Despite co-ordinated efforts to curb interstellar piracy by the major ASC species, raids remain the cost of doing business in frontier space.

While numerous attempts have been made to directly attack centralized pirate leadership, it has proven difficult to truly damage the disparate—and often nomadic—raider factions. Efforts have been further frustrated by corporate and political espionage, with some otherwise legitimate actors surreptitiously sponsoring pirate action, or even engaging in raids themselves via unmarked fleets.

As a result, most operators have shifted their focus towards outpost defense and loss mitigation. For this reason, Alpha Bases are typically afforded multiple layers of defense. At the forefront of this effort is the ubiquitous Struct combat fleet, comprised of advanced military machines capable of repelng most military assaults.

The second layer of defense lies in Ore storage facilities—hardened bunkers specially-designed to withstand breach attempts long enough for reinforcements to arrive from nearby systems. While it is theoretically possibly to rapidly breach a modern ore bunker via orbital strike, the resulting explosion risks disturbing stored Ore and igniting a catastrophic Alpha-tear.

These considerations have made direct assault on Ore facilities largely impractical. Thus, the preferred attack vector is now electronic in nature. Pirates able to subvert the electronic systems of an Alpha Base can breach storage facilities without risk of tear events, and before fleet reinforcements can arrive.

Thus, the final layer of defense is the Structs Conglomerate ST-21 “Spearpoint” Command Ship. In addition to the flagship’s administrative and battlefield roles, the Spearpoint houses the most sophisticated electronic warfare package in ASC space, purpose-built to defend mining operations from electronic intrusion. In effect, an on-station Spearpoint renders Alpha Ore reserves impenetrable.

Due to these defenses, any successful raid requires a two-stage attack: first, pirate forces must break through the blockading fleet to directly assault the defending Spearpoint. With the Command Ship destroyed, the defending Alpha Base becomes vulnerable to electronic intrusion, and breach attempts can begin. At this point, the success or failure of the raid lies in the ability of pirates forces to complete the intrusion and escape with the stolen Ore before reinforcements can arrive.