Pre 2.1 explorer - interdiction threat returning home

[marcus10]

Hi chaps,

Ok, I'm close to Sag *A and about to start my journey back to the bubble. I started out pre-2.1 and have heard all sorts of horror stories about NPC-threat post Engineers.

I really really do not want to lose exploration data due to the new NPC threat. Unfortunately, due to a botched planetary landing (we live and learn) my hull strength is only 35%. I am carrying shields (can't recall strength whilst offline but bare min). I guess there is a risk of not making it back but I'm going to be ultracautious with throttle back whilst jumping and no more landings. I know Erimus made it back with 14%.....

My strategy? Find the absolute closest station/outpost to the frontier and dump all my data. Keep 4 pips in shields once I get close and, if interdicted, submit and jump outta there asap. I have no boost..

My question? Is this NPC threat a little overstated or is the risk significantly more than it used to be? Does the submit and jump strategy still hold if interdicted by more powerful NPCs?

I appreciate there are probably panic nancy's out there but I'm guessing the risk is now significantly increased.

 

[AnnuverScotinExile]

I just returned with a pre 2.1 setup. Admittedly I did not have all that much data on board (turns out it was about 15M), but I did very little different. This was my first trip back with an Anaconda, so my previous trick of landing at the very first mining outpost I could find would not work, as I needed a spaceport. So I just stopped at the first one of those I found. No issues (other than scraping the paint in the letterbox).

It may be worse: certainly lots of folks are making a noise about it. But it is not impossibly awful.

There are services out there that will offer to be an escort home for you. I was always skeptical about them, especially the idea of arranging them online to advertise your return. But if you are worried they may be worth a try.

 

[CDR Michael Darkmoor]

Hi chaps,

Ok, I'm close to Sag *A and about to start my journey back to the bubble. I started out pre-2.1 and have heard all sorts of horror stories about NPC-threat post Engineers.

I really really do not want to lose exploration data due to the new NPC threat. Unfortunately, due to a botched planetary landing (we live and learn) my hull strength is only 35%. I am carrying shields (can't recall strength whilst offline but bare min). I guess there is a risk of not making it back but I'm going to be ultracautious with throttle back whilst jumping and no more landings. I know Erimus made it back with 14%.....

My strategy? Find the absolute closest station/outpost to the frontier and dump all my data. Keep 4 pips in shields once I get close and, if interdicted, submit and jump outta there asap. I have no boost..

My question? Is this NPC threat a little overstated or is the risk significantly more than it used to be? Does the submit and jump strategy still hold if interdicted by more powerful NPCs?

I appreciate there are probably panic nancy's out there but I'm guessing the risk is now significantly increased.

.
.
Flying the lightest build Asp I could... came in with over 200M. Though tempted... I jettisoned all cargo.
.
I would say that during my return... there were few NPC's... My first stop was a safe system where I could re-fit.
Then I didn't take any missions or cargo until I had sold all my data at the various places where it would have the most benefit.
.
It helped to have someone else carry any specialized cargo (for the engineers) until in system and near their bases, as they (the other) got interdicted, while I was able to continue on to use my data to build reputation.
.
So... recommendations:
1st off... DO NOT HAVE *ANY* CARGO in your hold on your way in.
2nd... if you see an NPC assume they are going to interdict and maneuver accordingly.
3rd... Escorts and decoys are very nice to have.... Someone with a hold full of rares is much more tempting to that NPC Pirate then your empty explorer fit.
4th... if interdicted... submit immediately... turn toward the attacker (did I mention BOOST!)... and charge for HIGH WAKE as soon as possible to your next jump (final destination... plot one extra jump past it!),
...
Hope it helps alleviate the concern, while keepin' you cautious, CMDR

 

[racer1]

If you have no cargo I would say your chance of interdiction no different to 2.0.

High waking still works just fine, make sure you run through the drill before you need it in an emergency.

 

[Brother Sabathius]

If you get unlucky, and it's a high-rank NPC, you could be wiped out before you can escape. I've lost 2 explorer-spec T7's to them since I got back, though I've been happily flying around the bubble for a few hours in them before losing the first.

My tactic will be the same as usual. Pick a system right on the edge of the bubble with a safe government, and a station/outpost close to the star, preferably without having to go through any other inhabited systems on the way. Cover the last 250LY as fast as possible and get to the station, no messing about.

I am also likely to be making use of Iridium Wing

 

[Allitnil]

I've done one ~50K LY mission since 2.1 dropped. I went with a stripped down Horizons setup (Conda with SRV / minimal thrusters, shield, PD). I'm just returning from a much smaller trip with the same setup. After that I'll be embarking on more trips with the same.

Maybe that answers your question?

Slightly more seriously, that's with a Conda which if interdicted can cat least take a bit of fire power before its hull gives up the ghost. In a lesser ship I would want more shielding and/or speed. But my experience of flying around the bubble post 2.1 is that there is still a very small chance of being fired on by an NPC as long as you are not pledged to a power, are on a mission, have a bounty or are carrying cargo. And the number one advice - which has been said by many of us many times but still seems to be largely overlooked - is to manually plot to your chosen (preferably allied, high security) system so as to avoid any populated systems. The last time I saw a free flying NPC outside of a populated system (when not on a mission) was over a year ago and, if they exist at all now, are really rare.

 

[marcus10]

Well, I got interdicted...

I've done one ~50K LY mission since 2.1 dropped. I went with a stripped down Horizons setup (Conda with SRV / minimal thrusters, shield, PD). I'm just returning from a much smaller trip with the same setup. After that I'll be embarking on more trips with the same.

Maybe that answers your question?

