Should have played CQC until you earned the rebuy. Only half kidding...
If you're inderdicted by a NPC that's attached to a mission, like those go and fetch something missions, jumping to a new system will tempararily get rid of the NPC, but it'll reappear after about three jumps, so, on the final run to the station, jumping to another system and back again will probably lose the NPC long enough to reach the station. If you just low-wake to escape him, he'll be back on your case in about 40 seconds. If you're on a long run with many jumps, you can expect to see the same NPC several times, although it's no problem because you just submit, boost and jump away from him to the next system in your route. Those ones always seem to appear in the final run to the station.
If you high wake you should get a different spawn sequence but no guarantees. Personally I submit, run, and low wake. It tends to work nicely. Make sure you keep 4 dots in the engines and a couple in the systems. You shouldn't need any in the weapons. Jump as soon as the FSD cool-down is finished. I never try to lose them.
Cheers and happy flying
Dave
Cheers and happy flying
Dave
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I feel you CMDR. Flew a python without insurance. Was in a startwinder within the hour. Thankfully this experience taught me to appreciate the smaller ships, and now I'm flying a modded DBX. Treat this as a blessing in disguise.
Chuckles ^^ .. written like a man who's been through hell's gates, so laughs in the face of the cthulhu !
Yep, rough rough luck OP, know where you're coming from. Opening post was written a few days ago now, so what happened since? Did you start again? Save the situation? Hope so. I upgraded to Python just as the NPC's suddenly gitted gud recently too, still not sure I've fully stabilised the situation - hemorrhaged a shed load of cash and very nearly sold it. One more rebuy screen and I'll have to.
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You should be upset with yourself.
In my first 2 weeks I must have started over with the Sidewinder a dozen times before I got the hang of not being blown up all the time. The nice thing was, each time I got blown up I got to keep my credit balance. The final time I got into a Sidewinder I had I think around 6 million in credit and just outfitted it correctly from the get-go. Then I learned not to buy a ship until I can afford the cost of the hull, outfitting and at least 2 rebuys. Good thing because over the last 2 weeks I have had 4 or 5 anacondas destroyed while learning how to outfit/fly it.
Slowly getting back up to my feet. Originally made the thread to just vent some frustration. I had died before, but never twice in a row with the added bad luck of having the more expensive cargo in my hold both times(280k one way, 3mil the other). The situation was avoidable, as people have been pointing out in this thread, all good advice for new(-ish) commanders. I was just so eager to upgrade from my trusty Asp Explorer to a bigger ship, I couldn't downgrade again to cut my losses.
Eh, at least this'll maybe serve as a warning to others. Lesson; be very careful, it's hunting season.
Eh, at least this'll maybe serve as a warning to others. Lesson; be very careful, it's hunting season.
Back in Season 1 days, I used to fly with only 1 rebuy. However my policy was always that if I get destroyed then I have to go back to flying something else until I raise enough money for cargo and another rebuy. And I always kept an old ship in reserve. It was either a Cobra, T-6, or an ASP depending on how rich I was at that point. Usually 1 trade run would make me enough profit for a 2nd rebuy.
Having briefly played EVE Online I was familiar with the concept of "Don't fly what you can't afford to lose".
Glad to see you're back into it though OP.
CMDR CTCParadox
Glad to see you're back into it though OP.
CMDR CTCParadox
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While I appreciate the lure of the Python (I must have sold then rebought one about three times now), if you're pushing your finances to run one, it's not worth it, as you've just found out.
Personally, I'd run a combination of an Asp and a Vulture -- the Asp for the hauling and mission running, and the Vulture for combat -- until I had well over 100mcr. That would allow you to A-rate the Python where it counts and to have a few rebuys should things go belly-up. The rebuy costs on the Asp and the Vulture are about 1mcr each for A-rated. I'd keep at least one of the ships too, as it means that if you have to take a Sidewinder, you can still make your way to where your Vulture, for example, is docked and either sell it for an instant cash injection of about 20mcr or jump back in it and use it to recover your previous position.
You can also scrape together the materials for Engineer mods in about a day, although I would suggest that it takes a couple of sessions to get Farseer to grade 3. I'm quite happy taking my Python into combat with only the grade 3 dirty drive mods - with no armour on it, it flies better than a Viper Mk. III and has three times the firepower.
