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{{Title|Advanced miner defence}}
{{Refresher|[[Cadet I/Miner defense|Cadet I lesson on miner defence]]}}


A friend go to the aleph and prox it.
===Advanced miner d===


The best miner defenders don't just sit and watch the miners, they take an active role in controlling the miner to maximise the amount of money coming in while minimising the opportunities the enemy team have to destroy it. At the first sign of danger they will order the miner home without waiting for the comm. They will anaylse the map layout to decide which sector to mine next, they will choose which rocks to mine in which order. They will study the minimap relentlessly to glean any hints of an enemy attack before it has begun. Hell, they'll even tell the team where to bomb next so that they can mine safely!
In the [[Cadet I]] lesson we focused on how to defend a miner that is under attack. In Cadet II we focus on how to prevent a miner from ''coming'' under attack. It goes without saying that you should be out with the miners to defend them, not sitting in base coordinating.


Of course, as a newbie, you're just as likely to make a mistake and waste the miners' time as you are to save them from doom. But here are 4 tips that should be within your grasp:
#After a miner has unloaded itself make sure it heads to a fresh, full rock if possible. 9 times out of 10 it is better to start a new rock than to travel all the way back to its old rock for the dregs.
#Once a miner has been damaged by the enemy it will want to retreat and repair, regardless of whether all the enemy have been destroyed and it has been nanned all the way back up. Every time you hear the sound effect "I don't get paid enough for this" grab the miner and order it back to the rock to finish. Crack that whip!
#When a large enemy attack approaches don't wait for the comm to react, get that miner out of there! If possible order it to the closest refinery first so that even if it dies you get the money for its current cargo.
#If a miner is coming under attack a fair distance from you (3 or 4k) order it to head towards you. This will help prevent you shooting past it in the opposite direction. On the other hand, once you've met up you will both become sitting ducks.


=Miner d=
===Check the situation===
You're on miner D in a scout, so using what you have already learnt from Cadet-I, you should already have a firm grip of the basics needed for miner defence.
Even if you're not on miner defence it is a good idea to check on your team's miners whenever you have a spare moment in base. It will allow you to keep tabs on where they are, where they're going, and who is doing anything about it (friend or foe). That said, this section assumes you're about to head out on miner d yourself:


This material will overlap with some aspects of Cadet-I, but that will only serve as a refresher
=====Situation 1: No other miner D=====
==Section 1: Loadout and basics==
This is the penultimate worst situation (the worst being no miner D whatsoever). At this point feel free to "motivate" your team to get some more miner D, particularly if the enemy have been hitting your miners hard.


Your basic loadout:
Sometimes having no miner d is acceptable, for instance it is very early game and they're in a "safe" sector, or if there is a teleport and/or base in the sector, or if the enemy team is being forcibly locked down to one sector on the opposite side of the map. But there are always exceptions to the rule. During early game even a single scout can kill a miner, if it's committed enough (see the Cadet II lesson on "Scout as a combat craft"). If the helium rock being mined is far from a teleport and/or base then defence will not be able to reach it in time. If the enemy is Tac. If the enemy has a small group of squadded players or well-known "miner whores" that are likely to work together to kill your miners.


ER Nanite
Being the only one on miner d can be quite stressful or incredibly boring. By yourself you can not expect to stop the enemy, your main task is to start the miners retreating the instant they're threatened, and perhaps try to survive long enough to nan one of them. Top tips:
*Figure out where the nearest point of reinforcement is. If you're sup or tac this will be a teleport, if exp then an outpost.
**During an attack send the miner there immediately.
**If you can, send the miner to the refinery first so it will unload its current load. Especially important if it is unlikely to survive the attack.
*Don't let miners spread out if the enemy are nearby (or tac).
**This is especially important if you're mining a sector where you don't have a ref or outpost because the miner will try and leave your sector entirely.
**If a miner has finished order it to yourself and wait until you've collected them all, then escort them back to base in a group.
*Pay attention to background noises.
**Your HUD will bleep whenever a new enemy enters the sector, even if they avoided eye.
**It is a good idea to panic and send the miner immediately back to base.
{{Refresher|[[Cadet I/HUD#Sounds|Cadet I HUD lesson]].}}


Quickfires (If against Tac) or seekers (If against Exp/Sup)
=====Situation 2: Acceptable miner D=====
For the purposes of this article, acceptable miner D is a nan for each miner, and roughly the same number of interceptors/fighters as there are miners. So, in this situation we are assuming you have one miner to protect (for now).


