IMG spy mission - again

BryanH · Post by **BryanH** » Wed Aug 24, 2011 5:18 pm

Damn this is hard! I've followed the advice I found in the other thread but this is a battleship I'm supposed to be spying on - getting on the other side doesn't help because these things are tough and they just fire missiles until I'm dead. All energy in shields or not - I last 30 seconds and then boom! Besides, the enemy fighters just follow you to the other side anyway. Do you happen to know if I still get credit for completion if I use a stealth device? Because that is the only way I can see to accomplish it. I admit I'm probably a crap pilot but that shouldn't stop the game dead in the water for me. I've spent hours! I'm getting quite disheartened. Sob Sob ;-)

Dingo · Post by **Dingo** » Wed Aug 24, 2011 5:27 pm

use the stealth. you get credit. We all started out as bad pilots. Hang in there. Come out to MP if you need any in-game help.

[Edited on 8-24-2011 by Dingo]

MMaggio · Post by **MMaggio** » Wed Aug 24, 2011 5:52 pm

Don't get disheartened, Some missions are a real test, but they can all be completed. You might consider hiring wingmen to help you. That's how I got thru it the first time.
You will find MP very supprtive and no one will pounce on you.
In MP you can share contracts with other players and that always makes them easier. There are many other reasons to join MP as well as just the comraderie.
Hope to see you there.

Viper · Post by **Viper** » Wed Aug 24, 2011 6:12 pm

Hi BryanH

I'm in the midst of the quest as well, and that mission was probably THE hardest I have had so far. It took me like twenty attempts to get it, but in the end I completed it, just like MM said. If it's any help to you, this is how I did it: I obviously had to take those pesky ships down in order to have a chance at scanning the capital ship, so I went back to the hangar and had a really good look at my ship setup. I then adjusted it to better suit the combat role as good and as bad as my money allowed me, and then I first took some missions that involved fighting baddies so I could train my skills a little bit more. When I was confident enough I could take on the few ships in that mission, I took it again and successfully took out all the fighters without taking any damage to my armor.

I found two different ways to successfully perform the scan:

1) Boost energy to your shields and take position just below the rear of the ship, right against its shield. Match its speed, then set your engine to 'inertial'. I found that most if not all the missiles it will fire at you, will not reach you but blow up against the capital ship's own shield. Watch the flak though, it may knock your ship about so you will have to adjust your heading regularly. Don't worry about sustaining damage by the flak fire tough, it won't really harm your ship. Use lots of countermeasures to get rid of the missiles that come a bit too close to your liking.
If you're lucky there won't be any hostile reinforcements in combat range before you have completed the scan.

2) I have found this way to work best when there are some hostile reinforcements already in range.
Again, boost all energy to your shields, then take a position that allows you to keep the battleship right in between the hostile fighters and yourself. Hit 'inertial' again and use your strafe keys to slowly drift around the battleship, always keeping the battleship as a barrier between the hostiles and you. The hostile ships won't hit you. Note that it will be easier for the battleship to hit you with missiles this way though, so use your cm's when you need them!

It is always a good idea to put a waypoint marker on your map whenever you have a second, so you can make a quick getaway as soon as the mission has been completed. Make sure your ship's nose faces away from the battleship when you hit 'jump' though, or you will blow up and you'll have to do the mission again.
Also, I have learned that you should at least carry two countermeasure pods. It has proven quite useful to me to have a few extra handy in missions like these.

Good luck man, I hope you get it.

mikeuk · Post by **mikeuk** » Wed Aug 24, 2011 6:16 pm

Stick with it BryanH it took me ages but thats what makes this sim real for me.

See you in MP if you need any help just ask:)

49rTbird · Post by **49rTbird** » Wed Aug 24, 2011 6:20 pm

Hello BryanH, Welcome to the forum and the Sim. Have fun and hope to see you in "Multi-Player" sometime.

Post by **Marvin** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 12:00 am

From post: 113409, Topic: tid=7914, author=Red Viper wrote:1) Boost energy to your shields and take position just below the rear of the ship, right against its shield. Match its speed, then set your engine to 'inertial'. I found that most if not all the missiles it will fire at you, will not reach you but blow up against the capital ship's own shield. Watch the flak though, it may knock your ship about so you will have to adjust your heading regularly. Don't worry about sustaining damage by the flak fire tough, it won't really harm your ship. Use lots of countermeasures to get rid of the missiles that come a bit too close to your liking.

That's pretty much the IM standard for spy missions. Just remember to stay really close to the cap ship's belly.

BraveHart · Post by **BraveHart** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 3:12 am

"Welcome Aboard BryanH"....Using stealth devices is a good bet for success and if you still have a Hard time then try going online in MP and ask for help, A squad of wing-men can keep the Hostiles busy while you Spy on the Capital Ship. There is a great bunch of pilots in MP that will help if you ask.

"Good Flying to you"

BryanH · Post by **BryanH** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 12:41 pm

Wow - thanks guys, a whole heap of useful advice. I always bounce back so I'll get the darn thing sooner or later. I've got a Legacy ship, 3 CM pods, sacrificed one missile spot for an extra space for equipment, and the best wings I could fit (along with relay, shield boosts, fusion/phantom, etc) so I think the ship is up to it - it's me that is the problem. I was thinking about the afterburner drive but couldn't really see a big advantage for the cost in hardpoints (or whatever the appropriate term is - you know what I mean). I agree about game immersion - this is one of the best for sure, if not THE best. I was a huge Elite fan back in the day (even bought Frontier the moment it was out - but was disappointed) and it has taken a long time to find anything that matches that. Even though Elite was primitive by today's standards it had a certain ability to draw you in - a pseudo reality that was most absorbing. Anyway, on to today's attempt and if I don't get it today after the usual 10 or 20 attempts then I'll off to explore for a while and back at it tomorrow. MP some time in the future for sure but right now I'm quite happy soloing and working my way through the missions. No doubt I'll be in trouble again for the next one which is bound to be harder again! Cheers all.

SeeJay · Post by **SeeJay** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 12:56 pm

Welcome BryanH.

Keep at it. You might wanna try sneaking up under the ships belly and deploy a shield array;)
(Only works if it's not moving obviously)

sundalo · Post by **sundalo** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 1:03 pm

When the going gets tough, hire some wingmen, they'll be more than happy to be your meat shields lol, they really helped me in combat before I jumped into multiplayer, glad you still appreciate Elite, I feel you, I too couldn't get into Frontier lol. Have you tried OOlite? Brings back classic Elite play with some great mods. Hope to see you in multiplayer soon!

BryanH · Post by **BryanH** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 4:45 pm

Another 10 fails. I'll look into the wingmen. I've got a stealth missile to deploy now but I'd really like to handle it visibly as requested by the mission if I can. Tomorrow's another day!

Viper · Post by **Viper** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 5:15 pm

Keep at it bud. Suffering defeat after defeat can sometimes be a bit discouraging, and some quest missions are far from easy. But in the end you will get it and it'll be a thrill when you do.