Oil on canvas, from my own private gallery.
25 Dec 2012
23 Dec 2012
The Strip Miner Chronicles: Vol 1
An introduction to destruction.
The crazy world of mining permits, suicide ganks and brokendreams capsules. The Hangman's Diary (or the Strip Miner Chronicles) is a ten-part look into the world of the suicide ganker. Taken from reports straight from the field to radiate the feel of a freshly exploded Catalyst, there will be no Golden Omber leaving safely under this watch!
The blood will flow in the asteroid fields of Metropolis.
1. Catalyst - ICE BREAKER.
Nakugard solar system 0.5, Ani constellation.
Planet VIII - asteroid belt 5.
Target - Retriever.
Pilot - Amanar Ronuken.
Result - killmail.
Notes - 32,153 units of Golden Omber seized. Escape capsule warped instantly. Bounty payment received of approx 4.5m ISK. No loot was recovered, loot snatched by unknown. Mining permit offer mail sent to pilot. Exotic dance crew survived but whereabouts unknown.
2. Catalyst - THE SALVAGER.
Traun solar system 0.6, Ani constellation.
Planet II - asteroid belt 2.
Target - Retriever.
Pilot - Zoutvaatje hehe.
Result - killmail.
Notes - 50,486 Plagioclase seized. Jammed before escape capsule could be locked. Strip Miner I and Catalyst loot recovered. Permit mail sent. Exotic dance crew did not survive the blast.
Mail response received see attached.
3. Catalyst - KRUSUAL SUSPECT.
Lanngisi solar system 0.5, Ani constellation.
Planet V - asteroid belt 1.
Target - Covetor.
Pilot - Ururu Nageremono.
Result - killmail and capsule (blank).
Notes - Catalyst loot and tech II Modulated Strip Miners recovered. Exotic dancers lost. 11,589 units of Azure Plagioclase impounded. Permit mail sent and response received (see attached).
4. Catalyst - NAKUGARD EXPRESS.
Nakugard solar system 0.5, Ani constellation.
Planet VIII - asteroid belt 16.
Target - Retriever.
Pilot - Arhiks Severasse.
Result - killmail and clone.
Notes - Cat loot and minimal gear recovered from wreckages. Permit mail sent but no response at time of report. 100,000 ISK bounty placed immediately after kill. 77,865 units of Condensed Scordite seized. 1,218 units of Plagioclase seized.
5. Catalyst - THE ROCKS HAVE EYES.
Traun solar system 0.6, Ani constellation.
Belt not recorded.
Target - Retriever.
Pilot - Hans Kjoss Kjoss.
Result - killmail and capsule.
Notes - 200,000 ISK bounty payment received. Cat loot and mining equipment recovered. Exotic dance crew lost. Permit mail sent, no response. 30,924 Rich Plagioclase and 31,536 Azure Plagioclase recovered.
6. Catalyst - THE TURTLE.
Nakugard solar system 0.5, Ani constellation.
Belt not recorded.
Target - Retriever.
Pilot - Lonestarr T.
Result - killmail and capsule (135m isk).
Notes - 100,000 ISK bounty payment received. 47,513 units of Rich Plagioclase seized. Exotic dance crew recovered with loot. Permit mail sent, no response.
7. Catalyst - SNOWBALL LAUNCHER.
Barkrik solar system 0.6, Ani constellation.
Belt not recorded.
Target - Retriever.
Pilot - Reykudo.
Result - killmail.
Notes - Unable to lock escape capsule. Multiple ore violations, all ore seized including 133,634 units of Dense Veldspar. Loot recovered. Permit mail sent.
8. Catalyst - SPECIAL EDITION.
Nakugard solar system 0.5, Ani constellation.
Planet VIII - asteroid belt 2.
Target - Retriever.
Pilot - phreakMode Fibonacci.
Result - killmail and capsule.
Notes - Aggressive pilot. See documentation below. Multiple violations including but not limited to threatening behaviour, leaving a ship unattended in busy asteroid field, undock camping of a mining permit officer.
Miner requested a private conversation which was reluctantly accepted.
9. Catalyst - REVENGE MACHINE.
Hek solar system 0.5, Barvigrard constellation.
Belt not recorded.
Target - Retriever.
Pilot - Vaako Blackheart.
Result - killmail.
Notes - Escape capsule not locked. Permit mail sent, no response. 19,220 units of Omber recovered. Mining equipment seized. Killright made available for 0 ISK.
10. Catalyst - SNOWMAN.
Traun solar system 0.6, Ani constellation.
Planet I - asteroid belt 1.
Target - Retriever.
Pilot - CLASSIFIED.
Result - FAILED.
Notes - CONCORD response saved Retriever in last structure points. Gank aborted. Suspect pilot 2004 pilot licence stamp and 5.0 security status. No loot was recovered but exotic dancers survived blast and subsequently stolen from scene.
MB.
The crazy world of mining permits, suicide ganks and broken
The blood will flow in the asteroid fields of Metropolis.
1. Catalyst - ICE BREAKER.
Nakugard solar system 0.5, Ani constellation.
Planet VIII - asteroid belt 5.
Target - Retriever.
Pilot - Amanar Ronuken.
Result - killmail.
Notes - 32,153 units of Golden Omber seized. Escape capsule warped instantly. Bounty payment received of approx 4.5m ISK. No loot was recovered, loot snatched by unknown. Mining permit offer mail sent to pilot. Exotic dance crew survived but whereabouts unknown.
 |
| click to enlarge |
2. Catalyst - THE SALVAGER.
Traun solar system 0.6, Ani constellation.
Planet II - asteroid belt 2.
Target - Retriever.
Pilot - Zoutvaatje hehe.
Result - killmail.
Notes - 50,486 Plagioclase seized. Jammed before escape capsule could be locked. Strip Miner I and Catalyst loot recovered. Permit mail sent. Exotic dance crew did not survive the blast.
Mail response received see attached.
3. Catalyst - KRUSUAL SUSPECT.
Lanngisi solar system 0.5, Ani constellation.
Planet V - asteroid belt 1.
Target - Covetor.
Pilot - Ururu Nageremono.
Result - killmail and capsule (blank).
Notes - Catalyst loot and tech II Modulated Strip Miners recovered. Exotic dancers lost. 11,589 units of Azure Plagioclase impounded. Permit mail sent and response received (see attached).
4. Catalyst - NAKUGARD EXPRESS.
Nakugard solar system 0.5, Ani constellation.
Planet VIII - asteroid belt 16.
Target - Retriever.
Pilot - Arhiks Severasse.
Result - killmail and clone.
Notes - Cat loot and minimal gear recovered from wreckages. Permit mail sent but no response at time of report. 100,000 ISK bounty placed immediately after kill. 77,865 units of Condensed Scordite seized. 1,218 units of Plagioclase seized.
5. Catalyst - THE ROCKS HAVE EYES.
Traun solar system 0.6, Ani constellation.
Belt not recorded.
Target - Retriever.
Pilot - Hans Kjoss Kjoss.
Result - killmail and capsule.
Notes - 200,000 ISK bounty payment received. Cat loot and mining equipment recovered. Exotic dance crew lost. Permit mail sent, no response. 30,924 Rich Plagioclase and 31,536 Azure Plagioclase recovered.
6. Catalyst - THE TURTLE.
Nakugard solar system 0.5, Ani constellation.
Belt not recorded.
Target - Retriever.
Pilot - Lonestarr T.
Result - killmail and capsule (135m isk).
Notes - 100,000 ISK bounty payment received. 47,513 units of Rich Plagioclase seized. Exotic dance crew recovered with loot. Permit mail sent, no response.
7. Catalyst - SNOWBALL LAUNCHER.
Barkrik solar system 0.6, Ani constellation.
Belt not recorded.
Target - Retriever.
Pilot - Reykudo.
Result - killmail.
Notes - Unable to lock escape capsule. Multiple ore violations, all ore seized including 133,634 units of Dense Veldspar. Loot recovered. Permit mail sent.
8. Catalyst - SPECIAL EDITION.
Nakugard solar system 0.5, Ani constellation.
Planet VIII - asteroid belt 2.
Target - Retriever.
Pilot - phreakMode Fibonacci.
Result - killmail and capsule.
Notes - Aggressive pilot. See documentation below. Multiple violations including but not limited to threatening behaviour, leaving a ship unattended in busy asteroid field, undock camping of a mining permit officer.
Miner requested a private conversation which was reluctantly accepted.
9. Catalyst - REVENGE MACHINE.
Hek solar system 0.5, Barvigrard constellation.
Belt not recorded.
Target - Retriever.
Pilot - Vaako Blackheart.
Result - killmail.
Notes - Escape capsule not locked. Permit mail sent, no response. 19,220 units of Omber recovered. Mining equipment seized. Killright made available for 0 ISK.
10. Catalyst - SNOWMAN.
Traun solar system 0.6, Ani constellation.
Planet I - asteroid belt 1.
Target - Retriever.
Pilot - CLASSIFIED.
Result - FAILED.
Notes - CONCORD response saved Retriever in last structure points. Gank aborted. Suspect pilot 2004 pilot licence stamp and 5.0 security status. No loot was recovered but exotic dancers survived blast and subsequently stolen from scene.
MB.
7 Dec 2012
4 Dec 2012
2 Dec 2012
November R1DER stats
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| click me |
It was almost a clean sweep across the board for R1FTA pilot Tavisturus during the month of November as he blitzed his way through the killboard rankings. Top killer with an impressive 218 kills for the month with runner-up Miss Carry chasing him all the way to December with an equally impressive 191 kills.
Tavisturus also lead the way in the solo kills chart with 124 solo kills to his name.
Ohm's Law's lead the way in the highsec slaughter list with the most highsec kills (34). An impressive number to say he is a -10 outlaw.
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| clicky |
3D Horrorshow took the top rank in the top griefer charts with 38 'tearful carebear kills'. Salisar Salubrious and Miss Carry ran him close all the way with 35 and and 32 kills respectively.
Ohm's Law's was a clear leader in the most pod kills category (50).
Kohana Maxwell bagged top spot in the capital ship kills section with 3 cap kills.
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| clicky click |
Not surprising considering his success in the other categories, Tavisturus finished the month of November as the overall top scorer and the top damage dealer.
In the top losers category 3D Horrorshow took the 'top' spot with 90 losses. There's no shame in losing ships though.
Here's to another exciting month of killing!
MB.
1 Dec 2012
The Amazingly Cap Stable Osprey Blueprint Hauler
... and the roam North. A story about frigates.
We left Skarkon a little after 21:00 eve time. A glorious sight, a wing of Assault Frigates and support diving into Etherium Reach at the start of what was expected to be a perilous journey.
