Trader wagon hunting/defending tips thread

[Freakshow9191]

You have any tips to share on hunting/ defending large trader wagons?

Hunting:

Remember the delivery spots you've been to and keep them in mind, as you can only see the wagon near the beginning and near the end of it's route. Might give insight as to where it's headed.  

With posse: spread out and cover the map for max visibility, near fast travel points.   Watch train stations for unexplained NPC gunfights, that means a wagon arrival is imminent. 

When solo: I like to sit at McFarland's ranch or valentine station and keep watch. 

Anyone have any good info on the specifics of when it's visible on your map? Same state only? I know you can't see it from just anywhere on the map, you have to be relatively "close".   I haven't figured out those details yet. 

Edited November 19, 2019 by Freakshow9191

[The_Liquor]

For defending... especially solo... Whistle your horse while driving the card. Don’t be afraid to temporarily abandon your wagon for the faster more maneuverable horse (which also happens to hold your other firearms) to deal with a threat.... If someone gets on your wagon you can always chase him down with the advantage while on your horse.

Also, don’t follow the yellow line route... too predictable. Cross open ground, try to avoid choke points (such as long bridges, narrow River fords, canyons etc.

Edited November 19, 2019 by The_Liquor

[Freakshow9191]

Defending: Steer wide of player camps if you can. They can shoot your wagon with incendiaries, or shoot the wagons horse from the safety of their camp. They will need to lower flag first but they have the advantage of knowing when they're gonna do it. 

A player camp can also be fast travelled to.  Meaning that empty camp CAN have a 7 man posse just pop up. 

Avoid camps, when you can. 

[bluntTR4P]

I learned my lesson from hunting alone. If you do venture to do this, be sure to check out your area completely for people looking to sneak up on you. It is more worth keeping a fast horse that scares easy on the hunt than a slow one that is more calm, just in case you have to outrun a gang. 

[The_Liquor]

8 hours ago, bluntTR4P said:

I learned my lesson from hunting alone. If you do venture to do this, be sure to check out your area completely for people looking to sneak up on you. It is more worth keeping a fast horse that scares easy on the hunt than a slow one that is more calm, just in case you have to outrun a gang. 

Although sound advice, I am pretty sure the ‘hunting’ in this case is the hunting of other trader wagons for supplies...

[Kean_1]

For defending....

Posse up.  This can't be stressed enough for long deliveries.  Few things in this game are more beneficial than playing with a posse of friends.   

If you're alone, consider local deliveries instead or accept the fact that there's a good chance you will never make it to your destination.  .....more reward = more risk.  Simple as that.

[Antonia]

Stopped a while ago the trader role cause i'm tired of animals not spawning. When R* fix it we'll speak again.

[Kean_1]

1 hour ago, Antonia said:

Stopped a while ago the trader role cause i'm tired of animals not spawning. When R* fix it we'll speak again.

"Trader wagon hunting/defending tips thread"

[Freakshow9191]

Hunting: I'm still figuring out the details of exactly when it's visible on your map. 

Example: I was with my posse mate in valentine when she noticed a trader wagon on her map near McFarland's ranch.  Me, standing next to her could not see it. 

We were both on offensive, both level 20.  Why couldn't I see it? 

These are key questions I'm working on answers for.  If you can nail down the specifics of it's visibility, that'll be a huge help. 

[The_Liquor]

50 minutes ago, Freakshow9191 said:

Hunting: I'm still figuring out the details of exactly when it's visible on your map. 

Example: I was with my posse mate in valentine when she noticed a trader wagon on her map near McFarland's ranch.  Me, standing next to her could not see it. 

We were both on offensive, both level 20.  Why couldn't I see it? 

These are key questions I'm working on answers for.  If you can nail down the specifics of it's visibility, that'll be a huge help. 

Was she possie leader? Maybe only the leader sees them out and can make the decision wether or not to sick the possie on them? I’m not 100% certian, but I Think that’s how it works with some of the other icons...

