into Loomanckstrats. The Merc base is gone. Actually so is everything else as it happens. It appears the Boron/Paranid fleet have quite comprehensively finished the job after I left and the place has been completely devastated. This means before I can get another squad going I'm going to have to track down another Merc base

Some (but not all) Pirate Bases have mercenaries available for hire & also offer training facilities - same PBs which also sell boarding pods (though they very rarely have any pods in stock).

However, I'd be careful if you train any mercenaries at one of those - obviously PBs have a nasty habit of spontaneously combusting whenever a military patrol goes past & it would be a pity for your mercenaries to get toasted while in training. Military Outposts (presumably Boron?) would definitely be a safer option for training purposes, unless that would go against your rules.

[jordan kirwan]

Do what mahi asks its worth while although it will require 20-30 super self suffiant complexs for

Spoiler

Show

microchips ore silicon & microchips

oh and if you get a pirate kestrel fully tuned and repaired then make the trip to the xenon sector

[phoenix-it]

However, I'd be careful if you train any mercenaries at one of those - obviously PBs have a nasty habit of spontaneously combusting whenever a military patrol goes past & it would be a pity for your mercenaries to get toasted while in training. Military Outposts (presumably Boron?) would definitely be a safer option for training purposes, unless that would go against your rules.

If it is against his rules, I suspect he may have to change them. He's been hammering on other pirates quite liberally lately. I discovered in my last game that wasting every pirate you come across eventually leads to pirate bases everywhere turning red and telling you that you're not welcome when you request to dock.

[Blown]

[quote]Rules:
1. Dead-is-dead
2. No buying ships. If I want it I have to persuade the owner they'ld quite

like to donate it.
3. No reloads. If I lose an expensive ship then that's tough.
4. Personal ship repairs only, anything else gets paid for.
[/quote]

Nothing in there about not training at Marine bases, although he may have added new rules.