A Bit Of A...Shift...

[Caribe]

A more accurate example would be a B-17 Flying Fortress (as trader) vs a Messerschmitt Bf 109 (as pirate).

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Been here since Discovery 4.77 (lurk mode engaged)

I have recently met and discussed with Atalawohisdi the trader that flies the Caribe. Just so everyone knows, I engaged in Sigma 13. He flies through half the system before going back to New Berlin, where he cruises from one side of the system to the other, hugging the sun as close as he can. All the while, he flies near Battleships trying to scrape me off. I finally send out the white flag, and move back to Sigma 13. However, it was a ruse, and he bit. Knowing his trade route, I interdicted the trade lane and the chase began anew. It ended, an hour after it began, with me retreating, out of Countermeasures and getting very irritated.

He kept boasting how he has never been caught; I'd like to see him beat until he begs to pay, then beaten some more.

- Best day ever.

[Eppy]

>.>

P Funk said it perfectly. Bla bla bla, complete the RP cycle, this is how it should be, bla bla bla. NO. It's detracting from our Roleplay, and that's the problem. As it stands there are a very select few who actually REALLY TRY to Roleplay trade, myself included. I LOVE my trader character; it's the oldest one I have, and he's become a part of me. But the biggest element, and my favorite time, is going "Nya Nya, Thought you could take on Old Eppy, did ya? Breathe my jets!" I can't dot hat anymore. I am freaking scared to take my Train out of dock because some asshoel's gonna be sitting outside the planet with an all-cerbed Rogue Gunboat and go 'gimme al ur muny lol'. NO. Give us in Trains a chance. You're killing our RP because we can't even run; there's no Thrill of the Chase anymore, it's basically an in-space mugging.

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Quick comment - we thought that Panzer was the Leader, Swift. -Agmen

Which Dreadnought was that?

One of your nine.

[Spear]

>.>

P Funk said it perfectly. Bla bla bla, complete the RP cycle, this is how it should be, bla bla bla. NO. It's detracting from our Roleplay, and that's the problem. As it stands there are a very select few who actually REALLY TRY to Roleplay trade, myself included. I LOVE my trader character; it's the oldest one I have, and he's become a part of me. But the biggest element, and my favorite time, is going "Nya Nya, Thought you could take on Old Eppy, did ya? Breathe my jets!" I can't dot hat anymore. I am freaking scared to take my Train out of dock because some asshoel's gonna be sitting outside the planet with an all-cerbed Rogue Gunboat and go 'gimme al ur muny lol'. NO. Give us in Trains a chance. You're killing our RP because we can't even run; there's no Thrill of the Chase anymore, it's basically an in-space mugging.

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=LSF=

[alance]

Whoever suggested removing CDs from gunboats ... NO! Just slow the cd missiles down to something reasonable and I think a lot of the complaints will stop.

The biggest problem I see isn't the Adv. Train and Heavy Tanker being CD'd and pirated by gunboats, those transports -should- be vulnerable. The problem is that the medium sized transports don't even get a chance to use their CMs because the CD hits them a split second after they hear "incoming missile".

Drop CD speeds down to half way betwee 4.83 and 4.84 and I think many complaints will stop since now transports with CMs have some chance of evading. These smaller transports trade up to 2000 cargo space for a stinking CM launcher that can't stop a CD... needs fixed.

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"To gain a hundred victories in a hundred battles is not the highest excellence;
to subjugate the enemy's army without doing battle is the highest of excellence."

[Spear]

The biggest problem I see isn't the Adv. Train and Heavy Tanker being CD'd and pirated by gunboats, those transports -should- be vulnerable. The problem is that the medium sized transports don't even get a chance to use their CMs because the CD hits them a split second after they hear "incoming missile".

Just to drift slightly off-topic for a second. For anyone that is not aware you can set your Counter-measure dropper to fire automatically by clicking it so that is green in your HUD in the bottom right corner of the screen. When someone fire's a missile at you now your CM's will fire on auto.
It's handy when you want to travel, I turn it off for combat and rely on manual.

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=LSF=

[mjolnir]

Agree with Morrigan...

@Eppy.... when evading as a trader for me the fun is to evade the pirates, take alternative routes, JHs up/ down from ecliptic.. whatever.... then they just sit there wondering how you went trough the system. That's what makes me enjoy trading.. not that I engage cruise and their CDs explode harmlessly.

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Igiss says: Martin, you give them a finger, they bite off your arm.

[Exile]

*Sigh*

Look at the NPC transports.. then look at yours. Whats missing? Figther wing escorting the brick. Hire one or two escorts, give the mercs some work, you a chance to get away from pirates, and the pirates something th shoot at rather than you. Just decreasing the CD damage wont work, since it will still be kinda easy to blow the train up before it moves away.
Hire escorts is the key to it all if you ask me. Its more RP-ish, the mercs earn money, and its harder for pirates to get what they want.

Anyhow, thats my vision.
Ex.

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[Drake]

Why not just remove CMs completely? They're very nearly completely useless anyway, and it's apparent that a lot of lazy pirates think that it should be that way.

[Eppy]

You can't evade pirates, you won't make a profit! It defeat the purpose of trading if you just go the other way. And how the hell are we supposed to hire escorts, most of the time they aren't there, and they charge ridiculous amounts, to the point where it's cheaper just to pay the effing pirate! I've had escorts, last time I hired 'em, just run off on me the second a 'Sair gunboat popped out and CDed us. It's not supposed to work like that. The Gunboats need their energy problems back, I have a hard enought time losing them as it is, and I can't even flip if there isn't a Tradelane around, which there isn't most of the time. Heck, I got pirated by the Naheiyihea last night, you kow what? I came out of the lane 750 meters from them-and I saw them coming on scanners, so I was ready-hit cruise on immediately, and I never even heard the Incoming warning! It's hopeless. I am NOT going to sell my damn Train because some idiot in a Raven's Talon bought a freaking Trian CD. Make them work for their money again, because Old Eppy ain't goin' down without a fight, boy!

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Quick comment - we thought that Panzer was the Leader, Swift. -Agmen

Which Dreadnought was that?

One of your nine.

[Exile]

CM's are a life savior for figthers, Drake. Just try booking it out of a guard system without one..

Edit : Eps, lets not make this about you alone shall we? Its about pirates and traders in general. Hell, its not easy to run away, but a little trick here and there.. should do it. By the way, if you want "teh ubah tradah", then dont expect it to be fully armed and manouverable, hell, it has a 5k hold. What did jah expect? If you want a trader which can avoid pirates, go fly something smaller. A whale or pirate trader for example.

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