Combat Recons, and the Potential Altering of D-Scan

Driving today, I listened to Sard Caids PodCast, as the Head of A Band Apart and Stay Frosty, Rixx Javix, was a guest.  He was invited there to discuss, along with Sard Caid and Bocci Sammich, the Role, Utility, and current usage of Combat Recons.  If you want to have a good listen, it's well worth the hour.  It only aired last night-it's on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySzbJ0sNOgk  It is well worth the hour.  In listening, they kicked around a few ideas, including talking about reducing the effectiveness of D-Scan.  This gave me two main ideas.

First idea?  On the Podcast, they talked about D-Scan being reduced to the point of only saying 'Frigate, Cruiser, Battleship' etc.-the basic, general classification.  While I actually agree that D-Scan is far too powerful-I can make a solid determination on the likely odds of my success in a fight before I even Warp to them-I think that blunting them to the point of only doing basic ship classes is a bad idea.  T1 Frigates, and T1 hulls in general, likely won't be useful at all in solo or small gang combat if this happens, as you have to assume that 'Frigate' you see on scan is an Assault Frigate or Electronic Attack Frigate etc., and the Cruiser you see on scan to be a HAC or HIC or somesuch.  People will become even more risk adverse than they already are, as many people won't be able to afford to 'upship' all of the time like that.  So what do I propose?

Make D-Scan comparable to the Market.  What I mean by this is, for example, Frigates.  Have D-Scan, by default, show 'Standard Frigates, Pirate Frigates, Faction Frigates, Assault Frigates, Electronic Attack Frigates, CovOps, Interceptors and Expedition Frigates'.  Follow this for all ship types, Cruiser, Battleship etc.  This makes it so D-Scan is no longer nearly as powerful of a tool, but it DOES give people a good general idea of what is in the system.  So how do Combat Recons figure in?  Simple.

Give them an ACTIVE module that only they can fit, probably in an existing High, that makes their ships D-Scan act just like it currently does.  This gives them a definite utility not just in solo and small gang, but larger fleets as well.  In addition to taking a slot and having Cap Usage etc. however, while active it NEGATES A COMBAT RECONS D-SCAN IMMUNITY.  It shows up on D-Scan as exactly what it is.  Sure it lets that pilot see more specific info on ships in system, but it shows itself so everyone can see it as well.  See it as an active sonar ping.  It gets new and valuable information to you, but it also blows your cover.  Maybe give it a 60 second cycle time during which the ship cannot warp off.  Combat Probes anyone?  This gives it both good utility as well as a solid, hard-wired downside from what otherwise would be a huge boost to itself and any fleet it might be in, as long as the potential targets are paying attention of course.

The second idea is also valid, in my opinion.  It however is much more limiting.  It would probably only make any difference in Null and WH Space.  In WH Space it would radically change things, which is why though valid, I am not a fan of it.  I don't live in WH Space, but whenever I talk about 'balance' issues, I try to keep in mind all perspectives-it's not just my game after all, it's all of ours.

The idea?  Give Combat Recons a module that only it can fit. alongside the other module it they'd like, that shows all cloaked ships in the system.  Not in a manner which allows it to probe it down, or see on D-Scan specifically where it is, just to show them for what they are-they can come up as 'Cloaked Ship' or whatnot.  Again, not a huge fan of this due to the massive changes it would bring to WHs, but it seems Fozzie has plans for allowing something similar in the future anyhow.  Again this module would have the same effect as above, or perhaps have something additional.  Yes, a ship would be able to fit both, but no new slots means you'd have to sacrifice something as well.

My favored option in Option #1.  It makes the ship useful in more situations, helps change D-Scan so it's not all-powerful but is still a great tool, and helps ensure that they don't become all-powerful while still giving them an absolutely specific potential role.

What are your thoughts?  Let me know what you think!

Summary of Bloody April, and How I'm NOT a Full-Time Pirate

So, I've now found out that I can not be a 'full-time' Pirate.  There was no doubt in my mind, really, that this was the case.  I knew that I was not made out for all-out PvP, constantly, every time that I undocked.  There is too much to do in EvE, and honestly, PvP takes a hell of a lot of effort, at least when it comes to solo and small-gang warfare.  After all, you have to actively hunt, track, and engage your targets, and even then there is no guarantee of an actual fight.  Being a full-time Pirate requires drive and motivation, and as the name of the Blog says, I am LAZY.  So that's that.

I had a great time, however.  April gave me the opportunity to try out many new ship hulls and fits, and to engage many targets that I knew that I'd lose to-including, at times, welping into the same Pilot, flying the same ship that I had died in to him knowing I would lose, two, three, four times in a row.  Why?  Because I felt like it, and since the endgame was to have fun, not really to get kills, it was a successful thing.  After all, there were a few occasions that I knew I'd lost before I engaged-and somehow I didn't lost after all.  That made it all worth it.

