A few noob observances while RES bounty hunting

[ElectricFactory]

Like many newcomers to ED ( am just now earning enough credits to properly outfit a couple of ships in my hanger, a Cobra MK3 for trade/ exploration and a combat fitted Viper MK3. Below are some observations I thought other noobs might find useful when it comes to bounty hunting in a RES ( this one based in the LHS 3447 system). Anyway just my experiences, please take with a grain of salt;

- do nothing until your scans confirm WANTED. Even if the FEDS are stomping the bad guy, wait for WANTED to appear on your screen. If you don’t and the guy blows up even as a result of your direct fire you will not get the bounty.

- DO wait for several FEDS to open up on larger ships than yourself before you pile on. Even if one FED ship has already engaged Mr Wanted. If you don’t the Anaconda or whatever will almost certainly turn their full attention to YOU and blow you up. If that happens all pips to engines, boost, run.

- sometimes you’ll see one lonely WANTED ship cruising just out of range- no FEDS, no traffic, no one else around. For whatever the reason this is usually indicative of a ‘dead’ incidence as in no targets, I suggest leaving it forthwith ( exit/save game), and re-enter later

- closer you are to the actual RES waypoint, the hotter/ more frequent the action.

- related to above, I can’t say how many times my final hits on Mr Wanted blew him up but still not get the bounty credit. It appears to me that piling on with the FEDS early on in the fight is the only reliable way to receive the bounty. If you get there ‘late’ receiving bounty credit is iffy at best.

- if you see Sidewinders in a HIGH RES it’s a pretty good bet the rest of the incidence will be similarly low value ships. Leave, come back. Sometimes going to its companion Low RES within the same area will yield high value targets, I'd suggest trying the Low RES should the High RES fizzle out. I've collected 110,000 cr bounties in a Low RES

- bounty hunting in a HIGH RES will improve your pilot skills exponentially.

 

[EponymousCowherd]

Like many newcomers to ED ( am just now earning enough credits to properly outfit a couple of ships in my hanger, a Cobra MK3 for trade/ exploration and a combat fitted Viper MK3. Below are some observations I thought other noobs might find useful when it comes to bounty hunting in a RES ( this one based in the LHS 3447 system). Anyway just my experiences, please take with a grain of salt;

I've done quite a bit of RES farming in my time. Most of your advice is spot-on, but there are a few misconceptions and things you have missed.

- do nothing until your scans confirm WANTED. Even if the FEDS are stomping the bad guy, wait for WANTED to appear on your screen. If you don’t and the guy blows up even as a result of your direct fire you will not get the bounty.

You will get your bounty if you then wait for the ship to be scanned before killing it. The most important point about not firing before scanning is that you will get a bounty on your own ship if you do, even if a later scan shows that ship is, indeed, wanted.

- DO wait for several FEDS to open up on larger ships than yourself before you pile on. Even if one FED ship has already engaged Mr Wanted. If you don’t the Anaconda or whatever will almost certainly turn their full attention to YOU and blow you up. If that happens all pips to engines, boost, run.

Yep, sound advice. Another tactic is to wait for Mr Pirate to start attacking another NPC, like a miner, before laying into them.

- sometimes you’ll see one lonely WANTED ship cruising just out of range- no FEDS, no traffic, no one else around. For whatever the reason this is usually indicative of a ‘dead’ incidence as in no targets, I suggest leaving it forthwith ( exit/save game), and re-enter later

Only had this happen rarely and exiting the RES and re-entering usually resolves the issue. YMMV.

- closer you are to the actual RES waypoint, the hotter/ more frequent the action.

Yep, but also look out for weapons fire in the distance (outside of sensor range). Some nice pickings to be had that way.

- related to above, I can’t say how many times my final hits on Mr Wanted blew him up but still not get the bounty credit. It appears to me that piling on with the FEDS early on in the fight is the only reliable way to receive bounty credit. If you get there ‘late’ receiving bounty credit is iffy at best.

- if you see Sidewinders in a HIGH RES it’s a pretty good bet the rest of the incidence will be similarly low value ships. Leave, come back. Sometimes going to its companion Low RES within the same area will yield high value targets, I'd suggest trying the Low RES should the High RES fizzle out. I've collected 110,000 cr bounties in a Low RES

Never not been credited with a kill if I hit a wanted ship.

