Wednesday 27 March 2013

Eve: nifty anom fix in Ret 1.9

Nice little undocumented fix in yesterday's patch. It used to be that if you ran an anomaly then warped your Noctis in you would hold the anom open. So if your system spawns 2 Forsaken Hubs and your Noctis is parked in one for half an hour afk drone-salvaging then there would be only one to rat in.

Now it despawns anyway so warp the Noctis in when the last rat dies.

Saturday 23 March 2013

Eve: The HBC - now under new management

Yesterday the leader of the largest coalition of players in Eve stepped down and Sort Dragon from Pandemic Legion took over. Sort is a veteran player from the start of the game, flew with BoB back in their heyday and has a chance of being the next CSM chair, so quite the heavy hitter.

This opens up a few interesting questions.

First, was this some kind of meta-gaming coup by puppetmaster extraordinaire, The Mittani? Mittens certainly had it in for Montolio, our former leader, trashing him both in public and in private. But Occam's Razor suggests that the very plausible statements made by Monty as he exited were true - a mix of frustration that he couldn't drag the HBC into an epic conflict with the other big coalition and the sheer frustration of dealing with highly invested obstinate players all politicking against rival friendly alliances. It's a weakness of the patronage system of people management, all your underlings fall over to impress you, wail about being marginalised and complain about someone else being too favoured. So not really down to Mittens although his "Madness of Montolio" piece certainly framed the debate with even Montolio using the language of someone who was being mad in this State of the Coalition address ("I was talked back from the ledge.")

The next question is how will the HBC change and move forward under new management? We just saw some of that today when a clearly frustrated Sort Dragon had to turn a large fleet around and return to base, unable to challenge a Darkness. fleet in Stain as planned.

Part of the issue was that not all of our doctrines match or coordinate across our coalition and Sort was firm that we would be standardising. He was also impatient with people claiming they've no money to buy battleships and will be expecting people to make enough isk to fly the proper ships. The days of morale Drakes on any and every fleet may be numbered.

Montolio was a leader like The Mittani, an excellent speaker, diplomatic well organised but not a highly active Eve pvper. Sort is the other way around. not as polished or smooth as the others but a first rate large fleet commander of many years experience. It's also significant that Pandemic Legion, the last great elite pvp null sec alliance is running the show instead of Test.

I think we're going to see a more militaristic more disciplined coalition with a fair amount of drama and outrage on our way there. For people in the HBC we can definitely expect to be living in interesting times.

Thursday 21 March 2013

Eve: Did he just.....?

See if you can spot what's wrong in this picture:


Here's a clue: this is a picture of 70 or so ships keeping at range 2000 metres from nothing.

If you look carefully at the dark cold space just in front of us you'll see a titan-shaped hole where the nice man who was supposed to be bridging us all to our destination had been moments before.

Fortunately for us this didn't turn into another Asokai as he was meant to be sending us to a safe mid-point destination from where we would proceed into hostile space. It ended up being too hot for us to get in via stargates so we decided to gather up on a certain ship, keep it at range 2000 then - he pushed the right button - we bridged into the hostiles.

I don't think I ever want to be a titan pilot.

Tuesday 19 March 2013

Eve: webbing drones

I've been toying with the idea of using webbing drones in pvp.

Webs are extremely powerful in Eve pvp as speed mitigates damage and also allows a player to dictate range to his advantage and to the enemy's detriment. They're pretty short range though except for a few ships that bonus them but those are all expensive or fragile or both.

In big null sec fights a blob of ship follows a designated anchor ship and if I could web that I'd slow their whole fleet down - useful both if we're chasing them or if they're chasing us.

What I don't know and would like to test is how returns diminish with multiple stacked webs from drones and how those interact with regular webs.

Here's the fit:

[Dragoon, webs]
Co-Processor II
Co-Processor II
Internal Force Field Array I
400mm Reinforced Steel Plates II

Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I
Sensor Booster II, Targeting Range Script

Drone Link Augmentor II
Drone Link Augmentor II
75mm Prototype Gauss Gun, Caldari Navy Iron Charge S
75mm Prototype Gauss Gun, Caldari Navy Iron Charge S
75mm Prototype Gauss Gun, Caldari Navy Iron Charge S
Auto Targeting System I

Small Stasis Drone Augmentor I
Small Stasis Drone Augmentor I
Small Stasis Drone Augmentor I


Warrior SW-300 x5
Warrior SW-300 x10

It's hard to tell from EFT what the drone range is but it targets to 85.8km with a Squad Commander and should be able to control drones out that far. I'm not sure if the drones move fast enough - here's a fit that gives up tank completely for quicker moving drones:

[Dragoon, webs]
Co-Processor II
Co-Processor II
Type-D Attenuation Signal Augmentation
Type-D Attenuation Signal Augmentation

Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I
Drone Navigation Computer I

Drone Link Augmentor II
Drone Link Augmentor II
Gatling Modulated Energy Beam I, Imperial Navy Radio S
[empty high slot]
[empty high slot]
[empty high slot]

Small Stasis Drone Augmentor I
Small Stasis Drone Augmentor I
Small Stasis Drone Augmentor I


Warrior SW-300 x5
Warrior SW-300 x10

I'll report back my findings after I've tested these fits out.

