Horizons How do you dock a large ship without being scanned?

[Mr T]

So, I was running a passenger mission in my Anaconda and was inst-killed by the station after I was scanned. Apparently one of my passengers is (or I should say was) a bad person. I thought people on the forums must have been exaggerating about the station kills being instant, but no.. they certainly weren't exaggerating. One second after the scan.. boom.. ship is gone.

Anyway, I have enough trouble trying to dock the Anaconda in the station at slow speeds without scraping the sides of the slot. How on earth do I get it in there without a scan? Does someone have some tips for these oversized, not so nimble ships?

 

[Khromm]

There are a few methods you can try to use, but it can be tricky:

1 Use Silent Running. Need to be good at managing your heat though (i.e. use heat sinks, have a decent power distributer etc)
2 Practice making full speed runs through the mail slot, and don't use a docking computer, or time it so the docking computer only kicks in once you're through the slot. In a 'conda, it's possible to do with practice, but can hurt, especially when combined with Silent Running (since that turns your shields off). You've also got to try to time it so there isn't something big coming the other way. But the main thing is practice.
3 This one I'm not 100% certain on, but if you're friendly with the local factions on the station, you seem to get scanned far less often (source: I never seem to get scanned at the station I class as my home, in Dongzi, since I reached Allied, but I'm fairly certain they stopped scanning me at Friendly)

Aside from that, there's not really anything I can think of, except to read the passenger mission carefully, and only transport passengers that are criminal or have the line reading (may be wanted in several systems" once you're confident you can get through the slot fast or the target station is green to you. Personally I tend to avoid transporting anyone that might trigger a bounty, until they fix that part of the passenger missions - there are plenty of other passenger missions that can build rep and earn cash in the short term.

HTH

<edit> Oh, and try to make your docking run from directly opposite the mail slot, it's far easier than having to correct your trajectory from coming in from the side </edit>

 

[777Driver]

Been smuggling on the side in a T9 for over a year now - Shut down non essential systems in supercruise whilst approaching the port, run silent once I enter the NFZ, dump a heatsink if necessary to keep the ship cool. Heatsink is generally not needed. Very satisfying pulling it off.

The most important thing with large ships is to monitor the police patrols, time your final run into the station and keep an eye out for any stray authority ships.

With the Cutter I use pure speed combined with silent running.

 

[racer1]

The most important thing for me is approaching the slot straight on from approx 7km out.

If I drop in behind the station I fly to round the other side keeping well away from the station. Once I am about 7km in front I line up with the slot and head straight in. Don't come in at an angle.

Lately I've been forgetting to use silent running in the cutter and I haven't noticed an increase in detection.

I keep speed over 200m/s until just as I cross the slot threshold.

If a scan starts get through the mail slot asap as it will stop once you are in.

You can see the patrol orbiting the slot.

 

[System Lord]

I find it weird that station would open fire to someone that is not attacking the station itself. Fines and bounties are for that, imho. I believe it is bad for business if some space debris is blocking the entrance.

 

[Mr T]

I find it weird that station would open fire to someone that is not attacking the station itself. Fines and bounties are for that, imho. I believe it is bad for business if some space debris is blocking the entrance.

I agree, I think the penalty is too harsh on the pilot. Getting fined and having the mission unsuccessful would fit with what happens in other missions. Hopefully, this is one item (of many) that will get adjusted in a future patch.

I just realised my crew member will be dead also. Oh well... an opportunity to try out someone else..

 

[JetsonRING]

So, I was running a passenger mission in my Anaconda and was inst-killed by the station after I was scanned. Apparently one of my passengers is (or I should say was) a bad person. I thought people on the forums must have been exaggerating about the station kills being instant, but no.. they certainly weren't exaggerating. One second after the scan.. boom.. ship is gone.

Anyway, I have enough trouble trying to dock the Anaconda in the station at slow speeds without scraping the sides of the slot. How on earth do I get it in there without a scan? Does someone have some tips for these oversized, not so nimble ships?

A couple of large ship docking tips:

Fit a docking computer to show you how to line up big ships correctly (height) going thru the slot. Once you get the hang of it, sell the docking computer and practice running legal cargo through the slot at high speed, avoiding scans, just as a game while you "get gud". For the Annie, remember to scrape your head through the slot and you'll be OK.

Get fast! You will get faster naturally as you gain muscle-memory through repetition but the game rewards unreasonable quickness.

Learn to use heat-sinks and silent-running (you need both!) to deter scans as you enter stations.

The Anaconda is probably not the best criminal transport (read "smuggler") ship in the game. She's BIG, drifts a LOT in the turns, doesn't maneuver very well in any case, isn't particularly fast and draws a lot of attention from pirates by nature of its being basically, a luxury yacht. Great if you're going to be Planet Express Airlines, not so much if you're "avoiding Imperial entanglements". Maybe choose a smaller, faster, more maneuverable type ship to smuggle criminals around in. A T-6 will go through the slot sideways . . .

