A Quick Start in Aldrin

[Bill Huntington]

I have always enjoyed using the Aldrin Sector, and have tried different things over the many hours I’ve played TC. Using the SB as a trader and Aldrin as the training ground was one of the first. The cheap and huge resources of the sector make it a good place for the speed of the SB.

Usually I started developing the sector after I was taking the diplomats to the Moon. I tried exploring early, but the station repulsion will keep explorers and others well away from the Aldrin stations. So you don’t know if it is already gone, or just acting up.

So what I do now is jump into Aldrin, get the first station identified, and then jump out for a while. That station is now part of the plot, so the GOD engine won’t eliminate it. There are 19 stations in Aldrin, at least at the start. I don’t bother with the Mining or Tech bases. So that leaves 14 stations to identify. And the Elephant has slots for 14 ships. So I jump the El to the Asteroid Belt, get 14 Rapiers from the Saturn SY (or leftovers), and load them up. Then I jump the El to Aldrin and deploy the Rapiers to the locations of the 14 bases I want to save. The base locations are on a list. (If you need it, ask and someone will give you the link.) Since you are not in the sector, collision avoidance is turned off. Then you wait until each scout reaches its location. You dock the ones that have stations right where they stop.

The first scout I deploy is to the EEMPC, located at or near 99, 11.8, 97.8 . The UNKNOWN at -266, 3, -63 is linked to the Aldrin SYs, so I send a TS there. I also send a Boa or similar to a SY, to provide Jumpdrives. I clone some weapons with the Spitfyres, and then begin outfitting SBs. I keep one for my use, and then drop them back into Aldrin as Sector Traders. So I have an SB and SBs as sector traders before I jump back to Aldrin to advance the plot. I usually have 2 SBs training in Aldrin, and also two other ships like Choks or Baldrics. I deploy them to the Terran sectors at Level 6 or at Level 10 as a UT. You do have to have high Terran rep to buy the SB. I’m always at Hero of Sol when I get there, so I don’t know how high you have to be.

Doing a quick start will preserve whichever stations are still there, and allow you to get the training and other benefits of Aldrin from the beginning. The delay to the Terran plot doesn’t mean much to me.

[Morkonan]

Trading inside Aldrin will soon max out, though and there won't be anyone who isn't 100% in stock of all trade materials. (In my experience, though you can find an occasional sale.) But, Aldrin's real value is that your ships can then buy the goods there at the cheapest price and move them outside of Aldrin, for the best profit. I run several traders based in Aldrin with a four-jump range and they're frequently filling up in Aldrin and jumping out for max profits.

But, I agree, getting Aldrin ID'd quickly is important. I didn't know that the game would consider any station ID'd as a plot piece, though. I just parked Discos everywhere to keep the GoD engine placated.

[TTD]

. There are 19 stations in Aldrin, at least at the start.

I get 23 stations when I play.

I also add additional stations to make end products ...the excess wheat is a good starting point

[jlehtone]

When I finally was tasked to go to Aldrin, I didn't. I just did send a M7 with Kestrels and AdvSats. Naturally, most of the Sats end up "inside", but Stations were found and occupied by M5's. Just counted: 14 Stations found/remaining.

[TTD]

Roguey shows 22 after station realignment (Aldrin Expansion)
http://roguey.co.uk/x3tc/sectors/get.php?id=221

I may have mis-counted by one.

[jlehtone]

Roguey's map seems to miss the EEMPC Forge that Bill did mention.

[TTD]