Enyo x2, Wolf x2, Jaguar x3, a Vengeance, a Hawk, a Condor, an Executioner, Dirty Protagonist of (7-2) in a Retribution and our scout for the night Major Floor of Agony Unleashed in his Stiletto. Kaeda Maxwell our FC. A nice fleet composition. It was all set up for a daring raid over the wall and into the North.
As we made our way through the pipe and into LXQ2-T our scout reported an Osprey that was seemingly idle at the gate. We all had the same thoughts, it must be bait right? Everybody keep an eye on d-scan. Our scout had point but the Osprey wasn't responding. We jumped in leaving a couple behind in case he jumped back through. We fully expected him to jump back through. He had to jump back through. I mean he couldn't really be afk could he?
He was afk. The Osprey was obliterated.
Crazy.
We didn't actually notice the cargohold properly until we had docked up for our first break. Much laughter and disbelief ensued. I'm still scratching my head over it.
Not long after the Osprey was removed a Tornado landed on grid. Unluckily for him he landed within tackle range of our Stiletto who was burning a tactical at the time. Talk about bad timing. We spiraled in whilst tracking disruptors made his guns somewhat redundant.
The Tornado was reduced to rubble by the incoming frigate storm.
In 8KE-YS we caught a Hurricane that jumped into us on gate. His attempts to burn back to the gate were unsuccessful.
Over in Geminate in the Q-TBHW system our Stiletto tackled a Drake that was on the station. Once he aggressed we jumped in and made our way over to the battlecruiser. Another killmail soon followed.
The capsule was also worthy of note.
After a short break in FDZ4-A we undocked to reports that a Cynabal was at a pounce on our outgate. Our Stiletto gave chase and landed the point. The chase was on and we managed to land the required scrams and the Cynabal was soon out of action.
During the roam we got called out in local as we chased a bunch of Tr 3 battlecruisers around.
COME BACK IN SOME PROPER SHIPS.
FRIGATES SUCK.
YOU GUYS ARE LAME.
WE AREN'T FIGHTING FRIGS LOL WE'LL POWN YOUR ASS.
You have to laugh at this mentality. These guys were bitching about our fleet comp all the time they're scrambling back to their station and pos to wait us out until we leave. Hmm, go figure.
The final killmail of the night was another Hurricane that engaged us on a gate. I had to warp out of this one in deep structure after taking some nasty hits early on. A close call!
The remainder of the roam was largely uneventful but we'd already had our fill and couldn't complain. We docked up safely in Placid without a single ship loss. A great roam. ZOMG Frigates suck!
MB.
We left Skarkon a little after 21:00 eve time. A glorious sight, a wing of Assault Frigates and support diving into Etherium Reach at the start of what was expected to be a perilous journey.
Enyo x2, Wolf x2, Jaguar x3, a Vengeance, a Hawk, a Condor, an Executioner, Dirty Protagonist of (7-2) in a Retribution and our scout for the night Major Floor of Agony Unleashed in his Stiletto. Kaeda Maxwell our FC. A nice fleet composition. It was all set up for a daring raid over the wall and into the North.
As we made our way through the pipe and into LXQ2-T our scout reported an Osprey that was seemingly idle at the gate. We all had the same thoughts, it must be bait right? Everybody keep an eye on d-scan. Our scout had point but the Osprey wasn't responding. We jumped in leaving a couple behind in case he jumped back through. We fully expected him to jump back through. He had to jump back through. I mean he couldn't really be afk could he?
He was afk. The Osprey was obliterated.
Crazy.
We didn't actually notice the cargohold properly until we had docked up for our first break. Much laughter and disbelief ensued. I'm still scratching my head over it.
Not long after the Osprey was removed a Tornado landed on grid. Unluckily for him he landed within tackle range of our Stiletto who was burning a tactical at the time. Talk about bad timing. We spiraled in whilst tracking disruptors made his guns somewhat redundant.
The Tornado was reduced to rubble by the incoming frigate storm.
In 8KE-YS we caught a Hurricane that jumped into us on gate. His attempts to burn back to the gate were unsuccessful.
Over in Geminate in the Q-TBHW system our Stiletto tackled a Drake that was on the station. Once he aggressed we jumped in and made our way over to the battlecruiser. Another killmail soon followed.
The capsule was also worthy of note.
After a short break in FDZ4-A we undocked to reports that a Cynabal was at a pounce on our outgate. Our Stiletto gave chase and landed the point. The chase was on and we managed to land the required scrams and the Cynabal was soon out of action.
During the roam we got called out in local as we chased a bunch of Tr 3 battlecruisers around.
COME BACK IN SOME PROPER SHIPS.
FRIGATES SUCK.
YOU GUYS ARE LAME.
WE AREN'T FIGHTING FRIGS LOL WE'LL POWN YOUR ASS.
You have to laugh at this mentality. These guys were bitching about our fleet comp all the time they're scrambling back to their station and pos to wait us out until we leave. Hmm, go figure.
The final killmail of the night was another Hurricane that engaged us on a gate. I had to warp out of this one in deep structure after taking some nasty hits early on. A close call!
The remainder of the roam was largely uneventful but we'd already had our fill and couldn't complain. We docked up safely in Placid without a single ship loss. A great roam. ZOMG Frigates suck!
MB.
The Death of Lowsec Frig Fights?
From patch notes:
1/10 and 2/10 static DED complexes have been moved to the exploration system
This one seems to have been snuck in during the dead of night. It is definitely a killing blow for lowsec pvp. The 1/10 and 2/10 complexes are an easy meeting point for casual frigate/destroyer sized pvp. Heck, we've even built a corporate culture around it. Dare I say everybody knows if they're looking for a quick fix all they need do is fit up a frigate and go loiter around a 2/10 for a bit. Somebody will oblige sooner or later.
For what it's worth my gut feeling is this won't be changed now, it seems set in stone. But if you don't agree with this planned change you can at least go voice your opinion in this thread.
It seems a really bizarre proposal to me. It's like somebody from high above was sent to investigate what was wrong with the farming of these complexes but they got sent out to a highsec one. After all, nobody would go into the ghetto of lowsec where the spaceships are left jacked up on bricks if they loiter too long would they? They wouldn't think it appropriate to go spend a bit of time in the lowsec systems where pvp flourishes because of these complexes, to see what kind of positive effect they have, oh no.
These complexes have been the blooding grounds of many a new pvper cutting his teeth. That might just have died now.
MB.
My Letter to Red Bull
Just over a week ago during a bit of downtime I had the crazy idea of sending an email off to Red Bull marketing with a request for sponsorship. I started typing the thing up as a bit of a joke in all honesty, that I would then post on our forums, but in the end decided to send it anyway.
Dear Energy Drink Overlords,
First of all let me just finish my silver and blue can of liquid well-being and power-boosting-energy-goodness. Ah that tasted good. Now I'm ready to take on the world and fly towards my goals! Ahem, sorry, got a little carried away there.
My name is Miura Bull. Who is Miura Bull (?!?) you might be saying. A fair question, let me introduce myself.
I am a pilot in the mmorpg universe of EVE online.
http://www.eveonline.com/
http://evewho.com/pilot/Miura+Bull
In simple terms I play a highly-competitive online game versus hundreds of thousands of other online gamers in a virtual world.
I am writing to you today in the hope that I can persuade you to accept me under the prestigious Red Bull sponsorship scheme.
Here is what I have to offer.
My name ingame is Miura Bull. The Bull is a magnificent creature of great strength, as too is the Red Bull brand. We share this majestic creature in our titles and I for one do not take this lightly, every day I strive towards greater strength. This can only be a good thing.
As part of my sponsorship package I would be willing to re-brand myself as Miura 'Red' Bull.
I am the author of a weblog based on my activities in the world of EVE online. This weblog attracts over 10,000 readers each month who read various stories, guides and the latest goings on in eve online life. It has a gross viewing figure of close to 250,000 individual page views. My readers stretch all corners of this wonderful planet. It is very much a global enterprise and I would be willing to expand this further via advertising and innovative content. I feel the Red Bull brand would help me achieve these goals.
http://brutorbullfighter.blogspot.co.uk/
I am the founder of the successful eve online corporation the Black Rebel Rifter Club. An exciting pvp (player-versus-player) focused entity that prides itself on its much-liked reputation within eve online. A focused and diverse management team currently operate the corporation for close to 150 worldwide members.
As part of my proposed sponsorship package I would be willing to negotiate a possible new formation of the Black Rebel Rifter Club under the guise of something along the lines of Red Bull Rifter Club, Red Bull Frigate Club, Red Bull Fight Club... etc, etc. Exact naming rights to be discussed at a later date.
As an individual I pride myself on my current rank among the top 250 current pilots of New Eden. With the backing of such a powerhouse global brand I would like to push myself to the top 10 and also the re-branded Red Bull Rifter Club to number one.
Further, the Red Bull Rifter Club would be willing to enter every single player-v-player tournament that is run in the eve online community. Currently there is an annual alliance tournament that attracts excellent web coverage. Red Bull Rifter Club would be willing to enter a team of the best pilots into this event, and we would also look to win this tournament each and every year. Other tournaments have also been scheduled including the New Eden Open, a 10,000 dollar pvp tournament. We would look to enter this tournament too. And win it.
I am also currently looking to release a set of regular pvp videos. These videos show the pilot in action and are very popular within the eve online community. The possibilities for brand exposure and sponsorship potential are astronomical. Viewing figures and downloads for popular pvp videos are very high.
This is something I would put all my time into between tournament commitments. I would hope to release at the very least four 30-minute videos each calendar year.
I can currently commit to 23/7 gaming all year round. Minus a few hours for sleeping periods I would be flying the flag for the Red Bull brand at every opportunity. Whether through tournaments, pvp videos, blog features, sponsorship, et all.
As part of the Red Bull brand I would be available for worldwide sponsorship events, gaming conventions etc. I have very limited commitments right now and would be willing to travel to wherever is needed to further the Red Bull brand and expand our enterprise at the drop of a hat. Such is my dedication.
I am also looking into a potential fashion line. With the correct backing and networking this could be a global enterprise worth millions. The chic gamer kids would flock to my (currently private) designs.
I also have a few other ideas too that would probably be better saved for our meet in person.
The only thing I ask as part of our sponsorship package is the necessary funding via ingame currency (ISK) to help drive this machine forward. More details can be discussed in private. But the rewards and potential would far outweigh the initial investment in this venture.
I hope that I have grabbed your attention with my proposal and I look forward to hearing from you in due course.
To the fridge!
Miura Bull.