A couple of tips on how I get my Anaconda through the slot and docked faster:

I start by coming out of supercruise in front of the mail slot. Practice approaches so that when you exit supercruise you are located IN FRONT OF the station and pointed generally at the mail-slot. This is key. When smuggling you do not have time to drive around the station to get to the door. That's where the cops are, scanning ships.

When I exit supercruise, I set pips to ENG, point my ship so it will fly across/past the slot about a kilometer or so out and Boost. Roll my ship so I will be able to Pull toward the slot as I approach, get docking clearance, boost again. Depending on approach speed (judgement call) balance power and (maybe) boost a third time.
The Anaconda's butt swings as she turns and she drifts a LOT so as I approach the slot THROTTLE DOWN (almost but not quite to 0%) and pull toward the slot. Since I am pulling toward the door, upward thrust will help a lot to keep me from "sliding" past the slot. As the ship stabilizes in front of the slot stop thrusting and throttle up and into the slot. As I pass thru the slot zero the throttle and pop the landing gear (slows me by 50% at any throttle setting), locate the direction toward my landing pad by looking at the compass.

As you get faster the chances increase of your overshooting your pad. Don't sweat it. If you used a docking computer to learn lining up and let it dock for you, you will notice that if the ADC overshoots the landing-pad it drops the ship down a bit, lines up with the pad, backs up and docks. I have gotten fairly quick at docking in reverse the same way.

Regarding Silent Running:

If you are going to smuggle you will need it. Silent-running mode works with heat-sinks to reduce the heat signature of your ship to the point it is undetectable by instruments for a short while. Heat sinks are necessary to discharge the heat that builds up inside the ship while running-silent. When I approach a station and I am going to use silent running the approach is almost exactly the same except: I delay requesting landing clearance as long as possible.

All other the same except as I exit supercruise I immediately (set pips to ENG and) engage silent running, boost and pop a heat-sink. Boost again (check temp and pop another heat-sink if necessary) and as I approach the slot get docking clearance. Throttle to 0% and landing-gear out as I pass through the mail-slot, immediately disengage silent-running as I enter the docks.

BE CAREFUL LANDING after using silent-running! If your shields have not fully recharged when you touch down you could and probably will sustain damage to your hull.

 

[Bomba Luigi]

Been smuggling on the side in a T9 for over a year now - Shut down non essential systems in supercruise whilst approaching the port, run silent once I enter the NFZ, dump a heatsink if necessary to keep the ship cool. Heatsink is generally not needed. Very satisfying pulling it off.

The most important thing with large ships is to monitor the police patrols, time your final run into the station and keep an eye out for any stray authority ships.

With the Cutter I use pure speed combined with silent running.

Thats pretty much it, alltough I would nail going through the slots with the Conda first op or it can end bad. Thats just all about practice in the end.

 

[GG7]

So, I was running a passenger mission in my Anaconda and was inst-killed by the station after I was scanned. Apparently one of my passengers is (or I should say was) a bad person. I thought people on the forums must have been exaggerating about the station kills being instant, but no.. they certainly weren't exaggerating. One second after the scan.. boom.. ship is gone.

Anyway, I have enough trouble trying to dock the Anaconda in the station at slow speeds without scraping the sides of the slot. How on earth do I get it in there without a scan? Does someone have some tips for these oversized, not so nimble ships?

PRACTICE!

Before saying anything else.... AVOID Planetary Bases! Trying to land at one of those without getting scanned is VERY hard to do. At least for the bases that have a habit of always scanning you on approach. If the destination is a base like this, I wouldn't advise taking the mission. Fortunately, most of the passenger missions that involve transporting a criminal involve Starport to Starport scenarios.

Now for regular Starports, a fast "manual" approach through the slot has always worked for me. No need for all the hassle of silent running etc.

As soon as you get permission to dock, you have a "window" of time to get inside before the station scans you, so don't waste any time getting into the station after you get that permission. Ask for docking permission only when you are already lined up for the approach at about 6.5km away.

Don't let the Docking Computer handle the approach because it is too slow. Fly the approach manually through the slot, and then hand off to the DC once safely inside the docking bay.

I would suggest practicing fast approaches without anything on board that could get you in trouble if you do get scanned. I run those criminal missions all the time with my Conda Liner and a fast approach always seems to work for me.

I use a Docking Computer most of the time, but for missions where I must avoid being scanned, I manually fly the approach quickly and once through the slot I throttle to zero and let the DC handle the touch down onto the pad. This combo is actually a faster process than full manual or full automated with large ships. This is because the DC will always be faster than manual for the touch down part of the landing, if you are already lined up with your designated pad when you hand off.

