Rumour System?

[rorymac]

Wow! This game has a LOT of layers! I've been playing a couple of weeks and still learning the system. My longest running captain is Level 34 right now and I believe I am getting a handle on trading, (made money through normal trading, and permit acquisition) reputation management (only one faction is negative currently), the relationship between rep management, trading, patrolling, travel between systems, missions, and spying, and I'm progressing through ship and crew combat experience with bigger ships (mainly well-armed trading/mission vessels so far) and I'm developing my crew combat skills.

I am starting to develop my knowledge and experience of the "Contact" system (for rep management, recruitment and acquisitions of gear/weapons).  However, one area I haven't paid much attention to is the Rumour system. I would say at this point in my experience that it isn't a part of the game that it's essential to master but I have it next on my personal learning curve. 

How many of you make extensive use of the rumour mill and how have your actions responding to rumours (or ignoring them) effected your game, either positively or negatively? My own experience in my longest lasting game has only been one really negative situation. My crew mutinied unexpectedly and the only answer I could come up with was spending time in a blockaded system. Until that moment my crew morale had been manageable with pay and spice. 

What are your experiences?

[drspendlove]

This depends on difficulty.

Assuming you're on Impossible, here's where I think rumors matter a lot:

Avoidance for survival:
- Knowing where Xeno Fleets are ahead of time and avoiding them before you're ready to do battle with them. You can run into Xeno before you have to if you fly through infested quadrants. The more rumors you learn of, the better your chance of not jumping into such a place without enough fuel to safely return from whence you came.
- Knowing where Radiation storms are and avoiding them. Even with 6+ saving talents for storms, the higher roll thresholds for all other checks make these areas a threat.

Reliable Profit:
- Knowing about Shortages. This is a huge way to make cash for very little work. If you can find a Surplus somewhat nearby it... you'll roll in the dough.
- Knowing where Artifact Finds are and disabling smugglers. This is a very easy way to get Xeno Artifacts galore, especially if you have a talent for finding smugglers' hidden cargo!

Avoiding Desertion:
- Knowing where Xeno Spores are and avoiding landing there for repairs/refuel etc. They can cause a desertion pretty easily. to a massively reduced extent this is true of Ion storms and meteor showers.

Accepting the right missions:
- Knowing where surface storms and Xeno Infestations are and not taking missions that include them.

Making good use of your time travelling to contacts:
- Knowing about Civil Unrest and avoiding making a long trip to see a contact that risks losing rep with their faction for trying to talk to them.

Xeno Hunters
- Several rumors guide XH captain's efficient play to find Xeno.

Salvagers
- Rumors sometimes tell you of salvage opportunities. This is crucial for affordable salvaging (not relying on contacts.)

Everything else is mostly a smaller optimization. Maybe Pirate fleets are worth avoiding though.

[rorymac]

Thanks! I'll keep those things in mind as I try to incorporate more response to rumours in my play.

[Cory Trese]

Rumors can be really good for their impacts on Contacts and Recruits as well. drspendlove gives great advice here for sure.