Yet another dumb newbie question...

Hi everyone,

I just bought EOC (having played and completed the original IW ages ago) and it seems great, but I'm having a little difficulty getting started. I've completed the first missions and I'm into Act 1, and it seems I've reached the free form piracy section.

The problem is finding suitable targets for piracy. I've cheched out almost everywhere in the Griffon system, but all the "corporate" areas are crawling with fighters and I get wasted immediately.

Some of the other areas (like the Samarkand L-Point) seem more promising, but there are usually only a couple of cargo ships and there are still usually plenty of combat ships around - and generally the cargo ships promptly vanish into LDS anyway.

I could just be totally inept, but it seems that most combat seems to result in my tug getting almost instantly wiped out - the learning curve seems quite steep on this game (although I can manage to kill the first 8-10 ships or so in instant action with the tug). Yes, I'm using the lateral thrusters.

So, any tips? How should I know which cargo ships are worth attacking, and won't provoke too much retaliation?

Cheers,

Contact.

Hi Contact. Welcome to the forum.

You could try looking here: www.i-war2.com/cargo.htm

It's a breakdown of all the areas, their cargo, traffic activity and traffic composition i.e pirate, corporate bodies et al

Try out the Blackeye-L point. It gets a lot of cargo moving through it (compared to the other L-points in Hoffer's Wake). When a large group of marauders jump in, just retreat to about 40km away; they'll leave in time, and usually shoot up some independent freighters for you.

In the beginning of the game, don't try taking on every ship and escort you see. For example: I'm in the tug sitting 20km from the Blackeye-L. A snrv escorted by two tugs approaches to use the L-point. Wait until they are lined up to jump, then accelerate on a heading that will let you pass near the snrv.

Get some good speed going. As you pass the snrv, fire a couple of shots at it. It will drop the cargo. Do not stop to fight the escorts. Continue on untill you're about 40km away from the L-point (on the other side from which you started). The escorts will persue you, but have to turn back when the snrv starts to make it's jump. Once they leave, the cargo is yours.

Do this as long as there is traffic at the L-point. You can take down larger freighters if you time a volley of missiles so that they strike at the same time your shots hit the freighter.

Not the most courageous way to get cargo, but in the opening stages of the game you have to be sneaky.

No confusion; just wrong or right ... Only Solutions

Thanks guys, that's exactly the kind of guidance I was looking for. I'll go and see how I get on...

Cheers,

Contact.

how bout rob some of the ship that sends distress signals for instance

they got lots of loot!!!!

I'm also currently in the position of needing to up my pirate status and are finding it difficult to do so. In the EOC manual it specifically states that "transports" carry cargo, but I've shot at lots of them and haven't found any cargo whatsoever.

Are freighters the only ships that carry goodies? If so, I haven't run into any at the locations mentioned on the www.i-war2.com/cargo.htm page.

Even a stopped clock gives the right time twice a day.