Speculation: Location of the local Thargoid hive ship

[Saool]

I've just been spending some time on the Galactic map, plotting a short range exploration trip to get some data to get me allied with a particular faction, and was looking at the path of destruction left by the Thargoids. The key terms there are 'path' and 'left'. The Thargoids are hitting stations, but not waiting around it would seem. No previously hit station has been hit again. And whilst there is Thargoid activity across the whole region, there is a definite and quite obvious to everyone I would think direction over time.

I speculate: could there be a Hive ship asset in the game functioning like a mega ship that moves. And each week that ship is moving. And in order to located it you would need to look at the path of attacked stations to see where the current activity is taking pace, and search systems in and around that local area?

For example in the next few weeks we might see Arietis Sector XE-Z B4 and then possible San being attacked. So such a ship might be in that area of space, waiting to be discovered.

 

[Iskariot]

peculation: Location of the local Thargoid hive ship

Thargoid Hive ship.

I like that. I hope they call it that in the game... if it is (going to be) in the game... which I think it should...

 

[Jaggedmallard]

I'd expect there to be some form of large mothership/carrier/hive ship and for that to be the reason for their slow encroachment on Human territory, at least in the lore. As for whether or not its an ingame asset, I'm not so sure.

 

[Moekul]

I really like this idea of tracking the starport attacks over time. Any mapping wizzes out there want to take a crack at a map (preferably animated) to check this hypothesis? I'm not so sure about the in game hive ship, but there might be something to be gained from arriving at the site of the next attack ahead of the Thargoids. Might also be something in the opposite direction of the scorched earth path, a.k.a. what they're running from (Klaxians!?).

 

[Factabulous]

I really like this idea of tracking the starport attacks over time. Any mapping wizzes out there want to take a crack at a map (preferably animated) to check this hypothesis? I'm not so sure about the in game hive ship, but there might be something to be gained from arriving at the site of the next attack ahead of the Thargoids. Might also be something in the opposite direction of the scorched earth path, a.k.a. what they're running from (Klaxians!?).

1) Open Galaxy Map
2) Go to last tab
3) Check the 'damaged' and 'repairing' options
4) Look at the map

and you can go to the thread on starport attacks, which intermittently includes maps: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/399159-Station-Attacks-Who-s-Next

Edit: Not animated, you still have to use your imagination

 

[Moekul]

Yeah, I saw a Galaxy Map screenshot, but I was hoping for more time info. I went ahead and tried my hand using the list vs. weeks in the OP of that thread. Color coding is blue oldest --> red newest.

Spoiler

edit: Fixed scale of x axis, now more obviously a curve not a plane. Also removed lines, they were just distracting.
edit2: I was wrong! I had a sorting error in my plot script. While there is some backtracking, notably hitting Pleiades Sector IR-W d1-55 early (The Oracle, likely for story reasons) and HIP 17892 late, there is a pretty clear progression from ~Taygeta toward the bubble, particularly in the last couple weeks.

 

[Louis Calvert]

Thargoid Hive Ship - Yes, I'd be stunned if there wasn't at least one. It's been a big topic of speculation even before Jameson's logs and it would be an amazing thing to see in game. I imagine them to be the size of a Coriolis station or larger.

The destination is obvious (at least roughly), but the origin is not. Many people believe Thargoids might originate (in some way) in the Col70 Sector. However, if that's the case, why does the "origin" of the 'path of destruction' point out past the California Nebula? It's been suggested that the Thargoids are jumping in from elsewhere, and then heading towards the bubble. Again, entirely plausible/likely, however, if they're coming from Col70 they're making an 'L' Shaped journey.

There might be no "reason" for this, but let's assume there is for now. Humans tend to take the shorter and most direct path to the goal - so, for example if we wanted to invade the bubble from Col70, we wouldn't do it via the Pleiades, we'd just jump straight to the bubble from Col70, which would cut in from a very different angle than we're currently seeing.

The closest counter-example I can think of is that many people going to Beagle Point go via Colonia, but that's because it's the last place to repair and take a break in civilisation before the long trip onwards. We know from Lore sources that Thargoid jump ranges are supposedly far in advance of ours, and even ours can make very quick work of a trip directly from Col70 to the Bubble... so what's going on?

That made me think of fuel/resupply.

It's been suggested by many Commanders that Barnalces and nebula are "refuelling/resupply stops" for Thargoids. So, maybe they could make a direct jump from Col70 to the Bubble, but they'd arrive relatively empty with no way to resupply while in the Bubble, that makes the Pleiades the closest source of fuel to us doesn't it? (are there closer Nebula to the Bubble than the Pleiades?). Much like Colonia causes a dog-leg in the trips to Beagle Point for logistical reasons, the Pleiades does the same for Thargoids heading to the Bubble.