Shields mounted
If your miners are not immediately under attack you can spend a little time ensuring their safety. Look for probes around the He rock, between the He rock and the refinery, between the miner's entry aleph and the He rock, between the He rock and the exit aleph, between the you get the idea. Everywhere your miner is going to be flying, attempt to deprobe it.


Prox in dispenser.
If one (or more) aleph leads directly to an enemy sector KEEP THAT ALEPH PROXED. <u>Nothing</u> slows down an enemy raid quite like a wall of prox. Work in shifts with another scout so one of you can return to base for a reload.


Prox in Cargo + extra Countermeasure if against Tac.
Before your miners finish harvesting the sector peek through into the next sector and see if it's clear, of camps and probes.


Now, youre all tooled up, and ready to go.
If your miners come under attack it's all hands on deck to keep them alive long enough for your escorting fighters to boost over to the threatened miner to defend it. Be prepared to abandon your miner if the enemy are focusing on a different one. Of course, you run the risk of the one you left dying while you're away, especially if the enemy has stealth fighters.


=====Situation 3: The final miner=====
You're down to your last miner and most if not all of your team is crowded around to defend it. Don't think you have safety in numbers, if anything your job just got harder. Now the enemy will know they can't ignore the nans and will come gunning for you. You need to keep an eye on your fellow nans to try and keep them alive, and keep dodging about so the enemy can't hit you (but your fellow nans can - a bit of a conundrum).


So, check your minimap, and find where your miners are. If they are in a sector with a base, launch or rip there, otherwise, work out the shortest route (Within reason), and head off to your miners.
Also of importance is pod pickups, if you're in position to grab pods without letting the miner die, do so. IC, and TF can benefit from a beacon or rescue probe near the rock being mined.




==Section 2: Situations==
===Defending vs. Tac===
===Situation 1: No other miner D===
For starters toggle your radar to <tt>All</tt> so you can immediately see any missiles that are launched by the enemy. It can give you a couple of seconds warning to start retreating that miner. Second, take extra countermeasures. Third, pester your comm into getting you CM2 or 3.


This is the worst situation (Next to having no miner D whatsoever). At this point, feel free to "motivate" your team to get some more miner D, particularly if the enemy have been hitting your miners hard.
Stealth fighters will attack in one of three ways:
#Wait until a miner strays from the group and then pounce.
#Ignore the nans and hope their utility cannons can outdamage them.
#Start picking off the nans before moving in on the miner.


So, lets say there are 2 miners in your sector, and you're facing basic expansion (Mini2 ints). Work out where the enemy are most likely to attack from, and position yourself close to the miner that is most at risk. (1k or so) This way, as ints have approximately 400m scanrange, they will see the miner well before they see you.  
Your best defence is:
#Don't let the miner stray beyond your capabilities to defend it. If you do, blame yourself for its death.
#Focus your nan on the miner and hope they can't outdamage you.
#Don't remain a stationary target. Change which directions you're heading so hunters can't predict where to fly. Focus on cross nanning.
#Pack extra countermeasures and quickfire missiles. Quickfires work great against stealth fighters.


