Actually, mercenaries could be hard to come by, but I guess a MM is always around, if not them then a pirate (if you're a smuggler, tho that's risky) or any lawful military that belongs to the space you're entering.
Corsair allies and people with special treatment (like Trafaglar junkers i guess), don't shy away from calling for escort if you're bringing goods to us. Remember, if we're nearby, we'll prolly do it for free. If you want an escort to Rochester and back to Crete, it will cost, but hey... Escorts are everywhere.
It was on the version 4.84 when 2 RHA bombers + 1 RHA Gunboat were pirating in S13. My job was to make a trader pass without problems ...
I jumped in, the RHAs as they <strike>often</strike>always do, run after the hunters, the trader passed and I spammed my CDs.
20k of repairs, 500k as reward, a phantom waiting for me in NB on way back, here was the first time I saw one and killed one:P
they take about 5 hours to down a bomber who will happily blow up the weak trader ship with 2 fingers up his... nose. and don't give me that MR crap, you won't hit a dodging bomber who's gunning soley for the trader.
cd spam the pirate? 'tis to laugh. a bomber can cath a trader on thrusters whilst cd spamming the trader.
then there's always the trusty lolsairs in their lolboats. see how 2 eagles stop him? they don't.
bring bombers as escorts then. they take about 4 weeks to down a pirate bomber. trader dead.
they take about 5 mins to down a lolboat. trader dead.
bring a GB as an escort then. see above.
point is: escorts cannot remove the threat fast enough to save the low-armoured trader's ship. at best, they can get even. but by that time, they are no longer escorts, as their employer is space dust.
only effective escort is a full solaris cruiser. *barf*
or do convoys in shires. those things are quite hard to kill when they travel in a pack. all other escorts: useless. I hire em sometimes. but just to give em something to do/ rp.
of course, some pirates are so damn daft that they will actually attack the escort, giving the trader the chance to run. but most pirates will just melt the trader in 20 seconds and then get busy on the 'escorts'
still, some ships can get istad by 2 snacs (if they fall under attack from 2 bombers) making passing B&B pointless in those cases.
and paying escorts well is a good idea. but if a trade route has a 8mil profit margin, and you have 2 escorts you pay 2 mils each, you lost half the profit.
oh well, up to the trader really. if he wants to spend that much on escorts.
they take about 5 hours to down a bomber who will happily blow up the weak trader ship with 2 fingers up his... nose. and don't give me that MR crap, you won't hit a dodging bomber who's gunning soley for the trader.
You talking about blind people here?
The thing of escorting is not to anihilate all pirates along the way, but to win some time for trader to pass. Read the thread before posting !
Sure you can get a Cruiser for an Escort. It will help even if he isnt allowed to shoot at a Pirate Transport. Why do you whine about that one aswell? Just feed the Transport you are defending.
"Who is it doing this synthetic type of alpha beta psychedelic funkin'?"
It's simply amazing isn't it. It's like watching my brother at home.
He can't overcome an obstacle in a game, so obviously - game is unbeatable.
SUCH NERVE!
HOW DARES THE GAME THROW A CHALLENGE AT ME! I PROTEST! I'M REVOLTED! I WILL... I'LL... I'LL....
I'LL USE CHEATS!
HAHAHAHAHA!
See kids, here's the deal. Cheats suck. They teach you only one thing. That there's always an easy way out of a problem. There's such ways in real life, did you know? Overabuse of alcohol and drugs. Why break up with your gf when you can cheat on her? Why argue with wife when you can smack her twice?
Wow amazing. How dares that guy cut in front of you!? YOU'RE ANGRYYYYY NOW! And invincible as well, because most people are too spineless to confront you. Well, not here no.
Cruiser as an escort? Wow. You're totally right. That surely won't attract 7 skilled players to completely own you and your transport. Because when you tend to boast how awesome you are, you actually pull the devil by his horn. By devil I mean all the people that are skilled but usually tired. Tired because of mediocrity the community as whole tends to emit from the daily gameplay.
I can name few, easily. You can too. Look at the small skirmish pirate groups that don't have official faction. Behind those names and that swift and savage snacing they offer are probably expert players, leaders and rest of their keen mind that hope to wake up some things.
Like Dusty did with the mining pirate group.
Like Xeno Alliance reigned SNACs around.
I went bit off topic.
Here's the deal. People that complain without offering alternative should be shot. Twice.
People that cheat should be reported. I play with some people, even skilled players, like... alot more skilled than I am in PVP and whatnot. They don't report players. It just sucks. They say "they don't care"
That should change. With indifference you sink down to mediocrity.
Guys...
Don't be indifferent. Use the downtime to think about things you can pull off. Join some new factions. Dedicate yourself to few characters and play them proudly. Have your vent character where you can be a jerk.
Be active.
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