Red Bull drinker.
~
Today I received a reply.
Hi Miura,
Thank you for your email and getting in touch. Unfortunately we do not provide sponsorship for any gaming organisation. The reason for this is twofold; at Red Bull we have chosen not to sponsor 'organisations' or 'team' and instead choose to sponsor individual athletes. We do this as our sponsorship programme operates on the principle of helping individuals achieve their goals and we prefer to work with them on a personal level to this end. An example of this would be one of our athlete projects where, in collaboration with one of our athletes, we work to create something that they have always wanted to achieve. In the case of Robbie Maddison, one of our Freestyle MX riders, this was to back flip over tower bridge in London. In any instance where our name/logo is associated with a team, it is because we actually own the team, and not because we sponsor them (for example the football club, Red Bull Salzburg).
Secondly, our only current involvement in computer gaming is to create games, rather than sponsor them. An example of this is the Red Bull X Fighters app you can download for Iphone, or the Red Bull Air Race game for PC that you can also download. This way we maintain creative control over the content, and can ensure that it is a true Brand fit.
Please allow me to wish you and your team, the Black Rebel Rifter Club, every success in the future, sorry we could not give you a more positive response.
Regards,
Red Bull
~
I thought that was pretty cool!
MB.
Dear Energy Drink Overlords,
First of all let me just finish my silver and blue can of liquid well-being and power-boosting-energy-goodness. Ah that tasted good. Now I'm ready to take on the world and fly towards my goals! Ahem, sorry, got a little carried away there.
My name is Miura Bull. Who is Miura Bull (?!?) you might be saying. A fair question, let me introduce myself.
I am a pilot in the mmorpg universe of EVE online.
http://www.eveonline.com/
http://evewho.com/pilot/Miura+Bull
In simple terms I play a highly-competitive online game versus hundreds of thousands of other online gamers in a virtual world.
I am writing to you today in the hope that I can persuade you to accept me under the prestigious Red Bull sponsorship scheme.
Here is what I have to offer.
My name ingame is Miura Bull. The Bull is a magnificent creature of great strength, as too is the Red Bull brand. We share this majestic creature in our titles and I for one do not take this lightly, every day I strive towards greater strength. This can only be a good thing.
As part of my sponsorship package I would be willing to re-brand myself as Miura 'Red' Bull.
I am the author of a weblog based on my activities in the world of EVE online. This weblog attracts over 10,000 readers each month who read various stories, guides and the latest goings on in eve online life. It has a gross viewing figure of close to 250,000 individual page views. My readers stretch all corners of this wonderful planet. It is very much a global enterprise and I would be willing to expand this further via advertising and innovative content. I feel the Red Bull brand would help me achieve these goals.
http://brutorbullfighter.blogspot.co.uk/
I am the founder of the successful eve online corporation the Black Rebel Rifter Club. An exciting pvp (player-versus-player) focused entity that prides itself on its much-liked reputation within eve online. A focused and diverse management team currently operate the corporation for close to 150 worldwide members.
As part of my proposed sponsorship package I would be willing to negotiate a possible new formation of the Black Rebel Rifter Club under the guise of something along the lines of Red Bull Rifter Club, Red Bull Frigate Club, Red Bull Fight Club... etc, etc. Exact naming rights to be discussed at a later date.
As an individual I pride myself on my current rank among the top 250 current pilots of New Eden. With the backing of such a powerhouse global brand I would like to push myself to the top 10 and also the re-branded Red Bull Rifter Club to number one.
Further, the Red Bull Rifter Club would be willing to enter every single player-v-player tournament that is run in the eve online community. Currently there is an annual alliance tournament that attracts excellent web coverage. Red Bull Rifter Club would be willing to enter a team of the best pilots into this event, and we would also look to win this tournament each and every year. Other tournaments have also been scheduled including the New Eden Open, a 10,000 dollar pvp tournament. We would look to enter this tournament too. And win it.
I am also currently looking to release a set of regular pvp videos. These videos show the pilot in action and are very popular within the eve online community. The possibilities for brand exposure and sponsorship potential are astronomical. Viewing figures and downloads for popular pvp videos are very high.
This is something I would put all my time into between tournament commitments. I would hope to release at the very least four 30-minute videos each calendar year.
I can currently commit to 23/7 gaming all year round. Minus a few hours for sleeping periods I would be flying the flag for the Red Bull brand at every opportunity. Whether through tournaments, pvp videos, blog features, sponsorship, et all.
As part of the Red Bull brand I would be available for worldwide sponsorship events, gaming conventions etc. I have very limited commitments right now and would be willing to travel to wherever is needed to further the Red Bull brand and expand our enterprise at the drop of a hat. Such is my dedication.
I am also looking into a potential fashion line. With the correct backing and networking this could be a global enterprise worth millions. The chic gamer kids would flock to my (currently private) designs.
I also have a few other ideas too that would probably be better saved for our meet in person.
The only thing I ask as part of our sponsorship package is the necessary funding via ingame currency (ISK) to help drive this machine forward. More details can be discussed in private. But the rewards and potential would far outweigh the initial investment in this venture.
I hope that I have grabbed your attention with my proposal and I look forward to hearing from you in due course.
To the fridge!
Miura Bull.
Red Bull drinker.
~
Today I received a reply.
Hi Miura,
Thank you for your email and getting in touch. Unfortunately we do not provide sponsorship for any gaming organisation. The reason for this is twofold; at Red Bull we have chosen not to sponsor 'organisations' or 'team' and instead choose to sponsor individual athletes. We do this as our sponsorship programme operates on the principle of helping individuals achieve their goals and we prefer to work with them on a personal level to this end. An example of this would be one of our athlete projects where, in collaboration with one of our athletes, we work to create something that they have always wanted to achieve. In the case of Robbie Maddison, one of our Freestyle MX riders, this was to back flip over tower bridge in London. In any instance where our name/logo is associated with a team, it is because we actually own the team, and not because we sponsor them (for example the football club, Red Bull Salzburg).
Secondly, our only current involvement in computer gaming is to create games, rather than sponsor them. An example of this is the Red Bull X Fighters app you can download for Iphone, or the Red Bull Air Race game for PC that you can also download. This way we maintain creative control over the content, and can ensure that it is a true Brand fit.
Please allow me to wish you and your team, the Black Rebel Rifter Club, every success in the future, sorry we could not give you a more positive response.
Regards,
Red Bull
~
I thought that was pretty cool!
MB.
30 Nov 2012
eoh poker logo and banner design contest
The great eve poker masters eohpoker.com are currently running a logo and banner design contest with over 4 billion isk in prizes up for grabs!
For detailed information head on over to this thread on the eve forums.
Think you've got what it takes to go all-in and come out victorious? It's time to up the ante and get those designs in!
Good luck.
MB.
For detailed information head on over to this thread on the eve forums.
Think you've got what it takes to go all-in and come out victorious? It's time to up the ante and get those designs in!
Good luck.
MB.
28 Nov 2012
The Possessed
Public perception would point to calling the pilots who fly around with this tag as 'the possessed'. This misrendering would make it possible to speak of them as demoniacs in some unexamined sense, which probably lends them a certain glamour and even exonerates them to a certain extent. We do see a number of pilots here behaving as if they were 'possessed.' The implications of the word are almost right, but it points in the wrong direction. More study will be needed before a final conclusion can be made.
~ excerpt from 'A Study on Piracy: Corp/Alliance tags and their cultural meanings.' - Prof. Enzo Hrohl.
I took note of a comment from an alliance mate recently who stated that most blogs these days tend to focus mainly on game issues, problems, the drama, the metagame et all, and tend to lose track of the actual ingame element. The personal touch, if you like, sometimes gets lost in the fog. News and views are all good but it is nice to mix it up once in a while.
With this in mind I decided to have a look through my killboard and compile a short November kill review.
~
If you warp away from me because of warp core stabilizers I will hunt you down and come back with more scrams fitted. My urgency to get the job done will be doubled more so if you mock in local. I do enjoy the challenge involved in these kind of executions. I do take great pleasure in these type of kills. I even have a special watchlist with known 'stab' users.
Most recently this guy decided to fall foul of the warp core watchlist.
Battle report taken from R1DER forums.
There's this cheeky little stabmonkey Procurer pilot who would mine all day in lowsec and then he'd warp off as soon as his shields were gone. He'd then smack a little bit in local while docked up hiding. I tried my luck twice with him over the space of a week and he warped off both times.
It wasn't going to be third time lucky for him.
I had a stash of Hookbills nearby and decided to modify the midslots and go prepared with two scramblers. I checked my 'hitlist of people who are online that I will kill one day', (there is no escape) and sure enough he was online. I punched in the coordinates and soon enough I was in his local. I think there's about 15 belts in this system and from memory he was always in the same belt. Must have been his favourite.
I landed some 50 clicks off him at first attempt and burned towards him with mwd at full speed.
Bruce Havoc > again lol
Bruce Havoc > your just wasting your time
SCRAM 1 ENGAGE.
SCRAM 2 ENGAGE.
Commence epic DP... oh yeah I'm in a Hookbill. Slowly I plink away at his shields. Eventually he hits armor and starts to align out.
AND NOW FOR MY TRAP CARD MOTHERFUKKER.
Bruce Havoc > Miura Bull stop it
Bruce Havoc > Miura Bull PLEASE stop it NOW
He's in half-armor and only now decides to unleash the full force of his t1 drone arsenal. Which I ignore.
He ends up dead.
Miura Bull > gf
There is no response.
I warp to a deep safespot for a little break and when I get back local has been busy.
Drake Saamdur > Bruce they got you again?
Bruce Havoc > yup
Drake Saamdur > In your thorax?
Bruce Havoc > nope in prouncer
Bruce Havoc > he was using 2 warp scramblers
Drake Saamdur > In that litlle hook bill?
Bruce Havoc > what ?
Drake Saamdur > Is that what killed you?
Bruce Havoc > yes
Drake Saamdur > How cute
Drake Saamdur > Let me know next time and I will make sure scrubs like that dont kill you
Bruce Havoc > cheers
Bruce Havoc > I have him on watchlist now
Drake Saamdur > he prob wont show face around here again
Drake Saamdur > scrub
Drake Saamdur > scrub knows his place
Bruce Havoc > yup
I lol'd too.
On the theme of mining barges.
I spotted a Procurer mining in lowsec. I uncloaked and started delivering the pain. Just as he was about to pop, a buddy (maybe even his own alt judging by the name) landed in the belt in a Megathron.
I wasted no time in locking him down and removing him from space. That Megathron really is a crime for the fitting police.
