First combat experience in X-BTF

[metanoia]

I've been playing X-BTF for a few hours now, and I've bought myself a couple of Beta lasers and another 1 MW shield, I just ventured out to Ceo's Buckzoid and encountered my first enemy ships. I seem to be able to kill a couple of them and then get killed everytime.

I know I could probably kill them all given a few more attempts but I was wondering if it's better to do a bit more trading and possibly get a few factories going and save up for 2x5MW shields before heading off into the great unknown.

I realise it's up to me and the whole spirit of the game, being free to do what I want when I want, I just wondered how you all started out in X-BTF.

I'd just like to add, this game is great.

[Al]

You really want to get more shields before trying to take on pirate ships unless there is only a couple. 2MW of shields doesn't last any time against a couple of pirates unless you are both lucky and a good pilot. What I would recommend is trading a little more and depending on you funds buy a station or two. then when you head out of Siezewell if there are pirates simply make a break for the nearest factory and dock asap.

then once you leave the station they shouldn't be that close or might even ahve been destroyed by the sector defense ships.

Al

[Rapier]

In BtF it can be quite difficult to avoid being rammed by the Xenon ships. It's therefore a good idea to make sure your shields are at least as strong as theirs before taking them on. As Al says, discretion is often the better part of valour in the early stages. Before you attack pirate ships, check how much shielding it has (target the ship and press i), anything over 10MW I'd suggest leaving alone until you get better weapons.

Happy flying,

[Al]

And remember its always a tactical retreat, not running away



Al

[Deleted User]

You can tackle the smallest Xenon ships, but I would avoid the larger two until you have some better shields and weapons. Pirates are fair game though.

IO

[Roobarb]

I have not really advanced into X-BTF very far But I have tackled pirates. In my experience it was the weaponry that was more important than the shields when attacking the bigger pirate ships. You need to get there shields down as quick as possible as the recharge rate is too great for smaller lasers. Just keep your speed checked, the fastest way to accelerate is to use the turbo when you aren't at full standard speed.

... It's not just the ship, it's the pilot too.

[pjknibbs]

I always used to save up money and get 3 or 4 engine tunings in BTF (there's a pirate base in Company Pride you can get them from). That would make my ship fast enough to outrun any Xenon fighter, so if I jumped into the middle of a furball I couldn't handle, I just turbo boosted out of range and then dropped back to my normal maximum speed and watched the Xenon disappear into the distance.

Until you get heavier shielding and weaponry this tactic is pretty much required, because enemies tend to cluster around gates in X-BTF and it's very easy to get too many to handle in a weak ship.

[metanoia]

Thanks for all the advice. Nice to hear I'm not just crap at the game.

[pixel]

I generally get a few speed upgrades and at least 6mw of shields before fighting.

If you get good at fighting 2x5mw shields should be enough to take on a couple of large xenon but you will need good weapons!! Missiles are helpful. but ignore the smallest they're no use at all against 25mw shields!

[spliffz]

I always used to save up money and get 3 or 4 engine tunings in BTF

Engine tunings are wicked in XBTF.
It seemed that there was no top limit on the amount
of tunings you could have in XBTF.
I liked the way this worked in XBTF compared to XT.

If you get to 20 of the engine tunings then
your shields do not go down when travelling using
SETA Boost Extension (Bought from Argon).
In order to get the total up to 20 tunes you will
be paying nearly 2 million per tune @ that stage.

As the others have said, try to get as much shielding as possible.
Initially 2 x 5 mw will do with 2 x GPAC lasers.
If you can manage to get approx 2 million you can have the best
lazers (GHEPT x 2) and the best shields money can buy (25mw x 2)
I generally set up my empire and use the money generated to
upgrade the ship.

spliffz

[pjknibbs]

Engine tunings are wicked in XBTF.
It seemed that there was no top limit on the amount
of tunings you could have in XBTF.
I liked the way this worked in XBTF compared to XT.

Actually, there IS a top limit in X-BTF--I believe the game won't allow you more than 22 engine tunings, which would give you a top speed 3.2x faster than a non-upgraded ship.

[spliffz]

thanks pjk, i never knew that...

spliffz

[Roobarb]

Engine tuning sure would help me out. That's the one thing I find annoying, the inability to get away from the larger ships as they can easily match your speed. I have to confess I did not know about engine tuning... Where abouts is that pirate base then? Guide me from Teladi gain?

[Deleted User]

There's one in Company Pride go south though Seizewell for two or three sectors. Or there is one in Atreus Clouds go west and then south in Queens Space? (I Think) a couple of times.

All from memory.

IO

[Roobarb]

Nice one... South from seizwell is do-able.

Do I need to do anything beforehand? Don't normally dock with pirate stations.

[spliffz]

Where abouts is that pirate base then? Guide me from Teladi gain?

To get to Company Pride Pirate Base you need to keep going
South from Teladi Gain.

After about 5 or 6 sectors you will be in Company Pride.
There will be no south gate only a north + east gate.
As you come through the north gate the pirate base is
behind that gate.

There are several pirate bases dotted around the X universe.
You can get upgrades from all of them. Company Pride pirate
base is the one in teladi space.

You dont need to do anything before hand other than have some cash.
Just dock as you would with any factory.

Hope that helps

spliffz

[Roobarb]

Cheers!

So how come pirates attack you in ships but then let you dock in their space stations? Am I missing something??

Or am I getting confused between pirates and Xenon?

[Al]

No you are probably right. For arguements sake lets say that the pirates may be based at a particular pirate base (and hence have it as their home base) but might not actually run the base. Hence although they dislike you enough to attack , you can still land at the base they came from.

Poetic license etc etc

Al

[pjknibbs]

Cheers!

So how come pirates attack you in ships but then let you dock in their space stations? Am I missing something??

Or am I getting confused between pirates and Xenon?

In X-BTF pirates don't attack you unless you annoy them (e.g. by trying to comm one of their freighters)--it's only the Xenon who are out for your blood.

[Roobarb]

Got you... So the Xenon just attack and pirates run their own affairs unless you give them grief... Am I right in saying that Xenon Stations won't let you dock then?