If I were a belter pirate leader sa sa ke?

[Lima-Seven]

So if you were out in the verse doing pirate things in the PU with the presumed completed game and all the potential that creates with mechanics within the game, how would you go about pirating against an exploring Anvil Carrack? What ships would you bring to the fight? How many? Would you kill the crew and salvage the Carrack? Would you attempt to hold them for ransom? Spitballing here so let me know your ideas, please.

 

[Shadow Reaper]

In round numbers, a Sentinel and a Hoplite can take down the Carrack shields with a pair of Absolutions in about 7 seconds, without using their missiles. I would try that and then pulse the ship with an EMP. Land a pair of marine squads, 1 PC and 3 NPCs each at two entry points and storm the ship. Optimally, both attackers would be flying the Sentinel stealth frame so the Carrack would not have much advanced warning.

If you're really playing a pirate, it's all about the net value obtained so you probably will not see much use of expensive missiles and torps. Ideally, you want the cargo and ship intact. If you're playing a Legendary Pirate or Privateer, it's all about execution of the game's hardest play dynamics.

 

[Montoya]

Lets be honest here, a few years into this game you will not be bothering with capturing ships. You already have all the money and ships you need. Towards end game you are either role playing, or just blowing stuff up because explosions are pretty.

 

[NaffNaffBobFace]

Without some kind of goal it's a difficult question to answer.

Are you out to extort protection money from the Carrot? Are you out to steal its cargo? Are you out to kidnap the crew? Are you just out to kill the heck out of it?

All of the above (and more besides) have little complications that can effect how you would approach the challenge of tackling that ship.

 

[Shadow Reaper]

. . .a few years into this game you will not be bothering with capturing ships. You already have all the money and ships you need. Towards end game you are either role playing, or just blowing stuff up because explosions are pretty.

I think after a couple years in, many players will leave and many will gravitate toward groups with excellent leadership, where they enjoy the group dynamics while doing whatever they choose. By then, large naval battles between cap ships will be a thing, and TEST will obviously start with an upper hand.

 

[BUTUZ]

I think after a couple years in, many players will leave and many will gravitate toward groups with excellent leadership,

So they'll join ADI - right?

 

[NaffNaffBobFace]

So they'll join ADI - right?

Those squares?

If you are impressed by the size of a mans spreadsheet remember TEST Weapons Research Lab is in possesion of la hoja de cálculo del diablo.

Also, I made a spreadsheet last week at work that is 5mb of formulas before I even put any data in it! Bow down before me and worship my googling skills spreadsheet design skills!

 

[Shadow Reaper]

Is this a good time to remind folks of Montoya's excellent leadership decision not to "over-lead" so early in the game? I think that shows remarkable wisdom.

What we do now does not impact what we'll do in a year, or two, or three.

 

[Tei]

[...]
If you're really playing a pirate, it's all about the net value obtained so you probably will not see much use of expensive missiles and torps. [...]

And how they are expensive? You can restock s9 torpedo on tali for mere 100 credits... that is peanuts and should be 10 times more expensive...

 

[Lima-Seven]

Without some kind of goal it's a difficult question to answer.

Are you out to extort protection money from the Carrot? Are you out to steal its cargo? Are you out to kidnap the crew? Are you just out to kill the heck out of it?

All of the above (and more besides) have little complications that can effect how you would approach the challenge of tackling that ship.

Right. The goals are your own. Let me be more specific with the purpose of the query. I want to know how a player pirate would go about hunting down explorers or other likely innocuous vessels.

Shadow Reaper thank you for that input sir. Those are sound tactical approaches to the Carrack field problem.

 

[Bambooza]

More then anything is really going to matter the location. Are we talking the Carrack is on the ground with teams out exploring a cave? Or are they mapping a newly found wormhole in the middle of space? Are they flying through an asteroid field looking for minerals, or are they doing early recon for an attack wing?

Given the biggest advantage pirates have is the element of surprise you will as @Shadow Reaper suggested want to implement as much stealth as you can and quickly lock it down. What we do not know is how good its scanners are going to be and how effective stealth is. It could easily be that the Carrack's scanners are going to pick up any ship close enough to jump on that is not fully powered down behind an astroid. So then you are left with the only options being hoping a Carrack flies into your trap or you catch one foolishly focused on only one task and not paying attention to what's going on around them.

