Odds Finally Caught Up with Me

I was flying a freighter last night along the Amarr to Jita pipe and I had to travel through Niarja. This is a 0.5 system and frequently, much like Uedema, seeing a lot of ganking happen. 

I've never had issues before flying through here, well I do tend to be fly safe:

• never autopilot through system of Niarja
• use a scout to watch the in/out gates in Niarja
• never more than 1.5b / 2b in cargo (use multiple trips if I have more than this)
• check large kills for Niarja before arriving at system

I normally pass through quickly and without hassle but last night the odds finally went against me and I found myself in a tricky situation.

Don't Panic

You know what he'd be saying, the voice is in your head now...

I hadn't used autopilot at all on the trip so far, but I jumped into Niarja and started my warp to the next gate. It was then I noticed I was being yellow boxed by a Machariel who then proceeded to bump me downwards from my position. Instead of 12km of the gate I was now 25km.

I opened d-scan and checked what was within max range, a few catalysts were seen so I feared the worst. The Machariel hit me again and I bounced further off gate, nearly 70km from where I started.

A conversation request comes up from the Machariel pilot and I'm about to give him a peice of my (small) mind when I see three cataylsts land on gate...

The End?

But they jump through to the next system instead of engaging me!

At this point I've checked the pilot details out, he's a known "CODE lover" and proudly displays ships he's ganked and hyperdunked in his bio. I decide that speaking to him is not going to do anything and I'll certain to receive a ransom demand.

I do not negotiate with terrorists or gankers and I'm certainly not going to provide any 'tears'.

Options

I look again at d-scan and check Local. 

Local is down to 14 people, six of whom are on my overview. One is the Machariel pilot and 5 are in haulers or other non-ganking ships that are going about their business. I could be about to have 8 people in ganking ships land on me and blow me up.

My scouting alt is in no position to do anything, even if he had a web I would not be able to make it to warp speed before the Machariel bumped me again and because he's not in the same corp as the freighter pilot it would just be a wasted loss of a ship.

Solution, Kind Of.

I've been yellow boxed but I have not been attacked and there are no timers active on my screen. There are no ganking ships I can see inbound so I decide to take the option to logout. I close my client.

I keep a watch on my freighter via the scouting alt but nothing happens. The Machariel does not engage and, more importantly, there are no further ships arriving on grid to finish me off. One minute later my freighter performs an emergency warp and disappears.

I've now logged out and my ship is safe but watching the Machariel pilot I see he leaves system and then logs out himself. 

Conclusion

I sense a trap, the moment I login again the Machariel pilot will return to my position and this will start all over again, perhaps this time with ganking ships killing me. So I remain logged out and will do for the foreseeable future.

The good news is the cargo I was carrying is not critical to my activities. I was merely moving old stock and a small amount of reaction output to Jita for sale. The character flying the freighter has a full skill queue and, most importantly, nothing else to do for at least 24 days (when blueprints will be finished) but can easily be left longer without impacting my game.

A small shock but I was lucky and I've already decided that the day he does login I'll have an armour booster in system to provide some extra EHP as well as a webbing ship to get him "the hell out of dodge ASAP".

Hate leads to...

I hate the bully type of person. Always have.

Pirates and Mercenaries in EVE Online are that type of person to me so I have an instant dislike of anyone who preys on others. It was difficult when Bex and some other friends took to piracy and griefing back in 2011/2012 but they've since renounced that so don't have any issues.

So I found it very, very hard to read the blog of the Cloaky Bastard but the more I read it the more I find his writing style enjoyable and find myself giggling at the misfortune of others.

He's also very good at taunting his readers, take for example his latest post where he shows a hanger with a value of 65 billion ISK and then he complains he has to sell it.

The Ninja Salvaging series is far too entertaining and should be required reading for new players who do search for EVE related blogs. It contains not just details on HOW you will be killed but how to PREVENT it happening.

So, my three readers, go read the Cloaky Bastard. He is a Bastard but he's a damn good writer and worth adding to your blog roll.

20 days

It wasn't my intention to not post for nearly three weeks but unfortunately two medical issues, a trip to the hospital and a whole lot of stress and worry forced me to neglect that which I enjoy far too much.

I'm still not fully well, I'm back at work and seeing far too many doctors but I am better and one good thing about the break (although I still logged into EVE to do basic tasks) was that I got to spend time thinking and I came up with a couple of great ideas for posts as well as new directions for a couple of drafts that I've been working on.

So a big sorry to my (two) readers and I promise to release some content to make up for it over the next few days. 

Hunting Rook

Combat Recon's are the Ship of the Week at the moment. At least I think they are, I've seen lots of them on station undocks but for some reason my d-scan is always clear of them... The Combat Recon's are great and especially so in wormholes where Local is empty and d-scan is King. 

