Do the Pirates Matter?

Common Consensus is that they are neutralized veyr easily, alternative views?

from Sins Forums

Do the pirates actually matter?

I understand that the first couple of raids can mess with the tempo early on.  But once I get a hangar bay up, I can keep them spinning in circles out on the edge of the grave well chasing fighters.  So do the pirates actually matter if they are this easy to neutralize?  What incentive do i have to get into a bounty war if my enemy can just brush the pirates off so easily. 

Here are a couple thoughts.  Fighters will keep the pirates spinning in circles at the edge of the grav well indefinitely, BUT the pirate siege will actually move in and start shooting.  It is highly likely that they will make a major dent in planet population if unaddressed.  This could be useful.  Is it worth a getting into a major bidding war?

If there are trade ships moving through the grav well, they will kill the trade ships, and kill a fair number of them before my hangar bay of fighters can do anything about it.  Does this make a big difference?  Big enough to enter a bidding war?  

Ideally, I would LOVE To get an official line from Frogbody or someone about how the pirates can be exploited to have a significant impact on the game.

Much thanks.

 

9,698 views 7 replies
Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top
You're more correct for MP than you are for SP. In single-player, I've sicced the pirates on enemy AI factions and they've successfully wiped weaker planets while I've been elsewhere.

It's glorious when you find out where the pirates are going and arrive with your own forces to see the enemy's AI's ships fully caught up in battle with a pirate fleet. I've used this to annihilate much stronger forces and take planets much faster than I could have myself.

Pirates are also really good for exposing weaknesses in your own defensive ring. A player that is not experienced enough to build turrets on planets they've claimed and keep a reasonable force close will get whomped by them.

-- Retro
Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top
Just to echo the above, they can be useful against the AI simply because the AI has no concept of proper defense. Against other players (the sort that actually know how to play), they're nothing more than a minor nuisance that's easily ignored once a few turrets are up on explosed planets.
Multiplicity - Control multiple PCs using one keyboard and mouse
Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top
I'm mostly interested in online games vs. competent human opponents.

I understand what you're saying. I'de still very much like to hear some alternative view points before totally declaring this neat new feature completely null and void.

It would be awesome to see Frogboy or someone come in here and tell us a bit about pirates.
Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top
I figured out a way to make them more of a hassle for defense forces. I modded the game so that raids would include capital ships like the Kol and Marza. Also threw in some stuff from each faction. It made my hangars useless and the turrets got wiped out. It took an entire fleet to stop the raids. I also added this stuff to the pirate's base, which made it to where they stuck around almost the entire game doing a lot of damage.
Reply #5 from Sins Forums Top
I'm continuing to explore and experiment.

I'm finding that there are so many ways to exploit the Pirate AI and distract them from being dangerous it's scary.

I believe they're targeting priority is 1) Trade Ships. 2) Defeding Fleet and Static Defenses. 3) Other structures.

But when it comes to 2) they don't function tactically at all. They just shoot the first thing they come in contact with. So my favorite exploit is to build a hangar bay, and let the pirates come. THen my strike craft fly out to the edge of the grav well to meet them, and they all spin in circles trying to shoot the strike craft. Over the course of 20 minutes a single bomber squadron will eventually kill the entire raid. THe seige frigates go straight for the planet, and that will make a difference (take out my taxincome), but it's nothing a couple of turrets can't solve.


If there are trade ships, that makes things even sillier, because the pirates just fly back and forth across the grav well as chasing trade ships that are jumping in and out from different places, rarely getting a shot off.


The pirates seem soo easy to exploit into irrelvance. But this feature was so hyped, seems so important, I'm afraid I'm missing something. Any suggestions? I'm not seeing any reason to bid on the pirates ever. Please show me what I'm missing.


PS: I'm well aware that there's an active thread with a title suggesting the exact opposite. But the general assessment there is that the pirates are quite easily managed. I'm approaching the game as a serious strategy gamer, looking to exploit every mechanic to crush my opponent (a human whose trying to do the same thing) in the most optimal way. From this point of view, I'm not seeing the pirates taking a very important role in my gameplan. I want to be wrong, pleeeeaaase show me how I'm wrong.

Thanks.

Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top
Please show me what I'm missing.
End of quote


Seriously, that's just how life is for the time being. They're a hassle for new players who don't know that they're coming and a minor nuisance for just about everyone else. I won't pretend that I know everything about how their AI or strength works but I do know that trying to exploit them offensively against a competent player (as they are now) is an exercise in futility and most likely to be a waste of resources.
Reply #7 from Sins Forums Top
Well damnit, I want to be able to exploit them offensively against a competent player!!

It just sounds like so much fun! :/