Help please with gathering Interceptor Tissue samples

[Tanager2626]

Please could someone experienced in Thargoid interactions help me with where I might be going wrong?
I am trying to get the three tissue samples for the Guardians Data Logging mission. I have no problem finding the Thargoid Interceptors on their own, but I have yet to manage to get the research Limpet to complete before the Goid skidadles out on high wake. I've watched some videos, but they seem to not have this problem, and i am at a loss as to what to do.
Ihave parked my very expensive (insurance) Krait MK2 at Kipling, and have purchased a bare bones Diamondback Explorer equipped with 4 heatsink launchers and a research limpet, and have transferred my corrosion cargo rack to this ship. Having failed in Combat mode (Krait MK2), and not having the engineered units to make the Diamondback sufficiently cold running, I am using the Silent Running method. I arrive and am faced with the Thargoid - and I speed past and get to around 1.5km and then launch my Research Limpet. I drop a heatsink to drop my heat and go into silent running mode. The research limpet attaches, but within a fairly short period always (before the limpet even gets half way to sampling), the Thargoid starts moving and high-wakes out... I've tried launching the limpet a bit earlier, but no luck....

Any help welcome...

 

[Jmanis]

Part of your problem is firing the limpet after going past the Thargoid. You want to launch it while you're evading the thargoid's initial scan, gives your limpet much more time to attach. Alterantely, just take a big chonky ship and don't stealth it, just tank the Thargoid damage while the sample collects. This is very achievable with the Cyclops and Basilisk, less so with the Medusa, and very dangerous with the Hydra (my AX warship got away with 30% left on the hull counter)

That said, if you still have problems, make sure you have heaps of limpets or biowaste in your hold, and dump 40-50 of them out. Thargoids will scan every entity[1] in the area, so by chucking a bunch of them down (preferably do it while moving / turning so they land in different spots) the thargoid will move around scanning them as well.

Also, are you exclusively going to NHSS with the Salvage icon? This is commonly accepted, but unfortunately incorrect guidance. Those particular sites have far less ships and wreckage in them, and it doesn't take long for the Interceptor to flee. NHSS without the salvage icon are either:

• Thargoid scouts with an interceptor later; bad for taking a sample; or
• A lone interceptor in a green cloud with lots of wrecks

The "salvage" NHSS is always a lone interceptor with debris, but no green cloud and very few wrecks, meaning it jumps away fast.

[1] Entities aren't just cargo/things on your radar, this includes the various wrecks.

 

[Tanager2626]

Part of your problem is firing the limpet after going past the Thargoid. You want to launch it while you're evading the thargoid's initial scan, gives your limpet much more time to attach. Alterantely, just take a big chonky ship and don't stealth it, just tank the Thargoid damage while the sample collects. This is very achievable with the Cyclops and Basilisk, less so with the Medusa, and very dangerous with the Hydra (my AX warship got away with 30% left on the hull counter)

That said, if you still have problems, make sure you have heaps of limpets or biowaste in your hold, and dump 40-50 of them out. Thargoids will scan every entity[1] in the area, so by chucking a bunch of them down (preferably do it while moving / turning so they land in different spots) the thargoid will move around scanning them as well.

Also, are you exclusively going to NHSS with the Salvage icon? This is commonly accepted, but unfortunately incorrect guidance. Those particular sites have far less ships and wreckage in them, and it doesn't take long for the Interceptor to flee. NHSS without the salvage icon are either:

• Thargoid scouts with an interceptor later; bad for taking a sample; or
• A lone interceptor in a green cloud with lots of wrecks

The "salvage" NHSS is always a lone interceptor with debris, but no green cloud and very few wrecks, meaning it jumps away fast.

[1] Entities aren't just cargo/things on your radar, this includes the various wrecks.

Thank you Commander, helpful indeed, but I have some questions:

Firstly, yes I have been pretty much exclusively going to the sites with salvage symbols to encounter lone Interceptors, but I had also now been stopping dead when I arrive and letting it come right up to me to scan me (having read that this was OK to do if I had no Guardian relics etc), and then shooting the limpet and going into silent running mode as soon as he turns. But he high-wakes too early every time.

