Stealthy pirate tactics?

[RickDangerous]

Hi guys, first post here.

Been watching some YouTube videos of gameplay, and have a question on stealthy pirate tactics. The scenario is: I'm a small pirate attacking a Lakon T9.

The T9 seems to be super-dangerous if you get in its crosshairs if it has full loadout. If I run a T9 and see pirates coming at me, I would probably do the "reverse thrust" tactic, and kill the pirates at a distance, if possible.

On the other hand the heat visibility on radar seems to be a viable sneak method. Turn off shields, FA off, that kind of thing.

So, if the above is correct, then if I'm a pirate attacking a T9, would this be a viable tactic: line up behind the T9 at long range, turn everything off to reduce heat to a minimum, fire engines so that my speed is higher than the T9. This should allow me to get very close with only visual detection being possible. At which point my smaller ship can start firing and make sure I stay behind the T9.

Does that make sense, or are there any mechanics I got wrong or missed?

I would want to know if this is possible, both if I play as pirate and trader...

 

[neogeo]

I'd imagine a tactic like that or similar to how you take out the (underequipped) Anacondas in the combat scenarios from Alpha 1.1 might be effective.. It's all on how you execute it I suppose.

 

[RickDangerous]

I'd imagine a tactic like that or similar to how you take out the (underequipped) Anacondas in the combat scenarios from Alpha 1.1 might be effective.. It's all on how you execute it I suppose.

The problem with the "shoot in the back" type tactic from the combat scenario is that you are allowed to get close before you get hostile. The assumption is that both trader and pirate in the scenario are humans, btw. If a T9 sees a pirate from long distance, from what I can tell from YouTube videos of a fully equipped T9 they're pretty powerful if they can get you in the crosshair. Hence the need to get close to a T9 stealthily.

 

[Asp Explorer]

From my limited testing, a Cobra can take on a Lakon type 9 without too much problem, provided the following are true.

Your Cobra is rigged for silent running.
The Lakon is equipped with only gimbaled weapons.
The Lakon pilot is AFK



I've seen it go both ways. A heavy freighter stuffed to the gills with weaponry releasing a couple hundred tons of junk makes for a very interesting time

 

[Dynamo]

I think the other major issue, is how are you going to get within range of them?

If you plan the above outside a key location (station for example) then there will be security around. If you plan on doing this in the darkness of deep space - then the Lakon is going to be in super-cruise - so you will have to perform an intercept - which mass locks them and drops them out of super-cruise.

Even at this stage if you are invisible (unlikely due to your heat from super-cruise), them being dropped out of super-cruise will put them on alert.

There is a lot of space out there, so setting up an ambush may mean you are waiting for quite a while. In the current test versions, people are cramped together - I assume at release - people will be far more spread out, although Core systems will have regular traffic.

Or is there something else you are meaning?

 

[hunvagy]

Also keep in mind that as a pirate, you have no idea what they are carrying, or if they have any cargo at all. You have to get really close if you want to perform a cargo scan. Becaues if you're unlucky, and just attack an empty Lakon, all you win at the end of the day is a hefty bounty for murder.

 

[insanephoton]

Of course as soon as you do a cargo scan, the other pilot is alerted, if you interdict them from supercruise they are alerted. If the Lakon pulls a 'Crazy Ivan' on you, you might find yourself in his crosshairs without a shield. A lone pirate taking on a heavy trader is going to be a risky business. It makes more sense to bring some friends.

 

[Captain N]

A space cow pulling a Crazy Ivan... on a fighter. Now that's the funniest thing I heard in a while.

A Lakon would need to have to have at least two turrets (to cover both hemispheres) before we can talk about it as some kind of self-determined agent capable of defending itself.