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:

• 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.