Summer time, RR roll-out and stealth bomber magic.

The last couple of roams we have been going out with Stealth Bombers - partly inspired by Rixx's excellent article on Stealth Bombers and that their new make-over is SEX has meant that us pirates have been screaming around low-sec in these little beasties. I am flying a hound but I have to say, the Nemesis looks sweet. Might need to get me one of those. However the pickings have been slim so we decided that it was time for a change. Stealth Bombers are ninja for sure but I think I need Rixx to give us some pointers! I will continue to fly them for sure but a little bit of luck would have been welcome.

We have the ships now....

So time to ship up to the venerable battle-ship class ships and with six pilots & hulls available, we decided that the remote repping set-up would give us the most bang per buck. Thrown in a force recon and we were good to go.

Our fleet: 
Megathron
Dominix
Typhoon
Typhoon
Armageddon
Rapier

With the recent revamp of Faction Warfare we have definitely seen an increase in numbers in all systems but most pilots have been flying around in smaller ships classes: frigates and destroyers so not too useful against the larger (and slower) battle ship hulls we were piloting. With a scout ahead of us, we rolled around low-sec until we ended up in Molden Heath when the fleet scattered a little in order to cover more ground. This proved to be a fatal mistake but at the time it wasn't obvious.

Our scout reported that a neutral dominix was tackled one jump away from our current position in Oddelulf (we were headed to Bosena but our other scout reported negative targets) - our megathron suddenly lost connection two jumps away while the rest of use leapt into action. Timing was horrible as the megathron was our main source of DPS but we were committed to the action so away we rumble into fire and destruction!

I promise you that is what I said!

Landing at the gate we saw a megathron, stabber, blackbird, typhoon and a tempest. We set primary to be the tempest while sending our drones onto the blackbird. They counter attacked by going after Dil'e Mahn's Dominix having dispatched the neutral Dominix easily. Any remote repair work requires timing and organisation and quick reactions. We fired off our reppers and kept Dil'e alive while we got to work on the megathron, the ship we assumed would be the main damage dealer. Our DPS was low however, relative to the fleet hulls we were flying. The megathron was going down slowly but without the punching power of our own megathron, it was going to be tight. The blackbird came back at range and then, an Archon appeared.

Game over for us as it quickly slapped armour repairers onto the megathron completely negating our incoming damage.  In addition to the archon, it was joined by an abaddon and an armageddon to add to our woes and we were surrounded.

Damn....

Our own repairing efforts was too little to counter the incoming damage. Edney went down, guns blazing and then it was Dil'e followed by Mal. I was left to last (thanks guys!) and whipped my pod back home along with the rapier and megathron. A sobering experience for sure - I really should scrape some cash together to get a carrier for myself!

(oh, for some insane reason I now have Minnie Dread and Minnie Cap Projectile at V) - why, I ask myself? I must have wanted a long skill training when I went on leave all those weeks ago and never checked back. 

However, I have now looked at the price of ships (from frigates all the way up to capital class) and all I can say is this: DAMN. Most ships have increased by at least 35% if not more; luckily I have a bunch of ruptures but I feat that this will mean we will need to fly even smarter. I suspect that (at least for us poor pirates) - we will be flying the T1 express more!

Have no fear, my rupture of doom will be taking to the skies this week. I am going to see if I can fit a ship for just a few million in terms of fittings and still be effective? Absolutely. Stay tuned.

This is my ship of choice and there should be no other....

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!

Pirates ahoy!

Pirates taking a group photo - check out the 'tanker' pirate. 

One of the many things I love about Eve and piracy specifically are the people one meets over time and how these relationships can be fruitfully utilised. Last night, Marco and I were online and chatting and I was exhausted, mentally and physically from a 60+ jump in my pod. I had located a jump-clone of mine and decided to bring it closer to my main area of operations. For those who know, this is the Metropolis / Heimater / Molden Heath area. So, I decided to dock up, settle my affairs for the night and activate the jump clone.  The last thought through my head as I drifted off to sleep was: where is that station? I don't recognise the name..