So, highlights.  These aren't blingy kills, and likely some people will say 'that's horrible!'.  They ae highlights to me not due to the quality of the kill, but for the story, basically, behind it.  I have more impressive kills, but they aren't the ones I remember, it's the fun ones that I do.

https://zkillboard.com/kill/45897802/

This is likely my favorite kill of the month.  Why?  Because it was hilariously fun.  We had Battle Crabs in the system thanks to my friend Nix, and we all got into one to kill this Venture-except for Marq, who on comms went 'Uhh, guys?  I can't fly one...'.  So, Velator!!!  The guy was cool with dying actually, we convoed him afterwards and had a nice chat.  Fun all around.

https://zkillboard.com/kill/45753064/

Only because I managed to get Crake.  That was nice.

https://zkillboard.com/kill/45895099/

What's this?  A loss as a highlight?  Yup.  This guy was at a Novice.  It was bait.  He had two Curses outside, which is why you always warp to Plex gates at 10km, so you can attempt to instantly hit the gate.  Even then, this was a long fight.  Long enough that since I wasn't used to using rockets, or having a fight last that long-most Frigate fights last less than a minute to a minute and a half-I burned out my Rockets.  Having never encountered this before, I didn't even think to un-group them and see if one or two launchers was still active.  Instead, I burned though a reload of MASB, ran out of those, and then slowly died.  Look at the damage, almost 11.5k in a frigate.  That fight was great.

So, final tally?  118 kills, 38 losses.  Not horrible, not great.  I had fun, and I found out some things about what I like to do, and what I don't like to do with my time in EvE.  Even if you aren't a PvP pilot (or even if you already are) I suggest that you get out of your comfort zone, fit up a few ships to blow up in that you typically don't fly, and try out something new.  There is so much to do it'd be a shame not to, and maybe, just maybe, you'll find something that you enjoy doing.

A.G.

EvE-Meets, and the One-Hundred Kills

In a few hours I'm going to be heading off to an EvE-Meet.  It will be my 3rd one.  I've met Sugar Kyle before, along with many other great and incredibly interesting and fun people (NARWHALS!!!) at these Meets.  I cannot recommend highly enough for people, even for those who are socially awkward or shy, to go to these.  While it can quite honestly be intimidating at first, it is well worth it.  You can meet a ton of people that have the same interests as you, and I'm not just talking about EvE.  This time I'll get to meet Mynxee and Rixx Javix as well, so that will be absolutely great as well, and I'll get to catch up with my Alliance mate Grimmash too, always fun.  Hopefully it won't be too crazily insane inside the place, but if it is, I'm sure we'll still have a blast.  If anything massively interesting happens, I'm sure I'll post it here-honestly, even if there isn't, I'll probably still post something here, you know, *eventually.  Cause like the name says, well, LAZY.

So, Bloody April.  To be honest, I'm fairly well burnt out on PvP.  I can completely understand why people have to take breaks from solo-small gang PvP at times, and have even more respect for those that do it 'full-time'.  I can't be one of those people.  This is a reason I love my Alliance though.  I don't actually, typically, PvP constantly with Argos.  Name it, and I've probably at one point or another, tried it with Argos.  I get bored otherwise, if I do the same thing.  In the ABA we're allowed to play that way, even while being in a 'Pirate Corps', with no judgement or anything else.

That being said, I reached the 100th kill mark for the month today, even after slowing my pace considerably from the beginning of the month.  I've also had a crap ton of losses (35 I believe at last count).  Not the best record.  As I've previously stated in the blog, I've welped myself into fights I figured I couldn't win because of 'why not', dived into fighting the same person 3, 4, 5 times in a row after losing to them all of the previous times, and flat out tried to kill just about anything I came across.  Does this partially explain this?  Sure.  It also explains the Proteus in a large Plex that I tackled solo with my Tristan-with no one closer than about 27 jumps from me-that turned out to be Warp-Core Stabbed, because it ran away while under Scram.  From a T1 Frigate.  It explains the numerous ships I've used this month.  I haven't just used my Standard Tristan, or my Comet.  I've used Atrons, Breachers, Tormentors, Algosii, Jaguars and so many, many other ships.  It's been a blast finding new ways to fly different ships, and I really do think I should do this more often.  Who cares if I can max a certain ship-going into each engagement has been unique in and of itself, simply due to my at times misunderstanding on the optimal way to fly a ship is.  I had a Breacher loss that tanked almost 11.5k damage.  Yes, 11,500 raw damage, before it died to a Dramiel.  The only reason it died?  Because I'd never had an engagement that long, and I rarely fly missile ships-I burned out my Rockets.  To boot, I didn't even think about un-grouping my Launchers and seeing if I had any active.  DERP!  So with all of these new experiences, what do I think I've gotten out of this month, thus far?

