Yes, the classic "catch-22" ... Can't "level up" because I can't kill a sector full of
ApuTech-17s and assorted Assault bots with level 4 weapons. Can't get better
weapons because I can't level up. To make matters worse, can't always find the
required bots. And if you find a sector with the required bots, they are not
always in the sector the game says they are in. Yes, I was told that some bots
take a long time to respawn. Well, I've been watching a couple of sectors for a
while now, and the required bots have not appeared yet. How can one play a
game if one cannot trust the game to give honest information?

Well, haven't quite reached your level yet there... but, uh, why not take a break and do some trade jobs for a while, maybe build up some credits, see if you can't get a larger ship, and then take another whack at it?

I've been doing trade missions until I'm numb from boredom. Money is not a
problem, I have tons of it. Don't want a larger ship, it's like trying to fly a
bathtub. Need GUNS !!!

;-)

I have to agree...

The Tech-17s are a pain in the ass!

...or well, maybe not the actuall bots, but rather the sectors they are in. If there where some sectors with _only_ Tech-17s the bots wouldn't be so hard to kill. Trying to strike one of these while getting shot at by five other bots is a bit much for a level four player though.

Have a little faith in Ray and the other devs. I'm sure they are working on the imbalance but there are more pressing issues like the stress test to deal with first.

ok, 2 things real fast

at level 4 combat, do the group mission not the solo combat mission

you CAN do it solo,
just type /group create
and select the mission

you will do it as a group of 1
the bots are easier and you get the whole list at once

item 2
with regards to teh missing bots
what happened is this, that bot that is missing is part of a "wing', and you have to kill the whole wing in order for them to respawn.
aputech - 17's are usually in a wing of 4, 2 17's an assault and a fennus gaurdian. they fly as a group, and you have to kill them all before any of them respawn

Or you can join a group with people who are a level or two higher than you. It lets you get to know others in the game.
It also lets you level up easier since after level 4 group missions yield more exp.

Thanks, guys!
I did a whole lot of "non-mission" botting and managed to get the light weapons
numbers to the next level. Now have some "grown-up" guns and am using the
group missions as a group of one. It's working!!

"Irony is the hygiene of the mind"
- ELIZABETH BIBESCO -

Yesterday the problem was that we could not find them, now the problem is that we have found them.

But yes, I agree "Houston, we have a problem"

and if "sarahanne" says "cool your jets" then you could mix a martini with mine.