[X3:TC] Finding station hack for PBG forge

[Kitteh]

I want to buy PBGs. Searching the forum tells me that station hacks let you dock at hostile stations. So I went to the unknown sector near PTNI headquarters where there is a pirate base and a PBG forge. I waited a long time at SETA 10x and kept checking the base for hack offers. No luck it offered every kind of mission except station hacks. Then I did the same at pirate base in Scale Plate Green. Same bad luck. Afterwards roamed around 2-3 sectors nearby since googling told me the hack may be offered at any base within 3-4 jumps. Again no luck.

Is it that hard to find a station hack ? What could I do to find a station hack within a reasonable time ?

[Infekted]

Keep jumping between the two sectors with pirate bases and checking for the hack mission. It's a lightbulb icon if that helps at all.

If you have the hub, you could also make hub connections bring other pirate bases nearer, and check those too.

[brownthomasw]

Using the hub is a neat trick. Yes they're that hard to find sometimes and never when you need them. Don't think there are any unspoken conditions you just have to keep trying. There are other pbg forges too so figure out the stations to stop at in different areas and pass by every now and then. I find it better to leave and come back than wait for more missions on seta.

[ajax34i]

Actually, missions get generated when you enter a sector.

If you sit in the sector, a couple follow-up missions may be generated, but eventually the offers taper off and nothing is offered after a while.

So your best strategy is to fly around looking for the offer. You have to be within 3 jumps from the sector, and any station could have it, not just pirate bases. Fly around the sectors surrounding the station you want to hack and check while you keep moving, every time you enter you have a chance of missions being generated.

[Mousse9]

I had the same problem a while ago, and after a lot of universe hopping, I found that the Pirate Base in Gaian Star offered to hack the PBG factory in Maelstrom. Have you tried there?

PS. Be very careful when going through these sectors, there are some big pirate ships traveling there. You might end up in a huge fight.

[TBV]

It doesn't have to be a pirate base. It could be available at any station.

[Infekted]

True, but I find they pop up in pirate bases more often than normal ones. So jumping between pirate bases, checking stations along the way tends to be the way forward.

[Tohron]

If you want to be thorough, check all stations with any mission icons, not just lightbulb icons, since sometimes a hack mission might be obscured by a trade, build, or combat mission.

Also, you might want to check the sectors around Loomanckstrack's Legacy and Danna's Chance for hack missions, since there are PBG forges in those sectors as well.

[Focker]

I just did this earlier today. For the "hostile" PBG forge in Maelstrom the mission to "hack the station" for me at least came from Belt of Aguilar at the Jonferco HQ. So yeah the best chance to get that mission/offer is to check all the sectors near the station you need.

[Infekted]

If you want to be thorough, check all stations with any mission icons, not just lightbulb icons, since sometimes a hack mission might be obscured by a trade, build, or combat mission.

I think you'll find that if a lightbulb mission is available it will show up on the outside icon in preference to build, trade and combat missions. The only icon that has preference over lightbulb is plot bluebook missions.
I think the icon preference list goes something like:
Blue book, Think, Build, Trade, Combat
Could be wrong on the exact order mind.

[AgamemnonArgon]

Keep trading and travelling between sectors, but remember that as useful a weapon as they are, there are other weapons options to use.

[Nanook]

If you want to be thorough, check all stations with any mission icons, not just lightbulb icons, since sometimes a hack mission might be obscured by a trade, build, or combat mission.

I think you'll find that if a lightbulb mission is available it will show up on the outside icon in preference to build, trade and combat missions. The only icon that has preference over lightbulb is plot bluebook ..

I'm pretty sure the order is determined by which mission gets generated first. I don't think there's any built-in preference for any particular mission type. Except the blue-book ones, of course. And that's why the advice to check all stations with missions is good advice.

EDIT: After further empirical exploration, it seems that Infekted may be correct. All of the stations I checked that had icons showed the lightbulb icon even if there were other mission types available. I had never even noticed that before, since missions seem to change frequently. I'll keep that in mind next time I look for hacking or return ship missions: don't bother unless a lightbulb is showing.