Help with Playing as Pirates.

Fyron · #1 June 11th, 2005, 02:38 PM

Make sure to use Civilian Cruisers, NOT the largest ships you have. They pay only 20% normal maintenance rates (5% ship cost) and have undetectable cloaking capabilities. Sneak a Civilian Freighter or two with SY components into enemy territory and use boarding parties on your Civilian Cruisers to capture ships to gain tech and resources from.

RCCCL · #2 June 11th, 2005, 02:55 PM

Civilian Cruisers?? I'm guessing I've got a bit to go before I can access those. That brings me to another question. Is there any way to speed up my own research? So far I've only run into one Race, and I haven't been able to get any technology from their ships. They seem to be developing slowly, maybe because they are at war with me, but I am actually more advanced then they are......

Captain Kwok · #3 June 11th, 2005, 03:17 PM

Civillian ships should be listed with the other hulls in the ship design screen.

RCCCL · #4 June 11th, 2005, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Captain Kwok said:
Civillian ships should be listed with the other hulls in the ship design screen.

When you say "listed with the other hulls" do you mean where its says ships isze? If so all I see there is Escort, Frigate, Destroyer, Colony ship, and Small Transport. I've only got lvl 3 in ship construction.

Suicide Junkie · #5 June 11th, 2005, 06:40 PM

The Civilian Cruiser and Civilian Transport should be the top two ships available in the design screen. You may have an older version of P&N, though.

Using units can help a lot; no maintenance on them.
You definitely won't be able to build many ships, though, and the ships you capture will be pricey... scrap or analyse them as soon as possible.

One of the best things you can do is capture a planet with troops. If it is a high mineral value world, the AI will probably have built miners on it, and you'll be instantly rolling in resources from your slaves.
The AI will quickly come to glass it though, so loot then pilliage and then run away

And do throw the cheap tricks:
One or two weapon-destroying mines can cripple enemy targets so you can capture them without resistance.

Fyron · #6 June 11th, 2005, 08:13 PM

Actually now that I remember it... Civilian Cruisers are only available in the "PBW Only" versions of P&N. Hint, hint Mr. SJ.

RCCCL · #7 June 11th, 2005, 10:37 PM

Ah well that explains why I haven't run across them. As for capturing a planet, how do you do that? Do you need troops?