This question has been asked many times in my past, and admittedly was affected much by the meta at the time, as well as who was asking the question and who was answering! However, I feel passing it by my readership would provide interesting insight into the dynamic of small gang PvP in EVE at the present. So, here's my query:
Given the option for any ship combinations, what would be your ideal gang composition when roaming through lowsec for fights? How would it change for a two man, five man and ten man gangs respectively? Please explain your selection: from a standpoint of cost, synergy, objectives, strategy and fun, why are your choices ideal?
And while I'm not trying to limit my readership per se, no capital ships in your selection. Anything beyond that is fair game.
(For those nullsec only folks, I'll be posting a followup inquiry for that as well, so sit tight with your master plans)
Sunday, April 26, 2009
read this
From Venom, in response to my post about solo PvP:
"Hey Sard, I've been meaning to comment on this but just never got around to it, better 6 weeks later than not at all, no?
I appreciate this post, as I try to manage and learn to be a solo pirate as much as I learn to be in a group. I like both, I'm good a following directions but there is something appealing about being solo.
The part you mention about keeping a positive outlook and assessing where the fun comes from, well that was just plain good stuff.
I have a group of friends in hi-sec who are in a corp with an alt of mine. We tried hi-sec wardecing and invited some great players at PVP that we knew from what we started.
Why is it I hate hi-sec pvp vs low sec piracy? I thought it was the mechanics or the difference stations play, no that's not it.
The key was, pirates (well my pirates, bastards and hellcats) have a positive outlook on killing and being killed, we seek fun and if that means a ship is lost, oh well. Yet with my buddies in hi-sec, they were wrapped up in worries about KB stats and lost ships, often yelling or insulting others in fleet for things they in fact were the issue and not everyone else.
So when I'm asked why I like low-sec and piracy better, I say it's all about the positive mental attitude I have to losing a ship and the easy going folks who I run with.
Fun is the key, stress is at work, don't bring it to EVE."
How's about not spying and responding to your comment in three weeks myself? =3
While you can have easy going fun PvP anywhere, it's difficult to find respectable partners in crime without the accompanying baggage that takes the fun out of it: I'm talking about epeen waving over KB porn, smack talk, and the other immature garbage that goes along with that kind of attitude. Playing with like minded folk that respect your method about the game is huge. Finding friends open to the reality that so much drama occurs over a video game is just as big.
You win a cookie girl. Next time I'm in game, your insight will earn you a treat from my goodies hanger.
"Hey Sard, I've been meaning to comment on this but just never got around to it, better 6 weeks later than not at all, no?
I appreciate this post, as I try to manage and learn to be a solo pirate as much as I learn to be in a group. I like both, I'm good a following directions but there is something appealing about being solo.
The part you mention about keeping a positive outlook and assessing where the fun comes from, well that was just plain good stuff.
I have a group of friends in hi-sec who are in a corp with an alt of mine. We tried hi-sec wardecing and invited some great players at PVP that we knew from what we started.
Why is it I hate hi-sec pvp vs low sec piracy? I thought it was the mechanics or the difference stations play, no that's not it.
The key was, pirates (well my pirates, bastards and hellcats) have a positive outlook on killing and being killed, we seek fun and if that means a ship is lost, oh well. Yet with my buddies in hi-sec, they were wrapped up in worries about KB stats and lost ships, often yelling or insulting others in fleet for things they in fact were the issue and not everyone else.
So when I'm asked why I like low-sec and piracy better, I say it's all about the positive mental attitude I have to losing a ship and the easy going folks who I run with.
Fun is the key, stress is at work, don't bring it to EVE."
How's about not spying and responding to your comment in three weeks myself? =3
While you can have easy going fun PvP anywhere, it's difficult to find respectable partners in crime without the accompanying baggage that takes the fun out of it: I'm talking about epeen waving over KB porn, smack talk, and the other immature garbage that goes along with that kind of attitude. Playing with like minded folk that respect your method about the game is huge. Finding friends open to the reality that so much drama occurs over a video game is just as big.
You win a cookie girl. Next time I'm in game, your insight will earn you a treat from my goodies hanger.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
lasers go pew pew pew
All the while my drones chew on you.
It's a long established fact that the Myrmidon, lacking a turret bonus, is often fitted with exotic weaponry compared to normal hybrid arms favored by the Gallente Federation. Commonly this takes the form of capacitor warfare modules, remote repair equipment, autocannons for a capacitor independent bite, or even smart bombs to fend off enemy drones. Much less common and far more entertaining is using medium energy turrets to blast through the opposition.
Lasers are normally eschewed on unbonused vessels due to the dramatic capacitor and fitting requirements they impose. That virtually all Amarrian gun boats have a 10% per level reduction in laser capacitor use highlights just how much of a cap hog they are (This bonus brings them roughly in line with hybrid turrets in cap usage). Pair this high cost to available energy with the typical active tank on a Myrmidon and the jury is out on the matter. Mostly.
What many individuals disregard are the traits which make energy turrets so viable in today's battlefield: range, damage and flexibility. Boasting the best optimal of any close range weapon system, pulse lasers with short range crystals are able to deal full damage where other weapons are in heavy falloff, which inflict markedly reduced damage for it. The T2 range ammo for pulse lasers, Scorch, allows engagement ranges unheard of compared to autocannons or blasters.
This range paired with good damage makes lasers remarkable, but the third major selling point is the ability for lasers to quickly adapt to chaotic battlefield conditions. There is no wait to change between crystal types, nor do they wear out quickly. This means a laser fit ship is able to hastily change from short to long range crystals as a situation develops, and does not have to worry over ammunition reloads as other turret or missile systems do. All these traits lend to consistent, deadly fire dealing maximum damage where other weapons would fall short. Pretty cool trade off for ships that can accommodate the extra fitting and capacitor requirements.
