Intro
Here's the weird deal. Since an trader f1 on OPG members bit too many times seven days ago, I decided (and other OPG too I hope) to take a screenshot of trader before they pirate him.
Now, this might sound like a good idea, and it really is. But although it gives me the sweet warm feeling of joy when I catch him under f1, I realized today, that it's plain disappointing. Want to know why? 5 Reports in 3 days. And I'm not even pirating that much these days.
Since I find these numbers devastating both to me, then to this community, leading to that trader and ending up being reflected on his wallet and then again leading to damaging my pirating. It's a magic circle.
So, what I've decided to write here is a guide on: "how to get pirated"
Basic rule
Know your capabilities.
How much firepower can your shields and hulls hold? How fast can you enter a trade lane back in, how fast can you type and how much nanobots and shield batts do you have on you. Finally, how valuable IS your cargo. The last one is the important one, because it leads to encountering the pirate.
Encountering the pirate
Okay, so you've traveled your way until an red or white figure appeared near you, firing a train dist. or simply shooting down a lane. Here is where you ask yourself those questions. You know your enemy now, and you're slowly heading towards the jump hole, other trade lane. There are many things that can happen here but we'll try to make general rules. *disclaimer* We're talking about pirates that actually roleplay, and not the 2mil or die ones"
a) Location location location (as ahmed would say)
Look how far is your closest exit. Do you have to cruise? Is the jump hole right there? Is the trade lane shot off and he's alone? Alot of possibilities are there, you just have to see them. Follow basic rule when you ask yourself these questions.
b) Open trade window right away.
This will confuse the pirate, maybe he won't even type the demand but expect the payment instead. In that time you can slowly thrust away.
c) Dock on the trade lane, no matter that its shut down.
Open your trade window then and slowly wait as it will engage at one point soon. Trade window stays on, and depends on how the pirate is faced, he won't even see the lane being activated. He certainly wont shoot it while trade window is opened, that would break the trade.
d) Talk.
This is an important one. Talk to your pirate. He is a player just like you. Maybe you'll end up with a bigger ship later in the game, but that doesn't make him, or the role he took any less important. Actually, for your trader and your future, that pirate is the most important thing out there. How so? Well easy.
The roleplaying pirate that has in his interest to take away goods from you, not your life can easily easily, very easily turn to that "2mil or die" character because the laws of this game command him to. You're running away, he still didn't make demand. He'll hurry it up and blow you away rather than typing for 6 seconds while you cruise away. If you don't offer him as sign of a human being you don't deserve nothing more than a gun in that hull of yours. From my own experience, I know that I cutt my demand to half even when I encounter someone that loves to roleplay. It might be because he followed the rules, it might be because he also knows how to bargain, or it might be because he's got Mr. Pineapples the talking monkey in his ship. These things varies. but it leads to e)
e) Bargain.
When a pirate talks to you, talk to him back. You can insult him a little, you can mention you have a family but most important thing is to actually bargain with him. He knows he can lose it all, and he's willing to make some exceptions. I'm not saying you should balantly offer him 200 of your goods while you carry 5000 of them, but go for the lower price than he asked for. It buys you time. Time buys you freedom. It all leads to stalling. And stalling is a f)
f) stall.
While you're pirated, you both are tensed. But as the time passes by, the pirate is the one that's getting more and more tense. It depends on your location and his ship, but the reason he's tense is because his radar is down. and pirates are paranoid. He might lose everything just because as he's bargaining with you the two bounty hunters or two navy ships are coming his way. He's rushing you to move faster! he wants his goods or money NOW!
Now, stalling is a risky thing. It depends from pirate to pirate and how good can the trader actually stall. It's the skill that needs a fine touch. So use it wisely or you might find yourself back from where you came from and him saying "he was waiting for reinforcements, too bad."
The tricks are all in other posts, you just have to look them up, but I wrote this from pirates perspective as I got pirated only once and I simply paid. Ofcourse the best way to avoid it all is to not get near the pirate at all, but when you do, try to follow these guidelines here, and maybe it will lead to something nice. Like that cherished two minutes of roleplay with pirate that "might not even be so bad - compared to others"
Ofcourse if a pirate doesn't rp, by all means return it to him with the same measure. Don't talk to him, ignore him, open trade window and cruise, do anything you want, he doesn't deserve any more than a cheap trick you have up your sleeve.
I hope this helps at least a bit