The Privateer 2: AN HONEST LIVING (colonies, Inc.)

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I was definitely into it, definitely found a groove. And that groove became significantly deeper when I found the tutorial screens hidden in the ludicrous muddle of menus, and learned how to aim broadside missiles properly. But this has pushed me into a world of busywork, zooming back and forth across this first solar system to repeat the same few actions in the hope of making some cash.

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Aiming the laser requires that they not be too far above or below you, which are positions I can only resent rather than work around. It sends out a wave in a circle around your ship, and highlights spilled ore in the area. For a couple of seconds. Seriously — highlighted ore drops just fade off the screen in two seconds. Gee, that makes it so much fun to fly toward them to gather them, through a dense field of rocks, with a ship that keeps speeding itself up against your wishes. I have never doubted my belief that space mining is the worst way a human can spend time playing video games, and good grief has this mess affirmed that for me.

I think this process has helped me better analyse what it is I do want from a space game. I think what I want is the basics here, minus the trading, and with one hell of a dose of story. But with some motivation! And without a single fucking spreadsheet, thankyouverymuch.

Perhaps, maybe, one day someone will create a story-driven space game with fighty-fighty ships. If you click our links to online stores and make a purchase we may receive a few pennies. Attracting a hard-core crowd of wilfully mutilated patrons, this is not a sutable venue for the faint hearted, as it really can get rather gruesome of an evening. One of the largest companies of its kind in the Tri-System, Traffin Reclamation specialises in starship salvage of the most rarefied kind.

High cost, high tech items are the preferred commodities of the magpie-like owner Hal Taffin, and the distinctive red and sliver Taffin Retrieval Shuttles are an all too common sight in the aftermath of a major confrontation or disaster. Anhur, cradle of humanity! Alas, it is not the world it once was; a few thousand years of really serious history has turned this once-pleasant planet into a smog-laden, filthy warzone. Anhur today consists of two types of terrain: The air is without doubt the lowest quality of all the 'breathable' atmospheres in the Tri-System.

THe water is poisonous to anyone who hasn't spent a lifetime building up a resistance to it, and the local food is a mixture of cheap vat-grown protohydrates and whatever can grow in the horribly damaged soil. Suzerainty of this unprepossessing locale is disputed by two thoroughly opposed factions: Original Humanists, resentful of every technological development past the plough and crossbow, and the mroe preospective but highly paranoid Pro-Technologists, who are more accurately just Anti-Humanists.

Years after the events that spawned this internecine strife, things aren't much better; you've really got to watch your step if you're thinking of trading here. Even wearing an antique digital watch is enough to get you an arrow in the back from some wide-eyed Humanist, whereas the Pro-Technology activists are even more unpredictable; look too low-tech wear non-synthetic clothing, read a book, be seen to eat anything not grown in a vat and they'll take you for a Humanist.

Appear overtly off-world and they'll know you as a traitor hard feelings run deep towards all descendants of the 'treacherous' Hephaestans. Of course, there are a lot of people who just try and get on with the rather sordid business of living in this less-attractive part of the galaxy, but by and large 'Quick In, Quick Out' is the rule for Anhur, which is a pity, as there is nowhere in the galaxy which offers such a wealth of archaeological and architectural interest. Athos has one of the more diverse economies of the smaller worlds.

Although it was first settled due to it's mineral wealth, other industries have also sprung up. This is one of the outworlds which actually not only extracts its own natural resources, but also manufactures them in situ. This has created a much more stable economy and environment for the colony, and due to this it is the only outworld which is governed by its own elected body, the others being run from Janus IV. Although the harsh environment does not naturally support planet life, the Athonian's have not let this dampen their enthusiasm for agriculture.

Apart from the great shield of Janus IV, Athos has the largest outdoor enclosed area of all the worlds. Here they not only grow enough produce for themselves, but also export their more luxurious goods to the rest of the confederation. Or 'Hicksville, Isaac', as its better known. The butt of just about every joke ever told, Bex is notorious for four things: Although the last reputation owes much to the previous three, its origin goes right back to the manner in which the planet was settled; some time before the d-drive was invented, a colony ship was dispatched from Hephaestus on the year journey that separated the two planets at the time.

Unfortunately for the colonists, the d-drive was invented some 70 years after they left, and so the expectant settlers landed on the planet only to find that another group of settlers had arrived 30 years previously, their journey having taken a mere four weeks. What was worse, a goodly proportion of the second batch of colonists had been Anhurians, and a new, more pacifistic version of HUmanism, the Church of Hom, had taken firm root on the planet.

Given the cumulative effect of these revelations, it is not altogether surprising that an obsessional interest in the production of intoxicating liquor took hold amongst the Hephaestan settlers, an interest which developed into Bex's prime export industry. Nowadays, Bex is a peaceful, laid back planet, producing the majority of the Tri-System's beer, 'real' food, and incomprehensible religious tracts.

The thrill-seeking pilot may find it a little dull - terrestrial pastimes number straw-chewing, dungaree wearing and line-dancing among the most popular - but for the trader looking to make a good living, Bex Commodity Exchange is one of the most important buildings in the galaxy. Just don't talk to any of the glassy-eyed fanatics that populate the starport; they're more difficult to get rid of than a dose of Hermetic Chlamydia. Until Cerulean Gemstones were found on Corinthias it had little to offer. Until that point the planet had only produced low grade ores for the Tri-System market. Now, however, this planet is one of the Confederations most valued assets.

