Newbie Space Trucker advice
- Thread starter Jacobis9000
- Start date
Combat can be tricky to start off with, but I’d definitely get more familiar with it before stepping out into the big wide galaxy.
The three basics of weapons are Thermal (energy weapons), Kinetic (projectile weapons) and Explosives (self explanatory).
Thermal is good against shields.
Kinetic is good against hull.
Explosives go boom.
There’s a quite a lot of variation in weaponry even between different sizes of the same weapons.
A size 1 Multi Cannon is like a mini-gun.
A size 4 Multi Cannon is like an Anti Aircraft Cannon.
There’s also three types of aiming with different weapons (keep an eye out when you’re buying new toys) Fixed, Gimballed, Turrets.
Fixed (no aim assist)
Gimballed (aim aissist)
Turrets (auto aiming/firing)
The trick is finding the combination that works for you.
Personally I’m a big fan of Gimballed Burst Lasers & Multi Cannons and maybe some Seeker Missles if there’s enough room.
Also an aspiring Space Cowboy (my main ship is a Mamba called Swordfish III
) and a big fan of Space Combat/Bounty Hunting.
Always happy to help new Cowboys with advice if you need it, just shoot us a message
The three basics of weapons are Thermal (energy weapons), Kinetic (projectile weapons) and Explosives (self explanatory).
Thermal is good against shields.
Kinetic is good against hull.
Explosives go boom.
There’s a quite a lot of variation in weaponry even between different sizes of the same weapons.
A size 1 Multi Cannon is like a mini-gun.
A size 4 Multi Cannon is like an Anti Aircraft Cannon.
There’s also three types of aiming with different weapons (keep an eye out when you’re buying new toys) Fixed, Gimballed, Turrets.
Fixed (no aim assist)
Gimballed (aim aissist)
Turrets (auto aiming/firing)
The trick is finding the combination that works for you.
Personally I’m a big fan of Gimballed Burst Lasers & Multi Cannons and maybe some Seeker Missles if there’s enough room.
Also an aspiring Space Cowboy (my main ship is a Mamba called Swordfish III
) and a big fan of Space Combat/Bounty Hunting.Always happy to help new Cowboys with advice if you need it, just shoot us a message
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It’s been said twice already, but I’ll reiterate: never fly without rebuy.
If you’re not sure, that means having enough bread to cover your insurance replacement cost (look in the bottom right of the outfitting screen, among other places). If you get popped (which WILL happen eventually) having your insurance covered means you get your ship back just as it was, sans any cargo. Without it, you’re back to the loaner sidewinder.
Happy trails, commander! o7
If you’re not sure, that means having enough bread to cover your insurance replacement cost (look in the bottom right of the outfitting screen, among other places). If you get popped (which WILL happen eventually) having your insurance covered means you get your ship back just as it was, sans any cargo. Without it, you’re back to the loaner sidewinder.
Happy trails, commander! o7
A bibady bobady hat
Get a T7, fly it until it's paint's coming off - that's a'truckin
Don't use every last tiny slot on cargo racks and sacrifice everything you can on jump range. Grab some HRPs/MRPs, good shields and thrusters. Engineer yourself properly. Learn how to escape interdictions.
This game is heavily in favour of defenses and escaping. You'll be fine as long as you are actually conscious of what to do to survive.
Don't be that guy that fits cargo racks into every last class 2 slot, flies with the lightest modules possible, gets killed and complains to FD that everything is too dangerous.
This game is heavily in favour of defenses and escaping. You'll be fine as long as you are actually conscious of what to do to survive.
Don't be that guy that fits cargo racks into every last class 2 slot, flies with the lightest modules possible, gets killed and complains to FD that everything is too dangerous.
I picked up an Epic account recently and that Cmdr is still in the starter zone.
Op you mentioned you wish you knew the new pilots area sold Cobras. It does, but you will have to fly around to one or more stations to outfit it to mostly D rated. Shields only are E rated in the starter zone from what I have found. And if you do decide to sell your Adder, sell all the modules on the Adder separately first. Modules do not lose money when you sell them. Ships do lose a certain percent of the original purchase price. So when you are going to sell a ship you sell the higher rated modules first to not lose money if they are included in the ships price when you sell it.