This Procurer I am certain was afk mining. I burned quite a distance to land the scram, but what was most pleasing from the killmail was the pod.
There's so many more mining barges that have fallen in lowsec but I don't really have the time to write about them all. I even logged out in a mining site recently and came back a couple of hours later to find a Retriever sat at zero. Would have been rude not to right?
I just hope they keep coming. Lowsec at the moment reminds me of the Serengeti and the Masai Mara during the great wildebeest migrations. So much to feed on, so little time. And it's not just mining barges that are providing to the feast.
How do you fit a Brutix?
I like your Vexor.
... and your Thorax.
... oh and don't worry about the vase.
Seriously at times I don't know how I find them.
Apart from slaying the weak I have actually found some pretty good fights this past month. Nothing truly memorable but good for the quick fix.
The Slasher continues to impress in its role as slightly over-powered attack frigate. Not that you can really complain. This shake up of ship changes keeps everyone on their toes at least.
Slasher versus Taranis would once upon a time never be viable.
I hesitated for a brief moment when engaging this Harpy, but I'm glad that I did in the end.
Tech 2 cruisers are great targets for frigates.
This poorly looking Sacrilege met an unfortunate end.
... as too did this Zealot.
On a rare roam in a Cynabal I perhaps bit off slightly more than I could chew when landing smack bang at zero on a Drake and a Moa. Knowing from killboard intel that the Moa was likely not fitted with a scram I decided to chance it and go for the Drake. Who sadly did have a scram fitted. I managed to kill him just in time. The Moa had multiple webs on me and his blasters were hurting so I decided to warp off in structure. A weird fight.
On a roam through Syndicate I was making some bookmarks on a gate when multiple gate flashes grabbed my attention. I carried on burning and was greeted by the sight of an advancing Daredevil. He was moving at quite some speed. So I killed him. I managed to warp off as the rest of his gang had just locked me up. A lucky escape from an angry Tornado gang.
I found another Daredevil a few days later which also met its end.
The Daredevil is a funky ship but so fragile!
MB.
~ excerpt from 'A Study on Piracy: Corp/Alliance tags and their cultural meanings.' - Prof. Enzo Hrohl.
I took note of a comment from an alliance mate recently who stated that most blogs these days tend to focus mainly on game issues, problems, the drama, the metagame et all, and tend to lose track of the actual ingame element. The personal touch, if you like, sometimes gets lost in the fog. News and views are all good but it is nice to mix it up once in a while.
With this in mind I decided to have a look through my killboard and compile a short November kill review.
~
If you warp away from me because of warp core stabilizers I will hunt you down and come back with more scrams fitted. My urgency to get the job done will be doubled more so if you mock in local. I do enjoy the challenge involved in these kind of executions. I do take great pleasure in these type of kills. I even have a special watchlist with known 'stab' users.
Most recently this guy decided to fall foul of the warp core watchlist.
Battle report taken from R1DER forums.
There's this cheeky little stabmonkey Procurer pilot who would mine all day in lowsec and then he'd warp off as soon as his shields were gone. He'd then smack a little bit in local while docked up hiding. I tried my luck twice with him over the space of a week and he warped off both times.
It wasn't going to be third time lucky for him.
I had a stash of Hookbills nearby and decided to modify the midslots and go prepared with two scramblers. I checked my 'hitlist of people who are online that I will kill one day', (there is no escape) and sure enough he was online. I punched in the coordinates and soon enough I was in his local. I think there's about 15 belts in this system and from memory he was always in the same belt. Must have been his favourite.
I landed some 50 clicks off him at first attempt and burned towards him with mwd at full speed.
Bruce Havoc > again lol
Bruce Havoc > your just wasting your time
SCRAM 1 ENGAGE.
SCRAM 2 ENGAGE.
Commence epic DP... oh yeah I'm in a Hookbill. Slowly I plink away at his shields. Eventually he hits armor and starts to align out.
AND NOW FOR MY TRAP CARD MOTHERFUKKER.
Bruce Havoc > Miura Bull stop it
Bruce Havoc > Miura Bull PLEASE stop it NOW
He's in half-armor and only now decides to unleash the full force of his t1 drone arsenal. Which I ignore.
He ends up dead.
Miura Bull > gf
There is no response.
I warp to a deep safespot for a little break and when I get back local has been busy.
Drake Saamdur > Bruce they got you again?
Bruce Havoc > yup
Drake Saamdur > In your thorax?
Bruce Havoc > nope in prouncer
Bruce Havoc > he was using 2 warp scramblers
Drake Saamdur > In that litlle hook bill?
Bruce Havoc > what ?
Drake Saamdur > Is that what killed you?
Bruce Havoc > yes
Drake Saamdur > How cute
Drake Saamdur > Let me know next time and I will make sure scrubs like that dont kill you
Bruce Havoc > cheers
Bruce Havoc > I have him on watchlist now
Drake Saamdur > he prob wont show face around here again
Drake Saamdur > scrub
Drake Saamdur > scrub knows his place
Bruce Havoc > yup
I lol'd too.
On the theme of mining barges.
I spotted a Procurer mining in lowsec. I uncloaked and started delivering the pain. Just as he was about to pop, a buddy (maybe even his own alt judging by the name) landed in the belt in a Megathron.
I wasted no time in locking him down and removing him from space. That Megathron really is a crime for the fitting police.
This Procurer I am certain was afk mining. I burned quite a distance to land the scram, but what was most pleasing from the killmail was the pod.
There's so many more mining barges that have fallen in lowsec but I don't really have the time to write about them all. I even logged out in a mining site recently and came back a couple of hours later to find a Retriever sat at zero. Would have been rude not to right?
I just hope they keep coming. Lowsec at the moment reminds me of the Serengeti and the Masai Mara during the great wildebeest migrations. So much to feed on, so little time. And it's not just mining barges that are providing to the feast.
How do you fit a Brutix?
I like your Vexor.
... and your Thorax.
... oh and don't worry about the vase.
Seriously at times I don't know how I find them.
Apart from slaying the weak I have actually found some pretty good fights this past month. Nothing truly memorable but good for the quick fix.
The Slasher continues to impress in its role as slightly over-powered attack frigate. Not that you can really complain. This shake up of ship changes keeps everyone on their toes at least.
Slasher versus Taranis would once upon a time never be viable.
I hesitated for a brief moment when engaging this Harpy, but I'm glad that I did in the end.
Tech 2 cruisers are great targets for frigates.
This poorly looking Sacrilege met an unfortunate end.
... as too did this Zealot.
On a rare roam in a Cynabal I perhaps bit off slightly more than I could chew when landing smack bang at zero on a Drake and a Moa. Knowing from killboard intel that the Moa was likely not fitted with a scram I decided to chance it and go for the Drake. Who sadly did have a scram fitted. I managed to kill him just in time. The Moa had multiple webs on me and his blasters were hurting so I decided to warp off in structure. A weird fight.
On a roam through Syndicate I was making some bookmarks on a gate when multiple gate flashes grabbed my attention. I carried on burning and was greeted by the sight of an advancing Daredevil. He was moving at quite some speed. So I killed him. I managed to warp off as the rest of his gang had just locked me up. A lucky escape from an angry Tornado gang.
I found another Daredevil a few days later which also met its end.
The Daredevil is a funky ship but so fragile!
MB.
6 Nov 2012
The Gambler
That much-played game of New Eden life, loved by many but loathed by more. A rotten and stinking game to those who oppose it. The ECM dice roll can smack you in the face when you least expect it. Like a rogue poker player with revolver loaded under the table, ready to spark a gunfight when the game doesn't go his way.
If you were to ask the majority of the eve population, generally the overall opinion would be that ECM leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Well it does in the circles I operate in. There are some dark circles who worship the ECM Gods but it is best we don't go there for fear of a perma-jammed voodoo hell.
I have never used an offensive ECM module or had an ECM drone in my drone bay. I haven't even got the skill plugged in. Is this a wise tactic? What is my reasoning? I guess you could say I am a gambler. I will take my chances, however slim they be. But I ain't rolling no dice, whatever the odds. I don't ever feel that attached to a ship that I'd consider ECM drones a viable tactic that would give me any kind of advantage. I'd just rather my ship explode if I'm being honest.
Some recently announced proposals should 'tweak' the overall ECM game in the favour of those who oppose it. Notably:
I am looking forward to plugging in those skills and training them all to 5. I'm also hoping ECM drones die a horrible death. I don't ask for much. Did I mention I'm not a fan of ECM?
Tonight I started the dance with the ECM Gods once again, a delicate tip-toe on the end of an autocannon barrel. I land the scram on a Rupture whilst out in the Wolf, switching over to my drone tab I spot ECM drones swarming me. I immediately lock up the drones and switch my autocannons onto them, hopefully blasting them into oblivion before they jam me. One drone is destroyed before the jams lock me out. The Rupture isn't going nowhere though, he wants to kill me as much as I want to kill him.
I spam for lock.
I get my systems back and lock up the Rupture and the drones but I'm immediately jammed again.
Frustrating.
Again I'm back in the game. Killing drones. Jams. Killing drones. Jams. It's a slow race, what are these drones? Super-strength?
After removing all the drones from space I am finally back to killing the Rupture. But then I lose lock again just as the Rupture enters structure. He starts to align as I scramble to get my lock back and just in the nick of time I land the scram again for one final gut-shot. ECM burst?
The Rupture dies.
Seriously, why people feel the need for this much ECM I will never understand. Those drones even started breeding in his cargohold.
MB.
If you were to ask the majority of the eve population, generally the overall opinion would be that ECM leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Well it does in the circles I operate in. There are some dark circles who worship the ECM Gods but it is best we don't go there for fear of a perma-jammed voodoo hell.
I have never used an offensive ECM module or had an ECM drone in my drone bay. I haven't even got the skill plugged in. Is this a wise tactic? What is my reasoning? I guess you could say I am a gambler. I will take my chances, however slim they be. But I ain't rolling no dice, whatever the odds. I don't ever feel that attached to a ship that I'd consider ECM drones a viable tactic that would give me any kind of advantage. I'd just rather my ship explode if I'm being honest.
Some recently announced proposals should 'tweak' the overall ECM game in the favour of those who oppose it. Notably:
- Reduce Optimal Range and Falloff of all ECM modules by 10%
- Add four new racial sensor compensation skills that increase each type of Sensor Strength by 5% per level
I am looking forward to plugging in those skills and training them all to 5. I'm also hoping ECM drones die a horrible death. I don't ask for much. Did I mention I'm not a fan of ECM?
