I can't see how firing several cruise disrupters will work. I've flown a train through dozens of disrupters fired by NPC's, they all hit and they all did nothing at all.
It's easier to pay then die and lose cargo as long as they don't ask for too much.
I'd ask traders for not more then $500,000, which is most you can expect from missions, the only time a demand for cash would be higher is if there's several of us pirates grouped together. Even then the total amount wouldn't be higher then 1.5 mil (and that'd be for 3+ pirates sharing the money).
If a pirate demands 1 mil or more just for themselves then they're asking to be left sitting there while the trader runs.
Trouble is I've seen several pirates in both my phantom and TG characters. Only a very few have been friendly on my HUD to the phantom ones and none have come up as hostile on my HUD in my TG ones.
I think this is because theres very few people using pirate characters who want to be attacked by NPCs everywhere they go, which is what happens when your a pirate.
Even I get tired of being attacked by swarms of BHG fighters when ever I move my phantom characters anywhere and one of them is a BS.
So part of the problem is pirates not having the right rep and demanding too much cash.
