Monday 28 March 2011

AlphaMeridian 1982-01-19 to 2011-03-28, You will forever be remembered

Just got some tragic news, an old friend and ex corp mate, AlphaMeridian, passed away earlier this evening from a heart attack.

Good Fight James, Good Fight

This fucking sucks.

Tuesday 22 March 2011

Friend of a friend

"'E's fighting in there!" he stuttered, grabbing the captain's arm.
"All by himself?" said the captain.
"No, with everyone!" shouted Nobby, hopping from one foot to the other.
-- Making Friends and Hitting People
(Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!)

It's not often a fight, that has no winner can be as fun as one I had this evening against someone who could be best described as a nemesis of sorts.

Crazy Vania has run the 2/10 in a Dramiel on numerous occasions, he has tormented some of the locals, has died at my hands a fair few and has once or twice actually destroyed my marvelous flying machines.

He has recently left the services of Electus Matari, the local anti pirates and joined Pod Liberation Authority. Over the last few days he has been coming to Gusandall in a Cruor.

Cruor
Mottled, dark red, and shaped like a leech, the Cruor presents a fitting metaphor for the Blood Raiders' philosophy. Designed almost solely to engage in their disturbingly effective tactic of energy draining and stasis webbing, this ship is a cornerstone in any effective Blood Raider fleet - and could play an intriguing role in more standard ones.

Special Ability: 100% bonus to Small Energy Turret damage

Amarr Frigate Skill Bonus: 15% bonus to Energy Vampire and Energy Neutralizer drain amount per level
Minmatar Frigate Skill Bonus: 10% bonus to the velocity factor of stasis webifiers per level


The last few fights I've had against the Sentinel have made me weary of energy neutralisers and said Sentinel pilot was back in local, so being the daring type I am, I grabbed Sgt Angua, the most volatile frigate I own.

Volatile because it possesses devastating firepower, but also because it requires capacitor to function, without cap she was dead in the water so to speak.

Vania seems to have tangled with the Sentinel but had docked up for the moment. A fight against both would not be the smartest choice.

I warp to the plex and enter the first room. Sentinel is 300 clicks off, I start to close but soon decide no, he wants to dictate the engagement, so take that away from him and let him come to Kane.

I moved back towards the plex centre, and soon, as predicted he started to close. 19km and no closer, I could not allow him within his neut range. I am easily faster and maintain range without problem, waiting for him to make the first move.

Vania warps in with his Cruor, the dance with the Sentinel has taken us 300 odd km away.

The Sentinel is not the most patient and warps out, not being able to get close enough to get a neut off. I have the option to move towards Vania or warp out but nothing ventured, nothing gained :)

I close, not too close though, again, those neuts have me a touch shy. We dance for a bit, I overload my web and scram, take a deep breathe and hit approach, this was going to have to be quick.

Exile or X-Intinct, I chose X cause a lower sig might help more than extra rep, can't rep with no cap and as I'd definitely be low on that, I chose not to even bother with the rep.

I inject the X, my vision blurs a bit, my armour drops as I can't really focus, damn side effects, but that's drugs for you.

Web goes green and I close quicker, scram and guns glow green, overloaded as I'm now at point blank. Vania webs back, neuts go to work on my cap. His shields are stripped and I work on his armour as his lasers strip my shields.

He hits about 60% armour as my mods turn off, Sgt ANgua is now dead in the plex. Vania starts on my armour, no way of repping, I see a sliver of cap and get off two salvos, cap dry. my armour keeps disappearing, a sliver of cap, another two salvos, Vania now deep in armour.

This fight could go either way but I didn't have the luxury of warping out, I was here till the end.

Another sliver of cap, another two salvos, Vania closer to structure and I think he chose to rather withdraw than risk a loss.

He warps out, an intense fight and one I think I was very lucky to warp away from.

He offers a round two...

Crazy Vania > wanna try again kane ?
Crazy Vania > I think I figured a mistake I did
DeathStar > you warp'd into kane?
Kane Rizzel > stagger your neuts
DeathStar > prob 1 of the bigger mnistakes in eve tbh
Crazy Vania > I wont tell you which mistake it was
DeathStar > mistakes*
Crazy Vania > yes I know
Crazy Vania > dont need to tel me that
DeathStar > lmao
Crazy Vania > I have experienced, let's say, in the flesh

I don't actually fancy my chances and decline but we start talking in local and eventually on voice comms and he's a decent fella, he is a good friend of a recent M34N recruit and is ok in my book, he's also a fan of Terry Pratchett which is always a good thing.

