Good places to get intrepid explorer?

[phantombudgie]

Where are good appropriate places to explore with hazard more than 21? I really want that exo-planetary crawler.

I have 318 crew when full. Average 120 or so after exploring a hazard 5-10 planet. This is gonna get messy.

Can the game change a little so that after killing 200 or so of your crew during exploration, the enemy crew run out of bullets / the primitive aliens are full and not hungry any more?

[shallowthought]

I think you want this thread: startradersrpg.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=rules&action=display&thread=2037&page=1

here's a map of the galaxy with all the planet data for wild/urban etc, may be of use: startradersrpg.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=gotopost&board=tips&thread=1765&post=24812

general advice for this award - push explorer up to around 20 if you can, get a scout officer + a lot of records, and pay attention to rumors. good luck!

edit: I personally don't bother with the exo-planetary crawler - if you're on a planet at a bad time, your crew is going to die horribly either way. I normally go for external crew pods / water fuel tank / mercenaries, depending on initial ship stats and fuel consumption. Getting a bigger crew should make profitable explores even more profitable, or if you're filling your hold already, the water fuel tank lets you ram an extra 25 units of whatever in there with enough fuel to get to the nearest friendly exchange.

[Cory Trese]

Good lord stop sending so many people to the planet! Your Captain can lead officers and crew bosses on the ship but when you're exploring a remote planet it requires hands on leadership.

What would happen if Kirk took 200 red shirts to a planet? bad stuff

[shallowthought]

May 5, 2012 10:06:53 GMT -5 Cory Trese said:

Good lord stop sending so many people to the planet!

You say that, but crew are free and so the payoff seems to be better - you'll either find something or the team you send dies, so you may as well maximise the payoff. Does exploring with large teams on unproductive planets cause long-term damage (like exploring during droughts, over exploring etc) compared with starting with smaller teams?

[Cory Trese]

Crew isn't free, payoff isn't better (relative to hold size and explorer skill) and it causes long term damage to the planets.

[Cory Trese]

Altho -- lots of people have told me I have no idea what I'm talking about

[phantombudgie]

Firstly, thanks for your really helpful and prompt replies! You guys run the absolute most welcoming forum I've ever joined.

That map is FANTASTIC! Thank you shallowthought. I should have searched better.

May 5, 2012 10:06:53 GMT -5 Cory Trese said:

Good lord stop sending so many people to the planet!

This isn't about tactics, it's about curiosity. And cruelty.

As a Javat captain, I make it my business to hire a crew full of Cadar Syndicate and send them to be alien-mince... somewhere out there is a Cadar battlecruiser captain writing my name onto 50 or so torpedoes...

[whitegauntlet]

Where is that that hellion propaganda dispensing machine when we need him?

[hellion7776]

I have been summoned so here I stand!

to PhantomBudgie I quote the great and mystical Cadar Prime Bible:
"The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the iniquities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he, who in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who would attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee."

Repent your evil ways and return to the light, where you shall be welcomed with open arms (and heat seeking Torpedoes)!

Hellion

[whitegauntlet]

Atta boy.

[LordofSyn]

Kirk addressing legion of Red Shirt crew member just outside of Transporter Room 2: You have all served...exceptionally well. Today, you prove yourself to the United Federation of Planets, for today is ...operation Cannon Fodder...

[whitegauntlet]

Lol.

[phantombudgie]

May 6, 2012 23:38:07 GMT -5 hellion7776 said:

... you shall be welcomed with open arms (and heat seeking Torpedoes)!

Ironically (and rather disturbingly, I must say, given the timing) I just have been... farewell, cruel galaxy...

Tried starting out again as Cadar on Demanding (now on my 9th captain ever), I keep dying. I try starting out doing contracts, and get killed after I run out of water-fuel, or money, or luck, or all at the same time!

Perhaps I just don't check frequently enough that I've bought some more torpedoes?

[shallowthought]

are you taking on multiple contracts at the same time? This is the only way to survive at the higher difficulty levels without exploring.

[phantombudgie]

Yep, just managed to get to level 12 doing lots of simultaneous contracts with very lucky short ranges and overlaps in area. I was still on my starting ship Danti Cautela (for the unlock) and looking really good. I left trails of torpedo-made debris behind me in the proud Cadar tradition.

Then I decided that I wanted to take over a nice ship that attacked me.

Unfortuntely, I was not set up for boarding attacks and in those situations my shiny new escape shuttle was of no use...

I also found it hard to pile up enough money to buy a better ship (topredoes are EXENSIVE, dammit!), I may try again as an explorer since I now have to start again. Oh well, that's why playing it is so tense and exciting, you spend the whole time hoping not to run into a solar storm or high-level pirate!