1) As far as I can remember, all convoys have escorts. The amount of escorts varies. Single ship encounters I have never ran into to. All my ship encounters seem to involve at least two ships. Sometimes 8.

2) Ships are locallized to their systems. Some generic ship types can be seen anywhere. The ships you buy you can fly into any system. Yes, it would be realistic to see different ship types but trade activity only operates within a system and disappears when you enter a jump gate. The freighter you may have been pursuing disappears if you follow it through.

3) Equipment is somewhat varied. Though its mostly incremental improvements in the various weapons there are some differences. Some guns target shields, others the hull, some are rapid fire small damage, others are slower firing mega damage. Its up to you to figure out what works best for you and your ship. Mines and missles contribute to the mix. If you pilot a freighter turrets play a more important part since you can't out fly a fighter but you can shoot him as he flies by.

4) There are battleships, cruisers, gunships, and some other stuff that's... well lets just say ODD. But you can't, sadly, fly or use any of these ships. In fact, the cruisers and gunships only appear in the single player AFAIK. Battleships are largely for docking to trade goods or to buy heavy fighters you may not find elsewhere.

1. Yes, there is variation. Convoys consist from small freighters like the Rhino up to large trains. There are a number of NPC-type freighters like the trains. Some have escorts, some don't, and the number of both escorts and freighters varies. I've never seen more than two freighters and two escorts in a single group.

2. There is some foreign traffic in every region, but I'd say the majority is of that nation's ship type. You won't see police/military ships of a different nationality, however. Only civilian (freighter escorts,) bounty hunter, and pirate ships of that nature.

3. How varied is varied? You really have a limited number of ship components: guns, missiles, mines, torpedoes, shields, etc. Guns have different names with different special effects, but there are none that require ammunition. Missiles are either dumb-fire or seeking. All equipment has different levels of power, with several varieties within each level.

4. Do you mean player useable or just in general? Player ships are limited to light fighter, heavy fighter, very heavy fighter, and freighter. About thirty ships total. NPC ships are a little more varied. They include all of the player ships, plus trains (large freighters,) transports, vacation cruise liners, battleships, police gunboats, and one other small fighter-craft used primarily by Junkers.

I have seen (and even accompanied) single AI transports travelling through tradelanes.

The largest I can recall ever seeing was two transports and 3-4 escorts.

Sometimes, when hailing pirates, they will reveal that they are on trade runs instead of patrol missions (still use their fighters, though).

Favorite thing I've seen is a Synth Foods transport being attacked by Farmer's Alliance fighters, while the Kusari forces nearby didn't raise a finger to help them

ER

Thank you to everyone that answered. Anyone else ?

Lord Haart
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Ranked Elite Since 1985

Absynthe, do ships really disappear when you follow them through a jump gate? I had a feeling they do, but I can't say I ever observed it directly. That's too bad, because they always say they have destinations in other systems - it'd be nice that they actually were traveling to and from those other systems.

i dunno... i think ive followed a convoy thru a jump gate at least once or twice, although i prob just saw a diff convoy and dint pay attention to faction/what they are carrying....

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