On to something I mentioned earlier, Anti Pirates, what has happened to the Anti Pirate corps and alliances, Electus Matari are still about but a shadow of the past really? It seems to be something of a dying art.

Monday 21 March 2011

REVENGE... Two sugars please

Asking someone to repeat a phrase you'd not only heard very clearly but were also exceedingly angry about was around Defcon II in the lexicon of squabble.
-- (Terry Pratchett, Witches Abroad)


Kane angry, Kane want revenge.

I'd been chasing a Thrasher that had tried to take up residence in our local 2/10, The fella had cloaked when I entered the third room so I hung about and made a general nuisance of myself in a Succubus frigate until he resigned to his fate and warped out.

Then there was a Sentinel

Sentinel
Hull: Crucifier Class
Role: Electronic Attack Ship

Electronic attack ships are mobile, resilient electronic warfare platforms. Although well suited to a variety of situations, they really come into their own in skirmish and fleet encounters, particularly against larger ships. For anyone wanting to decentralize their fleet’s electronic countermeasure capabilities and make them immeasurably harder to counter, few things will serve better than a squadron or two of these little vessels.

Developer: Viziam

Viziam ships are quite possibly the most durable ships money can buy. Their armor is second to none and that, combined with superior shields, makes them hard nuts to crack. Of course this does mean they are rather slow and possess somewhat more limited weapons and electronics options.

Amarr Frigate Skill Bonus: 20% bonus to energy vampire and energy neutralizer transfer amount per level and 5% bonus to effectiveness of tracking disruptors per level

Electronic Attack Ships Skill Bonus: 40% bonus to energy vampire and energy neutralizer range and 5% reduction in capacitor recharge time per level


I have never in all my years fought against a Sentinel and I was well up for this.

The Cunning Man, a Rifter class frigate is chosen to be the blunt instrument to bludgeon the Sentinel into just another wreck.

The first engagement would take place in the 1/10 complex, a strange place for a frigate duel but I made my way there. Entering the plex he was 112 clicks away so I started to close the long distance at full thrust.

I get closer and once within overloaded scram range I lock and engage. Sentinel, casual as you like, engages back.

He dips deep into shields before my cap disappears, tackle mods off, he easily gains range, light tech 2 drones swarm around my Rifter as I try valiantly to swat them away, popping one before The Cunning Man is no more.

I warp my escape pod out sharpish, this will not stand, I fucking loved that Rifter. I dock and requisition a new Rifter assembled immediately, grab some ammo and head on out, this fight is very far from over.

Some of the locals are out to get the Sentinel pilot but I take The Cunning Man to the 1/10 plex gate and wait. It doesn't take the sentinel long to warp to me, I engage immediately, ignoring drones, guns overheated.

My cap is gone but he's deep into armour, he activates the gate, trying to run away...

A single rocket, zig zags its way across the void, slamming into the Sentinel hull as it enters warp.

With nothing to warp, the escape pod sits idle, even as I lock it, tackle it and offer it the terms of its release.

It silently declines.

A good fight and a test for sure, the Sentinel intrigues me and is something I'm going to look into.

I would later lose The Cunning Man to the same Sentinel in the 2/10, not being able to kill off his seemingly endless supply of drones quick enough, but, I think I'm still ahead :P

Just had a great little fight against Raptor and Rifter combo, they warped right on top of me at the gate to the 2/10 complex and needless to say it led to a sticky end, for them at least.

Two Rifters lost but there are always more Rifters.

Shout out to my homeboy Darthimus, without whom I would not be able to achieve the victories I do, his inspiration and guidance over the years have helped me become the Pirate I am today :P

Thursday 10 March 2011

Destruction and Democracy

I must confess the the activities of the UK governments for the past couple of years have been watched with frank admiration and amazement by Lord Vetinari. Outright theft as a policy had never occured to him.

-- (Terry Pratchett, alt.fan.pratchett)

Seems I was able to kill a Dramiel and a Daredevil last night in quick succession, don't remember much about it except I was hunting a Claw I think. It was late, I was tired but the killmails are here and the loot was in my cargo this afternoon when I got in. I apologise to my opponents, I really wish I could remember more about the fight, it looks like it was epic. (I wasn't drunk or high by the by, I've been Straight Edge for almost nine months now \o/)

In other news, voting has opened for the CSM and I cast my vote and got my associates and family to do the same. The votes were split between Prometheus Exenthal and Seleene.

