Some times being a PvP pilot can be really frustrating. I have been working on my Interdictor skills, and I am not talking about the kind you put into your skill queue. I'm talking about the skills of piloting the damn things! One thing I have learned... in EvE character skills only accounts for maybe half of the battle. The majority of what will determine the outcome of any battle will be the player's skill. It is that reason that keeps me logging back in. It is simple. I love the experience of playing against other players. The down side to this is that you will often find yourself going head to head against someone that is better than you, or you just make a mistake that results in the loss of your ship.
Recently I have gone through a string of Heretic loses:
#1 Heretic lost as the FC gave the order to make the tackle upon a Myrmidon until support could arrive.
I dropped my bubble, and ran at him to get a warp disruptor on him. It appears he decided to run at me too. Scrammed, webbed, and popped. I missed judged the tactical setting, and paid for it. However, my sacrifice was not in vain. 32 mil ISK loss, 78 mil ISK killed, 22.5 mil ISK recovered. A net of 67.5 mil ISK advantage in our favor.
#2 Heretic lost for being stupid. I got caught in a Sabre's bubble camp/trap with aggression.
I could of warped out in time and made it to my gang, but stayed around in hopes they'd get to me soon enough. Blah!
#3 Heretic lost as FC ordered me to jump after a small gang of drakes.
The goal was to drop a bubble catch one or two and GTFO. Unfortunately it seemed I was instantly locked and drones swarmed me. I made a call for repairs from logistics, but I was gone by the time they were loaded on grid and began to lock me. What made it even more frustrating was the immediate response of a few folks trying to explain, what I had done wrong. FC stated I needed to call for reps and get out, which stated I had. (I knew I had. I had hit a call for shield, realized I was with Guardians & immediately called for armor) One logi-pilot chimed in, "No you didn't mate." My initial response was to tell this alliance mate to F&$#K O$$! However, I knew most of my frustration was from having lost my ship. I was doing what was ordered, I had dropped the bubble and was trying to get out of it to warp. I believe that the logi pilot was ignorant to the fact that he was probably still loading on grid as I made the call. The fleet was chasing behind me, as I jumped to make the tackle. I was satisfied to see the FC did a review of his broadcast log, and identified that I had indeed called for both shield and armor.
I am happy to report that they did get one of the drakes. So a loss of 32 mil ISK Heretic for 57 mil ISK drake killed, and 17 million ISK loot salvaged. A net result of 42 mil ISK advantage in our favor.
As an interdictor or interceptor pilot, you better get used to losing ships. It is just a fact of life in EvE. It is one of the primary reasons why most PvP corps have a ship/hull replacement program for these ships.
The string of loses has gotten me some attention in Noir. leadership. The expectation is that we don't lose ships. They give the tacklers a bit of leeway, but stupid loses aren't tolerated. They want you to know how to fly your ships. I'm working at not letting the taste of a kill get me worked up into a blood frenzy, and just do what is ordered. Especially when flying a paper thin Heretic. Even with these loses, I am really beginning to love this little ship. They are always welcomed in a fleet, require skill to fly, and fit a role that a lot of folks can't/won't fill. Not to mention that she is by far the sexiest ship in EvE!
With those loses, I made my way back to the staging area. The gang completed the roam, and wrapped things up. It wasn't long before the same FC began calling for more pilots to head back out. As I like to fill a role, the needed ship for this roaming op was logistics, so I climbed into a Guardian. I would be paired up with another Guardian and Onerios. What started out as a roam ended up as a camp by taking over two bubbles that had been placed on a gate from null sec into high sec. It ended up to be very profitable spot.
I'd like to mention that the Nightmare pilot had jumped from high sec into the bubbles, as we were engaged on another ship. We immediately gave up on that ship to go after the Nightmare. The pilot was lucky enough to get back to the gate and jump, before we could get sufficient bumps on the ship to keep her off the gate. The Nightmare then sat on the high sec side, while our FC agonized over the loss of such a juicy kill. He then decided to see if the Nightmare would be dumb enough to try to jump in again. We were patient enough, but eventually the fleet chased a Raven off toward another gate. It was upon our return to the high sec gate, that the Nightmare re-appeared! This time the fleet was in position to get solid tackle, webs, and bumps. I even drove my Guardian into the bubbles and made an (in my mind) epic bump upon the Nightmare as it frantically attempted to get back to the gate. It was soon after that the Nightmare exploded and the wreck was looted. That is a 4.3 billion ISK kill, with 845 million ISK looted.
I'd like to take this time to thank Drivven, the FC of the op for being patient. Had we simply moved on we would of lost the opportunity to get this killmail. The fight was frapped, so expect some video, so you can check out my epic Guardian head bump! (ok, so it wasn't that cool :p)
At the end of it all, I felt a lot better about my Heretic loses.
Until next time,
Be Bold!!!
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