Fix Piracy

I'm not 100% sure why it's agricultural systems that always spawn LTD's to be honest. The boom and population parts make sense, but all I can really come up with is that agri systems seem to have a higher demand for ice ring based commodities.

Then again, your guess may be as good as mine. From experience though, any mining ship in a system fitting the conditions of my original guide post will have low temp diamonds without fail.
One time, just once (I think it was yesterday), I pulled an NPC with a refinery out of supercruise, scanned him, and nothing came up but some bauxite and lepidolite. Before and after that though I've always gotten LTDs.
 
I'm not 100% sure why it's agricultural systems that always spawn LTD's to be honest. The boom and population parts make sense, but all I can really come up with is that agri systems seem to have a higher demand for ice ring based commodities.

Then again, your guess may be as good as mine. From experience though, any mining ship in a system fitting the conditions of my original guide post will have low temp diamonds without fail.

I outfitted my Python today for some pirate shenanigans. Argus, you were right on the money! Thanks for all the advice.

Now I just need to work on my technique. Super sloppy at the moment, but I'm sure it'll get better in time.

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@OP...

Since launch, you've pirated me twice. Once I was flying a trade eggshell and had no chance so gave you what you wanted, the second time I was in my python and you fought me to a battered and bleeding standstill before I paid up. If you should encounter me in open in the future, I might make you work for it but you're welcome to prove that PvP piracy isn't quite that dead if you can :)
 
Sure, I'll help you out.
This is the ship I fly exclusively for piracy: https://coriolis.io/outfit/asp/2pft...06r27.Iw18WQ==.IwBjo4uiwJmiIA==?bn=pirate asp


First of, if done right, piracy is one of the *most* profitable professions in the game. With my asp, I can rake in around 8 million an hour.

here's some simple steps to follow:

-Find a high-population Agriculture system with a "boom" state (this is very important)
-Fly around in super cruise looking for targets
-If a ship has both a refinery and mining lasers equipped, pull it over. They are basically guaranteed to have low temperature diamonds (sells for 45K-53K per ton on black market)
-DON'T SHOOT IT!!!
-Wait until the ship hi-wakes out, use your wake scanner and follow it.
-With any luck, they've gone to an anarchy/lawless system. If not, keep interdicting them and following through hyperspace until they're in lawless space. Even Low security is doable, as you've got around 4-5 minutes until the police show up.

Now the fun part:
-Strip the targets shields and lock on to their powerplant.
-Using the cannons, keep shooting it from above or below until it's at 0%. De-target the powerplant and damage their hull until it's low. Re-target the powerplant now.
-You can start launching hatch breakers at this point.
-Position yourself so you've got a clean shot at their powerplant for when they inevitably reboot it. They'll get a little distance, but as long as you're paying attention, you'll be able to bring it back to 0% before they move at all.

From this point, it's just a matter of keeping their P.P. at 0% and running your hatch breakers (2 at a time) and collectors (4 on passive at once) until your hold is full. Shouldn't take more than a few minutes. Once you've got what you want, either kill them or leave.

This method works for piracy missions as well, although sometimes they won't high wake and you'll have to work fast depending on the security level of the system that you're currently in.

As I stated, some ships pose more of a hassle than others. I've successfully pirated high ranking pythons in my asp, but since they're both tough and skilled, it's not worth it in my book as I'm usually limping back in a severely damaged ship despite getting the good. choose your fights or wing up for the harder targets.


I think that's about all I can say about it.

Add me in game if you want more pointers, my name's the same as on here.
Great post! Thanks!
 
You don't need to damage ships to Pirate them anymore. Just shoot hatch breakers at them and collect the loot, then bow out when you see Authority drop in. Remember, hatch breakers go through shields now. Don't want to bother with a target that fights back? Make sure you target actual haulers... They may try to fight back at times, but not really enough that you'd need to worry. Your worst case should be haulers with an escort, but if you can't handle them, don't pull them over.

You damage the hull because hatch breaker 'hacking' is instant when hull of the target is below 10%.

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Again, you don't even need to fire a shot anymore. Hatch breakers go through shields now. Many times they don't even shoot at you because they aren't taking damage.

Nobody wants to collect stuff that way. You don't get as much and it is spread over half the star system, and in many cases you can't collect all of it before some starts to vanish.
 
You damage the hull because hatch breaker 'hacking' is instant when hull of the target is below 10%.

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Nobody wants to collect stuff that way. You don't get as much and it is spread over half the star system, and in many cases you can't collect all of it before some starts to vanish.

Don't think that's good enough reason to shoot if I don't have to, especially if they aren't going to fight back while hacking. Also, collect what stuff?
 
Don't think that's good enough reason to shoot if I don't have to, especially if they aren't going to fight back while hacking. Also, collect what stuff?

The stuff that spills out all over the place from using hatch breakers on targets that aren't disabled.
 
The stuff that spills out all over the place from using hatch breakers on targets that aren't disabled.