As soon as the miner comes under attack, or it is ordered (Do this yourself if you are confident with AI), it will begin moving to the nearest base it can dock at. Now by this time, you should be moving in, ready to nan the miner. As soon as you are in range, try and heal it as much as possible, but, if the attacker comes after you, steer well away from the miner.
There is a good chance some stealth fighters will pick off the nans and others concentrate on the miner. Especially in a pick-up-game where the attacking pilots don't talk to each other. Heck, I've even been in the scenario where a light int has popped the nans, then boosted away (with the fighter escorts running after him), just to leave it open for the stealth fighter.


One of two things will happen:
The best you can do is react to what is happening. As a priority keep you nan tracked on the miner. If you get a missile lock call out {{k|~}}-{{k|nx}} (Need repairs!); if you hear a fellow say that then try and cross-nan them.


1) The attacker comes after you, placing themselves 1k+ from the miner.
2) The attacker ignores you, and continues to attack the miner, whereby you come back, and nan it again.


During this, defence should already have been launched, and be on its way to help the miner back to base. Either way, you will have done the best you can, and only those who were not on miner D could have made a difference  .
===Controlling the AI===
 
The best miner defenders don't just sit and watch the miners, they take an active role in controlling the miner to maximise the amount of money coming in while minimising the opportunities the enemy team have to destroy it. They will anaylse the map layout to decide which sector to mine next, they will choose which rocks to mine and in which order, so the miner ends the sector nearest to where it is heading next. They will relentlessly study the minimap surrounding their sector to glean any hints of an enemy attack before it has begun. Hell, they'll even tell the team where to bomb next so that they can mine safely!
 
===Situation 2: Acceptable miner D===
 
For the purposes of this article, acceptable miner D is a nan for each miner, and roughly the same number of interceptors/fighters as there is miners. So, in this situation you have one miner to protect (for now).
 
So, if your miner is going to come under attack, your fighting ships should already be boosting to help. For now, focus on slowing and damaging the attackers as much as possible. Try and lay proximity mines so that they will be active for when the enemy is shooting the miner.
 
Hint: If the miner is between you and the enemy, hit reverse thrust for a second, and drop your mines. The mines will appear in front of you, and most importantly, around the miner.
 
Once again, if the attacker goes for the nan (You), follow the procedure in section 1.
 
 
====Situation 2.1====
 
Now, its likely that another nan, for another miner may be podded. In this case, either order the miner to you, ask on TS, or team chat (As a last resort, as this is slower than the others), and head towards the miner that either is, or has been under attack, depending on if the attacker has been killed, and nan the miner as quickly, and accurately as possible, particularly if it is still under attack.
 
Once the threat has passed, the commander will send the miner back to the rock, or to a base, at which point it is no longer your responsiblity, if you deem it safe enough. Remember, you still have a miner of your own to protect. When a nans pod is picked up, they will usually come directly back to the miner.
 
 
 
===Situation 3: Last miner, tac defense===
 
You're against Tac, and you have lost all but one miner, and your team are all crowded around, defending it. At this point, toggling your radar to "All" would be helpful, as you can see who is under attack, and nan them (As long as the miner is not being attacked).
 
Most of the time, you'll only have to deal with the odd one or 2 stealth fighters going straight for the miner. In this case, nans should focus fire on the miner, so that the 4 utility cannons dont outdamage the nans (It is possible, if the stealth fighters are very accurate).
 
However, you will see a handful of times where 5+ stealth fighters are set up, like a Stealth Bombing run, on your miner. This is a tactical nightmare to defend, and the only thing that you can do is focus nan fire on your miner, and hope the defending ships are good enough to kill them all.
 
 
 
==Section 3: A last note on missiles:==
 
You will see in the loadout, missiles are given. Here is the sneaky part, you dont have to:
 
a) Be in range
b) Have a lock
 
To fire a missile at an enemy. They will still recieve the same audible beep that warns of an incoming missles. Sure, it wont be as high pitched as a locked missile, but its sometimes enough to put them off, even slightly, which can give your defenders a slight edge. Also, if you are confident that the miner is not going to die in the next 5 seconds, there is nothing stopping you firing Seekers at figs/ints, with the chance of them hitting.
 