Tonight I started the dance with the ECM Gods once again, a delicate tip-toe on the end of an autocannon barrel. I land the scram on a Rupture whilst out in the Wolf, switching over to my drone tab I spot ECM drones swarming me. I immediately lock up the drones and switch my autocannons onto them, hopefully blasting them into oblivion before they jam me. One drone is destroyed before the jams lock me out. The Rupture isn't going nowhere though, he wants to kill me as much as I want to kill him.
I spam for lock.
I get my systems back and lock up the Rupture and the drones but I'm immediately jammed again.
Frustrating.
Again I'm back in the game. Killing drones. Jams. Killing drones. Jams. It's a slow race, what are these drones? Super-strength?
After removing all the drones from space I am finally back to killing the Rupture. But then I lose lock again just as the Rupture enters structure. He starts to align as I scramble to get my lock back and just in the nick of time I land the scram again for one final gut-shot. ECM burst?
The Rupture dies.
Seriously, why people feel the need for this much ECM I will never understand. Those drones even started breeding in his cargohold.
MB.
5 Nov 2012
The Idiot (oops)
The safespot. The first thing we make when entering a new system. The hiding place of many and also the final resting place of many who fall into the trap of thinking that they are 'safe'. Many a pilot will embark on epic bookmarking roams, plotting future tacticals and warp-in spots, all for the slightest future advantage.
I lost three ships this week out of stupidity. I am an idiot. What did I do? I didn't use a safespot. Why did I not use a safespot? I can't really answer that. Laziness, perhaps. Three times and each time I thought to myself 'damn what an idiot, I won't do that again'.
I guess I wouldn't be that bothered but the frustrating thing is they were all fights I should have won.
First up I lost a Wolf to an Enyo. I was in Decon and spotted a few ships on scan, mostly coming and going and not hanging around. All the time I spotted an Enyo on scan but it looked like he wasn't interested in the fight. So I parked myself in top belt and waited. And waited ... Out of boredom I alt-tabbed out to our corp forums (yeah, probably should use the ingame browser once in a while). Anyway, I hear alarms ringing. Shit. Wolf in half armor. Enyo stinging away. Dead Wolf. I pop a gf in local and warp out with my tail between my legs. 100 million isk down the toilet. No big deal. Promise myself I won't do that again.
Fast forward a few days and I am in a Jaguar hanging around some 2/10 acceleration gates. There's nobody in local so I get up and go for stroll, like you do. I should have known better. I come back to the screen and there's a Cyclone killing me. I have already lost shields as I start a valiant attempt to kill his drones but I've already taken too much damage and I explode and warp my pod out.
Same old drill I pop a gf in local and an 'oops I was afk, so bad at this game' message in local. The pilot starts lecturing me on how lowsec is dangerous. So bad.
Today I visited one of the out-of-the-way Pithi 2/10 sites. I am in another 100mil isk Wolf. Wolfs are like my fix. I love them. Anyway. There's a Thrasher and a Worm on scan. I wait on the gate but the Thrasher leaves local and the Worm is seemingly sat on station for what seems like an eternity. I enter the 2/10 site and wait inside on the entry point. You can probably guess what's going to happen here ... yep. I am alt-tabbed checking the forums again (damn these forums are bad for my health) and I come back to a half-dead Wolf and a Worm, which somehow I manage to get into structure before I pop.
A gf goes up in local and I decide to write a blogpost about how bad I am at this game. Must. Use. Safespots.
MB.
2 Nov 2012
1337 pvp
1337 pvp isn't about actual pilot skill. Oh no, far from it. These two guys with less than a week of training between them hardly scratched my rifter's rusty bits. It is all about timing the fight just right with the 24-hour clock.
It's definitely a slow news day.
MB.
 |
| click ~ look at the time, look at the time :) |
It's definitely a slow news day.
MB.
1 Nov 2012
The Mad Machine of Killboard Stats (performance review)
A quick peek into the world of numbers and figures.
I like to think of The Devil's Tattoo alliance < R1DER > as a giant machine that randomly spits out killmails on a daily basis. I imagine that some weird ol' mad scientist made this machine on one of his lunch breaks. I like to picture this imaginary piece of machinery as having big clunky pipes venting steam at random times, weird bits that came from somewhere else bodged together that don't really work but they look quite good even though they keep falling off.
Whether these killmails are for or against we don't really care that much as long as our members are having a good time. Of course we do care, but we don't care. If that makes sense?
It is therefore a surprise that < R1DER > is currently the second rank in recent performing alliances. Perhaps the other alliances need to up their game somewhat? What are those crooks doing out in null-sec to let a gang of bad rifter pilots steal a march on the go-to ranking lists? Hmm, one does wonder.
Black Rebel Rifter Club seems to keep bobbing around the number 3 mark in the recent corporate rankings, give or take a few yo-yo drops every now and then.
Overall R1FTA continues to climb the overall corporate rankings to the heady heights of number 68. Over 800 billion isk in destroyed ships and assets is a nice number that continues to rise. Almost 17,000 kills to date. That's a mind-boggling amount of individual killmails. Our favourite ship is listed as the Rifter! Oh I do love a good a stat.
On a personal level I find myself jostling for position in the top 300 of the individual pilot rankings. At the time of writing I rank as #271. I quite enjoy watching the progress of these rankings and looking at the stats of those in and around my rank. One thing you notice is the higher you get in the rankings the slower your progress, it's like a bottleneck as pilots queue to the tiny entrance that is the top 100 club. When you're hovering in and around the top 1000 and above you can make huge strides with a good day of killing above-class hulls, not so when you're plinking away for points with all those other blood-thirsty pilots.
Somebody was asking in a public channel I was in the other day how they could make their stats 'look better' as they learn how to pvp. They seemed downhearted by the fact they kept losing ships and their efficiency was terrible and they don't want to engage this or do that because it might mean a comment on a lossmail and a bruised ego and blahdeblah.
As a word of advice, the best way is to not worry about it all.
Just take the fights and learn from them, with over 500 losses I feel qualified to state that I don't worry about them and if I did I wouldn't have over 500 losses to my name. The potential for a great killmail usually ends in a lossmail, but if we don't try ....
Stats will, over time, start to take shape. Whether they turn out good or bad is another thing but the key thing to remember is don't fall into the trap of thinking about stats and killboards before you take a fight. Don't become a risk-averse puppet who has one eye on his efficiency. The only people who care about efficiency are in it for the wrong reasons.
Enjoy the game, it is after all just a game.
MB.
I like to think of The Devil's Tattoo alliance < R1DER > as a giant machine that randomly spits out killmails on a daily basis. I imagine that some weird ol' mad scientist made this machine on one of his lunch breaks. I like to picture this imaginary piece of machinery as having big clunky pipes venting steam at random times, weird bits that came from somewhere else bodged together that don't really work but they look quite good even though they keep falling off.
Whether these killmails are for or against we don't really care that much as long as our members are having a good time. Of course we do care, but we don't care. If that makes sense?
It is therefore a surprise that < R1DER > is currently the second rank in recent performing alliances. Perhaps the other alliances need to up their game somewhat? What are those crooks doing out in null-sec to let a gang of bad rifter pilots steal a march on the go-to ranking lists? Hmm, one does wonder.
Black Rebel Rifter Club seems to keep bobbing around the number 3 mark in the recent corporate rankings, give or take a few yo-yo drops every now and then.
Overall R1FTA continues to climb the overall corporate rankings to the heady heights of number 68. Over 800 billion isk in destroyed ships and assets is a nice number that continues to rise. Almost 17,000 kills to date. That's a mind-boggling amount of individual killmails. Our favourite ship is listed as the Rifter! Oh I do love a good a stat.
On a personal level I find myself jostling for position in the top 300 of the individual pilot rankings. At the time of writing I rank as #271. I quite enjoy watching the progress of these rankings and looking at the stats of those in and around my rank. One thing you notice is the higher you get in the rankings the slower your progress, it's like a bottleneck as pilots queue to the tiny entrance that is the top 100 club. When you're hovering in and around the top 1000 and above you can make huge strides with a good day of killing above-class hulls, not so when you're plinking away for points with all those other blood-thirsty pilots.
Somebody was asking in a public channel I was in the other day how they could make their stats 'look better' as they learn how to pvp. They seemed downhearted by the fact they kept losing ships and their efficiency was terrible and they don't want to engage this or do that because it might mean a comment on a lossmail and a bruised ego and blahdeblah.
As a word of advice, the best way is to not worry about it all.
Just take the fights and learn from them, with over 500 losses I feel qualified to state that I don't worry about them and if I did I wouldn't have over 500 losses to my name. The potential for a great killmail usually ends in a lossmail, but if we don't try ....
Stats will, over time, start to take shape. Whether they turn out good or bad is another thing but the key thing to remember is don't fall into the trap of thinking about stats and killboards before you take a fight. Don't become a risk-averse puppet who has one eye on his efficiency. The only people who care about efficiency are in it for the wrong reasons.
Enjoy the game, it is after all just a game.
MB.
31 Oct 2012
Episode IV
MOLDEN WARS
Episode IV
A NEW HOPE
It is a period of all-out war in the Heath. Rebel
spaceships, striking from a
hidden base (and sponsored by Sardmart™), have won their
first victory against the evil
Russian Galactic Empire.
During the battle, Rebel spies
managed to steal secret plans to
the Empire’s ultimate weapon,
DEATH VODKA, a space drink
so deadly and with enough
power to destroy an entire immune system with just one sip.
Pursued by the Russian’s sinister
agents (and ECM drones), Princess Dian Lung races
home aboard her starship,
custodian of the stolen plans
that can save her former corpmates and
restore freedom to Molden Heath….
MB.
29 Oct 2012
The Dream of a Ridiculous Man
I have, over time, come to the conclusion that some of the most socially inept, hostile and overly angry people in the game are those who take to the profession of mining. More so when they lose a ship in a good fight.
I've spent a bit of my time in-game recently putting together a stable of good old-fashioned suicide gank Catalysts with the obvious aim being the generation of some nice mining barge killmails. This activity is a hobby of mine that I quite enjoy as much as one might enjoy painting a watercolour or a spot of clay pigeon shooting. Does this make me anti-social? I certainly don't think so. I like to embrace society and will actively engage in discussion with those who invite me to their private chat channels post-fight. I will offer them help and advice on how to avoid future ship loss. Instead though, some would rather vent their anger at me, which is quite disappointing.
I find that they struggle to differentiate between the game and real-life problems. But despite this I am always here for them if they need to talk.
The gank Catalyst is a remarkable ship that in its purest tech1 form can put a simple Retriever or Covetor to the sword in brutal fashion. It doesn't have a point fitted so if the miner is paying attention he should be able to warp out from his already aligned position as soon as he spots me land on grid, or at the very latest as soon as I target him.