Well, I guess I'm just operating on the idea that I'm only going to pick up stuff I want and I typically have collectors. Hatch break, see what fell, shoot another hatch breaker, stop and pick up what I want, and continue following the target. I suppose I can see your point if you don't want to do that, but I rather like being less aggressive about it if possible. :)
 
I really like the idea of a smaller ship sneaking up and sucking out cargo like a mosquito, only to jump away when the bigger ship turns to swat at it.
No less risky than straight-up pew-pew.

Actually seems even more like the small, fast, daring image I have of a 'pirate' - like a daring train-robbery.
 
This is an excellent post, thank you Argus!

I've not done any PvE piracy in over a year and a half but this thread has me thinking about trying it out again. I am curious though, why pick Agriculture systems in Boom state for pirating targets? Are they much more likely to have mining ships carrying LTD's for some odd reason?

That information shared is a fraction of the real deal.
It is based on assumption.
To be honest, there is not a single factor
we 'rats have found is consistent
regarding spawning of LTD miners.

What is consistent is the miners:
- have equipped refinery or mining lasers
- are more likely to spawn in boom state (haulage ships)

Agricultural systems, Refinery and high-tech
are systems i have seen LTDs to bring forth,
but it is not the key.
 
Well, I guess I'm just operating on the idea that I'm only going to pick up stuff I want and I typically have collectors. Hatch break, see what fell, shoot another hatch breaker, stop and pick up what I want, and continue following the target. I suppose I can see your point if you don't want to do that, but I rather like being less aggressive about it if possible. :)

So what happens when the NPC ship has 100+ low temp diamonds? I kind of want them all :)
 
So what happens when the NPC ship has 100+ low temp diamonds? I kind of want them all :)

Fly a bigger ship :D

Until recently i was pirating in a CM4 with 32t of cargo space.

Got annoyed with leaving behind over 100t of LTDs. Switched to a Python with 192t of cargo space. Now i shouldn't have to leave so much behind. Looking for my first T9 to try and rob.
 
So what happens when the NPC ship has 100+ low temp diamonds? I kind of want them all :)

I'm not sure. I don't think I'd be able to collect them either way. Then again, I haven't tried. I only once spotted a T-9 with diamonds and I couldn't get a hatchbreaker to land due to point defense. Had I started shooting, it's possible I may have been able to get a few but then I'd have to deal with it firing back and police showing up. Piracy is probably the one aspect I've spent little time on, just hasn't felt very worthwhile overall even on more successful runs.
 
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I'm not sure. I don't think I'd be able to collect them either way. Then again, I haven't tried. I only once spotted a T-9 with diamonds and I couldn't get a hatchbreaker to land due to point defense. Had I started shooting, it's possible I may have been able to get a few but then I'd have to deal with it firing back and police showing up. Piracy is probably the one aspect I've spent little time on, just hasn't felt very worthwhile overall even on more successful runs.

Python with 160 ton capacity can very well be filled by a single LTD
NPC, you just need to train and know what you are doing,
or be pretty good at adapting.
 
I'm not sure. I don't think I'd be able to collect them either way. Then again, I haven't tried. I only once spotted a T-9 with diamonds and I couldn't get a hatchbreaker to land due to point defense. Had I started shooting, it's possible I may have been able to get a few but then I'd have to deal with it firing back and police showing up. Piracy is probably the one aspect I've spent little time on, just hasn't felt very worthwhile overall even on more successful runs.

Destroy their PTDs then. Missiles work a treat.
 
Fly a bigger ship :D

Until recently i was pirating in a CM4 with 32t of cargo space.

Got annoyed with leaving behind over 100t of LTDs. Switched to a Python with 192t of cargo space. Now i shouldn't have to leave so much behind. Looking for my first T9 to try and rob.

You can't get them all just hatch breaking without disabling though, which is what Dbrn and I are discussing.
 
Destroy their PTDs then. Missiles work a treat.

It's weird. It's like there's the need for players being pirated to know how to play the game or deserve the loss, but for some pirates, they don't have to work out the specifics of how to play that trade....

Not sure if the subsystem targeting can include utility spots, though.

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So what happens when the NPC ship has 100+ low temp diamonds? I kind of want them all :)

Go mine the ice rings!
 
Complete n00b-pirate question here, but why don't you target Drives?

I get that the PP is the power-supply hub of all the systems in a ship, but if you disable drives first then surely you can pick and choose what subsys to target next from the perfect orientation, as the victim can't wiggle round? Plus, the drives must be easier to hit when angling in pursuit...

Genuine question from a normally non-combatant CMDR.
 
Complete n00b-pirate question here, but why don't you target Drives?

I get that the PP is the power-supply hub of all the systems in a ship, but if you disable drives first then surely you can pick and choose what subsys to target next from the perfect orientation, as the victim can't wiggle round? Plus, the drives must be easier to hit when angling in pursuit...

Genuine question from a normally non-combatant CMDR.

Because ships with their drives shot out drift, spewing cargo all over the place.

Powerplant crippled NPC ships stop dead, allowing you to scoop quickly in one place.

There's also the risk that if you try and disable too many sub-systems that you will destroy the ship.

Edit: If you're talking about PvP piracy, then yes, shooting the drives out works better.
 
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