Day 396

Computer: Begin Recording.


Entry three hundred ninety-six.


Since the previous log entry, there's been little interesting enough to merit a report. I've attended various operations that were meant to aid the NC in the war against the DRF and PL, but quite literally speaking, nothing has come from those operations. On each and every of those operations, we formed up, sat on a titan, then disbanded upon learning that the NC fielded less than half of what was required for an even match, even with CF forces included.


There was one fleet, in response to having to stand down, that occurred, that does bear note. Half an hour after disbanding the war fleet, an AHAC fleet was formed to raid IRC space. This was my first time flying in an armor fleet, and I was fairly excited. I strapped up my one and only armor cane and headed out with the fleet. We gated down, approximately 15 jumps, did some running around, and were flying engaged by a similarly sized IRC fleet fielding a shield fleet. Knowing they knew we were coming, and knowing that they fielded the exact counter to our fleet, we engaged anyways.


We took multiple losses, inflicted zero losses on IRCs part. Nevertheless, we got the action we were looking for, and left feeling ok, a good roam stunted by a completely one-sided fight.


Said fleet has forced me to rethink my Fleet Issue Tempest fit that I was planning to execute. I had been planning on an armor fit. It would have moderate range on the autocannons, a little less damage output, a good deal deal less speed, but more effective hitpoints. Given how the shield fleet tends to be faster, more maneuverable, and output more damage despite less tackle, I've decided to fit it up with a shield buffer fit, similar to the standard auto-nano-cane minus the nano. The range nearly doubles, the damage output increases drastically (one hundred a second), and although the hitpoints drop by ten thousand, it is far more maneuverable and capable of inflicting death. Also, with a shield fit, it is easier to switch to an artillery setup than would be with the armor version.


After that, I took a few days to visit with some planet side friends. I don't normally associate with those lower-echelon folk, but some exceptions can be made.


Upon returning I almost immediately joined a DBRB op, which was supposedly to raid IRC space in a semi suicidal fashion with a shield fleet. It turned out that we were attempting to save one of his friends in a supercapital or titan, I forget which. Apparently this friend had been trying to escape to Goonswarm Federation Space for a week, and with no luck and with Pandemic Legion seemingly with no way to intercept the escaping pilot at the time, we attempted to break him out. It did not go this way however, as a cyno-HIC lit a cyno, and unable to alpha the cyno-HIC down in time, several more HICs and forty or more supercapitals and titans jumped in on top of the escaping ally. The enemy HICs tackled him down while the supercapital fleet filleted him. Our subcapital fleet mostly escaped, but the most important ship did not. It will undoubtedly take a month or more to replace that ship, as well as a good chunk of the monthly profit of Goonswarm Federation.


After that failure of an operation, I paid attention to intelligence as per normal. A failed attempt at engaging a Hurricane who logged off in space in TXME led me to testing my armor cane's mettle against what was clearly a bait Dramiel.


Clearly I've overestimated my ability to take on bait Dramiels. I've tried once before in an auto-nano-cane and again in an armor-tackle cane. Both times, the Dramiel has taken armor damage and no more while holding me down with time to spare for a fleet to land on me and evaporate me. Also, both times I neglected to launch my attack drones, but at speeds exceeding 3 kilometers a second, even drones won't catch them. Clearly, a Hurricane has zero chance of killing a tackling Dramiel, and zero chance of killing a combat Dramiel (as it can no doubt dis-engage at will, even webbed and scrammed by the Hurricane). Also given my fight with the Daredevil, who needlessly died in combat against my Hurricane, it is clear that a battlecruiser is a very poor choice for killing frigate sized craft unless specially fitted with 180mm or 220mm autocannons, and even then, the fight must occur at a strategic exit point such as a gate whenever possible, as escaping a faster frigate will be impossible.


That said though, I've moved my remaining Hurricane to Serpentis Prime. All that remains in friendly space is a scimitar, a Claw, and a Jaguar with some ammunition and various valuables which will leave friendly space tomorrow. I'll be moving corporations soon, because being the only corp member interested in PvP when I'm awake is a waste in my eyes when I could be enjoying myself with friends.


Alcohol is better with friends around, and so is blowing up spaceships.