Anybody got any tips for fighting in asteroids in Privateer? As you will know, sometimes enemies within asteroid fields are unavoidable - and if you try to run you almost always hit an asteroid.. The old trick of afterburning through while moving the stick rapidly up and down doesn't seem to work in the GOG version

"Safe" speed in Asteroids Field is c.a. 300-350 (while flying Centurion). You can outmaneuver almost all ships and shot them down.

If you want to run then press F8 (view from rear) and try to avoid asteroids as close as possible - it's a big chance that chasing opponent will crash. From time to time change your direction but not more then 45 degrees (to not loose much speed and to not make distance shorter for chasing enemies). Don't hit afterburner for long because you'll crash and with high speed it will be game over...

If I'm forced into combat in an asteroid field I cut my throttle and focus on staying alive. The good thing about the asteroids is that they're just as destructive against the enemy and the AI doesn't pilot as well as a human. Sometimes I've gotten through combat without firing a shot. Having said that, the best way not to get killed by an asteroid is not to fly into asteroid fields. That's what I love about the game, the freedom take my own missions and plot my own course.

@TPR That's very useful! I've always assumed it was the same as early WC - 150 and when I first had the game dealt with asteroides by using the "afterburn and waggle the stick" trick. But in the final mapping mission, where you finish up finding the derelict steltex space station and the gun, combat (or running away!) in asteroids is unavoidable.

@ColBashar absolutely agree - but as above - if you want to co,mplete the sory line missions (and get the big gun!) it's unavoidable ;)

and thanks for your replies BTW :)

I think it depends on emulation speed and dosbox , but back when I was playing the cd version only circular stick motion trick worked, even with the fastest ship in the game + afterburners, but one still can get unlucky results from the random asteroids ;)