Slightly more seriously, that's with a Conda which if interdicted can cat least take a bit of fire power before its hull gives up the ghost. In a lesser ship I would want more shielding and/or speed. But my experience of flying around the bubble post 2.1 is that there is still a very small chance of being fired on by an NPC as long as you are not pledged to a power, are on a mission, have a bounty or are carrying cargo. And the number one advice - which has been said by many of us many times but still seems to be largely overlooked - is to manually plot to your chosen (preferably allied, high security) system so as to avoid any populated systems. The last time I saw a free flying NPC outside of a populated system (when not on a mission) was over a year ago and, if they exist at all now, are really rare.

But no

I did get interdicted on my way to the first station I could find. Fortunately, I managed to jump out of there and handed all my data in. Phew....

Fast forward to today. Short trip from Diaguandri to Maia. In that last system, what happens. I get interdicted. Immediately submit, boost and hit jump as soon as the fsd is ready. All at the optimum times.

What happens? I get my ass handed to me on a plate and a nice fat insurance excess.

I would hate this to happen returning with 6 months of data and 100 million credits lost. I appreciate it's Elite "Dangerous" and all those arguments but, does this really make the risk/return worth it? The only way I see around this is taking an A class shield spec and potentially shield booster/cell bank into the void. Seems crazy to me but perhaps the reduction in jump range is more than offset by the safety factor. D class just seems too risky these days.

 

[Pirin]

Wrong thread - sorry

 

[Pirin]

I shouldnt post on forums early in the morning

So, back to correct topic
Last night i returned to Bubble after a two weeks test drive of my new Asp. The system i went to (Aluriates) is a carefully chosen one: high-sec, on the edge of the Bubble with a station 35ls from entry point. My Asp has engineer modified shields, Chaff and Point Defense, capable of boost. No cargo on board. Despite all these measures i was interdicted and almost destroyed. Escaped with hull<50%. This happened frakking 2.5Mm from station. I had only 17M data on board. If it was a long trip with a lot more data and i got destroyed 2.5Mm from home... i would probably throw my PC out of the window
I dont know if i am exceptionally unlucky or there is some other reason but it seems i get a special attention from pirates and get interdicted everywhere, all time. In some occasions by pirates well above my combat rank. Which shouldnt happen (theoretically) but it does.

 

[gooddoc]

It all depends on the following questions

How low is your combat rating? - mine is Mostly Harmless
Are you pledged to anyone in PP?
Are you carrying any Cargo?
Are you doing any missions?
Are you Wanted or have a bounty on your head?

The last 4 answers should be NO & if the first one is very low, as mine is, then the chances of interdictions should be low.

However, be prepared & aware.....

You should really set up a base camp in a system at the edge of civvy space that you use for your exploration base camp. You set off & return to this camp on your treks.
Make sure that you quickly get to Allied status with ALL/AS MANY of the the factions within that system.
You choose a system with a station that's within 100LS's from the main Star.

Be aware & watch your back all the time.

I have yet to see any NPC's in 0 populated systems, unless I'm carrying cargo/on missions, so plot manually if moving into the bubble.

Spread out your data into adjacent systems near your base camp to become Allied with those factions too.

But always be aware of your surroundings & ready to High Wake out!

 

[CapitanAceRimmer]

There are plenty of groups that will help you, I recommend you contact SEPP or Iridium, who will provide you with an escort wing.

Hell, I'll give you an escort wing if you need it.

 

[Caldeon]

There are plenty of groups that will help you, I recommend you contact SEPP or Iridium, who will provide you with an escort wing.

Hell, I'll give you an escort wing if you need it.

I have one question: How long would i be alone with the interdicting NPC before my hired Wingmate could arrive and save me? Or is he dropping instantly into my lowwake after i lost/submitted the interdiction game?

 

[Ian Doncaster]

I have one question: How long would i be alone with the interdicting NPC before my hired Wingmate could arrive and save me? Or is he dropping instantly into my lowwake after i lost/submitted the interdiction game?

If your wingmate is experienced with the wing tools and the instancing cooperates they should be right on top of you within a few seconds of you dropping to normal space, before the NPC has had time to threaten you.

If nav-lock does its thing of the initial dropout sometimes being 200km out, you might have to hang on 10-20 seconds before they can reach you. (If you have a full wing - so 3 escorts - the chances are at least one will end up in place immediately)

A trained escort - especially an escort wing rather than an individual - should also be taking steps to stop you being interdicted in the first place by proactively detecting and neutralising threats.

 

[Caldeon]

If your wingmate is experienced with the wing tools and the instancing cooperates they should be right on top of you within a few seconds of you dropping to normal space, before the NPC has had time to threaten you.

If nav-lock does its thing of the initial dropout sometimes being 200km out, you might have to hang on 10-20 seconds before they can reach you. (If you have a full wing - so 3 escorts - the chances are at least one will end up in place immediately)

A trained escort - especially an escort wing rather than an individual - should also be taking steps to stop you being interdicted in the first place by proactively detecting and neutralising threats.

thats some very helpful info, thank you +rep

 

[ruger_shooter]

Good post OP as I am ready to return with a lot of data to sell. Going to do a tutorial docking or 2 or 3 just to get in the way of doing it after so long.

 

[Whitmann]

I came back yesterday with 6 weeks' worth of data. Luckily had a wing - good tip is meeting in an uninhabited system one jump out from your target system, if poss, to check you're both in the same instance. We had a bit of trouble at first (game kicked me out twice, the second time as I was disengaging from supercruise at my station and was just about to start punching the air) and the good advice about plotting one jump past yr target system is sensible, just in case.

In the event I wasn't interdicted, though every time a new contact cropped up I was SURE this was the one. Heart going like a hamsterwheel til I got into a no-fire zone