Combat really not paying enough (???), after I tried doing other things...

[Chris Simon]

Trouble is its already unrealistic for ten times more pirates to show up at a res than miners. No miners would go where the pirates are sitting in wait for them outnumbering them 10 to 1.

Agreed. The whole idea of RES is wrong, imho. Bounty hunting should be something completely different. Gathering info, tracking the target down and killing them should be a whole process.
Chasing the target around the bubble for several days and killing them in an epic battle, earning a nice sum of credits - now that would be something I'd do. RES farming? Not so much.

 

[Brrokk]

The important number is income minus expenditure. If you pay frequent rebuys you become poor. If you avoid paying rebuys you become rich without really trying. Taking care of your ship is strongly incentivised, which I think is good and realistic.