Whats with the pirate frigate?

[mystikmind2005]

I have seen people talking about it, but have no idea what its about?

Anyway, i was doing some random exploring and encountered it attacking civilian vessels.

First the mission seems to want me to intercept some missiles that are out of range, ... *out of range* I can race over and hit 1 and then be more out of position for the main show.

I noticed some things inside the pirate ship too shoot, and the second things that pop up, so i shoot those, then the ship vanishes and apparently i lose?

I tried jumping in my fleet but it won't allow, so i tried jumping 'in' my fleet but nothing is happening when i get there.

So is it like part of a mission or something and that's why i cannot win?

[Kosevich]

Nope, you are just too slow.
Thete is several different ways to end this random encounter:
- watch how pirate massacre civilian fleet. In this case you gain nothing.
- come close to pirate dreadnought engines and try to atack it.
You need to be very close to bypass pirate dreadnought shiels. That will start a 30sec timer for all pirates to retreat.
In this case you will be granted a medium reward (300-600k credits).
- if you have enough fire power you can actually destroy all 4 engines. This will allow you to board and capture pirate dreadnought.
In this case you can choose to claim a dreadnought for free and replace your current Freighter. Or just demand dreadnought cargo (this will always give you 5-6 million credits and in very rare occasions a freighter cargo bulkhead upgrade).
- destroy pirate dreadnought shields and after destoyroy hull.
Do NOT ATACK ENGINES!
You need to be quick and have huge ship firepower. Different spots on dreadnought hull has weak points. It can triple your damage. This allow you to destroy pirate dreadnought and you will be rewarded a new freighter technology upgrade and freighter upgrade modules.

[Kosevich]

And you actually can intercept all 6 pirate missiles. This will buy you extra time to deal with pirates.
Each missile hitted civilians will damage 10% shield or hull of civilian fleet.

[retsam1]

Plenty of videos about how to take on Pirate Freighter encounters as well as how to spawn them. Also there are videos out there on getting the best super charge grouping pirate dreadnought freighers to have as you own too.

[mystikmind2005]

Thanks for the replies, now that i understand what type of situation it is, i now know its definitely not for me.

[Metazolid]

You don't actually need a huge amount of fire power to destroy the Dreadnaught before it can escape, just the default shooter with a few upgrades and the rocket launcher is enough.

You go down the one side of the channels, destroy the metal ball shield thingies, and also the pistons that come up after as well. What I like to do is align myself with them, so while the sphere right infront of me has just been destroyed and the orange glowing piston comes up, I already damage and destroy the sphere behind it.

Once that's done, fly to the second channel and only destroy the spheres, here you leave the glowing pistons alone for now. While in the channel, just shoot the side walls, alternating between your main weapon and the rocket launcher until the health bar drops to at least the O from "target fuel rOds for additional hull damage" (or the milddle of G in "dreadnouGht shields breached", then go ahead and destroy the remaining five orange pistons in one go, you'll have the ship obliterated long before it had the chance to escape.

All while this is happening, just ignore the incoming torpedoes, by the time the civilian ship shield is depleted, you're nearly done destroying the Dreadnaught, so no need to move away from attacking.

[Calico-Jack]

Originally posted by mystikmind2005:

So is it like part of a mission or something and that's why i cannot win?

To defeat it take out its engines so it can't run off then destroy all the huge anti-ship weapons and it will surrender. Depending on your weapons you may or may not do this while the civilian ship is still alive.

[mystikmind2005]

Originally posted by Metazolid:

You don't actually need a huge amount of fire power to destroy the Dreadnaught before it can escape, just the default shooter with a few upgrades and the rocket launcher is enough.

You go down the one side of the channels, destroy the metal ball shield thingies, and also the pistons that come up after as well. What I like to do is align myself with them, so while the sphere right infront of me has just been destroyed and the orange glowing piston comes up, I already damage and destroy the sphere behind it.