So, you jump your Hive ships to the Pleaides, then you set up your refuelling stations and clear up the area - or you set up your Hive Ship there as basically a starport for refuelling/repair. Then from there you make your move towards the Bubble.

That suggests that if there is a Hive Ship - it might be somewhere near where the first attacks on Starports appeared, which IIRC was Taygeta? Even if it moves, it makes sense it would stay relatively centralised.

That raises the question - if we can say that Nebula + Barnacles = Resupply locations. Then what's the Californa and Witch Head Nebula for? Future expansions - but to where? Maybe just fallback positions? Is there a hive ship in each of those lurking there and prepping the area?

 

[William J Smith]

Given the numbers of thargoid ships around, I would say theres more than 1 hive ship.

However , given Jameson's description of one plus each one of those 'base' sites could be crashed hive ships I'd say any commander spotting one would be in serious trouble... 200+ thargon swarm anyone? not including medusas and scout ships galore....

Jameson only made it because he went in silent and without engines running.....


Bill

<<had a 64 strong swarm rip his shields off and blow 50% hull off his 'vette in one pass... ..... a 'vette with 3000 shields and 7000 hull armor [woah]

 

[Bob McBobblehead]

It's hiding in liquid space.

 

[Jimblob]

Col 121 sector maby nearer to area of incidences, if I rember correctly.

 

[The Lawful]

I would say the Unknown | Thargoid structures would make perfect hive ships. Remember the Alien-like clusters of...sacs?..at the ceiling of that navigation room? And the size would fit, too, these structures are at least as big as a Coriolis station starport, several km in diameter, and they look as if they spiralled into the ground, not the other way round. Jameson said something about a superstructure. Could be all those Thargoid structures were initially tied together in some way, and when Jameson hit them, they spread all over the Pleiades and beyond. Or something like this?

O7,
[noob]

 

[Ton618 666]

Thargoid Hive Ship - Yes, I'd be stunned if there wasn't at least one. It's been a big topic of speculation even before Jameson's logs and it would be an amazing thing to see in game. I imagine them to be the size of a Coriolis station or larger.

The destination is obvious (at least roughly), but the origin is not. Many people believe Thargoids might originate (in some way) in the Col70 Sector. However, if that's the case, why does the "origin" of the 'path of destruction' point out past the California Nebula? It's been suggested that the Thargoids are jumping in from elsewhere, and then heading towards the bubble. Again, entirely plausible/likely, however, if they're coming from Col70 they're making an 'L' Shaped journey.

There might be no "reason" for this, but let's assume there is for now. Humans tend to take the shorter and most direct path to the goal - so, for example if we wanted to invade the bubble from Col70, we wouldn't do it via the Pleiades, we'd just jump straight to the bubble from Col70, which would cut in from a very different angle than we're currently seeing.

The closest counter-example I can think of is that many people going to Beagle Point go via Colonia, but that's because it's the last place to repair and take a break in civilisation before the long trip onwards. We know from Lore sources that Thargoid jump ranges are supposedly far in advance of ours, and even ours can make very quick work of a trip directly from Col70 to the Bubble... so what's going on?

That made me think of fuel/resupply.

It's been suggested by many Commanders that Barnalces and nebula are "refuelling/resupply stops" for Thargoids. So, maybe they could make a direct jump from Col70 to the Bubble, but they'd arrive relatively empty with no way to resupply while in the Bubble, that makes the Pleiades the closest source of fuel to us doesn't it? (are there closer Nebula to the Bubble than the Pleiades?). Much like Colonia causes a dog-leg in the trips to Beagle Point for logistical reasons, the Pleiades does the same for Thargoids heading to the Bubble.

So, you jump your Hive ships to the Pleaides, then you set up your refuelling stations and clear up the area - or you set up your Hive Ship there as basically a starport for refuelling/repair. Then from there you make your move towards the Bubble.

That suggests that if there is a Hive Ship - it might be somewhere near where the first attacks on Starports appeared, which IIRC was Taygeta? Even if it moves, it makes sense it would stay relatively centralised.

That raises the question - if we can say that Nebula + Barnacles = Resupply locations. Then what's the Californa and Witch Head Nebula for? Future expansions - but to where? Maybe just fallback positions? Is there a hive ship in each of those lurking there and prepping the area?

What a great reply! I wonder if fdev have actually thought this through and left it to us to find? I hopw.. and we are not just chasing smoke.. col 70 is very mysterious and i can not believe how much is permit locked, soon i plan to scope around it and see if there is a way in, then go to witch head and some others in the area, maia and those close nit system get smashed with thargoids so there has to be a reason for it and why that part of the system is so hot, not to mention how many thargoid bases and signals, barnacles and so on exist in that area, i really cant wait to find out but i hope to find it.