[Catalyst, Miura Bull's Catalyst]
Magnetic Field Stabilizer I
Magnetic Field Stabilizer I
Magnetic Field Stabilizer I
Sensor Booster I,Scan Resolution Script
Sensor Booster I,Scan Resolution Script
Light Neutron Blaster I
Light Neutron Blaster I
Light Neutron Blaster I
Light Neutron Blaster I
Light Neutron Blaster I
Light Neutron Blaster I
Light Neutron Blaster I
Light Neutron Blaster I
Small Hybrid Burst Aerator I
Small Hybrid Collision Accelerator I
Of course, not all miners are savvy enough to take these simple precautions and protect their valuable commodities.
This Retriever pilot in Aurcel soon opened up a conversation with me after his mining barge exploded due to an unfortunate sequence of events. I was primed to offer my words of wisdom but instead was greeted with some pretty nasty and vile abuse. I'm sure this man must be some kind of animal judging by his words.
Spelling and grammar has been left unedited.
Miura Bull > hello
Niko Trive > nice job you fuckwad.
Niko Trive > did the cops gank you
Niko Trive > I hope to god the cops ganked you
Miura Bull > I am a mining permit inspector, I am the cops
Miura Bull > I scanned your ship and did not notice the correct permits
Niko Trive > what you candy ass high sec ganker.
Niko Trive > bounty hnting is coming...
Niko Trive > you stupid n*****
Miura Bull > I am an officer of the asteroid husbandry guild and I am offended by your racism
Niko Trive > you a candy ass ganker, what is it like to be a big old pussy?
Miura Bull > I am afraid I do not follow ?
Niko Trive > I dare you to come back here and try it again dipshit
Miura Bull > oh I have your fine here by the way
Miura Bull > shall I post it you? or can you pay now?
Niko Trive > you can wipe my as wiht it bitch
Niko Trive > Oh wait, you will not come back because your a candy ass dipfuck
Miura Bull > 1337000 isk is the fine for clean up of debris, ammo used and paperwork issued
Miura Bull > thanks for your co-operation with this matter we understand it is easy to ignore your obligations to the guild
Niko Trive > I'll be seeing you again n*****, what your back fuck stick.
---
This pilot, who lost his mining barge and his capsule, again residing in the Aurcel solar system (there must be something in the water over that way), seemed to question what I was doing and wondered if there was something better I could be putting my non-existent skills towards. After issuing him with his fines and words of advice he then closed the convo after a final volley of abuse.
Lycarius Sato > thx
Miura Bull > good evening officer Bull mining permit inspector how can I be of service?
Lycarius Sato > you dont have to do somethink better than a kill people who are new in eve?
Miura Bull >You did not have a permit. I must uphold the law Sir
Lycarius Sato > get a life learn some skills and stop bewing a dick
Miura Bull > I have a bill for the cleanup here if you'd like to pay now or shall I mail you the bill ?
Miura Bull > it's hard work what I do, this takes a lot of skill
Miura Bull > hello sir
Lycarius Sato > sure sure...
Miura Bull > I am glad we agree
Lycarius Sato > what you talking bout clean up?
Miura Bull > the wreckage of your ship, your corpse ... I have to clean that
Lycarius Sato > fuck off
Lycarius Sato > c*nt
Miura Bull > excellent
He closed the convo.
I don't know what the answer is to cure space of these acid-tongued individuals. It seems clear that a cure might not be possible. Some might say an Impossible Dream.
With the help of great bastions of society like myself, and many others who enjoy the pvp element of the game and don't lower themselves to such horrific language and foul ways, it will be a long and hard struggle. A long hard struggle.
MB.
I've spent a bit of my time in-game recently putting together a stable of good old-fashioned suicide gank Catalysts with the obvious aim being the generation of some nice mining barge killmails. This activity is a hobby of mine that I quite enjoy as much as one might enjoy painting a watercolour or a spot of clay pigeon shooting. Does this make me anti-social? I certainly don't think so. I like to embrace society and will actively engage in discussion with those who invite me to their private chat channels post-fight. I will offer them help and advice on how to avoid future ship loss. Instead though, some would rather vent their anger at me, which is quite disappointing.
I find that they struggle to differentiate between the game and real-life problems. But despite this I am always here for them if they need to talk.
The gank Catalyst is a remarkable ship that in its purest tech1 form can put a simple Retriever or Covetor to the sword in brutal fashion. It doesn't have a point fitted so if the miner is paying attention he should be able to warp out from his already aligned position as soon as he spots me land on grid, or at the very latest as soon as I target him.
[Catalyst, Miura Bull's Catalyst]
Magnetic Field Stabilizer I
Magnetic Field Stabilizer I
Magnetic Field Stabilizer I
Sensor Booster I,Scan Resolution Script
Sensor Booster I,Scan Resolution Script
Light Neutron Blaster I
Light Neutron Blaster I
Light Neutron Blaster I
Light Neutron Blaster I
Light Neutron Blaster I
Light Neutron Blaster I
Light Neutron Blaster I
Light Neutron Blaster I
Small Hybrid Burst Aerator I
Small Hybrid Collision Accelerator I
Of course, not all miners are savvy enough to take these simple precautions and protect their valuable commodities.
This Retriever pilot in Aurcel soon opened up a conversation with me after his mining barge exploded due to an unfortunate sequence of events. I was primed to offer my words of wisdom but instead was greeted with some pretty nasty and vile abuse. I'm sure this man must be some kind of animal judging by his words.
Spelling and grammar has been left unedited.
Miura Bull > hello
Niko Trive > nice job you fuckwad.
Niko Trive > did the cops gank you
Niko Trive > I hope to god the cops ganked you
Miura Bull > I am a mining permit inspector, I am the cops
Miura Bull > I scanned your ship and did not notice the correct permits
Niko Trive > what you candy ass high sec ganker.
Niko Trive > bounty hnting is coming...
Niko Trive > you stupid n*****
Miura Bull > I am an officer of the asteroid husbandry guild and I am offended by your racism
Niko Trive > you a candy ass ganker, what is it like to be a big old pussy?
Miura Bull > I am afraid I do not follow ?
Niko Trive > I dare you to come back here and try it again dipshit
Miura Bull > oh I have your fine here by the way
Miura Bull > shall I post it you? or can you pay now?
Niko Trive > you can wipe my as wiht it bitch
Niko Trive > Oh wait, you will not come back because your a candy ass dipfuck
Miura Bull > 1337000 isk is the fine for clean up of debris, ammo used and paperwork issued
Miura Bull > thanks for your co-operation with this matter we understand it is easy to ignore your obligations to the guild
Niko Trive > I'll be seeing you again n*****, what your back fuck stick.
---
This pilot, who lost his mining barge and his capsule, again residing in the Aurcel solar system (there must be something in the water over that way), seemed to question what I was doing and wondered if there was something better I could be putting my non-existent skills towards. After issuing him with his fines and words of advice he then closed the convo after a final volley of abuse.
Lycarius Sato > thx
Miura Bull > good evening officer Bull mining permit inspector how can I be of service?
Lycarius Sato > you dont have to do somethink better than a kill people who are new in eve?
Miura Bull >You did not have a permit. I must uphold the law Sir
Lycarius Sato > get a life learn some skills and stop bewing a dick
Miura Bull > I have a bill for the cleanup here if you'd like to pay now or shall I mail you the bill ?
Miura Bull > it's hard work what I do, this takes a lot of skill
Miura Bull > hello sir
Lycarius Sato > sure sure...
Miura Bull > I am glad we agree
Lycarius Sato > what you talking bout clean up?
Miura Bull > the wreckage of your ship, your corpse ... I have to clean that
Lycarius Sato > fuck off
Lycarius Sato > c*nt
Miura Bull > excellent
He closed the convo.
--
I don't know what the answer is to cure space of these acid-tongued individuals. It seems clear that a cure might not be possible. Some might say an Impossible Dream.
With the help of great bastions of society like myself, and many others who enjoy the pvp element of the game and don't lower themselves to such horrific language and foul ways, it will be a long and hard struggle. A long hard struggle.
MB.
26 Oct 2012
Tuskers Frigate FFA Checklist
Frigates. Check.
Ammo. Check.
As you can see I have a lot of Interceptors to burn through. These were from an old stash I had out in Pure Blind which I evacuated some time ago into Verge Vendor, they've been collecting dust ever since. I hope to lose them all in glorious fashion this Saturday. Help me achieve this!
If I have any left near the end of the night I'll give them away to those who have ran out of ships. Hopefully it won't get that far though, muhaha.
MB.
Ammo. Check.
 |
| click |
As you can see I have a lot of Interceptors to burn through. These were from an old stash I had out in Pure Blind which I evacuated some time ago into Verge Vendor, they've been collecting dust ever since. I hope to lose them all in glorious fashion this Saturday. Help me achieve this!
If I have any left near the end of the night I'll give them away to those who have ran out of ships. Hopefully it won't get that far though, muhaha.
MB.
23 Oct 2012
Strange Tales from the Beacons #1
I admit that I haven't yet read the changes to faction warfare as I have little to no interest in it if I am being honest. Murmurs from others and from reading various blogs would suggest that good changes are happening though. Most importantly to the charade that was button orbiting and the farming mechanics.
I didn't jump on the bandwagon and roll an alt for farming purposes. Sometimes I must admit though that I wish I had. When you're living the life of a ghetto scrub pirate who rarely sees more than 100 million ISK in his account due to various factors, you do tend to see those rolling in ISK 'Scrooge McDuck style' with envious eyes.
But we try to carry on with our day jobs.
My day job over the past few months included the task of trying to catch some of these faction warfare characters. A frustrating game to say the least. Some of them were often genuinely good pvpers who often grouped up and handed me my ass back to me on a plate, that's all good, I like that. However, most of them were obvious farming alts, their only task to orbit a button and run away at the slightest whiff of anything on short range D-scan.
I have a few stories from this strange time. Here is episode 1.
Placid region is usually a hotbed of activity for faction warfare, a variable mixture of potential targets for the hunter pirate type. I was cruising around looking for a fight, my partner being an autocannon/shield Thrasher. I remember it was just after downtime so it wasn't that busy. I think I was in Agoze or Loes, I forget now.
IRL ~ I looked out of the window. It was just after midday but it was dull and raining, black clouds loomed overhead as the rain bounced off the floor. I felt that feeling you get when you realise how safe you are inside, away from the storm. You could say I felt like I was inside my own faction warfare site, nothing to intrude on my little bubble. I heard a crack of thunder in the distance.
