I'm about 15k LY from the bubble and just realised I'm not pledged to Li Yong Rui for the 200% bonus on exploration. Will the other power still send ships after me when I defect? I'm fairly certain they won't since npcs don't spawn this far out, as far as I know, but my ship isn't even remotely ready for a fight so I just wanted to ask if anyone knows for sure.
Defecting to a different power while exploring.
- Thread starter iBR0WNY
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Don't you have to be rank 5 (10000 merits delivered) to get that bonus?
How anyone has the time for that and a decent amount of exploration is beyond me.
How anyone has the time for that and a decent amount of exploration is beyond me.
You just don't have to sell exploration data until you got the rank
Ah, now that's an interesting point. I might have to pledge before I return from BP. 
The old power will only send ships after you for a few days. I have no idea if they'll still hunt you that far outside the bubble, but I'd suspect not.
The old power will only send ships after you for a few days. I have no idea if they'll still hunt you that far outside the bubble, but I'd suspect not.
Fair point. If it was me I still wouldn't bother though. How many ships would you have to kill? I'm sure the time would be more profitably spent doing more exploring.
Yeah rank 5 it's tough considering that you also lose ranks weekly if you don't play for them
I've done it before and never killed any ships. It's quicker to transport the powerplay cargo (can't remember the actual name of it). I did it in solo in a cutter filled with nothing but cargo bays. It's still a tedious grind but I made almost 3 billion once I sold all the data. Should be even more this time.
Via UM = 334 ships
Via fortifying in a Cutter / T-9 = 13.5 trips (but 1000 clicks to load the cargo) and you need to buy the cargo too.
But drop into LYRs Discord and see what needs doing.
Via fortifying in a Cutter / T-9 = 13.5 trips (but 1000 clicks to load the cargo) and you need to buy the cargo too.
But drop into LYRs Discord and see what needs doing.
Why defect? Just drop your current power, wait for the cooldown and join the next. No hurry in this case, right?
Because defecting is pretty much the same. The guys they send after you have no interdictors so they can't pull you.
But they don't magically spawn 20K LY from the bubble when prospecting or something? Just asking to be sure...
That's pretty accurate. I used to do the T-9 thing back when I was poor enough to care about the money and I remember it being 14 trips. Flying the clumsy old T-9 with hundreds of millions of credits worth of exploration data in your ship's computer makes even NPC interdictions in Solo quite exciting. Of course the interface is again the most soul crushing grind, as usual in PP.
I've never tried to be honest- and if you are that far away I'd say you are rank 1 which means you are going to be chased for about a day before you are let go. But leaving a power is the safe way.
Well if you're talking that sort of credits, I see your point. I've not defected that far out to know if you do get anyone after you, but as Rubbernuke says, leaving would guarantee no trouble and if it's only a day or so delay, it's probably not going to make much difference.
If ships do come after you when you defect you just know it'll be when you're picking up mats to top up your AFMU or something like that.
I’ve defected as close as 2.3 kly from the bubble and seen no NPC’s. I’m currently 40 kly out, but have no reason to defect at this point. I’ll just keep accumulating my 1k/wk credits until I come back.
And with the horrible and depressing merit decay system I personally wouldn't bother.
I have reached rank 5 and was able to stay there for two weeks, but to me the ridiculous merit decay mechanic felt like an insult for all the trouble I had gone through.
I am not against merit decay per se, but this mechanic FDev implemented is demotivating. That is one of the big reasons why so many eventually turn their back on Powerplay.
I think PP has a lot of potential, but FDev will have to revise it.
A game mechanic should entice you, draw you in, be fun, and not make you feel miserable.