I've never used any of these other methods because the above has always worked for me for the last nearly 2 years I have been playing ED.

 

[CATPAIN KIRK]

I use a Docking Computer most of the time, but for missions where I must avoid being scanned, I manually fly the approach quickly and once through the slot I throttle to zero and let the DC handle the touch down onto the pad. This combo is actually a faster process than full manual or full automated with large ships. This is because the DC will always be faster than manual for the touch down part of the landing, if you are already lined up with your designated pad when you hand off.

I've never used any of these other methods because the above has always worked for me for the last nearly 2 years I have been playing ED.

Pretty much what I do. I usually don't bother with running silent but never used a T9, but the Conda and Cutter are fast enough. I agree on planetary bases being harder and would also add that devent thrusters are important (unmodded A rated will suffice).

 

[JetsonRING]

Pretty much what I do. I usually don't bother with running silent but never used a T9, but the Conda and Cutter are fast enough. I agree on planetary bases being harder and would also add that devent thrusters are important (unmodded A rated will suffice).

Once I got fairly fast I found I got scanned less or, perhaps there is a set time delay from when a CMDR enters normal space to when the station or security can scan a ship because I found that, as I got faster I started getting scanned closer and closer to the mail-slot. Once I got to a point where I could get into the station within 7 seconds of a scan warning (security scans take 7 seconds) I stopped worrying about it and began using silent-running only when I get paranoid about being scanned.

 

[cygnusa]

Tinted windows and/or pulling the window shades down apparently doesn't work ;P Damn system security keep finding my stash. LOL

But more seriously. It isn't so bad (I fly an Anaconda primarily) if care is taken. Drop in a good distance from the station and line up with the slot out of scan range. Its easiest if you have mostly a straight shot to the slot. You don't want to waste time maneuvering which opens you up to a scan. Straight in, request docking at ~6.5km. Once in-station you are typically safe but I prefer not to dally around inside the station's central zone. I suspect if you are in line of sight from outside they may still be able to scan you.

The less busy stations are far simpler of course. If the traffic is unusually busy, you may want to leave and return. You want to minimize risk of a collision or a slow/large ship blocking the slot when entering. The aim in to be as quick as possible.

 

[GG7]

Pretty much what I do. I usually don't bother with running silent but never used a T9, but the Conda and Cutter are fast enough. I agree on planetary bases being harder and would also add that devent thrusters are important (unmodded A rated will suffice).

Good point about having decent thrusters! [up] Definitely helps if the Conda or any large ship can get out of its own way. I really like the Dirty Drive Tuning mods you can get from Farseer and others. My goal with my Conda was to have the highest jump range possible, so this involved a lot of modding lower classed modules up to and often times well above the performance levels of the top rated modules for that ship.

But yeah.... Since I adopted the 6.5km, ask for docking permission, manually fly the slot half of the approach, hand off to DC once inside, I have never been scanned by a Starport. I get scanned all the time when I let the DC handle the whole thing, which just shows how much slower the automated process is on the front half of the process.

Considering how much more is involved in rigging for proper silent running etc. I stand by my suggestion to just get good at the above process and chances are good you will never get scanned again.

There is definitely a timer involved with the Starport scan system and it seems to be tied to docking permission once you are in less than 7.5 clicks. During fully automated approach and landings, you can almost set your watch by it.

 

[CATPAIN KIRK]

But yeah.... Since I adopted the 6.5km, ask for docking permission, manually fly the slot half of the approach, hand off to DC once inside, I have never been scanned by a Starport. I get scanned all the time when I let the DC handle the whole thing, which just shows how much slower the automated process is on the front half of the process.

I use a DC all the time on the bigger ships and I let it do the job from far away and use the time to take of the Vive and do something else when not carrying anything illegal. I don't consider engineer mods necessary to do it.

I just drop from SC from a remotely proper angle, boost towards the slot and reduce throttle to zero when entering the slot. Works reliably at ~200 m/s using an Anaconda and at ~300 using a Cutter when keeping an eye on the scanner.

 

[Tomx]

I use a DC all the time on the bigger ships and I let it do the job from far away and use the time to take of the Vive and do something else when not carrying anything illegal. I don't consider engineer mods necessary to do it.

I just drop from SC from a remotely proper angle, boost towards the slot and reduce throttle to zero when entering the slot. Works reliably at ~200 m/s using an Anaconda and at ~300 using a Cutter when keeping an eye on the scanner.

