Tag: Elite Dangerous Survival Diary

Surviving the Milky Way: An Elite Dangerous Survival Diary – Day 5: Day 5 – Rustbucket Retired, Rustfang Rises

Day 5 – Rustbucket Retired, Rustfang Rises

Difficulty: Standard Piloting
Optional Features: Tradepad-assisted profiteering

“These are the voyages of Commander Incognito: to deliver questionable amounts of data, dabble in Tritium trading, and retire ships faster than common sense would recommend.”

Courier by Day, Trader by Accident

I began the day staring down a tempting 13-jump courier mission and immediately said “absolutely not.” Instead, I poked around the mission board until I found something saner: data delivery for the Casual Crew over at Stargate’s Pride in Col 285 Sector II-P B20-8. Two jumps, easy life. Or at least that was the plan.

Meanwhile, the station was plastered with “donate to the cause” missions. Good causes, I’m sure. My cause, however, is not going broke. Instead, I tried my hand at trading. Thanks to the ED Tradepad app (my new best friend), I saw Tritium could net me a tidy profit. In-universe justification? A friendly dockworker at Tenn Terminal whispered: “You’ll make a few credits shifting this stuff.” Sold.

Three Jumps, Not Two

The trip was supposed to be straightforward. Supposed to be. With the cargo on board, my plotted course decided it wanted to add a bonus jump. I blame the Tritium, because blaming fuel makes me sound like I know what I’m doing. Still, it was a useful chance to fumble around the galaxy map and pretend I understood what all those filters do.

I delivered the data without trouble, pocketed my Tritium profit, and looked around Stargate’s Pride for what else it could offer. The answer: temptation.

Goodbye Rustbucket, Hello Rustfang

The shipyard beckoned. The ISS Rustbucket had been my loyal workhorse, but it was time for an upgrade. After much internal debate (and wallet screaming), I settled on a Cobra Mk IV. Tougher, meaner, and actually able to hold its own if someone looked at it funny. After some kitting out, I proudly christened it:
ISS Rustfang (RFN-5).

Naturally, I also gave it a vehicle bay and a shiny new Scorpion, because if you’re going to upgrade, you may as well go full “space SUV with off-road capabilities.”

First Spin in the Rustfang

To break it in, I accepted a modest courier job to Farris’ Remembrance in the Col 285 Sector DC-R b19-7 system. Easy enough — though I somehow managed to plot my course to an entirely different system on the galaxy map. Don’t ask. Let’s just say the navigation computer and I are still getting to know one another.

Despite the detour, the Rustfang flew beautifully. Nimble for its size, sturdy, and most importantly: mine. Mission complete, credits banked, and one very satisfied Commander.

Day 5 Wrap-Up

Rustbucket has been retired, Rustfang is born, and I even made a little profit along the way. Courier work? Handled. Trading? Profitable. Galaxy map? Still confusing. Tomorrow might be the day I finally see if bounty hunting agrees with me… emphasis on might.

Continue the journey:
Day 4 | Day 5 (You Are Here) | Day 6 (Coming Soon)
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Surviving the Milky Way: An Elite Dangerous Survival Diary – Day 4: Pirates, Powerplay, and Pointless Terminals

Day 4 – Pirates, Powerplay, and Pointless Terminals

Playstyle: Courier–Bounty Hybrid (very heavy on the “hybrid”)
Optional Features: Unplanned NPC babysitting, mild existential dread

“These are the voyages of Commander Incognito aboard the Rustbucket: to dodge charity collectors, fail gracefully at space combat, and boldly lean on NPCs where no pride has survived before.”

Ramaswamy Point greeted me with the kind of smile you see on a fundraiser who’s already holding your wallet. Donation missions everywhere. Worthy causes, sure—if your definition of “worthy” includes me being broke. I decided to invest my credits in something more sustainable: self-preservation and very questionable career choices.

Mission Board Math: Credits Out vs. Hull Intact

After declining the interstellar charity gala, I grabbed two bounties that looked doable (or at least survivable): Emily Santopietro lurking in Col 285 Sector GJ-I a39-0, and a flamboyantly named menace called The Universal Alchemist in HR 7674. The order was obvious: Emily first. Why? Because between me and the Alchemist was a moon, and contrary to popular belief, I can’t Frame Shift through solid rock. Goals are good; physics is better.

Target #1: Emily Santopietro (Featuring: My Aim)

I dropped into the instance with the confidence of a pilot who’s watched several tutorials but retained none of the important bits. Pulse lasers primed, target locked, heroic music in my head—then reality. If I landed a single shot, it must have been by accident. Thankfully, the galaxy delivered: a few NPC bounty hunters showed up and treated Emily like an overdue library book. I contributed… moral support. And evasive maneuvers. Mostly evasive maneuvers.

