Actually launched EV...wow...And I didn't want to have to work up to be able to get Goverment ships again..Or earn the money..So I cheated..So sue me..Already beat the missions legit before..So I got a Rebel Destroyer..Armed it with 4 Proton Turrets..Dumped the Heavy Rockets..I never get up close in combat much...Gave it 50 torps and 30missiles...Gave its a bunch of engine,maneverability upgrades..crap..ya know..mass expansion...got it to how I wanted it to be...Then went out...and went on a killing spree...I think the one that was SORTA fun...was when there was three Confed Frigates and 1 Confed Cruiser..I danced around them till they ran out of ammo..and they were down to turrets...I destroyed all of the Cruiser's pesky escorts..Then I raged on the Confed Cruiser..I went head to head with it...Launched a **** load of torps and ran my turrets on it..Did that repeatedly...And then destroyed it..By now...I am down to very few torps..I waste a few on the one Confed Frigate..Then switch to Missiles...shoot all of the few I had left..Then danced around it with my turrets till he was destroyed...and did the same to the next Confed Frigate...Then another one hypered in..And I killed that one too..Well that was fun..But I didn't get that feeling like I used to "OMG I am gonna die"This time I knew they WERE gonna die...but it was fun anyways

P.S. And EV is like riding a bicycle..Never forgot a single tactic..Or how to play it..and it has been FOREVER since I have played that game
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(This message has been edited by MacGP (edited 04-19-2001).)

(This message has been edited by MacGP (edited 04-19-2001).)

I just had some fun right now too......I'm the newbie here, and I just got my first Kestrel (Most of you already have Government Ships and billions in the bank). Well, it was fun as hell, cause it's the first time I ever used a Kestrel....I had just traded in my trusty old Corvette and I went around in the pirate system I was in and wreaked havok on all the pirates and then I demanded tribute....I died, but it was fun as hell...I backed up my pilot before I purchased, so I'm going to save more money before I get the Kestrel again (I only had $153,000 after buying it)....

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-Edward Zeth-

Gah. I remember when I bought my Kestrel -- I missed my poor old reliable Corvette. I suggest you keep a copy of that file, because otherwise, you will find yourself missing that ol' policing cruisier.

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You don't have to do this! Life is too precious! Good, good, slowly, everything will be OK. Now, put the trout down...

I remember the day I bought a Kestrel (and upgraded it).

Along my path to Sol, since that was a nice place to upgrade it, I shot at a few
Confed fighters, but widely kept to myself. Havoc only started getting wreaked
after I'd upgraded it in Sol and Akio (?)

I saw abou 3 frigates and a cruiser, like MacGP. Now, I generally don't attack
government ships - I do Rebel missions but keep a good status with the Confeds
because I don't like the colour red.

But this time I could only be described as "trigger happy". The Confed ships opened
fire sometime after I smashed a missile into the cruiser's hull. A barrage of missiles
flew out, but of course, I had a Kestrel, so there was no way they could hit me, in
a ship so fast.

I did the normal tricks - short range whip manouvrers, asteroid ducks, stuff like that.
Not a single missile hit, although I had a bit of a problem when a single missile
got on my back, and I was too close to do a short range whip, so I just tried to
chase it off. It got closer, and closer, and finally dissipated before it hit me,
which was good, because I would so hate it if a missile dented my shields.

I circled round the frigates that were chasing me until they decided that in honour
of me they'd send all their rockets out at mysides. Then I seperated them with some
well organised flying, and speared them to death.

Then came the cruiser. Of course, I'd blown up the fighters early, and I wasn't
worried much about the ship itself. I speared it at an angle to avoid the neutron
blaster, then speared it head on - which didn't hurt much more and saved effort, so
I continued doing that.

After a few spears, and absolutely no use of secondary weapons or getting hit by any
missiles, the cruiser exploded. Then, I went to the map and saw that I was a criminal
in Matar.

So I went to Matar, did it again, went to Centauri, did it again, and then with a
regretful sigh went back to my old, peaceful pilot.

<sighs>

Those were the days.

------------------
Jude's left. sniff
We'll miss you/are missing you!
sniff sniff

Quote

Originally posted by SilverDragon:
**I remember the day I bought a Kestrel (and upgraded it).
(...)
<sighs>
Those were the days.
**

sigh
Yeah, I also remember this day although it's been long ago. I have to admit that I don't play this game anymore but someday I will fire it up again, it's just so much fun.