Edit: Dragon Age II is out, I may be missing for a few days ;)

Sunday 6 March 2011

Vex and Vexibility

He was said to have the body of a twenty-five year old, although no one knew where he kept it.
-- The Life and Times of Corporal Nobbs
(Terry Pratchett, Men at Arms)


Flying a Navy Vexor is something of a novelty for me, relying on drones has never been something I've been totally comfortable with.

It goes very much like this: launch drones, order drones to attack, pray.

After this evenings earlier fun in flying it in a gang, I had an associate relay some intel regarding a Hurricane running the belts in Eifer.

With said Intel, I undocked in Cpl Nobbs and headed on over to my spiritual home.

Reports put the Hurricane's location at 4-3, as I initiate warp the Intel changes as the Hurricane warps to 4-4. Too late, will have to catch him at another belt.

I land in 4-4 and scan him down towards the 5's and head on over.

WARP DRIVE ACTIVE

I land in 5-1 as he warps off to 5-2.

WARP DRIVE ACTIVE

Landing in 5-2 I see him going to 5-3

WARP DRIVE ACTIVE

Finally I arrive and the Hurricane is waiting for me, at zero.

Surprisingly he engages me as I try to sort out this whole targeting malarkey, I seem to be having some issues. I eventually get my act into gear and lock him up, close, scram, web, drones and guns.

My capacitor is drained dry rather quickly, dual neuts, damn, this is not going to be easy, but luckily I have a plan and the plan is this: FINISH HIM!

With no cap to speak of, I'm juggling trying to keep tackle and watching my drones inch their way through his shields all the while taking a hammering from his guns.

My armour was slowly vaporising, all the while my tackle failing before I regained a precious sliver of capacitor to get my scram and web back on target.

COME ON YOU BASTARDS, FUCKING KILL HIM ALREADY!

I'm trying to Jedi my drones into finishing the Hurricane before he finished me, it was going to be close, 25% armour as they broke his shields, a few select prayers were being said between clenched teeth to whatever deity the drones choose to worship along with more than a few choice curses.

He hits hull as I hit 15% armour, it's a race, his guns and drones, versus, well, just my drones, I'm having a difficult time keeping tackle but my cap is not disappearing as fast and I'm able to activate my guns, overheated, every last ounce of damage... His hull evaporates, I punch the air.

FUCKING YES! YOU LITTLE BEAUTIES!

As I recall my little heroes, the Hurricane pilot warps his pod out.

A good fight

I later went on a roam with some of the locals, all the way to Amamake where we killed a Maelstrom afk 300km off a gate and we eventually got the fight we were looking for but got out gunned but still broke about even.

Keira lost a Jaguar to a Dramiel (in the 2/10 of all places :D)and then went toe to toe with said Dramiel in a Dramiel of her own and it was going rather bad till she killed his drones, at which point he never came close again, eventually warping out and leaving system.

All in all a good day, some other kills here and there, should be a good few days

Pride and Absolution

"Real children don't go hoppity-skip unless they are on drugs."
-- Susan, the ultimate sensible governess
(Terry Pratchett, Hogfather)


It's not often I fly in a sizeable gang and I started the evening off not in any gang whatsoever but when the locals started harassing folk on various gates and in various systems it became evident there may be some fun to be had.

We were picking off lone travellers here and there when a report of Two Absolution, a Drake, a Cynabal and a Sleipnir are reported jumping into Eifer amd then into Gusandall.
"Tackled" is heard on voice comms and I urge all present pilots to move to the Eifer gate ASAP.

The hostile gang had jumped in and engaged a valiant Jonothan Xavier in his Brutix on the gate. We start to land and I call the Sleipnir primary target, Cynabal secondary, spread points and web.

Sleipnir is chosen as primary because it is high DPS but has the most volatile tank and the other two command ships were very likely set up to boost armour, Drake we all know has a massive buffer so that left Cynabal as secondarybecause well, it's faction and we all like to kill faction.

Jon goes down like a hooker in an alley, followed by Xylorn in his Rapier but the Sleipnir folds.

Cynabal has moved well out of range, so I call a switch to the Drake but he de-aggos and jumps out, we start on the closest Abso, one jumps out, other warps away.

Meanwhile, hero Tengu of Asssassin X has followed the Cynabal and has him tackled. The Cynabal's trajectory led him away from our position, eventually leading to us being able to warp to Asssassin X and end the Cynabal's evening.

