Killing my first Geddon.

Determined to get more kills - I went back to Gusandall to see what was flying around. Oddly, no Blackfleet or MeanCorp or anyone for that matter. I have had some success in a the Todifrauan system in Metropolis. Its the base for many corps and many appear to mine there. Also, the place is hot with Angels so there are plenty of hunters there.

Lucius and I spent some time scanning and seeking out targets; as there were plenty and what looked like a major mining operation. We saw covetors and retrievers all guarded by Dominix, Scorpion and Caracal class ships. A bit tough for two frigates.

However, there were still plenty of ships around and we spotted a stabber and an armageddon that were working together in the belts around the VI cluster. Sensing an opportunity we split up and tried to pin them down. The primary target would be the stabber then the armageddon. We doubted the 'geddon would be able to track us unless it had NOS, SmartBombs and drones. The search for them was fun as both Lucius and I landed 100KM+ away from the pair a total of five times. It was clear to us that they knew were were around. However, we took advantage of a mistake they made: they passed a secured can and we bookmarked the can and warped back to it a suitable distance, screaming in and landing within 10km of the pair. Snarling, Lucius and I hurled our ships closer and tried to scramble the stabber - amazingly it warped off before we got close enough. Looks like both Lucius and I had 7.5km scramblers. I normally fly with a 20km disruptor but not this time.

We engaged the armageddon instead, the golden hulk gleaming and reflecting the system's red giant sun dully. The Armageddon presented its broadside and unleashed the heavy pulse lasers. Ruby lances of light flashed by. The punisher's own collision avoidance system banked the ship to one side as it regarded the destructive energy lance as another ship.

With the private independence channel alive with chatter, Lucius and I co-ordinated our attack. Scramblers came on - all four points worth and completely locking the battleship down. We started firing our small sized weapons; compared to the large destructive lances - they were a mere spittle. However, they scored hit and after hit.

The battleship pilot realising the folly of using the large lasers went to his other option: drones. Sure enough, small blisters on the ship irished open and heavy berserker class drones slid out. Their eyes swivelling into position and locking on us.

"Drones, Lucius."
"I see them."

We quickly re-directed our fire towards the deadly war machines and proceeded to pop them. They were designed as sluggers and to go after slower cruisers and larger craft, not nimble frigates. The drones were duly popped and we returned our fire at the armageddon.

The stabber then warped back in and landed on top of me. Lucius and I quickly split our targets: Lucius would maintain lock on the armageddon while I would try and take out the stabber. I switched my scrambler towards the sleek Minmater cruiser and redirected the fire from the three 200mm ACs at him. The small nosferatu also came on to supplement my capacitor. The stabber captain desperately tried to track me but I was too fast, even for the feared stabber-class cruiser; well known as a deadly anti-frigate platform.

My EMP shells ate into his shield. His only effective hits were from his missile launcher and the occasionally hit from his medium autocannons. I tanked and avoided his fire but realised that I was drifting further and further away from Lucius and the Armageddon. I called out to Revivor to get his rifter down here pronto. The blue-skinned babe duly obliged and informed us that she was ten jumps away.

Meanwhile, the stabber fight was going badly for the cruiser captain - he was down to 50% armour but started to pull away from me. He had a micro-warpdrive and even in the fast punisher, I had trouble closing the distance. Once out of scramble range, he warped.

I then made my way back towards Lucius' fight - now over 80km away. I warped back out and in on Lucius and minutes later, the stabber came in again. Once again, I peeled off to take the stabber and once again, he warped off once he was down to 50% armour. It was an effective tactic preventing me from adding my firewpower to Lucius but Revivor was only 2 jumps away and would swing the battle our way.

The stabber didn't turn up the third time so i once again, locked myself into a 2000m orbit and switched on the 200mm ACs. The damage readout on the armageddon was showing 80% armour and falling slowly. Revivor screamed in and added her firewpower to mine and Lucius. The armageddon captain must have been horrified at this.

Slowly, but surely the mighty armour of the Armageddon-class battleship was being drilled with thousands of ragged holes from our small projectiles. Atmosphere now venting out into space and fires burning in various places. Another three minutes and the armour was all but gone - most of it spinning off into space, burning and molten. Already, the crew was abandoning the ship, life pods as thick as rain flying away from the doomed ship.

We wanted the Captain.

The hull creaked and groaned and finally split after a final salvo. The Captain's pod appeared and it is only fitting that the Captain goes down with his ship. The concentrated fire of nine 200mm ACs blew the adamantium shell of the capsule to pieces.

My first ever Battleship kill.

The stabber never returned.

2007.02.25 23:12

Victim: haysis
Alliance: NONE
Corp: Technology Ventures Inc.
Destroyed: Armageddon
System: Todifrauan
Security: 0.1

Involved parties:

Name: Lucius Cain (laid the final blow)
Security: -9.9
Alliance: Pandemic Legion
Corp: SniggWaffe
Ship: Rifter
Weapon: 150mm Light Prototype I Automatic Cannon

Name: Revivor
Security: -6.6
Alliance: NONE
Corp: Republic Military School
Ship: Rifter
Weapon: 'Arbalest' Rocket Launcher I

Name: flashfresh
Security: -10.0
Alliance: NONE
Corp: Independent Pilots
Ship: Punisher
Weapon: Punisher

There were cheers from our own crews and we congratulated each other on a fine job. The wreckage and loot was disappointing but the thrill of the kill was all. We flew to a nearby planet to re-group.

While the cheering had not even died - a stabber came into view. We thought, 'its him again'. However, a closer examination revealed a different Captain and my readouts flashed out that it was Zelgris - who piloted a ferox and had taken out my third punisher a week ago.

We wanted revenge.

The stabber was hit hard by both me and Lucius. However, the stabber managed to escape just as Revivor arrived. It sped off but Lucius was hot on his heels having quite quickly figured out where Zelgris was heading too (warp to 0 to planet FTW!).

We chased the stabber for another two planets before locking him down and pummelling the stabber into scrap. The pod escaped and Zelgris disappeared from local. His pod was still there on the scanner.....logoffski???

Concord confirmed our kill:

2007.02.25 23:33
Victim: Zelgris
Alliance: NONE
Corp: New Justice Technologies
Destroyed: Stabber
System: Todifrauan
Security: 0.1

Involved parties:

Name: Lucius Cain
Security: -9.9
Alliance: Pandemic Legion
Corp: SniggWaffe
Ship: Rifter
Weapon: Rifter

Name: Revivor (laid the final blow)
Security: -7.1
Alliance: NONE
Corp: Republic Military School
Ship: Rifter
Weapon: 150mm Light Prototype I Automatic Cannon

Name: flashfresh
Security: -10.0
Alliance: NONE
Corp: Independent Pilots
Ship: Punisher
Weapon: 200mm AutoCannon I

Destroyed items:
Dual 180mm AutoCannon I
Dual 180mm AutoCannon I
Medium Nosferatu I
Warp Disruptor I
Nuclear M, Qty: 2360 (Cargo)
Nuclear M, Qty: 132
Nuclear M, Qty: 132

After losing two ruptures and a body - the kills today more than made up for it.