Having trained Gallente Cruiser to three, I decided to give the Myrmidon a try. Being the inspired, mischevious person that I am, lasers were the obvious choice for the ship. With Raxip unavailable, I set off along my typical roam path through Molden Heath in search for fights.
Jumping from Oddelulf into Istodard, I happened upon a small gate camp consisting of a Cerberus and Sacrilege. A quick scan of the locals confirmed that they were indeed alone, giving me a snowballs chance in hell of taking the pair by myself. I broke from the gate cloak, and started MWDing back to the stargate, hoping they'd interpret my action as cowardice. Neither of the HACs were outlaws, so I'd need for them to fire on me and incur sentry fire for victory to be possible.
Fortunately for me, both ships obliged, racing to place tackle on my battlecruiser and followed soon by missile ordinance. My larger hull shrugged off the heavy explosions, dual MARs fighting back damage as offensive systems responded to the aggression. A mixed flight of heavy, medium and light drones launched from the drone bay, moving to consume the Cerberus in fire. A disruptor, followed soon by a webifier and scrambler completed my tackle on the Caldari HAC, denying it the ability to MWD away from the battle while the more capable Sacrilege slugged it out with me. Focused Medium Pulse Lasers lit the void between our two ships with white brilliance, each strike adding a noticable drop in the Cerberus's shield reserves.
Even with sentry turrets on my side, the situation I had gotten myself into was dire, lending a note of desperation to my actions. This was evidenced by virtually every module on my ship running overheated to stave off destruction as I tried to put down the Cerberus. It was exhibiting much more of a defense than I anticipated, likely due to the thermal damage type my drones were inflicting. Even with the potent passive tank, the Cerberus just wasn't intended for close range brawling, its tank failing about the same time mine was kissing structure. Its shields gone, the HAC folded in seconds.
With the Cerberus destroyed, I shifted my attention to the Sacrilege. Lasers stabbed out at the HAC, followed soon by my swarm of drones. This time my drones were striking directly into the weakest resistance of their prey, and coupled with sentry and laser fire, the Sacrilege was dropping faster than the Cerberus was. The Sacrilege attempted to stave off defeat by targeting my drones; my close proximity to the HAC and my drone flight meant I could recall and relaunch them with ease. Striking through the last of its structure, an Ogre II touched off munition stores, the explosion ripping through the ship until breaching reactor containment. The sapphire inferno that followed was remarkable compared to the opposing pilot's ability with the vessel.
The field mine, I finished armor repairs and began scooping loot from the nearby wrecks. The fight wasn't over however. The nearby stargate flared to life, depositing another ship into the system.
A Dominix decloaked two dozen kilometers away from me, lumbering towards my smaller Myrmidon with speed afforded by a 100mn MWD. A flight of Ogre IIs launched from the battleship as Aura calmly informed me that my warp drive had been disrupted.
My mind raced, setting priorities while instincts took over and started locking up the enemy drone flight. Still adjacent to the Sacrilege wreck, I scooped as many 800 charges as possible to replace those I previously ran through and then I set into motion. Pulsing my MWD, my battlecruiser easily outpaced the battleship, maintaining enough distance to be out of range of blasters while in range of my warp disruptor. Watching my capacitor, I confirmed the Dominix lacked any heavy energy neutralizers. This fight was doable: the adrenaline high of a second underdog engagement in as many minutes refused any thinking otherwise.
My plan was simple: stay the hell away from blasters; kill his drones. Once his drones were dead, I could use my superior range to bleed him to death. The slow speed of the enemy Ogres meant one popped before the flight came into firing range; my webifier allowed me to track them once in close range, and for my own heavy drones to easily keep up. My dual reps were more than enough to keep up with incoming damage, and with each drone I swatted aside the damage fell lower and lower. After sending half a dozen heavy drones to their doom, the Dominix recalled the rest, realizing that he’d be unable to break my tank. Further, chasing me while running his MWD meant he was over 30km off the gate, facing a target he couldn't shake while taking sentry gun fire. The enemy pilot wisely turned around and started back to the stargate.
Victory in sight, I pursued, chasing the larger ship at range with Scorch ammo loaded, my drones finally turned lose against the enemy battleship. After nearly a minute of this though, the Dominix's tank showed no sign of breaking, and he had managed to make it back into range of the stargate. I needed to do something drastic to keep him from fleeing. Throwing caution to the wind, I decided to close distance and slug it with the larger ship at point blank range.
Closing in had the desired effect, and the larger ship once again launched drones and renewed his assault on my ship. My Myrmidon took a few volleys of blaster fire before closing into a tight orbit: even with a webifier on me, the large bore weapons couldn't track my vessel. However, at close range the Dominix was better able to guard his drone flight, recalling and launching drones which were taking fire. This also meant replacement drones didn't have to speed back into range of my ship. My armor repairers were fighting a losing battle against this sustained fire.
The Dominix has over double the drone capacity than the Myrmidon: it can carry a total of three heavy drone flights if the pilot deemed necessary. However, having lost so many drones chasing me, and with sentry guns switching from his ship to his drones, the tide of Ogres faltered, until running out utterly. The Dominix was left with only medium and smaller drones, which my repair modules were capable of matching. With the larger drones destroyed, I set to work once again on the Dominix.