THe Government leases 5 year mining rights to companies. The Crian Planetary Flag shows a skiing doctor rampant on a mound of deceased streptococci, which tells you just about everything you need to know about this place. Crius has been a centre for medical excellence ever since the first settler, Jenkum Diddlybitz, stepped onto one of the many imposing glaciers, breathed deeply in the crisp, fresh air, and promptly collapsed with a triple intestinal prolapse, a consequence of a particularly virile bacilla native to the planet.

Ninety percent of the first settlers died of various unpleasant diseases, and the survivors have been battling infectious death ever since, simultaneously building some of the cleanest, whitest hospitals you've ever seen. Popular with mountain sports fanatics and the terminally ill, Crius is a plesant place both to live and holiday, with the uncrowded conditions making for some of the Tri-System's cheaper real estate. The only problem with the place is the company; after a while, beery rugby-playing doctors, technicoloured snow surfers and vacant, grinning nurses tend to irritate somewhat.

Still, Medical Supplies of all varieties are cheap and plentiful, and they do a great line in restorative liver, heart and lung surgery. I wish the genito-urinary specialists didn't have such cold hands, though. Desolia is a barren planet, with no agriculture or minerals to offer. What it does have is a huge industrial base. This has sprung up for two reasons. Firstly, because most planets have planning restrictions, and the rest have little room left for development.

The vast quantities of free space on Desolia were seen as an advantage, and when the confederation decided to subsidise any companies moving to Desolia it became a haven of activity. It is now a hub of commerce with huge quantities of raw materials being brought to the planet, and equally large amounts of finished goods leaving for destinations around the confederation.

Destinas is the second main agricultural planet in the Tri-System. Destinas is primarily pastoral, catering for most of the Confederations meat markets. Most livestock onthe planet is not indigenous, but imported and bred by the many farming corporations to supply the needs of the major planets. There is however indigenous wildlife on Destinas, which in most cases has now been domesticated. These animals, especially the Wald Wolf, provide some of the most succulent meats in the entire Confederation.

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Destinas also contains vast forests which not only offer an abundant supply of lumber, but also vegetation which has provided the answers to many medical, scientific and military experiments. In a recent 'Where would you deally spend your holidays? The furthest planet in Irrulan from the sun, Hades is a dank, gloomy, freezing cold, inhospitable, poisonous lump of excreta, inhabited solely by prisoners, the CIS and the Military. Originally settled for 'Experimental Scientific Research Military ', it later became the ideal dumping ground for any irremediable criminal, hence the presence of the CIS as well.

Attempts to completely relocate the CIS off planet have been abortive; despite the excellent security it offers, many agents have refused point-blank to move there, as their families have threatened to excommunicate them if they do so. Leisure time on Hades being less fun than an infestation of Karatikan rectal mites, the average trader will have little need to leave the customs house before taking off as fast as afterburners allow, but a little research into living conditions may pay dividents; there are a fair few people here, all earning high wages for their considerable trouble, and that's an awful lot of disposable income going begging.

There's a local saying, 'when you're bored of Hephaestus, you must have contracted chronic claustrophobia'. Although this is far from the most elegant apothem ever penned, you'd be hard pushed to find a truer one: Hephaestus has been the foremost planet in the Tri-System for over years, and, boy, is it crowded. Power, wealth and technological sophistication are the watch words here, and everyone who is anyone seems to end up sooner or later living in a bimeter-square habicube, sleeping if possible, and snatching intravenous meals in between the protracted bouts of serious graft, networking and obsequity necessary to get anywhere worth being.

For the small percentage that do succeed, the luxurious ends more than justify the means; estates on Janus IV, permanent suites at the Galactic Gourmet, bouts of gratuitous indulgence on a prolific scale, and all the other hallmarks of success. The only way you're ever likely to see more of Hephaestus than immigration halls and cramped slums is if you're a pirate, a trader or a miner, the only people who make enough credits to pay the exorbitant prices Hephaestus demands a recent documentary by a Hermes Vidflix team revealed that the price of a glass of Opi-Ola on Hephaestus could keep a Hermes family of four fed for a week.

Providing, that is, that the family were prepared to eat straw a goodly portion of the time. Oh well, that's investigating journalism for you. If you're a trader, you'll no doubt become extremely familiar with the Hephaestan Commodities Exchange all too quickly; it is the chief source of many of the more refined goods, as well as being one of the best-paying importers in the Tri-System.

If ever I was asked which my favourite planet was, I'd be shouting 'Hermes' into the ear of the unfortunate inquirer before his epiglotis stopped waggling. Rundown, corrupt, decadent, noisy and violent, it embodies everything that is fun about being a pilot; heavy drinking, making passes at unsuitable women, consuming outrageously dangerous narcotics and finally getting embroiled in a good, honest punch-up.

Less stuck up and crowded than Hephaestus and Janus, much more habitable than Anhur and Hades, infinitely more interesting than Crius and Bex, it's only real competitor for a big-time good time is Karatikus, and there are far fewer hippies on Hermes, which kind of wraps it up. But don't just take my word for it Janus, lovely Janus, playpen of the gods!

Verdant, balmy, warm and sunny, this luxurious planetoid, habitable solely thanks to Hephaestan grav-field technology, is the home of the Universal Government and every plutocrat, Vidflix star and criminal mastermind of any note and hardly anybody else. The value of real estate is so high here the deposit alone on a two-dorm habi-cube is comparable to the average Anhurian municipal budget. Inspiration for the Tri-System's biggest-selling bumper holo "My other craft's in long-term parking on Janus IV" , the gilded boulevards and plazas reek so much of opulence that crafty entrepreneurs are bottling it for sale to aspiring bourgeoisies on other planets.

