Some Thoughts...
I have some thoughts maybe already expressed... just scanned the responses.... all good, totally agree with them... put the following in your pipe and smoke about it:
The little mini game when you are interdicted... you've got to figure it out and master it... this is just essential with new interdiction settings they modified in the last few updates, especially if you are hauling cargo... if you start seeing chatter that says they scored the mother load with you or the rumor is true or they finally found you upon entering a system... it means they are already hunting you down to interdict. If you are pledged to an opposing power play then that triggers those interdicters... but yeah... figure out the mini game to avoid it... every craft has a sweet zone on the accelerator super cruise speed dial... you can adjust your supercruise speed to settle the target or the escape vector... you have to pitch up and down, use yaw left right to fine tune... if you get out of whack use roll and pitch to get back to sweet spot... the blue scale on the left side measures how many times you've got him centered with the "cone" I like to think of and look at it as... you need to cross the center circle with the vector?target as often as you can, quicker than your target/predator... when you get this blue scale to the top, you win... or if his scale goes all the way down for messing up royally and getting turned sideways which will decrease your scale drastically depending on how long you are severely away from center circle on target/vector. Always have some speed because zero throttle means instant interdiction. If you can change course to prevent him from getting behind you while in supercruise you can prevent his attempt in the first place... you can hear and see the quick passer by's while in supercruise... this means you are being pursued, consider jumping out and back or just logging out and back in to reset the server and encounters. And yes... if interdicted, try to submiss... it allows faster FSD cool down, quicker jump... boost repeatedly as soon as possible with flight assist off in opposite direction... full pips to engines, two to shield (improved power disapator really plays a key in recharging your engine time for boosts)... if you can dial in another system it will give you quicker jump than if you try to get to supercruise... mass disruptions are only effective if jumping from normal space to supercruise. If seriously outmatched and outboosted from the onset... consider jettisoning cargo prior to them deciding that you had enough time between their scan and their demand... lose the cargo but save the ship... oh... and yeah... always make sure you have your insurance deductible saved up, especially if in a dedicated non combat equipped/agile trader. The Asp fitted out with best mods is a better transition to type 7 cargo trading until you have the funds to afford a well modified type 7... your survival rate will improve and the cargo capacity isn't much different but a much better hull and weapon set up than the pie cutter type 7... think of the Asp as a very proper stepping stone... one of the best craft and versatile in the game if you ask me... the best explorer for sure with it's range which of course is very handy in trading, especially if you look into the rare trade circuits.
