Important things to remember about ship and setup choices
Since you can't kill things yourself, you will definitely be getting smaller amounts of loot. This means less money. This means that BUYING FUEL, REACTORS, SHIELDS AND ARMOR IS FAR HARDER THAN YOU'D THINK.
Plan your setups accordingly for power-saving, cost, and never spend all your money on anything. And if you have a choice between, say, that S500 you've been wanting for ages, and a 300D Auton...go for the auton. They're crap next to Volkov, but volkov won't be helping you, and the 300D will be. They allow you to make up for not being able to kill things yourself by giving you a VERY LIMITED source of loot, especially if you can support them with non-lethal weapons (Uh.....the EMP cannon, or Dwarg Tracking Paralysomatic of doom gun). The shield on the other hand will merely keep you alive, and cost you valuable fuel, while not giving you the ability to get loot to buy more.
Shiptype:
The freighter is good for devices, and the Longreach will probably be very nice. But running away is hard. A Wolfen is more survivable, BUT it's harder to trade and mine (which WILL hurt). And the sapphire....well....it'd work, but remember that the sapphire can fit less armor.
Equipment:
Solar panels will help a LOT in the early game, but become ineffective once you start running a Nova 50 with average shields (EG. An S100). Use them if you can, but don't rely on them....you will need to hoard fuel as well, and use the panels to refuel your reactor while you can.
An ICX or Longreach I system will be useful, but is not essential. They're damned hard to find in the early game. Remember also that they can go haywire around explosions.
The EMP Cannon is, quite simply, a godsend. If you can enhance it, use an optimiser. Extra damage means naught against enemies with no shields, and the +fast can save your life. Use it to provide fire-support to your autons.....paralyse individual gunships and seperate them from their station or wingmen/companions. Then send ALL autons in to take it out. Rinse and repeat. This tactic works especially well against charon bases. It is not good against large numbers of shielded gunships (EG. Marauder stations), and is dangerous against sapiens if the autons accidentally hot the stations (radiation kills autons too).
Mining equipment (Both laser AND Hold) is probably the first thing you should splash money on after making sure you have centauri-immune shields.
Drive Upgrades. Get them. ALWAYS. Remember, when the going gets tough, the tough run for the hills screaming like small children.
Autons
If you do not use autons effectively, you will die. Trust me on this. You'll also rely on them for loot and protection from random nasties.
The Autosentinal is the lamest excuse for an auton EVER. My record with them is 3 combats before it blew up, and the shortest time I've seen is approximately 15 seconds. They really, really, really, really, really, really suck.
200s just attack you, although they'd be great as combat autons if it wasn't for that small flaw.
The 300D is the auton you really want in the early game. Pity it never turns up then. They're surprisingly tough when allowed to turn up when they should do, but rarely do (really, they need to be a pre-st.Ks item more)
The 310 AEGIS is weak, but that Longreach can save your skin, treat them with great care, and try to use them sparingly.
(Rest of section will be filled in once I try out pacifism with other autons)
MISC
-If in doubt, run away
-If you can't run away and you don't have autons and/or a planet to hide under, you die.
-Death Drug guys hurt when you can't shoot back, but EMP easily.
-Solar panels are cool, briefly. Mostly 'cause they're cheap.
- Charon sucks when you can't shoot back.
-Barbaries will probably suck royally when they start turning up.
-Raid platforms and scavengers die REALLY slowly, as do drakes, when all you have is a few autons and an EMP gun.
-The availability of autons in the early game is really terrible, and the autosentinal is basically a waste of money....although at least it's not a Tenhove.
