Fractal Softworks Forum

Starsector => Suggestions => Topic started by: Az the Squishy on June 11, 2019, 09:41:54 PM

Title: Pirate bases Implode or are taken out after X amt of time or bounties unclaimed
Post by: Az the Squishy on June 11, 2019, 09:41:54 PM
I have rage-quit more over pirates than any time playing the game recently. It is particularly nasty when I've several of the buggers nested in a cluster nearby each other and then have them send wave after wave into multiple star-systsms. I get my candy-covered-glutes tossed to the dogs and yet the other factions don't consider the idea of going out to send an attack fleet in retaliation? But if I saturate bomb a pirate planet, every loses their minds?!?

Basically, I'd like to have it that pirate bases at some point "implode" Perhaps they have interal conflict, perhaps the Hegemony finally kills them. Perhaps they meet a swarm of [REDACTED]. But, having them leave after a bounty or X amount of bounties have been placed onto them but not taken within 2 years or something would be appreciated to give the sector- and player assets - a brief peace before they cobble a base (or several together again.)

In the mean time... I'm making a new game and turning on Easy Mode...
OR if I'm misunderstanding something or otherwise seem to be missing a point let me know.
Title: Re: Pirate bases Implode or are taken out after X amt of time or bounties unclaimed
Post by: goduranus on June 11, 2019, 10:23:11 PM
Would make sense that some pirate bases are temporary rallying points, and pirates would disassemble them and go their separate ways after they distribute the loot.
Title: Re: Pirate bases Implode or are taken out after X amt of time or bounties unclaimed
Post by: Thaago on June 11, 2019, 10:47:53 PM
If you blow up the base targeting your system, you get a brief respite. If you end up doing serious exploring though, you will not have time to respond to the next raid when it happens (sometimes it only gives ~ 15 days estimated time, and it takes longer than that to fly home).
Title: Re: Pirate bases Implode or are taken out after X amt of time or bounties unclaimed
Post by: Hrothgar on June 12, 2019, 01:55:54 AM
In Kadur Remnant/Vayr Sector mod is hotfix where Luddic Path/Kadur/Pirate station dont spawn when nation is wiped out.
Title: Re: Pirate bases Implode or are taken out after X amt of time or bounties unclaimed
Post by: Az the Squishy on June 12, 2019, 10:13:33 AM
All Valid points. I think I need to elaborate more. This isn't just about player colonies, it's more an overall impact.

If you're in mid-game trying to get the money and loot together to make a base- even with commission -I've found it is particularly difficult to get rid of the pirates for more than a few months. I understand they're there for a challenge, and that's fine. But I can't even attack some of these bases due to the sizes of the fleets they've guarding the place. By the time I get rid of the guards a replacement fleet is already around the station again.

Part of this suggestion was just pure frustration. The other part was on how this really is an issue. Thankfully there seems to be a cap on the amount of pirate-stations. It's still quite damming to get funds together, only to end up throwing said funds into stabilizing the colony, trying to kill the pirate base, and then getting rofflestomped on the way to the pirate-base by a returning swarm of pirates.

I understand that having the bases just be there means they're a constant nuisance and thus challenge for a player. But, when I have 5 odd stations sending waves into the sector pillaging and yet, none of the said bases are eventually taken out by the antagonized factions it feels strained. Eventually the bounties for fleets go away, why not the same for the pirate Stations and have the station go with it?

EDIT:

Not all bases would fall I presume, so, perhaps like 75% of pirate bases active die off depending on strength and proximity to the central cluster.
Title: Re: Pirate bases Implode or are taken out after X amt of time or bounties unclaimed
Post by: Megas on June 12, 2019, 10:57:35 AM
Pirates attack too much, and killing them seems to do nothing to slow their assault on core worlds.  It is hard to squeeze time in to do fun exploration stuff before you either need to play space cop or defend your colonies from major factions, especially once you need Free Port to boost your anemic population growth.

I did little exploration until late in the game, and I forced some exploration then just to find blueprint packs and not get junk blueprints (like Hammerhead or Harpoon racks) from raids.
Title: Re: Pirate bases Implode or are taken out after X amt of time or bounties unclaimed
Post by: intrinsic_parity on June 12, 2019, 11:18:40 AM
If you are having trouble killing the basic pirate bases with only one or two defensive fleets, you may have started your colony before your fleet is strong enough, or you may be waiting too long to deal with the bases since they level up over time. Do you go to the bar to find their locations before they start sending raids? Whenever there is 'pirate activity' there is a base somewhere and if you go to the bar, they will tell you what system it is in so you can go kill it when it is small. I find it very annoying to do this, but I really haven't had much trouble actually killing the bases.

