Tales from the spacelanes...

[Bugbear]

This is a case of real life influencing ooLife...

Real Life
I finally got my shiny new laptop and it screams!!! I can heartily recommend a solid state drive coupled with a Radeon 6870(?) graphics card, 16GB RAM and an Intel i7 chip. Application launch to spinning Cobra in 4 seconds! And that's with all the eye candy OXPs included that I couldn't enjoy previously. It's a whole new Ooniverse for me now that I've got GalNavy, Random Hits, Commies and Anarchies included.

OoLife
So I'm still cruising in my Boa, and my docking technique's improved now. I'm not losing as much paint in the docking slots any more.

I'm in Galaxy 3 trying my hand at cargo contracts. Jumped into system, checked the space compass for any Rock Hermits (always a good place to pick up precious metals), and I saw a new indicator: 'S'. Well I had to check this out.

Hit the torus drive until the truth was revealed - I found myself in GalNavy controlled space, with one of their globe stations dead ahead.

An uneventful docking and a wander around the station and suddenly I find myself enlisted in the Reserves, and invited to participate in a sortie to take care of some bothersome pirates in the next system. Ha har, just my type of mission.

Ok, so a Boa ain't no classic fighting machine but I consider myself worthy of my Dangerous rating, so off we go.

Boosting out of the station and a brief trip through witchspace and there in front of me is a ragtag bunch of fellow combatants, together with some altogether better kitted out Naval craft, all hanging in space waiting for our prey. Greetings were exchanged and I was ready to face the foe. It feels good to be part of a bigger endeavour, after so many months of getting by on my own.

...back to Real Life

...at this point, I realise that I don't have 'SaveAnywhere.oxp' installed, and I've got to go to work, so the next installment to this story will have to wait.

Gotta love this game!!!

[DaddyHoggy]

<- envious and grimacing - I'd have to sell my children (or at least stop paying for Taekwon-do and dance, singing, clarinet lessons) before I could ever dream of such a machine - but I am very pleased for your obvious delight!

Right On Commander.

[Yah-Ta-Hey]

Daddy-- how old are the kids and will you ship FOB to Lave? Just kidding... stop the clarinet lessons... I had to go through 8 years of playing a second hand clarinet and hated every minute of it. I really wanted to play bagpipes.

Now here is my tale and a question for my fellow sky warriors to ponder...

I am tooling around a planet in GAL 2 called Diuste when I come across the Lobbies can-can lounge. so I go in.. look over the want ads.. not finding anything interesting... I watch a nice fat feline pole act while having a nice slug sandwich and a really strong hyper scotch. I off load 40 tonnes of food stuff and launch.
I notice several very slow vessels hanging around the outside...I target them and Lo and Behold.. I spot a fugitive mafia kingpin and a yazuka headman(also fugitive)!!!! I fire up my long lances( military missiles for the unitiated).. come with 2 klicks of the mafia kingpin and we have a rousing good fight. I had planted my ship "Calypso" so I could take advantage of my turn acapabilities and finally get him for nearly 500 credits in bounty.. I then relocate the yazuka and target him... same tactics... pull short and pivot... got him also... another 400+ credits. Two targets and not 1 missile used. Now, here is the question: after hitting these two top bracket gangsters... how do I find out whether I am a hunted brave? I noticed that no one was gunning for me when I left the system... will I always have to watch my six... more diligently that I do now? since the kills were not on the want ads... how would that affect my standing with the various seedy bar factions? Would they still consider me an outsider who is innocent?
Thanks
Yah-Ta-Hey

I found the answer: unless I take on a "mission".. it is all fair game... the crime syndicates will not go after me. their attitude is " he got it coming to him.".. ..If I had whacked them on a "mission" chances are good, I would have a contract on me.. and yes... I still am a weenie as far as the syndicates are concerned when I visit the bars until I take on missions and start climbing the bounty hunters ladder.

[m4r35n357]

Would they still consider me an outsider who is innocent?
Thanks
Yah-Ta-Hey

Offenders and fugitives are fair game, you did good Did they blow you a kiss on the way out? RH is wicked funny, then again it's cost me nearly 50kCR in repairs for the last two whackings!

