Battleship Blues

A new recruit, Juna, spend some time sewing a new battle standard for Huang:

We all like it, but we're still arguing about our com channel hologram icons.

Anyways, things have been quiet. Learning the ropes of my new Stiletto-class inty, now that I've rebuilt her. Hunting pirates and posting kills on the alliance board--finally got my first "final blow" and kill credit.

So, Namtz'aar K'in pilots took down two enemy stations recently, and all I could do was ammo runs, and that not even that well (one of my tramp haulers took a direct hit from a heavy Amarr laser turret in an engine pod and blew; luckily, everyone was suited up and there were no causalties). When we chase all but the greeniest buccanneers around Molden Heath, all the battleship commanders get the kills with their big guns, while me in my assault frig or inty get is credit for tackling, and the occassional pot shot with my glorified pop guns (well, maybe a mite bigger than pop guns, as more than a few Angel battlecruiser commanders would say if they weren't floating, frozen carrion).

Still, with my light ship I can pop drones and engage enemy support ships but I can't make much of a difference yet when the battlewagons are slugging it out. My fellow Jin Xing pilots are quickly getting better, though, and most will be able to join me flying my beloved jag-class frigs soon. I can only hope once we have a whole wing of these we can really put the hurt on enemy battleships.

While I'm waiting for all those skills to get integrated into the thick skulls of my corp mates, I figure I can play around with some bigger ships soon, if I can rustle up a crew. I'm not much for commanding squibs, but sometimes I really feel like I need some bigger guns...

Hard Lessons: Look before you Leap

Seems just when I think I know what the frack I'm doing in a pod, I pull a rookie maneuver just to keep myself humble.

Two cases in point, both with the same lesson: Never go charging into a sitch without knowing all factors. And also, Concord sentry guns don't care if the guy you're shooting is a pirate, or if you don't shoot at all...

In the first hard lesson, we spot three pilots in a new privateer corp that's been trying to establish itself in Molden Heath in Half system. But instead of grouping up, we dribble into Half one at a time. First pilot to buy it is Dohl, often braver than wise, but a great mate with way more kills to his credit than most in Huang. He flushes these guys out but get's gang banged by these three punks. He yells for help... and Ma comes flying in. And gets ganked. And you know who's 3rd in line for the gank fest? Your's truly... hard not to jump in when your CEO's yelling "Engage engage engage!" into the com. But I knew we had no backup, so I should have held off. Instead, ended up climbing out of the tank again, minus one Stiletto-class inty. At least we whacked 'em later, and I was in on it, though the crew of my Stabber-class cruiser (at least, those that made it into escape pods) aren't too thrilled to have been spaced by the Concord automated sentry guns at Isto stargate.

In the second lesson, I'm tooling around in a new toy, a Thrasher-class destroyer that's basically nothing but big guns and engines. Could be made out of paper for all its durability.

We're hunting Awox and his henchman Odareon, and also that big pink monkey Jungle Jim in Atlar system. But com chatter lists another target, which I flag as KOS. That, my friends, is a mistake. Just 'cause some flyboy lists a target doesn't make it legit. When I see him undock from the station I'm camping, I lock him and engage my sensor damper. Turns out, he's civvie, and the sentry guns around the station recognize that too. Only four crew with me, at least. All of us made it out this time. The crying shame is as I'm sitting in my pod making sure my crew are OK, the real target comes warping in, and all I can do is watch.

Next thing, I'm on the com, yelling for the XO to verify my "target." Comes back neg. Then the guy himself pipes in, yelling at me for targetting him... hey, at least I never took a shot at him. I apologize and offer compensation for the insult and "injury..." A Namtz officer comes on the com next and pays off the guy to the tune of 5 million ISK for his troubles. Now he's happy and shuts up, at least, but I'm still in the frackin' dog house, less one ship, with a pissed off crew to pay extra hazard to as well.

So kiddies, the lessons are, look before you leap. Verify all "targets." And when that Concord warning pops up in your com, you'd better frackin' pay attention to it... they don't care if what your aiming isn't a gun.

Good Guys vs. Bad Guys

Here I am, on patrol in Half again, ridding the system of Angel scum... Meridian Dynamics is setup here now (they're the mining corp I met awhile back who were glad Huang and other NAMTZ corps run regular patrols here). Watched one of their security guys try and tangle with a flotilla of three Primus-class battlecruisers (and frig escorts) before limping away; then I came screaming in in my Jag and had them all space dust in no time. Good to know I'm still needed around here. His CEO was politely thankful for the assistance.

Anyways, there were a few guys in from a corp I hadn't heard of before, with some hipster pseudo-badass name, hanging around and making noise in local com channels. Seems they were miffed some of my more eager Namtz'aar K'in allies had tried to leave their frozen clone-corpses drifting in the belts. One was clearly a new recruit, green as Old Terra, bewildered that we would take pot shots at him. Then it became clear--he had no clue he'd even joined the Bad Boyz. Poor kid... plenty of corps masquerade as legit, luring new cadets fresh out of academy with promises of ISK and ships, only to to finally turn them to the dark side. At least I think we saved this kid. Put out in all points to remove his transponder code from KOS. His buddy with a loud mouth wasn't so lucky.

Hopefully he'll quit this corp, and not suffer too badly for it. I was interviewing a new potential Huang recruit with a pirate corp in his dossier--his story was he didn't know, and when he backed out of the deal, his mates podded him for the affrontery. He's got some handle that's the name of a mythical Minmatar city from Old Terra-- "New York" or something like that. Must have read too many fairy tales growing up.

Point is, space is black and white. There are Good Guys and Bad Guys. If you hang out with the Bad Guys, you become one by default--guilt by assocation. So to all you fresh grads out there, take note: Don't join the first friendly corp that throws an offer your way. Figure out who they are and what they're about, and don't just take their word for it if they claim they aren't into piracy--read the local news, ask around. Unless of course, you are a Bad Guy from the start, in which case, you're welcome to come and get podded anytime in Molden Heath.