Dundradal
Frog Blast the Vent Core!
Two weeks ago, I fired up my GOG copy of Privateer for another playthrough. The Star Citizen excitement called for me to do something to get a fix. I wanted to try a path I'd never taken before in Privateer. I wanted to smuggle Brilliance, and lots of it. Before I could do that, I needed to get my Tarsus into the best shape the Tarsus can get into. Using the mission computer and commodity exchange, I took on patrols, defend base, and attacks missions along with having a full cargo hold of products for the opposite base in Troy. Once the Tarsus had respectable armament and upgrades, I consulted the map of the Gemini Sector. I knew the hazards of the Pentonville - New Detroit route.. I wasn't looking forward to running from pirates in asteroids. As much as I wanted to smuggle Brilliance, I also didn't want to befriend pirates or angry the authorities. I wanted to be a real drug runner and flee at every opportunity.
I've played Privateer countless times since I got my first copy in 1995. I've never done smuggling outside of the plot missions. I'm not really sure why. I'd just never done it. So when I looked at the map and consulted the systems I saw a run that looked damn good. It could be either used one way or part of a circular route I used a few times. New Detroit is the ultimate destination in the route. The pirate base I used was located in KM-252. There are no asteroids in the system or in the systems on the way to it. You can easily outrun pirates and the authorities and get to New Detroit ready to make money.
Starting in KM-252 in a Tarsus with cargo expansion, I'd load up on Brilliance (taking off and landing again if necessary to get a full pure load) and consult the mission computer. If I could get a defend base and attack mission while leaving the system I might stack an extra 9-10k credits. If I could also find a mission in a system on the way, I'd take that too. The path I used the most was: KM-252 - Nexus - Junction - New Constantinople - New Detroit. Patrols aren't too bad and you can easily afterburn away from them in most instances. Pirates aren't too bad starting in KM-252 especially if you get missions in system. I'd also take the KM-252 - Nexus - Tingerhoff - Perry - New Detroit path if missions presented themselves in that path. You run into more patrols in those systems, but if you are very friendly with the authorities you'll often get away without a contraband scan.
After a number of runs, I'd made a considerable amount of money and was ready to upgrade to large scale smuggler. With several hundred thousand credits in my account, I went to the ship dealer and purchased a Galaxy. Fully upgrading the ship, I was ready to move huge amounts of Brilliance along my smuggling route.
It's pretty amazing how much money you can make smuggling that much Brilliance and other contraband. In perhaps 10-12 runs (I'm not even sure about that. I wasn't keeping track, but it wasn't too many before I had a good sum) I'd made more than 550k credits. The authorities were still happy with me. The pirates still hated me. When I upgraded to my plot missions Centurion, I actually made money. I sold my fully loaded Galaxy and purchased the heavy fighter and before upgrade my account went from 550k to 630k! After fully upgrading it, I still had several hundred thousand credits in my account and headed to the bar for my meeting with Sandoval.The plot is pretty fun when you can completely ignore the money situation because you've always got money for the light repairs and ImRecs you need.
I've since beaten the plot, saved up 790k and moved my pilot to Righteous Fire. I should have stayed in Privateer and saved up 1.1 million. Those damn RF upgrades are expensive. But, I've already completed the basic Masterson and Lynn Murphy missions and just started Captain Goodin's.
Both are such great games!
I've played Privateer countless times since I got my first copy in 1995. I've never done smuggling outside of the plot missions. I'm not really sure why. I'd just never done it. So when I looked at the map and consulted the systems I saw a run that looked damn good. It could be either used one way or part of a circular route I used a few times. New Detroit is the ultimate destination in the route. The pirate base I used was located in KM-252. There are no asteroids in the system or in the systems on the way to it. You can easily outrun pirates and the authorities and get to New Detroit ready to make money.
Starting in KM-252 in a Tarsus with cargo expansion, I'd load up on Brilliance (taking off and landing again if necessary to get a full pure load) and consult the mission computer. If I could get a defend base and attack mission while leaving the system I might stack an extra 9-10k credits. If I could also find a mission in a system on the way, I'd take that too. The path I used the most was: KM-252 - Nexus - Junction - New Constantinople - New Detroit. Patrols aren't too bad and you can easily afterburn away from them in most instances. Pirates aren't too bad starting in KM-252 especially if you get missions in system. I'd also take the KM-252 - Nexus - Tingerhoff - Perry - New Detroit path if missions presented themselves in that path. You run into more patrols in those systems, but if you are very friendly with the authorities you'll often get away without a contraband scan.
After a number of runs, I'd made a considerable amount of money and was ready to upgrade to large scale smuggler. With several hundred thousand credits in my account, I went to the ship dealer and purchased a Galaxy. Fully upgrading the ship, I was ready to move huge amounts of Brilliance along my smuggling route.
It's pretty amazing how much money you can make smuggling that much Brilliance and other contraband. In perhaps 10-12 runs (I'm not even sure about that. I wasn't keeping track, but it wasn't too many before I had a good sum) I'd made more than 550k credits. The authorities were still happy with me. The pirates still hated me. When I upgraded to my plot missions Centurion, I actually made money. I sold my fully loaded Galaxy and purchased the heavy fighter and before upgrade my account went from 550k to 630k! After fully upgrading it, I still had several hundred thousand credits in my account and headed to the bar for my meeting with Sandoval.The plot is pretty fun when you can completely ignore the money situation because you've always got money for the light repairs and ImRecs you need.
I've since beaten the plot, saved up 790k and moved my pilot to Righteous Fire. I should have stayed in Privateer and saved up 1.1 million. Those damn RF upgrades are expensive. But, I've already completed the basic Masterson and Lynn Murphy missions and just started Captain Goodin's.
Both are such great games!
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