I warped in on the acceleration gate, the same old drill--hope to catch them off guard and sneak up and cause some chaos. Or maybe hope that they'd take the fight and I'd die trying. Two Incursus and a Rifter were my potential prize.
As I landed on grid they bolted like spooked rabbits and I felt very much like the fox. I caught a glimpse of them warping to the sun. I followed.
I landed on the sun and they scattered once again. Frustrating. I decided, like I do in most cases like this to simply wait on their acceleration gate hoping they'd come back. I landed at 10 and waited.
IRL ~ The rain was smashing against the window. I remember thinking to myself I'm glad I am not out there. I have a dog, a Jack Russell, who was laying next to me watching me play. Well, he was watching outside and he had spotted his prey. For anybody who owns a Jack Russell you'll know they like to bark, yappy little fuckers. I opened my door and he bolted downstairs.
OH Sh*t! The postman. What I thought was my dog barking at another dog outside or a cat or a bird or a squirrel or anything that couldn't invade my bubble of safety, it was the god-damned postman. The eternal second enemy of the Jack Russell, only second due to the fact that the vacuum cleaner is a mysterious beast indeed.
A mad panic ensued. I got up out of my chair and tripped over my headset that was still on my head. Wires ripping from the back of the pc as I faceplanted the floor. I could hear the dog charging for the letters and growling playfully as if it was one big game.
The task of retrieving mail from under a frenzied Jack Russell's nose is no easy task. Sharp scissor bites can cut easily through flesh. This was a warzone. I grabbed the little fuck by the tail and he bit me hard. I grabbed a handful of letters but most of them were already ruined.
The dog sat on his back legs, tail wagging and mouth open, loveable smile as if he was thanking me for letting him out to play the postman game.
I went to the kitchen and began the game of letters jigsaw. It took a good 10-15 minutes to put the letters back together. I also had a cup of tea whilst I was doing this. And then I remembered ... oh noes! My Thrasher! Oh noes! Did I have any implants!?!
I ran back upstairs ...
Local was empty. My Thrasher was still sitting there in full health. And then I read local. All 20 minutes worth of it. It was a big old scroll up the channel. It was hilarious. I was being accused of all things under the sun. I was this sudden hate figure, even though I wasn't there.
WHY DONT U JUST GO AWAY AND FIND SOMEBODY WHO WANS TO FIGHT!
WE NO WHAT YOU DOIN LOLZMAN
THIS IS BORING NOW CMON WE NOT GONNA FIGHT YOU MAN!!!1
WE NOT FIGHTING A FRASHER IN FRIGS WE JUS DOIN FW DUDE
YOU ARE A FAGGOT
GO TO HELL
I chuckled to myself. All this vitriol and all the time they could have just warped on down and popped my ass, podded me and then danced on the corpse.
Ah faction warfare people. I love you really.
 |
| Hi my name's Colby and I eat letters and I am scared of vacuum cleaners and I chase cats 'erry day woof. |
MB.
21 Oct 2012
Tusker Frigate FFA
An exciting event looms on the calendar as The Tuskers host a frigate free-for-all event on Saturday 27th October 20:00 eve time.
Jovainnon solar system in the Verge Vendor region will be transformed into an arena of death and destruction for four solid hours. As well as the chaos and the killmails there will be prizes too (as yet to be disclosed), mainly aimed at newer pilots and young combat toons. This promises to be an excellent evening of fights. An open source of frigate combat and potential killmails on tap for a whole evening.
Bring lots of frigates!
You can read more about the event by following this link.
See you there.
MB.
Jovainnon solar system in the Verge Vendor region will be transformed into an arena of death and destruction for four solid hours. As well as the chaos and the killmails there will be prizes too (as yet to be disclosed), mainly aimed at newer pilots and young combat toons. This promises to be an excellent evening of fights. An open source of frigate combat and potential killmails on tap for a whole evening.
Bring lots of frigates!
You can read more about the event by following this link.
See you there.
MB.
15 Oct 2012
Tricks of the Trade: Emergency Backup Prober
A covert ops friend with the ability to launch scan probes and narrow down targets at your convenience is a great tool to have at your disposal. Unfortunately you don't always have that luxury, you might be a long way from home flying solo or you just simply don't have access to a prober.
This is where the Emergency Backup Prober (EBP) comes into play. An unusual device, unlike any other module, largely due to the fact that it isn't actually a module at all.
The EBP is a small device that can be situated in most capsules and is roughly the size of a small toy handgun. The EBP is a mind control device that allegedly feeds off of space and time brainwave energy of capsuleer pilots in any given solar system.
Case Study.
Justice League member Miura Bull is, funnily enough, patrolling the sector in his Helios covert ops ship. Unfortunately for Miura Bull, his covert ops ship is rigged for battle and does not have a probe launcher fitted. A Thorax class vessel appears on scan and Miura Bull is confident that this pilot is running a nearby mission.
Normally, Miura Bull would move along and out of the system, as he doesn't have any means to narrow down his potential prey. However, down by Miura's left side is his EBP unit, glistening brightly through the lime-green slime of his capsule.
He fires open the EBP. A fleet invite is sent to the Thorax pilot. Scientific study rates the success rate of the EBP at approximately 50%. The pilot will either accept the fleet invite from the incoming EBP signals or he will reject it.
After a successful EBP fleet invite Miura Bull initiates the next stage of the trap. He already has a message typed and ready to display in the fleet communication channel.
Miura Bull > Oops sorry about that wrong button :)
Miura initiates warp to his fleet member and then immediately leaves the fleet. The initial shock of a hit from an EBP fleet signal, and then the closing of the fleet usually does one of two things.
1. The unsuspecting victims think to themselves, "Heh what an idiot, what was that guy?", and then they carry on their business.
2. They will warp off in confusion. Luckily for us though, they will usually warp back to their mission gate once the initial shock has worn away.
If number 1 is activated then we warp into the mission and make our kill. If number 2 is activated then we wait and bookmark mission gates.
Either way, the Emergency Backup Prober has provided many pilots with kills that would be otherwise unobtainable. It is a great mind trick tool. Try it one day, you'll be surprised how good it can be.
Oh yeah, that Thorax chose option 1.
MB.
13 Oct 2012
Joe Struck Delivers JUSTICE!
The fantastically skilled Joe Struck dropped me a mail yesterday with a couple of fine artistic pieces for my perusal.
A sweet looking corporate badge.
And a shiny new killboard/forum banner.
If you're in need of some new artwork then be sure to head on over to Joe's shop and blog and have a browse at his previous works, check out his prices etc. You won't be disappointed.
Thanks Joe!
MB.
A sweet looking corporate badge.
And a shiny new killboard/forum banner.
If you're in need of some new artwork then be sure to head on over to Joe's shop and blog and have a browse at his previous works, check out his prices etc. You won't be disappointed.
Thanks Joe!
MB.
12 Oct 2012
Getting away with it
I enjoy a fight win or lose. I lose a lot of ships as I try to take fights I probably have no chance of winning on paper, but this doesn't bother me. We don't fight on paper and there is always that chance. I'd go as far as saying that I even enjoy looking over my own lossmails as much as browsing a good killmail. I find it difficult to get into the mindset of the risk-averse. I lose a ship, I buy or jump into another one. Simple.
Sometimes I must admit though that it is nice to warp out of a fight that you shouldn't have taken in the first place. This can give as much of a buzz as any successful 1v1 encounter.
I land smack bang on top of the Machariel, with scram cycling on my Taranis it is soon pinned down and going nowhere. His buddy in the Cerberus warps off immediately. Settling into a nice tight orbit I begin to pick off the drones which have started to sting at my interceptor.
With the first wave of drones out of the way I start to slam some hot antimatter slugs into the belly of the beastly Machariel.
Then suddenly ... ECM drones.
I quickly lock them up, web and blast them as quickly as I can before the jam strikes me, a daring race against the dice. I manage to remove three before I'm incapacitated. I remain calm, the Machariel not warping out.
A Dramiel lands on grid. As he burns towards me I lock him up and prime my web, scram and blasters. I eat it alive in what seems like an instant. Podding him too for good measure.
I manage to lock the Machariel again as the Cerberus returns onto the field. More and more ECM drones are unleashed as my armor begins to dip to critical levels as the Cerb hits me hard. I decide to switch my attention to the Cerb in a desperate and last ditch attempt to even the field.
I spiral across the sky, dodging the attempts from the Machariel to hit me, knowing full well that a good hit could mean it is toast for the tiny Taranis. ECM drones are chasing me but failing in doing their job.
I'm now living in my structure hitpoints but only just. The merry dance with the devil on hot coals, the fabled Taranis structure holding fast, the last line of defence of the Gallentean Dream.
Structure levels are critical, smoke is heavy and this Cerb ain't dying. I smash open the warp drive and make my escape.
MB.
Sometimes I must admit though that it is nice to warp out of a fight that you shouldn't have taken in the first place. This can give as much of a buzz as any successful 1v1 encounter.
I land smack bang on top of the Machariel, with scram cycling on my Taranis it is soon pinned down and going nowhere. His buddy in the Cerberus warps off immediately. Settling into a nice tight orbit I begin to pick off the drones which have started to sting at my interceptor.
With the first wave of drones out of the way I start to slam some hot antimatter slugs into the belly of the beastly Machariel.
Then suddenly ... ECM drones.
I quickly lock them up, web and blast them as quickly as I can before the jam strikes me, a daring race against the dice. I manage to remove three before I'm incapacitated. I remain calm, the Machariel not warping out.
A Dramiel lands on grid. As he burns towards me I lock him up and prime my web, scram and blasters. I eat it alive in what seems like an instant. Podding him too for good measure.
I manage to lock the Machariel again as the Cerberus returns onto the field. More and more ECM drones are unleashed as my armor begins to dip to critical levels as the Cerb hits me hard. I decide to switch my attention to the Cerb in a desperate and last ditch attempt to even the field.
I spiral across the sky, dodging the attempts from the Machariel to hit me, knowing full well that a good hit could mean it is toast for the tiny Taranis. ECM drones are chasing me but failing in doing their job.
I'm now living in my structure hitpoints but only just. The merry dance with the devil on hot coals, the fabled Taranis structure holding fast, the last line of defence of the Gallentean Dream.
Structure levels are critical, smoke is heavy and this Cerb ain't dying. I smash open the warp drive and make my escape.
MB.
10 Oct 2012
Serpentis Drug Outlets
this guide is no longer valid. 1/10 static sites have been removed.