Lacking proper drones to break my tank, and unable to track my orbiting vessel with his turrets, the opposing pilot eventually recalled his drones and stilled all hostile EWAR active against my ship. Banking on the prolonged combat having run through the battleship's 800 charge reserves, I threw myself against his ship with everything I had. My lasers burned with increased intensity as I set them to overheat, however my arsenal was too slow in blasting through the battleship's armor tank. The enemy pilot jumped through the gate with roughly 10% remaining, leaving a “GF” in local as he left.
It's a long established fact that the Myrmidon, lacking a turret bonus, is often fitted with exotic weaponry compared to normal hybrid arms favored by the Gallente Federation. Commonly this takes the form of capacitor warfare modules, remote repair equipment, autocannons for a capacitor independent bite, or even smart bombs to fend off enemy drones. Much less common and far more entertaining is using medium energy turrets to blast through the opposition.
Lasers are normally eschewed on unbonused vessels due to the dramatic capacitor and fitting requirements they impose. That virtually all Amarrian gun boats have a 10% per level reduction in laser capacitor use highlights just how much of a cap hog they are (This bonus brings them roughly in line with hybrid turrets in cap usage). Pair this high cost to available energy with the typical active tank on a Myrmidon and the jury is out on the matter. Mostly.
What many individuals disregard are the traits which make energy turrets so viable in today's battlefield: range, damage and flexibility. Boasting the best optimal of any close range weapon system, pulse lasers with short range crystals are able to deal full damage where other weapons are in heavy falloff, which inflict markedly reduced damage for it. The T2 range ammo for pulse lasers, Scorch, allows engagement ranges unheard of compared to autocannons or blasters.
This range paired with good damage makes lasers remarkable, but the third major selling point is the ability for lasers to quickly adapt to chaotic battlefield conditions. There is no wait to change between crystal types, nor do they wear out quickly. This means a laser fit ship is able to hastily change from short to long range crystals as a situation develops, and does not have to worry over ammunition reloads as other turret or missile systems do. All these traits lend to consistent, deadly fire dealing maximum damage where other weapons would fall short. Pretty cool trade off for ships that can accommodate the extra fitting and capacitor requirements.
Having trained Gallente Cruiser to three, I decided to give the Myrmidon a try. Being the inspired, mischevious person that I am, lasers were the obvious choice for the ship. With Raxip unavailable, I set off along my typical roam path through Molden Heath in search for fights.
Jumping from Oddelulf into Istodard, I happened upon a small gate camp consisting of a Cerberus and Sacrilege. A quick scan of the locals confirmed that they were indeed alone, giving me a snowballs chance in hell of taking the pair by myself. I broke from the gate cloak, and started MWDing back to the stargate, hoping they'd interpret my action as cowardice. Neither of the HACs were outlaws, so I'd need for them to fire on me and incur sentry fire for victory to be possible.
Fortunately for me, both ships obliged, racing to place tackle on my battlecruiser and followed soon by missile ordinance. My larger hull shrugged off the heavy explosions, dual MARs fighting back damage as offensive systems responded to the aggression. A mixed flight of heavy, medium and light drones launched from the drone bay, moving to consume the Cerberus in fire. A disruptor, followed soon by a webifier and scrambler completed my tackle on the Caldari HAC, denying it the ability to MWD away from the battle while the more capable Sacrilege slugged it out with me. Focused Medium Pulse Lasers lit the void between our two ships with white brilliance, each strike adding a noticable drop in the Cerberus's shield reserves.
Even with sentry turrets on my side, the situation I had gotten myself into was dire, lending a note of desperation to my actions. This was evidenced by virtually every module on my ship running overheated to stave off destruction as I tried to put down the Cerberus. It was exhibiting much more of a defense than I anticipated, likely due to the thermal damage type my drones were inflicting. Even with the potent passive tank, the Cerberus just wasn't intended for close range brawling, its tank failing about the same time mine was kissing structure. Its shields gone, the HAC folded in seconds.
With the Cerberus destroyed, I shifted my attention to the Sacrilege. Lasers stabbed out at the HAC, followed soon by my swarm of drones. This time my drones were striking directly into the weakest resistance of their prey, and coupled with sentry and laser fire, the Sacrilege was dropping faster than the Cerberus was. The Sacrilege attempted to stave off defeat by targeting my drones; my close proximity to the HAC and my drone flight meant I could recall and relaunch them with ease. Striking through the last of its structure, an Ogre II touched off munition stores, the explosion ripping through the ship until breaching reactor containment. The sapphire inferno that followed was remarkable compared to the opposing pilot's ability with the vessel.
The field mine, I finished armor repairs and began scooping loot from the nearby wrecks. The fight wasn't over however. The nearby stargate flared to life, depositing another ship into the system.
A Dominix decloaked two dozen kilometers away from me, lumbering towards my smaller Myrmidon with speed afforded by a 100mn MWD. A flight of Ogre IIs launched from the battleship as Aura calmly informed me that my warp drive had been disrupted.
My mind raced, setting priorities while instincts took over and started locking up the enemy drone flight. Still adjacent to the Sacrilege wreck, I scooped as many 800 charges as possible to replace those I previously ran through and then I set into motion. Pulsing my MWD, my battlecruiser easily outpaced the battleship, maintaining enough distance to be out of range of blasters while in range of my warp disruptor. Watching my capacitor, I confirmed the Dominix lacked any heavy energy neutralizers. This fight was doable: the adrenaline high of a second underdog engagement in as many minutes refused any thinking otherwise.
My plan was simple: stay the hell away from blasters; kill his drones. Once his drones were dead, I could use my superior range to bleed him to death. The slow speed of the enemy Ogres meant one popped before the flight came into firing range; my webifier allowed me to track them once in close range, and for my own heavy drones to easily keep up. My dual reps were more than enough to keep up with incoming damage, and with each drone I swatted aside the damage fell lower and lower. After sending half a dozen heavy drones to their doom, the Dominix recalled the rest, realizing that he’d be unable to break my tank. Further, chasing me while running his MWD meant he was over 30km off the gate, facing a target he couldn't shake while taking sentry gun fire. The enemy pilot wisely turned around and started back to the stargate.