It is also the only place in the galaxy where beggars of which there are a licensed few, as a conscience-salving measure can be heard to say "Spare a Hephaestan megacredit, gut" with anything like hope in their voices. If you're lucky enough to set foot on Janus IV, heed this advice: Of course, there's as much money to be made here as lost: Commodities can be sold for outrageous profit here, although demand is quite low considering the incredibly small population. Of all the planets in the Tri-System, without doubt the oddest is Karatikus. When discovered, it was a bare, rocky world with an unbreathable methane atmosphere.

Similar ins ize and gravitational field to Anhur, it was ideally suited to terraforming, a process devised by Professor Ernst Kugelbender of the Hephaestan REsearch Institute. Unfortunately, the process had not been perfected when it was implemented, and although a partly breathable atmosphere was generated, there were numerous unfortunate side-effects, such as curious blue-green atmospheric aurora, insanely bizarre flora and the notorious Geogravitic Strata, a layer of 'hovering rocks' that float above the planet's surface. More worrying was the generation of a powerful but short-lived radioactive isotope, which mutated the first wave of unfortunate settlers; their offspring turned out to be of unusually large physical build, and possessed of limited psionic powers such as psychotelepathy.

Karatikan mutants are deeply mistrusted throughout the Tri-System, and are among the galaxy's most persecuted minorities, along with the Anhurian Original Humanists. The mutants are nevertheless very personable, and hospitable to those who show sympathy to their cause. This, along with the hallucinogenic terrain, has made Karatikus a favourite with bohemian travellers, and a visitor to the planet will soon become accustomed to the constant refrains of 'Wow! I can reccomend the world as a exceptionally stable market for firearms for the oppressed mutants , mind-bending substances for the hippies , and, more recently, mining equipment, in demand from hordes of archaeologists that have descended upon the place; surveys of the planet have revealed what appears to be remnants of an alien civilisation, the surviving technology of which may have given rise to the terraforming accidents, and keen researchers have become ubiquitous.

Sadly, due to the current guerrilla war being raged by the mutants upon CIS land forces, the entire planet has been quarantined until further notice. Due to this huge natural resource, Leviatha is the primary provider of not only fresh water for many planets, but also boasts some of the most diverse species of aquatic creatures. Leviatha is also the centre of many controlled medical and scientific experiments which are carried out in deep sea laboratories.

It is here that many types of sea vegetation and wildlife have been synthesised, helping create some of today's greatest medical breakthroughs. Massanas is best known for it's lax gambling laws, night life and free availability of black market goods. The planet itself provides no unique purpose, other than being an entertainment centre for the Confederations more ssedy and rich populace. Although a blind eye is turned to the activities on Massanas, smuggling to and from this planet is not suffered lightly.

THe military are under orders to destroy any craft carrying illegal goods, with or without pilots inside. Ostinia is another planet which owes it's commercial existence to it's abundance of mineral wealth. Crime on this planet is higher than most, and in the last few years there has been an increase of pirate activity in the surrounding areas. Because of this you can usually find a CIS task fleet situated in nearby sectors, in case a quick military response is needed.

Petra is more like a large rock than a planet. It has no atmosphere and, had it not been for it's high concentration of minerals, would have been left to its own devices. In the last census there were 5, different mining operations at work on this hostile outpost, employing a work force of just over 1 million. The ores from Petra are exported all over the Confederation where they are refined for many different uses from building materials to fuels. Environmentalists, however, believe that Petra is a time bomb waiting to explode. Due to over mining, they believe that not only will the planet be stripped of all it's resources inside of 50 years, but that it will soon not be able to support its own crust.

Serca was only settled 10 years ago, when, after a long period of prospecting, a deep cache of mineral ores was discovered. THe ores are of a high quality, making the mining operations on Serca profitable, but as yet the full potential of the planet has not been developed. Prospectors believe that there are many more deep caches in Serca's crust, and some even say that the geology in places is very similar to the planet Corinthias where the Cerulean Gemstones were discovered.

Terrel was one of the first planets to be declared a pro-habitable zone by the confederation. With levels of population climbing to unprecedented levels on most of the major planets, causing a decrease in farm land, it was realised that some of the smaller planets needed to be put aside for agricultural use. Terrel is one of two planets which supplies the vast majority of the Confederations food requirements.

It is the home of some of the rarest indigenous flora in the system, as well as being the home of the Kaladones Rodents, the most sought after pets and status symbols in the Confederation. Cargo ship, licensed to carry freight anywhere within the Confederation. Has been in service for 10 years.

Due to be de-commissioned at the end of the year. All other information is classified. Private vessel, licensed to travel anywhere within confederation non-restricted space. All other information classified. Shuttle Craft, licensed to carry up to 50 people on short haul trips. Cargo ship, licensed to carry freight anywhere with in the confederation. Has been in service for 2 months. Built by Shernikov Medical Equipment.

Records missing or out of date Cargo Ship, licensed to carry freight within the Irrulan System only. Power Loaders Not only do these exo-skeletal cybernetic frameworks make it easy to move and haul heavy loads, they also look really, really studly. Customarily served warm and frothy, a true Bex is a real man's beer.

