Upset because I suck!

Athelos

A
Not really an informative post or anything just had an awful experience so far. The main reason I got this game is because I loved the concept of smuggling. Being able to blast into stations and delivery that dodgey cargo! Finally got the money to equip a lovely new asp explorer (not a fan btw, drifts too much), kitted it out for some long range deliveries only to find out that I suck at smuggling! :( I think even that is a bit harsh. I have done my research and am doing everything that people suggest (I'm not asking for tips). It just seems that whatever I do my luck runs out right at the last moment and I'll get scanned by those police! Not so much as being bad at it and seems more luck based? Maybe I should hang up my smuggling cap and become a miner *shudders*
 

CMDR Heisenberg B. Damned

CMDR Heisenberg B. Damned
Athelos said:
Not really an informative post or anything just had an awful experience so far. The main reason I got this game is because I loved the concept of smuggling. Being able to blast into stations and delivery that dodgey cargo! Finally got the money to equip a lovely new asp explorer (not a fan btw, drifts too much), kitted it out for some long range deliveries only to find out that I suck at smuggling! :( I think even that is a bit harsh. I have done my research and am doing everything that people suggest (I'm not asking for tips). It just seems that whatever I do my luck runs out right at the last moment and I'll get scanned by those police! Not so much as being bad at it and seems more luck based? Maybe I should hang up my smuggling cap and become a miner *shudders*
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I love mining and smuggling! Honestly I've just spent a week or 2 doing smuggling missions to rank up in the Empire. Don't be afraid of hitting the back of the of the station, speed and silent running are your friends, so what if you get a little hull damage!:)
 

MottiKhan

MottiKhan
I use an Asp for shadow deliveries, but stopped using silent running. I found that popping a heat sink when I'm about 8k from the station keeps the cops from scanning me. Then boost until I'm painfully close and throttle down to the blue zone. Once inside, I'll reverse throttle, then zero throttle to let the docking computer take over.

That is, unless a cop follows me in from SC. In that case, I return to SC and fight the interdiction. If I lose, it's back to SC and wait for the interdiction again and fight it. That's pretty rare, though. If you escape the interdiction without winning it, the cop will follow you to the station and that's not good news.

I have no weapons on my Asp, so I never shoot. Fighting the interdictions helps you learn to win them. If you lose the interdiction, just boost away from the cop. You'll outrun his scans if you leave him directly behind you.
 

Chernabog

Chernabog
I have done a fair amount of smuggling (enough to buy a well equipped Anaconda) and none of it using silent running, being that NPC's still see you even if you are silent running.

Best bet is to make sure you fly in a fast and well armed Asp (some thing like this http://coriolis.io/outfit/asp/04A5A5A4A4A5D5C272724241818040002073e4d020202012f.Iw18WQ==.CwBjEYUhmW4JkvYiqiA=?bn=Smuggler) and destroy anything that interdicts you, targetting the police first ... you will get bounties on you but it really doesn't matter as they go away after a few days and at the same time you will increase your combat rank a tad.

Enjoy, as its more fun than minning :)
 

Athelos

A
Yes I've managed all this. I tried the out running technique and kept getting caught out by super quick scans. Like within a matter of seconds it seemed I was scanned so I have switched to the tactic of shoot once to interrupt then run. I quite enjoy the thunk of hitting the back of the station too 😝 My gripe with the asp is that it takes a loooong time to throttle down. Or using lateral thrusters seems to make you drift about long after easing off the engines. Though this probably stems from me comparing it to my other main ship, a vulture, which lets face it is a beast for manoeuvring!