If you have the money, buying a Eagle and heading to one of the Resource Extraction sites in the starter zone, Low, normal or High (not Hazardous or Hazres) will be worth your time. Just so you know what to expect.
Basically you fly around waiting for the space police to start shooting at wanted pirates. Once the pirates shields are down and their ships hull is 50% or below, you tag them, or poke them with your weapons. Do not take them on full shields and hull. You will get bounty money if you shoot them before a certain amount of time of their ship exploding. The bounties recently got a buff, and the pay is quite good compared to what it was previously. Enough for you to get that Cobra to D rated, within an hour or two would be my best guess.
And again Do Not Fly Without Rebuy.
Op you mentioned you wish you knew the new pilots area sold Cobras. It does, but you will have to fly around to one or more stations to outfit it to mostly D rated. Shields only are E rated in the starter zone from what I have found. And if you do decide to sell your Adder, sell all the modules on the Adder separately first. Modules do not lose money when you sell them. Ships do lose a certain percent of the original purchase price. So when you are going to sell a ship you sell the higher rated modules first to not lose money if they are included in the ships price when you sell it.
If you have the money, buying a Eagle and heading to one of the Resource Extraction sites in the starter zone, Low, normal or High (not Hazardous or Hazres) will be worth your time. Just so you know what to expect.
Basically you fly around waiting for the space police to start shooting at wanted pirates. Once the pirates shields are down and their ships hull is 50% or below, you tag them, or poke them with your weapons. Do not take them on full shields and hull. You will get bounty money if you shoot them before a certain amount of time of their ship exploding. The bounties recently got a buff, and the pay is quite good compared to what it was previously. Enough for you to get that Cobra to D rated, within an hour or two would be my best guess.
And again Do Not Fly Without Rebuy.
If you really want to become a trucker, apply to join the Hutton Orbital Truckers squadron. They have a fun role play podcast too. They broadcast weekly and put on a great show with a colorful cast. They also give trucker objectives you can do to help out the group.
The new player area is the same as the rest of the bubble except it pays less. If you don't want to get shot by players, don't play in open. That's it enjoy!
Get yourself a Cobra and leave the noob area behind.
People will tell you to fly solo, and that is an option, but, even as a new player, you don't have to. There are those who can teach you how to survive.
Gank Evasion Academy
A few pointers, if you do decide to play in open.
1) Get the best shield you can fit.
2) Always keep rebuy money in your account (so you don't lose your ship if you die).
3) Avoid the Deciat system (in open) unless you're prepared.
4) Community Goals are high-traffic areas. Where the herds gather, the wolves will hunt.
Good luck, CMDR.
People will tell you to fly solo, and that is an option, but, even as a new player, you don't have to. There are those who can teach you how to survive.
Gank Evasion Academy
A few pointers, if you do decide to play in open.
1) Get the best shield you can fit.
2) Always keep rebuy money in your account (so you don't lose your ship if you die).
3) Avoid the Deciat system (in open) unless you're prepared.
4) Community Goals are high-traffic areas. Where the herds gather, the wolves will hunt.
Good luck, CMDR.
OK so;
Cargo missions will be no longer than 20LY (Unless you're looking at Source & Return which is wherever you can find a supplier.
They will however want rep which you have to build up with individual factions at starports as you go. (Dumping exploration data will increase your rep with the controlling faction fairly quickly but I save that for Tourist stations usually)
Rebuy, shields and A rated FSD are pretty much required, you'll have to scratch around to find decent FSDs I'm afraid.
If I was doing it again I'd go Sidewinder>Adder>Cobra>Asp (Exp)>Krait>Python.
T7 looks intriguing but the need to find large pads can be restrictive so large ships tend to be specialist vessels.
Hutton Truckers have been mentioned, also East India Company though perhaps a little more specialised.
Keep an eye on the prices in the right column of the commodities screen, it can show serious trades but be wary of anything that looks like random letters, it'll be a Fleet carrier that might not be there when you arrive, might not let you dock and might not be trading anything at all.
Don't neglect your hull, shields will help against NPC pirates but a player will strip it before you know what's happening, lightweight bulkheads are for explorers, I don't trade with anything less than reinforced and have engineered reactive on a few.