Learning!  I think that's what draws me to EvE more than anything else.  There is always something new to do, new to see, new to try.  This, above anything else this month, is what I've gotten out of this month.  I encourage each and every one of you to get out of your comfort zone, to try your version of 'Bloody April' no matter what you do in EvE.  That doesn't necessarily mean PvP-just commit totally, 100% to something that you don't typically do full-time in game, go after it for a month, and see where it takes you.  You might be surprised where you end up, or what you learn.  I'd love to hear about what you do.  Good Luck!


A.G.

Bloody April, and the Freedom of Not Caring about Sec-Status

Heyo Folks! 

I haven't made a post on the Blog in some time.  Oop!  I'm not entirely sure why, though I do think that part of it is that I've decided to make April a special month of sorts for Argos.  He's decided to forgo the idea of a Positive Sec Status, tank it, and just engage things at random, like crazy, and see how many kills he can get.  It's Bloody April!  So far he's sitting on 76 kills and 28 losses.  Not the best efficiency, but hey, I welped 4 times in a row into one guy with the same ship, knowing that his ship (obviously, after the first try) could best mine, and 3 times (same deal) in a row to another guy.  It had to be done, those crews were just getting too rowdy for my liking.  I've let guys refit their ships before fighting me, obviously knowing they would tailor their ship to counter mine (adding T2 EM and Thermal Rigs on a Breacher to fight my Tormentor anyone?  He even posted his fit in local to boast about it-umm, congrats?)  In addition, I'm definitely branching out the hulls, fits, and compositions of most of the ships I am using in combat, so it's taking me a bit to adjust to the ways of flying each one.  It's a great, fun process learning and experiencing something new is always enjoyable!

So, where will this end?  Your guess is as good as mine.  I have, however, noticed something interesting that I hadn't really thought about at first.

Argos has always cared about his Sec Status.  He likes doing things other than PvPing, after all, which is one of the reasons that A Band Apart works so well for him.  As a side effect of this, however, is that Argos is fairly selective about his targets.  It's not that I care about losing ships, that doesn't bother me at all, it's more that he tends to try and approach fights that he thinks he will get an engagement out of.  That's a distinction that I think is very important.  Win or lose, he wants a fight for each time he takes a hit on his Sec Status, and if he doesn't think he'll get a fair shot at one, he won't go for it.

Who-the-hell-cares-about-Sec-Status Argos?  If he thinks you're stabbed, or will run, or will blob, or overmatch him, he doesn't care.  He'll welp again and again into your ship, just to have something to shoot at for a few seconds.  Not caring about his Sec Status opens up so many potentially good fights for him, simply because he can stop being so selective.  It's a strange sense of freedom that I hadn't really thought about before, even though I have an old PvP alt that did the same thing.  I suppose I don't have the same level of emotional attachment to him that I do with Argos, so it's not something I had ever considered.

Are you the same way with some of your characters?  How many do you think Argos will get before either the month ends, I need to take a break, or some crappy RL thing pops up to prevent me from killin' ships (and dying in them a lot as well hah)?

Time to undock.  Let's find out.

A.G.

My Thoughts on Warp Core Stabs

Apparently Twitter is all, err, 'a Twit' with talk of Warp Core Stabs again today.  There are differing opinions on this, as with everything.  There are people that want to eliminate them from the game, those that want them only on certain ship types, those that want them left as they are, and just about every other thing you can (or can't) imagine.  My solution is an easy one.  CCP has proven they can implement it, so the baseline coding should already be there.  It helps eliminate people from being afk in a FW Plex, which is a complaint of many.  Also, it doesn't effect what you can fit them on, or their function in-game, so should have a minimal impact on those that use them, whether for hauling, moving around in Null/WHs, or anything else.  So what is it?

Simple.

Make Warp Core Stabs an active module, one that cannot be activated within 30km of a Faction Warfare button. 

This ensures that it will have a minimal effect on haulers and movement with other ships, because as soon as you drop your gate cloak and start to align, you should already be activating any active tanking mods you have fitted, that or your cloak.  Yes, WCSs would be an additional thing you have to activate, but there shouldn't be such a delay in activation that you would get caught in a situation you would have previously avoided.

Also, this addresses the complaint that WCSs are used in FW to afk mine the plexes.  Feel free to fit your ships with WCSs, sure, but if you are close enough to run the timer down, you aren't far enough away to activate your stabs and run away.  You can also still activate all of your weapons, but you have sacrificed potential DPS mods or tank mods on something that might not help you at all.  That is balance.  It's a choice you have to make.  EvE is a game about choices and consequences, and instead of limiting them with this new way of module usage, it actually expands the options and choices you have to make, which can help generate content for us all. 