[Bugbear]

Here's my followup...

The battle of Teususdi
I really should have read the military brief more closely. It wasn't pirates, it was Thargoids.

I remember my first experience coming up against the Thargoids many years ago, and it was a nerve-wracking, butt-clenching experience. The combination of an unexpected mis-jump with a confrontation with an aggressive, alien enemy that could seemingly slice through my shields at will...well to be honest, I couldn't believe it was happening. Fortunately for me, I had enough fuel to jump out of interstellar space to the relative safety of an Anarchy system...

Years in the spacelanes and subsequent encounters with the Thargoids taught me respect, then (as my ship got more iron-assed), complacency as I found myself able to dispatch two or three at a time (so long as my injectors held out!!!).

As I formed up with the squad, I probably felt a bit cocky. There were a smattering of Cobra Is, three or four naval frigates. I even spied a few fellow Boas by the look of it. What could possibly go wrong.

Looking back, I probably felt the same as those young, wide-eye'd men from some assorted feudal systems, who had been told that war was noble and exciting by their 'betters' (who conveniently stayed in the safety of their strongholds).

Then the Thargoids came. I could some of their larger ships ahead of us even before they drifted into scanner range. Spotting maybe half a dozen or so in the distance, I thought, how bad could this be?

Then the green and red lollypops appeared on my scanner....and kept increasing in number. This wasn't an invasion force, this was a bloody migration!!! Battle was joined, and before long, the forward half of my scanner was covered in red/green markers. I couldn't tell you how many of them there were, especially after they started launching their robot fighters.

I started taking hits. Targeting a thargoid cruiser, I redlined my fore and aft lasers. It sat there laughing at me and I found myself surrounded, taking hits and losing equipment.

Over the comms there were the panicked calls from my colleagues as we found ourselves completely overwhelmed. I needed to cool my lasers, and I was useless where I was. Maybe that's my justification for my next action. I'm ashamed to say I fled. There were simply too many of them...

As I retreated, I could see half a dozen or so Thargoids on my six, about 20km behind. At least, I thought, that's six or seven thargoids that won't be focusing on the rest of the squad, but by this stage, I had no idea what state the squad was in.

At this point, the enemy did something that I don't understand, but was grateful that they did. I'm sure they could have outrun me, but they just sat on my six at 20km, allowing me to gradually snipe them with my aft laser, one by one. Once the last of the pursuing cruisers fell, the drones deactivated, and at last I was alone.

I tried to get back to the witchpoint beacon in an attempt to help the squad, and hopefully redeem myself, but it must have been destroyed. There was no direction for me to take now but back to the system station.

Arriving at the station, I'm told "The battle of Teususdi was over", and my participation was acknowledged - 7 kills. I don't know what happened to the rest of the squad. I can only hope they took as many of the bastards down as they could.

Before this battle, I thought I was a pretty good pilot. This experience has humbled me. Next time, and there will be a next time, I'll be more prepared!

Good hunting, commanders!

[Ad_Astra]

I'm ashamed to say I fled. There were simply too many of them...

There's absolutely no shame in running in the face of overwhelming odds. There's two kinds of pilots - dead ones and living ones. You only get to the rankings of Elite if you can stay alive long enough...

As I retreated, I could see half a dozen or so Thargoids on my six, about 20km behind. At least, I thought, that's six or seven thargoids that won't be focusing on the rest of the squad, but by this stage, I had no idea what state the squad was in.

At this point, the enemy did something that I don't understand, but was grateful that they did. I'm sure they could have outrun me, but they just sat on my six at 20km, allowing me to gradually snipe them with my aft laser, one by one. Once the last of the pursuing cruisers fell, the drones deactivated, and at last I was alone.

I tried to get back to the witchpoint beacon in an attempt to help the squad, and hopefully redeem myself, but it must have been destroyed. There was no direction for me to take now but back to the system station.

Arriving at the station, I'm told "The battle of Teususdi was over", and my participation was acknowledged - 7 kills. I don't know what happened to the rest of the squad. I can only hope they took as many of the bastards down as they could.

Before this battle, I thought I was a pretty good pilot. This experience has humbled me. Next time, and there will be a next time, I'll be more prepared!

Good hunting, commanders!