So - on two occasions I tried non- salvage symbol NHSS, but on both occasions I was being attacked and talking damage before even having caught my breath on arriving, and barely managed to get away in each case (once with caustic damage that went to 0% just as I arrived at the dock in Electra - surviving by a hair's breadth). I lost a Krait MK-II twice early on in my encounters trying to do Combat approach while limpet was extracting - and at 10-12 Mil a throw decided to do the silent running with a minimum Diamondback, at 200k insurance. So not really suited to fighting.... I get the sense that taking the Diamondback into the sites with no salvage symbol is suicide, is that true?

I would still like to go to use Mega-ship sites - but having visited the Hogan one on Electra 8 or 9 times and seen no Thargoid, am wondering what I am doingn wrong....?

 

[Factabulous]

You need to find a location with lots of stuff to keep the Thargoid there - which is why (some) m/s work well. If you drop in on one and there is no clutter then try a different one. I prefer the m/s in Delphi, but I'm sure they vary too. If you don't get any after a few relogs then try another.

NHSS are too random IMHO (plus all the travel time).

Edit: Thinking back I think I used the Distress Call (Delphi 6 I think) last time - it has better spawn rates than m/s
Edit2: m/s have the slight advantage that you can use relogs to check for Thargoid Probes / Sensors in the holds if you still need them, but maybe concentrating on the samples is a good idea

 

[GroG79]

The use of decoy cargo works really well.

I guess the ime it takes to perform the research is too long. Show yourself a little in between to the thargoid so it decides to hunt and not highwake

 

[Tanager2626]

You need to find a location with lots of stuff to keep the Thargoid there - which is why (some) m/s work well. If you drop in on one and there is no clutter then try a different one. I prefer the m/s in Delphi, but I'm sure they vary too. If you don't get any after a few relogs then try another.

NHSS are too random IMHO (plus all the travel time).

Edit: Thinking back I think I used the Distress Call (Delphi 6 I think) last time - it has better spawn rates than m/s
Edit2: m/s have the slight advantage that you can use relogs to check for Thargoid Probes / Sensors in the holds if you still need them, but maybe concentrating on the samples is a good idea

Thank you for taking the time with this advice - a huge help.
I will definitely try Delphi as you suggest.

 

[Tanager2626]

The use of decoy cargo works really well.

I guess the ime it takes to perform the research is too long. Show yourself a little in between to the thargoid so it decides to hunt and not highwake

Will try decoy cargo... But not sure showing myself will end well in a basic Diamondback ... :-/

 

[Jmanis]

I'll do up a video in a bit
Edit: or i might have one floating around

 

[Tanager2626]

Delphi 6 distress call site worked well for first sample - managed Basalisk tissue sample without issue. But attacked on return. Guess I have to avoid any subsequent Thargoids completing a scan of me? That will be challenging. Off to practice that next....

EDIT: Have perfected launching limpet and boosting past as the scan - now have two different samples.... So far so good.... It has been a learning curve
EDIT 2: I have the three different samples I needed . Yay! Thank you all for your help. For anyone else reading this post - the steps I follow are:

• Use the Distress Call at Delphi 6 (around 97LY from The Oracle at Delphi 5)
• Enter the area and stop absolutely dead still.
• if there is a Thargoid Interceptor there, turn towards it as comes towards me. Make sure I have the Research limpet ready to go. Target it.
• When it is around 1km away, launch the research limpet at it
• As it starts to scan - boost and thrust past it and engage silent running.
• At around 1.3 km go to dead stop as I turn back towards it - aim to be around 1.3-1.8km away as the limpet samples
• As heat reaches around 70%, launch a heat sink ( I read that Cargo scoop is one of the first modules to fail on heat, so don't risk it)
• As the limpet starts to return, deploy Cargo scoop
• Deply another heat sink as needed
• Once you have the limpet in cargo - start speeding away but do not go off silent running before getting into supercruise
• as an alternative - if I need more samples, I do not speed away, but as soon as I have recovered the sample I just exit and relog (it makes you waut 15 seconds to exit - but all fine).
• If no Thargoid there when you arrive, just come to a dead stop at a place you want to be when you log in again, and relog (I switch solo/open/solo) - but not sure this is strictly necessary. I found that there was a Thargoid there roughly once every 3 or 4 entries to the site....

