Bought a Cobra MKIII.
Fitted 34 tons of cargo, no shields, 2 x Heatsinks, 4A Fuel Scoop.
Went to Robigo.
Picked up 5 smuggling missions almost without any switching between modes.
Left Robigo and started traveling back to civilization.
Got interdicted by police on way back, after ~5 jumps from Robigo.
Instantly boosted away engaging silent running. Although it said "Scan Detected", police failed to finish scan, and i made high waked to next system.
After 4 more jumps, got interdicted by some random pirate. He didn't even bother to scan me at first, and opened fire when i boosted away. Still no problem, high waked to next system.
My Nav computer failed (plote course wiped off), so i had to replote course to target system. Hopefully, nobody interdicted me in meantime. I jump to next system.
AGAIN! My nav computer surely is made in China, i switch to galaxy map to plote course again. And get interdicted by police again. Nothing too unusual, i repeat my "Silent run +boots" and jump away.
10 jumps after, i finally drop from hyperspace at desired system with strong urge to stick that nav computer into manufacturer's thrusters. Smuggling cargo should be delivered to... outpost 5,000 Ls away from me. Well, nothing new to me, as i start moving to it.
When there is 3,000 Ls left to outpost, pirate enters supercruise some few hundred Ls away and comes to interdict me. I see him too late, and i get interdicted. Submitting, and i boost away from him only to enter supercruise again. As i enter SC, 10 seconds later he jumps out too and interdicts me once again. Few minutes after, when he already interdicted me like 4 times, i submit again and thinking about going to main menu and back to get rid of that ass.
Suddenly, i have some idea and decide to test it. I submit once again, and boost away from him until we have ~6 km between us and he disappears from radar. I jump to SC and YES! He's not following me anymore... Feeling like a boss
.
I got some police NPCs appearing from random SC locations (mostly in front of me, giving me some time as they get behind my ship), but finally i make it to station. As i drop from SC to station instance, i boosted right to it, AND immediately police ship drops from SC right in front of my ship. BANG! 68% hull left, he starts scan, i'm panicking, dropping a heatsink and engaing silent run as i boost around a station. Scan is not finished yet, but this guy keeps going on my tail, and i've just run out of heatsinks. Finally entered station entrance with silent run and temp around 70%, still not scanned.
After that, delivering left 3 missions was easy enough. Got some interdictions as well, but was prepared and avoided it with grace.
Finally, 2.5 hours later, i finished 5 smuggling missions, got 17.5 million profit and used over 15 heatsinks.
So, what i learned is:
- Smuggling is still a thing, just need to get used to it.
- Finding smuggling missions is even easier than before (not much messing around with Solo-Open switching).
- Silent run is your best friend, as well as speed.
- Profit/risk seems balanced for it, just need to fix some little bugs.
- Avoiding chain interdictions by pirate is possible, all you need to do is submit, boost away from him until he leaves radar range and go to SC. He then won't disturb you again.
- Avoiding police interdictions is harder, since there are multiple police ships going for you. Easiest way is to win interdiction.
Fitted 34 tons of cargo, no shields, 2 x Heatsinks, 4A Fuel Scoop.
Went to Robigo.
Picked up 5 smuggling missions almost without any switching between modes.
Left Robigo and started traveling back to civilization.
Got interdicted by police on way back, after ~5 jumps from Robigo.
Instantly boosted away engaging silent running. Although it said "Scan Detected", police failed to finish scan, and i made high waked to next system.
After 4 more jumps, got interdicted by some random pirate. He didn't even bother to scan me at first, and opened fire when i boosted away. Still no problem, high waked to next system.
My Nav computer failed (plote course wiped off), so i had to replote course to target system. Hopefully, nobody interdicted me in meantime. I jump to next system.
AGAIN! My nav computer surely is made in China, i switch to galaxy map to plote course again. And get interdicted by police again. Nothing too unusual, i repeat my "Silent run +boots" and jump away.
10 jumps after, i finally drop from hyperspace at desired system with strong urge to stick that nav computer into manufacturer's thrusters. Smuggling cargo should be delivered to... outpost 5,000 Ls away from me. Well, nothing new to me, as i start moving to it.
When there is 3,000 Ls left to outpost, pirate enters supercruise some few hundred Ls away and comes to interdict me. I see him too late, and i get interdicted. Submitting, and i boost away from him only to enter supercruise again. As i enter SC, 10 seconds later he jumps out too and interdicts me once again. Few minutes after, when he already interdicted me like 4 times, i submit again and thinking about going to main menu and back to get rid of that ass.
Suddenly, i have some idea and decide to test it. I submit once again, and boost away from him until we have ~6 km between us and he disappears from radar. I jump to SC and YES! He's not following me anymore... Feeling like a boss
.I got some police NPCs appearing from random SC locations (mostly in front of me, giving me some time as they get behind my ship), but finally i make it to station. As i drop from SC to station instance, i boosted right to it, AND immediately police ship drops from SC right in front of my ship. BANG! 68% hull left, he starts scan, i'm panicking, dropping a heatsink and engaing silent run as i boost around a station. Scan is not finished yet, but this guy keeps going on my tail, and i've just run out of heatsinks. Finally entered station entrance with silent run and temp around 70%, still not scanned.
After that, delivering left 3 missions was easy enough. Got some interdictions as well, but was prepared and avoided it with grace.
Finally, 2.5 hours later, i finished 5 smuggling missions, got 17.5 million profit and used over 15 heatsinks.
So, what i learned is:
- Smuggling is still a thing, just need to get used to it.
- Finding smuggling missions is even easier than before (not much messing around with Solo-Open switching).
- Silent run is your best friend, as well as speed.
- Profit/risk seems balanced for it, just need to fix some little bugs.
- Avoiding chain interdictions by pirate is possible, all you need to do is submit, boost away from him until he leaves radar range and go to SC. He then won't disturb you again.
- Avoiding police interdictions is harder, since there are multiple police ships going for you. Easiest way is to win interdiction.