Also, sometimes it is better to go dark and wait for a patrol to leave the base than to try and kill the patrol. You can also take over com/nav buoys in the system, and the patrols will get baited away from the base.
Title: Re: Pirate bases Implode or are taken out after X amt of time or bounties unclaimed
Post by: Az the Squishy on June 12, 2019, 12:17:51 PM
True and you can raid the base to the point where it's CR is down to 0 if you've enough marines I've found through some testing and the Command Console. so there are ways around it.

As for starting my Colony too early, that... is very likely true. I think I'll start the colony after I get the red-planet tech this time around... Or after I get 1 Million in credits at the very least.
Title: Re: Pirate bases Implode or are taken out after X amt of time or bounties unclaimed
Post by: Nick XR on June 12, 2019, 02:19:27 PM
The 15 day warning chafes my behind also.  If there was a way to get more of a warning that would be great (investing in spies by bribing a pirate station master), or a way to pay off the pirates to go attack someone else, or pay to build a special fleet from your colonies to track them down and kill them. 

Really just more options for dealing with the threat, especially if you're on the other side of the sector having a good time exploring.
Title: Re: Pirate bases Implode or are taken out after X amt of time or bounties unclaimed
Post by: Megas on June 12, 2019, 02:53:01 PM
Perhaps a more annoying thing about pirates too close to your colonies is not the 15 minute wait but their fleets eating your merchants and causing trade disruptions that may cause shortages and harm your colony stats if you failed to stockpile enough commodities to draw from during a shortage.

As for threats against my colonies, I get annoyed most with major factions because of the constant rep loss and they need more than an orbital station and patrol hq to stop their invading fleets.  Then they have the gall to ask me to kill their pirates like an online player whining and begging for rare items in leet speak.  (And if you give the beggar items, they flock next to you and demand MOAR ITEMZ!)

I tried bribing the factions, but alerts are too frequent to be a useful option.  Thus, time to smash more fleets.  I am half-tempted to decivilize their worlds just to make them stop and let them know the folly of bullying a dragon.
Title: Re: Pirate bases Implode or are taken out after X amt of time or bounties unclaimed
Post by: Morgan Rue on June 12, 2019, 09:51:23 PM
What annoys me is that there's a minimum number of pirate/pather bases. After I hunted down every pather base, I did some exploration and immediately encountered 3 pather bases in a row which I believe had just spawned due to the game requiring there to be at least one pather base in existence. They were all level 2 fully operational stations, of course. Fortunately, you can change this in settings.json
Title: Re: Pirate bases Implode or are taken out after X amt of time or bounties unclaimed
Post by: TrashMan on June 13, 2019, 12:37:18 AM
As for starting my Colony too early, that... is very likely true. I think I'll start the colony after I get the red-planet tech this time around... Or after I get 1 Million in credits at the very least.

Too early. wait till you have 3 milion and a powerful feet (in total).
You can always store ships and only use a smaller fleet for efficiency/money saving, and pull the other ships out of storage when necessary.
Title: Re: Pirate bases Implode or are taken out after X amt of time or bounties unclaimed
Post by: Az the Squishy on June 13, 2019, 02:04:07 PM
Oh god, so that really IS the late-game stage of things... @~@  I think I'll experiment a bit and put together a list of little discoveries I've found for Vanillia Gameplay cause mods well, mods throw everthing out the window a good deal of the time.
Title: Re: Pirate bases Implode or are taken out after X amt of time or bounties unclaimed
Post by: Megas on June 14, 2019, 09:48:09 AM
It is possible to build and run colonies during mid-game, but you need to keep a low enough profile to avoid attracting expeditions from major factions.  That means avoid growing too fast and/or building most industries.  You can build a simple waystation with farming without attracting more than pirates.  Pirates will raid, but they can be repelled with an orbital station, patrol hq, and modest ground defenses.  You do need to take time off to kill pirate bases targeting your colony before they grow too strong.

But if you really want to build everything and be self-sufficient, you need multi-million credits to build up a force powerful enough to defend against major factions.  That part is practically endgame or at the cusp of it.

And no Free Port until you can handle expeditions, that attracts Church and Hegemony.
Title: Re: Pirate bases Implode or are taken out after X amt of time or bounties unclaimed
Post by: Morgan Rue on June 16, 2019, 09:30:52 PM
As for starting my Colony too early, that... is very likely true. I think I'll start the colony after I get the red-planet tech this time around... Or after I get 1 Million in credits at the very least.

Too early. wait till you have 3 milion and a powerful feet (in total).
You can always store ships and only use a smaller fleet for efficiency/money saving, and pull the other ships out of storage when necessary.
I usually start colonies if I have 450k and enough to transport the crew required.