Again, CCP has already proven they can implement all of this.  Cloaks can't be activated within 30km of the button in a plex.  You can fit one, sure, but you still have to pay attention and get out to range to activate it if you do.  Turning a module into an active one?  Sure, it will involve work, but obviously we have active modules so there shouldn't be too much legacy code to work through.

That's pretty much it from me on the subject.  What do you think?  Is it a good idea, a bad idea?  Let me know what you think.


A.G.

And the Winner Is...

Ok folks, we have a slight problem.  I had a ton of entries!  While this is a GREAT THING, it also meant that I had an incredibly hard time figuring out who the Winner was going to be.  It could easily have been any of the Entries, I don't think there was a bad one in the lot.

Please bear in mind that my judgement is very much subjective.  As it's my Blog, and my ISK that's being used for the prizes, I felt like that was ok after all.  Still, I hadn't expected the numbers I got!  Due to this, the next time I put on a Poetry Contest (and I definitely intend to do this again!), I'm going to put together a panel of judges so we can get a more balanced, measured judgement.

Well, you don't care about any of that.  The finalists, in no particular order, are presented below.  If all you want to know is who won (strange for a Poetry Contest heh), then just scroll down to the bottom!  Yes, there are 4 Finalists.  Obviously, this is going to be a massively long Blog Post.  If the poem is based of an existing one, the Original Author is sited, but not quoted.  This is done for brevity.  So, here goes:


Submission by Bishop Harcourt, of DUST 514

(THE UNENDING, Original Work)

Body torn and broken,
life slipping from my grasp.

A life so newly woken,
now death's cold hand doth clasp.

The lights they fade,
as my screams do drown,

the battle's tirade
upon unhallowed ground.

I will be born again.


Submission by Webmandrill, of EvE Online

The IF of EVE (Original by Rudyard Kipling-If)
  
If you can keep your ship while all about you

Are losing theirs and it’s because of you,

If you can trust no-one and all men doubt you,

But still they let you fleece them blind anew;

If you can gank, and not be tired by ganking,

Or scam and cheat and not fall for the same,

If you can lose, and come back from your losses,

And not lose it when they say “It’s just a game.”:

If you can scheme, and scheme through to fruition,
If you can plot and counterplot and win,
If you can stand, watching an empire’s dissolution,
And know that by your actions it began;
If you can take apart the truth that’s spoken,
And craft it into traps for foolish souls,
Or feed on the scraps of hope you’ve broken,
All as the means to reach your goals:

If you can fit a tank for all occasions,

And have them waiting in the hangar when you die,
If you will fly and fight in any situation,
If you can jump, or not, and not ask why.
If you’ve felt the hand of burnout on your shoulder,

When the smooth is drowning slowly in the rough,

And another’s voice breaks through to make you bolder,

As it asks you “Can I have your stuff?”

If you know PL from Goons and that they’re different,

Or what’s a DCU and how they save your ass,

If you time your overheat unto the instant,

And salute a fallen foe to show your class,

If you can fill the unforgiving darkness,

With a universe of fire and death and fun,

Yours is the black in all it’s vastness,

And - which is more - You’ll be a frozen corpse, and cloned.


Submissions by Brenn Derrington, of EvE Online

(Untitled, Original by William Carlos Williams-The Red Wheelbarrow)

so much depends

upon

a small fast

frigate

razed by hot

gunfire

beside the vast

titan.

(Untitled, Original by J.R.R. Tolkien-The Road Goes Ever On)

Space goes ever ever on,

Through that Gate where Earth may be

Black holes where once a sun has shone

Black depths where death’s awaiting me;

Beyond the wars by hatreds sown

And o’er their pilots’ gaping wounds

Past the belts of idle stone,

And a hundred thousand floating moons.

Space goes ever ever on

‘Round the cloud and burning star,

And fleets that wandering have gone

Search in vain for home afar.

Eyes that watch where Jove has been

In horror see those threats have grown

Wondering what it all may mean

As they stand guard and wait, alone.

The game goes ever on and on

Far past the gates where we began.

An unknown path its tale is on,

Though we must tell it, if we can.

Pursuing it, our eager fleets

Will clash and fight, and war is play

Where many ships and pilots meet.

And what is next? We cannot say.

Submitted by Mynxee, of EvE Online

(Untitled, Original Work)

slipping like a ghost
on pathways between the stars
signals beckon me

Thank you for ALL of the Submissions!  They were all fantastic!
 

Ok, so who are the Winners?   The Winners are...  

1st Place - Brenn Derrington!  Both of the poems submitted by this Author really seem to key in on some of the foundational experiences we have in the game.  In the first poem, both the sheer excitement and matching terror of a PvP encounter, and in the second the absolute Mystery and Wonder that we all can find within vastness of the game, no matter what we do as a 'Profession' inside of it.  Congratulations! 

