Newcomer / Intro How do I find/identify pirates?

[kalleklappstuhl]

Hello, I bought ED yesterday and have been trying to do some "kill X pirate mission" but am having some problems.

For example the game wants me to kill 6 pirates in system A,B or C. Turns out all 3 systems are anarchy systems with just 1 star.
I've been supercruising through the systems and checking out tons of USS for like 2 hours, but all I found was ships that were 'clean', nothing that looks like a pirat.

Then after being totally desperate, I just shot some poor clean sidewinder newbies and guess what... The game counted them as pirate kills...
So can someone please explain to me: How do I know if a ship is a pirate or not?

And if i can just shoot anything, why doesnt the mission just say "shoot 6 ships"?

Pls tell me what im missing... :S

 

[krysohmyz]

Go around the system you're supposed to hunt in, ans stop at every USS you find.

If you happen to stumble upon a group of trader ships in formation and there are other ships (probably Cobras and Vipers, ocasionally Sideys and Eagles) flying around them, or shooting at them, than that's the pirates.
Problem is, not always they are wanted, but it mustn't bother you and most of the time these missions take place in Anarchy systems, anyway.

 

[Mr. Bridger]

As above plus, before shooting, check who they are. If their faction is, for example, Mob of Riequat (sounds like a dodgy lot already!) and you shoot them down, check again in your transactions. If the mission brief has been updated with 'Targets killed = 1' etc it means you've got one. Now all you need to do is track down others in the same faction.

 

[Feldspar]

1) In an anarchy everyone is clean, there are no laws to break.
2) You can tell pirates by their actions, they will attack traders, scan your ship and ask you what you have in the hold (tip: put something nice in there as bait), drink rum and wear a parrot on their shoulder.