I've always liked the Rook and whilst it has its detractors it is a solid ship that perhaps has an edge over some of the others so lets see if we can come up with a fit that could be used to kill site runners in C1 and C2 wormholes.

The Ship

The Rook is Caldari by origin so it will be shield fit, armour is just not viable with only three low slots. Seven mid slots gives us a nice option for tank/ewar and the five highs mean we can get some decent dps (which will be supplemented by a full flight of drones).

The ship had a graphical make over in the Rhea expansion and now really looks good (pretty even) but not only does it look good it now has teeth thanks to the changes to its characteristics:

Caldari Cruiser bonuses (per skill level):
7.5% bonus to kinetic Light Missile, Heavy Missile and Heavy Assault Missile damage
10% reduction in ECM Target Jammer activation cost 

Recon Ships bonus (per skill level):
30% bonus to ECM Target Jammer strength
10% bonus to Heavy Missile and Heavy Assault Missile velocity 

Role Bonus
Cannot be detected by directional scanners

The Role Bonus cannot be understated as this will allow us to sneak up on site runners before we prevent their escape and then use one of the listed missile types to turn them into a wreck.

With decent Tech 2 shield resistances (before modules/skills) of 0%/50%/62.5%/70% (EM/THE/KIN/EXP) the only worry is that EM hole but we can plug that either with a specific Field or rig.

Our Target

The purpose of this fit is to kill site ratters in C1 and C2 wormholes. Typically these will be cruiser/battle-cruiser class with the possibility of a battleship in the C2. 

Drone based ships are common for wormhole site runners so we'll assume that often than not we will be facing a drone ship. That means facing thermal/kinetic damage, which the Rook has strong resists too by default. Score!

Contrary to logic, these guys may help kill your target.

The Rook has a ship bonus to ECM so we really should bring at least one ECM module as it'll be effective against not just other ships but their drones too.

Fitting

Here is our first fitting for the Rook:

[Rook, Solo WH Hunter]
Damage Control II
Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II

Experimental 10MN Microwarpdrive I
Large Ancillary Shield Booster, Navy Cap Booster 150
Large Ancillary Shield Booster, Navy Cap Booster 150
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II
Warp Scrambler II
ECM - Multispectral Jammer II
ECM - Multispectral Jammer II 

Rapid Light Missile Launcher II, Scourge Fury Light Missile
Rapid Light Missile Launcher II, Scourge Fury Light Missile
Rapid Light Missile Launcher II, Scourge Fury Light Missile
Rapid Light Missile Launcher II, Scourge Fury Light Missile
Rapid Light Missile Launcher II, Scourge Fury Light Missile 

Medium Anti-EM Screen Reinforcer II
Medium Particle Dispersion Augmentor II 

Hobgoblin II x5

The Rapid Light Missiles and Drones give you around 475 dps, more than enough to kill most ships (and remember you'll most likely be getting help from any Sleepers that are still alive).  The Warp Scrambler is there to prevent ships escaping via MWD or a MJD.

Tank is great, you have overheated tank of around 465 meaning that even if sleepers join in the tackle ship and shoot you, you'll be able to tank them and continue killing your target.

Usage

This ship is designed for a singular purpose, that of killing site runners in low class WH's (C1/C2). Your targets should be battle-cruiser and smaller ships (ideally ones that use drones as their primary weapon), on paper you could take on a battleship but I would not recommend it.

The short range of the Warp Scrambler is going to dicate how you fight, you're orbit close at between 5000 and 7500 metres using your ECM to either jam the target or their drones (Sleepers too if they shift fire to you). The RLML will do serious damage but have a long reload time so you must make sure you deploy your drones to keep the target under pressure.

You will take damage but by pulsing one shield boosters when you hit 75% shields (and swapping to the other if you run out of charges) you will be able to absorb significant punishment and, ideally, be the last ship standing.

Sneaky Bastard

I bought a Lachesis last week, just after Proteus was deployed, and I fitted it out according to feedback and what I thought was the best fit. Subsequently a discussion on the Sudden Buggery facebook page corrected my fitting and I realised what a piece of turd it was. I was 75% correct in but the remaining 25% that I came up with was about as useful as a chocolate teapot.

I will be refitting, as soon as I can get to high sec to inject a new skillbook (to use Medium Tech II Rails) and get some replacement modules. Until then I am in my "fit" Lachesis.

Setting the Scene

So on Friday evening I found myself logged in and listening on Comms. I saw that someone was at the Altar of Bob performing a sacrifice of a corpse (or two) and then a new name spoke in local. It appears we had a visitor and one that was stuck in our wormhole.

Succlebutt was that he was in a Crow and had been here for a couple of days as he had gotten stuck without a probe launcher or a bookmark to get back out. He had offered ISK for someone to help him, either with a probe launcher or a bookmark out.