Second Place -  Webmandrill!  I think that this poem really speaks to, and about, many of the things we actually encounter inside of the game directly.  Anyone who has played the game has experienced many of the things that the Authormentions in his poem.  Great job! 

Third Place - Bishop Harcourt!  Your poem, while centered on a Dusties experience of quick, sudden, repeated death, also is felt by us in EvE.  Your entry was short, abrupt, and to the point.  Your brevity, your tone, and the quick delivery of the words echoed the life-and lifespan-of a Dust Merc.  Well done!

Many other entries are worthy of Winning a Prize.  Please keep writing, and when I host the next one of these, please enter again!  All of your creativity and passion for the game we all Play is truly insipring.  Thank You for making this first incarnation of my EvE Poetry Contest a success! 

To all Winners: Please send me a mail at argosgelert@gmail.com with the Character Name in EvE you want you prizes to be contracted to.  Again, Congratulations!

Argos Gelert

PvP Fits?

A quick post before tomorrows big one with the Poetry Contest winners.

I've noticed that the most viewed Post on the Blog, other than the Contest, has been the one PvP fit that I've put up here.  I'm going to go ahead and assume that it means that people are interested in that kind of thing, so from this point onward I'll be posting at least one (1) new PvP fit each week, probably every Friday.  This may grow into something much, much more.  I'm considering simply writing a new, general guide to Frigates, Destroyers and potentially Cruisers in regards to their utility, roles, and potentially select Fits, and how they should be used in PvP.  Obviously any of the information contained within would be my opinion, and not necessarily the general consensus (or even the best options).  We'll see how inspired I happen to get once I start this project.

A.G.

I Love EvE, but EvE Doesn't Matter

Lately, I've been writing a bit of EvE inspired poetry.  I don't know who it was in my Alliance that really started it all, but I'm blaming Soro for having such an awesome parody of a Robert Burns poem.

During a rare moment of respite at work, I jotted down a few lines of another poem-a very rough draft-that won't be shown until after my Poetry Contest has finished up.  While working on it, I had a thought.  Does EvE really matter?  Now, hold on, don't go all crazy on me!  I know there are differing sides, the whole tongue-in-cheek (though sometimes seriously taken) 'EvE is Real', right along side the 'EvE is just a game everyone!'.  I actually agree with both, to a certain degree.

As a part-time PvPer, I realize that KillBoards are used by many people to judge 'how good we are' at playing.  Don't get me wrong, I like seeing my KB in the green, but that's not really why I play.  At the end of the day, I don't really care if it's positive or negative, because it doesn't really matter.  I play to have fun.  That might seem overly simple, but it really is that basic for me.  If I didn't have fun playing EvE, guess what?  I wouldn't play!  Mind-blowing, ain't it?

The way I look at it, if I get to the point where I obsess over my KB, get angry and dwell on my losses, take things out of game, or think that someone is 'bad at EvE' or that I'm 'better than they are' because their KillBoard is better than mine, then I need to take a deep breath, step back, and honestly take a break from playing.  Why should I let a game effect the way I view myself (be it self-esteem/self-worth or anything else), get me so angry I lose my temper, or say/do things I regret?  Basically, if I let something I do in-game negatively effect me in the real world, then there is a problem!

So, is EvE 'Real' then?  YES!  Why do I say that if I just wrote that it's just a game, and I shouldn't let it effect me in the Real World?  Simple.  The game, even though I love playing and intend to do so for months, years and maybe more, isn't real.  The people behind the screens ARE.  I've met some amazing people both in-game and at Player Meets.  Many of them I consider to be real-life friends, even if we've never met in real-life.  Many times we talk about what's going on IRL with us, the birth of a child, the problems at work.  Sometimes we confide in each other.  We ask for advice.  Much of what we get out of EvE, it seems, isn't about EvE at all.  It's about living, and life.  EvE brings people together, and that is what makes EvE 'Real'.  Without it, most of us would never have gotten to know one another.  We'd never have had MeetUps, FanFest, or any of these great an wonderful Events that get us out of our houses, into the Real World, and interacting with genuine, wonderful people.

So Eve doesn't really matter... but we have plenty of reasons to Love EvE.

A.G.

Blobs, BLOBS!

The other day I was roaming with a friend of mine, me in a Jaguar (my first time flying one in PvP!) and him in a Svipul.  We figured we'd do some dual roaming and see if we could find anything decent.  We got a few kills, but then?  Then, we actually found another Svipul on D-Scan.  Score!  I warped in first to try and tackle the guy, but he managed to warp off and escape before I could land point.  As we were preparing to warp out ourselves however, this happened: https://zkillboard.com/kill/45283806/ . I'll admit; this pilot took us completely by surprise.  While we had initially seen him on D-Scan, we never imagined he'd warp to us!  We pointed him as soon as we noticed him land on the field, and he of course died.  Then, he promptly accused of us blobbing him.  He went on quite a nice little rant.  I was honestly taken aback at this.  We were only dual roaming so I hadn't considered us a 'blob', and he was the one who warped into us-we weren't even hunting him at the time!  What I found most amusing is that shortly thereafter, he did this to an Alliance mate of mine: https://zkillboard.com/kill/45283970/ .  He apparently had a problem when he warped into two of us and died, but he also apparently had ZERO problem with participating in a 6 v 1 on another pilot.

