Thargoid Attacks: Where, When and What you can do about it

Mrat13

M
Factabulous said:
We are pushing them back: if we lose they move forward around 40 Ly, if we win they move back around 10 Ly - they were targeting systems within 40 Ly of Sol, now they're over 100 away. We're probably near the end-game of 3.0 now, should have an idea of 3.1 release date tomorrow ;)
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Just out of curiosity:
Has it been getting easier or harder to defend?
 

Edelgard von Rhein

E
These two 'branches' seem more like probes than a full invasion. They've found the INRA bases, now, and tested our defences, so we're waiting on their next move. My guess is they will withdraw and mine their territory aggressively to build up their fleet, ready for a full invasion. So perhaps soon, we will need to take the fight to them and Eagle Eye might need to tell us where they are gathering resources so we can stop them, rather than preventing station attacks.
 

Factabulous

Factabulous
CMDR-AD said:
I'm expecting the Thargoids to open a 3rd front on their attacks, diluting CMDR effectiveness among more targets.
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I was expecting that a few weeks ago, now I think the Thargoids are primarily looking for INRA bases, and the attacks are a distraction. So there's no need for increased attacked as the 'end game' isn't a successful invasion of Sol / Achenar, but is instead complete knowledge in INRA (Thargoids have 2 bases to find).

(Making INRA the goal makes more sense for FD as they can control that, and hence make the INRA bases 'last' until 3.1 is ready to come out (like they did with the Aegis labs before 3.0). That's not possible with a Sol invasion as they don't know if we would fight off 2, 3, 4, etc successfully. But I might be thinking about this too much ;) )
 

Conte_Vincero

C
I was wondering if this might not be an attack on sol at all, but simply an attempt by the first group of Thargoids to open up a highway through human space so they can move through quickly and then use us as a human shield. It is believed to be their goal to get us between them and their pursuers, and so it would make sense for them to try an aggressive tactic rather than wait for us to mobilise and fight them on a more even footing. Two lines of attack makes sense, as if a single one gets bogged down, the offensive will automatically fail (see operation Market Garden), and more could result in forces being too diluted for the attack to succeed.

Granted this doesn't explain their interest in INRA, and their approach so far of disabling rather than destroying stations could potentially be seen as far too ineffective. To this I would suggest that this attack is merely a scouting force. testing local forces and neutralising threats. They have already hit Aegis, and so INRA bases would surely be on their list. Systems attacked are being tested for suitability for stopover locations (do they refuel from ammonia worlds?) Once they feel the route is safe enough, or they run out of time, they will launch a much larger force down one or both of these routes to to secure a breakthrough.
 

Factabulous

Factabulous
Eagle Eye this week: There are 2 'ordinary' targets HR 1257 and Lusonda. Then the Two Aegis megaships have been directly targeted for the first time (Ancanec and Seliacha). Not sure if we can protect by taking missions from them.

Plan at the moment is to try and save HR 1257 and Lusonda, leave Aegis to burn. Though feel free to try and save them :)
 

Jmanis

Jmanis
Factabulous said:
Eagle Eye this week: There are 2 'ordinary' targets HR 1257 and Lusonda. Then the Two Aegis megaships have been directly targeted for the first time (Ancanec and Seliacha). Not sure if we can protect by taking missions from them.

Plan at the moment is to try and save HR 1257 and Lusonda, leave Aegis to burn. Though feel free to try and save them :)
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I kinda want to see what happens if the megaships get hit...
 

Factabulous

Factabulous
Traffic reports show we can support either system as they are pretty even. What does not show well is that neither have enough support (but it is the start of the week):

pubchart


EDMC data, biased as ever :D:

pubchart


Traffic has more predictive power.

Predictions now show we will lose both starports. Both PMF have been informed of the attacks (well, they already knew ;) ), so support should pick up.
 
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Factabulous

Factabulous
Traffic reports show we can support either system as they are pretty even, Lusonda is slightly behind so could do with more support (though it's still early in the week).:

pubchart


EDMC data:

pubchart


Traffic has more predictive power.

Predictions now show we will save HR 1257 and lose Lusonda (if traffic levels stay as they are).
 