Friday 15 March 2013

Eve: quote of the day

Montolio:
I'd like to thank The Mittani for taking Li3 Federation off our hands. Clearly a masterstroke of meta-gaming.

Thursday 14 March 2013

Eve: more LI3 fail

This just in: my old alliance have been robbed for 21 billion isk. It took the infiltrator 3 days to get director roles. He also claims to have a log showing that alliance CEO Jadecougar pays himself a billion isk a day from the alliance wallet.

In other news the director of the cash-poor alliance bought himself a Hel. He's even used it once. Guess spying isn't the only way to empty the alliance wallet.


Wednesday 13 March 2013

Eve: FCing my first fleet for Test

[ROAM] Shoot spacehips

Fleet Name: Kill Kill Kill
FC: Callduron (my first Test fleet)
TEST Mumble Op
Close range shield cruisers ] T1 logi ] else
NOL @ 00.30
Duration: 2 HOURS
Reimbursable: No
Why: TO SHOOT ALL THE THINGS. LOTS

We formed up in NOL and people were pretty helpful. A lot of people wanted to bring canes so the isk on the table rose but if they want to lose BCs on a non reimbursable T1 cruiser fleet then fair enough I thought. jorSbalZla Bazinga brought a scythe and after much persuasion we got two other guys to man up and fly scythes. Jors was logi anchor for the first time and did a fantastic job, all logi were brought home safely.


Intel map was flashy red all over and my first plan was to head for KEE- where there was a big gate camp.Then word came of a Goon 30 man gang in 5v- so that sounded perfect as we were exactly 30 so sounded like a good time. We headed for the HM- jb and met this dude from Broken Toys. http://eve-kill.net/...kll_id=16780941
You're broken now fucker.

We got to K-6 and as we landed on the W-K gate. There was a Snigg gang on the other side so I had us wait and let them jump into us. We then brawled them back and forth around K-6, QY6 D-3 for best part of an hour. We got some shiny kills and lost quite a few ships:
Kills: from YOUR VOTES DON'T COUNT
http://eve-kill.net/...kll_id=16780939
http://eve-kill.net/...kll_id=16780802
http://eve-kill.net/...kll_id=16781186
http://eve-kill.net/...kll_id=16780938
http://eve-kill.net/...kll_id=16780968
http://eve-kill.net/...kll_id=16781022
http://eve-kill.net/...kll_id=16781029

The butcher's bill was quite a reasonable trade-off but at the time it sounded like we were dying in dozens. The ships we lost were T1 frigs and cruisers or higher ships that people asked to bring and said they didn't mind losing. At one point a guy asked us to help him fetch an apoc stuck in 319 so we went and got it, then got into d-3 only to have them on the K-6 gate. I suggested he get it safe but he fancied staying for the fight and trusted in his microjump drive. A rapier jumped in and I warned him he was probably being prepped but he decided to risk it anyway. Oops http://eve-kill.net/...kll_id=16781185

At one point I was asked to coordinate with a black ops gang and Dmitri tried to coordinate that but neither me nor the other FC had a command key set up. I'll get that fixed for next time, it may have contributed to their blops drop going badly. Sorry.

I figured out a lot of things I didn't know with some great advice from the fleet. Pressing X apparently broadcasts my target - who knew? I did a lot of bouncing which while brutal on people's drones got us some kills when I got it right. One particularly boss bounce to the sun then back to the gate at 100 landed 3km off the closest ship.

Eventually we lost all our webbers and couldn't kill ships that were kiting us. So I called it even though the boys were still hungry for blood. We weren't going to kill anything else.

We had a great time and people loved the fleet. One newbro reshipped four frigates, one guy ran out of frigates and came back to fight fucking PL in a Velator which is probably the most shobon thing I've ever seen in Eve.

It was an honour and a pleasure flying with them, everyone was utterly awesome but above all I'd like to mention Jors who was the reason why a bunch of newbros in kitchen sink t1 cruisers beat an elite Sniggwaffe cynabal gang.

Saturday 9 March 2013

I sit back Drinking my Rum & smerking,

"I sit back Drinking my Rum & smerking, Knowing my direct eforts have made that happen. Supply and Demand is more powerfull then a swarm of combat ships. After all I made them ships. Muahahahaha..... I am MasterYON! who the fuck are you?"

Hi.

We're a swarm of combat ships: https://kb.pleaseign...l&kll_id=770944

We went out tonight on a long frigate roam and got rather lost. I think many of our new pilots had no idea that most of null sec is actually empty as Delve where we live is something of a thunderdome at the moment. It had been a long dull trip.

We camped the EC- gate for a few minutes then got bored and an enterprising scout found someone sitting in a very expensive ship not moving.

Losing our fleet was a shortcut home for us and infinitely preferable to making the 40 jumps or whatever back to where we live so in we charged.