The worst thing about the standard Kestrel is that it feels much slower than the Corvette (that's why many people prefer the 'Vette). I made the same mistake and bought the much-dreamed-of-Kestrel without having any money left. Then I tried to kill a few big ships and realized that you have to fly a bit differently because of the inferior reaction-time. (I won't mention here that I got killed a few times :-))

So make sure that you get all speed upgrades and the missile jammer!
Then I think it is a good idea to sell all these crappy missiles, you have escorts, remember? Use them wisely so you don't need any missiles for your own.
Max out on guns/turrets and you'll have the best ship in the universe!

Quote

**
Now, I generally don't attack
government ships - I do Rebel missions but keep a good status with the Confeds
because I don't like the colour red.
**

Huh? I fyou don't like red then why don't make 'em green?
I did the confed mission string but really were a rebel. Can you imagine how much fun it is to blow up several confed ships and after you landed on that planet, they are so pleased about your last mission... evil grin

Have fun and long live the Rebellion!
- Marko

Because I don't have the patience for demanding tribute, and I don't have any
need for the money.

------------------
Jude's left. sniff
We'll miss you/are missing you!
sniff sniff

Yeah I just got my Kestrel again (couldn't resist buying it, although I really miss my Corvette....I went up from Harmless to Deadly in that and became a pirate, captured systems, killed countless Confed's, and got over 10 mil in it), but my new ship, the Kestrel "Blade" is tight as heck. Although not yet upgraded, it's as good as my old Corvette except for speed and turning. I have only $230,000 now, but I'm going to pirate and run some cargo missions so that I can upgrade and do the Rebel missions. My Corvette served me well, I will never forget that ship, or my Courier, or shuttle that came before it. That Corvette, with its add-ons and trusty crew of around 35 could always be counted on, no matter what the mission (except for cargo missions....I maxed out Mass Expansions)....but I like to think that everybody from the Corvette "Blade" is now onboard hte Kestrel "blade" and its two Lightnings, along with some new faces ready to go out into the galaxy.....

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-Edward Zeth-

Oddly enough, I bought a Kestrel with a Clipper. I pirated for months in the uninhabited system off of Atropolis. As soon as I got the Kestrel, I felt true power. The Kestrel was my ship for a long while, until I captured a Destroyer. From there, I captured a Confederate Cruiser (U.S.S Devestator) and am now at my current status destroying anything with my odd weapons space (1200+). I carry 920 missiles and 200 torpedoes.

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"What the people say is law. There is no honor in the Lands of Mizra."
-Mizra

I could never bring myself to trade in my trusty old corvette.....until i could buy a rebel cruiser(I sure as hell didnt hesitate!). The kestrel never really appealed to me, though it carries really cool fighters, looks awesome, and is still fast. I dunno, corvettes seem better to me :p.

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The Kestrel is crap until its fully upgraded. I haven't put on Tritanium or the speed/turning upgrades, and my Kestrel isn't quick enough to beat too many ships.

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-Edward Zeth-

Okay I will defend the good old trusty Kestrel. After I moved from Corvette to the bird I could run from the defenders. Now I just blow them up instead. Besides, when you run out of missiles and your shields have unfortunately dissipated just unload your fighters and let them blow up that pesky enemy ship, rearm them (where DO they get the missiles ) and let them blow up that ship again. Fully upgraded a Kestrel can easily take out a Frigate or maybe a Cruiser if you were good enough. I am not. But then again an alien cruiser could easily take out a Fed Cruiser, and a fully upgraded Kestrel (with a tractor beam) can take out an alien Cruiser so I guess they still are at the top of the ship chain.

There, I'm done.

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Destroyer of Worlds
(or at least their ships)

Ok, another BIG advantage of the Kestrel over the Corvette: It's crew.

You'll have to disable LOTS of Cruisers to capture one but eventually you'll be lucky. Don't switch to it, just keep it as an escort! I really like confed capital ships as escorts, you don't have to take care that get blown away in combat like these crappy Lightnings

The funniest thing in EV (after playing some years) is collecting escord fleets. It's really cool to have an Armada of 2 Confed Cruisers, 2 Frigates (or Destroyers) and 2 Kestrels.

- Marko