System Security just doesn't like the looks of me?

[Imagix]

Twice today system security opened up on me for no discernable reason. The first instance I was killing a bunch of Wanted folk and along the way the SS declared "Hey, you're wanted. We're going to shoot you down.". But nope, I'm not wanted, no outstanding bounties or fines, no accidental (or intentional ) friendly fire. I racked up the remaining targets I needed to and jumped away to a station. Who of course scanned me and said "Nope, you're clean. Have fun."

The second time I was again hunting wanted targets. I got scanned by the SS and was declared "You're clean, move along.". I opened fire on the Wanted target and the 3 SS then jumped in with "Illegal activity!" and of course started shooting at me. Again, I'm not wanted, nor do I have any bounties or fines against me.

So... what would cause the SS to decide I'm a valid target?

 

[BlankFX]

The answer is simple yet annoying: Bugs.
As from what I can tell if you can't see a reason for being wanted there is no reason for being wanted. So it should be a bug.
This keeps bugging me too for a while now. The Game is nice and all but there are some nasty annoyances in the game details...

 

[Samu]

People can be wanted by the policing faction, but also part of that faction themselves.

This means if you fire on them, you wont get a fine or become wanted, but security in the area may aggress you.

 

[MirageGuardian]

Its like Batman or Spiderman just cause usually they're wanted by the police doesnt mean police wont protect them from time to time.

 

[Imagix]

Well.. there's aggression, then there's "You're doing illegal stuff". (I've also had a bunch of people marked as aggressive, but they didn't fire a shot at me.. so they stayed clean....) If this is what's happening, then it should be clearer that the SS is attacking because their faction is irritated at you (in which case _they're_ doing illegal stuff and should be marked as Wanted) vs. they are attacking with legal authority and thus I'm fair game.

And if it's a bug.. then meh, it's a bug. No significant damage done.

 

[Samu]

When you're in combat with system security they say random things in chat every now and again. Ranging from calling in back-up, saying they're lining up the shot and it seems sometimes they call you a criminal. You're right its misleading, though it means they don't actually think you're a real criminal etc.

 

[FaolGlas]

It's faction - if you attack someone, even if they are wanted, their friends in their faction may turn on you. This may be a regular NPC, or it may be the forces of law, anyone in the same faction. They won't necessarily attack you, but they might, in revenge for having a go at their buddy.

You can either check faction before attacking and not attack those who are in the same faction as the law (whoever is the majority force in the system), in the panel on the right under Contacts to see the factions. Or you can just SC out, stop, turn around, and SC back in again. This generates a whole new instance, and since the "faction dislike" is not a Wanted status, everyone goes back to being neutral to you. Wash, rinse, repeat. Note that active illegal acts will of course make you Wanted, and then paying the fine / bounty is the only way to clear that, the SC out and in again doesn't change that.

PS, you can see this happen to the NPCs too - engage a Wanted, who isn't in the same faction as the law, everyone in the faction turns red. The police may then start attacking other NPCs of the same faction, even if not Wanted. If the NPC fires back, they become Wanted, of course (and then fair game, though only a 200C bounty unless they blow up one of their attackers!)

And indeed some red NPCs who are clean will decide to attack you, some will not. Not everyone who dislikes you will openly attack, but some will, whether they are law or not.

 

[Imagix]

Fair enough... but then I'd suggest that they (system security) should gain a bounty on themselves. I'm clean... not in an anarchy system. Then it becomes valid for me to return fire.

 

[BlankFX]

If a system controling faction gives a bounty on someone of their own faction they totaly should not be able to become aggressive towards you for taking that bounty. It's just nonsense and IMHO one of the many bugs currently in the game.

 

[ravenstar68]

If a system controling faction gives a bounty on someone of their own faction they totaly should not be able to become aggressive towards you for taking that bounty. It's just nonsense and IMHO one of the many bugs currently in the game.

Whether it's an intended mechanic or a bug it's easy to work it into your strategy and not trigger it.

I like to fight in RES. I did a lot of it in El Tio so the local Empire factions became friendly then allied to me. This made it easier as if a wanted ship was green to me, I left it alone. As a rule if you check which factions the police ships are working for and leave those factions ships alone then you should be ok. If you're not allied or friendly you need a little patience to find your first kill but once you have it becomes easier as ships working for the same faction will be red from the outset

Note you must still check they are wanted before you shoot them though. I've had to bug out a few times when I got trigger happy and shot a red target before the scan to determine his legal status completed.