Once that's done, fly to the second channel and only destroy the spheres, here you leave the glowing pistons alone for now. While in the channel, just shoot the side walls, alternating between your main weapon and the rocket launcher until the health bar drops to at least the O from "target fuel rOds for additional hull damage" (or the milddle of G in "dreadnouGht shields breached", then go ahead and destroy the remaining five orange pistons in one go, you'll have the ship obliterated long before it had the chance to escape.

All while this is happening, just ignore the incoming torpedoes, by the time the civilian ship shield is depleted, you're nearly done destroying the Dreadnaught, so no need to move away from attacking.

Sounds potentially dooable?

My solar ship is class A;

D-278
S-300
E-638
M-556

Even though the maneuverability is 556, it still feels slow to turn and pirates run rings around me, but i usually get them in the end, it just takes a while because of turning so slow.

I don't know if i am going to invest more on upgrading it or find a better ship... i am reluctant to upgrade it because the engines block some of my view, so, that's the problem.

I got 3 wingmen set up fairly good, and could afford the fourth one, but holding off because not sure i might suddenly need the nanites for something else (they are hard to come by)

[GenSec39]

Originally posted by mystikmind2005:

Sounds potentially dooable?

It's dooable even with C class explorer. Of course, only if you'll be fast and do only what you need. If you are going to shoot every missile and every pirate spaceship - yeah, that can be challenging even for maxed out ship.

If you are going to destroy the ship - destroy shields and fuel tanks. Drain the rest of it's hp just by shooting the hull. DO NOT touch engines. That's it.

If you are going to take the ship aboard (this will be lil harder)- destroy engines, big guns, shields, small guns, some fuels tanks. Overal shoot all the stuff that can be destroyed until dreadnought surrenders via com message.

In the end, while it is really not that important but nevertheless - solar is not good combat ship. Far from it. Something like interceptor or fighter will be much better choice. Solars are good for fast exploration due to it's high speed.

Your wingmen are there only for the show. They inflict almost no damage.

[Lindy Bomber]

If you destroy the dreadnaught and collect reward from the civilian freighter do you have the option of buying the freighter?

Is the encounter random or is there a cool down clock like the normal freighter battles or do they always spawn in certain pirate systems? I heard conflicting information about this.

[mystikmind2005]

Originally posted by Lindy Bomber:

If you destroy the dreadnaught and collect reward from the civilian freighter do you have the option of buying the freighter?

Is the encounter random or is there a cool down clock like the normal freighter battles or do they always spawn in certain pirate systems? I heard conflicting information about this.

Well, i'm not allowed to buy it.... i have rescued several freighters but they only want to exchange for my original freighter, there is no option to buy them, unless you don't have one already i guess? (i think they gave me the first one for free after a battle, but i had to buy the frigates)

[Lindy Bomber]

Originally posted by mystikmind2005:

Originally posted by Lindy Bomber:

If you destroy the dreadnaught and collect reward from the civilian freighter do you have the option of buying the freighter?

Is the encounter random or is there a cool down clock like the normal freighter battles or do they always spawn in certain pirate systems? I heard conflicting information about this.

Well, i'm not allowed to buy it.... i have rescued several freighters but they only want to exchange for my original freighter, there is no option to buy them, unless you don't have one already i guess? (i think they gave me the first one for free after a battle, but i had to buy the frigates)

That's what I meant.

What I really want to know is if this is a better way to farm a S class freighter without save-scuming.

[CrazyMom]

Originally posted by Lindy Bomber:

Originally posted by mystikmind2005:

Well, i'm not allowed to buy it.... i have rescued several freighters but they only want to exchange for my original freighter, there is no option to buy them, unless you don't have one already i guess? (i think they gave me the first one for free after a battle, but i had to buy the frigates)

That's what I meant.

What I really want to know is if this is a better way to farm a S class freighter without save-scuming.

After I destroyed the main pirate dreadnought and saving the fleet, I purchased the civilian freighter since it was an A Class Sentinel in one of my files.

All the other attacks that happen with no dreadnoughts and pirate fighters which you have to destroy, you can exchange your freighter for free (or purchase as well if not free).

[Shadow Strider]

Originally posted by mystikmind2005:

I have seen people talking about it, but have no idea what its about?

