Going through Omega 7 yesterday in my freighter I was attacked by a pirate, I'm not going to name names, its not my stile. But wanting 2 mill of me I think is a bit much. I no hes not to know Ive only just started trading, and I understand It's part of the RP game ethos, but I think 2 mill Is a bit much. I'm mean the guys just waiting at the jump gate for traders to go through. Don't no what ship he was flying but after being followed through Omega 3, I was totally blown out the Skye. I said to him after 'I'd rather take a hit like that than pay 2 mill'. I, don't mind paying I just think Its taking the p***.
Well 2 mil is the going rate. Just be lucky he didn't ask for 5. I nearly wanted to let him kill me for that outrageous sum.
How much did you have in total? Only a real jerk is gonna ask you for too much. If its worth more than the value of your cargo then he's not very smart.
a "good" pirate will scan your cargo - and take a look at your ship ( not your rank ). - i think you should just ask for enough so it doesn t hurt the trader much. in the end, - you wish him to return some day. - but of course there are different philosophies. - some pirates ask for a tax and collect them as a "gesture" - while others really want to make a living and an income out of it.
but a pirate should never ask for more than like half the profit of the cargo. - cause if my cargo sells for like 2 million profit, i d be damned if i d pay 2 million tax to a pirate.
its down to the situation though. my pirate would usually ask the normal transport for around 500k. if the transport happens to cooperate with me that is. if he shoots at me - i ll increase it a little, if he escapes from me - i ll try to keep it in mind. i once had a trader that allmost took me out after making my 500k request ... well, end of the story is, i charged him 1 million. ( well, he didn t pay up - but he refused to pay 500k either - so no difference )
freighters and such should never pay much. like i said, its more a gesture - so i would have no problem to shoot 4 - 5 train CDs at a freighter to make him stop - but then charge him only 10k or 20k ( sort of what the train CD ammo costs ).
anything in the 2 - 5 millions is rediculous. the best traderoutes make around 9 - 10 million.. and i can fully understand a trader that refuses to pay up to 50% to a pirate. pirating isn t all too easy. but its situational, so i cannot argue that a trader makes a lot more money in on his routes. ( that is something my char wouldn t really know, actually, my char has no idea about the prices - cause she happens to be red to all lawfuls )
And again..
You traders earn what? 10-15 mil if you've picked a good route instead of cleaning up the bits. So, us pirates demand some money for, what shall we call it? Protection? As a bribe? You name it. Its not like your going to miss a total of 2 whole million! You should be happy that we aint asking for more, if you ask me.
@Jinx : Best trade route up to 10 million? You need to dig a little bit deeper mate.
hm - cardamine from malta to buffalo - is there anything better? .. i think it was roughly 10 million profit. if there is another route better than that - i really missed it.
but then ... i am not trading anymore:laugh:- instead i am enjoying the game haha
exile,he say that he was in freighter,not in train or advanced train. and asking 2 milion from freighter is too much i think. when i pirate (and i pirate only for fun or for rp not for money) i ask 2 milions when i meet full loaded advanced train.
Ive just bought this nice little Bretonia freighter and the max profit I can make from Dortmund to The Ring is approx 4Mill + cost, so when I get a challenge, 'stop' I want 2mill tax, I just think its to much, and If I'm going to have to pay 2mill every time I take that route It isn't going to be worth the effort.
I have to agree with lawbar. I recently lost all of my chars and credits do to something or another and had to start over. Deciding to try and actually start out on my own, I sold the guns and shield from my starflier and started trading with that. It was long Hard work, and wouldn't you know.... as soon as my level was high enough I was accosted by pirates. Now not everyone knows who my trader is, but I now have the advanced train. When approached with a reasonable request, I have on occasion doubled the requested tax (hoping the pirate would remember me and be lenient when I have low funds or am in a hurry). I frequently stop and initiate the trade before even being asked. I do this because the destruction of my vessel and loss of my life outweighs the loss of a couple of mil.
But then you get the people who tax you 2 to 3 mil every single time you pass them. Hmmmm, keeping with rp if you pirate a ship and take the loot, why would then re-pirate the same vessel?
How about the pirates that see you stopped, you initiate a trade request, and are sitting still and they still feel the need to fire on me???? I understand that pirating is not easy, so I always cooperate (well I have ran once, but the pirate told me to halt from 7k out and i was 1500m from jumphole. don't know what he/she was thinking) and will give what is asked for.
anyway, point is taxing should be situational. if you choose to run the simplest route, that always has tons of pirates, expect to be taxed. If you tax high, let us go in peace for 4 hours or so. If its a passage thing, tax at a lower rate and do it everytime. If the ship is of small status its pretty obvious its someone working hard to build up, give them a little break.