The Bastards just love the Kill of the Month.

We love the solo kill (or gank)

This is what we want to do each night....

Like any organisation, we all see a dip in numbers and activity. New Eden is a demanding mistress: but sometimes, the pull on everyone's time cannot be dealt with equitably. As a consequence many pilots take a break from the game and try something else. This is fine - after all, we all PAY to fly these shiny ships so why can't we just step away from the game when something else more attractive comes along?


Shhh, I just discovered Mass Effect 1 and love it. I hear that there's Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3. Wonderful, if only walking in stations looked as cool! 

As a consequence, The Bastards can and frequently operate as solo or duo gangs through necessity. I mean, why not? Nothing worse then spinning ships in your hangar and seeing an empty Corp Chat for example. However, it is even worse when one decides that there is nothing to do, you simply can't be bothered and simply disconnect from GalNet, unplug yourself from the pod and wander around to seek other pleasures.  Boredom and lack of companions (in the manly sense) means Sad Pirate and safe care bears.

My only advise is not to biomass your clone in a fit of depression.

Lately we've been bolstered by our Italian pirate companions, Los Chupacabras. No, they're not Mexicans but definitely Italian and props goes to their newly minted CEO, Mal Iss - we love his smooth Italian accented English.

The Order of the Peregrine

A simple by shiny medal

So, it is with great pleasure and satisfaction that I can see some Bastards frequently go out, solo and 'just do it'. Yes, EVE-Online is an environment that needs the cooperation of all your pilots as it is not a single player environment as some would like it to be. However, it is difficult to cooperate when you're on your own most of the time; especially for a small corporation like ourselves. The Bastards recognise this and we celebrate the solo kill within the corporation with a medal - the 'Order of the Peregrine' and the reward of a T2 frigate hull of the winners choice. This was set up over three years ago and it is going strong. I might have to rethink the T2 frigate hull prize though: the solo kill was mainly for those who flew frigate class vessels but there's a few kills in other ship types now.

The prize is a small gesture of thanks and an acknowledgement that this particular pilot is playing Eve in 'hard mode'. Solo in low-sec and as a criminal - is there nothing harder to master?

Unlike our fellow pirates, The Tuskers; The Bastards do not operate solo as often as I would like it but those Bastards that do, do it well. Am tempted to re-organise our regular fleets into much smaller entities (i.e. have a MAXIMUM fleet size) before undocking for example. Am sure other fellow pirates from Gunpoint Diplomacy and Shadow Cartel Alliance have their own views on fleet number and compositions. Am eager to hear them on how much longer are the small gangs and solo work viable in light of what I see as bigger and more organised fleets?

Of course, the master of solo piracy is my long time friend and fellow pirate, Kane Rizzel. If only I had him with us, he could teach some of the younger pirates a thing or two. I think I need to clone Mr Rizzel; now where did I leave his body? Even so, there are changes even in moribund low-sec space but Kane is adapting with his usual aplomb.

So let's look at the latest winner of The Bastards Order of the Peregrine: he is the unusually named pirate: 'Dynamically Reconfigured' who has been leading a one-man crusade in low-sec space; mainly in the Heimatar/Metropolis region but other areas too. Certainly, in terms of volume he has been hammering them in. Johnny Twelvebore and Layla (a newly minted Meatshield) is also getting the solo kills in.

Sometimes, you can't be picky when it comes to solo work....

Dynamic joins a long list of illustrious Bastards, past and present.

As I reviewed the kill of the months, highlights include

• There's a number of pirates who has had the award twice but never three times.
• The main ship type used for solo work is frigate and then cruiser class. There's no battle ship class in the list. Am still waiting for someone to use an electronic attack ship or an industrial ship! 
• The Vexor has featured twice when the main cruisers we fly tend to be Ruptures.
• Biggest disparity in class size was interceptor versus battle ship and stealth bomber versus battle ship.
• The most popular solo interceptor is the Taranis.
• A few anomalies including Tibbs infamous ten hulk killing and a bellicose killing a pre-nerfed dramiel.
• None of the 1 v 1 are consensual. Arranged 1 v 1 are fun and cool (recall Nashh's CDM run of posts) but they are not solo kills in the 'piratey' sense.  