Victory in sight, I pursued, chasing the larger ship at range with Scorch ammo loaded, my drones finally turned lose against the enemy battleship. After nearly a minute of this though, the Dominix's tank showed no sign of breaking, and he had managed to make it back into range of the stargate. I needed to do something drastic to keep him from fleeing. Throwing caution to the wind, I decided to close distance and slug it with the larger ship at point blank range.
Closing in had the desired effect, and the larger ship once again launched drones and renewed his assault on my ship. My Myrmidon took a few volleys of blaster fire before closing into a tight orbit: even with a webifier on me, the large bore weapons couldn't track my vessel. However, at close range the Dominix was better able to guard his drone flight, recalling and launching drones which were taking fire. This also meant replacement drones didn't have to speed back into range of my ship. My armor repairers were fighting a losing battle against this sustained fire.
The Dominix has over double the drone capacity than the Myrmidon: it can carry a total of three heavy drone flights if the pilot deemed necessary. However, having lost so many drones chasing me, and with sentry guns switching from his ship to his drones, the tide of Ogres faltered, until running out utterly. The Dominix was left with only medium and smaller drones, which my repair modules were capable of matching. With the larger drones destroyed, I set to work once again on the Dominix.
Lacking proper drones to break my tank, and unable to track my orbiting vessel with his turrets, the opposing pilot eventually recalled his drones and stilled all hostile EWAR active against my ship. Banking on the prolonged combat having run through the battleship's 800 charge reserves, I threw myself against his ship with everything I had. My lasers burned with increased intensity as I set them to overheat, however my arsenal was too slow in blasting through the battleship's armor tank. The enemy pilot jumped through the gate with roughly 10% remaining, leaving a “GF” in local as he left.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
don’t blink
Been a while since my last post, eh? I could place blame on a host of issues, ranging from scholastic pursuits to a poor internet connection, but what it really boils down to is that I haven’t had the urge to write of late. It stems in part from lack of game time, but that can only account for so much. I’m definitely no Roc Wieler when it comes to regularity of entries; I never intended to be. Hopefully this offering will serve to stir my muse from her slumber, and drive me towards future creativity for my readers to enjoy.
So! Let’s talk violence!
In the weeks since my last post, RANSM has doubled its member count with the addition of a Raxip Elamp. While sanctioned within the corporation as my official redshirt tackler pilot, the fierce combat I’ve exposed him to has only honed his abilities as a pilot, and trained him into an awesome force while piloting a Rifter hull. That he carries a positive K/D ratio on the KB in spite of my maniacal orders is a testament to his maturation as a capsuleer.
Rax and I have been doing some major damage around Molden Heath the weekends I have been able to log in to play, proof of which can be found at my KB. Perhaps our best fight of yet resulted from a roam into the Heimatar region, as we came to see what Kane Rizzel’s neck of the woods was like. MEAN Corp was happy to throw down a welcoming gauntlet for us to blast through.
After passing through Gusandall and its hoards of macro haulers, Raxip in his Rifter took one pocket of celestials to scan, while I in a Cyclone took another. Beyond the macro trash on scan, several viable targets were nearby: a Rupture, Arbitrator, Ishkur and Myrmidon. The ships were scattered, and as I began to relay orders to Raxip attempting to catch one of the ships, the Rupture interrupted my speech as it landed at the celestial I chose for scanning, twenty kilometers off. It wasted no time upon arrival, closing distance with a MWD to place tackle and streams of EMP rounds into the shields of my battlecruiser.
Seasoned in my trade, I exchanged tackle with the cruiser, calling out to Raxip to join me at my location. The five autocannons of my Cyclone spoke out against the Rupture’s four, followed immediately by volleys of heavy assault missiles and a drone flight. The cruiser’s shields winked away in the opening few trades of ordinance, with the armor plate of the Rupture fairing little better. Landing at the scene, Raxip had little time to apply his own share of firepower before the Rupture was removed from the field. The Rupture was not alone in space however, as both the Ishkur and Myrmidon spotted earlier arrived mere moments after their ally’s demise.
Facing two potent drone carriers, I cautioned Raxip to be extremely careful in his dealings, and called the Ishkur primary. Drones from both enemy vessels converged on Raxip’s Rifter, but my prodigal companion shrugged off the onslaught and managed to keep the Ishkur pinned in place with his tackle kit. Webbed, scrambled, and unable to close into the safety of a tight orbit around my battlecruiser, the Gallente assault ship caved in under the combined projectile might of our gang, lending a brief but brilliant flair of illumination to the black of space. Unfazed, the Myrmidon pressed on alone, attempting to close distance with my Cyclone and add its compliment of blasters to the fight.
Unfortunately for the Myrmidon, its inability to deal with the Rifter meant it would be unable to close distance with me: the Rifter’s webifier and scrambler meant the Myrmidon was approaching nowhere fast. Unable to match the range of my mixed projectile and missile arsenal, and unable to shake off the frigate hounding him with drones or blasters, the Myrmidon succumbed after a short lived attempt to tank our damage. Lacking GCCs as the MEAN Corp pilots were all outlaws, we scooped loot and left the scene before a possible vengeance gang formed in nearby Gusandall.
(ED: Myrmidon ended up being a LASER fit, which I thought only myself and Kil2 ever flew. Pilot lacked T2 laser skills though, so a failure on his part.)