I have a feeling a skittish Carrack will be near impossible for a pirate to jump and would simply need to get lucky with a Mantis pulling one out of warp.

 

[Lima-Seven]

Excellent points. Bringing a QT interdiction and denial boat with you would be a sound plan as a pirate aggressor.

 

[NaffNaffBobFace]

Right. The goals are your own. Let me be more specific with the purpose of the query. I want to know how a player pirate would go about hunting down explorers or other likely innocuous vessels.

Shadow Reaper thank you for that input sir. Those are sound tactical approaches to the Carrack field problem.

Aha, cool.

In that case I'd go with the opportunist extortion line:

I'd follow them until they ran out of some basic supply (perhaps caused by a semi malicious action by myself) that would mean they'd have to call their expedition short and go back to port if they didn't get some, and then sell it to them at a ridiculous price... So for example leave a cargo box of some dodgy curry in their flight path or on some planet they are exploring somewhere they'll find it, and then when the time is right fly past them and oh, good timing, sell them a 24 pack of toilet roll for like 190,000UEC or something.

Uh...

I don't think I'm going to be doing this piracy thing very well...

 

[Lima-Seven]

HAHAHA! A pirate of inconvenience.

 

[Han Burgundy]

Easy. Lure them in with a distress beacon on a small DAMAGED ship (with docking collar) saying that you were attacked by NPC pirates and that you have no EVA suit onboard. Offer them a fair reward if they take you aboard and drop you off at the nearest station. When they accept, because you are a cool and friendly guy, they will either open their hangar or otherwise dock with your vessel. That's when the team of 4 to 6 heavily armed and armored brutes storm from your hold on a mission to capture the medbay. Once that is captured, the bridge is next. Once control of both decks of the bridge is seized, leave 2 to guard the pilot's seat and send the rest to sweep the rest of the ship. Bing bang boom: Free Carrack. All for the price of a little misplaced human kindness

 

[Lima-Seven]

Love the handle! Great take on a sneaky boi avenue to capture the ship. Thank you for the input sir o7!

 

[Black Sunder]

Here is my plan if I'm not trying to instakill the boat.

Force Comp:

1. One scout: small singleman ship, stealth components of course but has firepower.
2. Redeemer/Prowler with 8 men split into 2 squads.

First the scout would locate and observe the target, see if turrets are manned, how its maneuvering, even its signature/shield status. Then get in close but still not be seen. If target still looks good then the scout will maneuver around to be on the opposite of the ship from where the dropship will come in from. The Redeemer/Prowler will come in and drop right next to the Carrack(because you drop 10km out from party members). This immediately puts the Carrack in a panic. The Redeemer/Prowler will immediately target weapons while the scout will target engines. Once it is dead in the water then the squads will disembark.

From here there is a choice. Either demand a ransom and send a couple guys aboard to collect the data too or storm it. The response depends on their action. If the 2nd then one team will head up to the top of the ship and the other by either the airlock OR the blown off turret on a wing. From here, kill everyone on board, download any data and get out. From here I'd call a Reclaimer in to cannibalize it. No sense in letting it go to waste.

And here is my plan if the goal is to just get the Carrack gone:

Force Comp:

1 Terrapin or similar scout.
3 Eclipse Bombers.

The Carrack will never know what hit it. Out of sight and out of mind.

 

[Sirus7264]

Easy. Lure them in with a distress beacon on a small DAMAGED ship (with docking collar) saying that you were attacked by NPC pirates and that you have no EVA suit onboard. Offer them a fair reward if they take you aboard and drop you off at the nearest station. When they accept, because you are a cool and friendly guy, they will either open their hangar or otherwise dock with your vessel. That's when the team of 4 to 6 heavily armed and armored brutes storm from your hold on a mission to capture the medbay. Once that is captured, the bridge is next. Once control of both decks of the bridge is seized, leave 2 to guard the pilot's seat and send the rest to sweep the rest of the ship. Bing bang boom: Free Carrack. All for the price of a little misplaced human kindness

Sounds like a good book to me hahaha

 

[Sirus7264]

We all know there is only one true answer to all your pirate needs......
Sand People!

 

[Han Burgundy]

Sounds like a good book to me hahaha

Shit, I should write one of those...