It just seems that every time, I get to where I need to go and something will crop up that causes me to fail. Take the last time for example. I get to the station I need to be at and boost out to 10km. Line up and boost in. Heat sinks out , blah blah. A stray copper swings wide past me and starts a scan. Time to abort! I take a pop shot at the police stopping the scan and jump to sc. Turn around and drop back in again and repeat the process when blam! A system authority ship appears behind me and starts a scan again 😕 I know that for the money you get from these missions they have to be hard. My complaint is purely that instead of being super Han Solo style smuggler I've become the bumbling Zapp Brannigan type 😂
 

MottiKhan

MottiKhan
Athelos said:
Yes I've managed all this. I tried the out running technique and kept getting caught out by super quick scans. Like within a matter of seconds it seemed I was scanned so I have switched to the tactic of shoot once to interrupt then run. I quite enjoy the thunk of hitting the back of the station too  My gripe with the asp is that it takes a loooong time to throttle down. Or using lateral thrusters seems to make you drift about long after easing off the engines. Though this probably stems from me comparing it to my other main ship, a vulture, which lets face it is a beast for manoeuvring!

It just seems that every time, I get to where I need to go and something will crop up that causes me to fail. Take the last time for example. I get to the station I need to be at and boost out to 10km. Line up and boost in. Heat sinks out , blah blah. A stray copper swings wide past me and starts a scan. Time to abort! I take a pop shot at the police stopping the scan and jump to sc. Turn around and drop back in again and repeat the process when blam! A system authority ship appears behind me and starts a scan again  I know that for the money you get from these missions they have to be hard. My complaint is purely that instead of being super Han Solo style smuggler I've become the bumbling Zapp Brannigan type 
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If you're open to a suggestion, can I suggest starting your runs in a Cobra 3? It outruns everything. Also, don't shoot the cop. Outrun him and fight the interdictions. The Cobra 3 can still make about 20 mil a run, which doesn't suck. It'll also prepare you better for smuggling in an Asp. :)

<edit> And you shouldn't be boosting out to 10k and then lining up. If you approach the station with the planet behind you, you'll be in front of, but off to one side of the station. Point your nose right at the entrance and use your thrusters and boost to line up. Once lined up, you can boost in, but you'll probably be close enough by then. Remember to pop a heat sink when you first drop from SC. That prevents the cops that are already there from targeting you. Pop another as you approach the slot for good measure if you'd like.

If a cop follows you in from SC, the heat sinks won't help. So if you see one spawn as you start your run, boost away from it and don't request landing clearance. Go back to SC and fight the interdiction. </edit>
 
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insanephoton

insanephoton
One very basic tip is to try and get allied or at least friendly with the major powers (Alliance, Empire and Federation) or even the local powers if you regularly use a system. You can do the same with independants but you're working one system at a time. There are two reasons to get friendly. Firstly it reduces the probability of you being scanned or interdicted by the authorities unless you take a Shadow delivery mission. Secondly it allows you to see where they are on the scanner much more easily as they show as a green contact.

In general just get good at docking quickly. The longer you spend flying around the station the more likely you are to be scanned. Popping chaff may buy you a little more time but there is no conclusive evidence of it and at best it might only be a few seconds. Personally I tend to allow scans to complete when I'm flying clean even if it is at a slight inconvenience to me. I don't know if it makes any difference but it feels the right thing to do RP wise, kind of trying to make me seem less suspicious.
 

DWorth

D
If you're open to a suggestion, can I suggest starting your runs in a Cobra 3? It outruns everything. Also, don't shoot the cop. Outrun him and fight the interdictions
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This, or an A Rated Imperial Clipper if you've got the money. The Asp is too sluggish for this sort of thing. If you get pulled out of SC. Boost the hell away from the other ship. If they start to scan you, keep boosting until you exceed the range of their scanners (and thus stop the scan from completing). On approach to stations I usually pop a heat sink and hit silent running on approach, then throttle down to below the blue zone when I'm lining up for the slot. Don't boost through the slot unless you want to redecorate the back wall of the dock with your ship, but if they do start to scan you, line up and then throttle up, then throttle back and hit the landing gear once you're through. Entering the station will break the scan.
 

Durden T.

Durden T.
Far from giving you any tip (the forum is full of information of very experienced commanders), my only advise is to take it with patience and not try to run before you can walk.