I did pretty much the same thing on my first - and so far only - Navy mission. It was to take out a Pirate Base. Unfortunately, I shot at what I was though was a small ship... it turned out to be a Rouge Frigate at the edge my scanner range. D'oh! It was all I could to be stay alive, rather then get pummelled into oblivion by a broadside of multiple plasma cannons, by punching out using my Fuel Injectors.

Once my shield had replenished I rejoined the battle - thankfully without a Rouge Frigate to take another potshot at me. I think I got 4 or 5 confirmed kills out of it, but it also humbled me and made me appreciate just how dangerous combat can be.

[Ad_Astra]

(Cut for brevity...)
But as the wormhole opens I wonder if the repairs will cost me more than the reward. What a game!

I find that is frequently the case, especially given the additional costs of replenishing Darts for the AMS.

[CaptSolo]

Okay the Nova Mission came stumbling into my Ooniverse, but I was prepared. Still it seems a bit odd (maybe not) when you arrive at a system where the sun is about to explode that funny things begin to happen. The first indicators right off were about six or seven wormhole signatures on the scanner. One just doesn't see that kind of thing. Then you hit the injectors only to find there is no fuel for them. Finally you take a peek at the sun and you know that this is the moment.

No spoilers here. I only want to say that I found the whole thing rather cute albeit a "gotcha" for many a commander. Especially the moment just before the hyperspace countdown reached zero, as I was hurrying away from the station with the refugees, there was a flash to black. Damn cute!

[Yah-Ta-Hey]

Sometimes trying to help can be nearly fatal: I pull into a seedy bar to find a new contract and to whet my whistle when the barkeep comes up to me and wants to know if I can help repel the thargoids who have come in force: 14 already arrived and more appear to be coming in from the peripherals. So along with the rest, I mount up and come out with the rest, swarming around the bar looking for a fight. taking note of how many fighters there are I realize that we are badly outnumbered but still. what a day to count coup and to sing a death song to the enemy. I tally out five before I get a chance to look around and I see only 1 other fighter who blossoms into a white cloud in front of me. Then it is solid red in all 360 degrees around me. I Hit the injectors trying to get out of the area only to be hit again and again. In horror I watch my ship being shredded to pieces.. equipment failure is rampant, I am down to my last missile, no witchspace fuel to go on now... My emergency energy unit kicked in giving my my final bar of energy. I do the only thing left... I release my energy bomb..... watching the scoreboard tally up the 35 units(100,100,50,50,100), I relax knowing that it is over. As I make my way back to the seedy bar, I reflect on those who did not make it and promise to lift a glass to their bravery. Arriving at the launch pad, I get a message to immediately leave the bar before the mob comes down and hauls me out of the ship and cast me into space without a suit. Confused, I hesitate at the approach of the mob.. I look at my standing: FUGITIVE!!!!! how could that Happen??? I just save this seedy bar's ass and they want to do this to me?
I fire up Calypso, turn her around when some Yahoo lays a thermal detonator under my hull and assists me in getting out of Dodge. It takes 3 systems to bring me to a planet that will let me dock for repairs to the equipment that my in-house node couldn't handle. I have learned my lesson... next time I will use a quirium and go someplace else to celebrate.

Yah-Ta-Hey

[Commander McLane]

Well, what do you expect for using weapons of mass destruction? Killing your allies together with their foes, that's a fine support you gave them. 'Trying to help', that's what they all say.

By the way, using another type of WMD won't change that. Besides, Seedy Space Bars' patrons are not amused by the prospect of seeing their home blow up in a blue sphere. Which is why they have taken measures to disarm all cascading weapons around the bars. Try it out by launching a q-mine next to a bar and see what happens.

[Riff]

So i just bought my new ship a falcon, and decided to go exploring the galaxy trying to find that sweet milk run, and i did in galaxy 3 but as soon as i get there im getting jumped by pirates. i managed to take a few out and the rest i left behind when i activated my injectors.
after a couple of jumps in G3 i was running low on fuel and found this nice station not far of from the nav buoy, i painted it on my scanner and it recognised it as a renegade station so i figure i might get a good price on the computers i have and fuel up too, but as soon as i dock i get boarded by pirates and they take all my cargo and also demanded that i hand over 10.000 cr. as ransom .Well i had no choice but to give them the credits and they happily kicked me of the station, but as i sat there mad at my bad luck at just being mugged i realised that i had a Q bomb. so i strafed the station with laser fire and ship after ship started pouring out of this station, so i dropped my bomb and injected out of there, as i hit my rear view i saw the station turning to dust and all the pirates that were there just added to the force of the destruction, it was sweet.

