OOk, piracy was my reason for playing. And crime.
But it all boiled down to shenanigans.
So it works like this. You have to be the kind of player other players want to kill. And you have to look weak enough to be easily killed.
But then you still have to win. Here is a discussion of tactics I wrote a couple years back that will help you learn to maneuver and win in small and garbage boats.
Now, picking fights.
Find a population center. Clean every steal-able can out of the belts. Kill MTUs, scam, steal, hop into people’s missions and salvage/steal. Be in-neighborly. And make sure you look easily killable. I like to dress up in a T1 frigate.
Don’t forget to know your tactics… if you can’t win from a disadvantage you will never get a fight.