[DaveAFC13]

Can someone, who knows how, give me an easy way of killing that 'Unknown' Scorpion before it jumps out in Out of the Dark, Into the Night?

I've tried Furyfying it and ML-16ing it, but the bugger won't die and it frustrates me 

[MatthTheGeek]

Just try harder. Really, it just comes down to that.

[Goober5000]

Try harder with the Fury, not the ML-16.

[NGTM-1R]

More Furies on target.

[AV8R]

Yes, completely fill your missile banks with Furys - and if you can stay behind the Scorpion (they have crazy flight paths and are hard to stay behind) set your Furys to double fire and only fire when you are close in and know you won't miss (the key is not to waste Furys - you need as many as possible to bring down the shields so the ML-16 can do the rest).

Or here's an easier option - go after one of the Shaitan bombers. They're ponderous and slow and easy to get behind. Even with their thicker shields more of your Furys will hit, eventually drop the rear shield and the laser will do the rest. Plenty of times I've wasted a Shaitan (and used both banks of Furys in the process) and, while my wingmen were chasing one of the Scorpions around, I called in support for a reload. Once reloaded I joined my wingmen, who had already softened up the Scorpion's shields and I finished him off too. Woo hoo, 2 kills!

That doesn't always happen since your wingmen have to keep at least one of the Scorpions fully occupied or the Scorpions will all jump out after the science vessel is destroyed. But when you do get both kills you'll get an "atta-boy" from one of your wingmen ("Now we know they can be destroyed!") and from the debriefing officer ("Destroying the enemy ships has already boosted morale..."). Great fun!

[el_magnifico]

You may try combining that fury shower with disruptor shots, which are slightly more effective against shields. However, if you want my advice, that energy is better spent in your engines in that dogfight. Also, an Apollo carries many more furies than a Valk, so I recommend you fly one. Lastly, if the Scorpions are too slippy for you to shoot them down, maybe you can try destroying one of the Shaitan bombers instead.

On easier difficulties it's quite possible to "save" the Plato, though it will ultimately self-destruct when you kill enough Shivans.
(Anecdotical side-note: Once I harassed one of those Shaitans for so long that he actually fired a bomb at me. Kind of funny.)

[T-Man]

If you mean the 'destroy one of the unknown vessels' bonus, i recall getting it when i went for one of the Shaitans. They're a bit easier than the scorpions to hit.

But yeah, secondaries will tear through the shield much quicker than the guns.

[Klaustrophobia]

the drawback for going for the shaitans is that they leave instantly upon killing the plato.  if you haven't killed them by then, you've just wasted a lot of time and ordinance that could have gone to the scorpion.

[Mongoose]

the drawback for going for the shaitans is that they leave instantly upon killing the plato.  if you haven't killed them by then, you've just wasted a lot of time and ordinance that could have gone to the scorpion.

Though if you're playing the Port version, the Shaitans seem to take far longer to kill the Plato than in retail FS1, so you'll probably have enough time to pull it off.

[qwadtep]

I always found the Shaitans easier, too. Scorpions can be a pain even after you get better weapons but Shaitans are just simple deflection shooting.

[DaveAFC13]

Hmmmmm, cheers for all the responses...I will go for the Shaitan. I've knocked out the Scorpion shields before, but when I start hitting them with the laser they suddenly veer off behind me like a gazelle on speed and by the time I find them their shields are up.

I did keep the Plato alive till it reached the jump node and the pod just decided to leave a perfectly normal ship which took it upon itself to blow itself up...damn FRED rules

I've played the mission a few times already so a couple more wont hurt 

Thanks again

[Kolgena]

I got super super lucky once and my full dump of two banks of MX51 (or whatever the old rockeye was called) all hit the scorpion's rear end and took it down in a hurry.

[IronBeer]

Also, try flying a Valkyrie instead of an Apollo if you aren't already. The missile banks are arranged in a far superior fashion for this sort of work. And the extra speed/nimbleness doesn't hurt either.