In the past, I would have eschewed a partner in a frigate for something larger: ideally another battlecruiser for reasons explained previously. However, having flown with Raxip the past few months, I’d now say the synergy between an agile frigate and a powerful supporting cruiser or battlecruiser can’t be denied. The frigate is able to acquire hasty tackles, and uses its speed to avoid damage while its larger associate brings the pain. Additionally, the frigate is able to ward off other frigates from riding under the guns of his larger companion, which is a breath of relief to ships I fly that can’t even manage a webifier in their fittings, such as my favored Cyclone. And despite all the monstrous reversals that have been in place for months present since QR, many pilots still underestimate frigates, either ignoring them, or believing them to be an easy gank. Raxip has proven time and again that he’s much more likely to speed tank your ordinance while setting you up for my larger vessel to knock you down.
So! Let’s talk violence!
In the weeks since my last post, RANSM has doubled its member count with the addition of a Raxip Elamp. While sanctioned within the corporation as my official redshirt tackler pilot, the fierce combat I’ve exposed him to has only honed his abilities as a pilot, and trained him into an awesome force while piloting a Rifter hull. That he carries a positive K/D ratio on the KB in spite of my maniacal orders is a testament to his maturation as a capsuleer.
Rax and I have been doing some major damage around Molden Heath the weekends I have been able to log in to play, proof of which can be found at my KB. Perhaps our best fight of yet resulted from a roam into the Heimatar region, as we came to see what Kane Rizzel’s neck of the woods was like. MEAN Corp was happy to throw down a welcoming gauntlet for us to blast through.
After passing through Gusandall and its hoards of macro haulers, Raxip in his Rifter took one pocket of celestials to scan, while I in a Cyclone took another. Beyond the macro trash on scan, several viable targets were nearby: a Rupture, Arbitrator, Ishkur and Myrmidon. The ships were scattered, and as I began to relay orders to Raxip attempting to catch one of the ships, the Rupture interrupted my speech as it landed at the celestial I chose for scanning, twenty kilometers off. It wasted no time upon arrival, closing distance with a MWD to place tackle and streams of EMP rounds into the shields of my battlecruiser.
Seasoned in my trade, I exchanged tackle with the cruiser, calling out to Raxip to join me at my location. The five autocannons of my Cyclone spoke out against the Rupture’s four, followed immediately by volleys of heavy assault missiles and a drone flight. The cruiser’s shields winked away in the opening few trades of ordinance, with the armor plate of the Rupture fairing little better. Landing at the scene, Raxip had little time to apply his own share of firepower before the Rupture was removed from the field. The Rupture was not alone in space however, as both the Ishkur and Myrmidon spotted earlier arrived mere moments after their ally’s demise.
Facing two potent drone carriers, I cautioned Raxip to be extremely careful in his dealings, and called the Ishkur primary. Drones from both enemy vessels converged on Raxip’s Rifter, but my prodigal companion shrugged off the onslaught and managed to keep the Ishkur pinned in place with his tackle kit. Webbed, scrambled, and unable to close into the safety of a tight orbit around my battlecruiser, the Gallente assault ship caved in under the combined projectile might of our gang, lending a brief but brilliant flair of illumination to the black of space. Unfazed, the Myrmidon pressed on alone, attempting to close distance with my Cyclone and add its compliment of blasters to the fight.
Unfortunately for the Myrmidon, its inability to deal with the Rifter meant it would be unable to close distance with me: the Rifter’s webifier and scrambler meant the Myrmidon was approaching nowhere fast. Unable to match the range of my mixed projectile and missile arsenal, and unable to shake off the frigate hounding him with drones or blasters, the Myrmidon succumbed after a short lived attempt to tank our damage. Lacking GCCs as the MEAN Corp pilots were all outlaws, we scooped loot and left the scene before a possible vengeance gang formed in nearby Gusandall.
(ED: Myrmidon ended up being a LASER fit, which I thought only myself and Kil2 ever flew. Pilot lacked T2 laser skills though, so a failure on his part.)
In the past, I would have eschewed a partner in a frigate for something larger: ideally another battlecruiser for reasons explained previously. However, having flown with Raxip the past few months, I’d now say the synergy between an agile frigate and a powerful supporting cruiser or battlecruiser can’t be denied. The frigate is able to acquire hasty tackles, and uses its speed to avoid damage while its larger associate brings the pain. Additionally, the frigate is able to ward off other frigates from riding under the guns of his larger companion, which is a breath of relief to ships I fly that can’t even manage a webifier in their fittings, such as my favored Cyclone. And despite all the monstrous reversals that have been in place for months present since QR, many pilots still underestimate frigates, either ignoring them, or believing them to be an easy gank. Raxip has proven time and again that he’s much more likely to speed tank your ordinance while setting you up for my larger vessel to knock you down.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
stabs
The kill itself was unimpressive, however the fact that the Covetor had two warp core stabilizers fit and wasn't able to flee before I roasted his ship is sheer bliss. Dual cargo expander rigs and a few lines of whining in local tops off the killmail like whipping cream and a cherry.
Reminds me of a curiously fit Maelstrom that I tagged months ago. Why these people don't warp away, I don't know.
Reminds me of a curiously fit Maelstrom that I tagged months ago. Why these people don't warp away, I don't know.
battlecruiser
Roaming alone places a few basic, though critical needs on a pilot’s ship. In no particular order, a ship must have sufficient mid slots for a tackle kit, enough firepower to overwhelm opponents, enough repair or health modules to out last opponents, and the agility to choose an advantageous distance from a foe. While a mouthful, these principles are EVE PvP simplified, and not all ships match all of these requirements.