In this game, you can get pretty frustrated if you are trying too hard to reach a certain point or objective. The key is to relax the pressure you put to yourself and just try to learn from your mistakes.

Reading people advises is important, and probably looking some youtube videos too, but nothing can compete with your own experience and the things you learn by your own faults. Trial and error is essential.

Be patient, there are usually different ways to achieve the desired result and you need to just find your way.

I don't think you have bad luck, that attitude is keeping you from learning from your own mistakes, so change your mind and keep smuggling!!
 
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Chris Simon

Chris Simon
I know You didn't ask for advice, but still.

Don't stack missions and instead of Asp, take a Cobra Mk.III for a spin. (smuggling is entirely skill-based activity, so don't fly a ship You're not feeling comfortable in. Even Scout might suit You better)
You'll see everything is much easier.
 
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avow555

avow555
Athelos, try something different in the game for a while, smuggling is quite difficult and perhaps your nit quite ready for those runs.
I needed a change of pace the other week so I just went exploring and been out a week now probably head home before 2.1 drops ☺
 

Nerwan

Nerwan
Athelos said:
Not really an informative post or anything just had an awful experience so far. The main reason I got this game is because I loved the concept of smuggling. Being able to blast into stations and delivery that dodgey cargo! Finally got the money to equip a lovely new asp explorer (not a fan btw, drifts too much), kitted it out for some long range deliveries only to find out that I suck at smuggling! :( I think even that is a bit harsh. I have done my research and am doing everything that people suggest (I'm not asking for tips). It just seems that whatever I do my luck runs out right at the last moment and I'll get scanned by those police! Not so much as being bad at it and seems more luck based? Maybe I should hang up my smuggling cap and become a miner *shudders*
Click to expand...

I know you said no tips.. but biggest mistake people make is not A rating the thrusters and distributor on the Asp.... A rated there isn't a cop that can catch you for a scan.. Second biggest mistake is letting a cop follow you out of SC next to a station..
 
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deathmagnet

deathmagnet
Cobra mark III is probably the best smuggler out there.

http://coriolis.io/outfit/cobra_mk_iii/04A4A4A3D3A3D4C0r0r0p0p0405030345010101.AwRj4yKA.Aw1-kA==

It has enough power to A grade the thrusters, shields, distributor and frames shift as well as put some power hungry weapons on it. The A thruster and distributor will give you tons of maneuverability and speed to fly into a station before you can get scanned. Forget the silent running . Just use pure speed.

Now as far at the weapons and utilities, do what you wish. I just put some really power hungry items on there to show what it can do.
 

Momoka Azuka

Momoka Azuka
It's already been mentioned above but I'll add to it. Cobra MK III is the way to go. I've never been a fan of the Asp. Cargo space for a smuggler means nothing if you get caught during the run.

Also Shadow deliveries is only one forum of the trade. I tend to do the standard smuggling missions a lot more. Just as fun but cut down on the travel time as well as the instant fail if you're scanned.

Not that I ever am scanned. I've yet to be scanned with dodgy cargo on board
 

Wylie28

W
Get your boost speed as high as possible A rate fsd, power supply, and distriputer, d rate everything else. Then submit, put for 4 pips and engines and spam the boost button to never get scanned again
 

Maximillian Forrest

Maximillian Forrest
When I started playing it seemed trading and smuggling was far easier than it is now. Gave up smuggling some time ago when I bought my anaconda which you can’t really hide. Even with trading it seems so much harder nowadays to the point where my Anaconda is gathering lots of dust as it sits unused in port whilst I make a living bounty hunting. The last time I did a trade (which involved two jumps) I was interdicted five times! This to me is way too excessive and no longer worth the risk. For some reason these ways of making a living have been made much harder than they need to be.
 

Jmanis

Jmanis
@op. You know you don't have to pay the fine right? Sure it turns into a bounty, but that's a non issue anyways :) then the fun starts!

Only fines and bounties i pay these days are worth the factions I'm loyal to.
 
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