Well, I woke up in a dingy station out somewhere in null-sec. There was no attendant to hand me a towel or offer me the use of the shower facilities. After bumbling around I realised that somehow, I was in null-sec space and that I had to pod race all the way back to low-sec space. The journey was rather 'interesting' though I did avoid dying. I finally got back to low-sec only long enough to switch again to a my clone in Evati and race towards Molden Heath to assist some fellow pirates from Gunpoint Diplomacy and friends on tackling a bhaalgorn class ship and friends from the 'House of Cards' alliance. For such shiny ships, I had to assist. To my delight, I realised that the commander of the fleet was 'Dirty Protagonist' - a chap I know from the past; adding to the fun was the presence of Venom Orchid, that minx of piracy and profanity and whom Marco I knew would flirt with as he too was racing towards Molden Heath in his curse.

Anyway, I arrived too late to catch the bhaalgorn but managed to tackle an abaddon whom had blundered into the fight. I looked like Gunpoint had a few frigates out around one of their own custom offices and that the small zippy craft was tempting enough for The House of Cards alliance to drop in on them with something big and heavy. In this case, led by their Bhaalgorn class battle ship. They also had a few  cruisers and frigates for the engagement from what I can be seen on the killboards.

Even more fun, even in my wee' old claw, I managed to grab and point two rupture class cruisers on a gate (and survive the snetry guns) before heading back home. I said my good byes to the Gunpoint chaps and promised that if they needed some extra bodies (sweaty, smelly, unwashed pirate bodies that it) then all they had to do was ask and The Bastards would come calling. We used to roam around Molden Heath but since Metropolis and Heimater had gotten busier, we had neglected this route. I think it is time to park some resources close by so that we can better assist our fellow pirates.

This is the beauty of it: on slow days, we would no doubt joust with each other - no quarter asked or given but when opportunity knocks, us pirates set aside our (admittedly small) differences and gang up on some interloper. None of the rather more involved diplomatic standings etc.

Anyway, a shout out to Dirty Protagonist, Venom Orchid, Crefakis, Pere et al. Pleasure flying with you all and I look forward to more.

Merry christmas and drunken roam coming up - open to those interested.

Christmas is a time when activity for some goes down as pilots from all professions emerge from the amniotic goo of their pods, blinking like new-born calves and head off home to family and friends. So, I just want to wish everyone a merry christmas and a happy new year.

Of course, this post isn't just me signing off but also to pass out an invite to any reader who would be interested in flying space ships, drunk with some pirates. Indeed, I believe we can call ourselves 'Santa Pirates' or 'Pirate Santas' or even, Pirating Santa as below:

Pirates grab Santa Claus

Anyway, this is an open invite to any reader who would like to relax and lose their sec status while getting drunk with The Bastards.

Details below:

DRUNKEN POST-CHRISTMAS DESERT ISLAND DISC ROAM WITH THE BASTARDS...


Date: TUESDAY, 28 DEC 2010
Time: 21:15 EVE TIME
Form Up time: 20:15 EVE TIME
Location: Will be sent to those interested in due course...
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).

We are to have fun, drink and be merry. Emphasis on the drink and merry bit.

OMG Whiskey!

It will be the post christmas period where one will still be eating the leftover turkey / ham / goose. Most of us will be feeling the effects. What better way than to overcome this than to undock in a fleet of ships piloted by people who feel just as bloated, ill and still hungover?

Combining this with our love of music, the format will include desert island discs, albeit a slightly inebriated version. One can't see Libby Purves being pissed doing this can you on Radio 4? Well we are!

Everyone read the requirements carefully.

REQUIREMENTS:

++FUN post-Christmas 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.
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. Music is required, so I want people to put together 8 (eight) tracks that they reckon are the dogs bollocks. An essential to everyone's collection. It is your desert island discs and you're drunk anyway, so pick what you want. We will try and play them on the night - so get your music onto a playlist in youtube or whatever.
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. Any other rules that the FC wants to make up...

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.

Don't go for a pee in the middle of an op!!

Another fun night with The Bastards; we've been running around Placid recently especially around the constellations around the 'Pain' solar system (yes, Pain - as in 'PAINFUL') - it is, to many people's surprise our headquarters. In the dark and distant past The Bastards corporation was started here and it is fun to come back. Don't get me started on what I discovered in the corp hangars when I finally gained access!