So, a pilot needs tackle, guns, endurance and a bit of speed to tie it all together. Simple enough, your basic Rifter exemplifies all these qualities, in a tight and wonderful duct taped package. The difficulty of undocking a Rifter to take on the world is while it is a masterfully crafted vessel, it has trouble engaging ships outside of its class. This means that while roaming, the Rifter pilot is required to avoid or ignore potential targets, not due to skill or ability, but by the limitations of the pilot’s ship. Not a good scenario.
This formula of ‘big fish eat little fish’ moves all the way up to battleships, which in the realm of what I’ll call fun solo PvP is the end and top of the line. There are however unique problems with battleships as solo PvP platforms. Trading maneuverability for power, they lack agility. Their sensor suite is more suited to targeting similar sized vessels, which equates to prey escaping merely due to lock times. Lone battleships are vulnerable to small craft, which are often able to either whittle down the battleship, or tackle it long enough for reinforcements to arrive. Battleships are also spendy pieces of equipment to be tossing around in arenas which can often end poorly for the pilot.
Taking a step back in ship sizes, the battlecruiser comes into the limelight. Returning to our basic requirements, most battlecruiser hulls pass by with high marks: good damage, defense, capacity for tackling equipment and modest agility. Everything the PvPer ordered. While several times more expensive to purchase than a cruiser, battlecruisers employ minimal extra equipment for greater effect. The battlecruiser uses medium sized modules, which are modest in skill point requirements, and should be ubiquitous around any pilot’s hanger. The price range of 20 to 30 million isk is an affordable sum for any pilot with the most humble money making operation.
As a combat platform, battlecruisers are able to maul opponents of their size and smaller that are unfortunate enough to be caught. Medium sized weaponry is able to track cruiser sized targets ably, while generous drone bays equate to frigates eating damage they just can’t take. Battlecruisers can be on par of battleships in terms of DPS, which is ideal for the solo pilot: kill the target before backup can be summoned. Large health reserves and a class wide affinity for tanking means the pilot will have time to apply that damage as well.
As much as combat is the goal, dream and aspiration of the solo pilot, retreating is a necessary tactic when odds aren’t favorable. This is where perhaps the true difference and reason to fly battlecruisers over battleships is displayed: battlecruisers are better able to flee than battleships. Since the Quantum Rise updates, battleships have become slower, while battlecruisers gained speed. This raw speed advantage is paired with better acceleration and agility, which with good ship durability means battlecruisers stand a decent chance of returning to a stargate to flee. Battleships in similar situations just aren’t speedy or agile enough to return to a stargate, especially if the enemy employs warp scrambler modules. (Disclaimer: I’m writing about lowsec here. In nullsec, unless it’s a very small and disorganized camp, either ship class will likely be destroyed. In all honesty, a well fit battleship would stand a better chance of escaping, but that’s another story.)
So, we end with the ideal ship class for the solo PvP pilot, the battlecruiser: cheap, effective hulls that get the job done. Does this mean the battlecruiser is the end all armament for pilot victory? Hell no, but it does set the bar for other vessels to be compared to in terms of versatility, effectiveness and efficient use of resources. It’s for these reasons I recommend to pilots that wish to try their hand at solo PvP the battlecruiser, as these ships will not let the pilot down. Rather, it’s the pilot’s skill that is measured.
So, a pilot needs tackle, guns, endurance and a bit of speed to tie it all together. Simple enough, your basic Rifter exemplifies all these qualities, in a tight and wonderful duct taped package. The difficulty of undocking a Rifter to take on the world is while it is a masterfully crafted vessel, it has trouble engaging ships outside of its class. This means that while roaming, the Rifter pilot is required to avoid or ignore potential targets, not due to skill or ability, but by the limitations of the pilot’s ship. Not a good scenario.
This formula of ‘big fish eat little fish’ moves all the way up to battleships, which in the realm of what I’ll call fun solo PvP is the end and top of the line. There are however unique problems with battleships as solo PvP platforms. Trading maneuverability for power, they lack agility. Their sensor suite is more suited to targeting similar sized vessels, which equates to prey escaping merely due to lock times. Lone battleships are vulnerable to small craft, which are often able to either whittle down the battleship, or tackle it long enough for reinforcements to arrive. Battleships are also spendy pieces of equipment to be tossing around in arenas which can often end poorly for the pilot.
Taking a step back in ship sizes, the battlecruiser comes into the limelight. Returning to our basic requirements, most battlecruiser hulls pass by with high marks: good damage, defense, capacity for tackling equipment and modest agility. Everything the PvPer ordered. While several times more expensive to purchase than a cruiser, battlecruisers employ minimal extra equipment for greater effect. The battlecruiser uses medium sized modules, which are modest in skill point requirements, and should be ubiquitous around any pilot’s hanger. The price range of 20 to 30 million isk is an affordable sum for any pilot with the most humble money making operation.
As a combat platform, battlecruisers are able to maul opponents of their size and smaller that are unfortunate enough to be caught. Medium sized weaponry is able to track cruiser sized targets ably, while generous drone bays equate to frigates eating damage they just can’t take. Battlecruisers can be on par of battleships in terms of DPS, which is ideal for the solo pilot: kill the target before backup can be summoned. Large health reserves and a class wide affinity for tanking means the pilot will have time to apply that damage as well.
