Powerplay 2.0 Activities

[t.o.mosh]

o7 cmdrs,

I really need some advice on what to do in this mission.
I travelled to Vitra and tried to collect all sorts of stuff (escape pods, wreckage components, blackboxes...) mainly from power wreckage signal sources, but tried other signal sources also. With no success as you see.
I also tried to salvage from surfaces, but could not find blackboxes, only escape pods, and they didn't count.
Only thing that doesn't fit the description: I collected the stuff with limpets, not with the vessel's scoop.
Do you have any further advice on how to complete the mission? Much appreciated!

 

[Ian Doncaster]

Unfortunately the in-game documentation on search and rescue is a bit wrong.

Try collecting 9 units into your hold in Vitra, then travelling to a Power Contact in one of your friendly systems (it shouldn't matter which one) to hand them in.

 

[Tifu]

For Power enemies, it's based on the combat rank of the ship. 40-80 seems about normal per ship in my experience (and I don't think either of us are in Combat ethos powers which would get a bonus to that)

You also in Undermining systems get a few merits for killing Clean ships - but very literally "a few", you should consider this as replacement for the merits you'd have got for scanning the ship in a Reinforcement system, nothing more.

Thanks Ian, at least that makes sense. There seems to be an extreme difference between Power NPCs in Power wreckage sites and random encounters with Power NPC's in a system. Kaine's Elite Anaconda's often show up in Power wreckage sites and it takes me & 3-4 other Mahon NPC ships around 5 minutes to kill one - each kill is also around 64 merits each. The encounter with Winter's ships was a hell lot easier yet PP 2.0 awarded me 64 merits per kill anyway.

Same system, same rewards, wide dispariity in effort - go figure

 

[Ian Doncaster]

Thanks Ian, at least that makes sense. There seems to be an extreme difference between Power NPCs in Power wreckage sites and random encounters with Power NPC's in a system. Kaine's Elite Anaconda's often show up in Power wreckage sites and it takes me & 3-4 other Mahon NPC ships around 5 minutes to kill one - each kill is also around 64 merits each. The encounter with Winter's ships was a hell lot easier yet PP 2.0 awarded me 64 merits per kill anyway.

Yes - I think the ones which show up in wreckage sites are CZ-spec or close to that. (My PP ship uses frags for rapid damage dealing especially to big slow targets, so it doesn't take me 5 minutes to kill a Mahon Elite Anaconda, but they are still pretty tough!)

On the other side the ones you interdict in supercruise or show up in random places are more often trader/pirate templates which - even at the same rank - fall pretty quickly.

 

[Alec Turner]

o7 cmdrs,

I really need some advice on what to do in this mission.
I travelled to Vitra and tried to collect all sorts of stuff (escape pods, wreckage components, blackboxes...) mainly from power wreckage signal sources, but tried other signal sources also. With no success as you see.
I also tried to salvage from surfaces, but could not find blackboxes, only escape pods, and they didn't count.
Only thing that doesn't fit the description: I collected the stuff with limpets, not with the vessel's scoop.
Do you have any further advice on how to complete the mission? Much appreciated!


View attachment 407993

View attachment 407994

I had a similar issue with a salvage cargo from HIP 8220 undermining assignment for Pranav Antal. I found wreckage and black boxes easily enough in that system in the Power wreckage signal sources but I made no progress turning them in to my power contacts in either that or other systems. In the end, after lots of trial and error, I found that turning them in to the standard search and rescue station services contact at a planetary settlement in that system counted and allowed me to complete the task.

I do have another problem with a similar system specific assignment tho.

I've tried everything on this one (collecting escape pods from both Power wreckage signatures and from bounty hunting wreckage that I've caused in that system) and then handing it in at both power contacts and search and rescue in that system as well as at other systems in various PP states but nothing I've tried has made any progress on that one. I think it's bugged and is just not possible to complete. More than happy to be proved wrong tho' if anyone else has had success with a weekly assignment for rescuing escape pods from a specified undermining system.

Oh, and while I'm talking about difficult to complete weekly assignments, I also had a bounty hunting assignment to collect bounties in HIP 8220 which is an anarchy and thus doesn't show anyone as WANTED nor hand out any bounties! On someone's suggestion I did try taking a mission from a neighbouring system to kill a number of pirates in HIP 8220 (which at least helped identifying my targets in RES sites) but I still didn't get any bounties. In the end I found that using a KWS to get bounties for systems other than the designated HIP 8220 sorted this one out and allowed me to complete it.

 

[Frakk Zarah]

Yesterday I did a trade in a contested AS system for over 2000% profit, however no merits were given. Any ideas?

 

[Nowski]

I had a similar issue with a salvage cargo from HIP 8220 undermining assignment for Pranav Antal. I found wreckage and black boxes easily enough in that system in the Power wreckage signal sources but I made no progress turning them in to my power contacts in either that or other systems. In the end, after lots of trial and error, I found that turning them in to the standard search and rescue station services contact at a planetary settlement in that system counted and allowed me to complete the task.

