Found the problem.
Something was probably wrong with the script (don't know if this matters, but I'm using the unofficial 900kb fix downloaded off this forum).
This time I didn't go after the distress call, instead raced the entire group to the X-Gate. Turns out that each time one of the Andromedas collided with another right after coming out of "warp" at the X-Gate... they obviously plotted the same trajectory and vector. One was already at full stop in front of the Gate when the other came out of warp, hit it and exploded.
Strange thing though that that didn't abort the mission immediately. Instead the whole flock entered the X-Gate and only after defeating the bad guys was the mission aborted.
Solved the problem by racing the entire flock to the X-Gate and then entering it even before they arrived (have become quite adept in entering the gate at 6000+ m/s
), which prevented the collision because as soon as I came out on the other side they were there, transported together with me.
Thanks for the help though and it's good to see this forum is still up!
Ignoring a few glaring bugs and weaknesses (voice acting, for example) this game rocks.
The developers had something American, European and Japanese developers have lost years ago in that never-ending cycle of copying each others' games and following trends: namely imagination. Have noticed that most Russian games are more innovative and have better and FRESHER ideas than anything US, EU or J made.
Unfortunately many times they come out bugged, or have horrible voice acting or the developer goes broke (meaning no official support) or everything together.