pirate typical ships

[Emon]

The vast majority of my piracy has been done in a light fighter. Judging by credits made from piracy, about 90% has been done in LFs, the remaining 10% in VHFs. Of course, the VHF is forced to destroy more ships.

To successfully pirate in a LF, the traders generally have to be willing to play along. Ive killed the odd Adv Train or Transport solo in an LF, but thats when they decide that they want to fight me, and completely ignore trying to escape.

Simply put, a transport can absorb all of the fire that an LF can dish out in a reasonable amount of time. The LFs already limited amount of firepower is further diminished by all the dodging that needs to be done. If a transport pilot decides to make a run of it, you're going to spend a long time knocking down its shielding, even longer taking down its hull. Generally, a transport could get to a nearby lawful base before an LF could kill it.

The main advantage that an LF has in piracy, is that it can quite easily make a transport pilot's route hell. After being forced to make entire trade runs without using trade lanes and on thrusters only, a pilot will eventually give in.