Proposal: Money Transport Heists — A New Large-Scale Piracy Mission Type
Introduction
Elite Dangerous already allows commanders to trade, explore, fight, and engage in piracy. However, piracy lacks a large-scale operation that requires planning, preparation, infiltration, teamwork, and a dangerous escape.This proposal introduces Money Transport Heists: a multi-stage criminal activity combining Odyssey on-foot infiltration, intelligence gathering, ship combat, cooperation, negotiation, and risk/reward decisions.
The goal is to create memorable operations where commanders feel like they are planning and executing a real space robbery.
Phase 1: Intelligence Infiltration
Before attacking a money transport, commanders must obtain information about upcoming financial shipments.The mission starts at a secure planetary settlement:
- Military installation
- Corporate facility
- Government outpost
Access and Identity System
The settlement contains multiple security levels.The commander can enter the settlement normally, but restricted areas require higher clearance.
When approaching a protected door:
To gain access, the commander must locate personnel with the correct clearance and clone their identity.
The difficulty comes from finding the correct person.
Security Clearance Levels
Low Security Identity — Easy
- More common personnel.
- Easier to obtain.
- Lower risk.
- Access to basic areas.
- Short intelligence extraction.
Medium Security Identity — Moderate
- Fewer personnel have this clearance.
- Requires more searching and stealth.
- More restricted areas.
- Medium intelligence extraction.
High Security Identity — Extreme
- Only a small number of personnel have this clearance.
- Difficult to obtain.
- Requires careful infiltration.
- Full intelligence extraction.
Identity Detection
Once the correct identity is obtained, the commander can move naturally through the settlement.Security scans are uncommon.
They may happen if:
- The commander enters an incorrect restricted area.
- The commander acts suspiciously.
- A security incident occurs.
The commander must escape.
Discovery does not always mean failure.
The commander can:
- Escape stealthily and keep the data.
- Fight their way out and receive a bounty.
Phase 2: Data Extraction
Inside the underground planning room, the commander accesses a secure terminal using an E-Breach.The terminal displays:
TRANSPORT DATA EXTRACTION
0% — 100%
The longer the commander stays connected, the more information is decrypted.
0–30% Extraction: Basic Intelligence
Provides:- Target system.
- Transport difficulty.
- Estimated money value.
30–70% Extraction: Operational Intelligence
Provides:- Exact money value.
- Transport type.
- Escort information.
- Security level.
70–100% Extraction: Complete Intelligence
Provides:- Full transport details.
- Number of security ships.
- Approximate convoy location.
- Defensive information.
- Additional classified data.
Phase 3: Choosing the Target
After obtaining intelligence, the commander can access a new Heist section at starports.Available targets:
Standard Transport
Approximately 8 million credits.High Security Transport
Approximately 20 million credits.Treasury Transport
Approximately 80 million credits.Higher rewards mean:
- Stronger ships.
- More escorts.
- More dangerous responses.
Phase 4: Crew Recruitment and Starting Station
The commander who obtained the intelligence becomes the Heist Leader.The leader must choose a starting station for the operation.
The crew must gather there before departure.
AI Crew Recruitment
AI crew can only be hired locally.The leader can travel to different stations to find different available specialists.
Examples:
- A military system may have stronger combat pilots.
- A wealthy system may have expensive elite mercenaries.
- A remote system may have cheaper but less experienced recruits.
Commander Recruitment
Real commanders can join the operation.However:
- They must travel to the leader's chosen starting station.
- The heist does not begin until the crew is gathered.
- Payment splits are negotiated before launch.
Phase 5: Crew Negotiation
There are no fixed roles.Every commander contributes with their own ship and abilities.
Payment is negotiated based on:
- Ship capability.
- Experience.
- Risk.
- Expected contribution.
A commander bringing a powerful combat ship may request a larger percentage.
A newer commander may accept a smaller share to gain experience.
Everyone agrees before the mission starts.
Phase 6: Intercept the Transport
Using the stolen intelligence, the crew travels to the target system.The transport can:
- Move through supercruise.
- Change location.
- Travel with escorts.
Phase 7: Disable, Don't Destroy
The objective is to capture the money.The crew must:
- Remove shields.
- Damage critical systems.
- Disable engines.
- Bring the transport into a disabled state.
Phase 8: Extract the Money
After disabling the transport, the crew begins extracting the encrypted financial assets using limpets.There is no time limit.
Instead, danger increases naturally:
The longer the crew remains:
- More security arrives.
- Reinforcements become stronger.
- The operation becomes more dangerous.
Phase 9: Payment and Consequences
After a successful escape:- The stolen money is distributed according to the negotiated contracts.
- They receive 50% of their agreed payment.
- The remaining amount returns to the surviving crew.
- Larger future targets.
- Stronger security responses.
- Larger bounties.
Why This Fits Elite Dangerous
Money Transport Heists would create a complete piracy progression loop.Commanders would:
- Infiltrate a settlement.
- Steal transport intelligence.
- Gather a crew.
- Negotiate payment.
- Hunt a moving target.
- Disable a protected transport.
- Steal millions.
- Escape the consequences.
Infiltrate. Extract. Plan. Attack. Escape.