Free traders in pvp

[Kellindell]

Ok so im not sure if it was my ship or riggings or whatever, but in a 1v1 fight against a pirate i got 100% owned last night. Granted im relativly new, but still it wasnt even close.

Is that the life of 1v1 for free traders? If you spec full battle as a free trader are you just trying to be good at something you are not?

Or if you go for a pvp spec and get the right ship can you actually be effective in pvp?

I ask because i got my free trader to level 21 in the pre board, and on the last night we did a bunch of pvp fights and i found myself getting destroyed, or not EVER being able to catch people.

It was absolutley annoying. Is this a ship difference, or is this because i lack skills like the disabling tree and things that help me move into the wind and such?

I thought i wanted to be a free trader, but if in small scale pvp im not on the level with the other 3 classes, my free trader is about to become a factory alt.

Another big problem i see with free traders is all of there skills require reagants that are not only a pain to get, but if you die or surrender you lose all your reagants and thus open yourself up for another getting killed without a chance.

So yeah, id love to hear from FTs and people who have fought FTs.

Because you can theory craft all you want, but it doesnt mean a thing in the open field if it isnt possible to execute.

[Valeroth]

Some questions:
What ship were you in?
What ship were your opponents in?
What freetrader combat skills do you have?
How is your ship outfitted?
How were you losing? Sunk? Boarding? Out manuevered?

My primary through all of beta was Freetrader (with a few month break as pirate). Freetraders can participate in PvP. I've sunk quite a few pirates trying to hijack me into a port. For 1 vs 1 battles, I've only lost once or twice while in a player-crafted ships. (I've been sunk many times in the early parts of wipes while in Civilian ships).

For bigger battles, I've had about 70/30 win/loss ratio, so yes you can win as a Freetrader. Unless things have changed since my last battle.

Just the other day I caught a pirate in an invalid ship and sank him.

I will say that 2 players with equal skill in identical ships, 1 a Freetrader, and 1 any other class, the Freetrader is going to be at a serious disadvantage.