Very interesting! You were awarded merits at hand-in as well as progressing the task? (I assume so, but ... best check)

I've tried everything on this one (collecting escape pods from both Power wreckage signatures and from bounty hunting wreckage that I've caused in that system) and then handing it in at both power contacts and search and rescue in that system as well as at other systems in various PP states but nothing I've tried has made any progress on that one. I think it's bugged and is just not possible to complete.

Did any of the hand-in locations award merits for the escape pods?

Oh, and while I'm talking about difficult to complete weekly assignments, I also had a bounty hunting assignment to collect bounties in HIP 8220 which is an anarchy and thus doesn't show anyone as WANTED nor hand out any bounties! On someone's suggestion I did try taking a mission from a neighbouring system to kill a number of pirates in HIP 8220 (which at least helped identifying my targets in RES sites) but I still didn't get any bounties. In the end I found that using a KWS to get bounties for systems other than the designated HIP 8220 sorted this one out and allowed me to complete it.

Seems likely the underlying problem is setting bounty assignments in anarchy systems, and KWS is an ingenious workaround! Were merits awarded at any stage?

 

[Nowski]

Yesterday I did a trade in a contested AS system for over 2000% profit, however no merits were given. Any ideas?

Might be worth testing whether the same process gets merits in non-conflict AS, in case somehow being contested messes things up?

 

[Alec Turner]

Very interesting! You were awarded merits at hand-in as well as progressing the task? (I assume so, but ... best check)


Did any of the hand-in locations award merits for the escape pods?


Seems likely the underlying problem is setting bounty assignments in anarchy systems, and KWS is an ingenious workaround! Were merits awarded at any stage?

I'm sorry to say I'm not 100% sure on any of those questions. I was very focused on simply getting the weekly tasks to show any progression plus I run an EDHM plugin which prevents those little popout messages in the bottom right of the HUD from appearing so I don't always see merit awards if there's something obscuring the HUD info panel. I would (foolishly) assume that anything which progresses a PP weekly assignments must also award merits but you know what they say about "assume" ... it makes an ass out of u and me Frontier!

 

[Unknown Zombie]

prevents those little popout messages in the bottom right of the HUD from appearing

Is that by choice, or just a side effect of using the plugin?

Because I'd say that for about 90% of merits earned those bottom-right popups are the only way you'll even know you earned any (besides drilling into the PP menu constantly). Thinking about it, the only merits that appear in the info log in the top-right HUD are from bounties and ship scans. And the journal has none of this (annoyingly and unfortunately).

 

[Neestar]

Unfortunately the in-game documentation on search and rescue is a bit wrong.

Try collecting 9 units into your hold in Vitra, then travelling to a Power Contact in one of your friendly systems (it shouldn't matter which one) to hand them in.

i tried exactly that ^ last nite and it didn't work. However , i'm guessing it was because i used LIMPETS to make the collections. Today, i'm going to try again without limpets and instead use the regular manual 'cargo scoop' method guiding my ship scooping one-by-one for all 9 search & rescue listed items.

i'll report back later if this manual method works. ( someone else might try it too of course , before i get a chance to post later )

 

[Alec Turner]

Is that by choice, or just a side effect of using the plugin?

Because I'd say that for about 90% of merits earned those bottom-right popups are the only way you'll even know you earned any (besides drilling into the PP menu constantly). Thinking about it, the only merits that appear in the info log in the top-right HUD are from bounties and ship scans. And the journal has none of this (annoyingly and unfortunately).

Up until now I've absolutey hated those popups which seem completely at odds with the entire design of the ship HUD. They're a completely out-of-game-world UI addition and it was on my specific request that the EDHM developers added the (entirely optional) feature to remove them.

 

[Unknown Zombie]

Up until now I've absolutey hated those popups which seem completely at odds with the entire design of the ship HUD. They're a completely out-of-game-world UI addition and it was on my specific request that the EDHM developers added the (entirely optional) feature.

I will give you that -- they are very out-of-place, and very "video gamey"

 

[Dr Pillman]

I had a similar issue with a salvage cargo from HIP 8220 undermining assignment for Pranav Antal. I found wreckage and black boxes easily enough in that system in the Power wreckage signal sources but I made no progress turning them in to my power contacts in either that or other systems. In the end, after lots of trial and error, I found that turning them in to the standard search and rescue station services contact at a planetary settlement in that system counted and allowed me to complete the task.

I do have another problem with a similar system specific assignment tho.

I've tried everything on this one (collecting escape pods from both Power wreckage signatures and from bounty hunting wreckage that I've caused in that system) and then handing it in at both power contacts and search and rescue in that system as well as at other systems in various PP states but nothing I've tried has made any progress on that one. I think it's bugged and is just not possible to complete. More than happy to be proved wrong tho' if anyone else has had success with a weekly assignment for rescuing escape pods from a specified undermining system.