An honourable mention to TFS Tibbs and BracerKirk for their infamous kill of a CCP Dev and his cockroach. The killmail is here and the full post and comments are here. If either Tibbs or Bracer managed to get it solo, it would have been the kill of the year (a new award?) - but both helped each other out.

Finally, I want to say a big thank you to Marco Drack who organises the thread and post each month for the Kill of the Month on The Bastards, having taken it other from the much-missed Persephone Astrid.

Any old Bastards, if the kills bring back warm memories of smack and fun, well - we will always welcome back good pirates and pilots. To any readers out there; if you have some solo kills you are particularly proud of, drop me a line.

Past recipients of the Order of the Peregrine (there was a previous medal of the same that was removed - for artistic reasons...)

Ard Unjiigo: Oct 2009
Arrihidaeus: April 2010, May 2010
Coochie: July 2009
Deltsbeta: August 2011
Dynamically Reconfigured: April 2012
Fish Brain: April 2009
Fitz: Sep 2011
Hera: Jan 2009
Jirat: Nov 2009
JManza: September 2010
Kingzolo: Dec 2011
Max Ursa: Nov 2011, May 2011
Mr Frog: Jan 2010
Muckalt: August 2010
Nova: May 2009
P'XEL: June 2009
Persephone Astrid: July 2010
Raelyf: June 2011, January 2011
Ravenesa: Feb 2012
Rodneystar: March 2009
TFS Tibbs: October 2011, July 2011
z0de: Sept 2009, Feb 2010

The Months

May 2012
Ongoing

April 2012
Dynamically Reconfigured v x2 Battle cruisers, x1 Battle ship and x1 rifter
Killmail: http://thebastards.eve-kill.net/?a=kill_related&kll_id=13027504

March 2012
No clear winner. Votes tied between:
Deltsbeta's hookbill versus x2 thrashers
Killmails: http://thebastards.eve-kill.net/?a=kill_related&kll_id=12822636

and

Dynamically Reconfigured's Rupture versus a Drake
Killmail: http://thebastards.eve-kill.net/?a=kill_detail&kll_id=12791289

February 2012
Ravenesa's Dramiel versus x2 rifters and x1 thrasher
Killmail: http://the-bastards.com/kb/?a=kill_related&kll_id=23393

January 2012
No Votes

December 2011
Kingzolo in a his wolf versus a dramiel
Killmail: http://www.the-bastards.com/kb/?a=kill_detail&kll_id=22821

November 2011
Max Ursa sabre versus hurricane
Killmail: http://the-bastards.com/kb/?a=kill_detail&kll_id=22461

October 2011
TFS Tibbs hurricane and x10 (yes 10) Hulks and x10 Pods. Ok they didn't fight back but what the hell.
Killmail: http://the-bastards.com/kb/?a=kill_related&kll_id=22386

September 2011
Fitz's jaguar versus x4 rifters and he prevails.
Killmail: http://the-bastards.com/kb/?a=kill_related&kll_id=22206

August 2011
Deltsbeta versus five frigates, killing 3 and driving off the other 2.
Killmail: http://the-bastards.com/kb/?a=kill_related&kll_id=21698

July 2011
TFS Tibbs' drake dominating a Tengu
Killmail: http://the-bastards.com/kb/?a=kill_detail&kll_id=21235

June 2011
Raelyf bellicose (?) killing a dramiel (pre-nerf)
Killmail: http://the-bastards.com/kb/?a=kill_detail&kll_id=20877

May 2011
MaxUrsa's thrasher killing a rapier.
Killmail: http://the-bastards.com/kb/?a=kill_detail&kll_id=20202

April 2011
No votes

March 2011
No votes

February 2011
No votes

January 2011
Raelyf's vexor versus five takedown.
Killmail: http://the-bastards.com/kb/?a=kill_related&kll_id=18280

December 2010
No votes

November 2012
No votes

October 2010
No votes

September 2010
JManza dramiel takes down a hurricane
Killmail: http://www.the-bastards.com/kb/?a=kill_detail&kll_id=17570