I don't bring this up to shame any party-in fact, I bring it up to ask a question.  Why are people so adverse to blobbing when it happens to them, but then are apparently so willing to do it others?

Honestly, I think it's a fairly simple explanation.  Many people in LowSec prefer 1 v 1's.  The problem is, most people have gotten to the point that they expect their 1v1 to turn into them getting slaughtered by 3-5 other people that warp into the fight.  That, or for their opponent to be linked, or be using 1 billion+ ISK implants, or using drugs etc. etc. etc.  People don't expect a fight to be 'fair' or 'even' anymore (if there was ever really such a thing in EvE-something that I personally doubt).  They figure that if they are getting blobbed, why should they feel bad when they do it to others?  It's the rationale that 'everyone else is doing it'.

I'm not here to say 'everyone stop blobbing and it'll just go away'.  I don't believe that.  For every pilot that wants to 1 v 1, there are at least as many that want kills so badly they'll 30 v 1 if they have to as long as they get a 'kill' and don't lose their ship.  It's all about 'fear of loss' after all, and we as humans, inside game and out, are programmed to do what is necessary to avoid that.  To expect us to completely drop that instinct just because we are playing a game isn't realistic.  What I am saying is that as far as blobs go, we all just need to stop getting upset by it when it happens to us.  If you play enough, and undock and fight enough, guess what?  For every 6 v 1 you die to, you'll probably get in on a 3 or 4 v 1 kill.  Your kills will probably, eventually, even out. 

While we always try to post 'gf' in Local, we rarely ever get a 'fair' fight, as the idea of a 'fair fight' is mostly an illusion.  It doesn't really exist.  We all analyse our target before we even warp to them, trying to figure our chances of winning based on experience.  What can our ship do?  What can theirs do?  How is mine fit?  How is theirs likely fit?  It's a gamble, a chance, and that's the part that can be exhilarating.  The person on the other side of our warp is probably doing the same things!  One of us fails in our analysis, tactics or piloting and unless the fight ends in a draw, is destroyed.  We enter fights with the intent on killing another players ship while not losing our own.  In combat, despite what people might wish, there are no 'Rules'.  Almost everyone has blobbed before, just as almost everyone has been blobbed.

The point of this post?  I suppose it's simply to say that accusing each other doesn't do any good.  We are with very few exceptions, all equally guilty!  My advice?  Go for the next fight without hesitation, learn from each engagement, don't get discouraged, and above all Keep Flying!

A.G.

Poetry Contest

Hello All!

Recently, A Band Apart has been sharing EvE related Poetry on our Forums.  Strange, I know.  Awesome, absolutely!  I wrote one which is posted here, and have also done a few others which will, in due course, also be posted.  Well, that's not the point of this post.  What is it?  Well, the Title says it all!

After working on my last poem (which I'm still not happy with-I'm not perfectly happy with the one I already posted, so this one I want to get a bit better before it gets put on here), I thought 'Why isn't there an EvE Poetry Contest'?  Well, for all I know there IS.  I know there was a standard writing contest, after all.  However, since I'm not aware of it, assuming it even exists, I'm holding one of my own.  Why the hell not, right?

Initially I thought that I'd offer this just to A Band Apart.  However, there really isn't any reason not to open it up to all of New Eden.  I'm not very well known, however, so even though I intend to post this on Twitter as well, maybe we'll just get ABA members only anyway.

So anyhow, rules.

RULES (I hate rules):

1.  Write, in English, an EvE inspired Poem.  It can either be wholly original, or based off an existing poem.  If it's based off an existing poem, however, please copy the original, along with the author.

2.  Send it to argosgelert@gmail.com before March 27th, 2015 with your in-game Character name

That's it!   I'll read the submissions, and make a decision on Winner, Place and Show.  For you normal folks, that's 1st, 2nd and 3rd.

Why do this?  EASY!  It'll take only as much or as little of your time as you'd like, and there are PRIZES PRIZES PRIZES!

1st Place - 1 PLEX

2nd Place - 250mill ISK + Pirate Cruiser of my choice

3rd Place - 100mill ISK + Pirate Frigate of my choice

Winners will be Announced on the Blog on March 31st, 2015 along with the text of all winning entries, and all Prizes will be Contracted either in Jita or Amarr, except ISK which of course will be put into the wallet of the Character name you submitted with your entry.