 

[Factabulous]

Delphi 6 distress call site worked well for first sample - managed Basalisk tissue sample without issue. But attacked on return. Guess I have to avoid any subsequent Thargoids completing a scan of me? That will be challenging. Off to practice that next....

Yup. You can't let them finish a scan, which is why the advice is to boost past them before the scan completes. Another worry now is hyperdictions, so practice of Boost + FA/Off to avoid that is also advised

 

[Jmanis]

Source: https://youtu.be/Hd4sHnZZ5iQ


Basically, I do the following:

• Drop and zero throttle
• Locate the Thargoid, launch the research limpet
• At the same time, boost past (evading the scan), and as I go past, enable silent running.
• Get away, wait for the biopsy to complete

A point to note, Research Limpets attach to the Thargoid from behind. Specifically, Research Limpets (and Hatchbreakers) leave your ship, and pathfind to a point directly 100m above the target, on the correct side/facing of the target. A good example for hatchbreakers is directly below the ship (where the cargo hatch is); ergo, if you just barrel roll constantly, a hatchbreaker will never attach to you because it can't get to that "approach" position. Getting the research limpet off before you pass the thargoid means that the limpet is mostly at the correct side (the rear of the Thargoid), as the Thargoid will turn to try and continue scanning.

A good deal of the time is taken by the limpet trying to get to that correct facing, so cutting that down helps a lot.

PS: This is also fairly sloppy... it's been a while.

 

[Tanager2626]

Yup. You can't let them finish a scan, which is why the advice is to boost past them before the scan completes. Another worry now is hyperdictions, so practice of Boost + FA/Off to avoid that is also advised

Yes - heard about those. What is FA/off? Sorry for my ignorance.
So is silent running once boosted past important in Hyperdictions? Do I need heat sink launcher with me?
I have the three samples now - see post above

 

[Jmanis]

Yes - heard about those. What is FA/off? Sorry for my ignorance.
So is silent running once boosted past important in Hyperdictions? Do I need heat sink launcher with me?
I have the three samples now - see post above

Now the trick is getting the Thargoid Probe; You'll need to sneak that from under a ship, or break it from the shipwreck at Delphi Factabulous'll almost certainly recommend hatchbreaking the megaship... I prefer ninjaing:

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDhcVIYFpCA

 

[Tanager2626]

Now the trick is getting the Thargoid Probe; You'll need to sneak that from under a ship, or break it from the shipwreck at Delphi Factabulous'll almost certainly recommend hatchbreaking the megaship... I prefer ninjaing:

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDhcVIYFpCA

Gulp!!! Why do I put myself through this

 

[Factabulous]

Factabulous'll almost certainly recommend hatchbreaking the megaship... I prefer ninjaing:

Yup - I get bored in supercruise and always have bad RNG when I'm actually looking for one Plus, if you have a hold full of thargoid goods then extra risk is bad m'kay

Yes - heard about those. What is FA/off? Sorry for my ignorance.
So is silent running once boosted past important in Hyperdictions? Do I need heat sink launcher with me?

FA/Off is Flight Assist Off - when hyperdicted the Thargoids will disable you, turning all your power off, so I don't think Silent Running can help you - but if you Boost and switch Flight Assist Off then you will continue to drift away from them while disabled and they won't be able to scan you.

You could always run with a shutdown field neutraliser, but I mess that up some of the time - Boost + FA/off is more reliable. Well, if you practised before you needed it

 

[Tanager2626]

Now the trick is getting the Thargoid Probe; You'll need to sneak that from under a ship, or break it from the shipwreck at Delphi Factabulous'll almost certainly recommend hatchbreaking the megaship... I prefer ninjaing:

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDhcVIYFpCA

How do you hatch break the megaship? I went to the Hercules and could not locate cargo bays or hatches to target. I have the manifest scanner and hatch breaker limpets.
There was a Thargoid there so I boosted past and stayed in silent - but obviously the heat sinks limit the time you can stay there in that mode. Is there always a Thargoid at a megaship or is it best to relog until there isn't?

