How to find pirate base?

[Nikratio]

Hi,

Is there some better way to find pirate bases than to manually send explorers to all possible locations on the map?

I've tried automating the explorers, but the just sit around and do nothing (presumably because the galaxy map is already fully explored).

[johanwanderer]

1. If you have good spies, go steal their territory or operation map. That will reveal where their bases are.
2. Arm your explorers with long-range scanner and scatter them all over the map. Use those scanners to detect the flow of pirate ships. Their bases are usually at either end of such flows.
 

[fruitgnome]

Is it possible to find the Criminal Network of a pirate empire?

[ReadeB]

Assuming you are talking about the facility "Criminal Network"

Once it is completed, the colony in which it is built is flagged for the pirates.

IOW: Pirate colonies are usually ex-empire colonies with a completed "Criminal Network".

Finding them is as above.. spies, scouts, sensors etc.

[NephilimNexus]

A criminal network is the easiest thing to find because it turns the planet color to that of the pirate faction. Plus, it's a planet. Not exactly an easy thing to hide.

[tjhkkr]

Here is one way: I mount a long range sensor on ship, and send it out in the general direction I think there is a pirate base. When I find them, I send a fleet of destroyers to attack.