If you are confident enough with "lobbing" dumbs (Many vets use this to great effect), you can attempt to land one on an attacker, with the hope of damaging them significantly more than with Seekers.
 
 
=Con d=
Greetings Cadet
 
Your Mission if you choose to accept it is to deliver the constructor to it's destination asteroid and make sure it builds there...
Optionally, try to avoid the enemy detecting it's whereabouts. Sounds simple? Well, it isn't. The enemy team will do whatever they can to destroy the constructor or at least delay your team's expansion by making your commander redirect his constructors.
 
Defending a constructor in your scout can be the difference between whether it lives or dies. Since a large aspect of winning is based on your economy and your control of sectors, the difference between winning and losing can be decided with that one fateful constructor.
 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
==Load out==
Let's start with the basics, by now you should know to always have a nan loaded or in your cargo slot. The loadout is completely dependent on the type of pilot after that but most seem to have a similar loadout along the lines of;
 
 
-Nanite(Cargo or loaded)
-Gat(Cargo or loaded)
-Seekers(A rack loaded if going high sig)
-Prox(4 in cargo)
-RP if possible(1 in cargo)
 
 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
==Escort==
 
===Trail Blazing===
 
 
When escorting the constructor it is usually best to stay ahead of the it, about 1000-1300m should do. This will allow you to eye any probes or incoming adversaries before they reach your constructor or before it becomes eyed which will decrease the chance of your constructor planting. If you do see incoming hostiles on your constructor forward of your position it is best to drop a prox and head back to your constructor, this will hopefully slow down your opponents or destroy them.
This will also allow you to check the forward sector before your constructor enters via the aleph, allowing your team ample time to redirect or bring in reinforcements to help defend.
 
 
===Aleph Camping===
 
 
In certain circumstances when you know there will be hostiles in the forward sector camping the aleph, using your prox to stop the hostiles entering and killing the constructor can be a viable tactic, this should really only be employed when there is a medium to large team defending the constructor as you would be leaving the constructor without a nan. The easiest method of aleph camping is sitting with your scout within 200m of the aleph, with a good interceptor or Fighter pilot sitting near you, and dropping prox until you run out or until the constructor reaches the aleph.
 
 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
==Planting Sector==
 
===Situational Awareness===
 
 
As soon as you enter the forward sector that your constructor is going to plant in, take a quick look around to gain a good insight into the situation you and your constructor is in. This can be done by using your HUD or can be done using the F3 sector map, either one will give you a quick overview of your current surroundings.
 
Take notice of your surroundings: are the numbers in your favor? does the enemy squad see the constructor (yes, sometimes the enemy might forget to bring a scout along with a bunch of interceptors)? from which direction will the assault come? Try to note those things, especially the direction part. This is a good moment to drop your rescue probe, if you have one.
 
Going into the "planting sector" before your constructor does is a must, as stated before. You will need to make sure it is clear for it to enter without being destroyed, if it is camped or there is an overwhelming force inbound, you need to call a warning out to your team and commander immediately.
 
 
===Trail Blazing===
 
 
There are not many differences between escort "Trail Blazing" and Planting "Trial Blazing". You should still be moving ahead of the constructor to make sure the path is clear to the rock it will be planting at, but make sure you stay closer to the constructor this time, about 600-800m should suffice. If the enemy has already seen the constructor and is en route to your position, it is a good idea to get 600 or so ahead of the constructor and drop a few prox before flying back towards it. since the incoming hostiles will most likely be boosting to reach the required shooting range on the constructor before it reaches the rock, the prox should force the hostiles to either slow down or will destroy them. This buys your constructor the valuable seconds it may need.
 
 
===Escorting to the rock===
 
 
If you have a good aim and someone is already ahead of the constructor dropping prox, you should stay with the constructor to make sure it lives.
 