As much as combat is the goal, dream and aspiration of the solo pilot, retreating is a necessary tactic when odds aren’t favorable. This is where perhaps the true difference and reason to fly battlecruisers over battleships is displayed: battlecruisers are better able to flee than battleships. Since the Quantum Rise updates, battleships have become slower, while battlecruisers gained speed. This raw speed advantage is paired with better acceleration and agility, which with good ship durability means battlecruisers stand a decent chance of returning to a stargate to flee. Battleships in similar situations just aren’t speedy or agile enough to return to a stargate, especially if the enemy employs warp scrambler modules. (Disclaimer: I’m writing about lowsec here. In nullsec, unless it’s a very small and disorganized camp, either ship class will likely be destroyed. In all honesty, a well fit battleship would stand a better chance of escaping, but that’s another story.)
So, we end with the ideal ship class for the solo PvP pilot, the battlecruiser: cheap, effective hulls that get the job done. Does this mean the battlecruiser is the end all armament for pilot victory? Hell no, but it does set the bar for other vessels to be compared to in terms of versatility, effectiveness and efficient use of resources. It’s for these reasons I recommend to pilots that wish to try their hand at solo PvP the battlecruiser, as these ships will not let the pilot down. Rather, it’s the pilot’s skill that is measured.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
solo
Flying alone requires a great deal more effort than moving in a fleet. Rather than individuals taking on specific tasks, and delegating responsibility across members of a group, a single player is required to manage all aspects of PvP on their own. The solo pilot is his own scout, tackler, damage and EWAR support. The solo pilot calls all the strategies, manages his vessel and keeps an eye on the scanner often against unfavorable odds. Certainly, a lone pilot will have the advantage of initiative against a larger force, as all orders are given at the speed of thought; however weight of numbers tends to overwhelm that advantage.
So how do lone individuals go about their way, managing victory against the odds time and again? Here are a few pointers on how I attempt to tip the field to my favor:
Keep a positive mindset
EVE is a game. It’s played to have fun, and to enjoy oneself. If enjoying yourself isn’t a theme while logging into the game, you should take a serious look at your current situation and consider making some radical changes.
That aside, while a realist, I tend to hold the positive elements of a situation over the negative ones, and try to promote them when possible. For instance, I refrain from smack talk, will enter fights for the sake of having a good time (rather than keeping the ship), and examine my losses as learning experiences, rather than failures. As with most things in life, it’s best to focus on the good aspects while keeping the bad at an arm’s length.
Additionally, it's important to assess just what is meant by winning. Is winning destroying your foe, and acquiring a shiny killmail? (yes..) Is winning keeping your ship whole? I submit that winning is enjoying yourself, regardless whether you explode first, the target escapes, etc. Keep in mind that the most important entity in EVE is yourself, and by no means do you need be held accountable by another's perception of victory and defeat.
Focus on your goals
Undocking from the station, there should be a number of things running through your mind from the get go. There should be goals for the trip, which could range from amassing spoils to engaging a particular vessel in combat. With one’s goals in mind, accompanying strategies should also be present: how are you going to complete your goal of killing a Hulk? Is your current fit optimal for completing the task? Do you have proper intelligence of the area, and know where and how to catch an elusive exhumer?
Attempt the (im)possible
Flying alone requires a great deal of snap decisions and judgments, chief amongst which is whether a given engagement is feasible or not. How does one know whether a situation is doable? While intel plays a key role, experience is the most reliable and useful tool. Unfortunately for the uninitiated, experience can’t be traded for or taught. It takes going out into the world and trying, and learning the hard way what works and doesn’t work. This does mean taking losses; however by keeping one’s wits about you and an eye for detail, how things work will be accumulated at a fantastic rate. It’ll soon become second nature what’s possible, improbable and downright daunting!
Fly what you can afford to lose
Flying alone magnifies danger, and it’s all too easy to become the target of situations which are all but impossible to avoid destruction. Ships are going to be lost, and depending on experience and aggressiveness, frequently. So fly what you can afford in the first place! If you can’t easily replace a ship, research others that can perform well without support and accomplish the tasks required. T1 hulls in this regard can outperform their T2 counterparts if played to their strengths, and are much more affordable, both in price and insurance payouts.
And now for the more tactical stuff:
Play to your strengths
Though it sounds simple enough, in the fast paced action of EVE PvP, it’s easy to forget the basics. Basics are keeping to your strengths, which to any resourceful capsuleer are many. If piloting a ship with good range or with a powerful drone bay, use range to your advantage. When piloting a ship with an active tank, try to prolong combat and give your repair modules a chance to work. When flying against multiple foes, move in an unpredictable fashion, and don’t allow foes to use their advantages: this could mean moving through systems to force a falcon from its sniper BM, or fighting around stations and gates to require aggressors to fight under sentry fire. Make sure to use ship bonuses, and to consider a different ship if you find you aren’t!
Know the terrain
Understanding the layout of both systems and regions is critically important to success in PvP. Within a system understanding ranges between gates, where belts are in a system, which celestials belts are adjacent to, if stations are present and which are popular make for simplified tactical analysis and scouting. Knowing a region gives insights to where pilots will travel, likely ratting systems, missioning systems, dead ends and the best routes from one system to another. It also means escape routes can be crafted without using the ingame map system, which is clunky and time consuming. Do yourself a favor and google Ombey maps, and print out copies of the regions you frequent. Take notes on the print outs, and try to memorize important facts.
Split your enemy’s gang
There are many ways to do this. The most basic would to be using a speed boost to maneuver away from foes, and string them out as they try to catch up. Once sufficient distance is created, kill off stragglers. Another method is to warp to celestials at varying ranges, usually around 50-100km. Gangs will often warp in at different ranges to cover all possibilities, which present another opportunity to kill off stragglers.