[nshanny73]

On 11/19/2019 at 11:46 AM, Freakshow9191 said:

When solo: I like to sit at McFarland's ranch or valentine station and keep watch. 

Really?  You sir, are an absolute turd... what a complete and utter waste of time

[Freakshow9191]

47 minutes ago, nshanny73 said:

Really?  You sir, are an absolute turd... what a complete and utter waste of time

Sorry about it....I'm efficient at hunting animals and usually have time to kill waiting for cripps to need a resupply, or waiting for a friend who is about to need an escort themselves. 

I shouldn't have even replied, this is a thread for tips on defending/hunting wagons.   But feel free to start a thread to discuss evil wagon people if you want. 

[The_Liquor]

1 hour ago, nshanny73 said:

Really?  You sir, are an absolute turd... what a complete and utter waste of time

Maybe a bit of a thief and bandit, but I wouldn’t quite go as far as saying he’s a turd... You won’t have a very successful career as a wagon thief if you don’t know a few good spots to wait for them to roll on by...

[Freakshow9191]

11 hours ago, The_Liquor said:

Was she possie leader? Maybe only the leader sees them out and can make the decision wether or not to sick the possie on them? I’m not 100% certian, but I Think that’s how it works with some of the other icons...

Logical, and I wondered about those situations as well.  But...in this case, I was the leader. 

[Kean_1]

I'd like to remind folks to keep the discussion civil.  Disagreements are fine to discuss but personal insults are not.  Thanks.

[nshanny73]

@Freakshow9191

 

Hey bud, my apologies... my inner white hat took over

[Freakshow9191]

Hey, no worries 73.  I got rhino skin. 

It's a rather touchy subject I've found out.  Lol.  I figured there would be more into wagon theft game mode, based on every person I pass on a distant tries to jack me. but I appear to be in the minority.  Otherwise, I play very honorably, and passively. 

 

[nshanny73]

@Freakshow9191

cheers bro

yeah, you definitely hit a sore spot with myself... got jacked 4 v 1 on my 3rd distant delivery after my 2nd had failed due to a rockstar disconnect (got my money from that one after 3 days of fighting with support because I luckily had video) 

was outside of blackwater on my way to thieves landing... chased for a bit but did no good considering the numbers difference... funny thing was, the original 4 man posse then got jacked by a 2nd 4 man posse... lol    I was like WTF??  local deliveries it is

Have vowed ever since, should it happen again, everyone and anything is getting blown up... delivery wagon... enemies... horses... any innocent bystanders... everything

[The_Liquor]

52 minutes ago, nshanny73 said:

@Freakshow9191

cheers bro

yeah, you definitely hit a sore spot with myself... got jacked 4 v 1 on my 3rd distant delivery after my 2nd had failed due to a rockstar disconnect (got my money from that one after 3 days of fighting with support because I luckily had video) 

was outside of blackwater on my way to thieves landing... chased for a bit but did no good considering the numbers difference... funny thing was, the original 4 man posse then got jacked by a 2nd 4 man posse... lol    I was like WTF??  local deliveries it is

Have vowed ever since, should it happen again, everyone and anything is getting blown up... delivery wagon... enemies... horses... any innocent bystanders... everything

I would have loved to see that kind of action... Sit back, snipe a guy or two from each side, get them into a big battle, the. Sneak off with my wagon lol

[DiamondDave]

Hunt or be hunted. If someone comes at you and you don't know who they are, don't hesitate to give a warning shot. If they don't want a fight, they will back off. This is the old west. Kill or be killed. 

[Freakshow9191]

2 hours ago, nshanny73 said:

@Freakshow9191 

I got jacked 4 v 1 on my 3rd distant delivery after my 2nd had failed due to a rockstar disconnect 

Have vowed ever since, should it happen again, everyone and anything is getting blown up... delivery wagon... enemies... horses... any innocent bystanders... everything

Large distant wagons:

I've lost 9 to rockstar DC's and glitches.

1 outright to a posse.