However, the roam we had (all battle cruisers) didn't work out quite as I expected: the first engagement was with some Gallente Militia pilots; they came in a variety of ships and landed on our out gate as the fleet rumbled towards our target system. I was moving ahead of the main fleet, one behind my scout and had a secondary FC in place to take care of things. Unfortunately, when the firing started, I didn't hear my number two initiate any target calling. There were some nervous coughs as The Bastards came under fire but no shouting or panic. I was still in warp but getting increasingly concerned. I asked for an update but the responses were sporadic and then our losses started. I finally dropped warp and demanded to know what was going on. We were now losing ships but someone else stepped in and started calling targets but it was clear the battle had turned decidedly against us. 

Once we had regrouped it appeared that our secondary FC WAS shouting like a maniac but his vent client had packed up at the most unfortunate time. 

These things happen and I should have stayed closer to the fleet. 

After this excitement, I excused myself for a pee (yes, even in a pod, one needs a bit of privacy to complete one's ablutions...) - when I came back; a mere two minutes - we had lost two more ships!!

I thought they were joking but no, it was true and it appeared that two of the surviving ships had tried to rendezvous with the rest of the fleet and got caught by some fast point tackler on a gate. The joys of low sec space and being red and flashy.

I will try and hold in the pee for the duration of the roam from now on...

Interdict, who as ill and couldn't make the roam has been knocking out new forum signatures and I am the proud owner of a new sig.

Sorry that was a quick update but am already planning for ops and roams throughout the christmas period. 

Busy but can't keep a pirate down now can we?

EVE-Uni and HACS

A busy few weeks but little time to put it all down, it has all been a blur!

I did organise a HAC/RECON roam into low-sec, the initial plan was to take the northern route up through Paala and into LXQ-2T but we were blocked by a large and hostile force. Our ships were not really designed to sit long at gates against RR BS class ships so we opted to go 'south' and head into Metropolis and Faction Warfare country. I was piloting my lachesis class recon ship and loved the ability to through out the warp disruptor to a fantastic 50KM+ range. An excellent tackler and with a rapier in the lot, it made for a potent combo.

The night was an excellent roam resulting in our HAC/RECON gang popping ten ships and losing only two (both of them were Viginti's curse recon!) - the loot drop was very good but no ransoms from any of the targets.

The Bastards have been busy preparing and training and improving ourselves; New Eden is a harsh mistress and she punishes those who are ill-prepared or who take her for granted. I like to think that The Bastards are far from this. Recruitment is ticking over nicely and I will have to find time to put together a new newsletter for everyone. It is April 2010 already and so much has happened that it deserves a newletter.

Meanwhile, I have been informed that my dearest Mynxee has signed up with NOIR. A

well-known and respected mercenary corporation. She has posted about her move here. Shae has left the Hellcats (actually joined U'K for a bit) and moved to VETO while Venom Orchid has joined Ard Unjigo with The Tuskers. Change indeed across all fronts but it does appear that The Hellcats and HellFleet are in capable hands. As ever, The Bastards extend our best wishes to the Lady Pirates of EVE.

Due to real life issues, I missed out on an open panel invitation organised by EVE-University. Despite gunning down ten of their fellow pilots a week ago, I didn't think that they would hold it against me and was much looking forward to joining in. However, real life gunned me down and I found that I was unable to attend. All was not lost, Mynxee who did attend also had the time to posted an update for everyone to read. Verone, Ka Jolo and other notables also attended. Fine company indeed.

EVE-Uni Say Hi

A couple of days later, I was passing through Ofrold and ran into an EVE-Uni camp. It was a mix of frigates and cruisers and they all pointed my Lachesis and let rip. I couldn't warp but turned around and pulsed the MWD to get back to the gate. I noticed that all the ships there had red-boxed me so if I could just get back through the gate - then all would be ok. My shields held (thanks to ex-Bastard Jaxxon and his Lachesis fit!!!) and activated the gate. I whipped through and safed up. The campers were no doubt spamming the gate activation button frantically but alas, to no avail.

They eventually came through and we had some banter in local. It was ever funnier once it was realised that MrMasterShake was part of the camp. My cargo hold contained all his dropped mods. I was only making the trip this evening just to pick them up! Nice chaps EVE-Uni nonetheless.

