Privateer 2 Hint FAQ

Privateer 2: The Darkening
h i n t s a n d t i p s

I can't get any missions like I could in Privateer!
You will not have access to any combat missions until your net worth (ship worth plus cash on hand) exceeds 25,000 credits. You will have to make money by escorting cargo and killing pirates for bounty until then. They will then be available in the Bulletin Board.

How do I do a cargo run?
You will need to go into the Booth and choose the Bulletin Board. When that comes up, you should have several cargo ships available to hire, ranging from 250 tons to 1500 tons. Pick one, then exit the Bulletin Board and go to the Commodities screen. Buy whatever commodity you wish, then leave the planet. Fly to another planet or space station, then go to the Commodities screen there. It will show you if you can make a profit by selling there (white numbers mean a profit, red numbers mean a loss).

What are some good trade routes?
When you first begin the game on Hermes (nav 5), buy as much brickrete as you can. Take it to Anhur (nav 7) and sell it for about a 50% profit. Then buy precious metals (Rhodium, Platinum, etc.) and bring them back to Hermes to sell for about a 50% profit. Making a few runs like this should easily put you over 25,000 credits, and then you can get missions (which tend to pay better).

Later you may find yourself on Bex (nav 2). Buy the largest cargo ship you can and fill it with Bex Beer. You can take this almost anywhere and make a large profit on it.

Also, read the news bulletins. Several will clue you in to temporary increases or decreases in the price of certain goods. If a news bulletin mentions a shortage of a certain item on a certain planet, buy up that item and take it to the planet. You'll make a killing. If the news bulletin mentions a surplus on a planet, buy your items on that planet to get a better price. You'd better hurry though, the price changes are only temporary.

Missiles don't seem that effective here.
Missiles are more for hurting slow-moving capships than for killing fighters. However, the Prox Missile can be effective against fighters, since it doesn't actually have to hit. You won't get these until you read a news bulletin about them, so they are not available at the beginning of the game.

How do I jump?
Technically, every time you autopilot it's a jump. However, you cannot jump out whenever there are enemy ships in the area like you could in Privateer. All enemies must be cleared, and more can jump in while you fight.
There are "jump rings" that can move you across the map quickly. To use them, you simply fly into one and you will appear at the other. You will have to pay 200 credits for this service, and you can actually do this when there are enemies in the area.

I don't know where to go next in the plot.
Your diary always contains an entry with a clue about your next plot mission. You can access the diary in spaceflight by hitting Alt-D. On planets, hit P to bring up your PAD, then click on the Diary symbol to the left. In both diaries, you can page through the entries by clicking on the Next Entry/Previous Entry buttons.

Rescue the Senator's Daughter - What's my next nav point?
Scorpio has some really strange puzzles. The nav points are in this order, 36, 120, 24, 21.

Why can't I land on Pirate Bases?
The Pirate Bases are home to some unsavory folk. You won't want to land there.

Where do I get the Kraven Lasers?
Well, nothing in life is free. You will have to leave your SOS receiver on and listen for a call of help from Ralph McCloud. If you save him he will give you the lasers in payment.

Combat Tips
Get afterburners and a repair droid as soon as you can. They will keep you in the fight a lot longer.

Read the news bulletins. Several ship upgrades will not be available until you read about it in the news. These include Proximity Missiles, Warp Shields, the BSE Mark II, Decoys Mark II, the Mass Ion Cannon, and the Shield Generator Mark III.

Lots of ships are simply gun fodder. These include the Tacon, the Veldor, the Heron and the Vendetta (once you get behind it). Always kill these ships when you encounter them. You need the bounty.

Getting a lot of weak guns and a good gun cooler may actually help you out more than buying a few strong guns.

Nuke'ems are extremely useful. They can heavily damage a cruiser, or blow several fighters right out of the sky. Always pack at least one for important missions.

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