Sven
finished cybernetics V last week, opening up the possibility of
pirate implants and +5 attribute implants. Not wanting to spend a few
more days training for more jump clones just yet, I decided to clear
out a clone. I picked my cheapest one, and decided to lose it
gloriously—or not—in null. This was right at the end of the CFC
“Hellcamp” of 0-W778, so I set my destination for that
system. Ideally, I would break even in terms of isk, so I needed to
kill roughly 130m.
This led
me to my first experience solo PVPing in Null. After almost two and a
half years, my experience in null sec remains, well, null. When I
first started EVE, I heard about the “NRDS” corporations in
Providence, so I attempted to make my home out there. First jump into
null and I died in a gate camp, wide-eyed and terrified. In RVB I
attended a few of the Ganked roams into null, but (barely) just
followed primaries and took fleet warps before dying in a fire. And
that's it.
So, I
fit up a Taranis—my first time flying in an interceptor (that's how
slow I am to get on band-wagons)—and headed to Null with the sole
purpose of getting podded in order to free up a clone. Very sensible.
The trip
went better than I expected. I never made it to 0-W778, but I killed
4 interceptors before dying in a close 2v1.
The last
fight in particular was exciting. A gang of interceptors split up
between systems, so I chased a Malediction off gate with his buddy in
an Ares an awkward 100km away from us. The Malediction was able to
kite me for a bit, using up a few of my AAR charges, but I overheated
my MWD and slingshotted into scram range. At that point, he melted,
but the Ares now had me tackled and I was low on cap. I turned to the
Ares, running the AAR without charges when I could, and we both went
into low structure at the same time. I popped first.
I made
my way back to low sec, thinking briefly that I might just get my pod
out alive and that training a few days for an extra jump clone might
not be so bad after all—but, naturally, I then immediately died in
a gate camp, my main reason for going to null in the first place. Pod
included, I lost around 130m, but destroyed just over 140. So, I
slightly surpassed my ideal goal, got a clean clone, had some great
fights, and gained some much needed null sec experience.
Fast
forward a few days, and I am using that clone for attribute implants
when I am not going to be playing for a few days. I occasionally get
15-20 minutes free, so, the compulsive completionist that I am, I
decided to start going through the list and visiting every high sec
system (the in game map—which needs a serious overhaul
otherwise—has a nifty feature that shows you all of the systems you
have visited).
I poke
around the system, checking out who lives there and what people do.
Sort of like
Rixx Javix has an obsession with killing ventures, I have this
problem of compulsively destroying mobile tractors wherever I find
them. It isn't about the killmails—though I like seeing how many
I've destroyed—but just the sheer fact that they exist, sort of
like space pinatas floating about.
That
seems to make some players very angry. Rather than scoop it up, some
attack me—in mining barges no less.
Some of
these players were new-ish, so I struck up a conversation with them, had
some nice chats, and sent them some isk. Some were not so new—one
vet in a Mackinaw attacked me, but I was unable to tank the drones in
my venture.
Some
players come back in more serious ships. This Tranis
killed my lowly venture, this Taranis
was not so lucky.
That's
not the best of it, though. At one point, roaming around in that
venture, I find a mobile tractor in a belt and go to work. I also
notice that the miner who owns it is jet-can mining, and has at least
100m of ore spread about. His assets threatened (I'm quickly searching the
local market for a hauler for the ore!), he leaves and comes back in
a Maller. I destroy his three drones, then engage him. He has
an active tank and I don't have any void with me. As a result, I can
only break the armor tank while overheating, otherwise I seem to do
exactly the amount of damage he can rep. The heat damage on my guns
get into the high 90s, and I've only gotten him into low armor. He
seems cap stable, so it is unlikely I will break the tank. Worse yet,
I have to leave. I found myself in such a situation before...and once again, it results in a ransom! The player offers a 150m isk ransom--so either his Maller has some nice mods, or it is implicit that the ransom includes leaving his ore alone. Just to make it explicit, I promise to leave the ore. I get the payment and warp away ~honorably~ but 150m isk richer.
Just to cap it off, I am on my way to some new systems when a Myrmidon requests a duel. Why not, I think, I don't have much to lose in my Atron.
With some patience, persistence, and looking like (or just being) an easy target, you can find fights anywhere in EVE where there are other players. Next up, some PVP in the new ship skins...
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