Makes stout look anorexic. The traditional quality check for a Bex is to suspend a spoon upright in the glass — if the stem touches the edge before the bowl dissolves, the brew is an inferior imitation. Cerulean Gemstones Diamonds used to be a girl's best friend, and they're still nice to phone up on a boring Saturday or meet for some light shopping Fluffy Rodents Pets, delicacies, fashion accessories or all three. Everybody who's anybody, darling, needs a steady supply of fluffy rodents to comple- ment their marvelous lifestyle. Looks pretty, smells nice, and the delicious seeds roast themselves.

Warp 5teroids The rich man's royal road to physical perfection, but not completely without side effects. When used imprudently, WaStes have been known to shrink other body parts, and sometimes cause them to go concave — a consequence that's most noticeable though not, per- haps, most embarassing when it happens to the nose. Cesium This liquid metal is highly prized for use in electrical components, and as a catalytic agent. Lyfhia This extremely absorbent synthetic element has become indispens- able when it comes to cleaning up nasty industrial messes.

Iridium Like rhodium, iridium does all sorts of neat things when combined with platinum. In addition, it has a large variety of industrial appli- cations all by itself. A very handy mineral to keep around. Plafinum Tough, resilient and highly conductive, platinum has become one of the most important mineral resources on all industrialized planets.

Rhodium Wherever people need platinum, they also need rhodium. These elements go together like ice-cream and fudge sauce although they're a good deal more toxic.

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Before jumping, comm your cargo ship. If he answers, he's within range and will jump when you do. If the reply is "Extreme," then he's too far away. Find him, and then jump. As long as you are nearby, you will draw the enemy's fire, not the cargo ship. The bigger models also have those kick-butt yellow pulse lasers, which can rip open a fighter with three good shots.

Stick close to him and use him for added protection. Lead him toward any hos- tiles and watch him dispatch them. This holds true even if you have no intention of making any trades at an intermediate stop. Enough cargo space for 1 tons, and two turrets that strike down the bad guys like the mighty wrath of a fairly impressive deity. The only draw- backs to this battlewagon are that it is fairly slow and relatively expensive. When you're ready to jump, let your cargo ship close in, and jump the minute the word "Extreme" disappears from the Comms VDW.

If you're quick, you can keep the military from searching your cargo. Don't go anywhere near Hades with black market goods — there are way too many military ships flying around, and the odds against you are too great. Check out the schematic map on the poster , or the chart under Random Encounters, p. In lightly patrolled areas, just take out the military ships that attack you. They don't keep a record of who's killed who, so this won't affect your standing with any military ships you meet later on. Compare prices to find a good deal. Base sale and purchase price for this particular commodity on each planet, commodity station and super station.

The base quantity in tons available for a particular commodi- ty at all of the locations indicated. A "0" indicates that there are no goods of this type for sale at this location.

You may still sell these items here, however. Revo 20 12 18 30 56 9 6 5 8 13 20 91 CS: Pletirat 13 8 12 20 88 9 6 5 8 13 20 91 SS: Curium 18 11 16 27 80 8 6 4 8 14 18 91 SS: Revo 9 10 5 CS: Dexros 9 10 7 CS: Lironas 9 10 7 CS: Pletirat 9 10 7 Curium 9 10 7 SS: They also alert you to the availability of new equipment see Equipment Availability, p. A few are crazy advertisements and "dummy" reports that have absolutely no effect on gameplay.

For the bulletins that do affect gameplay, price changes go into effect, and new weapons become available, when you read the news bulletin. If you don't make a habit of checking them out when you use the CCN booth, you'll miss out on a lot of opportunities. Some key things to remember when interpreting news bulletins are: These signal a great place to purchase the commodities mentioned. These signal a great place to sell the commodities mentioned. If no planet is mentioned, the news bulletin does not affect prices at all.

The changes remain in effect until you've landed four times. On your fifth landing, prices revert to default levels see Commodity Price Chart, pp.

The table below lists all news bulletins that cause price changes. In addition to these there are also some "dummy" bulletins in the game — bulletins that look and sound like those listed below, but have absolutely no effect on prices. Bulletins are listed in alphabetical order, according to the first word of the title. On screen, the title of the bulletin appears in the red bar above the main body of text.

Some bulletins were designed to change prices on a planet picked at random. For such bulletins, if the name of the planet appears in the title, it is marked by [planet] in the list below. Planet on which the changes take place. Random indicates that the bulletin is designed to affect prices on a planet chosen at random. The prices for these commodities change as listed in the Price Modifier column.

A particular commodity Grain or an entire group All Medical may be affected. The average default prices for affected commodi- ties are modified by the percentage listed. Prices change only on the planet listed in the news bulletin. There are no news bulletins that affect commodity or super station prices.

Thus, the new price is about 15 credits. General Tips The first Xavier Shondi mission is a good one to take if you want to fly combat missions early in the game. It's easy money, and you get paid half up front, so you can upgrade your loadout before you take off. These are the planets where the first main plot and cinematic missions take place, and fewer hostiles are lurking about. If you jump into a nav point that has more military ships than hostiles, the military fighters will probably kill the hostiles for you.

Keep out of their way, and save your shields and weapons for nav points where there is no one to help you. See Wingman Contracts, p. The only exceptions to this are cine- matic SOS missions, which you forfeit if you land before you com- plete your mission objectives. Keep your Comms VDW open as you fly keep pressing c if it closes so that you will know when to comm the planet — as soon as "Planetary Control" appears, send the comm signal.

