…if you just buy a bunch of new ships. Recently I got the bright idea to move away from Hevrice. I talked about it a bit on the last Voices episode, but essentially what it boiled down to was this – Hevrice and the surrounding area are pretty farmed out. Not to say kills can’t be had – indeed, most of Tuskers and a significant portion of Shadow Cartel still get plenty of kills in the area – but traffic seems slow during my timezone. So, I moved back to my piracy home – Aurohunen/Dantumi.

Located in Lonetrek, just three high sec jumps from Jita, the Aurohunen/Dantumi area (really stretching all the way down to Ishomilken) has been the home of various pirate entities since time began in Eve. Indeed, Mara (the system next to Dantumi) was famous early in the history of Eve as being the site of the first truly organized gatecamp, as it once was used quite a lot as a shortcut from other parts of Eve travelling to Jita. I first came to the area in 2008 with my first pirate character and it was a great place to learn the basics of piracy.

Then, a little thing called ‘overfishing’ occurred. For a long time, The Guristas Associates (a prominent, at the time, pirate alliance) dominated the area. When TGA more or less fell apart, individual bits and pieces remained behind – Python Cartel, Monsters, Carebear Stare, etc. Slowly, though, traffic dried up. One by one, corps either went inactive or went away to greener pastures. Eventually, almost everyone was gone (to the point that even the antipirates trolling Mara got restless and started GCCing the occasional passerby).

Anyways, I’d heard that traffic was picking up in the area again these days. RvB is based not terribly far away as well, so I figured I’d move back up there. I made a shopping list, hit up Jita, and started refreshing my memory of all the old bookmarks I have up there.

Results so far are a bit mixed. Part of the reason for that was, after the recording of Episode 37 of Voices last Friday, I was quite blitzed and GCCed on a Geddon on a gate (in a Drake), which went predictably bad. I also leeroyed (with GCC) in a shield cane into a station fight and got nabbed by a Myrmidon (though I did inadvertently save a friend’s Phobos by doing so).

I tried to entice a T1 cruiser gang to engage me. I was solo in a Drake, they had two Caracals, a Rupture, Thorax and something else (can’t remember). I snagged one of the Caracals at a belt and took my time killing him, waiting for the cavalry to come in. They didn’t. So the Caracal died and I carried on. I got my first kill whilst flying a Tornado – catching a complex running Drake with his pants down (for which I was rewarded with an ‘ass hole’ in a private convo). There was also a handful of other small kills not really worth mentioning (except maybe for the Russian newb whose pod I literally UNpointed and warped away from, but he wouldn’t move so I had to go remove him forcibly).

Then, there was the Oracle fight. I was out and about in a Harpy and jumped into Mara to see two Russians in local, with an Oracle on scan. I warped down to a tactical at the belt in question and saw him sitting 50km off the warp in. Interesting. No sign of his compatriot on d-scan, so I check Battleclinic quickly. Yep, as I suspected, he’s a Falcon pilot.

I inquire around to see if anyone would be willing to help my assault frigate engage this, but get no real bites. Just when I’m about to leave the area, I see a familiar face jump in – Gingerella, who my old friend Terror and I ran into the day before, in a Hurricane. Taking a shot in the dark, I convo him and he agrees to assist. Score.

I maneuver around the belt, get in line with the Oracle and warp in, landing 8k from him. Scram applied and blasters activated, I give Gingerella the signal to warp in and start burning the Oracle down. His shields absolutely melt, giving me hope that he may just die before the Falcon can even make an appearance. He’s shooting me but not able to hit me with my tight orbit. All going well…

Then we hit his armor. Which does NOT melt. And the Falcon decloaks, jamming me up for three successive cycles. Luckily, the Hurricane is managing to keep point (I think? Or the Oracle was cocky). However, eventually the Falcon misses a jam on me and I lock up the T3 BC again. He’s just under half armor now. Overheat the blasters and full steam ahead. The Falcon misses a second jam cycle – awesome!

Then, Russia happens. Two Tengus jump into Mara and join their compatriots, focusing fire on the Hurricane. I get jammed again and helplessly orbit the Oracle, making sure not to derp at this point and die horribly. I have the chance to leave but like a dog with a meal after starving all day, I’m really determined to kill this damn Russian.

Falcon misses jams again. Success! I lock the Oracle back up and urge the guns to keep the heat on. Armor disappears. My Hurricane buddy dies to the Tengus who target me next. Structure melts. WHAT WILL HAPPEN….

OP SUCCESS. Russian Oracle down. I try to start burning out but I’m dual webbed and the Tengus have me. I forget to pop my Blue Pill as well, like a newb, but this is a loss regardless. Harpy down.

Looking at it on paper, you have to say I lost. I died, my Hurricane assist died (big ups to Gingerella for being willing to throw down and being a good sport about it), we lost the *iskwar* and didn’t hold the field. However – we killed the T3 BC under constant jams and Tengu fire. This, to me, is success. Yes, I may have a low standard of success. Sue me.

In other news, big Voices from the Void week this week:  the last non-incumbent CSM 1v1 as a part of Episode 38 will be recorded Friday; a special edition Cage Match featuring a three way (OOOO INNUENDO) between ‘Hot for Space Teacher’ Seleene, ‘Hot for Holes’ Two step, and ‘Hot for Everyone’ Trebor will be recorded Sunday; plans are underway for not one, but TWO special Voices contests; and work on funny stuff should be coming to fruition soon. Also out of game, I picked up Templar One by Tony Gonzales this week and have been enjoying that. Busy, busy week but I should return to regular postage.

Until the next post:

Fly Smart,
Marc

Posted in general/other crap good fights
6 Comments Posted by Marc