Personally, I'd run a combination of an Asp and a Vulture -- the Asp for the hauling and mission running, and the Vulture for combat -- until I had well over 100mcr. That would allow you to A-rate the Python where it counts and to have a few rebuys should things go belly-up. The rebuy costs on the Asp and the Vulture are about 1mcr each for A-rated. I'd keep at least one of the ships too, as it means that if you have to take a Sidewinder, you can still make your way to where your Vulture, for example, is docked and either sell it for an instant cash injection of about 20mcr or jump back in it and use it to recover your previous position.
You can also scrape together the materials for Engineer mods in about a day, although I would suggest that it takes a couple of sessions to get Farseer to grade 3. I'm quite happy taking my Python into combat with only the grade 3 dirty drive mods - with no armour on it, it flies better than a Viper Mk. III and has three times the firepower.
Not the game's fault, you didn't properly outfit nor did you have rebuys.
This forum needs a subject of 'I knew that flying round in this ship would mean flying a sidewinder and, financially speaking, starting again, if I got blown up in it but I did it anyway because:'
Then people can post there and not fill the forums up with this nonsense. We have all done stupid things but most of us accept that we were being stupid and move on.
Then people can post there and not fill the forums up with this nonsense. We have all done stupid things but most of us accept that we were being stupid and move on.
I lost a python full of cargo and lots of explorer time then lost a Fer De lance in the same week. had to take a loan out but I was able to recover sell parts of he replacement python and sell a combat loaded fed drop ship and do a robigo run and that got me back to being in the black! it sucks tho esp when you think you are doing great ED can smack you right in the face.
That's utter . It is NOT easier "coming back up the 2nd time". It certainly wasn't for me. It took me nearly TWICE as much time to build back up what I lost when my ship was destroyed. And, YES, he DID lose a lot. I don't give a flip if you call it virtual or vapourware. It's TIME SPENT to do all this. If I were in charge, I'd be getting RID of all the NPC, make it REAL people ONLY.
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Hi
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Yeah, twice in a row, been there done that!
...my wife came running into the room to see what all the fuss was about the first time this happened...even our dog looked at me quizzically [haha]...(the air was a bit 'blue'). Got to admit it still happens occasionally that I'll lose a ship, but I've got a very large buffer (credits & kitted out ships etc.) to cover any...(thinking for the right word here!)...'bad decisions' I might make. The posters here have given you some good advice, don't fly what you can't afford to lose, I learnt that lesson very early on in the game (I've been playing the game from the gamma release btw.)
I personally find the Cobra Mk 3 is a good ship when upgraded sensibly, you can usually get away from most situations without incurring much damage, or none at all. When you earn better ranking (Factions) there's quite a few missions (trade, salvage and courier missions) that pay out quite substantial sums, over 1 million in some cases for a single mission where you don't sometimes get interdicted at all, but that depends a bit also on 'evasion tactics'....anyway, I'm always carrying a few mines or missiles plus a turreted laser if I decide not to run, if that happens.
I haven't bought Horizons yet, so none of my ships have the engineering mods. btw.
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Yep, Elite is definitely an unforgiving game, and to be quite honest if I didn't have a 'back up' of accumulated credits I wouldn't attempt some of the more dangerous missions and lucrative trade routes, and here's the catch 22 situation, you have to take a risk, gamble or whatever you like to call it sometimes, that's part and parcel of the game itself. I use the Cobra to earn credits, I use those credits to outfit other ships I use. When I've upgraded those ships to be capable of what tasks I'm going to use them for (taking the insurance into consideration) I can then try other aspects of the game structure (combat, exploration, heavy trade use or high paying trade missions) without worrying about the cost. If I lose my Cobra (which is very rare these days) it's not going to break my bank, and quite frankly I get more fun out of the game this way. One of the benefits of this method is it also hones your skill in combat, you 'have' to use your pip management, you really do need to quickly weigh up your chances of survival when interdicted, and it teaches you to think one step (or two) ahead if the situation turns into a load of decomposing cow manure!
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I don't particularly like large ships like the Fed Corvette, Anaconda etc. though I do have most of them kitted out at a shipyard, and I still use them occasionally, I use the Python as well as the Clipper and Orca, but it's mainly the Cobra, Asp and DBX that I use the most. The Orca might get some hammering when the passenger feature is implemented though!
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Anyway...good to see you're back in the game. [up]
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Jack
Growing pains.
Beginners are experiencing a significantly harder game than previous versions. There are many who made a pile of CR previously who have lost any number of ships as well. The OP is not alone.