Keeping the planet off-screen will get you there two or three times faster than flying directly at the planet will. This usually resets the random offers in the booth. Don't go out of your way, but if there is a mission within three or four jumps of your path, it's a good way to make some extra cash. Tips on using these weapons are listed here.

Weapons and module upgrades are often more important than ship upgrades. Shield and armor strengths do not vary much between fighters, and you can make up for a lack of speed if you fly well. The biggest benefit to purchasing a better ship is that you have more hardpoints for weapons and modules. I personally prefer a cheap ship with incredible weapons to one of the more expensive ships with a really sad loadout. Take as many as you can afford — they aren't the most economical items, but they sure are fun. Don't waste your time with Decoys.

They take up an entire module mount that could be used for something much better. If you can't take a missile shot or two, you probably don't belong out here, any- way 1 — "Guido" USING GUN5 In the beginning of the game, when you can't afford heat-efficient guns or a Coolant Unit, fire in short, controlled bursts. Pausing even slightly between shots helps to keep your guns from overheating. Try this while watching the gun temperature bar at the bottom of the screen.

They're no good from more than klicks away, but once you're within that range, they kick ass. If you have two guns, the enemy will sometimes fly between the bolts. You don't want to waste valuable heat on missed shots. The target indicator box on your screen won't tight- en around the target at all and your computer does not announce a lock. If you can't get a missile lock, stop moving and let your target move away from you. This often corrects the problem. If not, take out the target with guns. This "softens" the cap ship up before you go in with guns.

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The Python is the best until the Proximity is available. Whatever you do, avoid the Snipe — it flies straight, only hits something that isn't moving, and does little damage. A ship's shields will start to regenerate the minute you stop hitting them.

If you switch from ship to ship, you're basically knocking down the shields of one ship, then breaking off to knock down another's shields. This gives the first ship a chance to recover. All of the effort it took to knock down the first ship's shields will be wasted if you allow them to qet back up to full strenqth.

Death Ship Quest

Your enemy will try to follow you, but his gun bolts will always be just a tad bit behind. When you eventually pass each other, you can turn around and lay into him, and you haven't taken any damage on the way in. In fact, one of the best "maneuvers" is to simply circle your nose while flying at your target.

To do this, continue flying toward your opponent, but move your joystick around in quick circles. You will move forward maybe a little more slowly than normally , but the nose of your ship will keep moving around, avoiding the stream of gunfire your enemy is aiming at you. To roll, hold down joystick button two and push the joystick left or right. You might want to switch to an exterior view and try this out a few times to get a feel for what you're doing. Rolls actually work quite well in this game — it seems that enemy pilots or targeting computers have a hard time calculating leads for circular motion.

You do have to be careful to keep from being blind-sided, but even this causes rela- tively little damage. Let it pass you up, then get behind it. Alternate x match speed of target and Qib afterburners to stay on its tail. As long as you're behind it, you've got the upper hand. This means they can't hit you when you're behind them. Shuttles, cruisers, cargo ships and military destroyers basically, any- thing with turrets are the only things that can fire at you when you're behind them. The percentage of ship value it costs to repair the following systems from full damage to full repair: The Damage VDW has a small vertical bar for each unit.

A damaged system is less efficient; a system with 25 units of damage no longer functions. Auto repair droids repair system damage, but do not repair armor see p. Fly on the underside of shuttles, where there are no turrets. If you can see the turret, it can hit you. Watch the shuttle — it will attempt to rotate so that its turrets are pointing at you. If you stay under it, it's a sitting duck. To destroy a ship with turrets, find its unarmed side and stay there as you pound away at the ship.

If that doesn't quite finish him off, implement the bob-and-weave maneuver as you follow up with guns: The name of the game is to keep changing your position. Get about 50 klicks away from the unarmed side of your target and lay on that trigger. The Big Guy will start to roll so that he can turn his turrets toward you. Get on the other side at the first sign of a shot. Turrets will eat you alive at close range. Make sure that you concentrate your firepower at one specific spot, even if you change positions. It's best to target the front or rear — the sides of the destroyer are harder to keep in your sights as it rolls to put its turret toward you.

Keep pounding until there's nothing left but space dust. Target the ship you are escorting and send it this comm to begin. Don't jump too long after it, either, or you run the risk of hos- tiles jumping in to prevent you from jumping. Target the ship you're escorting and watch its speed. The speed will drop to kps just before the ship is going to jump. As soon as you see this, you should qo ahead and jump. If your cargo ship jumped into local space with you, don't worry about waitinq for him. If you land safely, he will too.

Many missions are set up so that the mission ends if you land before completing your objectives. In escort missions, the objective is often to make sure a particular ship lands safely. This means if you land before the ship does, you land before you've completed your mission objectives. There's a neat cheat for escort missions. An escorted object travels from its starting point to its destination, whether you follow it or not.

Accept the mission, then save the game before you take off. Send the ship you are supposed to escort the "Let's get going" signal and then hang around in space go anywhere you like, but don't land until you get the success or failure e-mail. You might want to travel to the place where you will pick up your reward for cinematic mis- sions or take a load of cargo someplace else again, don't land until you get a success or failure e-mail. Tim "Wolf" Bell, our fearless test pilot, sacrificed countless lives to bring you the general tips below.

Their turrets pack the same punch as military cap ships. Kiowan Cruisers are the toughest ships in the game by a long shot. They are nearly impossible to kill without a Nuke 'em. They show up in the second-to-last mission of the main plot — see the write-ups for this mission S: Rescue Nabakov for specific advice on dealing with them. The exact amounts are 50 credits for pirate fight- ers, for pirate shuttles and Kindred fighters and for pirate cruisers. Their size makes them very difficult to hit.