We had 24 frigates and destroyers and cruisers on the kill mail, all of us killed by Concord, the high sec police. The player we killed was somewhat shocked and conversation was conducted in Local.

[00:27:46] EVE System > Channel changed to Local : Torrinos
[00:28:53] Sir Ad1e > Shit http://i.imgur.com/Wbo0i.png u better http://media.fukung....7144b68f6c5.gif
[00:29:13] DoraTheExplora Taft > it's happening
[00:29:13] Shaymac > YOLO
[00:29:15] Aluco Strix > B0RT B0RT B0RT B0RT
[00:29:28] DoraTheExplora Taft > NOOOOOOOOOOOOO
[00:29:38] DoraTheExplora Taft > :D
[00:29:41] BiddiXXL > gf
[00:29:41] DoraTheExplora Taft > DID IT!
[00:29:43] DoraTheExplora Taft > OP SUCCESS
[00:29:47] Jaffinator > gf
[00:29:48] Sir Ad1e > gf
[00:29:48] Exivate K'thal > gf
[00:29:49] Plexas Aideron > gf
[00:29:50] FIRMER1 FIRMAGE > gf
[00:29:50] Merlin Sotken > gf
[00:29:50] Corri Yammaru > gf
[00:29:51] mirucalus > gf
[00:29:51] Aluco Strix > GFM8
[00:29:51] Jaffinator > gf
[00:29:52] Charco Kovacs > gf
[00:29:53] BBsoerjabi > gf
[00:29:54] DoraTheExplora Taft > who is loot whore
[00:29:55] Charco Kovacs > :D
[00:29:57] Charco Kovacs > hehehehe
[00:29:58] Dar Calt > gf
[00:30:01] MasterYON > that was messed up
[00:30:01] Siaudas Kion > gf
[00:30:06] s4ngu Daphiti > gf^^
[00:30:16] DoraTheExplora Taft > WORD SON
[00:30:18] DoraTheExplora Taft > NOT COOL
[00:30:22] DoraTheExplora Taft > wolololololol
[00:30:40] DoraTheExplora Taft > TEST SO MEAN
[00:30:43] DoraTheExplora Taft > Q_Q
[00:30:45] Charco Kovacs > test is best
[00:31:10] MasterYON > just trying to start over, gess this is my welcme back to game,
[00:31:36] Birader > what they are doing ?
[00:31:44] MasterYON > will take me some time to get a ship, but ill get back up some how
[00:31:52] MasterYON > they killed my orca
[00:31:58] DoraTheExplora Taft > XD
[00:32:00] NEOTANK > lol
[00:32:01] DoraTheExplora Taft > YOU WOT M8
[00:32:02] NEOTANK > show kill mail
[00:32:05] MasterYON > i was setting up planet mining
[00:32:09] DoraTheExplora Taft > Kill: MasterYON (Orca)
[00:32:10] Charco Kovacs > Kill: MasterYON (Orca)
[00:32:22] DoraTheExplora Taft > planet mining he says!
[00:32:41] MasterYON > ya i was setting up planet extration
[00:32:48] MasterYON > and they attacked
[00:32:50] DoraTheExplora Taft > oh no!
[00:32:51] Rancid Bunny > no way
[00:32:53] DoraTheExplora Taft > dude
[00:33:07] MasterYON > O well now i have a skiff and that it
[00:33:15] Arkuat > how can be?
[00:33:18] DoraTheExplora Taft > ahahaha
[00:33:19] MasterYON > have fun guys later
[00:33:24] DoraTheExplora Taft > all he has is skiff
[00:33:26] DoraTheExplora Taft > xD
[00:33:59] Merlin Sotken > MasterYON check ur wallet
[00:34:35] Arkuat > xDDDDDD
[00:37:15] Shaymac > was bloody landing and he went pop FML
[00:38:59] Imaculate Flight > sooo who the heck did you all gank?
[00:39:01] Imaculate Flight > or what
[00:39:05] DoraTheExplora Taft > Kill: MasterYON (Orca)
[00:39:17] Imaculate Flight > NICE
[00:39:41] DoraTheExplora Taft > o/\o high five screwing pubbies is something we can all get behind amiright
[00:39:56] Imaculate Flight > yep!
[00:40:02] MasterYON > not nice and thank for the 1 isk donation, Sad
DoraTheExplora Taft > oh god man i love you
DoraTheExplora Taft > plz keep talking
FIRMER1 FIRMAGE > trolo. 1 isk you say
MasterYON > why donate 1 isk ?
MasterYON > i dont get that
s4ngu Daphiti > to keep you talking maybe^^
MasterYON > insult i take it
MasterYON > lol ok

Thinking nothing of it I clone jumped home, the pods of my friends exploding all around me. We then discovered his Bio:

"I sit back Drinking my Rum & smerking, Knowing my direct eforts have made that happen. Supply and Demand is more powerfull then a swarm of combat ships. After all I made them ships. Muahahahaha..... I am MasterYON! who the fuck are you?"

Then he and his CEO convoed our FC and as a result of that plan to lodge a complaint with the CEO of our FC's corp and have placed a 50 million bounty on his head.