Anyway, i was doing some random exploring and encountered it attacking civilian vessels.

First the mission seems to want me to intercept some missiles that are out of range, ... *out of range* I can race over and hit 1 and then be more out of position for the main show.

I noticed some things inside the pirate ship too shoot, and the second things that pop up, so i shoot those, then the ship vanishes and apparently i lose?

I tried jumping in my fleet but it won't allow, so i tried jumping 'in' my fleet but nothing is happening when i get there.

So is it like part of a mission or something and that's why i cannot win?

its not a frigate, its a freighter... pirate dreadnought to be specific. the pirate frigates are floating around it and can be hired after you defeat the dreadnought...

Don't waste your time on the missiles, any time they add is nullified by the time you spent on the in the first place...

You have 3 options when facing a dreadnought:

1. destroy it - take out the shield generators and the capsules inside them (they are found in the two trenches), then fire fire everything you have at the ship until its destroyed. But be quick; Once the generators are down, then a 30sec timer starts before it warps away.
If you destory it before it warps, you will earn one freighter tech module (almost always S-class) or 3 freighter bulkheads (I haven't got this reward since Adrift though, so it may have been removed or is bugged)

2. Claim the dreadnought - for this, you want to start by taking out the 4 engines at the back of the ship. Then destroy the 6 big cannons (5 at the back, 1 at the front). At this point the dreadnought will surrender and its turrets will stop attacking.... You can then land on it, go up to the captain, and claim it as your own.

3. Rob the dreadnought - this is exactly like option 2, but instead of taking the freighter, you take a few million units as a bribe to let them go... This is option is basically pointless, it's only there so you get something you decide it isn't good enough to claim... but save scumming methods make that irrelevant.

Warning: Do not destroy the engines if you plan to destroy it! it can result in not getting all your rewards.
(I pretty sure all options earn you some units and nanites, and if the civilian ship survives you get 5-8 rep for the local race too)

[Shadow Strider]

Originally posted by Lindy Bomber:

Originally posted by mystikmind2005:

Well, i'm not allowed to buy it.... i have rescued several freighters but they only want to exchange for my original freighter, there is no option to buy them, unless you don't have one already i guess? (i think they gave me the first one for free after a battle, but i had to buy the frigates)

That's what I meant.

What I really want to know is if this is a better way to farm a S class freighter without save-scuming.

Yes, there is:
Usually the dreadnought only appears the first time you warp into the system, but occasionally you'll find one that appears every time you warp in...
If you find two of them (or ideally one for each race) within warp distance, you can just warp between systems instead of reloading ;)
You'll be earning Rep, units and nanites for each attempt, so you still get some benefit even if it takes a lot of battles to find your S-class one

Also, only bother with outlaw systems if you know you want S-class, they have 5% chance for each S, A, and B class, and 85% for C class, (you'll mostly see C class, but it has the highest chance for S class)
If you're happy with A class, go for 3 star economies, they have 2% for S, but 28% for A, 40% for B, and 30% for C

[Erich]

Originally posted by GenSec39:

Originally posted by mystikmind2005:

Sounds potentially dooable?

It's dooable even with C class explorer. Of course, only if you'll be fast and do only what you need. If you are going to shoot every missile and every pirate spaceship - yeah, that can be challenging even for maxed out ship.

If you are going to destroy the ship - destroy shields and fuel tanks. Drain the rest of it's hp just by shooting the hull. DO NOT touch engines. That's it.

If you are going to take the ship aboard (this will be lil harder)- destroy engines, big guns, shields, small guns, some fuels tanks. Overal shoot all the stuff that can be destroyed until dreadnought surrenders via com message.

In the end, while it is really not that important but nevertheless - solar is not good combat ship. Far from it. Something like interceptor or fighter will be much better choice. Solars are good for fast exploration due to it's high speed.

Your wingmen are there only for the show. They inflict almost no damage.

While shooting engines, in my Radiant Pillar, I got more damage from bumping in dreadnought then from incoming fire.
Then lumbered in shield generators areas shot them up.
There were 1 or 2 anti-ship guns.
Anyway it was a $hit show on my end.