X3TC: Capping the Fenrir and Mjollnir..2 out of 2..(bit of a story, too :)) Success!

[terryokc2]

Thought I would just start a new thread for this one, sorry...it came along with a bit of excitement for me last night.

Ok, I have been trying for days (several attempts each day from different save points) to complete this last plot line in my vanilla game...and posted for a bit of help with capping because I am really green in this area. Several good thoughts came out from posts to my problem and I have been putting them to use.

Last night from one of my new save points that generates the pirate base these two ships start from...the Mjollnir takes off at 147ms and the Fenrir plugs along at 95ms. From one of the tips, I start off after the Mjollnir first (after dispatching the 4 elite escorts)...I manage to put about 11km between us and the Fenrir...I tag the Mjollnir to get him to engage. Now, on previous saves, this fight takes awhile as I whittle away at shields and hull...during this time, the Fenrir would catch us and fire several rounds on his way by...no biggie. This time when the Mjollnir turns I unload 4 IRE's and burn off his shields and get to 62 percent hull when I hear the bailout message. OMG! I have one prize finally...I jump out, close distance and claim the ship. I quickly unload the repair laser and get it to 80 percent hull...I am about to continue repair when I realize...oops, the Fenrir is behind us and closing. When I look up, it is within 4km! I quickly save here....

It takes 8 attempts...5 of which I am jumping back into my fighter, targeting the Fenrir and hauling towards him with 4 PBG's trying to get him to engage me and leave my new claim alone...to no avail. Last three attempts, I jump in my fighter, tell the Mjollnir to dock with my M7, then take off for the Fenrir. 3rd try this way is the charm. (whew)

I now have the Mjollnir safely docked and have pulled the Fenrir some distance towards the north gate while my shields are regenerating before I set about trying to get this last bail. As I ran out of time...my frying off the shields with two tempests and then turning to work on his hull a bit at a time has only managed to get the "systems failing" out of him all the way down to zero hull.

I am hoping a different approach (simular to the m4 success) will net me this M3.

Or could this be one of those points where one will bail and one will not.

Any thoughts?



Sorry for the long post, but thank you for your attention.

[StarSword]

'Fraid not. This is another of the many points in X3 where one can do nothing but pray to the random number god.

[terryokc2]

'Fraid not. This is another of the many points in X3 where one can do nothing but pray to the random number god.

That is what I am afraid of.

[DrBullwinkle]

That is what I am afraid of.

Actually, it's a good thing. It means "save now, and you will eventually get the M3 as well".

But, man, that's a lot of messing around! I would just cap them both, dock them on a carrier, then get out of there. Repair them somewhere else where it is safe.

But, no matter. Carry on... you will have both ships soon.
.

[Triaxx2]

Balls to that. Random number god my sweet aunt.

Either keep at it until it works, or go modified and crank the bail chance up in your favor. Won't bail fair? I'll make it so you'll bail if I BLINK at you.

[DrBullwinkle]

It's really not that hard.

It took me three or four tries to get both.

It helps if you are good at capping before you start the mission, of course.

But terryokc2 will be done soon, now that he knows how.

[terryokc2]

That is what I am afraid of.

Actually, it's a good thing. It means "save now, and you will eventually get the M3 as well".

But, man, that's a lot of messing around! I would just cap them both, dock them on a carrier, then get out of there. Repair them somewhere else where it is safe.

But, no matter. Carry on... you will have both ships soon.
.

Yes, in hind sight, repairing was not the best choice at that time. But I was thinking about being in sector and it slamming into my M7.

And now, as the edited topic now shows...I have both of my prize fighters safely capped and docked.

Took about seven reloads from the point of both my ship and the Fenrir being back at full shields. I turned and started my attack run...but still had 2 spectre missles to worry about so part of those were missle hits from the mosquitos doing their job right on top of the Fenrir as we were circling. I was also firing away with 4 PBG's trying to take down the shields quickly to get to 80 percent hull, but just kept getting the "system failure, life support fading" messages.

The successful run was after the two spectres were gone, I unloaded with the 4 IRE's and didn't let up at all...got the "bailing out" message at 79 percent hull. Did a quick save and praised the rng gods before calling in my M7 to put my newest ship to rest.

I must say...this was perhaps the most challenging thing I've encountered thus far in my X3TC game...and very satisfying to have it completed with both ships capped. I'm now wondering if capping other races ships will be a piece of cake compared to these.

[DrBullwinkle]

I have both of my prize fighters safely capped and docked.

Yay! Congratulations!

