New Start Bears Fruit
16 Feb 2019User159521
About a month ago I opened this, my second Elite: Dangerous profile. I was growing weary of my first profile, and though I had not reached Elite in all 3 disciplines, I was close enough in two (having reached Elite in exploration middle of last year). I decided to buy the very attractive DVD package on this occasion:
I had, for a long time, been of the opinion that new players have it far easier than those of us who started with the original beta and release of the game and now I know this to be true. My first action, having bought just the basic game to start with, was to head to an area with several neighbouring systems in boom state, and start hauling. Within a couple of sessions I owned a Type 6 and a couple more saw it fully outfitted to top grade proportions. Evading the many, many interdiction attempts was simplicity itself, if rather tedious, especially when they rolled into each other, four in a row.
Within a very short space of time (a week, doing 2 hour seshes in the evenings) I also owned a Python, which I used to carry around 250t of goods, whilst having the ability to start hitting back at the pirates and assasins - instead of running away. Though I had notched up some kills with the Type-6.
Once I had earned myself enough to properly mod the Python as much as possible without engineering, I purchased Horizons and bought a DBX with which to easily complete the Ram Tah mission, which I did in about a week. Despite using my "3 session route", as I also got to know and use the new detailed surface scanner, and pick up some materials from the planets where the Guardian Ruins are located. It was whilst doing this that I also discovered the New Growth asteroid base in the SYNUEFE sector. Very handy for emergency repairs and supplies whilst doing Ram Tah and Guardian related operations.
Having gained the necessary 101 scans and a number of Guardian blueprints, I headed back to Meene and cashed in the mission for 111 million credits, and a bonus of 2.5 million credits for the cartography data. I then headed to the nearest Guardian Tech Broker to unlock the prizes. Only to find that I had miscalculated, and needed a further two module blueprints. As I had switched to the Python in order to collect the additional materials (bar two) required to unlock the Guardian tech, and it was loaded with around 30t of the stuff, I was unable to switch back to my DBX, which was fitted with only 16t of cargo space. So I just headed back out to SYNUEFE, in the Python.
I know the saying goes that you can't do the Guardian blueprints in a large ship, but I had already proven this at least partly incorrect with my other profile, where I had used an Orca for "top cover" whilst collecting blueprints. The closest Guardian structure offering module blueprints was around 16 jumps away - even with the FSD Booster fitted - but these days I don't mind longer journeys - not since v3.3, as it means more cartography money
Managed to find an excellent spot for the Python, giving full cover over the entire structure, and thanks to relogging was able to get two blueprints in short order. Mission successful! Not only that, I also managed to fill the remaining 34t in the hold with Guardian artefacts to sell. After spending a bit more time on the planet, gathering arsenic from various biological sites (the only landable planet in that system with arsenic available and, funnily enough, the only time I had been able to gather more than 6t of arsenic in one go with around 27t gathered at 2 bio sites).
I then returned to the broker at LTT 4961 to unlock the remaining two guardian modules. I still needed two materials - articulation motors and heat resistant ceramics - that I had been unable to find using INARA and EDDB's extensive data. I managed to obtain the necessary ceramics through a nearby material trader at an excellent exchange rate, due to having picked up many high-grade materials from USS. For the articulation motors, I simply fitted a business class cabin and took a tourist to a single nearby system and back and earned 20 + 300kcr as reward.
Now my Python is almost ready, with a current jump range of just over 40LY, for the long and winding trek to Colonia. I do have some final tweaks to make, which should push the range up to around 44LY (hopefully) and then I'll be off. This was my previous route, following a string of nebulae between the second Colonia highway station and Colonia, itself (though on that occasion I turned away after the last waypoint and headed to Sagittarius A* before going to Colonia):
But this time, I intend to swing further "left" and follow the nebulae along the way, on the opposite side instead.
It's my aim to operate one Commander based around Colonia, and one in The Bubble. This new profile will be heading out on a several month journey to Colonia shortly. Once there, I plan to spend some time mining for a living - as I had found some very nice, profitable sites during my last visit. I intend to purchase a Krait II, which I had used previously to good effect, as my mining ship - carrying a fighter bay with suitably qualified SLF pilot to guard over me, whilst carrying out my mining operations. To this end, I have taken on a new crew member, Avani, who I hope to train up in the RES around Jacques Station.
Last time I took on an experienced pilot in the overwatch role - and between mining at Colonia and the trip back to The Bubble, this pilot earned no less than 63 million credits from my bank balance (12% of my earnings)
So this time, I have taken on a pilot with a smaller cut of my earnings, at 2%. I hope she can live up to her claims, and give me adequate support (though as mentioned, I'll be doing some simple combat ops to increase her experience before then), else I may have to ditch her for a more experienced fighter pilot, who I would then release once the mining operations were complete.
Enough of this rambling - time to mount up and get going!