BDelacroix

BDelacroix
Alright, picked up the newest shard cannons and will try these out in the defense effort.

Or... since vanguard is offering exactly 0 missions.....
 
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BDelacroix

BDelacroix
Off to lusonda then. I'm armed for the interceptors, hope I find one and can finally kill one. Otherwise I have to dock and import my other weapons for scouts.
 

Factabulous

Factabulous
Traffic reports show we can support either system as they are pretty even, HT 1257 is slightly behind so could do with more support (though there's not much in it):

4QTXR1Z.png


EDMC data:

pubchart


Traffic has more predictive power.

Predictions now show we will save both (if traffic levels stay as they are). HR 1257 has interceptors, Lusonda is only Scouts

o7
 
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Mishkazz

M
Hello
It is good to see the weekly Thargoid new sites under threat on this thread... Thanks for that guys, those involved posting :))

That being said,,, Are we any closer to any Answer on "What is actually going on with Thargoids"

1) Why are thargoid attacks on those stations,,... clearly not random,, yet why / or basic game play inclusion ?
2) To stop an attack requires "X" amount of scout kills in a system.... 6000 ? / how do we find the count ?
3) To push the thargoid advance into the bubble backwards.... requires further "X" amount ??? or unclear ?
4) The abduction of "Mega Ships" and transported to Ammonia Worlds in the system under attack... is based on there cargo ?? / a random occurrence ? / or,, basic game play inclusion ?
5) Even when the attack are defeated.... the mega ship remains... is this true for all attacked sites (Win or Lose) ???

cheers Stu
 

Factabulous

Factabulous
Mishkazz said:
1) Why are thargoid attacks on those stations,,... clearly not random,, yet why / or basic game play inclusion ?
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Depends what type of 'why' that is ;)

At one level the starports are attacked because Eagle Eye said the Thargoids were interested in them.

At another level - there are two 'branches' of Thargoid attack - they tend to move forward ~40 Ly if they win, and sideways ~20 Ly if they lose. Theory is that they were trying to get to Sol (and maybe Achenar / Alioth afterwards) - we don't know for sure as we got better at stopping them. Other theories are that they are looking for INRA bases (which they have mostly found), or that they are hunting Aegis (they tend to turn up near the Aegis Megaships - and this week they have finally found them). This week they should destroy the Aegis ships and that could be the end of 3.0.

Mishkazz said:
2) To stop an attack requires "X" amount of scout kills in a system.... 6000 ? / how do we find the count ?
3) To push the thargoid advance into the bubble backwards.... requires further "X" amount ??? or unclear ?
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We only have indicators for requirements for kills (or maybe combat bond hand-ins). If anyone can come up with a way to count the kills etc across the playerbase then come forward. FD could do it (and in fact do, as that is how they decide which starports are saved), but they chose not to tell us. This is fine - it gives us a puzzle.

Mishkazz said:
4) The abduction of "Mega Ships" and transported to Ammonia Worlds in the system under attack... is based on there cargo ?? / a random occurrence ? / or,, basic game play inclusion ?
5) Even when the attack are defeated.... the mega ship remains... is this true for all attacked sites (Win or Lose) ???
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In-game I believe the megaships are being attacked by Thargoids as they pass through these systems. The messages from the ships indicate they are involved in shady dealings, which may be drawing Thargoid attention. FD seem to have implemented it quite lazily, and are re-using assets, and not tidying up. I wouldn't read any more into the duplicates - towards the start they vanished, now... less so.
 

Factabulous

Factabulous
BDelacroix said:
That explains my lack of finding anything more fun.

However, I'm just finding scouts in hr 1257 as well now.
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Interesting - just done another NHSS survey and I'm still seeing 6/7/8 - or are they only full of scouts? If they are then you can use the wrecked megaships around 7 & 8 I guess.

a4YmXmp.png
 

space voyager

space voyager
I winged up with a guy and we destroyed a Cyclops in Lusonda. You can find interceptors at Lusonda 2, cargo ship POI. Randomly though. Anyway, would a kill at a POI count towards saving the system or not?
 
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