P.S dont land on a renegade stations if you have a clean status

[Commander McLane]

P.S dont land on a renegade station if you have a clean status

A valuable piece of advice you have there.

[armadillozenith]

I like the anecdotes on here!

Only when justified..
I do find seedy bars fun, but a mixed bag. Some of the individuals seeking to take out contracts seem more worthy of condemnation than their intended victims, many of whom seem guilty of nothing worse than social mischief or vandalism..
I only accept contracts where the victim is genuinely heinous, i.e. a murderer. Of course.
In one instance, having beaten-up the contracted individual's ship, I then captured the fleeing miscreant's escape pod - and was berated for it by the issuer of the contract, who wanted them dead and then some. I then was offered the choice of despatching the victim in a particularly nasty manner or handing them over to Gal Cops. Both miffed and perturbed, I went with the humane option - and didn't regret it.
After all, I have to live with myself.

Oops!
I have found myself in battle on the side of good (versus Thargoids) only to find, on my approach to the next seedy bar to relax and share the tale, being warned off by a couple of vigilante shooters taking potshots. Astonished, I check my status.. Offender! How did that happen? Oh.. maybe inadvertent friendly fire, I guess in the confusion of battle I may have hit a Navy or Reservist ship by mistake. Those Thargoids do zip around so.
I don't return fire at the vigilantes (how are they to know?) and just skip system, then find my status is back to clean. Next time I return, there's no problem.. the usual cordial welcome. How come? I haven't disposed of any fugitives or performed other notable community service meanwhile.. does 'not returning fire' count as a good deed that wipes my slate clean, or does a 'light' offending status wear off quickly by itself? Or what?

What goes on?
On the subject of battles.. I've seen what I presume are Q-bomb blue circles from afar, but never been able to find out what it was all about. Maybe better that way!

Building Control.. SOS!
I've seen signs also that Nuit stations blow up with alarming frequency. A cluster of Nuits visible on my approach to, or departure from, orbital station.. a sudden flare, and they seem fewer. Mind you, those stations do seem to be thrown up with indecent haste.. more being added, even while I'm docked.. so if Building Codes are violated now and again, with sub-standard workmanship in the reactors leading to tragedy, I'm not surprised.
I suppose it could also be terrorist attack, or a careless docking by a ship full of ordnance..

They don't make 'em like they used to
Speaking of ordnance.. I'm less pleased than I used to be with those so-handy homing Beacons marketed as 'scoopable'. Maybe with popularity and mass demand being met hastily, and factory workers forced into too-long shifts, we have seen their quality-control standards drop? Nowadays, I buy a Beacon Launcher, deploy one, depart, return to retrieve it, do the usual alignment and approach, see the on-screen message 'Beacon scooped'.. but it doesn't reappear on my rack! No sign of it on the scope either, now - presumably it's disintegrated utterly, during the scooping process. This has happened to me repeatedly, in my current ship - a BoomSlang - having a rack with 6 spaces and at least one of those left vacant for the Beacon. I can only assume that the more recent batches of Beacons are less hardy - the old ones could be rammed and just bounced off, intact - scoopable - reuseable!

[Cody]

I like the anecdotes on here!

Astonished, I check my status.. Offender! ... and just skip system, then find my status is back to clean.

If you're only a low-level offender, it sometimes only takes one jump to clear your record.

[DaddyHoggy]

In response to Oops! Most of the law enforcement agencies have memories like, erm, you know small, shiny, valuable, piscine, thing, Goldfish, yeh, that's it Goldfish. You leave, they forget, you come back, all is well.

How long they take to forget depends on how naughty you were, but they all forget eventually providing you don't do anything to remind them why they don't want you around...

Edit: Ninja'd (inevitably) by EV...