The Raiders were designed to simulate this type of activity. In a universe with jump points, it is too easy to track and trap ‘pirate outposts’. The pirates need somewhere to maintain their ships, repair and resupply. Once the system is identified, finding and crushing the pirates is relatively easy, unless they have major ships. If they do have major ships, they question becomes where did they get them and build them?
Next is motivation. Why are they attacking ships? What do they hope to gain from that? There is no one they can sell to without the government forces detecting it. Aurora doesn’t really support a ‘pirate economy’ model.
The Raiders were designed to solve the problem by providing an ‘off-map’ base that couldn’t be attacked, plus a rationale for their behaviour and somewhere to use the resources they gather.
If you want more early opponents, the better option is have more starting NPRs, or increase NPR generation but make them mostly minor races.
I do plan to have some more ‘random encounters’, such as some other biological creatures that can emerge from the deep Aether and head back there afterwards, or maybe a Star Trek Doomsday Machine, sub-light generation ships, roaming precursors, Space Hulks, Eldar Craftworld equivalents, etc.. I just need to get around to it 