August 2010
Muckalt's hound versus a raven
Killmail: http://the-bastards.com/kb//?a=kill_detail&kll_id=17127

July 2010
Persephone's Crow kill in her Tristan
Killmail:http://www.annihilatus.org/eve/bastardskb/?a=kill_detail&kll_id=130
Thread: http://www.the-bastards.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=5353

June 2010
[b]NO NOMINATIONS DUE TO AT8 and HK III[/b]

May 2010
Arrhidaeus slicer v 4 frigs
Killmail: http://the-bastards.com/kb/?a=kill_related&kll_id=16099
Thread: http://www.the-bastards.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=5206

April 2010
Arrihidaeus crusader v Zealot
Killmail: http://www.the-bastards.com/kb/?a=kill_detail&kll_id=16011
Thread: http://www.the-bastards.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=5133

March 2010
Raelyf's rifter kills a cynabal
Killmail: http://the-bastards.com/kb/?a=kill_detail&kll_id=15451
Thread: http://www.the-bastards.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=5000

February 2010
z0de's prober on prober action
Killmail: http://the-bastards.com/kb/?a=kill_detail&kll_id=15263
Thread: http://the-bastards.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=4952

January 2010
Mr Frog catches a vaga in his vexor
Killmail: http://the-bastards.com/kb/?a=kill_detail&kll_id=14808
Thread: http://the-bastards.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=4781&start=0

December 2009
Killmail: Unknown
Thread: Unknown

November 2009
Jirat's solo kill of a proteus in his Cyclone (WTF?)
Killmail: http://the-bastards.com/kb/?a=kill_detail&kll_id=13447
Thread:

October 2009
Ard's super Vigil v Coercer
Killmail: http://www.the-bastards.com/kb/?a=kill_detail&kll_id=12583
Post: http://the-bastards.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=4129

September 2009
z0de's taranis versus Typhoon
Killmail:http://www.the-bastards.com/kb/?a=kill_detail&kll_id=12325
Post: http://the-bastards.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3958

August 2009
Did not run.

July 2009
Coochie in Thorax vs Harbinger
Killmail: http://www.the-bastards.com/kb/?a=kill_detail&kll_id=11566
Post: http://the-bastards.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3643

June 2009
P'XEL in Ishkur pops Arazu while under fire from Broadsword and Sac
Killmail: http://the-bastards.com/kb/?a=kill_detail&kll_id=10727
Post: http://the-bastards.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3528

May 2009
Nova in his Rapier and his 4 cruiser kills
Killmail: http://the-bastards.com/kb/?a=kill_related&kll_id=8700
Post: http://the-bastards.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3244

April 2009
Fish Brain in Wolf - 5 Frigs
[color=#FF0000]CAN'T FIND KILLMAIL LINK[/color]
Post: http://the-bastards.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3044

March 2009
Rodneystar in Rifter vs rep fleet firetail
Killmail: http://the-bastards.com/kb/?a=kill_detail&kll_id=7161
Post: http://the-bastards.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2834

February 2009
Unknown.

January 2009
Hera in taranis killing a vagabond
Killmail: http://the-bastards.com/kb/?a=kill_detail&kll_id=5825
Post: http://the-bastards.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2447

So keep the solo work going guys - you chaps are all brilliant and I salute you!

Two rubbish ransoms means a slow night....

Two ransoms

Sometimes, you know how a night's roam will end up after the first ten minutes of rolling out a fleet. As we undocked into the familiar Evati space, the comms was buzzing with intelligence reports. I normally have almost a dozen separate chat windows open to various scouts, spies and information brokers always eager to sell information of a mining operation or a boat running a mission or something.

Tonight, everything was quiet. Not a peep from any of the channels and I thought I must be experiencing some technical problem with my communications hub or something and was prepared to kick someone's arse in order to fix it. However, no - there was no technical problem. New Eden, at least for tonight in this constellation was quiet.

Not too bothered the fleet aligned out and prepared for our next out gate; still eager for loot and ransoms. Our communications window flashed up as one of our scouts spotted a ship running through the belt clearing the local pirates; completely oblivious to the sudden entry of our -10.0 forward scout. We didn't have any unaffiliated scouts this time round so it was quite obvious that pirates were about.