Battlecruiser bruiser

So, onto last night - FC'ed a successful BC roam. We had some applicants with us and it was a typical Bastards roam: constant banter, focused violence and witty repartee. For the loss of one myrmidon (which we should have saved), we took down a domi (x2), harby and a catalyst. We failed to kill a drake and 'phoon. Decent loot but no ransoms. We were tracking a similar size BC gang with logistical support but lost the opportunity when the gang moved into high-sec. The best opportunity was at the beginning.

DeepSafe Nerfs

Deep safes are being removed. I wonder how many people will lose ships and anchored containers in supposedly 'safe' and un-probeable areas? I know without these deep safe spots, that gang we were shadowing last night would not have remained hidden for long.

What else?

Recruitment is moving along albeit slowly - our recruitment officers have been too busy with RL and with the spring here and summer coming along, people are (quite rightly) spending more times outside with friends and family than in New Eden. However, I have decided to pitch back into the recruitment pool just to take the slack off some people. If you have an application with us and there is apparently no movement or decision on it, drop me a line and I will seek out a solution.

Some exciting times ahead...

Stealth bomber roams are fun for sure and lately, we've discovered that most of the action is within a few jumps of our home system. We organised a stealth bomber based roam with a bait brutix up ahead to draw fire and attract targets. Persephone had the honour of this most magnificient role. I also made her secondary FC after me as being ahead, she would be ideal to call targets. She was also desperate to lose the brutix. I have no idea why as I think it is a brutal looking ship and quite effective too.

The rest of the fleet was made up as follows:

Brutix

Hound

Hound

Rapier

Rifter

Purifier

Purifier

Ares

Manticore

(and a couple of others that I forgot to include)

Quite effective though lacking in the probing department. No matter, Persephone raced ahead and the rest of the fleet started to assembling. Persephone's voice crackled through:

"Drake is tracking me. Moving to planet 1. Let's see if he follows. I am in Akkio."

The rest of the fleet aligned and jumped towards Persephone's system - we were two jumps out when Persephone called point. Excited we all jumped in and warped to Persephone. Other hostile ships were also warping in as well including a dominix, curse, armageddon and a few others. It was at this time that something odd happened. Space travel is always a funny business, one is stretching the rules of known physics to destruction in most cases and sometimes, just sometimes, the universe fights back. Our jump towards Persephone was characterised by mashed up sensors, non-jumps or a jump journey that lasted for an age. Some of the ships landed close to Persephone but their sensors (as well as their eyes) could not see her or the enemy ships or indeed the planet she was orbiting. Others, like myself, find themselves in a very long warp only to rubber-band back to our original position. Very odd and needless to say, not one of us could get in and help Persephone and her Brutix was duly dismantled. Only one other fleet member landed near Persephone, could see some (not all) of the enemy ships and fired one salvo.

A most disappointing initial engagement but we bounced back and soon found ourselves in Null-sec chasing the local residents. Being all cloaky and hidden no doubt freaked them out and most docked up either in their outpost or POS. Some were complaining that they wanted to 'reclaim their local' and that we had to leave immediately.

We did pop a heavily laden hound caught in a number of bubbles that were anchored around the Paala / LXQ2-T gate - it was carrying about 40million+ of items so a valuable score for us. Nashh grabbed most of the loot and scooted to a nearby station. Kalius also popped a raptor buzzing us, he was in his trade-mark rifter and one always puts your money on Kal Prime. The fleet had cohesion, discipline and a big degree of fun and despite the low harvest, we all returned home grinning. I had to then pass the FC baton to Kalius and Co. and they continued killing and ransoming people until the wee hours.

I had to get the current loot sales sorted - we are close to hitting 2B in items sold so am going to bank the money and get ready to split the proceeds amongst the pirates. We do need to paid after all.

Merry Christmas All!!

My ADSL has been giving me a lot of bother lately with some pretty severe drop-outs; so I was hoping to do some violence and piracy over the christmas period but alas, I will have to make do with eating, drinking and attempting to stay warm.

Anyway, I just wanted to say a merry christmas and a happy new year to each and everyone one of you - New Eden pilot or just an interested spectator. Thank you for reading and commenting on this blog; my humble experiment to note down as much for myself my regular antics as a pirate and capsuleer in the madly addictive alternate reality of New Eden.

So let me repeat: have a merry christmas and a happy new year. This goes out to all those who I have flown with and against. The sexy vixens from the Hellcats and the bunch of friends and colleagues that New Eden call collectively, 'The Bastards'.