Poor yield RES are a thing and, as you say, jumping out and back in can often yield a better selection of victims.

My tactics for RES farming are:

Lurk around the RES marker and wait for a pirate to scan you. Wait for them to give you the finger "useless dreg, etc" and turn away. Note whether they are part of a wing and check if the ship has a fighter bay. An Expert NPC in an Anaconda is one thing, an Expert NPC in an Anaconda that pops out a fighter is another thing altogether, particularly if you are in a small ship. If its all good, and you think you can take them, target them and light them up when you see their tailpipes. Target engines, power plant or FSD if you want some variety.

You might like to consider trying a HAZ RES. They are pretty poorly named. The pirates won`t attack you unless you have cargo or shoot first, so you can lurk and pick your targets at your leisure. There are no security ships to accidentally hit and get a bounty (which is good) but that means you'll have to do all the work yourself. The rewards can be substantial, however (200,000 Cr for an Anaconda is pretty common). Just pick your targets sensibly, make sure you can take them and don`t be lured by large bounties.

 

[ElectricFactory]

This is me having limped into my home station with a dangerously low hull, this having ( victoiously ) engaged with two Pythons and an Imperial Drop Ship, which also dispatched a fighter ! And the thing is this was the result of piling on with the FEDS, I still took enough hull damage to almost blow my up.

 

[Rebel Yell]

Aye Captn't, bettar if ya add sum' hull reinforcemants fer yar boat... me know ya be still a landlubber but docking computar be wast'a o'space, anothar reinf module thear help!!

 

[ElectricFactory]

Have you seen the warning, HAZERDOUS MATERIALS DETECTED, jut prior to blowing up for no apparant reason ? Any idea what that is ?

Aye Captn't, bettar if ya add sum' hull reinforcemants fer yar boat... me know ya be still a landlubber but docking computar be wast'a o'space, anothar reinf module thear help!!

 

[dm06]

- do nothing until your scans confirm WANTED. Even if the FEDS are stomping the bad guy, wait for WANTED to appear on your screen. If you don’t and the guy blows up even as a result of your direct fire you will not get the bounty.

This is a slightly complex situation:
- you definitely will not get "wanted status" if the target is wanted
- the feds could shoot clean ship because of its reckless shooting.

- related to above, I can’t say how many times my final hits on Mr Wanted blew him up but still not get the bounty credit. It appears to me that piling on with the FEDS early on in the fight is the only reliable way to receive the bounty. If you get there ‘late’ receiving bounty credit is iffy at best.

I've noticed that destroyed ships exist for some period of time more. With zero hull. The feds stop shoot at him. At this point it is already late to start shooting the ship - you'll deal no damage thus no bounty.
From my experience a single last shot is enough to get the bounty, target should became red/hostile.

 

[ElectricFactory]

Yes, this exactly. And shooting at the end of the cycle is better than the beginning of the cycle. This is especially true with big ships.

I've noticed that destroyed ships exist for some period of time more. With zero hull. The feds stop shoot at him. At this point it is already late to start shooting the ship - you'll deal no damage thus no bounty.
From my experience a single last shot is enough to get the bounty, target should became red/hostile.

 

[Rebel Yell]

Have you seen the warning, HAZERDOUS MATERIALS DETECTED, jut prior to blowing up for no apparant reason ? Any idea what that is ?

Sumfing alienic 'ave infested yar boat. Me use bug spray, poisoned baits and electrificazed decoys... or ya try to toast > 150-165% heat yar boat (werks but ya suffar damage as well).

 

[EponymousCowherd]

This is me having limped into my home station with a dangerously low hull, this having ( victoiously ) engaged with two Pythons and an Imperial Drop Ship, which also dispatched a fighter ! And the thing is this was the result of piling on with the FEDS, I still took enough hull damage to almost blow my up.

Two pythons and a Federal Gunship (I assume, as there the only Imperial ship that carries a fighter is the Cutter and the Federal Dropship doesn't either) is good going.