Quick tips and tricks

[Madden]

Wow.

[Antilak]

Madden, here's another one: Did you notice the small green/red numbers attached to each planet/moon entry in the System Scans screen? For a red/green color blind person it's hard to see sometimes. Given I am red/green color blind, I can usually see it, but sometimes I zoom in (which is easy enough with an addon and using ctrl+ and ctrl-). Anyway, the green number is the first one and it represents YOUR units. It'd be a lot easier if our units were in some way showed on the System screen, but at least there's a comprehensive (and convenient) way to see where our units are, although it doesn't distinguish unit type. I never looked at the two numbers long enough until a few days ago. That's when I finally realized the green number represents my units.

Personally, I like hte System Scan method more than the Planets method, for finding my units in hte current system. Of course, if I want to find out where my units are in other systems quickly, the Planets screen is quickest. However, I wish the Planets screen would organize each entry according to the system and also say what the units are.

I think I'm wrong about the System Scan screen. It dosn't show the count of YOUR units, it shows the count of units affiliated with your CORPORATION. Bummer. It'd be nice if we had a better way to organize/locate our assets. A better Planets screen is good, but I'm not sure it's really the best place for it. What do "Planets" have to do with our mining/science/military assets? It seems it just maybe needs a better name? And how do you tie together all these screens? Right now I use System Scan mostly to find out what I've scanned and what minerals/gases are present, and sometimes also to find assets.

[Madden]

At least this lets me know where my corporation's members are without asking and waiting one day for a reply

[sargas]

If you need to keep that close an eye on them, then it helps you.

The imperial citizenry come and go as they please. The only reason we have to know where anyone is is to reduce competition at different mining sites.

[Antilak]

Can anyone supply me tips to defend miners on a planet, at minimal cost? I realize with the extreme power rating curve there's no chance of me surviving versus long lived players, but I want to hedge my bets. Also assume I'm at a gas giant, so cannot place planetary defenses.

[raphael]

"At minimal cost" would be vipers, but I won't suggest that you defend your miners. As long as you don't piss someone off, no one would really bother to attack you. Also, don't be discouraged by the power ratings. Mata had around 90m power when I started. You can enter the top 20 in several months if you have a sound game plan. 

[sargas]

Membership in a corporation is a good deterrent to attack. Swift retribution always works well.

Otherwise, a gas giant can be protected by ships and/or stations. Shields/Armor and weaponry/marines are equally important. Just remember that armor may need to be repaired and manpower might need replacements as well.

I have found that the best defense of a mining site is a membership in a good corporation.

As far as the Empire of Sargas is concerned, you are free to mine what and where you will. We will not impede you, and will try to help you (if you ask).

[Antilak]

"At minimal cost" would be vipers, but I won't suggest that you defend your miners. As long as you don't piss someone off, no one would really bother to attack you. Also, don't be discouraged by the power ratings. Mata had around 90m power when I started. You can enter the top 20 in several months if you have a sound game plan.  

What magnitude of higher power rating does one need to reliably defeat an opponent's station? 1x? 2x? 3x?

How much shield/armor is needed?

I'm working with these numbers right now:
1 shield: ~8000
1 armor: ~7000
viper: ~14000 atk
laser: ~10000 atk

Am I better off with JUST marine modules, or are vipers/lasers needed?

I'm guessing the only defense I'll have is against new players who haven't joined a corp.

[Matamaure001]

What Ralph and sargas said is true. The big corp normally do not attack active newbies. So the only def you need is against Captains of you size or smaller. Being member of a corp would be the best def, secondly a ship or station in orbit is good. Also, dangerous newbies tend to stay close to Sol, the further you go the better you are protected.

[Rostin]

The best defense is space

Get out of the first ring and I guarantee no one will attack you

[raphael]

"At minimal cost" would be vipers, but I won't suggest that you defend your miners. As long as you don't piss someone off, no one would really bother to attack you. Also, don't be discouraged by the power ratings. Mata had around 90m power when I started. You can enter the top 20 in several months if you have a sound game plan.  

What magnitude of higher power rating does one need to reliably defeat an opponent's station? 1x? 2x? 3x?

How much shield/armor is needed?

I'm working with these numbers right now:
1 shield: ~8000
1 armor: ~7000
viper: ~14000 atk
laser: ~10000 atk

Am I better off with JUST marine modules, or are vipers/lasers needed?

I'm guessing the only defense I'll have is against new players who haven't joined a corp.

There is no reliable answer to your question about power magnitude and shields/armor. It all depends on the modules involved. I can probably defeat any ship out there 5x my ship's power. The ship optimizations and weapon settings also play a role in combat.

At your level, you only need vipers and shields because you are protecting your stations from pirates (and not from older and stronger players). Pirating is only attractive to newbies. Once pirates get stronger, they tend to minimize or abandon pirating altogether since they are better off by just doing COMs.  

Join SSS and you will never be attacked (I'd like someone to prove me wrong though so I can start hunting again).  

[raphael]

Needless to say, I engaged in pirating a long time ago (those were fun times). If another pirate like me would come around, that pirate won't attack your station if you have at least 100k shields.

[Antilak]

Needless to say, I engaged in pirating a long time ago (those were fun times). If another pirate like me would come around, that pirate won't attack your station if you have at least 100k shields.

Couldn't the fight go on (not indefinitely) and the attacker win if my weapons are too weak to deplete her shields before she depletes mine, even if my shields are really high? Isn't it just: Whoever depletes the other first, will almost always win.

Maybe what you're saying is 100k shields demands X attack which the attacker (supposedly) doesn't have? This could matter if there're limited combat rounds and the attacker can't hit me hard enough to deplete me before the fight is over.

[raphael]

Where did you read that it will go on? It won't. It will be a draw.

[Antilak]

Where did you read that it will go on? It won't. It will be a draw.

Are you saying new players don't have high enough attack to break through 100k shields before a draw is called?