For Flashfresh, piracy will officially resume in Jan 01, 2010.

A tower that got away....

With deadly intent, a small stealth bomber gang slipped out of Evati. The activating cloaking devices hiding the ships from all sight as soon as they were more than two kilometers away from the station. Some of the local ships reacted in alarm, frantically requesting for immediate docking permission as they spotted the two swords-crossed, winged skull motif of The Bastards pirate corporation and alliance of the same name emblazoned on the hulls of the ships.

"All ships report status please." Requested Flashfresh, in his hound-class stealth bomber.

Each ship squirted back a data-dense electronic pulse to the fleet commander and with a mental nudge, the entire fleet started their journey of plunder and loot for the night.

With two scouts racing ahead, the cloaked gang sneaked into systems heavy with potential enemies. Certainly, around Fuskunen there was a very large Legion of XxxDeathxxX fleet regrouping and most likely heading into Paala and into the drone regions. The dozen or so stealth bombers whispered past the fleet and proceeded to more suitable targets elsewhere.

It was at this time that our scouts had spotted a variety of ships: Loki, Drake and others. Both scouts were busy dropping combat scan probes in order to find them. However, it was RoninData and Happy San who spotted something infinitely more interesting.

"Check, check."Interrupted Happy San over the murmur of fleet chat. "I have a hurricane orbitting an un-anchoring large tower and it's being attacked by two crows."

"Happy: confirm please." There was a pause as Happy got closer in his stealth bomber. A minute later he came back, sounding more urgent.

"This is Happy San, confirmed. The two crows are attacking the hurricane. Hurricane pilot is owner of the large tower. Large tower has twenty one minutes remaining before unanchoring is complete."

RoninData, on a rare visit chimed in.

"We could do with some of that."

There were mumbles of agreement from the fleet. I agreed but continued to send my scout ahead, no use in wasting time or resources.

"This is Flash. RoninD, you're in rapier with a point. Primary will be the hurricane and the first crow by alphabetically by pilot name. We might have to let the second crow go." Flash paused as he consulted his tactical notes. "Happy, is the 'cane pointed by one of the crows?"

"He must be though I don't think they doing that much damage."

Suddenly there was a laugh and expletive from Happy.

"The hurricane aligned and got away. The crows are fail."

In the local communications net, the two crow pilots complained that the hurricane wriggled free due to some sub-space anomaly that induced a dsynch. From one of the crow pilots, the following terse message was squirted out into local.

"Local anomalies are inducing some sort of d-synch. You're lucky."

We weren't going to let this one go.

"Find the hurricane." The stealth bomber pilots all scattered and attempted to locate the fleeing hurricane.

"Jmarr at planet IV. Clear."

"Vig at planet V. Clear."

"Persephone at the Moselgi gate. Clear. I think the 'cane went through here though, there's a few fluctations here and the gate is still warm."

"Damnit." Said Flash, the night was slow going as he prepared the fleet to move, RoninData, ever the isk pursuing pirate put forward an idea.

"We could always steal the tower?"

"In a stealth bomber?" Queried someone.

"Actually, I have a mate in a viator three jumps away. She's finishing off a supply run...." Offered Happy San.

"Stealing towers is an accepted part of being a Bastard," said RoninData, already making up his mind.

"Also, a large minnie tower is worth around 360 million isk...."Said Viginti.

"360 million?" asked someone. There was a pregnant silence, as that was a lot of isk.

"That's like, er 36 million each right?" offered someone else. With the loot sales and ransoms, this was another good source of isk. We couldn't really turn it down.

"Okay. Let's do it."

After some quick re-adjustment of the fleet we had our cloaked hauler 2.6 km from the unachoring tower. Ronin was also there in his rapier. The rest of the fleet sat in the next system, cloaked and aligned and ready to offer assistance.

With less than two minutes to go, the owner of the tower appeared in local and in a bestower. We had a total of two points in the system and another six one jump away. Even stabbed, the hauler couldn't get away.

The one minute mark appeared and the bestower aligned and warped towards the moon where his large tower would be waiting for him. However we were ready.

"Hauler...decloak." Ordered Ronin and our own hauler shimmered into view and ambled the last 300 metres or so into scoop range. The bestower was now on scan but we were in the process of scooping the tower as the seconds ticked down.