Another great way to engineer fights and at the same time unlock the potential to earn some ISK, is to visit the low-security Serpentis Drug Outlets--which are 1/10 DED rating static complexes that can drop faction goodies and sometimes blueprints. These sites are found in, for the most part, remote backwater systems close to high-sec. Ideal hunting grounds.
Running the complex.
There is no science to running these sites, they should take you less than 5 minutes to blitz (only shooting what we need to and ignoring the rest).
The first room is accessed via an acceleration gate which you reach by warping to the fixed beacon on your overview.
When you land inside the first room you should find waiting for you a lone gatekeeper. Shoot him and then activate the acceleration gate. This gatekeeper will cause you no trouble whatsoever, in fact I often find he explodes before the ammunition has even hit him.
The second room consists of approximately 18 frigates. The frigate of interest and the only one we need to shoot is the Serpentis Drugstore Overseer.
Loot the wreck.
You will find the pass key for the next room inside this wreck. There is also a rare chance that some C-Type modules will also drop at this point, as well as 6th Tier Overseer's Personal Effects, so check the loot and loot all.
In this second room you can also shoot some of the structures. The Casino apparently drops 2x20 random trade goods and the Narcotics Supermarket drops 10 random drugs.
After looting make your way to the next acceleration gate.
The third and final room contains 23 frigates and an Overseer's Structure--namely, the Serpentis Financing Office. This has the potential to drop C-Type modules such as resistance plates, afterburners and microwarpdrives, and may also drop Shadow Serpentis modules, or, on rare occasions, a Daredevil Blueprint Copy.
Shoot the structure, loot your can and warp off, ideally with some nice loot in your cargo.
A nice and simple blitz.
If you're not in luck and the site isn't active or you haven't struck lucky with the loot drop, stick around and watch local and the overview for others who may visit the complex. Good fights are to be had, whether it be from those running the complex themselves or those out hunting the plex runners. It certainly makes for an interesting combat arena.
Explorer's Guide.
Ravarin 0.4 ~ Sinq Laison region
Ravarin is a dead-end system that is accessed via the high-sec system of Stegette 0.5. It is a couple of jumps from other low-sec hunting grounds such as Egghelende and Fasse, and is close to Amamake and the low-sec pipe of The Bleak Lands.
The 1/10 complex is a long warp from the in-gate and because of this you have advanced notice of what is heading your way. This system also has a lot of general ratting traffic and mission runners. Ideal for hunting in.
Gerper 0.4 ~ Everyshore region
Gerper, situated in the far north of the Everyshore region, is the furthest system of two low-sec systems that are cut off from the rest of low-sec by three high-sec systems. Although easily navigable in a frigate hull, care needs to be taken on the stargates if of a low security status.
A good way into Gerper (and the other low-sec system of Mya) is via the Elarel pocket. From Elarel, you will need to pass through Atlanins 0.6, Azer 0.7 and finally Torvi 0.5.
If you are of a clean security status then you will have no such trouble accessing Gerper, easy access can be found from Genesis, Sinq Laison and Essence regions. It is also only 7 jumps from the market hub of Dodixie.
Estaunitte 0.4 ~ Essence region
A station-less system accessed via the high-sec 'island' systems of Amane 0.6 and Actee 0.5. In turn, access to these high-sec systems is via either Heydieles 0.3 or Fliet 0.3. This system is close to the faction warfare playground of Old Man Star.
Seyllin 0.4 ~ Essence region
Situated in the heart of the Essence region, Seyllin is easily accessible from many high-sec pipes for those with a good security status. Connecting routes from Sinq Laison, The Citadel and Genesis regions make it a potentially busy system.
It is a little more difficult to get to from low-sec and with a poor security status but it is not out of reach. Popular access points can be taken from Goinard 0.3, where you will run a seven jump high-sec gauntlet. Yvangier 0.3, where the high-sec dash consists of five high-sec jumps. It is also easily reached from the other low-sec hunting systems of Decon 0.4 and Sharuveil 0.4, a four jump run from one low-sec island to another. I find that it is best to incorporate a visit to Seyllin after a roam to Decon.
Chardalane 0.4 ~ Placid region
A dead-end low-sec system in the far reaches of the Placid region.
Easily accessible from the Essence high-sec pipe but can be a little difficult to get to from an entirely low-sec route. The path to Chardalane via low-sec, assuming a central or southern Placid start point, takes you on an outside counter-clockwise loop of the far north systems that border the Black Rise region. After this you will then need to jump the high-sec system of Adacyne 0.5. This route has been known to be camped on rare occasions, so a quick check on the starmap for kills per hour and number of pilots in system is highly recommended.
It is worth mentioning that it can be accessed via a jump through Oulley 0.3 and then two more high-sec jumps after Orvolle 0.7, but the chances of evading the perma-camp that resides in Oulley are quite slim. Besides, fights can be found on the route from the centre of Placid as you navigate through a busy faction warfare zone.
Oicx 0.3 ~ Placid region
In the heart of low-sec northern Placid and the borderlands of Black Rise region. Oicx is a high-traffic system surrounded by low-sec pockets. Faction warfare zones and null-sec traffic makes for the potential of a system to find good fights in.
Ratillose 0.4 ~ Solitude region
Finally, one for the hardcore explorer.
Situated in the barren lands of the Solitude region and only accessible via null-sec Syndicate region or low-sec Aridia region, Ratillose is as far off the beaten track as you could imagine.
Happy hunting!
MB.
Another great way to engineer fights and at the same time unlock the potential to earn some ISK, is to visit the low-security Serpentis Drug Outlets--which are 1/10 DED rating static complexes that can drop faction goodies and sometimes blueprints. These sites are found in, for the most part, remote backwater systems close to high-sec. Ideal hunting grounds.
Running the complex.
There is no science to running these sites, they should take you less than 5 minutes to blitz (only shooting what we need to and ignoring the rest).
The first room is accessed via an acceleration gate which you reach by warping to the fixed beacon on your overview.
When you land inside the first room you should find waiting for you a lone gatekeeper. Shoot him and then activate the acceleration gate. This gatekeeper will cause you no trouble whatsoever, in fact I often find he explodes before the ammunition has even hit him.
The second room consists of approximately 18 frigates. The frigate of interest and the only one we need to shoot is the Serpentis Drugstore Overseer.
Loot the wreck.
You will find the pass key for the next room inside this wreck. There is also a rare chance that some C-Type modules will also drop at this point, as well as 6th Tier Overseer's Personal Effects, so check the loot and loot all.
In this second room you can also shoot some of the structures. The Casino apparently drops 2x20 random trade goods and the Narcotics Supermarket drops 10 random drugs.
After looting make your way to the next acceleration gate.
The third and final room contains 23 frigates and an Overseer's Structure--namely, the Serpentis Financing Office. This has the potential to drop C-Type modules such as resistance plates, afterburners and microwarpdrives, and may also drop Shadow Serpentis modules, or, on rare occasions, a Daredevil Blueprint Copy.
Shoot the structure, loot your can and warp off, ideally with some nice loot in your cargo.
A nice and simple blitz.
If you're not in luck and the site isn't active or you haven't struck lucky with the loot drop, stick around and watch local and the overview for others who may visit the complex. Good fights are to be had, whether it be from those running the complex themselves or those out hunting the plex runners. It certainly makes for an interesting combat arena.
Explorer's Guide.
Ravarin 0.4 ~ Sinq Laison region
Ravarin is a dead-end system that is accessed via the high-sec system of Stegette 0.5. It is a couple of jumps from other low-sec hunting grounds such as Egghelende and Fasse, and is close to Amamake and the low-sec pipe of The Bleak Lands.
The 1/10 complex is a long warp from the in-gate and because of this you have advanced notice of what is heading your way. This system also has a lot of general ratting traffic and mission runners. Ideal for hunting in.
Gerper 0.4 ~ Everyshore region
Gerper, situated in the far north of the Everyshore region, is the furthest system of two low-sec systems that are cut off from the rest of low-sec by three high-sec systems. Although easily navigable in a frigate hull, care needs to be taken on the stargates if of a low security status.
A good way into Gerper (and the other low-sec system of Mya) is via the Elarel pocket. From Elarel, you will need to pass through Atlanins 0.6, Azer 0.7 and finally Torvi 0.5.
If you are of a clean security status then you will have no such trouble accessing Gerper, easy access can be found from Genesis, Sinq Laison and Essence regions. It is also only 7 jumps from the market hub of Dodixie.
Estaunitte 0.4 ~ Essence region
A station-less system accessed via the high-sec 'island' systems of Amane 0.6 and Actee 0.5. In turn, access to these high-sec systems is via either Heydieles 0.3 or Fliet 0.3. This system is close to the faction warfare playground of Old Man Star.
Seyllin 0.4 ~ Essence region
Situated in the heart of the Essence region, Seyllin is easily accessible from many high-sec pipes for those with a good security status. Connecting routes from Sinq Laison, The Citadel and Genesis regions make it a potentially busy system.
It is a little more difficult to get to from low-sec and with a poor security status but it is not out of reach. Popular access points can be taken from Goinard 0.3, where you will run a seven jump high-sec gauntlet. Yvangier 0.3, where the high-sec dash consists of five high-sec jumps. It is also easily reached from the other low-sec hunting systems of Decon 0.4 and Sharuveil 0.4, a four jump run from one low-sec island to another. I find that it is best to incorporate a visit to Seyllin after a roam to Decon.
Chardalane 0.4 ~ Placid region
A dead-end low-sec system in the far reaches of the Placid region.
Easily accessible from the Essence high-sec pipe but can be a little difficult to get to from an entirely low-sec route. The path to Chardalane via low-sec, assuming a central or southern Placid start point, takes you on an outside counter-clockwise loop of the far north systems that border the Black Rise region. After this you will then need to jump the high-sec system of Adacyne 0.5. This route has been known to be camped on rare occasions, so a quick check on the starmap for kills per hour and number of pilots in system is highly recommended.
It is worth mentioning that it can be accessed via a jump through Oulley 0.3 and then two more high-sec jumps after Orvolle 0.7, but the chances of evading the perma-camp that resides in Oulley are quite slim. Besides, fights can be found on the route from the centre of Placid as you navigate through a busy faction warfare zone.
Oicx 0.3 ~ Placid region
In the heart of low-sec northern Placid and the borderlands of Black Rise region. Oicx is a high-traffic system surrounded by low-sec pockets. Faction warfare zones and null-sec traffic makes for the potential of a system to find good fights in.
Ratillose 0.4 ~ Solitude region
Finally, one for the hardcore explorer.
Situated in the barren lands of the Solitude region and only accessible via null-sec Syndicate region or low-sec Aridia region, Ratillose is as far off the beaten track as you could imagine.
Happy hunting!
MB.
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