If you want to donate prizes, feel free to do so.  I'll add it to the prize-pool that I'm already paying out on a scaled pay progression.

Ok, that's it!  I've rambled on far too long, so GET WRITING AND SUBMITTING!  YES THAT MEANS YOU!!!

A.G.

'A Fight'

Below is a bit of EvE Poetry, written, quite badly, by me.  Apologies for the lack of proper composition heh.

'A Fight'

D-Scan shows my target,

Lone Atron drifting, drifting.

A faint hum sounds in my pod,

Engines fire the gate and I approach.

Alarm! Alarm!

A Huginn, quiet, stealthy,

Invisible.

A trap, and I have fallen.

In my pod I feel it all;

Shields fail with a flicker,

Armor sheds itself like

Layers of skin flaking away in a sandstorm.

Fire, fire,

It burns, but only in my mind.

Hull is rupturing, and I know

I am lost.

My pod seems to float,

And a soothing blue light envelopes me.

A flash, and for a moment I feel cold;

Then nothing.

I am blind,

Except for black, and the Darkness.

It passes in an instant;

I open my eyes, and I live.

A.G.

Fit-of-the-Week, 2015-03-05

So this is the first of my 'Fit-of-the-Week' posts.  This won't likely be a weekly thing, if I'm going to be honest.  It will come in fits and starts, a post here, a post there, and maybe a whole ton of them all at once.  Who knows.

Anyhow, some people will wonder whether or not it is smart to post fits that you use, especially ones that you use yourself in PvP.  To that I say, well, anyone can look up my KB and see what ships I die in, and the fits that I died in.  I'd rather help people fly new, exciting, and EFFECTIVE fits than try to keep the air of mystery around what I fly, and how.  That, and let's be honest here: I don't exactly have a massive Blog-Reading audience here hahaha!  Anyway, on to the first fit.

Let's be clear about this as well: I don't EFT or Pyfa (I know, GASP), so all of my fits?  They are theory-crafted in-game and are found to be effective by actual in-game experience.  As I don't do EFT or Pyfa, I won't run numbers for you, I'll just tell you how I fly it and how it works.

Scram-Kite Tristan

Highslots:
150mm Railgun II
150mm Railgun II

Midslots:
Warp Scrambler II
Stasis Webifier II
1MN Afterburner II

Lowslots:
Damage Control Unit II
Adaptive Nano-Plating II
Small Ancillary Armor Repairer

Rigs:
2x Small Auxilary Nano Pumps I
1x Small Anti-Explosive Pump I

Drones:
5x Hobgoblin II's
3x Acolyte II's


This fit was specifically built to kill close-in Brawlers, as well as Neuting-Tristans.  Don't forget to set your rep to NOT reload paste automatically (and also to load it in the first place).  Make sure you overheat your rep as well when you use it for the extra reps and the extra cycle speed. 

The Hobs are your Max-DPS option once your target is scrammed and webbed.  The Acolytes are used against any ship you think is Shield-Tanked, and against any kiters you might face.  As kiters tend to be Shield-Tanked, this can be quite helpful. 

Typically with this ship your goal is to fly between 7-9km out.  You can either try to orbit at range (usually around 7km), and use keep at range (set at 30km to draw you away) and approach as needed, or you can also manually pilot as well, which is what I do.  Use whichever technique you feel most comfortable with.  Also, if a target gets close to 9km out, make sure to overheat your point and web until you draw them back in!

Don't forget about your Railguns!  These aren't your main DPS makers, but they are important.  Use Javelin as it will hit nicely in scram-kite range, and has bonuses to tracking as well!  Carry some Spike as well to give extra DPS against someone who is kiting you (along with your Acolytes).

This is a great little fit, and one that is very effective at 1v1 PvP, or in small gangs as well.  Make sure your drones skills are up to par-T2 drones are a MUST with any Tristan fit.  I hope you can use this ship to go out and have fun, and hopefully get a few kills in it-I have killed more ships with this Fit than any other Ship or Fit, over any of my characters.

Good Luck!
 
A.G.

For Posterity

I'm changing Argos' Bio in-game shortly.  While this doesn't matter to most people (including me, to a certain extent), I am putting his old Bio on this here Blog so I can have it saved for the future.  That's it.

Corporation Pub Channel: EVEOGANDA

Corps. Diplomat for Stay Frosty.

Standard Stuff:

*  I do not usually do Agreed Upon 1v1's however if I agree to one it will ALWAYS be honored on my side.
*  I do not engage in duels.  If you want to PvP, risk shooting me in HighSec or just hunt me down in Low or Null.
*  I rarely ransom people, but if I do, it will be honored.
*  Link and Drug Free - Just Say No

Call me an Anarchist or simply an Evil Capsuleer if you wish.  You can insist that I am wrong for letting morals slide for easy pay and pleasure.  Condemn me if you will, but while I slip into my cabin with 10 mill ISK a shot whiskey served to me by a lovely Amarrian Slave Girl, you will be floating in a rusted out Rifter with second hand guns, all because you still cling to the quaint notion of 'Playing by the Rules'.

