Hmm, there are a lot of ways to do this... first let's look at a zone to see a few things you can adjust.

In DATA\UNIVERSE\SYSTEMS\LI01\Li01.ini:

[zone
nickname = Zone_Li01_Pittsburgh_debris_001
ids_name = 261211
pos = 47675, 0, -63380
rotate = 0, 15, 0
shape = ELLIPSOID
size = 32500, 15000, 42000
property_flags = 128
Music = zone_field_debris
spacedust = debrisdust
spacedust_maxparticles = 50
ids_info = 65999
visit = 36
comment = Pittsburg debris
sort = 20
toughness = 1
density = 5
repop_time = 20 <- Increase this to add more delay between encounters
max_battle_size = 4
pop_type = lootable_field
relief_time = 35 <- Increase this to slow down the arrival of reinforcements
faction_weight = fc_j_grp, 5
faction_weight = fc_lr_grp, 11
faction_weight = gd_bh_grp, 2
encounter = area_scout, 1, 0.410000
faction = fc_lr_grp, 1.000000
encounter = area_bh_assault, 1, 0.040000
faction = gd_bh_grp, 1.000000
encounter = area_scavenger, 1, 0.280000
faction = fc_j_grp, 1.000000

The encounter's can also be changed, they work like this:
encounter = ENCOUNTER TYPE, DIFFICULTY LEVEL, CHANCE (PERCENT)
faction = FACTION CODE, CHANCE (PERCENT)

ENCOUNTER TYPE is defined at the begining of the ini file where it lists which enounter ini file (in DATA\Missions\Encounters) to use.

DIFFICULTY LEVEL picks which ship loadout to use in the combat as shown in DATA\Missions\npcships.ini

CHANCE (PERCENT) is the likelyhood of that encounter. All of the encounter chances *should* add up to 1.000000. The value in the example, 0.410000 is 41%.

FACTION CODE is the faction nickname used all over the place, fc_lr_grp is the Liberty Rogues.

CHANCE (PERCENT) is the likelyhood of this faction being used for this encounter if more than one faction are listed.

So, you can change the encounter to read:

encounter = area_scout, 1, 0.410000
faction = fc_lr_grp, 0.250000
faction = gd_bh_grp, 0.750000

and instead of being bothered by rogues all the time you'll see a lot of bounty hunters flying around instead. The best part is that you can do this per zone, so it doesn't really effect the whole game, just certain places. You could also remove the rogues all together if you do not want to fight at all.

I forgot to add, you'll need to do that for the zone you want, to remove the scouts, and also for the patrol routes that go through the area you're interested in. The encounters work the same throughout the ini file so you can use that information to change it anywhere, just make sure if you change patrol routes you are changing the right ones, they're are a lot of them so you'll have to pay close attention to their positions.

And, since I said there were a lot of ways, here is another...

in DATA\Missions\Encounters you have the following files (among others):

patrolp_assault.ini (patrol path encounters)
area_scout.ini (scout encounters)

In these you'll see something like this:

[EncounterFormation
ship_by_class = 1, 1, sc_fighters <- Leader ship (1 - 1 of them, allways 1)
pilot_job = assault_leader_job
make_class = class_patroller
ship_by_class = 2, 5, sc_fighters, -1 <- wingmen (2 - 5 of them)
pilot_job = assault_job
formation_by_class = fighters
behavior = patrol_path
arrival = cruise
allow_simultaneous_creation = yes
zone_creation_distance = 0
times_to_create = infinite

[Creation
permutation = 0, 3

You need to leave the first ship as it is so you allways at least have a lead pilot. The second "ship_by_class" instance can be changed to something like:

ship_by_class = 0, 1, sc_fighters, -1

And now you'll allways get the lead pilot an either 0 or 1 wingmen. The "-1" for the wingmen makes then one difficulty level lower then the lead pilot.

This method won't make encounters less frequent, but it will make each encounter involve fewer ships. But, there's a catch, you may just end up with more groups of fewer ships if you don't also adjust the repop_time for the zone.

And, one last way if you don't like the other two...

This time in DATA\Missions\pilots_population.ini:

[JobBlock
nickname = scout_job
wait_for_leader_target = False
maximum_leader_target_distance = 10000
flee_when_leader_flees_style = False
scene_toughness_threshold = hardest <- Change to easy
flee_scene_threat_style = hardest <- Change to easy
flee_when_hull_damaged_percent = 0
flee_no_weapons_style = True
loot_flee_threshold = hardest <- Change to easy
attack_subtarget_order = anything
field_targeting = always
loot_preference = lt_all
combat_drift_distance = 10000
attack_preference = fighter, 5000, guns / guided / unguided
attack_preference = anything, 5000, guns / guided / unguided

If you make all the changes I marked above the AI pilots will almost allways flee in terror so you won't even have to bother fighting them. The hard part here is figuring out which job's you'll need to edit. Also, some jobs are used for more than their name would indicate, it's a matter of trial and error. I already went though and changed mine the opposite way, making everything "hardest" means if they bother me they're going to fight, no more of this disrupting my trade lane and then running away.

Holy cow! Thanks for the reply. I went with the first way since it seemed to me the least obtrusive.

Far as I'm concerned the in my world the liberty rogues are just afraid of the debris fields beucase they get whooped so much