Oolite Bulletins

There is a separate (potential) raise to the cap per high-risk package, though raising the cap doesn't necessarily mean that enough assassins will be generated to fill it, and often they won't. If you're carrying several high-risk packages and then jump to a bottleneck Anarchy, though ...

cim wrote:

... jump to a bottleneck Anarchy, though ...

Ah Such is the life of a courier...

Venator Dha wrote:

cim wrote:

... jump to a bottleneck Anarchy, though ...

Ah Such is the life of a courier...

<grins> Indeed!

Venator Dha wrote:

cim wrote:

There's also a very low cap on the number of assassins that appear in general, which is only raised (sometimes) if the player is carrying the highest-risk clients through an insecure system.

Is this per package? As I have on several ovations encountered 3 or 4 groups of 4 assassins at a witch point in high risk systems.
Not complaining about it though

cim wrote:

... jump to a bottleneck Anarchy, though ...

Ugh! So carrying multiple passengers effectively ensures seeing not just an assassin ambush at a high risk bottleneck system, but multiple GROUPS of assassins?!

Q-bombs shouldn't be highly needed or recommended equipment for doing passenger contracts!

Switeck wrote:

Ugh! So carrying multiple passengers effectively ensures seeing not just an assassin ambush at a high risk bottleneck system, but multiple GROUPS of assassins?!

Well, the random numbers can still be in your favour and roll zeroes for the actual count. It's never guaranteed.

But if you're carrying a high five-figure or even six-figure value of contracts (multiple high-risk passengers, not just multiple passengers, and you can easily get that much on a long distance trip) there probably should be some actual risk to justify the level of pay.

Thank you Cim for all the answers, and the work you've all done creating this.
I certainly have a better understanding of the mechanics behind all this now.

My problem with it is not that there's an assassin or a group but multiple groups. Surely they can't all be expected to get credit for the kill.
NPC ships aren't as weak as they were in v1.76 versus the player, but this seems balanced as such.
Especially if they were equipped appropriately against their target's capabilities and reputation.

Because if you care enough, send the very best...

Switeck wrote:

Because if you care enough, send the very best...

Sometimes they do - those heavy assassins can be big trouble!

That doesn't mean they need to send the whole Assassins Guild as escorts.

Why not try it out - go run some suitable parcels, build-up your courier rep, and see what transpires.

I'm looking into it, especially the code behind it. It's easy for intent and results to not match up, which alone can explain much of the frustration here.

cim wrote:

Falcon777 wrote:

My supercobra is decked out in just about every piece of equipment that can be considered to be overpowered, and yet the assassins whine after I put up half of a fight, stating that my ship is supposed to be broken down or that an adder with a pulse laser should have been able to take me out. That's just insulting.

The whining is Comms Pack A, so should reduce once other people have also written some comms packs.

I was about to point out the same thing..

The other consideration in this kind of event is, how do you know the person putting out the contract didn't lie about how easy the hit would be, to get a cheaper price?

Diziet Sma wrote:

.The other consideration in this kind of event is, how do you know the person putting out the contract didn't lie about how easy the hit would be, to get a cheaper price?

That's all well and good the first few times. Eventually, though, you'd think I would build up a reputation for being more powerful than those run of the mill assassins. Surely SOMEBODY has the money and will to send someone that's actually competent enough to fight me one on one, right?

With them being new, very few OXP ships have the assassin role, so something that can take on a Supercobra isn't going to show up.

cim wrote:

With them being new, very few OXP ships have the assassin role, so something that can take on a Supercobra isn't going to show up.

Eh, fair enough. I play the courier role for the excitement of how far I can push adding in more packages and the timing of it all than the random fights against poor assassins. If I want a tough fight I go to the closest navy station and go on a run against the thargoids, or I pick up a high profile bounty from the closest bounty hunter station.