Pesky AI 'helpers' in lowbie rank missions

[VonBarb]

Could we have control on these friendly AI ships that spawn in lowbie (up to 2nd Lt looks like) missions and that just do more harm than good right now ?

The added firepower and distraction they provide ARE useful in some encounters, but not being able to give them orders often prevents players from capturing opponents in missions. (not to mention the collision hasard...) Capping ships is the quickest way to move out of the Basic Cutter without spending the gold you'll need for a decent 6th rate on marginally better Privateers and Pickles. It's also a great way to make some extra pocket money as you grind through the first few ranks.  Those AI 'helpers', being AI with perfect aim, also often get the kill, reducing the income for starting players at a stage of the character progression where every bit of gold counts.

So devs, how about making them behave like fleet ships, or at least give us the option to turn them away or order them to hold fire ?

[Sir Texas Sir]

Wouldn't make much diffrence and I think it would make the annoy cructh users that go no where without there AI use them even more.   Really can we get a limit on Battles that is some one has AI and they hit 25 ships every one else is locked out of that battle so there isn't like 29+ ships on one team cause they have a bunch of AI?  Now that I would like to be fixed.   

At lower levels I think you learn more by not using AI or getting things done faster without there help.

[VonBarb]

1 hour ago, Sir Texas Sir said:

At lower levels I think you learn more by not using AI or getting things done faster without there help.

That's my point really. Either remove the AI friendlies plain and simple, or give us a way to tell them to bugger off. I didn't like AI fleets to begin with, for the same reasons I mentionned above - and because some people make a habit of using them all the time -but AI ships you can't even coordinate with are even worse. 

A 2nd Lt couldn't crew a Snow and a fleet at the same time anyway, so no risk of seeing an increase in crutch users.

[Sir Texas Sir]

12 minutes ago, VonBarb said:

That's my point really. Either remove the AI friendlies plain and simple, or give us a way to tell them to bugger off. I didn't like AI fleets to begin with, for the same reasons I mentionned above - and because some people make a habit of using them all the time -but AI ships you can't even coordinate with are even worse. 

A 2nd Lt couldn't crew a Snow and a fleet at the same time anyway, so no risk of seeing an increase in crutch users.

Now the problem I have seen recently is that the game matches wrong ships with to low level of a player.  Me and a clan mate went over to PvP1 with new chars with basic cutters (both curse though) and we went out to do some mission to get our officer and some money.  First one they put us in thief level missions (fast cast for the 5K to get officer and well we where in basic cutters).  It gave us a lynx or cutter on our side and the other side had two lynx/cutters and a Rattlersnake.   Than we did another mission that put another ship that had 120 crew in it.  At that level if we weren't players that had a clue they would of gotten shredded by those ships ment for some one 2 level higher than them.  I F11 each time so the devs would look at it.  We did sink them and even capped one to get a better ship, but again we are both season players.