Pirates swarming into my universe!

[tass_bur]

So I played for 5 game days or so...I ended the plot...I have 8 uni traders and 2 silicon mines and a small fleet of m5-m3's....I havent had much problem with pirates to start with...as soon as I got my nova i blew most of the to pieces and the rest did not attack me...but all of a sudden they started getting stronger...a LOT stronger.....now they swarm into my universe it seems...As soon as I clear out ONE sector I get a message that my traders has been attacked by pirates...and these pirates seems more clever...I cant just rush them headstrong in my Nova...I get blown to pieces...some of them have got IDs...and take down my shield..others have got powerful weapons which they hit with a LOT if i forget to stafe....also they come in greather numbers now...5...6..7 pirates in one wave....has anyone got ANY idea why this is happening? is it my combat or trade rank? (Militant and Master econimist)

Dont get me wrong I have been annoyed by few agressives in X3 so im happy with this...Im just wondering


Thank you in advance

/Tass

P.S. Im playing on Quick Start

[Kamenjar]

I just got Militant too, and the same happened to me. Mabe I played in that rank for 2 hours tops, but it's been "UT so and so attacked by so-and so", and I finally saw AND captured Pirate Falcon Vanguard, Novas blasting my regular pirate Falcon to pieces over and over.. all kinds of mess. Also I noticed that if I attack a wing of pirates, 1 of them is likely to escape the conflict.

[brekehan]

as your fighting rank goes up so do the technologies of your advesaries. It would get rather boring other wise wouldnt it?

[Baleur]

Noticed this too once i took a break from trading to fight up my ranks..
Anyone know if the increased pirate activity is JUST dependant on your combat rank?
So if you want a peaceful universe for trading... You could simply avoid increasing your combat rank? Probably not since im sure the devs tought of it, but hey

[Sandalpocalypse]

Also I noticed that if I attack a wing of pirates, 1 of them is likely to escape the conflict.

this is because you are attacking a wing escorting a hauler. hauler wings incidentally are basically nonaggressive. there is one leader who will keep going unless he is shot directly; the escort will peel off and engage if one of them or if the leader is shot.

[tass_bur]

Hmm maybe I should just move all my normal unitraders with 1x25 mj shield into a Super frieghter with 5x25mj Shield...I almost lost one trader already..he jumped from pirate infested sector...into another pirate infested sector.

It IS still possible to change pilots between ships right?


/Tass

[stevecs]

I have the same thing here, militant/master industrialist and even with the super freighters fully decked out max shields/weapons does squat against the pirates. Had to purcase about 7 M6 Dragons to patrol various trade routes. After that the universe got quiet again. Expensive but it does seem to work. At least I'm back to making 3mil/hour (non-seta).