ok, I'm about fed up with this

[comedian]

Keep in mind that in SP you're the only scope of the game. It is understandable that enemy will be after you and that friendly are just that.... friendly, not alied.

Strictly speaking that's not true. If you're alliance navy pilot aren't you an ally of every other pilot in said navy? Or does being a member of the armed forces work completely differently in this setting? Also being the only player in the game doesn't excuse the nonsensical AI behavior. This game struck me as being a simulation, and the AI behavior just doesn't fit that role.

[-splosives-]

You are not a navy pilot, just a mercenary. That's why the game is called Evochron Mercenary.

[Busch]

If you're taking missions in the Talison CZ (or any other WZ), as the principle pilot (the one who took the mission), you may order the Navy AI bozos to attack the Vonari, what ever the mode-of-play. Or, if you attain Commodore rank, you may also order about the Navy AI, regardless of other pilots on the co-op. Station-hop 'twixt carrier and trade, to have a "wider" selection of missions. Talison Main at Station 1103, you'll net about 4 bad guys per Navy ace-kill/Miner anti-pirate patrol contract. Sometimes, a couple of loners will show up, but not too often. You can successfully complete escort missions there, if you just pay attention to the closest bad guy, then the next one...then the next one. Cerulean - Station 1107 - about the same as above, but you'll have a nebulae to deal with, and the game AI likes to send you on missions into it. But, it's "safer" than some others. Your missiles won't work there, due to EMF interference, but primarys will rule the day! Oly Primus - Harris Mining Station - nobody likes asteroids, including the AI rubes. Excellent area to practise mining probe, sensor, and shield array deployments; and the contracts pay decently for starters.

[Rubber Chicken]

You are not a navy pilot, just a mercenary. That's why the game is called Evochron Mercenary.

Yep. Wacth the intro. The backstory is you WERE a Navy pilot, then your world got destroyed and now your not. Hence, Mercenary. While technically you are aligned with the Alliance, each planetery system has it's own varying levels of faction allegiance. Navy in one area may not be alligned with same major factions (areas of control viewable on the Quadrant Map overlay) in one area as in another. If you enter a new area and the Navy is red then it means their not Alliance. If you see two capital ships fighting, then one of them has 'traveled' from another system (hostile to that system) and is being engaged by the local Navy even if the invading ship is also labeled Navy.

Check the System Information button in the News Console of your Inventory Menu. You can get a backstory for many of the systems charted on the Quadrant Map. Using that and the Territory overlay for the Quad Map, you should be able to roughly determine whether or not the Navy is actually Alliance alligned or not.

Also it's kind of good that your reputaion doesn't neccesarily travel with you to other systems. So if you work for the Federation Navy in their territory - killing Rebels who may be alligned with the Alliance, when you go back to Sapphire the Alliance Navy will still be like "Hey. What's up? You still need a job?":P

[Maarschalk]

Mostly what Rubber Chicken said, The Navies from different systems travel all over the Universe. So whenever you see a Navy Pilot in a certain system regardless of its color green, yellow or red (could be other factors why they look green, yellow or red (race, health or emotional state!....)) they might not belong to the Navy of the System you are in.
They could be Federation Navy from another System. They could be Aliance Navy from another system, They could be Vonari Spies posing as Navy, They could be of the Rebbel Clan posing as Navy!.....:P

[zex]

While the AI allies will perform a bit better after being ordered around, I would still offer that they are little more than distractions for the enemy - don't depend on them to do your contracts for you.

You are correct about them seemingly not needing to get a lock on you to fire a missile - although you have many advantages over them as well. If you think that an even match would be more fair, then go online and try to fight a player sometime, I promise you that the AI will seem pathetic compared to the trained pilots of [FF] fame.

I would suggest that you just keep at it and not get discouraged. To me, it sounds like you are having two different issues. The first is that your ship sounds ill equipped to handle combat at this time. Trying to go into a big fight with a couple of AI ships as wingmen with a light civ frame is a tough situation. I'd aim a little bit lower, and focus on making some money to get a better armored ship before taking on some of the tougher missions. It also sounds like you are still not completely familiar with controlling your ship. It takes a lot of practice to fly these things, as the flight physics in this game are amazing. I see you are using a stick, and I might suggest that the way you have your axises set up might not be working with the way your brain is thinking. I had to make multiple changes to my layout as I became more familiar with how the thrusters work vs the engines, how IDS works vs inertial mode, and so on. If you find yourself fumbling around a lot, I'd really suggest setting your controls to something that feels more natural.

If you can overcome the steep learning curve of this game, it can be very rewarding. There is nothing more satisfying than flying out of a tough battle virtually unscathed, and you will be able to be victorious in even the most impossible situations with practice and patience (the latter being something that I also lack, at times).

If you see me flying out there and want to fly with a human wingman sometime, just say something.. I think I can speak for most of the guys here when I say that as long as we aren't way off the map somewhere, we'd be glad to help take some of the heat off you while you are training. There is also the newly founded evochron university that you could look into.

[comedian]

You are not a navy pilot, just a mercenary. That's why the game is called Evochron Mercenary.

That doesn't actually change anything. If I'm a mercenary contracting for a particular navy I am, for the duration of that contract, an ally of that navy.

Either way, my point was that all friendlies seem to do in a fight is follow the hostiles, who are chasing me, without actually shooting them until said hostile is down to 20% or 30% health. Which seems to just be the games way of screwing me out of kills.

My current ship is a legacy, with a maxim r particle cannon and a neo something or other laser. My tactics consist of circling a body of enemies taking them out one at a time while they slowly pursue and missile spam. Right now I can take on 4-5 at once provided I'm patient and have the fuel. It's not hard, it's just incredibly repetitive and time consuming. When I bought the game I was hoping for a bit more tactical depth.


[Edited on 1-9-2013 by comedian]

[Nubarus]

Have you tried hiring wingmen and use the wingmen commands to gain a tactical advantage over the enemy?