What and where to find NPC Pirates?

X-Terminator · Jul 22, 2015

I'm on a mission to take out 7 Pirates. I go to the system and find many WANTED ships at the Nav Beacon yet after 3 kills the Mission still displays 0/7 Pirates. Where do I go to find them? In SC and interdict? Wait to be Interdicted? Weak/Strong Signal Sources? USS?
I totally despair! WANTED NPCs with a bigger bounty than 400cr did murder so what are you playing at FD?

tetra · Jul 22, 2015

USS/SSS/SC

Any of those 3. Correct pirate targets will show "mission target" on left front panel.

Voxoid · Jul 22, 2015

If you fly around in SC for a while you may get interdicted by a pirate/wing of pirates. Or head to a USS or SSS and wait to see if any wanted ships there that scan you. If your being scanned and the npc writes a message like "Let's see what your carrying" it usually means they are pirates.

X-Terminator · Jul 22, 2015

Cheers CMDRs. I got my 1st as I Interdicted him in SC. There's often about 7 suddenly burst into the System and 2 are Mission Targets usually.

X-Terminator · Jul 22, 2015

Mission Complete. Next to no rank promotion for 1.5hours work.

Schmack · Jul 22, 2015

Typically your accepted missions will generate what you're looking for. Those pirates might not be there if you didn't select that mission. Keep looking behind doors or in super cruise, using interdiction.

FunGas · Jul 22, 2015

Keep taking the missions. Jump into the system and head towards the navigation beacon very slowly, target any "unidentified signals" you find on the way. You should have enough kills by the time you reach the beacon...

X-Terminator · Jul 22, 2015

Interestingly, the first place I looked was a Strong Signal Source. Dropped in to see 7 targets! turned my Vulture around to see Military FedDropships and Type-9s all in formation. I was relieved! What an incredible site though. I wish these were seen attacking Outposts & Stations. It makes no real sense to be cruising around with no objectives.

M00ka · Jul 22, 2015

I find Kill x number Pirate missions very easy to complete. I just load some expensive cargo into the Vulture (lets say 4T gold) and head to the Nav Beacon. Even if I don't scan the ship first and see it come up as wanted/mission target, as soon as I see the NPC message asking what I am carrying, I know that is a pirate.

Works for me anyway.

TartanDragon · Jul 22, 2015

M00ka said:
I find Kill x number Pirate missions very easy to complete. I just load some expensive cargo into the Vulture (lets say 4T gold) and head to the Nav Beacon. Even if I don't scan the ship first and see it come up as wanted/mission target, as soon as I see the NPC message asking what I am carrying, I know that is a pirate.

Works for me anyway.

It also works in any RES. They come to you, even without cargo.