The Chirichan Heron is like the Jincilla Veldor — it is well-armed and a little on the slow side, but easy to kill if you can avoid its guns. You should make it a priority, though, because you could real- ly take a pounding from one if you leave it alone long enough to concentrate on something else. The Testmos has lots of armor and is a medium-to-fast fighter. It may take awhile to run one down and wear out its armor, but it's not impossible. They aren't particularly aggressive — if you don't shoot them, they tend to concentrate on everything else at the nav point and ignore you.

If you do shoot at them, however, they've got great guns. Because of their speed, you could spend literally half an hour trying to take one out if you don't have a few good missiles. If you're out of afterburner fuel, there's no hope. If you run across Skulls, your best bet is to wipe them out first thing with a missile, or at least slow them down so that you can finish them off with your guns. They are perhaps the only fighter that can't be readily killed with guns alone. Veldors will rock your world if they get behind you — they have some pretty tough guns. However, they have surprisingly little armor, so they're an easy kill.

William Zellmann

Take them out first to lower the numbers. Tacons look like a big silver footballs. All of the guns are in the very front, so if you can get even slightly behind them, you have the advantage. If you have to approach one head-on, circle your nose so that it can't hit you rotate your joystick around in quick circles — see Combat Maneuvers, p.

Fly past the Tacon and swing back around behind it. They pose no real threat, for they don't tend to fire at you at all unless provoked. In fact, if you leave them alone, they will usually jump out of local space without ever engaging you. Vectors are big, slow and dumb. It shouldn't be too difficult to get behind one and attack from the rear, and they are really easy to hit because they are so big. They're not at all hard to kill. They are decently armed mosquitoes, however, so whatever you do, don't fly straight at either.

Their guns may not be that powerful, but these ships are quick and erratic, have tough armor and are extremely aggressive. Their unpredictable flight pat- terns are the most difficult factor to deal with — it's hard to lead them accurately with guns. Missiles sometimes have difficulty locking on them as well. Temblers regenerate shields particularly fast.

They wheel about, stop and then start quickly, making it hard to train your guns on them for very long. And as soon as you stop hitting them, they move away and regenerate their shields. If you have more than one gun, you can take one out by fly- ing straight at it and firing non-stop. If you have any firepower to speak of and decent aim , it should crumple before you.

Blades are medium-fast, and you have to get behind them to really deal them a serious blow. Otherwise, you're too busy dodging gun- fire to stay on one for very long. Unless you're a wealthy hotshot, they'll likely have significantly better guns, so don't go head to head with one if you can avoid it. Blades don't really have much armor, so they are easy to kill if you can keep from being killed yourself. If you run into multiple Blades, however, you've got problems.

Some missions penalize you for taking out any ships other than those that are your mission objectives. You can call up your diary in mid-flight [Alt f pl , or check the Mission Notes chapter of this book pp. This basically means you get free wingmen. Be careful to avoid intiating friendly fire, however — if you hit your allies one too many times, they may turn on you.

DEFEND These missions require you to fly to a nav point and defend either a base, a convoy or all ships of a certain type against attackers. Mission success usually means destroying all enemies and keeping all or most of the ships you're defending alive. You won't get paid for friendly fire. It can't be killed. Just take out the bad guys. You're paid even if you patrol without any incidents. You won't get paid if you encounter hostiles and don't destroy them.

Missing one may cost you your reward. You may want to bring along a cargo ship. Just fly to your nav point and ID specific targets.

Then, open your Target VDW and fly toward the ship. When you approach with- in about 20 klicks, the second line of text in the VDW changes from "??? In order to get paid, you need to protect the cargo until you pick it up, then surivive until you reach its destination. You will be credited upon landing. Your hold can actually hold unlimited amounts of cargo, although you are limited as to what types you can bring aboard.

You can tractor in cargo packages not cargo ships, however , stranded pilots and escape pods. Still, many very wealthy people seem to run into trouble, and they can be very grateful. Target the pilot A cycles through targets and press T to tractor him or her in. Their reliability and skill vary widely, so shop wisely. Controlling Your Wingman You can send your wingman three commands: Wingman reports ship status. Attack Targeted Object Wingman attacks the ship you currently have targeted. Hold Position Wingman stops and remains stationary until you give the Attack command but if attacked, will defend himself.

Name of the pilot as it appears on the Bulletin Board. These are organized by Rate in the table, and alphabetically in the indi- vidual descriptions. The pilot's fee in credits for one trip only. The pilot will take off when you do and fly with you until you land. Freelance wingmen provide their own ships. These ships carry the default loadouts listed in the Ship Stats and Default Loadouts charts, pp.

The Skill level listed for each pilot supersedes the default skill levels given in the Ship Stats and Default Loadouts charts. The higher this number, the better the pilots flies and the more accurately he or she shoots. Whereas her buxom charms have generated her a healthy income and widespread recognition across the Tri-System, she chooses to devote the majority of her time to piloting the fighter Bathukolpian.

Although her skills are not fantas- tic, she is a dedicated and persistent wingman, whose hire fee belies her level of commitment. One added bonus is that her fame as a model often leads to assailants feeling reluctant to attack her — usually to their demise. Relics in their family museum date back many thousands of years, and it seems that Eryl youngest son of the present Duke Barsteadly developed an obses- sion with stories in a piece of crude, antique literature that described the antics of the pilots of primitive aircraft.

