How exactly does interdiction work?

[HAMM3R]

I mean, from the interdicters point of view. Never done it myself, I've always been the interdictee, so I don't know what's going on behind my back. What one has to do in order to interdict someone? I'm trying to figure out how to evade them before they get on my tail. If that's even possible.

For what I've read from the offcial forums, there's like a "cone" behind your ship and when someone starts lining up there you're most likely going to be interdicted. How big or wide is this "cone?" Because sometimes/a lot of times it looks like they're just popping out of nowhere. Nothing behind my back and Bam! Interdiction. I also remember someone suggesting not to fly on the "orbital plane," to get more speed and because the NPCs scoot there.

I've tried to do just that but like this last time, when I lost most of my money, after I got away from the star I shot straight up for quite a while, then arched towards my destination and started approaching the station from several hundred Ls' away, straight from above. All the contacts were waaay below/away from me according to scanner but then right out of the blue(=black) I was interdicted and I saw the red marker behind me.

What kind of range the ID device has? I've always sported the starting sensors so is the earliest interdiction point just out my radar's reach thus i can't see them coming?

One thing I've noticed to work, at least in systems with not many contacts when entering, is to drop out of SC after getting away from the star. Then cruising in normal space for a while before firing FSD again. When I get back to SC all the contacts are gone.

[Flip]

To interdict others, first you need a FSD interdictor installed in an internal compartment. You also need to assign it to a fire group. Then, to interdict someone you have to target them and get behind them. You also have to be within a certain distance which I think depends on the class of your FSD interdictor. When the conditions are met (target ahead at the right distance) you press and hold the interdictor's trigger. You then get the same interface you know from being interdicted (with the red and the blue bar graphs). Finally, whether your target submits, succumbs to, or avoids the interdiction, you get dropped out of SC and get some damage.

One thing I've noticed to work, at least in systems with not many contacts when entering, is to drop out of SC after getting away from the star. Then cruising in normal space for a while before firing FSD again. When I get back to SC all the contacts are gone.

When you drop out of SC, you leave an instance and create or enter another. Then, when you go to SC again, you create or enter a new instance. It's the reason why the contacts are gone. But it will only take a minute or two for new ones to spawn.

Now to answer your question on how to avoid interdictions: since the interdictor has to get behind you, a good way to avoid or detect them is to not take a direct route to your destination. First, point your ship 45° or so of your intended destination (but not in direction of another planet/station). If someone if following you towards nowhere, it's not a coincidence. Also you can see from the Contacts tab the other ships present in SC, and you can target them. Do so, until the one behind you on your scanner is selected (inside <braces>). Then you can see what kind of ship this is, and you can see if they're really following you (from their attitude in the target hologram) and if they're gaining on your or not. Then, change your heading to get closer to your destination, but still without pointing directly to it. Repeat these heading changes until you get near your destination, and your follower won't have a chance to get close enough behind you (or it will be much harder for them).

[HAMM3R]

When you drop out of SC, you leave an instance and create or enter another. Then, when you go to SC again, you create or enter a new instance. It's the reason why the contacts are gone. But it will only take a minute or two for new ones to spawn.

Indeed. That usually gives me enough time to get to a station that's less than 500 Ls away or at least far enough so they won't catch me. Feels almost like an exploit, but man's gotta do what man's gotta do. At least in a crappy barge

I've never actually scanned other ships in the system. Felt like I'd just draw unwanted attention to myself. Then again, can you tell who's scanning you, be it player or NPC? I've never paid any attention to it since only time I get the 'scan detected' notice is at the stations and I just assume it's the security force. But I'll definitely do that next time. Also that course altering method. I've done some maneuvering but it's been more or less random.

Muchos gracias, that was very helpful!

Oh, just one more thing [read in Columbo's voice].. Can you scan people's ship/cargo while in SC? Or do you just pick any promising looking target and scan them afterwards if you succeed? I've never gotten the notice of being scanned before interdiction nor afterwards for that matter. The current AI is somewhat immersion breaking since they always ask for my cargo even if I'm running empty. Guess the code simply looks for player ships and rolls dice whether to pursue or not.

[Flip]

I've never actually scanned other ships in the system. Felt like I'd just draw unwanted attention to myself. Then again, can you tell who's scanning you, be it player or NPC? I've never paid any attention to it since only time I get the 'scan detected' notice is at the stations and I just assume it's the security force.

First, targeting a ship is not scanning it. And if it's not in front of you, you won't even be able to run a basic scan. Second, a basic scan (done automatically when your target is in front of you) is not detected by the target, and it will only give you very basic information (the faction the target belongs to, if they're wanted or not in the system, info about their shield, and I think that's about it).

AFAIK, for the target to know they're being scanned, you have to either scan their cargo or use the kill warrant scanner (both of which require a specific scanner that's not provided by default on any ship, and has to be triggered by hand). And I think you cannot do that in SC (I'm sure about the KWS, but not about the cargo scanner because I don't use one).

Muchos gracias, that was very helpful!

You're welcome!

Oh, just one more thing [read in Columbo's voice].. Can you scan people's ship/cargo while in SC? Or do you just pick any promising looking target and scan them afterwards if you succeed? I've never gotten the notice of being scanned before interdiction nor afterwards for that matter. The current AI is somewhat immersion breaking since they always ask for my cargo even if I'm running empty. Guess the code simply looks for player ships and rolls dice whether to pursue or not.

Is it your wife who wants to know? Again, I don't think you can scan cargo in SC. And about the NPC's asking for cargo when you don't have any... well, what do you expect? It's called artificial intelligence for a reason.

[HAMM3R]

First, targeting a ship is not scanning it. And if it's not in front of you, you won't even be able to run a basic scan. Second, a basic scan (done automatically when your target is in front of you) is not detected by the target, and it will only give you very basic information (the faction the target belongs to, if they're wanted or not in the system, info about their shield, and I think that's about it).

AFAIK, for the target to know they're being scanned, you have to either scan their cargo or use the kill warrant scanner

I see. Things certainly got a bit more clearer again. Cheers!

Is it your wife who wants to know?

Haha, no wife unfortunately. Or fortunately. Whichever way you want to look at it