Result: Emily down. My pride? Also down, but technically not on the mission summary screen, so we’re calling it a win.

Target #2: The Universal Alchemist (and the Loosely Organized Lunatics)

Next up: the Alchemist, a local headache apparently on the radar of an outfit calling themselves the Loosely Organized Lunatics. They asked me to “deal with him,” which feels like strong wording for someone who just discovered their own safety is optional. Still, I accepted and engaged.

Combat went much like the last one—lasers buzzing, shields whining, me squinting at the reticle like it owed me money. Once again, NPCs took the hint and piled in. Team effort! Where “team” is doing a lot of heavy lifting and I’m mostly yelling “pew pew” in the background. Nevertheless: bounty complete, hull intact, dignity negotiable.

Back to Ramaswamy Point: Rewards Claimed, Dreams Denied

I returned to Ramaswamy Point, strutted into the Contacts office like I alone had saved civilized space, and cashed out both bounties. Then I did the sensible thing: straight to Outfitting to improve my “combat performance,” which is a generous phrase for “I would like my lasers to hit things now.”

Outfitting, however, had the vibe of a pawn shop at closing time. No better pulse lasers. No real upgrades worth selling my soul for. The Rustbucket remained exactly that: rusty, bucket-shaped, and underarmed.

Courier Hop to HR 7674 (A Detour Into Powerplay)

Spotting a courier contract to HR 7674, I took it and set course for Tenn Terminal, hoping their stock list wasn’t just “no.” En route, the nav panel dangled a shiny new concept: Powerplay, where twelve galactic powers offer perks in exchange for loyalty and a suspicious amount of paperwork. Interesting, but I’m still figuring out how to keep my nose pointed at the enemy. Filing under: research later, pledge never (for now).

Tenn Terminal: Nothing to See Here, Keep Moving

I delivered the courier package, collected the pay, and jogged over to Outfitting like a kid on Life Day. The shelves? Empty of anything useful. Not a single upgrade I needed. Not even a pity laser. Apparently, HR 7674 believes in character growth via disappointment.

The mission board was heavy on bounties, which would’ve been poetic if I hadn’t just proven my lasers are purely ornamental. I parked the Rustbucket, powered down, and promised myself tomorrow would be more… accurate.

Ship Log: Rustbucket Status & Notes

  • Combat reality check: Pulse lasers feel like sternly worded emails. Consider gimballed weapons or multis when I find a station that isn’t allergic to upgrades.
  • Allies matter: NPC bounty hunters are my current business model. Must not rely on this forever (or at least learn to pretend I don’t).
  • Route planning: “There’s a moon in the way” is a valid operational constraint. Add to checklist: confirm approach vector before heroic declarations.
  • Powerplay: Interesting benefits, but I should actually win a 1v1 before choosing a galactic overlord.

Lessons Learned (So I Stop Re-Learning Them)

  • Target practice is not optional: Practice in a Resource Extraction Site (Low) or a training scenario before accepting anything with the word “notorious” in it.
  • Shields save lives: If I can’t upgrade guns yet, upgrade survival: boosters, better shield generator, maybe a hull reinforcement or two.
  • Stations aren’t equal: When looking for gear, prioritize High Tech / Large starports. “We sell dreams” is code for “we sell nothing you need.”

Continue the Journey

Elite Dangerous Hub |
Day 1 |
Day 2 |
Day 3 |
Day 4 (You Are Here) |
Day 5

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Surviving the Milky Way: An Elite Dangerous Survival Diary – Day 2: The Rustbucket Rises

Day 2 – The Rustbucket Rises

“These are the voyages of one unprepared Commander. Their mission: to break in a second-hand Adder, deliver mail faster than expected, and discover that cargo pickups can crash more than just your ship.”

From Scraprunner to Rustbucket

The ISS Scraprunner got me this far, but when I spotted an Adder for sale, I couldn’t resist. A few credits later and some questionable tinkering produced the ISS Rustbucket, registry RBT-01. Upgrades included a new Frame Shift Drive, thrusters, fuel scoop, more cargo racks, and an extra weapon. The one thing I didn’t touch? Shields. Whether that’s wisdom or hubris, time will tell.

Courier Life

The mission board offered one contract labelled high threat. I decided exploding wasn’t on today’s agenda and picked safer jobs instead:

  • A data delivery to Marius Relay in the Col 285 Sector AM-R b19-4 system.
  • An agricultural supply run—which bizarrely meant transporting six units of personal weapons—to Wesker’s Pride in the Col 285 Sector BV-E a41-1 system.

