Naval Combat Mission - I'm stuck

[HazelrahFiver]

I've not done any combat before now, but I am desparately trying to rank up the Empire. I found a Naval mission to hunt somebody down and went for it.

I do have a Cobra Mk.3 outfitted for combat as best I know how, but that's not the problem. I went to the system involved, went yo the nav beacon and ! the target appears to kill me before I can kill him, even though its hours before his window.

I'm doing quite well but he buggers out and... has been gone since. I can't figure out how to track him down again. The beacon gives me nothing, I checked meant high wake sigs and got nothing, I don't see the targets name appearing on my list again, and I even left the system and came hoping it would restart the encounter.

Is a slip up like this mean I fail the mission? If so I have done all the combat I will ever do in this game lol.

 

[Ashnak]

Your description is not quite clear to me - have you been killed, or did the target simply leave?

In any case, the best you can do right now is to check the (updated?) mission description in your transactions panel (left HUD). There it should state whether you failed the Mission, or you still got a chance.
Next, scan the beacon (or fire off your ADS) to get the rough position of a mission USS where you can find the target before the time.

 

[HazelrahFiver]

I wasnt killed, no. I was besting the target quite well. Then he left and I had no idea (first time fighting), and I haven't been able to figure out how to track him down.

I will check the mission status now (hadn't thought of that).... never mind, started game and first thing I got was a message that the mission had failed. I think I was outside the window.

Thanks anyway, think I'll just avoid combat missions in this game entirely. They seem quite dumb lol.

 

[Macros Black]

He'll turn up again at the location listed in the mission description. Kill him before he wakes out [smile]

 

[Ashnak]

They're actually not that bad, once you understand how they work - and read the fine print, both about the target's rank and the legality of the mission (the latter will be much more important in 3.0).

When you accept the mission, you get a target system and an ETA window (usually - there are other missions that have you meet a contact first).

When you jump into the target system, you can
a) wait for the ETA window, then find your target in supercruise, hunt them down (interdictor) and (scan and) kill them
b) fire off your ADS and get a mission update with the location of your target
c) scan the nav beacon and get that mission update

Mission update usually states at which planet they are to be found - travel out there (that's a reason to not accept any kill missions in Alpha Centauri...), cruise around the planet and a "mission specific" USS will pop up. This you can do at any time before the ETA window. Enter the USS and (scan and) kill the target.

You have to kill the target before the ETA window expires, otherwise the mission will fail.

If they jump out before you kill them, well, kill them faster .

 

[Speedcuffs]

They're actually not that bad, once you understand how they work - and read the fine print, both about the target's rank and the legality of the mission (the latter will be much more important in 3.0).

When you accept the mission, you get a target system and an ETA window (usually - there are other missions that have you meet a contact first).

When you jump into the target system, you can
a) wait for the ETA window, then find your target in supercruise, hunt them down (interdictor) and (scan and) kill them
b) fire off your ADS and get a mission update with the location of your target
c) scan the nav beacon and get that mission update

Mission update usually states at which planet they are to be found - travel out there (that's a reason to not accept any kill missions in Alpha Centauri...), cruise around the planet and a "mission specific" USS will pop up. This you can do at any time before the ETA window. Enter the USS and (scan and) kill the target.

You have to kill the target before the ETA window expires, otherwise the mission will fail.

If they jump out before you kill them, well, kill them faster .

Bang on, and it's 'small print' eta/window of opportunity which is confusing the first time you do one of these missions.

 

[HazelrahFiver]

He showed up waaaay before the window, when I scanned the nav beacon to find his location.

After he fled I had no way of finding him again. Scanning the beacon did nothing because he either glitched out or left the system... I guess.

It's all right, I'm gonna buy a better combat ship anyway and try it again then. In fact, I'm not rank 3 with the Empire and considering buying the Courier.

 

[Lightspeed]

Don't worry if you fail the mission, however, because other Naval missions will be offered by the same faction, even something like a hauling mission.