There are times when the game will spawn a real hard NPC, you'll know when you run into it. Those NPC's, usually elite FDL and Anacondas, will spam chaff, recover shields and plaster you with with every type of weaponry and ram you if you don't maneuver, plus hyper speed. At this point, avoid any elite Anaconda interdiction, it's not worth it.
I narrowed my focus to 2 ships, a Python hardened to the tune of 173 mill CR and modded at all levels and a Corvette that is 75% there. After coming back from the Palin 10k, I took long haul missions from Obsidian and Darnelle's and also took missions today. I must have been interdicted a dozen times, mostly by elites, fought most, ran from a couple. I must say that if I didn't have the ships I have, I would be hard-pressed to survive. The dirty drives are tops.
Cargo of any type is just a trigger for attacks, relentless, and missions have additional attack routines programmed as well.
My experience is that you have to have a fighting ship that can carry enough cargo to make a reasonable rate of return.
For those like the OP, reaching for a Python without capital was a bridge too far. I bounty hunted in a Vulture and an FAS exclusively until I built up a cash reserve, a 100 mill plus the purchase price of the ship at least. No mining, no trading, no cargo, straight cash deals.
I bought an Anaconda prematurely and luckily I sold it back before I lost the thing. The Corvette was a recent purchase that stayed parked until I was able to outfit it in stages, 343 mill and counting. But I have enough reserves for multiple buybacks and the ability to recover the loss quickly.
Last comment, big ships make big money, just economies of scale at work.
Beginners are experiencing a significantly harder game than previous versions. There are many who made a pile of CR previously who have lost any number of ships as well. The OP is not alone.
There are times when the game will spawn a real hard NPC, you'll know when you run into it. Those NPC's, usually elite FDL and Anacondas, will spam chaff, recover shields and plaster you with with every type of weaponry and ram you if you don't maneuver, plus hyper speed. At this point, avoid any elite Anaconda interdiction, it's not worth it.
I narrowed my focus to 2 ships, a Python hardened to the tune of 173 mill CR and modded at all levels and a Corvette that is 75% there. After coming back from the Palin 10k, I took long haul missions from Obsidian and Darnelle's and also took missions today. I must have been interdicted a dozen times, mostly by elites, fought most, ran from a couple. I must say that if I didn't have the ships I have, I would be hard-pressed to survive. The dirty drives are tops.
Cargo of any type is just a trigger for attacks, relentless, and missions have additional attack routines programmed as well.
My experience is that you have to have a fighting ship that can carry enough cargo to make a reasonable rate of return.
For those like the OP, reaching for a Python without capital was a bridge too far. I bounty hunted in a Vulture and an FAS exclusively until I built up a cash reserve, a 100 mill plus the purchase price of the ship at least. No mining, no trading, no cargo, straight cash deals.
I bought an Anaconda prematurely and luckily I sold it back before I lost the thing. The Corvette was a recent purchase that stayed parked until I was able to outfit it in stages, 343 mill and counting. But I have enough reserves for multiple buybacks and the ability to recover the loss quickly.
Last comment, big ships make big money, just economies of scale at work.
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In its core it's a game mechanic I'm at odds with. Haven't lost a ship without insurance - it's the mere presence of the mechanic I don't like.
It's like paying upkeep for sucking at the game or for suffering a bug.
It's like paying upkeep for sucking at the game or for suffering a bug.
The problem with that logic is a fundamental one:
When you're in the lower-class ship, like a Type-7, the maximum cargo capacity will only net you the kind of money you're talking about after what will feel like months of trade-grinding. You get so mind-numbingly bored with the dredge of trading runs (in a craft which has such hopeless agility it's not worth doing anything but trying to run from the supposed 'spice' of interdictions), that you're utterly desperate to get something with some teeth.
It's a psychological trap from which there's no way out... Hopeless boredom or obtain the better ship now and gradually upgrade it. Most will do the latter because that's the only realistic choice for them - gamble on no insurance or face logging into a 'game' which is anything but fun in your present craft.
I recently graduated all the way up to a Type-9, but my first run out had it destroyed (was interdicted and forced out into a star; was dead no matter what). Very soon, I'll be upgrading back up to a Type-7, because I'm fortunate enough to have found a slightly improved trading circuit, but you can bet I'll be immediately getting a Python, the moment I have the money to obtain it and some for an initial trading run. I know that, by that time, I'll be utterly sick of the monotony of Type-7 trading runs and want a ship with some versatility. Getting enough money to properly outfit it from the very start will takefar too long.
It's not what you should do, but it's essentially what the game forces you to do.