 

[Jmanis]

How do you hatch break the megaship? I went to the Hercules and could not locate cargo bays or hatches to target. I have the manifest scanner and hatch breaker limpets.
There was a Thargoid there so I boosted past and stayed in silent - but obviously the heat sinks limit the time you can stay there in that mode. Is there always a Thargoid at a megaship or is it best to relog until there isn't?

You need to use the data link scanner (comes with all ships) on the megaship first. This reveals all the modules.

Cycle through contacts to a cargo bay and data scan that, then you can use your manifest scanner to get the cargo listing. There's also a subtargets list for the cargo hatch; this will show a limpet docking port. Use your hatch breakers on it to jet cargo. You may need to use them multiple times.

Note 1: you can't manifest scan a bay until you data link scan it, as the menu to see the results won't be available.

Note 2: you can scan the ship from km away, but must be within 200m of the cargo bay to scan it

 

[Tanager2626]

You need to use the data link scanner (comes with all ships) on the megaship first. This reveals all the modules.

Cycle through contacts to a cargo bay and data scan that, then you can use your manifest scanner to get the cargo listing. There's also a subtargets list for the cargo hatch; this will show a limpet docking port. Use your hatch breakers on it to jet cargo. You may need to use them multiple times.

Note 1: you can't manifest scan a bay until you data link scan it, as the menu to see the results won't be available.

Note 2: you can scan the ship from km away, but must be within 200m of the cargo bay to scan it

Awesome - thank you.
My problem now is that once I have completed the manifest scan of any of the 4 cargo bays, I don't see an "Inventory" tab as I understand I should (on the left hand side menu)?
Loads of Power Capacitors floating around the ship - revealed by the Data Link Scanner - but manifest scanning the cargo bays shows nothing else - at least I cannot see where it would....

 

[Jmanis]

Awesome - thank you.
My problem now is that once I have completed the manifest scan of any of the 4 cargo bays, I don't see an "Inventory" tab as I understand I should (on the left hand side menu)?
Loads of Power Capacitors floating around the ship - revealed by the Data Link Scanner - but manifest scanning the cargo bays shows nothing else - at least I cannot see where it would....

Thought you might come unstuck here. Not able to do screenshots, but when you're targeting the cargo hatch, there's a tab on the far right of the left panel.. think it's "subtargets"... You can only go to it after data scanning the hatch. Go into that, and you'll get two tabs pop up, sorta on the left of the subtargets window.

Default is subtargets, the one below should look like a cargo can, that's the contents of it.

It's a bit of a faff, but once you learn where all the bits are it's straightforward.

 

[Tanager2626]

Thought you might come unstuck here. Not able to do screenshots, but when you're targeting the cargo hatch, there's a tab on the far right of the left panel.. think it's "subtargets"... You can only go to it after data scanning the hatch. Go into that, and you'll get two tabs pop up, sorta on the left of the subtargets window.

Default is subtargets, the one below should look like a cargo can, that's the contents of it.

It's a bit of a faff, but once you learn where all the bits are it's straightforward.

I clearly am doing something wrong.
I complete a Data ink scan - and loads of items appear on the Radar, and the LHS panel CONTACTS tab shows cargo hatches, escape hatches etc. I can target one of the Cargo hatches and it gets selected. But the TARGET tab at the end of the LHS panel is red (inaccessible).
If I now do a Manifest scan, this goes well and completes and says it has completed
But when I go to the LHS panel, still red TARGET sub menu. So I can't even see how I get to that to have sub-menus....
Is it possible that the cargo bays are empty?
The odd thing is that the CONTACTS shows loads of Power Capacitors and they show up on teh RADAR and they seem to be inside the ship. I had at first assumed these were the cargo. But when I log off and log in again they are always there as soon as I do the Data Link scan - before I do a Manifest scan of a Cargo bay...
IF I target one of the NPC ships around, I can access the TARGET menu and I see the sub menu you refer to - but I cannot get to this for the Mega Ship....?