Your responsibilities as a Rat are essential to the function of the Mischief and what we do. You are the one out in the field and saving the clients, armed with only a Fuel Transfer Limpet Controller and a limited quantity of Fuel Limpets against the incomprehensible vastness of space. The following is a reference and resource to your daily duties as a Rat on rescue, but is not a replacement for reading SOP and supplemental materials.

Remember it's important to leave direct communication with the client to dispatch during the case, so the client isn't confused about who to pay attention to.

On Rescue

The following callouts are typically used with a case number(we chose #5, here) in front of them, both to keep dispatch informed of which case you are on, and so that the bot auto-records the case information as it is sent in channel.  Note that some of the below callouts can also be paired with a minus ( - ) to indicate that the following has not successfully been achieved.

Common Client Mistakes and Issues:

Client in Solo Play:

Space is scary, and so are the other people playing out there. Oftentimes, clients will prefer to engage in solo play to avoid potentially hostile contact with other players. While in Solo Play, the client is unable to send you a Wing Invite. The moment that you are fr+, you can check your comms menu to verify the client's gamemode, under their commander name.

<+sqozilla> #5 in solo

Client in Mismatched System:

Often, when asked for their location, the client may report what is shown in the bottom left targeting panel, rather than checking their navigation menu for the system they are actually in. If the client is mid-travel when he or she has run out of fuel, the bottom left targeting panel is likely to show the name of the next system in the route sequence, and may be reported instead. On fr+, you are able to verify the client's system by referring to your Galaxy Map and finding the friend icon atop their suggested system. On wr+/tm+, the client's system will show under their wing symbol if in a different system than yourself. Simply inform the Dispatch of the client's actual system.

<+sqozilla> #5 system correction NLTT 48288

Might also happen that clients misspell system name so much we can't plot with it or recognize it at all. Our bot will sometimes automatically detect this.  See Common Sector/System Names for more easily found mistypes.

Client still Unprepped:

When a client first calls for assistance, we instruct them to power down all modules possible, except for Life Support. In Elite: Dangerous, the more modules are running, the more power the ship requires to run. This in turn means that the ship consumes fuel at a greater rate. By disabling all modules, the client reduces their consumption rate, thus allowing what little fuel is left to last longer. This is known as prepping the client. An unprepped client can usually only be identified by the fact that their shields are still operational. On wr+, the three rings surrounding the client's wing symbol will indicate whether their shields are disabled or not. Blue, illuminated rings = Powered. Red, dull rings = Unpowered or depleted.  Provided you are not in the systeem and very near refueling, dispatch can help rectify this.

<+sqozilla> # 5 prep-

Client in Game:

During code red rescues, in order to preserve their remaining emergency oxygen, the client is instructed to log out to the Main Menu. Occasionally, the client will misunderstand or gloss over this instruction, endangering him or herself and the rescue. If operating on a code red rescue, check the client's listing in your comms menu on fr+ to verify that the client is currently at the Main Menu, unless client was otherwise instructed by dispatch.

<+sqozilla> #5 in open!

Failed Instance:

Occasionally, due to network issues or particular in-game anomalies (such as Exclusion Zones!), you will fail to properly instance with the client. You may end up in proximity to the position of the client's beacon, but the client will not actually be there. This can be easily identified by referring to your in-game minimap, showing the little blue icon as a solid box rather than an outlined transparent one. You can simply report this as 'inst-', as shown directly below. This should only be reported after dropping to normal space and seeing this. 

<+sqozilla> #5 inst-

Client in the Exclusion Zone of a Star or Planet:

Occasionally, the client will stray rather too close to a celestial object and be forced out of Supercruise into what is known as an Exclusion Zone (EZ). While in an Exclusion Zone, the client will be unreachable via conventional means, such as NAVLOCK drops or manual drops. In regular rescues, it should simply be reported to the Dispatcher that the client is in the EZ. If the client is Code Red, reaching him or her will require a special manoeuvre dubbed lovingly as the Tactical Faceplant, or TFP.  

<+sqozilla> #5 in EZ.

OR

<+sqozilla> #5 in EZ. Attempting TFP.  (if CR case)

Code RED Rescues:

If a client has completely depleted their fuel reserves and is relying on emergency oxygen, their rescue is considered CODE RED. This indicates an increased urgency, as the client will have a limited amount of time before destruction. This time can reach a maximum of 5 to 25 minutes, depending on the quality of the client's Life Support module. The Dispatcher will log the client out to the Main Menu, and then attempt to discern as accurate of a location as possible through varying means.

Once the Dispatcher has satisfactorily established a potential last location for the client, they will position the Rats on the case accordingly. 

While the Rats scramble to get into position, the Dispatcher will instruct the client on how to turn on the beacon, and then invite the Rats to a wing/team. Upon achieving your designated position, you should report pos+ (position+) to the Dispatch in the rescue channel. Once all the Rats are in position, the client will be logged in, and attempt to turn on the beacon(if necessary), and add all the Rats to a wing/team.  In Odyssey, the beacon is on by default.

Should the client take longer than necessary to complete the instructed tasks, you must inform your Dispatcher immediately (bc- or wr-) so that appropriate action may be taken.

The rest of the rescue should follow the same, ending with fuel+ on completion.

Navlocking:

Navlock is a mechanic that allows players to follow each other easily from system to system, jump to jump, and drop to drop. The Fuel Rats use this system ALWAYS to quickly arrive at and drop on a client's beacon.

From the Comms Menu, you can engage Navlock, and upon bc+, charge full throttle at the destination beacon.  Navlock also helps with client escorts as when your client jumps you just approach their wake and Nav Lock sets and starts your FSD for you.

On rare occasions, Navlock will improperly drop you far away from the client. This may be a bug, in which case a Rat Supercruise hop could mitigate the issue, OR a result of the client being stranded in the Exclusion Zone of a celestial body (see issue above).

In the Instance:

Once you have dropped into the instance, there are many things that need to be done in quick succession.  Depending on the range of your Limpet Controller, you may be able to target your client and fire your limpets immediately, or you may need to move a little closer.  

Once your limpets are fired, in most cases you will want to either drop your landing gear or cargo scoop to prevent unintentionally boosting into the client.  You should also make sure that you are not pointing directly at the client, for the same reason.  To ensure your own safety, you should position yourself in a way that the client is also not pointing directly at you to avoid their potential accidental boost.

Debriefing:

• What modules does the client have?  What might their current gameplay loop be?  Do they have a fuel scoop?
• Use the information you found in their modules to start a friendly conversation, and when/if appropriate offer advice on fuel management (see debriefing diagram) and ensure they have enough fuel to get them either to their next fuel star or to the nearest station with an appropriately sized landing pad.
• A new client may need more advice than a seasoned one.  Avoid asking if “they want some fuel management advice”, as the knee-jerk reaction answer is often “No thanks.”  Try your best to make sure that you are not boring, nor holding the client “hostage”.  We want to teach, but only to willing parties!
• Ask the client if he or she has any further questions, and offer to escort them to safety. Ensure that the client has enough fuel to last him or her to safety, if the escort offer is declined.

A Brief Disclaimer About Vernacular and the Lexicon:

Over time, the vernacular of the Mischief has changed, expanded, and warped slightly. Some callouts as shown here are acceptably substituted with others. As an example, 'fuel+' is a common substitution for the old 'fueled/ing' or 'refueled/ing' term, and 'wr+' is often substituted for 'wg+'. The purpose of this guide is to provide a basic structure to how a rescue should be conducted, and what issues you may encounter in your career as a Fuel Rat. Be mindful, however, that these are not the only terms acceptable for use.