So my two techniques - both seemed to work in my anaconda pre 2.2 (been in the black since it landed)

High speed technique (not so great in the anaconda as it's not that fast but doable and worked well before silent running got its buff/unnerf, helps to have tuned (I use clean tuned as it helps with the silent running technique too) high grade thrusters): 1, Approach the station from the planet side - this is usually where the slot is. 2, Boost away from teh station, line up with the slot 10km out and start boosting in. 3, At 7.5km request docking permission 4, Aim so the cockpit will just scrape under the roof of the slot (if you look with the debug cam there's not much anaconda above the cockpit so this acutally makes it quite easy to get through the slot despite its size). 5, Once inside press your throttle zero button, landing gear down - FA off and full pitch up - flip the ship 180 degrees so your main engines are pointing towards the back of the station and you're pointing at the slot again then FA on and full forward throttle. When the speed hits zero throttle to zero, find the docking pad. Quite fun.

2, Stealth approach, as above but whilst 10km out turn off unecessary modules to save heat- fuel scoops etc. 7.5km out hit silent running, you loose the shields, don't have to come in so fast - pop heat sinks until you're in the station - if you've clean tuned drives and not running anything silly you can fly in at a perfectly reasonable speed - just keen the roof just under the top of the slot - if you touch anything you'll pay for it through damage as no shields. Remember to turn off the silent running when in the station. Worked really well in 2.2.

You can combine the two but that's really for the adrenaline junkies - getting it wrong would be painful.

It might be worth getting the hull bulkehead reinforcement engineering mods too - if you've got low weight alloy bulkeheads getting them engineered doesn't add weight but will increase your hull strength if it all goes wrong.

Good Luck - Anaconda smuggling is actually quite fun, and was very well paid but may have been nerfed!

 

[Zeeman]

Boost until 500m from the letterbox, then reverse thrust, should pull up well before the impaler at the back of the station.

Never been scanned with illicit cargo on board.

Z....

 

[JetsonRING]

I use a DC all the time on the bigger ships and I let it do the job from far away and use the time to take of the Vive and do something else when not carrying anything illegal. I don't consider engineer mods necessary to do it.

I just drop from SC from a remotely proper angle, boost towards the slot and reduce throttle to zero when entering the slot. Works reliably at ~200 m/s using an Anaconda and at ~300 using a Cutter when keeping an eye on the scanner.

I found, eventually, that I had become able to dock the ship faster/easier than even the docking computer could and sold the ADC for the cargo/slot space. The ADC was great for learning the correct line-up to get me through the mail-slot when I transitioned from small ships to large ones but eventually it sort of starts getting in the way, engaging when you throttle down and forget it is turned on, throttling down in the slot only to realize you didn't turn the ADC on, engaging too early and your ship boosts, like a lawn-dart into the side of the station or into the toaster-rack, etc., etc.

 

[CATPAIN KIRK]

I found, eventually, that I had become able to dock the ship faster/easier than even the docking computer could and sold the ADC for the cargo/slot space. The ADC was great for learning the correct line-up to get me through the mail-slot when I transitioned from small ships to large ones but eventually it sort of starts getting in the way, engaging when you throttle down and forget it is turned on, throttling down in the slot only to realize you didn't turn the ADC on, engaging too early and your ship boosts, like a lawn-dart into the side of the station or into the toaster-rack, etc., etc.

I've actually never used it before around a year ago, at which point I already had the Anaconda for over half a year. Never trusted it as it used to be a death-trap in beta.

I just use it for convenience as it stops and lands the ship quite reliably when smuggling and allows me to take off the HMD and fetch something / do a bio break etc... it sometimes acts erratic when docking regularly (especially when using the Cutter), but nothing fatal so far. Might be interesting how it fares with the DD5 drive tuning I did today though - by the looks I have to throttle down right after boosting once when 8 km out...

 

[thirstyfish]

smuggling in a conda...my recommendation is to not do that. The conda and ships of that size are terrible smuggler ships. They are big, slow, and sluggish. Dedicated smugglers use faster and more agile ships.

The largest thing I have ever considered smuggling in is my python, and that is with heavy reservations. An Asp or one of the cobras tend to be ideal for smuggling work. They are fast, agile, and easy to get through the slot.

If you are set on using your conda, then get some practice in, do your approach in SC by being between the station and the planet (puts you in line with the slot just about every time), and be get lots of practice with manual docking, because the DC is way too slow. Once you can dock manually with skill, go faster in increments, and learn where you need to hit reverse thrust. Don't use silent running during practice unless you are really sure, as your shields will be your saving grace while practicing.

However, the best thing you can do for yourself is to get a smaller and faster ship.

 

[Ca$hback]

Invest in some hard shields. Use silent running when you first jump to the station as you line yourself up 10km from the mailslot. Boost toward the slot. All power to shields. Use the spike to stop yourself. By all means try to slow down once you get close to the mailslot.