Hutton Orbital (proper noun): An Outpost located in the Alpha Centauri System. Contains the rare: Hutton Mug, Centauri Mega Gin and the Free Python MkI

Here is a tribute video of my time in Elite Dangerous, sadly, i never played any of the older versions. I was surprised at how much this video has come to mean to me, reliving each moment as I edited a cutscene or image, I am eternally grateful for all the friends I've made along the way and the time shared with 100's of people. All possible through this timeless game. So 'Cheers' to Elite and a good ol o7 to the community! I've really been trying hard to improve my video editing skills, so I do hope you enjoy this.

September has definitely been one of the more tumultuous months. The big news being the that of the Thargoids sneaking past our defenses and attacking our favorite Jameson memorial. Whilst I applaud AXI and the like who have been courageously spear heading the efforts on the front lines, my heart goes out to the "younger" commanders that threw themselves at the defense of Shinrarta - something closer and more attainable - ill equipped but with boundless courage. During a chaotic battle with a Thargoid Hydra, I witnessed a wing consisting of an Eagle and a Cobra, swoop in and unload their arsenals. Granted their retreat was swift but went to show that humanity is all hands on deck.

While most Pilots are fighting the Alien threats, it would seem the corporations are fighting amongst themselves once again. Sirius' nose is somewhat out of joint at the success of Achilles with the launch of the SCO Drives. Let's see where this leads... Hopefully Li Yong-Rui doesn't get up to any tricks.

Speaking of Leadership, Felicia Winters has said she will be stepping back with regard to recovery operations of her home world, so perhaps we will finally see an inauguration next month. Although I suspect there may be more turmoil in her future...

There is much anticipation about the new Mandalay launching next month, with Zorgon Peterson just recently releasing some amazing footage of development. Who of you are looking at purchasing one and for what role?

Players have seen an increase in PVP activity, more so in Shinrarta. Known to be a hunting ground for the pesky bunch, Shinrarta system coms have been bustling with maydays and calls for help. One wonders if they are Thargoid sympathizers or merely opportunistic, alas, these are threats that exist so be weary.

Great News! In an attempt to balance their stocks after launching the Python MKII, Faulcon deLacy, is handing out the Python MKI's to any Pilots that may need one. These can be collected at Hutton Orbital for 0cr.

So, you want to be a bounty hunter! Bounty Hunting is great fun regardless of your level or experience, but you do want to know how to scale it. Bounty hunting earns you some great credits and combat rank, but you will need to consider the following:

• SHIP

  While most ships are combat capable, some are better suited than others. So, if you are hauling cargo in your trusty Adder, consider getting yourself an Eagle or Cobra.

• MODULES

  • SHIELDS

    You will definitely want to equip a shield, generally as higher class as your ship can handle, experiment with standard shields as well as the Bi-Weave variants. Whilst the standard version will be tankier, the Bi-Weave will recharge faster and will reboot faster if it is broken by the pesky pirates.

  • KILL WARRANT SCANNER

    Whilst not completely necessary, this handy device will allow you to scan the enemy ship and gain some extra credits once you've turned him into space dust.

  • REINFORCEMENTS

    If you have any slots free, consider adding in one or two Hull/Module Reinforcements, should your shields fail, this may buy you enough time to either escape or get your shields back online.

• WEAPONS

  While you are still familiarizing yourself with Bounty Hunting, stick to simple combinations of Thermal and Kinetic. Thermals such as Lasers will be more effective in taking down shields, with Kinetics like Multi Cannons doing more damage to their hulls. Experiment with different types of lasers and cannons according to your power requirements and play style.

• LOCATIONS

  There are various ways of finding opponents but none better than Resource Extraction Sites (RES Sites). These are easy to find in planetary rings but be sure to check what type they are, as this will affect the difficulty. They are classed as LOW, NORMAL, HIGH and HAZARDOUS; start off with the Low Res, at least until you are comfortable with your ship, the mechanics and your opponents. Be sure to check in at the local Station or Outpost as well, you can earn far more credits if you accept some massacre missions from the local factions, they will undoubtably reward you for your heroic efforts in dealing with the scourge that plagues their territory. Should you have some wing mates along for your sortie, share your massacre missions to increase the rate at which you complete these.

• THE HUNT

  • MECHANICS

    Now that you've armed yourself to the hilt and found a suitable hunting ground, it's time to unleash your arsenal. Try and stave off the excitement before you let loose in a blind rage of heroic ambitions, there are some things to look out for. Some pirates travel in wings of their own, attacking one will have them all target you, which can spoil your day pretty quickly. Make sure the vessel you are targeting has a WANTED status, attacking one of the good guys will land you in hot water with the local security forces. Most Res sites will have security vessels patrolling, who will scan and attack any bad guys, feel free to lend a hand, you will share the bounty with them so long as you do some damage to the target, remember to scan with your Kill Warrant Scanner if you chose to equip one. Most of your time will be spent scanning ships in the area to see if they are wanted and then taking them down, you will at some point need to retreat for either repairs or to accept some more missions for added rewards. REMEMBER: You will lose your bounty payout if you die before handing them in. . . . disengage, repair and live to fight another day.

  • FIGHTING THE SHIP

    As a beginner its best to start building on some good habits and skills whilst in combat. Practice with managing your pips for System, Engines and weapons during the fight; more weapons pips when you are on the offensive, more engines when needing tight maneuvers or being evasive and more systems when you are trying to bulk up your shields. Experiment with Fixed and gimballed weapons, fixed offering higher damage but requires some added skill and experience, start working on this early on. Try and tuck in behind your opponents to mitigate his damage output. Check your fire - BE CAREFUL not to hit any friendlies, including the security forces.

You'll be raking in the credits in no time, if you are not finding it challenging, consider trying the next tier of Res Site. Look at buying bigger ships as your riches increase, bear in mind outfitting them can be costly and MAKE SURE you can afford any rebuy costs, the last thing you want is to be relegated back to a Sidewinder after all of your efforts. Happy Hunting!

Fly Safe o7

These are some of my favorite screen shots over the years. Between battling and researching the Thargoids to investigating and unlocking the Guardian Secrets, Elite Dangerous really does make for some breath-taking scenes.

Well, its relevant! You guys are fast becoming a great place to find concise, well written guides and articles that would definitely assist any commander no matter their experience. I myself have seen trivia in the factoids, content creators' guides and opinions that I had yet to see or consider. What's more is it's been done in a fun and positive fashion.

Open, Private Group and Solo Play.

Open - Join all other Commanders in an open galaxy environment. The truest way to play, does make you vulnerable to PVP players. Especially great for community goals and events.

Private Group - "Host or Join" an instance of the galaxy that you have been invited to or invited friends to. Popular amongst Squadrons or Friend Groups

Solo - Soldier on fearlessly without seeing another human soul. You got this!

We all know the Plasma Pistol is number 1! Here's a little tongue in cheek video, inspired by Korn's - "freak on a leash", of me SHUTTING DOWN an undercover Pirate.