One of the Absolutions jumps back in, we warp down to the gate, agress but he makes it back within jump range and naturally jumps out, Once again there's a hero tackle on the other side by Asssassin X and there's enough time for us to wait out our timers, jump into Eifer and make violence on the Absolution.

If you're paying attention, I'm flying something a little different, a new ship launched this very evening and one I must say I quite like, it's very... different.

Happy birthday to Ariartus by ze vay :)

Tuesday 1 March 2011

Jams and Preserves

The world is made up of four elements: Earth, Air, Fire and Water. This is a fact well known even to Corporal Nobbs. It's also wrong. There's a fifth element, and generally it's called Surprise.
-- (Terry Pratchett, The Truth)

Some folk will go to extra-ordinary lengths to get a kill.

Editors note: The game logs have been edited as there was a lot of frustrated button pushing by Kane which made them pretty much unreadable, the important information has been left intact.


------------------------------------------------------------
Gamelog
Listener: Kane Rizzel
Session started: 2011.03.01 17:48:19
------------------------------------------------------------

One of the Dramiel pilots from last night is spotted entering Eifer in a Republic Fleet Firetail, I board Sgt Angua and head on over the the plex as I'm certain he is back for revenge.

Sure as a bear shits in the woods, he enters Gusandall and warps straight to the plex. He lands, I target and the fight kicks off...

[ 2011.03.01 17:50:40 ] (notify) For initiating combat your security status has been adjusted by -0.1215.
[ 2011.03.01 17:50:41 ] (combat) Your group of Light Neutron Blaster II hits DEATH RIGHTS [LOTP](Republic Fleet Firetail), doing 426.3 damage.
[ 2011.03.01 17:50:42 ] (notify) You have started trying to warp scramble DEATH RIGHTS [LOTP](Republic Fleet Firetail).

He engages me, as expected, he came here for this...

[ 2011.03.01 17:50:43 ] (combat) DEATH RIGHTS [LOTP](Republic Fleet Firetail) lightly hits you, doing 129.8 damage.
[ 2011.03.01 17:50:46 ] (combat) DEATH RIGHTS [LOTP](Republic Fleet Firetail) aims well at you, inflicting 215.9 damage.


What happens next though was not expected and to be fucking honest it caught me off guard...

[ 2011.03.01 17:50:46 ] (notify) Domination Warp Scrambler deactivates because its target, the cure, is not locked.
[ 2011.03.01 17:50:46 ] (notify) Federation Navy Stasis Webifier deactivates because its target, the cure, is not locked.


Wait, what? ECM? You have got to be fucking having a bubble*

[ 2011.03.01 17:50:48 ] (notify) You are already managing 0 targets, as many as your ship's electronics are capable of.
[ 2011.03.01 17:50:48 ] (notify) You are already managing 0 targets, as many as your ship's electronics are capable of.


I start furiously mashing the console to lock...

[ 2011.03.01 17:50:49 ] (combat) DEATH RIGHTS [LOTP](Republic Fleet Firetail) hits you, doing 135.6 damage.
[ 2011.03.01 17:50:49 ] (notify) Approaching the cure


He's hitting hard, maybe approach isn't the wisest option, maybe try get some range till you can lock?

[ 2011.03.01 17:50:51 ] (combat) DEATH RIGHTS [LOTP](Republic Fleet Firetail) hits you, doing 148.6 damage.
[ 2011.03.01 17:50:53 ] (notify) DEATH RIGHTS [LOTP](Republic Fleet Firetail) has started trying to warp scramble you!
[ 2011.03.01 17:50:53 ] (notify) You are already managing 0 targets, as many as your ship's electronics are capable of.


Yes, I fucking know I can lock exactly zero and fuckall...

[ 2011.03.01 17:50:54 ] (combat) DEATH RIGHTS [LOTP](Republic Fleet Firetail) aims well at you, inflicting 175.4 damage.

I'm still hitting lock like a crazed monkey on PCP as the Firetail goes about the business of dismantling the newly rebuilt Sgt Angua...

[ 2011.03.01 17:50:57 ] (notify) You are already managing 0 targets, as many as your ship's

...

[ 2011.03.01 17:50:58 ] (notify) You are already managing 0 targets, as many as your ship's electronics are capable of.


I'm starting to get annoyed...

[ 2011.03.01 17:51:00 ] (combat) DEATH RIGHTS [LOTP](Republic Fleet Firetail) aims well at you, inflicting 168.5 damage.
[ 2011.03.01 17:51:00 ] (notify) You are already managing 0 targets, as many as your ship's electronics are capable of.