Cargo missions will be no longer than 20LY (Unless you're looking at Source & Return which is wherever you can find a supplier.
They will however want rep which you have to build up with individual factions at starports as you go. (Dumping exploration data will increase your rep with the controlling faction fairly quickly but I save that for Tourist stations usually)
Rebuy, shields and A rated FSD are pretty much required, you'll have to scratch around to find decent FSDs I'm afraid.
If I was doing it again I'd go Sidewinder>Adder>Cobra>Asp (Exp)>Krait>Python.
T7 looks intriguing but the need to find large pads can be restrictive so large ships tend to be specialist vessels.
Hutton Truckers have been mentioned, also East India Company though perhaps a little more specialised.
Keep an eye on the prices in the right column of the commodities screen, it can show serious trades but be wary of anything that looks like random letters, it'll be a Fleet carrier that might not be there when you arrive, might not let you dock and might not be trading anything at all.
Don't neglect your hull, shields will help against NPC pirates but a player will strip it before you know what's happening, lightweight bulkheads are for explorers, I don't trade with anything less than reinforced and have engineered reactive on a few.
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What does the East India Company trade in is it exclusively rare goods or something? I will check Hutton Orbital Truckers out. Do you really get a free mug? Is Hutton Orbital far out in the far space or something? I’ll practice combat a bit more before I leave n00b zone I think.
Yeah reinforced the hull and flying armed. I’m not into this strip everything down except cargo holds thing. That’s not sensible.
EIC often help with stuff for unlocking engineers which some players can't be bothered with; Rare goods, mined minerals, they might have a carrier to take players required distances, etc.
Tip: Dont get greedy with sacrificing your shield or weapons for cargo space or jump range. Set up your ship to be able to fight or run, pick one.
Also blowing up pirates gives you useful materials, so fighting back can be worth it.
Also blowing up pirates gives you useful materials, so fighting back can be worth it.
Think of the future, fit a frame shift wake scanner, an 0C does not draw much power and has a range of 3km which can be extended to 6.6km when you start engineering, and drop in and collect mats where they are available and you are not carrying expensive cargo.
The mats will come in useful when you start to engineer your larger ships, remember if you get too many of one type you can always trade them at a materials trader.
The mats will come in useful when you start to engineer your larger ships, remember if you get too many of one type you can always trade them at a materials trader.
Often you will get "only" a few missions at each station but if you keep a route going, as you go round and round and your REP grows you will easily stack your 20 missions. In the scenario I posted earlier, as I go round and round I am (ALLIED with EVERYONE and) always carrying 20 missions, completing several and accepting more missions at each stop. Usually I get tired after a while and have to stop accepting missions so I can close out my deliveries to several stations and go to bed. After my post yesterday I played another couple hours and am over 25 million.
Are there still stations that need repair?
If so, this is really cool advice.
IDA are a playergroup that does space tucking to haul huge quantities of goods to repair stations that have been damaged by Thatgoids.
It gets you out in the galaxy, in big ships, doing a real service to the game community AND you join a group!
This forum is not very "pro-group" but you will find you game vastly improved by having some structure and a bunch of friends and regulars.
Join IDA.
INARA
The community site for Elite: Dangerous, Starfield with the game databases, information, gaming news and other handy content...
inara.cz
Operation IDA are good people, can recommend them.
Always fly with a shield, preferably a big shield.
Hollow squares/triangles on your radar means that it's a player ship. Watch out for those, especially the triangles (triangle = hardpoints deployed). Most people you meet are going to be friendly though. Busy systems (Engineer systems and Community Goal systems) are more likely to have people who won't hesitate to blow you up on sight.
You'll be fine outside of the safe zone, it's a big galaxy.
Always fly with a shield, preferably a big shield.
Hollow squares/triangles on your radar means that it's a player ship. Watch out for those, especially the triangles (triangle = hardpoints deployed). Most people you meet are going to be friendly though. Busy systems (Engineer systems and Community Goal systems) are more likely to have people who won't hesitate to blow you up on sight.
You'll be fine outside of the safe zone, it's a big galaxy.