Anyway, we managed to get someone and z0de jumped in; here's a copy of the conversation.

[19:34:08] EVE System > Channel MOTD:
This is a stick up! You are being ransomed.
Turn off ALL weapons. Prepare your funds for transfer.
Singing ransoms may be demanded.
Read the Bastard Pass for more info on prices
[21:01:07] z0de > Hello
[21:02:35] Mantasia > hi
[21:02:51] z0de > would you like to save your ship?
[21:03:16] Mantasia > yes , but it is a rupture
[21:03:25] z0de > do you have vent? (Edit: THIS IS SO THAT WE CAN GET HIM TO SING)
[21:03:49] Mantasia > no

The crowd is NOT happy

[21:03:59] z0de > ok, you have to tell us a joke then.
[21:04:05] Mantasia > ok
[21:04:06] z0de > if we laugh we'll let you go.
[21:04:14] z0de > so it better be a good joke.
[21:04:25] Mantasia > ok wait
[21:04:33] DeltsBeta > no google
[21:04:38] Mantasia > no no
[21:04:39] z0de > if local goes up we'll have to kill you.
[21:05:39] Mantasia > We ambused wiccan999  just after the DT ,  ceo  from starwinders who WD us , just before the WD finishes,  ,  oeps is no joke
[21:05:57] Naughty Spawn > .....................................That wasn't funny
[21:06:07] Mantasia > opes , sorry
[21:06:07] JManZA > :/
[21:06:10] z0de > that is a bad joke.
[21:06:11] flashfresh > :-(
[21:06:13] JManZA > : /
[21:06:17] DeltsBeta > :(
[21:06:17] Mantasia > i know
[21:06:21] lord Breathnach > :-(
[21:07:03] z0de > try harder next time.

We killed the chap. 

[21:07:10] EVE System > Mantasia was kicked from the channel by z0de.

Racing around, we managed to get yet another pilot and we wanted a ransom, once more General z0de took charge of the ransom.

[21:34:47] z0de > hello kitty
[21:34:55] Kitty Baugh > Hmm
[21:35:05] z0de > have you got vent?
[21:35:18] Kitty Baugh > Nope
[21:35:20] Kitty Baugh > Lets speak here
[21:35:21] z0de > hmm
[21:35:34] z0de > have you got a microphone?
[21:35:51] Kitty Baugh > Unfortunately no
[21:36:07] z0de > ok, you have to tell us a good joke and we'll let you go.
[21:36:19] Kitty Baugh > Hmm
[21:36:25] Kitty Baugh > What kind of jokes you like
[21:36:37] z0de > good ones.
[21:36:52] Kitty Baugh > Let me think a sec
[21:36:57] z0de > if we laugh you're free.
[21:36:58] z0de > ok
[21:37:43] Kitty Baugh > OW
[21:37:46] Kitty Baugh > WHAT THE HELL (Edit: We fired at him)
[21:38:07] z0de > finger slipped.
[21:38:10] Kitty Baugh > >.>
[21:38:18] Maximillian Maxentius > Google jokes faster
[21:38:19] Kitty Baugh > Is that supposed to put the heat on me?
[21:38:20] Maximillian Maxentius > -.-
[21:38:21] JManZA > :P
[21:38:32] JManZA > I'm a dirty whore.
[21:38:45] DeltsBeta > tick tock
[21:38:49] Kitty Baugh > Wait D:
[21:38:51] Kitty Baugh > Im not googling

Booooooo!

[21:38:54] Kitty Baugh > Im seriously thinking
[21:39:30] lord Breathnach > A policeman stopped me the other night, he taps on the window of the car and says: 'Would you please blow into this bag, Sir'. I said: 'What for, Officer?' He says: 'My chips are too hot'. (Edit: This was a good joke, it got a few laughs however, Lord Breathnach is a Bastard...)
[21:39:39] Leroxee > quick, we have itchy fingers
[21:40:06] Naughty Spawn > not horrible i suppose
[21:40:09] lord Breathnach > I went to the doctor the other day I said 'have you got anything for wind?' so he gave me a kite. (Edit: Lord B is on fire tonight...)
[21:40:18] JManZA > whats red and goes like a bomb?...
[21:40:20] JManZA > ...a red bomb
[21:40:39] Kitty Baugh > Went outta the chat
[21:41:04] Naughty Spawn > ya sure ya dont gots 20 mill ?
[21:41:21] lord Breathnach > I had a ploughman's lunch the other day. He wasn't very happy.
[21:41:27] Naughty Spawn > the joke kinda flopped : /
[21:41:44] z0de > hurry kitty, getting bored.
[21:42:27] Kitty Baugh > An airline captain was breaking in a new blonde stewardess. The route they were flying had a layover in another city. Upon their arrival, the captain showed the stewardess the best place for airline personnel to eat, shop and stay overnight.The next
[21:42:32] Kitty Baugh > DAMNIT WAT?
[21:42:42] Kitty Baugh > Stop shooting while I copy and paste crap!
[21:42:51] Naughty Spawn > continue ....
[21:43:00] flashfresh > You're not much of a stand up....
[21:43:03] JManZA > you mean its not original?
[21:43:12] lord Breathnach > heckle heckle
[21:43:13] JManZA > come on come on
[21:43:24] DeltsBeta > no laughter
[21:43:26] Kitty Baugh > 'The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.''
[21:43:37] DeltsBeta > give 20 mil or die
[21:43:49] JManZA > wat?
[21:43:49] z0de > rubbish joke
[21:43:53] Kitty Baugh > Hmm
[21:43:53] JManZA > :(
[21:43:56] Kitty Baugh > Lemme get another
[21:44:06] DeltsBeta > no time 20 mil or die (Edit: We blew up his ship at this point)
[21:44:24] Kitty Baugh > Thats just impolite
[21:44:38] z0de > ok want to save your pod
[21:44:40] z0de > ?
[21:44:46] Kitty Baugh > I wouldn't mind it
[21:45:02] DeltsBeta > 100 mil
[21:45:19] Kitty Baugh > Because someone whos been playing for a week has 100 mil?
[21:45:40] Kitty Baugh > I have about 30k of
[21:45:41] Kitty Baugh > Well (Edit: We blew up his pod at this point)
[21:45:45] Kitty Baugh > You enjoy that?
[21:45:48] z0de > we did give you a chance, better luck next time.
[21:45:49] DeltsBeta > no
[21:45:55] Kitty Baugh > Lol
[21:45:59] DeltsBeta > lol :)
[21:46:03] Kitty Baugh > Enjoy your crappy loot
[21:46:07] Naughty Spawn > work on the jokes mate
[21:46:08] z0de > we wont.
[21:46:09] Kitty Baugh > Too bad I had to lose my implants
[21:46:14] Kitty Baugh > >.>
[21:46:15] Naughty Spawn > soz
[21:46:19] Kitty Baugh > Eh
[21:46:25] Kitty Baugh > Id have done the same if I were you guys
[21:46:28] z0de > o/
[21:46:33] EVE System > Kitty Baugh was kicked from the channel by z0de.
Effective until 2011.05.31 21:47:33.

We managed to snag a ferox but that was it; a slow night with some humour thrown in!

The Meatshields keeping the kill board active

Our younger brethren, the Meatshield Bastards are racing around low-sec: under-skilled, under-gunned but big on balls as they attempt to kill and ransom anything that moves. Hats off to these chaps, they're great.

Food fleet gank cruiser roam, the disconnect and the arm-chair FC.

VIOLENCE

Violence - T1 style
The T1 gank cruiser is a ship variant that greatly appeals to me. It is based on a relatively cheap T1 cruiser hull and configured to deliver the biggest wallop possible and as cheaply as can be. Usual choice ships include the thorax and rupture.

So it was back to this ship type for some of us though the MEATSHIELD and applicants were in an assortment of frigates and cruisers. Their job was simply: sweep ahead of the main group and run into potential targets and camps and engage them. Since we were heading into low- and null-sec it was going to be an interesting trip.

When we undocked I received some complaints from a few of my pilots that their graphical interface on inside their capsules was having problems updating itself. It appeared to be much more than just a localised event. It got so bad that we ended up losing three pilots to it, taking a significant chunk out of our DPS.


The Food Fleet

Food fleet - everyone loves food

No matter, we raced into Syndicate space eager for ransoms and loot. As per Bastard culture, roams are usually themed and I decided that each ship had to named after a national or regional dish that the pilot was familiar with and had already tasted and felt compelled to share with the rest of his fellow pilots.  Our roams, while fun should also be educational!

To kick off the process, I decided to call my rupture of doom, 'Harissa' - the national dish of Armenia. It is very nice, filling and tasty. I recommend this dish to anyone. Go on, give it try. Now the roam demonstrated the length and breadth of us pirate's culinary experiences from around the world and I was amazed and delighted at the offerings.

As an example we had the following culinary delights (all vouched by each pilot):

1. Deep fried mars bar, a dish peculiar to Scotland and nominated by Lord Breathnach.  
2. Yorkshire Pudding, from Yorkshire, England nominated by Max Ursa.
3. Fu Fu (baby puncher) originally from Ghana and nominated by Red Vegas. The 'baby puncher' was the original name of the ship. He just added 'Fu Fu' to the front of it. Makes me wonder why it was called baby puncher in the first place....
4. Frikandel, from The Netherlands by Fenneck. Loved how Fenneck referred to the main ingredient as 'inferior meat' - a nice, evocative term. 
5. Lutefisk by Dahghda reflecting his Scandinavian origins. Fishey!
6. Watergruwel by Anaka Totoch
7. Scouse by Leroxee - initially, I thought Lero was advocating cannibalism of our NorthWestern kith and kin, but no it is the name of the dish for those who didn't know. 
8. Pupusa by Wamphyrri - this dish looks lovely and I thank Wamp for now making me want to get hold of some pupusa.
9. Cornish Pasty by TFS Tibbs, the humble pasty but what a fascinating history!....and other dishes nominated by the other pilots that I can't quite remember. 

So the rag tag gank cruiser food fleet left our docking station with violence, haikus, food and fun in mind. We blundered towards Syndicate space but there was an odd issue with the global GUI in which some of our pilots frequently disconnected. We lost TheHermit, Captain Blackler and Dil'e. With some reduced firepower we threw ourselves through null-sec space, our Meatshield pilots (with Arrihadeus joining them) racing ahead - imminent violence in mind. 

Just before we got into the entry system into Syndicate we had a tussle with a drake and a stabber. Both pilots then turning up with friends in battleships to continue the fight.....a fight which didn't happen as it wasn't on our terms. We're pirates and there would be no coin in fighting an opponent who had our number. 

The night had to have some comedy though: we spotted a velator, all lonely in space and Leroxee, in his caracal decided to blow it up! He dropped his cross hairs onto the noob ship, loaded up his missiles into their tubes and yelled in joy as they streaked off towards their target! Sentry guns spun up in response (sentry guns? Oh no...) and smothered Leroxee's ship in explosive ordnance. His pod popped out before he could even yell out in alarm. 

There was much laughter. 

We had already exited Syndicate and we were in Solitude region, a low-sec region of space with sentry guns positioned around the gates and stations. Leroxee couldn't even board the velator since he had blown it up already. 

Still space was sparsely populated and then, everyone's GUI flashed with a universal warning: the super-computers linking the capsule operating system was about to go down in 30 minutes! Amidst groans and curses we turned around to head back. Anaka Totoch, in his blackbird was racing ahead, daring for someone, anyone to fire on him. 

We did catch a flashy maelstrom on the gate - he was with a cynabal friend and there was a harbinger lurking around. The cynabal wasn't flashy but we engaged it anyway. The maelstrom pilot ambled back towards the gate without firing on us, we then had him webbed. He then fired back, probably to get rid of the webbers as he was now slow-boating towards the gate. It was at this point that Arrhidaeus' seat broke. I have no idea why but his announcement drew much hilarity. 

BOOM

The maelstrom went down - his cynabal friend did not assist but warped away. We even grabbed and podded the pilot's capsule. 

So we docked up and stepped out of our pods for a while. 

Round 2 had us quickly scan down and grab a stabber. We ransomed the pilot for a haiku and he delivered an excellent offering: 

I began haiku, I cannot remember when, It was in this game

 As we released the stabber pilot, a harbinger came roaring in and started to attack the stabber pilot! We felt mild outrage and decided to engage the interloper. I was in the next system and wondered if it would be a prelude to something: sure enough a tempest came roaring in. We had a rapier, a rupture, a cane and a jaguar versus a harby and tempest. Not too bad but we were in a poor position, tactically - being all spread out. The Harby went down just as our hurricane was blown to bits. We now had to tackle the tempest with a jag, arbitrator, rapier and rupture. We could do.....but not that night. I lost 'Harissa' and everyone else had to bail. The Arbitrator was caught too and shredded by the tempest's might guns. So a good fight but very galling - we had lost the loot!

Doubt Chuck Norris can FC from his arm-chair...

Interestingly, the stabber pilot (Charon Chiron) applied to join us such was our impact on this pilot. Also, TheHermit, while not in space with us was following the entire roam on voice communications. I decided that it would be typical of us Bastards to do something fun and crazy and I am going to ask TheHermit to FC a roam, entirely from his armchair. He will have Ombey's excellent 2D maps and our voice comms and he will do his best to FC a fleet of my choosing through low- and null-sec space without being there. Am going to call it the 'Armchair General Roam', will keep you all posted.

New makeover therefore, new drunken roam needed!

My liver has finally recovered from the pre-New Year, post-Christmas drunken roam and I want to thank all the pilots who attended, all the pilots who sent me funny emails and evemails about it and those who have been asking for more!


Well, I am not the man to turn down a good idea now am I? Anyway, more later on 'drunken roam number 2' and details of invitations, locations etc a bit later.


MY FACE

An older portrait

The newer version

It was with some trepidation that I asked for my portrait to be retaken. I do hate all forms of photography  though Shae's rendering of me is very nice and I approved of it.


Still, I subjected myself to this folly and insisted on a more natural shot - none of this posing for me so a  photographer of some renown followed me around and took pictures. Lots of pictures and I have to say, I am quite happy with the results.  I can also see that many pod pilots, with a constant need for change will be more than happy to pay ISK to tweak their appearances. Just wait and see.


MEATSHIELD [QUORN]
The Bastards have been swamped by applications to the corporation, more so with our recent antics in Hulkageddon I, II & III. With this in mind and our desire to retain as many potentially decent pirates as we could. We set up another corporation to take these pilots in:  a fair percentage of those we didn't accept were either too time poor to join full time or lacking in certain skill sets. Many who were declined a place stayed on with us as friends, flying with us in our fleets and getting to know us. Other interested parties wanted to experience piracy but wanted to do this with lower skilled alts. Then we knew that Hulkageddon IV would be coming along and we were active participants in the event so why not try and kill as many birds with one stone as possible?


Form a new corporation that:


1. Can act as a convenient staging corporation for those who want to apply to The Bastards
2. Will take in lower level SP pirates and get them experienced in low-sec piracy, then pick then for The Bastards.
3. Will allow alts and those who want more casual style of play or who are time-poor to experience piracy with The Bastards.
4. Can provide the necessary man-power to help us achieve greater success in Hulkageddon IV, since all we're asking for is Destroyer IV and a racial frigate to IV.
5. Can provide our budding FCs with small fleets to learn the ropes.


So, forming a corporation under The Bastards Alliance was therefore a complete no-brainer. I asked my good friend Tim Kang to step in as CEO. He was in charge of the 'Offshore Indian Call Centre' corporation, a previous executor for The Bastards and was now looking for a job. Perfect. 


Recruitment post for MEATSHIELD


So any budding pilots who want to get involved with The Bastards and Hulkageddon IV - follow the link above, reply to it (so you can bump it) and then follow the instructions to apply. We've already accepted a fair few and they're settling in nicely. 