Strangely no-one had taken him up on his offer.

White Knight

I'm a friendly type, so I'll help him. So I warped to the sun and dropped a can, containing exit bookmarks, letting him know in local that I had done so. 

I remained on grid in my Lachesis as he would not see that on d-scan and a few seconds later I saw a crow appear 100km from my position. He cloaked and I remained still then asked in Local if he was still there and seeing my ship.

He confirmed he was and uncloaked, I then said that I would logout so he knew I was not trying to deceive him. I then logged out.

Of course it is.

From the Wings

Whilst this is all going on I'm also speaking to corp mate Miskoranda who is in a cloaky smartbombing Proteus fit that has been named the Dick Virus. This is a superb ship for killing explorers or lightly tanked vessels and it was the perfect choice for this kill.

Miskoranda moved the cloaky within 10km of the can I had dropped and waited, before I logged I comfirmed he was in position and ready. He was, I logged.

It only took a few seconds after my screen closed before this:

Kill: John Elgrund (Crow)

Kill: John Elgrund (Pod)

Sometimes I shake my own head at how sneaky I can be, pretending to be a friend and saviour to someone and then letting this happen. Then that microsecond passes and I'm fine again.

This is what you get when you invade my home. Yarrrr!

A Reader Writes

I occasionally get people who know I write this blog send me messages in-game and others are kind enough to post comments on what I write. I had a massive shock yesterday when I received an evemail from someone whom I've never heard from before AND they provided feedback.

Excitement

An actual REAL human being sent me an evemail about my blog and provided both constructive and useful feedback. This was proof that I had real reader who was NOT a bot or a friend pretending to read my writing,

I was so shocked that I had to go have a lie down and that turned into a rather nice nap and well, there went my working day so I went home and played EVE Online. It was a good Thursday overall.

Cynos Suck

The feedback from a fine gentlemen named Edward Olmops focused on my recent complaint about Cynos:

You actually CAN use a cyno when you join a fleet and the cyno is already active. The cyno pilot has to right-click the cyno field and choose "broadcast" or "advertise" or something the like. The cyno will then show up in the broadcast history and anyone in the fleet can right-click the entry in the broadcast history and jump (ensure broadcast settings are correct).

It took me a moment to consider this but in theory this is correct and next time I do a run to high sec I will be giving this a try. It works because by broadcasting the cyno it will make it actionable (because its saved in the fleet window) by anyone in or who joins the fleet subsequently.

He finished with this comment

Typically EVE-like, unintuitive, complicated and mostly unknown feature...

Well said Edward, well said. It is all that you said and as a result unknown to the masses when really it should be something known outside of the few. Thanks for the comment and helping to publicise this unknown feature.

An alternative to the Jump Freighter

Edward finished his mail with a very interesting idea and one that he uses. Since the Rhea nerf to JF range he's started using Deep Space Transports to move cargo via wormholes where he lives. He said that with a little scanning (between 5 to 10 systems to find a HS link) a connection can be found and then using DST's to move goods between his location and the connected high sec.

Of course you are vulnerable to interception using the WH route but it is fairly safe and even a small escort would be enough to put off the opportunist attacker. As Edward goes on to say about using WH's:

No range limit, no cyno chars needed. Living in Stain now for 3 months, we disavowed using JFs and logistics have never been easier (not even when living in Curse and it was just 1 jump).

This is certainly something to consider and I will look into this more as I'm aware of three WH's in the past week that linked my home system to somewhere else (I never checked them) so its obvious that we do get them.

Most of the time I jump out fully loaded (~350,000m3) so using DST will be a bit of work but there are times when I need to move smaller amounts that would fit in a DST so this is something I shall now have to consider and it would be much cheaper.

Thanks Edward Olmops for the feedback and for reading. 

Woot.... Urm... Yay for Me!

I can recall a couple of years ago reading a blog (a pirate/ninja salvager from memory but the name escapes) who showed a screenshot of his pilot finishing all of the skills to V in the navigation tree. 

It's a great achievement to complete all skills to V in a tree, some are going to take a very long time (and a lot of ISK) whereas others don't need completion to V (i.e. they only lower capacitor usage). 

One of those trees that does deserve the effort is Navigation and it is with great pleasure I awoke this morning to see High Speed Maneauving V completed on my null sec pilot:

Pretty.

There is one skill missing but I don't use Micro Jump Drives (at this time) so as far as I'm concerned the tree is complete. The Jump skills were the longest and most painful but, consequently, the most rewarding to complete.

The character moves on to Int/Mem skills before finally starting on Gunnery, 4 years overdue I'd say. All he has is Gunnery III in that branch but when he's finished it's going to be Level V's all over the place!