YES, I FUCKING KNOW!

[ 2011.03.01 17:51:03 ] (combat) DEATH RIGHTS [LOTP](Republic Fleet Firetail) places an excellent hit on you, inflicting 222.5 damage.
[ 2011.03.01 17:51:06 ] (combat) DEATH RIGHTS [LOTP](Republic Fleet Firetail) hits you, doing 136.6 damage.
[ 2011.03.01 17:51:09 ] (combat) DEATH RIGHTS [LOTP](Republic Fleet Firetail) barely scratches you, causing 48.3 damage.
[ 2011.03.01 17:51:11 ] (combat) DEATH RIGHTS [LOTP](Republic Fleet Firetail) places an excellent hit on you, inflicting 309.8 damage.


Still mashing the lock button, I'm pleased to see the countdown to resolution, I close the gap...

[ 2011.03.01 17:51:11 ] (notify) Approaching the cure
[ 2011.03.01 17:51:14 ] (combat) DEATH RIGHTS [LOTP](Republic Fleet Firetail) hits you, doing 153.9 damage.


He's still hitting me, Sgt Angua deep in armour, but the hammer drops

[ 2011.03.01 17:51:15 ] (combat) Your group of Light Neutron Blaster II places an excellent hit on DEATH RIGHTS [LOTP](Republic Fleet Firetail), inflicting 617.2 damage.
[ 2011.03.01 17:51:17 ] (combat) DEATH RIGHTS [LOTP](Republic Fleet Firetail) barely scratches you, causing 97.1 damage.
[ 2011.03.01 17:51:17 ] (combat) Your group of Light Neutron Blaster II hits DEATH RIGHTS [LOTP](Republic Fleet Firetail), doing 460.1 damage.
[ 2011.03.01 17:51:19 ] (combat) Your group of Light Neutron Blaster II hits DEATH RIGHTS [LOTP](Republic Fleet Firetail), doing 418.3 damage.


[ 2011.03.01 17:51:21 ] (notify) Targeting attempt failed as the designated object is no longer present.
[ 2011.03.01 17:51:21 ] (notify) Targeting attempt failed as the designated object is no longer present.


Did he just get another jam? Or did he just fucking warp off?

[ 2011.03.01 17:51:21 ] (notify) Approaching the cure

He still appears on my overview so I try approach and relock...

[ 2011.03.01 17:51:21 ] (notify) Republic Fleet Firetail has just left Gusandall as of ago
[ 2011.03.01 17:51:22 ] (notify) Targeting attempt failed as the designated object is no longer present.


Oh... He exploded, best try and lock that pod Mr Rizzel...

[ 2011.03.01 17:51:25 ] (notify) Approaching DEATH RIGHTS' Capsule

[ 2011.03.01 17:51:29 ] (notify) You have started trying to warp scramble DEATH RIGHTS [LOTP](Capsule).


With the pod tackled, I offer him terms...

Kane Rizzel > 250mil
Kane Rizzel > just for the ecm
DEATH RIGHTS > lol
DEATH RIGHTS > was worth a try


250 was a touch steep and I'm in a good mood (or maybe it's the painkillers)

Kane Rizzel > hehe
Kane Rizzel > 50mil and we call it a day
Kane Rizzel > ?
DEATH RIGHTS > i dont have it sorry

[ 2011.03.01 17:52:33 ] (notify) For participating in the podding of DEATH RIGHTS your security status has been adjusted by -3.0375.
[ 2011.03.01 17:52:33 ] (combat) Your group of Light Neutron Blaster II hits DEATH RIGHTS [LOTP](Capsule), doing 444.3 damage.


Pay the man or buy a new brain as I always say.

DeathStar > lol <3> Kane
Kane Rizzel > Bounty payment
From: CONCORD
Sent: 2011.03.01 17:53

For your termination of DEATH RIGHTS we have paid you the bounty that was set to his head: 1,005,000.00 ISK

Kane Rizzel > fucker jammed me twice
DeathStar > =(
DeathStar > bet he wishes his pod had ecm
Kane Rizzel > http://eve-kill.net/?a=kill_detail&kll_id=9031210 cheeky bugger



*Having a Bubble means Having a Laugh in Cockney rhyming slang (Bubble bath = Laugh) It is to be noted that Kane is neither Cockney, nor is he British, he just likes to sound like a geezer.