I've noticed a lot of player Commanders in my locale recently, mainly traders. This may have something to do with the price of Imperial Slaves, and the low cost of High Tech items, but I have never seen it so busy.
I'm currently trading in a Cutter, earning the cash to get it upgraded, and I had taken the Cobra MkIII to scout for new trade routes. Whilst returning in super-cruise to my home base, I noticed a hollow-square Asp in the scanner. 'Ah,' thinks I, 'Another Commander to add to the slaving party. The more the merrier!'
Two seconds later I was interdicted. 'Ah,' thinks I, 'One of those pesky npc pirates!' as I submitted and targeted the miscreant. 'Oh!' thinks I, 'It's that bloody Asp. What on earth does he want?'
The fact that I did not immediately boost or deploy hard points may have been related to his Elite combat status. That, and the fact that my own Asp could and would kick my Cobra into touch.
I sent a friendly hail, asking what was up.
He sent a piratical response and started scanning.
As he scanned, I confirmed via coms that there was no cargo to be had, and bade him farewell.
As I boosted away, he proffered thanks and complimented my paint job. [Union Flag, natch]
This was an excellent example of player interaction in piracy. If I had had cargo, he would've got some of it for sure. Despite the Elite ranking, the guy was using an Asp to pirate, which at least gives the victim a fighting or running chance. However, although I'm 20% from Dangerous, my Cobra would've been toast: it is not a PvP machine!
The T-9 incident happened the day before, and was a futuristic version of the Hare and the Tortoise.
I found myself doing the same run in my Cutter as a T-9. You'd think I would be the hare in this scenario, but mine is all D-rated barring a C-rated FSD (now upgraded to A). Thus, I was having to jump four times to his two in an A-B-A route. After an hour, I realised that this Commander was probably making roughly 3 trades to my 2. I started to feel pangs.
'Hmmm', thinks I, 'He isn't running any shields. He's probably hauling as much as I am. Maybe I should ditch my shields? But no, I'm happier with shields, let it be...'
Then, as I'm preparing to dock, I hear lasers blasting. I see the hollow square. I target it, and manoeuvre to get visual contact. Sure enough, there is the shieldless T-9, up against the outside of the station, getting pasted by a Viper. 'Now, should I intervene?', thinks I, 'After all, I have shields and firepower. But then again,' thinks I, 'He is clearly a dastardly criminal, and this is my home system, after all...'
As I watch, he is down to 0% hull, and then, would you believe, he just disappears from the radar! No explosion, no wreckage, no cargo, no nothing.
'Must have been a dodgy internet connection,' thinks I.
I'm currently trading in a Cutter, earning the cash to get it upgraded, and I had taken the Cobra MkIII to scout for new trade routes. Whilst returning in super-cruise to my home base, I noticed a hollow-square Asp in the scanner. 'Ah,' thinks I, 'Another Commander to add to the slaving party. The more the merrier!'
Two seconds later I was interdicted. 'Ah,' thinks I, 'One of those pesky npc pirates!' as I submitted and targeted the miscreant. 'Oh!' thinks I, 'It's that bloody Asp. What on earth does he want?'
The fact that I did not immediately boost or deploy hard points may have been related to his Elite combat status. That, and the fact that my own Asp could and would kick my Cobra into touch.
I sent a friendly hail, asking what was up.
He sent a piratical response and started scanning.
As he scanned, I confirmed via coms that there was no cargo to be had, and bade him farewell.
As I boosted away, he proffered thanks and complimented my paint job. [Union Flag, natch]
This was an excellent example of player interaction in piracy. If I had had cargo, he would've got some of it for sure. Despite the Elite ranking, the guy was using an Asp to pirate, which at least gives the victim a fighting or running chance. However, although I'm 20% from Dangerous, my Cobra would've been toast: it is not a PvP machine!
The T-9 incident happened the day before, and was a futuristic version of the Hare and the Tortoise.
I found myself doing the same run in my Cutter as a T-9. You'd think I would be the hare in this scenario, but mine is all D-rated barring a C-rated FSD (now upgraded to A). Thus, I was having to jump four times to his two in an A-B-A route. After an hour, I realised that this Commander was probably making roughly 3 trades to my 2. I started to feel pangs.
'Hmmm', thinks I, 'He isn't running any shields. He's probably hauling as much as I am. Maybe I should ditch my shields? But no, I'm happier with shields, let it be...'
Then, as I'm preparing to dock, I hear lasers blasting. I see the hollow square. I target it, and manoeuvre to get visual contact. Sure enough, there is the shieldless T-9, up against the outside of the station, getting pasted by a Viper. 'Now, should I intervene?', thinks I, 'After all, I have shields and firepower. But then again,' thinks I, 'He is clearly a dastardly criminal, and this is my home system, after all...'
As I watch, he is down to 0% hull, and then, would you believe, he just disappears from the radar! No explosion, no wreckage, no cargo, no nothing.
'Must have been a dodgy internet connection,' thinks I.
Last edited:
