Bum Rush!
We assembled a combined Bastard/Tusker fleet - about 22. It started off quite promising with z0de, Arrhi, Amon and Bourreau racing ahead as scouts. They had spotted a pair of missioning cyclones but z0de got de-cloaked and spooked them. We bookmarked the acceleration gate and moved on. One jump later, a cynabal and domi (both SNIGG) were spotted and bravely pointed by z0de in his Lach. We were one jump away but it was a long 50AU jump. We hit the out gate, and warped asap to z0de who was holding on but going down. He tried to get out but had his capacitor neut'ed. He went down just as we arrived and took over point. Cynabal was primary but I ordered some of the fleet to hold off on dps and get ready to jump after the domi as it appeared he was approaching the gate. The cynabal was scrapped but the pilot escaped.
The domi did jump and I and four others followed after it. The domi held cloak for as long as possible and when it expired, the domi raced towards the gate back into Akkio. The bulk of the fleet was left on the other side.
I cycled my warp disruptor and pointed the domi. We took the domi down.
Meanwhile, the missioning cyclones had returned and a small fleet was detached from the main body and went after the cyclones. Only one was caught and promptly destroyed. No one got a chance to ransom them but at least the loot survived.
After collecting all the loot and cooling off our GCCs; the fleet rumbled towards LXQ2-T. A scout was sent through and it was sufficient to scare the camp back into their pos. Next time we will just bum-rush into LXQ2-T, consequences be damned! We used the short-cut into Skarkon where we chased a few ships but failed to get anything.
We had word about a camp near Heild / Bosena so we set course at full speed - scouts reporting back as they raced ahead. The rest of the fleet moved as fast as they could after them. The camp moved as we were three jumps out and seemed to disappear. There was a sniping apoc that looked tempting. I sent Arrhidaeus to tackle it but he got one-volleyed - we missed the camp but killed off a few stragglers: a hurricane, an ishkur, a rupture and a catalyst as we retraced our steps. Just one jump from home, we caught a myrmidon.
Part 2 had RoninData take over as FC and this according to the killboard, looked quite successful too.
Lessons:
1. Need probers.
2. Need more lach or keres (?) for long pointage love.
3. Bum rush into LXQ2-T.
4. No going AFK when in fleet, get off-grid or dock up.
5. K Starwind needs to be in a rook and should not dock up in low-sec in hostile space..
Great fun - more again.
POS BASHING
Now, a few days later - I had Vig and z0de approach me with a proposal: there was a large POS that needed to be taken down and they outlined the plan. It was a faction tower, poorly defended and ripe for the taking. We were sure that we could liberate it. POS Bashing is boring. I much prefer roams but sometimes we would need to what is necessary and who can I argue when isk is involved?
We gave ourselves a few days to organise ourselves and pushed out feelers to see if other people would be willing to assist. A decision to go with mainly a BS class POS Bashing fleet was made early: the risk of a hot drop by some of the much bigger entities currently passing through towards the north was too great. We sacrificed speed of POS destruction for a slower but safer option. An Op time, we had Vig rushing around frantically organising the fleet of battle ships and the two dreads we were willing to risk. Poor Vig did a superb job and Starwind stepped in to organise the battle ships. With watch lists updated, overviews primed and haulers ready with cargo-hold full of cap boosters and ammunition, the remote repping battle ship fleet rumbled out.
RR fleets do require tight coordination, communication and awareness. For a well drilled team, it becomes very difficult to destroy a single ship since it gets remotely repaired by their fleet mates. Moving around as a tight ball, the RR fleet is a fearsome entity in any region of space. Of course, it can all go 'Pete Tong' very quickly and I prayed that it would not happen.
We arrived at the POS orbiting moon 3-1 and immediately set upon the Remote sensor dampner tower and the warp disruption batteries before we started on the large guns. The POS's automatic alarms detected our presence and started to lock our ships. However, without human gunners directly the fire, the POS was ineffective at directing it's fire. We started to knock each module's shields down until it automatically went off-line. Then it was onto the tower.
I fired over 4K bane torpedoes while others did similar and it was a slow job but we knew this already. Scouts in neighbouring systems kept an eye for any snoopers that could drop a cyno on us but it was very quiet. After two hours the large POS dropped into reinforced mode: all its systems shut down as it started to burn off its strontium store. Until this fuel ran out, the POS was nigh-on indestructible. It was also shut down - no moon mining or reactions could be carried out. Now was the time to see about a ransom and luckily for us, someone for the corp who had anchored the tower came online and warped straight to the tower. No doubt to see what all the fuss was about. I got into conversation with him and made our intentions known but the response was disappointing: the corp was damn near broke, corp thieves had ripped them off and their CEO had insisted on the tower anchoring and then buggered off.
Well, we were in an empasse and I approached the alliance that sheltered this corp and asked for someone to speak to and I have even less success. However, ever resourceful Viginti had located a director and had managed to get some concessions. No firm details yet but we don't have to destroy the large faction tower, worth about 1b isk and instead could be seeing some financial arrangement being agreed upon.
Still, it is isk but can't say that this is what we're about. I take my hats off to the large capital fleets roaming in null-sec who blob and knock down POS towers. They have the patience of all the saints in the world.
Well, am awaiting for the outcome of Vig's deliberations but am looking forward to a HAC/RECON roam later tonight. I think screaming around space, hunting people and ransoming those we catch is much more fun.
BUSHKASHI
Due to popular demand, The Bastards are planning on an open Bushkashi event to be held soon. Organised by our ever resourceful Persephone Astrid, it will be full of fun, animals and exploding ships. What is there not to love? This event will be a first come, first served basis so if you chaps can form a team of three and you're interested - comment here or drop me or Persephone a line in-game. Donations of prizes and monies also appreciated. General support and feedback welcome.
You can read the first Bastards' Bushkashi event here: http://i-pirate.blogspot.com/2010/03/bushkashi-shield-gank-hurricanes-and.html
Let the game commence.
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