Eryl's conver- sation is now liberally peppered with meaningless phrases culled from this source. As a wingman, he is competent, with his fighting ability lent extra verve by his insistence on using ancient, unwieldy — yet surprisingly effective — combat maneuvers. Brash, arrogant and impul- sive, he is still something of an unknown quantity; his statistics on military simulators are impressive indeed, but there is a significant difference between theory and practice. The few contracts he's taken have been successes, but he has yet to be truly tested, and his hot head and inexperience may well fail to justify his high price.

I'm feeling hot today. That's the only fair assessment of Ser Cook; known as the largest bore weapon in the galaxy, his voluminous braggadocio rings loud throughout every recruiting hall and drink- ing establishment in the Tri-System. He is not unskilled — poor pilots rarely live long enough to boast at all — but he certainly ranks among the most cowardly wingmen ever to put glove to joystick. He's cheap, sure, but unless you envisage facing no more than equal numbers of enemies on your voyage, you're best advised to leave him propped up at the bar in his own inimitable fashion.

Her diminutive stature belies her ability; her father was the legendary cruiser captain Pietr Velasquez Delores, and she learned combat skills at his knee, only to put it all aside to marry a Hephaestan ex-poet. Following her husband's death in a freak shav- ing accident, she returned to her original vocation, where she is a solid, dependable and reassuringly natural-blonde wingwoman.

The main reason for this, some have suggested, is that he hasn't the first idea of how to fly a ship, but likes the lifestyle anyway, furiously screaming down anyone who questions his abilities. His only sup- porters are rumored to be as hapless as the man himself. A fiendish exponent of ducking and diving in a dogfight, he won't contribute much during combat, leaving you with Sporting big hair and Satanic tattoos, du Voille flies like a woman possessed and has frequently been seen employing the extremely hazardous "head-on" attack, afterburning straight toward her foe with guns blazing.

However, she can also be extremely petulant, and employers are warned that she has been known to abandon her charges on a whim. PINET EL-5U55E Some poor souls cannot help but be drawn into the ruthless world of mercenaries and pirates, attracted to the danger and excitement through their own inadequacy.

El-Susse is a prime example, a bespectacled buffoon whose ineptitude behind a joystick is matched only by the poverty of his aim. Pilots of his calibre die by the dozen every hour of the Standard Day, but despite all the odds, El-Susse has managed to come through unscathed, largely through blind luck. If you're thinking of hiring him, note that his very low hire fee is an accurate representation of his use, though some of his good fortune may well rub off on you.

Some stay on edge through sheer terror. Furorum is motivated solely by anger of his previous life being shattered overnight. Originally a mild-mannered janitor on one of Leviatha's deep-space fish farms, he became unwittingly caught up in one of the last Cod Wars and, through a series of events that are unlikely to become clear again in the near future, has been on the run ever since. In the cockpit, this loss of his dearly loved job translates into ferocious, uncontrolled aggression. Previous employers have remarked how amazed they were to see Furorum throw himself headlong into the fray despite being hugely outnum- bered , only to emerge victorious as his enemies succumbed to or fled from his relentless assault.

Although a highly skilled combat- eer, Heggardly nevertheless persists in letting clients down. Many years of living in the fast lane have taken their toll on his short and long term memory — he has even been known on occasion to for- get whose side he is on in the middle of a dogfight! Very much an unfathomable force, you just never know what he'll do. Although the code on his pilot's license is still bug-free, he seems more than keen to throw himself into the fray, and his hire fee is a clear indication of this.

As to his abilities, well, who knows? He could be another Sativa or space debris within the week. The choice is yours. Despite extensive leucotomy, Magnusson still persists in his belief that he is a mythical warrior known as a Wyking, and flies into berserk rages whenever faced with a combative situation. However, his skills as a pilot remain undiminished, and his fearless demeanour has made him a favourite wingman among merchants, especially those attempting the perilous Dreby-Gastrin run. Shunned by most of the mercenary community for his obnoxious ways, McDoozer is usually mercilessly pounding some unfortunate bloke in a bar brawl within hours of completing a mission.

Indeed, he wouldn't be tolerated at all were it not for his prowess in the cockpit. Fortunately for him, he is as skilled with laser and missile as he is with boot and bottle. If you wish to add a little thuggish brutality to your convoy's defenses, McDoozer's the man. Not an exceptional pilot by any means, she is still a good hire because of the ferocious computational and fire power that her expensively modified ship possesses. A good all-round hire, all the same. With the constant fear of death and the unremitting slaughter going on all around, it's not surprising that the pilots who survive develop their own idiosyn- crasies and foibles.

For Mykofyle, the price he's had to pay for sur- vival is the acquisition of chronic agoraphobia. He has refused to leave the cramped confines of his ship for at least two years, and the stench on board is reputedly ferocious, with mould, algae and the like coating every surface. However, all this doesn't seem to have affected his abilities as a mercenary, and he is a reliable, able escort. It is rumoured, for instance, that his ship's cockpit had to be specially widened for him to sit in it.

A habitue of the Galactic Gourmet, he has traditionally spent every deca-credit of his hire fee on luxurious foodstuffs before his retro-jets have cooled. It is fortunate for him that his skills warrant such prodigious expenditure; he is more than competent as a combat pilot, and his appetite means that he is most unwilling to desert a paying client. All in all, a good hire; just don't stand him lunch. Contactable only through an anonymous mail link, this pilot's name, appearance, and even gender are unknown.