We went on a roam last night and it was great fun: a mixed fleet of 20 odd ships racing around. Inevitably we ran into an even bigger group and lost the fight but that is the way the cookie crumbles especially with new members. More to follow but everything is looking great. 


Hulkageddon IV
Oh yes, this has now been officially announced for a February 19th (Saturday) and we can't wait. One of the drivers to get more pilots was to have our new chaps throw themselves screaming into high-sec space and kill miners. What fun! Since The Bastards has always been a small corporation, larger numbers certainly gives us more time zone coverage. Last time, TheHermit more or less stayed awake the entire time. Not this time, I don't think there's enough caffeine in the world to do it!


There's more information here: HK IV FAQ


Oddly, there is a counter-event in response to Hulkageddon called: 'Griefer Geddon'. Details are here and I applaud whoever decided on this event. Good luck to both sets of participants!

Drunken Roam, Guilty Pleasures & Hooray for Hulkageddon Roam!
So, with the formation of Meatshield [QUORN], Hulkageddon IV just round the corner and my liver now just about back to normal, I think it is a fine time to organise another such roam and to celebrate the formation of a new corporation for a fine bunch of pirates and the start of a glorious week-long session of destruction!


Date: FRIDAY, 11 FEB 2010 or FRIDAY, 18th FEB 2010 (will go with the one with the most numbers)
Time: 21:15 EVE TIME
Form-up time: 20:15 EVE TIME
Location: Will be sent to those interested in due course but previous attendees should know where it is.
Route: TBD - but all over the place no doubt...
Duration: Until we run out of ships or the FC collapses from too much alcohol

Aim: Crazily fitted T1 frigate/cruiser roam around low-sec and null-sec; it will end when we have no ships left in the fleet (or we fall off our chairs drunk).

We are to have fun, drink and be merry. Emphasis on the drink and merry bit. No sad faces. 

OMG Whiskey!

Like the last roam, the idea is to have fun. There's no better lubricant for fun then alcohol and lots of it! Ratting for ammo is expected. Throwing ourselves into danger at the first opportunity is expected. 


Of course, we have to pace ourselves as there will be plenty of chances to drink so the roam should still last the usual two hours. As an added incentive, we do love music so I ask everyone who wants to attend (or who can't but want to be involved) to submit 3-5 music tracks that they file away under ' guilty pleasures' - you know the ones: the 80s power ballads that you secretly sing to, that Britney Spears song that you can't help wiggle to and the Top Gun tunes you have on full blast when you're PvP. You know the ones. Submit them and I will either create a YouTube play list or better yet, submit the lot to Eve-Radio (or some other Radio station) as a two-hour request / dedication. Now isn't that a good idea? 


Everyone read the requirements carefully.

REQUIREMENTS:

++FUN roam, no sad faces!!++

1. Join the in-game channel 'INDEPENDENCE' for details and fleet pick up on the day.
2. Any T1 frigate/cruiser fitted out with whatever you want. 
3. Yes, fit a rupture with lasers if you want.
4. Or a thorax with arties and missiles.
5. Or a rifter with a cruiser sized weapon.
6. Or bring a Celestis, sorry Lady Shaniqua!
7. Mix your weapon systems. Why? because we can and that's how we roll.
8. Points required of course, we can't have people running away.

Pirate force someone to drink to excess

9. We each drink a shot of spirits (or beer) every half hour during the roam and after each ship kill and after each ship loss and for every ransom.
10. Aim is to see who can stay up for the longest.
11. Ventrilo - working with mic in place.
12. Needs to be frapsed with some vent recordings as well.
13. If you decide to fit a stab (why not?) then you have to say 'STABBED!' in local, take a shot of alcohol and then RUN like the wuss you are when you get tackled. If you do this and get smack - everyone else will need to take a shot on your behalf.
14. Tell me what is your drink(s) of choice for the night.
15. Any other rules that the FC wants to make up on the night.

Interested? Then contact us using the one of the following methods:

1. Post a comment here.
2. Contact me on flashfresh@the-bastards.com
3. Contact TheHermit on thehermit@the-bastards.com
4. Contact me or TheHermit ingame via conversation or evemail

Go on, it will be fun (again)...