This is New Eden, not the Old 'Earth' of Legend.  The Rules are what we make them.

[19:37:57] Joffy Aulx-Gao > Dead playboy girls are still playboy girls

...And the Sky Full of Stars

…bzzt…bzzt…bzzt…

Claire’s eyes flickered open at the sound of the incessant alarm.  Soft lavender light clicked on, illuminating the inside of her pod.  True, it wasn’t a standard color, but she figured she could manage with a few extravagances here and there.  She didn’t have a question on who this transmission was from-only one person had her personal Voice Com channels.  With a thought, she brought her Comms online and the line crackled to life.

“Hello Claire, how are you?  It has been quite a while since we last spoke.”

The voice on the other end had a somewhat folksy sound to it, but it came through strong, educated and more than a little self-assured.  The VidLink was blocked at the source of transmission-she had never seen his face actually-though she smirked slightly as she saw the point of origin on the message - Yulai IX – CONCORD Bureau.  Her Patron had a sense of humor, it seemed.

“Sir, are you sure that CONCORD, and the Yulai Station of all places, is the best place for you?  I’d have thought that they’d have a price on your head for all of the ships you’ve blown up recently.” Claire asked, casually amused.

The answer came without even a momentary delay.  “CONCORD has no issue with me.  A quite transparent and easily understood organization, really.  Kill a few non-Capsuleer pirates for them once in awhile, and they are quite content to let you do whatever it is you want to.  Either that, or just grease the right palms…  You are getting me off track.  I assume that you wish to know why I contacted you after all of these months?”

“Yes, Sir.”  That was an understatement.  Her Patron had paid for her training as well as the initiation into her Home Planets' Capsuleer Program.  He had even given her several hundred million ISK, and he had asked for only one thing.  He had told her that someday he might need her services, and if he did, she was expected to appear.  That was years ago.  She had only been inducted as a Capsuleer fairly recently and had been expecting him to contact her every day since.  What came next, however, surprised her.

“As you have probably realized by now considering the focus of the training I arranged for you, I thought I would need the services of a fellow Capsuleer as a complimentary scanner for me.  I no longer need that service, or at least, I do not need it at present.  I have in fact had the Contract you signed with me in regards to this matter invalidated.”  He stated this calmly, essentially without emotion.  To him it must have been nothing more than a business decision, but to Claire, this was her LIFE.  Still, he wasn’t done yet.  “I do however have a suggestion.  A former associate of mine-a former Pirate, actually-has started a new Corporation in New Eden.  It is part of the EvE-Scout Alliance.  It is called ‘Signal Cartel’.  I think it would be a good fit for you.  I have noticed the business ventures that you have been involved with, and as this is a non-combat, peaceful exploration outfit, I believe it will be a good fit for you.  Regardless, have fun with your new life as a Capsuleer.  I am sure our paths will cross again, though hopefully not at the end of one of my guns.  When they do cross next, by all means, call me Argos.”  With a soft click, and without even waiting for a response, he closed the channel.

For a few moments, Claire was unable to even formulate a rational thought.  Finally after what seemed like forever but must have been only seconds, she focused on what she had in front of her now.   

She suddenly had so many choices, and honestly she wasn’t keen on taking the option that had been mentioned, this ‘Signal Cartel’ place, simply because of who had mentioned it to her!  Still, she’d be a fool to dismiss it out of hand.  With a thought, she keyed up the information on Signal Cartel.  Mynxee was there, just like she had been told.  An odd play for a Pirate, former or otherwise.  Besides, why would a current Pirate, and a Stay Frosty at that, recommend this place to her?  Claire was instantly suspicious.  Was there some other agenda at play here?  She was about to close down the viewer when another name caught her attention: Katia Sae, the famous explorer, had joined Signal Cartel.  

Katia gave this place instant credibility in her Explorer’s heart.  If she had signed up, maybe this wasn’t such a bad place for her after all.  Claire’s eyes flitted over the information, her mind soaking in what they offered, what they were about.  Exploring for the sake of exploring.  Finding the treasures of New Eden.  Cashing in when the opportunity arose, sure, but sometimes?  Sometimes, just floating out there alone in the emptiness of space, basking in the wonders of the Universe.  Without even realizing it, she had made her decision.  Launching her probes, she began to scan for a WormHole Entrance into Thera.  Signal Cartel awaited, and all the possibilities that she could dream of were hers to claim.  The sky was full of stars, and she was intent on seeing what she could make of them all.