If I remember correctly you get a cruise disruptor-missile up your rear when the looser falls out of cruise... I dropped a couple of countermeasures and could cruise all the way to the finishing line. Maybe lost about half my shield, but not more. I was surprised at how the track started turning after a while, was close to turning the wrong way, but just stay behind him all the time, that way you can watch which way he turns aswell and you won't be buffed off the track!

I did this in a HF aswell. I can understand your frustration, though... I had a really hard time with missions 3 and 4 before I learned how to successfully dodge fire, it was very frustrating.

It's like the only mission in the whole game that's not "kill these ships", "capture him" or "kill him". I wish there could be more missions like this (and other non-the-above) availible in non-storyline...

Ok, race started, I (let) him get a lead, then gave him the ole cruise disruptor, hehe. Well, apparently the race officials don't like that tactic. Got the ole mission failed as soon as it hit. Wonder if I can blow up the weapon platforms on way to the Hood????

Dang, Zara....Thanks for trying tho...It was worth a shot...

The call the racee if you cheat...but let him cheat to no end....Guess that's the perks of owning the course.....

-Arg

-If you want to flame me...Don't post it in here...email me at [email protected]

Or call 1-800-RYP-OFF1

I always engage Cruise with Shift-W anyway, and knew for maneuverability I had to hit the space bar. Racing techniques served me well, especially late in the course. Don't dive for the current ring, look for the next and plan the turn to pass through the current ring so you exit facing the next. You can see Hovus using this technique himself as you try to catch him, which I did at the half-way point on my first attempt after watching the movie a second time. Brit Heavy Fighter with level 4 shields and improved countermeasures, never had to use a shield battery....

My first two tries, I hit a ring and ended up doing circles around the thing trying to get back to it......

I had that problem on the 1st-10th try....then on a few tries after that, hovus kept ramming me into the rings....then once...he rammed me...knocking my shields down...then hit a ring....wiped me shields out...then played pin ball on debris.....then BOOM....It was quite amusing....I probably should have hit ESC...but it was fun to watch.

-Arg

-If you want to flame me...Don't post it in here...email me at [email protected]

Or call 1-800-RYP-OFF1

Hi there. Gotta say that I absolutely HATE this mission!! Have tried about 12x now and have come close only once. I just have problems steering through the tight course, don't have a prob otherwise w/ combat. Like some of the other posters, I'm in my mid-40s and have athritis in my wrists as well. Does changing mouse sensitivity really work??? I'm flying the Cavalier... and have done the usual spacebar, afterburn, cruise thing. If anybody has any other tips, that would be appreciated.

I just can't believe that after all the delays and additional development time DA had, they could only come up with a linear story line?? You would think that they could've put in branching storyline so you could actually fail a mission every now and then and be presented with a different path to do things. That certainly would've increased replay value.

I enjoy the game sofar but if I can't get through this mission, I'm going back to the original Privateer on my trusty old 386

I have tried the Mouse Sensitivity trick...and it does seem to help for me....I was able to maneuver thru the rings a lot better...You don't need to keep a head of him....Just stay close to him...He will eventually get ticked...and cheat.Just stay on course...Don't worry about him or the missiles and other weaponry that shoot you. (Turning sound off helped me ignore all that too)

It is by far the number one mission on the most annoying list.

As I have stated...Some people who beat this mission in one or two attempts....dont see it thru our eyes....Those of us that have problems must unite and kill all who made fun of us in a massive furball match! lol

On second thought...I think we would be out numbered.....like 50 to one....may not be a good idea then....

-Arg

-If you want to flame me...Don't post it in here...email me at [email protected]

Or call 1-800-RYP-OFF1

I guess the trick is to look one ring ahead. I flicked my burners and then went into cruiser mode right off from the start in my Cavalier and ****ed in front of that little cheatin NPC. I always kept my eyes glued to the ring ahead and steered accordingly. If you do it right, you won't clip the ring you're passing through, and you'll already have a good angle at the next ring. Racing games help I guess. I've played a few and I beat this thing on the first try through the course.

Now my problem is combat. Never have figured out how to doge enemy fire yet. I just plunge into the gunfire head on blazing away and hope for the best. If I ain't on your six, I deserve to be shot down.

Don't think of it as being outnumbered. Think of it as having a larger target selection.

I just reached this mission last night.

I hit the cruise control straight off and was doing okay in my crusader until we got to the tight turns, then I bounced off a ring.

The guy felt sorry and gave me a second chance. Ready - Set - Go.

I hit Shift-w and the cruise drive didn't come on. Shift-w, shift-w nothing. This has happened occasionally to me whilst playing and normally I just select my destination and hit F2.

I will try again tonight.

Ok, well try this:

Before you start (but after you have launched), select that battleship you came from.
Hit spacebar

When the race starts, hit F2. It should not only kick in the cruise mode for ya, but it will also turn on that auto-dodge the AI uses when following waypoints. It isn't guarunteed that it will ALWAYS avoid objects, because there is only so much strafing you can do before you steer into something. There will also be a problem in that if you aim head on towards the edge of a ring, then there's a chance the auto-dodge will try to make you pass outside it, which can slow you down as you have to turn up a wee bit to fight against it.

However normally you wont have these problems. You can also do this in dog fights in asteroid fields to help you avoid the rocks during combat. (Once again, it is normally really useful but will very occasionally annoy you when it tries to dodge the wrong way...)

Get the light fighter if you dont have one. I did it on my second or third run. now my problem is finishing the mission broke

uh wtf... i beat that mission on the first try inside a heavy fighter.. all i did was bump him off the 1st riing and rest was easy......

egh....

Not everyone is as lucky to have done something like that.

Some of us have MAJOR trouble with this mission.

Everyone else:

Please. From now on....If you have beaten the race in one or two tries, with no
real problems....DON'T Make fun of others who have problems with this mission

-Arg

-If you want to flame me...Don't post it in here...email me at [email protected]

Or call 1-800-RYP-OFF1

Also, kinda swing out a little on the tighter turns. It will put you in a better position for the next ring.