Pirates with protection agreement raiding my colony

[Starke]

I was playing a Prewarp game and had finally managed to get my first colony. Unfortunately, a pirate faction I have made nice with (and had been very helpful in protecting my home system from other pirates) sent an attack fleet to raid my new colony. I experimented a little by reloading an earlier save and was able to prevent it by having a ship shoot one of the pirates, nullifying the protection agreement without a standings hit, then re-requesting protection. They asked for much more money due to my aggression, but halted the attack.

[Fenrisfil]

It seems to happen a lot, I'm not sure if it's intended or a bug as both potentially make sense. I can totally understand pirate betrayal, however in many cases it seems like a foolish thing for the pirate to do (especially when it's a trader or merc faction). I have a theory that if a Pirate has influence over a colony they get obsessed with the idea of raiding it regardless of if the end result is that the raided faction just starts blowing up their ships and bases preventing them from keeping a ship in the system and therefore loosing influence.

[turtlefang]

New colonies without a spaceport (or just a spaceport in building) seem to be pirate magnets regardless of your tech status (prewarp or postwarp). Seems like every time I colonize a planet - not conquer - the pirate hordes show up to invade and raid. And I check for hidden pirate bases to make sure that they haven't build one there just in case.

I don't know if it is intentional or just a "target of opportunity" as the new colony represents a weak link with minimal defenses. But it means that I have had to change my expansion plans in this game from expand as rapidly as possible everywhere to escort colony ships with a fleet and garrison troops or see a lot of looting, technology loss, and just general pirate activity around any new colony not deep within my territory.

I've also had to change my build and research strategy. I'm using defensive bases now - something I virtually never did before this expansion except very occasionally at key homeworlds/regional capitals - and researching long range weapons first to arm both my ships and defensive bases to keep the pirates off my small colonies.

This isn't a complaint, just an observation. The expand as rapidly as possible strategy was getting old. Now, you can try it - and it might work in some cases. But a risk/reward trade off exist. Which is good IMO.

[Starke]

I don't mind pirates raiding new colonies (and holy moley yes, do they ever like fresh colonies), that's fair game, but not ones I've signed a protection agreement with. =P IIRC the protection agreement persisted through the raid - it wasn't really a pirate backstab, they send you a message when they cancel your protection.

[HariSeldon]

It seems that pirates always consider a colony without spaceport like an independant colony.

[starmonkey]

Feels like a bug to me. Pre-warp game:

1) As soon as the pirate turns up in the system, I talk to them and request a protection arrangement
2) Later, they decide to attack me anyway, unless I pay more money
3) I agree to pay, but they tell me I already have a protection arrangement
4) They attack and loot my base

What gives?

[radioactiveman]

Yeah I have had that happen myself. I have also had the relations screen bug and say I had a protection agreement, but when I talk to the Pirates they are like Hi, want a protection agreement? Toggling it again does not clear it.


Some bugs around that for sure.


I would prefer that if pirates decide your colony is too tasty for their current $$ that they ask for more before they attack. I know where I a pirate that is how I would play it.

[Canute0]

Maybe you should cancel a protection after the Pirates left you system ?
What do you await from pirates that they are honorable. Or it isn't more like "Hey let's get our monthly fee from starmonkey he will pay for the visit anyway and maybe he got some cooffee and cookies around".

[starmonkey]

Yeh but I want to keep my coffee and cookies!

I'll reload my save tonight (which is just before they attack) and try cancelling beforehand. Then I'll just have to pay more. Damn pirates!

[btd64]

Well the pirates seem to have a mind of there own. I have had this same thing happen, but I pay them again and they leave me alone for about 2 months (game time)[:D]
Cheers

[elliotg]

Thanks for this report. Pirates are more careful about honoring protection arrangements in the next update.

Elliot