Don’t make it harder than it is
Given the difficulties with flying alone, make sure every effort is spent to make situations ideal where possible. Make sure the cargohold has enough ammunition for a few fights and that the drone bay is indeed full. Plot routes, and have backup plans to escape or divert course if things go south. If you frequent roam paths, set up containers in space or stations with supplies to keep things running smoothly. Safespots and scanning bookmarks are great tools for simplifying finding targets or escaping. Perhaps above all, try to have backup available, as despite everything, some times a target isn’t possible to take alone.
As a parting note, I can’t stress how important it is to have fun. Don’t allow yourself to get angry, and if it happens, examine why. Eliminate the causes of anger, or find ways to at least mitigate their effect. All too often pilots will find themselves in situations where they’re just not enjoying themselves, and don’t particularly understand why they got there, or how to get out. Know that you’re the master of your own destiny, and are free to change your situation at will. You’re more powerful than you may think, so get out there and crush some skulls!
So how do lone individuals go about their way, managing victory against the odds time and again? Here are a few pointers on how I attempt to tip the field to my favor:
Keep a positive mindset
EVE is a game. It’s played to have fun, and to enjoy oneself. If enjoying yourself isn’t a theme while logging into the game, you should take a serious look at your current situation and consider making some radical changes.
That aside, while a realist, I tend to hold the positive elements of a situation over the negative ones, and try to promote them when possible. For instance, I refrain from smack talk, will enter fights for the sake of having a good time (rather than keeping the ship), and examine my losses as learning experiences, rather than failures. As with most things in life, it’s best to focus on the good aspects while keeping the bad at an arm’s length.
Additionally, it's important to assess just what is meant by winning. Is winning destroying your foe, and acquiring a shiny killmail? (yes..) Is winning keeping your ship whole? I submit that winning is enjoying yourself, regardless whether you explode first, the target escapes, etc. Keep in mind that the most important entity in EVE is yourself, and by no means do you need be held accountable by another's perception of victory and defeat.
Focus on your goals
Undocking from the station, there should be a number of things running through your mind from the get go. There should be goals for the trip, which could range from amassing spoils to engaging a particular vessel in combat. With one’s goals in mind, accompanying strategies should also be present: how are you going to complete your goal of killing a Hulk? Is your current fit optimal for completing the task? Do you have proper intelligence of the area, and know where and how to catch an elusive exhumer?
Attempt the (im)possible
Flying alone requires a great deal of snap decisions and judgments, chief amongst which is whether a given engagement is feasible or not. How does one know whether a situation is doable? While intel plays a key role, experience is the most reliable and useful tool. Unfortunately for the uninitiated, experience can’t be traded for or taught. It takes going out into the world and trying, and learning the hard way what works and doesn’t work. This does mean taking losses; however by keeping one’s wits about you and an eye for detail, how things work will be accumulated at a fantastic rate. It’ll soon become second nature what’s possible, improbable and downright daunting!
Fly what you can afford to lose
Flying alone magnifies danger, and it’s all too easy to become the target of situations which are all but impossible to avoid destruction. Ships are going to be lost, and depending on experience and aggressiveness, frequently. So fly what you can afford in the first place! If you can’t easily replace a ship, research others that can perform well without support and accomplish the tasks required. T1 hulls in this regard can outperform their T2 counterparts if played to their strengths, and are much more affordable, both in price and insurance payouts.
And now for the more tactical stuff:
Play to your strengths
Though it sounds simple enough, in the fast paced action of EVE PvP, it’s easy to forget the basics. Basics are keeping to your strengths, which to any resourceful capsuleer are many. If piloting a ship with good range or with a powerful drone bay, use range to your advantage. When piloting a ship with an active tank, try to prolong combat and give your repair modules a chance to work. When flying against multiple foes, move in an unpredictable fashion, and don’t allow foes to use their advantages: this could mean moving through systems to force a falcon from its sniper BM, or fighting around stations and gates to require aggressors to fight under sentry fire. Make sure to use ship bonuses, and to consider a different ship if you find you aren’t!
Know the terrain
Understanding the layout of both systems and regions is critically important to success in PvP. Within a system understanding ranges between gates, where belts are in a system, which celestials belts are adjacent to, if stations are present and which are popular make for simplified tactical analysis and scouting. Knowing a region gives insights to where pilots will travel, likely ratting systems, missioning systems, dead ends and the best routes from one system to another. It also means escape routes can be crafted without using the ingame map system, which is clunky and time consuming. Do yourself a favor and google Ombey maps, and print out copies of the regions you frequent. Take notes on the print outs, and try to memorize important facts.
Split your enemy’s gang
There are many ways to do this. The most basic would to be using a speed boost to maneuver away from foes, and string them out as they try to catch up. Once sufficient distance is created, kill off stragglers. Another method is to warp to celestials at varying ranges, usually around 50-100km. Gangs will often warp in at different ranges to cover all possibilities, which present another opportunity to kill off stragglers.
Don’t make it harder than it is
Given the difficulties with flying alone, make sure every effort is spent to make situations ideal where possible. Make sure the cargohold has enough ammunition for a few fights and that the drone bay is indeed full. Plot routes, and have backup plans to escape or divert course if things go south. If you frequent roam paths, set up containers in space or stations with supplies to keep things running smoothly. Safespots and scanning bookmarks are great tools for simplifying finding targets or escaping. Perhaps above all, try to have backup available, as despite everything, some times a target isn’t possible to take alone.
As a parting note, I can’t stress how important it is to have fun. Don’t allow yourself to get angry, and if it happens, examine why. Eliminate the causes of anger, or find ways to at least mitigate their effect. All too often pilots will find themselves in situations where they’re just not enjoying themselves, and don’t particularly understand why they got there, or how to get out. Know that you’re the master of your own destiny, and are free to change your situation at will. You’re more powerful than you may think, so get out there and crush some skulls!
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