3 destroyed wagons with reduced pay to solo people I hesitated to shoot. 

Good advice from nshanny, if it starts looking like you're gonna lose it.  Destroy the wagon.  Make it more difficult for them to deliver it. 

Edited November 23, 2019 by Freakshow9191

[The_Liquor]

Personally, I try to take it back intact... But I do see the logic behind blowing it up and trying to salvage a bag or so if you’re outgunned. 

Edited November 23, 2019 by The_Liquor

[nshanny73]

1 rolled because I was smashed and could only deliver 1 supply bag... lol

[The_Liquor]

8 minutes ago, nshanny73 said:

1 rolled because I was smashed and could only deliver 1 supply bag... lol

I seem to recall coming across something like that with Arthur in single player... the dunk guy asked if you could watch his stuff while he went to town for help... when you get bored and loot his stuff you find him passed out a little ways down the road...

[Freakshow9191]

Update: 

Had another instance where only one of our posse members could see a wagon target icon on their mini map.

We had to have that one member stay on the map and guide us in. I NEVER  saw an icon on my map until I shot the driver, only then did a wagon wheel icon even show on my map. (We got it all BTW)

Any other wagon hunters run into this yet?  Or have anymore info on wagon visibility on the map?

 

Also: for hunting:  it appears after the moonshine update some of the long distance deliveries are extreme long distance.  Example: from West of tall trees to the docks at st.denis.😲 that's a looong distance, and huge exposure time. 

Edited December 27, 2019 by Freakshow9191

[Darconios]

Defending wagons can seem futile, but here are techniques I use.

a) If you are attacked with 50 pieces or less you can destroy your cart with a bridge or small cliff... put one bag upon your own horse.. and 1 bag upon the cart horse.  Ride the cart horse and get to your destination quicker.

b) If you are attacked with 25 pieces or less you can dynamite your cart.. killing cart horse is okay with 25.   Then take pieces and place them on your horse.. finish delivery.

c) Too bad arrows didn't work on wagons.. explosive arrows are easy to craft.   But explosive ammo obviously is a go to.. a repeater with explosive rounds is a good match for some posses.

d) Try to ride straight at griefers so their mini map fools them into thinking youre stationary.  Then light em up with incendiary or something.  Be patient.. use cover if they are aggressive.

e) Note griefers name while they are still red.. so you dont start killing innocents.

I've only been attacked a few times in perhaps 100 deliveries so far... and generally my objectives are dailies (currently glitched.. one delivery of 2 items counts as 2 deliveries) so I generally only have a few pieces when I ship... no biggy if it got stolen.. but its the point...  I keep all my exploding ammo up and ready... allowing for the accidental sad ending of a few bunnies.

Edited January 2, 2020 by Kean_1
removed excess blank rows

[jadams19871]

I’ve  been playing online for about a year or so and I’ve never once had a hard time defending and of my wagons during deliveries. Never been attacked by other players just a few Npcs here and there I always ride with my repeating shotgun out when makeing Delivery does short work of the npcs 

[James Hickok_1837]

1 hour ago, jadams19871 said:

I’ve  been playing online for about a year or so and I’ve never once had a hard time defending and of my wagons during deliveries. Never been attacked by other players just a few Npcs here and there I always ride with my repeating shotgun out when makeing Delivery does short work of the npcs 

If you were attacked by player or players repeating shotgun would be the worst choice for defending.    When i did my deliveries (stopped playing online  2 weeks ago) i always had Bolt action ready with explosive ammo and lancaster repeater for shooting off NPC's, dual mausers for close quarters. 

 

BTW Seems you have been very lucky to not encounter any players during the deliveries... Did you take long distance ones or short? 

[jadams19871]

James hicok_1837 I always carry the. Lot action with me also just use shotgun for up close have all the upgrades for both so either works. I’m pretty much only dealing with npcs  so far I carry the bolt action in case of player attacks

[The_Liquor]

I have finally been robbed successfully today... I got to say, it was actually so fun I didn’t even mind loosing my stuff.