If the enemy reaches your constructor still in flight, make sure you keep a constant eye on it's health bar - nan it as soon as its hull starts getting hit. (Remember, a nanite repair gun only repairs hull, not shields) Drop a prox or two, you'll probably kill nothing, but you will force the attackers to avoid your mines.
 
When under fire, use your sidethrusters to make yourself harder to hit, using the constructor as a "shield" while you do this is a very good tactic to keep yourself alive, since you should be able to outnan the damage the constructor takes as they are trying to hit you, try not to die. Remember to always have your nan fixed on the con. Don't run if you're about to die, nan the con till the bitter end. You are the expendable part here. You can say a little prayer for your buddies in interceptors and fighters aim too.
 
 
===Enemy Constructor===
 
 
There will be times when you enter the planting sector to find an enemy constructor already there heading for a rock. Since it will almost always have a sufficient defense you should warn you team about it and give them the target to attack(VC '5 - Attack my target). You should then continue to defend your own constructor in the standard ways described here whilst some of the defense team attempt to destroy the enemy constructor.
 
If you do however have enough defense on your own constructor, it is a good idea to try and get ahead of the enemy constructor and prox it to try and slow it down, this should only be attempted in very rare situations where you know your own defense team has enough cover on your constructor, in most cases it would not be applicable and should not be attempted.
 
 
 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
==At the rock==
 
The constructor has made it to the rock. Now it has to align itself to build. For that, it has to stop and rotate to the desired position undisturbed. The enemy will try to buy time by ramming it, making it restart the positioning sequence.
 
===Proxing===
 
 
This is when your remaining prox comes in handy. Drop your mines around the constructor, preferably to the side you are expecting the rammers to come from, but also in a "net" so to speak since some of the hostiles will dodge the initial prox or overboost and try to come from the opposite side. There is a good chance that desperate enemy pilots will ignore your mines in hopes to reach the constructor before they die. You're quite likely to rack up some kills at this point. Still, remember to keep your nan fixed on the con at all times!
 
 
===Combat/XNanning===
 
 
Since your nanite is only useful on hull it can be extremely effective to your survival to nan your friendly scouts and Interceptors or fighters. Since the hostiles will almost always target the nanites first so they cannot repair the con, it is a good idea to keep your eye on your friendlies. The longer they stay alive the longer you will, meaning the constructor has a higher chance of planting. Using your friendly fighters or interceptors as "shields" while you combat nan them or the constructor will ensure you yet again a longer life, simply because of their heavier shield and hull.
 
Remember - The con is always of the highest priority, as soon as the shields are down on it make sure you have it targeted and are firing for all you are worth.
 
 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
==Ranges & Notes==
 
===Ranges===
 
 
[150-200m] is the utmost minimum distance you should be to the constructor, any closer and you will either slow it down or stop it from planting
[400]Nanite 1 standard range
[400]Nanite 2 standard range
[1300] A good range for dropping prox on an incoming hostile
 
 
 
===Notes===
 
 
-Remember to sidethrust
-Use larger objects(Constructor/Interceptors) as "shields"
-Always enter an aleph before your constructor
-Always have a Nan in your scout
-Try to Xnan your friendlies - Do not try to Xnan any piloted Phoenix Faction ships as they cannot be nanned
-Only fire your Nanite when the shields have been depleted, you can only repair the hull
-Bring Rescue Probes when Available


Of course, as a newbie, you're just as likely to make a mistake and waste the miners' time as you are to save them from doom. But here are 4 tips that should be within your grasp:
#After a miner has unloaded itself make sure it heads to a fresh, full rock if possible. 9 times out of 10 it is better to start a new rock than to travel all the way back to the old rock for the dregs.
#Once a miner has been damaged by the enemy it will want to retreat and repair, regardless of whether all the enemy have been destroyed and it has been nanned all the way back up. Every time you hear the sound effect "I don't get paid enough for this" grab the miner and order it back to the rock to finish. Crack that whip!
#When a large enemy attack approaches don't wait for the comm to react, get that miner out of there! If possible order it to the closest refinery first so that even if it dies you get the money for its current cargo. A miner pays for itself with one load of He3.
#If a miner is coming under attack a fair distance from you (3 or 4k) order it to head towards you. This will help prevent you shooting past it in the opposite direction. On the other hand, once you've met up you will both become sitting ducks.
{{Tip|Left-click the miner to select it, press {{k|Enter}} to open the chatbox, and type {{k|ctrl}}-{{k|g}} {{k|me}} to give it an order to Go-To you, then press {{k|Enter}} to send the order.