I must say...this was perhaps the most challenging thing I've encountered thus far in my X3TC game...and very satisfying

The Balance of Power is the most fun vanilla plot in TC, for sure. ATF Outpost (an add-on plot by dillpickle) is also big fun.

But, wait... there's more fun to come in Balance of Power! Get ready for the best capital-ship fight in the game (and don't listen to losers who tell you to use exploits -- do the fighting yourself!).

And, yes, capping will be easier now. But it is still a challenge...

(...unless you cheat like Triaxx2.)

.

[terryokc2]

I have both of my prize fighters safely capped and docked.

Yay! Congratulations!

I must say...this was perhaps the most challenging thing I've encountered thus far in my X3TC game...and very satisfying

The Balance of Power is the most fun vanilla plot in TC, for sure. ATF Outpost (an add-on plot by dillpickle) is also big fun.

But, wait... there's more fun to come in Balance of Power! Get ready for the best capital-ship fight in the game (and don't listen to losers who tell you to go to Xenon sectors or Undefined Space -- do the fighting yourself!).

And, yes, capping will be easier now. But it is still a challenge...

(...unless you cheat like Triaxx2.)

.

Thank you kindly.

And um...(cough)...rather than damage my rep, I used the ufjd to dispense with the four Tyr's. Sorry about that.

As for capping, with a bit more practice...I am quite certain I will increase my blueprints with pirate fighters. And perhaps later, use my marines to capture some bigger prizes after at least one more Aran that will top out the 20 marines I've used for the previous four.

[DrBullwinkle]

And um...(cough)...rather than damage my rep, I used the ufjd to dispense with the four Tyr's. Sorry about that.

It would be against the rules for me to call you a "pussy".

But that is surely "pussy-like" behavior.

(And you can always play it again).

[terryokc2]

And um...(cough)...rather than damage my rep, I used the ufjd to dispense with the four Tyr's. Sorry about that.

It would be against the rules for me to call you a "pussy".

But that is surely "pussy-like" behavior.

(And you can always play it again).

Haven't looked at where my save is right above my current one I've been writing over since getting the ships docked, but...would it be the same cop-out should I perhaps call in my two Osaka's to take care of those four Tyr's?

[DrBullwinkle]

would it be the same cop-out should I perhaps call in my two Osaka's to take care of those four Tyr's?

Heck no!

THAT's the way to do it!

For bonus credit: Board and capture one of the Tyr's.
.

[Triaxx2]

I only cheat for stupidly hard missions, like this one, or stolen ships.

On the other hand, you passed up a chance to steal four Tyrs that you don't have to chase down. They come straight to you! They're giving you a free 200 million credits.

[DrBullwinkle]

Actually, I know that you're not normally a big cheater, that's why I teased you, Triaxx2.

Maybe I was just lucky, but I didn't think the mission was all that hard. It was long, involved, and had multiple surprises. It was a lot of fun! But there were no single challenges that were overwhelming. Just work through each challenge; one at a time.

I did steal *one* of the Tyr's. They are pretty determined, and I had a hard time splitting them up to take them on one at a time. If you stole all four without cheating, then that's pretty impressive.

(Oh, but I gave MARS only to enemies in that game... that made the Tyr's significantly more aggressive than vanilla. MARS also made them highly resistant to boarding pods.)

I will be playing the plot again in AP, so I will give it another try (eventually).

.

[Triaxx2]

Since they will chase you, it's fairly easy. I preplanned my course, and stationed several freighters off the path. They jumped in, and I picked one out and gave it a face full of fighter drones. That slowed it down and I led the others away. Repeated that until there was one left, and then used my M7M to take it. Then took the others as they caught up. You've got to balance the number of engaging drones to keep it trying to maneuver, while not having so many it won't survive.

I was only using Missile Defense Mk2, which is still exceptionally hard to breach. I've found MARS down right impenetrable unless I'm at point blank range, which is probably the worst position to be in relation to a Tyr. (The best of course being looking out from the bridge of one.)

[DrBullwinkle]

I've found MARS down right impenetrable unless I'm at point blank range, which is probably the worst position to be in relation to a Tyr.

Yeah, that was pretty much my experience.

Slightly worse when there were several other Tyr's trying to kill me while boarding the first one.

Nice idea; using drones to separate the Tyr's. I will remember that one!

[Triaxx2]

I actually originally figured it out while capping in Duke's Sector, because there's almost always a Brigantine and Galleon, and if you're trying to take one the other will often get involved, so being able to distract it with fighter drones is a bonus. I'm pretty glad it worked with Tyrs.