On the way to Marius Relay, I got a message offering a bonus for quick delivery. Challenge accepted. The new fuel scoop kicked in automatically, topping up my tank as I skimmed stars. Docking complete, data handed over, and I even ranked up to Peddler. Not glamorous, but it’s better than “galactic stowaway.”

The Cargo That Wasn’t

Then it hit me—I hadn’t actually collected the weapons before leaving. Back to the station I went, already dreading the 20+ jump route ahead. It would at least be a good test for the Rustbucket’s scoop, or so I told myself.

Ten minutes of fiddling with menus later, I finally thought I’d sorted the cargo pickup. That’s when the game crashed. Server connection lost, mission abandoned. The Rustbucket sat waiting, but my courier career ended in digital silence.

Rustbucket Status Report

  • Ship: ISS Rustbucket (Adder)
  • Upgrades: FSD, thrusters, fuel scoop, cargo racks, weapons
  • Untouched: Shields (future-me will regret this)
  • Rank: Peddler
  • Mood: Triumphant → Confused → Disconnected

Next Time

With the Rustbucket ready and the galaxy waiting, I’ll try again. Hopefully the servers stay awake long enough for me to actually deliver cargo. Otherwise, I’ll just become the Milky Way’s most overqualified data courier.

Continue the Journey

← Day 1 | Day 2 (You Are Here) | Day 3 →

Surviving the Milky Way: Series Hub

The Rules of the Stars

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Surviving the Milky Way: An Elite Dangerous Survival Diary – Day 1: The ISS Scraprunner Begins Its Journey

Day 1 – The ISS Scraprunner Begins Its Journey

“These are the voyages of one unprepared Commander. Their mission: to survive the Milky Way, avoid fiery death by sun, and boldly fail where no pilot has failed before.”

From Training Wheels to Scraprunner

After proving I could pilot a Sidewinder without immediately crashing — and sticking the landing at Mawson Dock thanks to the autopilot, not my skills — I was officially promoted to Commander. To mark the occasion, I christened my first ship the ISS Scraprunner, registry SCR-01. It rattles like it’s made of leftover bolts, but it’s mine.

First Jobs, First Mistakes

Career options were thin on the board, but I spotted two missions in the Orna system: a Conflict Training Area exercise and a Courier Job. Both in the same system? Easy credits. I accepted both, queued for launch, and let auto-launch guide me out of Mawson Dock. Only as I sat in the departure queue did I realize I’d forgotten to refuel. A promising start.

Upon arrival in Orna, two revelations hit me at once: first, I wasn’t actually allowed to train in the Conflict Area; second, the courier job wasn’t in Orna at all, but at Aldrich Station in the Otegine system. While pondering my career choices, I drifted a little too close to the local star and nearly cooked the Scraprunner. Luckily, I pulled away before it became a barbeque run. At least the courier job got done, which earned me the rank of Mostly Penniless. A fine promotion.

Out of the Nest

My next opportunity came in the form of a mission called Exploring the Galaxy. The deal: leave the Pilots’ Federation District, earn 100,000 credits, and never look back. Naturally, I accepted. The credits had nothing to do with it. Definitely.

I prepped the Scraprunner with a full refuel and minor repairs before setting off on the 14-jump trip to Rattus Mischief in the Col 285 Sector FO-I a39-0 system. After six jumps, I docked at Sasaki Horizons for a quick refuel, only to get a message that my Pilots’ Federation permit was revoked. No going back. Four jumps out, I stopped again to avoid calling the Fuel Rats for my very first rescue. Crisis narrowly avoided.

The Mischief Managed

I made a pit stop at Bluemoon Starport in LHS 3484 for fuel, then continued on my way. Finally, I arrived at Rattus Mischief. Despite my assumption, it wasn’t a person but a starport. I engaged Supercruise Assist, admired the view, docked, and turned in my mission reward. To top it off, I sold my Universal Cartographics data for a tidy 50,908 credits. That little haul bumped me up to Mostly Aimless. Not bad for a ship named Scraprunner.

Next Time

The galaxy awaits, and with the ISS Scraprunner still in one piece, I’m ready to see what kind of trouble I can find. Hopefully, not the sun again.

Continue the Journey

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Surviving the Milky Way: Series Hub

The Rules of the Stars

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New Survival Series Begin: Alien Isolation & Elite Dangerous

Two New Survival Journeys Begin This Week

“Because one disaster at a time just isn’t enough.”

This week, two fresh series are launching across the hubs:

Both kick off this week. Keep an eye on the hubs — and as always, expect chaos.

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