"Me" always refer to you, no matter what call sign you log in as.


This message will now self-destruct.
You can use [[autohotkey]] to bind all this to a single key.}}

Latest revision as of 18:09, 8 March 2011

Cadet II · Week One Index · Edit

Week 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · Appx


Advanced miner defence


Edit.png
 Refresher
 Cadet I lesson on miner defence


In the Cadet I lesson we focused on how to defend a miner that is under attack. In Cadet II we focus on how to prevent a miner from coming under attack. It goes without saying that you should be out with the miners to defend them, not sitting in base coordinating.


Check the situation

Even if you're not on miner defence it is a good idea to check on your team's miners whenever you have a spare moment in base. It will allow you to keep tabs on where they are, where they're going, and who is doing anything about it (friend or foe). That said, this section assumes you're about to head out on miner d yourself:

Situation 1: No other miner D

This is the penultimate worst situation (the worst being no miner D whatsoever). At this point feel free to "motivate" your team to get some more miner D, particularly if the enemy have been hitting your miners hard.

Sometimes having no miner d is acceptable, for instance it is very early game and they're in a "safe" sector, or if there is a teleport and/or base in the sector, or if the enemy team is being forcibly locked down to one sector on the opposite side of the map. But there are always exceptions to the rule. During early game even a single scout can kill a miner, if it's committed enough (see the Cadet II lesson on "Scout as a combat craft"). If the helium rock being mined is far from a teleport and/or base then defence will not be able to reach it in time. If the enemy is Tac. If the enemy has a small group of squadded players or well-known "miner whores" that are likely to work together to kill your miners.

Being the only one on miner d can be quite stressful or incredibly boring. By yourself you can not expect to stop the enemy, your main task is to start the miners retreating the instant they're threatened, and perhaps try to survive long enough to nan one of them. Top tips:

  • Figure out where the nearest point of reinforcement is. If you're sup or tac this will be a teleport, if exp then an outpost.
    • During an attack send the miner there immediately.
    • If you can, send the miner to the refinery first so it will unload its current load. Especially important if it is unlikely to survive the attack.
  • Don't let miners spread out if the enemy are nearby (or tac).
    • This is especially important if you're mining a sector where you don't have a ref or outpost because the miner will try and leave your sector entirely.
    • If a miner has finished order it to yourself and wait until you've collected them all, then escort them back to base in a group.
  • Pay attention to background noises.
    • Your HUD will bleep whenever a new enemy enters the sector, even if they avoided eye.
    • It is a good idea to panic and send the miner immediately back to base.
Edit.png
 Refresher
 Cadet I HUD lesson.
Situation 2: Acceptable miner D

For the purposes of this article, acceptable miner D is a nan for each miner, and roughly the same number of interceptors/fighters as there are miners. So, in this situation we are assuming you have one miner to protect (for now).

If your miners are not immediately under attack you can spend a little time ensuring their safety. Look for probes around the He rock, between the He rock and the refinery, between the miner's entry aleph and the He rock, between the He rock and the exit aleph, between the you get the idea. Everywhere your miner is going to be flying, attempt to deprobe it.

If one (or more) aleph leads directly to an enemy sector KEEP THAT ALEPH PROXED. Nothing slows down an enemy raid quite like a wall of prox. Work in shifts with another scout so one of you can return to base for a reload.

Before your miners finish harvesting the sector peek through into the next sector and see if it's clear, of camps and probes.