Oh, and while I'm talking about difficult to complete weekly assignments, I also had a bounty hunting assignment to collect bounties in HIP 8220 which is an anarchy and thus doesn't show anyone as WANTED nor hand out any bounties! On someone's suggestion I did try taking a mission from a neighbouring system to kill a number of pirates in HIP 8220 (which at least helped identifying my targets in RES sites) but I still didn't get any bounties. In the end I found that using a KWS to get bounties for systems other than the designated HIP 8220 sorted this one out and allowed me to complete it.

Yup, same with me, I also got the "collect black boxes and wreckage parts" assignment, and I collected at least two dozen so far, but other as is written, scooping them up didn´t move the counter, and neither did handing them in at power contact in that or other systems . i´ll try handing them in at regular contacts now, and if that doesn´t help, I´ll just ignore the assignment and start shooting up stuff for undermining

 

[Dr Pillman]

i tried exactly that ^ last nite and it didn't work. However , i'm guessing it was because i used LIMPETS to make the collections. Today, i'm going to try again without limpets and instead use the regular manual 'cargo scoop' method guiding my ship scooping one-by-one for all 9 search & rescue listed items.

i'll report back later if this manual method works. ( someone else might try it too of course , before i get a chance to post later )

Ok, my assignment was to scoop up wreckage components, personal effects and black boxes. In the specified system, i could only find them in Power wreckage sites. other than in the description, scooping them up did not move the counter. first lemon. Then i handed them in at a power contact in the same system, as the handbook suggests. no effect, except some creds. Second lemon. Tried handing them in at a power contact in the nearest friendly-controlled system (66Ly away, because of course). Nope. Third lemon. Tried the regular Search and Rescue contact in this nearest friendly system. No effect. Fourth lemon. Paid off my bounties at Interstellar, went back to the specified system, handed some in at the regular Search And Rescue there. No effect. Five lemons, Jackpot.
Either this assignment is spectacularly wrongly worded, I am unconscious and didn´t notice, or it is simply bugged. I need to have a word with my handler, i think. Sending field agents on impossible AND nonsensical wild goose chases doesn´t seem an effective allocation of manpower.
I´ll forget about it now, and go, blow stuff up.

 

[Kayvan]

I'm not pledged yet, bc I want to make an informed decision.
So... what are all the activities that count as "Covert" as per the power ethos?
Didn't find any mention of the term in the first post, nor in the Wiki (whose PP article seems to be a WIP).

 

[t.o.mosh]

o7 cmdrs,

I really need some advice on what to do in this mission.
I travelled to Vitra and tried to collect all sorts of stuff (escape pods, wreckage components, blackboxes...) mainly from power wreckage signal sources, but tried other signal sources also. With no success as you see.
I also tried to salvage from surfaces, but could not find blackboxes, only escape pods, and they didn't count.
Only thing that doesn't fit the description: I collected the stuff with limpets, not with the vessel's scoop.
Do you have any further advice on how to complete the mission? Much appreciated!


View attachment 407993

View attachment 407994

Unfortunately the in-game documentation on search and rescue is a bit wrong.

Try collecting 9 units into your hold in Vitra, then travelling to a Power Contact in one of your friendly systems (it shouldn't matter which one) to hand them in.

I had a similar issue with a salvage cargo from HIP 8220 undermining assignment for Pranav Antal. I found wreckage and black boxes easily enough in that system in the Power wreckage signal sources but I made no progress turning them in to my power contacts in either that or other systems. In the end, after lots of trial and error, I found that turning them in to the standard search and rescue station services contact at a planetary settlement in that system counted and allowed me to complete the task.
....

o7, thanks cmdrs for trying to help, but the two hints didn't solve my issue.
I still can't get the counter increasing.
Is it possible to just skip this weekly and get a set of new ones after the next "tick"? I think a fellow commander didn't receive new ones. He did not complete all 5 last week.

 

[Ian Doncaster]

Is it possible to just skip this weekly and get a set of new ones after the next "tick"? I think a fellow commander didn't receive new ones. He did not complete all 5 last week.

We'll find out (I have one that I'm ignoring for now) but I expect them to be replaced whether complete or not.

If someone didn't complete the initial five to obtain a Powerplay rank, those might well not be replaced, though.

 

[Nowski]

Is it possible to just skip this weekly

If you've already done at least one set of assignments it's expected that further ones are optional, though we won't know for sure until the weekly tick because this is only the second ever set.

 

[Tifu]

@Nowski , another day and another possible merit bug exploit :

PP2.0 Trade Merits is broken, and gives vastly more if you trade one ton at a time.

Found something very odd today. If you sell one unit of trade goods at a time, you get a huge bonus - and I do mean huge. Example? I sold 320 tons of Imperial Slaves, and got ~200 merits. Then I sold 1 ton, and got...11 merits. So if you painstakingly sell 320 tons one ton at a time, you get...

forums.frontier.co.uk

Now here's something even crazier, Mahon's stronghold carriers now have functioning commodity markets and at least one product's price I know of enables you to get that 40% profit bonus - with a station in the same stronghold system.

Paging @rootsrat just in case, I have no idea of how to setup a high priority bug report and at any rate I think it's better for the above thread's author to submit one.