Orpheus' combat style is in line with all great aces — attacking from the blind spots above, below and behind. His only failing is his loyalty — if he considers a battle unwinnable, he will just quietly slip away, although instances of this happening are rare. That's the best description for Jak — a competent pilot flying for a living, nothing more.

Good enough to stay alive, not talented enough to earn the really big bucks, Jak shuttles his bat- tered cruiser back and forth on job after job, entering combat only when absolutely necessary. You get what you pay for — if he takes the job and he has been known to turn down missions that strike him as particularly dangerous , you'll have him by your side until you touch down; his reputation isn't strong enough for him to risk running away. Rickardson is an exception, drawn to the profession by the twin lures of glory and profit.

This has not been without mishap; his discomfort often leads to him being twitchy and overeager to finish a mission, and a significant amount of his income has gone toward repairing the damage caused to controls by his sheer, brute strength. However, he is an able and rel- atively inexpensive wingman, well worth a look. However, when those pilots get together, they speak of one man, and one man only — Liston Sativa. Without doubt the most master- ful pilot the Tri-System has ever seen, his ability represents the acme of the warrior's art: Savage ferocity tempered by iron disci- pline.

An irreproachable sense of honour matched by ice-cool strate- gic analysis. When things heat up, there is no one you'd rather have on your side. If you can afford him. A distinctive figure in his Cuban heels, lime-green astrakhan leisure suit and floppy brimmed hat, he is without doubt the best-dressed wingman in circu- lation not to mention a favourite at social gatherings, with his sarto- rial elegance and ready wit.

Unfortunately, his flying skills aren't as colourful as his wardrobe; although possessed with a certain natural flair, and with numerous kills to his credit, he is too erratic to be trusted with hazardous missions, and is more suited for added secu- rity on the less dangerous routes. Worshippers of a beneficent deity, they selflessly condemn themselves to spiritual damnation by murdering those they feel worthy of salvation.

A victim of unlawful killing automatically achieves entry into their Paradise. Brother Skungous is a member of a splinter group known as the Maudlin Monks, who have noted that, hellhound as they are, they will not be reunited with those they consider worthy of transcen- dence. Therefore, to make eternal damnation more pleasant, they kill instead those unworthy of entrance to Heaven, and spare those they consider worthy in the hope that they will achieve damnation through their own actions, providing the Monks with good company for their eternal suffering. Skungous has taken the opportunity to mix religion with business — after all, he's damned anyhow, so big bucks pleasure borgs won't do him any spiritual harm, will they?

An exception to this is Leon J. Spudley, a strapping farmer's son whose natural proficiency with the scatterpistol and electric cross- bow and skill driving a hovertraktor have translated into above-aver- age pilot skills. A simple soul, Spudley 's rural ruggedness has made him a tenacious and outstandingly loyal wingman, although on dan- gerous trips a second, more skillful wingman is recommended.

Ser Sturge is the longest of the long-timers; he's been at it for over 10 years now, though a mixture of luck and judgment, and what he doesn't know about interplanetary haulage and piracy could be written with the electrons of a hydrogen atom. A very handy addition to your convoy, whatever the assignment, but he doesn't come cheap. The sums involved mean that many people drift into the profession through their possession of relevant abilities. The wisdom of his deci- sion is clear — although an undistinguished pilot, his aim and vision are so good that he has often destroyed enemy vessels before other pilots have even seen them.

Having left the clan to seek his fortune, he has been embroiled in some of the system's most notorious encounters, such as the Khamrad Belt Ambush and the Bel-Dhangri Affair, where he single-handedly accounted for over 15 devotee craft. Although he is clinical and ruthless in combat, prospective employers should nevertheless be warned of his propensity for quoting obscure, Asiatic mystical texts. Wingman Contracts A wingman sings on for just one run — he's with you through thick and thin, until you land at a planet or station.

Note that if you land at an Equipment, Repair or Commodity Station, your wingman checks out, and you can't hire another wingman until you reach a planet or super station. The Darkening, the main plot is more of a riddle than a dogfight. You're on a quest to rediscover your identity, and at first, "missions" involve talking to people and getting information out of the Public Records.

The fighting comes later, after you and the people who tried to kill you in the opening movie sequence of the game find out who you really are. Hopefully, you will have cut your teeth on some cinematic and bulletin board missions by then. General Nofes The suggestions below will help you get through the main plot. Main Plot Mission Notes, p. Diary entries tell you who or where to go to next to get the next level of information.

To access your diary while you're on the ground, press [p] to call up your PAD. Click on the top arrow. Diary info appears on the left. Click EXIT when you're done. You'll also want a decent ship and loadout by the time you get to the main-plot combat missions. When a main plot mission sends you somewhere, it's a good idea to check the Bulletin Board and see about making a little bit of money — making a delivery to the same planet, or perhaps doing a little scouting along the way.

Every action in the main plot triggers the part that comes after it. If you die, you'll have to go back to your last save game and work your way back through the plot sequences until you catch up back to where you were.

• Charming The Prince (Mills & Boon Desire)
• La Quittance de minuit - Tome I - Lhéritière (French Edition)
• The Man-Gift (a ten minute play) (eTens)
• Mechanical Engineering Primer
• The Great Beginning of Citeaux: A Narrative of the Beginning of the Cistercian Order (Cistercian Fathers)
• Trouble in Bugville: 2