If your miners come under attack it's all hands on deck to keep them alive long enough for your escorting fighters to boost over to the threatened miner to defend it. Be prepared to abandon your miner if the enemy are focusing on a different one. Of course, you run the risk of the one you left dying while you're away, especially if the enemy has stealth fighters.

Situation 3: The final miner

You're down to your last miner and most if not all of your team is crowded around to defend it. Don't think you have safety in numbers, if anything your job just got harder. Now the enemy will know they can't ignore the nans and will come gunning for you. You need to keep an eye on your fellow nans to try and keep them alive, and keep dodging about so the enemy can't hit you (but your fellow nans can - a bit of a conundrum).

Also of importance is pod pickups, if you're in position to grab pods without letting the miner die, do so. IC, and TF can benefit from a beacon or rescue probe near the rock being mined.


Defending vs. Tac

For starters toggle your radar to All so you can immediately see any missiles that are launched by the enemy. It can give you a couple of seconds warning to start retreating that miner. Second, take extra countermeasures. Third, pester your comm into getting you CM2 or 3.

Stealth fighters will attack in one of three ways:

  1. Wait until a miner strays from the group and then pounce.
  2. Ignore the nans and hope their utility cannons can outdamage them.
  3. Start picking off the nans before moving in on the miner.

Your best defence is:

  1. Don't let the miner stray beyond your capabilities to defend it. If you do, blame yourself for its death.
  2. Focus your nan on the miner and hope they can't outdamage you.
  3. Don't remain a stationary target. Change which directions you're heading so hunters can't predict where to fly. Focus on cross nanning.
  4. Pack extra countermeasures and quickfire missiles. Quickfires work great against stealth fighters.

There is a good chance some stealth fighters will pick off the nans and others concentrate on the miner. Especially in a pick-up-game where the attacking pilots don't talk to each other. Heck, I've even been in the scenario where a light int has popped the nans, then boosted away (with the fighter escorts running after him), just to leave it open for the stealth fighter.

The best you can do is react to what is happening. As a priority keep you nan tracked on the miner. If you get a missile lock call out ~-nx (Need repairs!); if you hear a fellow say that then try and cross-nan them.


Controlling the AI

The best miner defenders don't just sit and watch the miners, they take an active role in controlling the miner to maximise the amount of money coming in while minimising the opportunities the enemy team have to destroy it. They will anaylse the map layout to decide which sector to mine next, they will choose which rocks to mine and in which order, so the miner ends the sector nearest to where it is heading next. They will relentlessly study the minimap surrounding their sector to glean any hints of an enemy attack before it has begun. Hell, they'll even tell the team where to bomb next so that they can mine safely!

Of course, as a newbie, you're just as likely to make a mistake and waste the miners' time as you are to save them from doom. But here are 4 tips that should be within your grasp:

  1. After a miner has unloaded itself make sure it heads to a fresh, full rock if possible. 9 times out of 10 it is better to start a new rock than to travel all the way back to the old rock for the dregs.
  2. Once a miner has been damaged by the enemy it will want to retreat and repair, regardless of whether all the enemy have been destroyed and it has been nanned all the way back up. Every time you hear the sound effect "I don't get paid enough for this" grab the miner and order it back to the rock to finish. Crack that whip!
  3. When a large enemy attack approaches don't wait for the comm to react, get that miner out of there! If possible order it to the closest refinery first so that even if it dies you get the money for its current cargo. A miner pays for itself with one load of He3.
  4. If a miner is coming under attack a fair distance from you (3 or 4k) order it to head towards you. This will help prevent you shooting past it in the opposite direction. On the other hand, once you've met up you will both become sitting ducks.
Idea.png
 Tip: Left-click the miner to select it, press Enter to open the chatbox, and type ctrl-g me to give it an order to Go-To you, then press Enter to send the order.

"Me" always refer to you, no matter what call sign you log in as.

You can use autohotkey to bind all this to a single key.

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