As the tower finally unanchored, the bestower was still en route and we cheered.

"Scoop it."

The tower should have disappeared from overview. There was nothing from our hauler pilot.

"Scoop it please." Repeated RoninData. The rest of the fleet remained quiet as Ronin decloaked.

"Er, I can't. I don't understand it. It won't let me." The bestower burst into view as it dropped out of warp. I landed close to the tower. Robotic arms snaked out from the bestower's hold.

"Scoop it!" Repeated RoninData with more urgency.

"Am trying damnit. Am trying!" The tower disappeared. "Crap. He got it."

"Then point the indy!" Ronin then started to cycle his scrambler. There was an explosive curse. "I can't lock him.....and the bestower, he's gone."

"What?"

The ventrilo communication net, quiet until now, burst into life. We had somehow lost out on a 360 million isk tower and failed to grab the hauler as well. Disappointed, the roam was approaching the closing window and I ordered the fleet back home. We would review our notes at a later date.




Other news:

The Bastards run a solo kill of the month competition every month and I will comment more on this in another post but I wanted to give a shout out to Kalius Prime who took on x2 omen-class cruisers in his rifter. I think this will qualify him from a nomination in the November Solo Kill of the month. October's winner was our very own Ard who, took on destroyers (twice) in his signature vigil of doom. It's his well kept secret but it can not be secret no longer! Winners get a medal (ohh shiny) that's we've called 'Microwave Meal For One' award and a choice of T2 frigate or some other hull type as a gift and yes, most of the time, we're outnumbered....

However, here are the other solo kills to look over, some impressive ones for sure - the post is a discussion of the kill but it's only available to corp members. The killmail link is publicly available.

October 2009 Ard's super Vigil v Coercer
Killmail: http://www.the-bastards.com/kb/?a=kill_ ... l_id=12583
Post: 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: 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_ ... l_id=11566
Post: 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: 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: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3244

April 2009
Fish Brain in Wolf - 5 Frigs
CAN'T FIND KILLMAIL LINK
Post: 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: 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: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2447


The Ransoms!!
However, even though we love the thrill of a solo kill, we have been busy with ransoms. Just to answer back at some of our detractors who 1) accuse of manipulating our kb by flying cheaper ships and 2) having a 'poor' K/D efficiency I can only say, boo-hoo.

For one thing: we're pirates and it's a hard life. We like to kill and ransom stuff (especially expensive T2 stuff) in our t1 hulls. Many of us don't have mission alts or play the market or have GTCs drip feeding isk into our accounts. It fits in with our play style and attitude. We're not rich and like I have said in the past - too much isk can have odd effects on some pirates.

A second thing is that we've been busing ransoming people rather than blowing them up and hence, we've cracked 1B isk in ransoms of the month of October. We're doing well in November once more. We would love to hear comments and feedback on our RANSOM BOARD.

One of the highlights of the ransoms are the accounts that we ask each Pirate to make on our forum.

I want to share with you just some of the fun and inventive ways The Bastards have been obtaining their ransom isk. Normally, I do not post other people's content here. This is a blog with 100% Flashfresh derived content but I wanted to show people that The Bastards do live and breath piracy as much as we can...

Take AzazelDev, for example. He's been a busy bee.

In one ransom, he just entered the mission of a young Rupture pilot, 'morrowwind'. Unfortunately, he was too far and escaped before Aza could point him.

In his own words....
He convoed me shortly after and after a lot of haggling I got a ransom out of him.

Highlights:

• I got a ransom even though I had him not pointed
• I got a ransom from a pilot on a trial account and it was in-game-value - which I think is probably a novum...

AzalDev also managed to get a French-speaking pilot to produce a Haiku style poem. Again, in Aza's own words.

First invited him to yarrsom, didnt seem to react for a while, so I kicked him and started shooting. Then DJ mentioned the guy was French and he could translate.
So invited him to convo with DJ. See below for the discussion.

In the end we got a small poem in haiku style, albeit a bit on the weak side regarding content...

PS: Thanks to DJ for translating!

AzazelDev > tu parlais francais?
Naoru > what do you want?
AzazelDev > ah, ok
AzazelDev > well
AzazelDev > I told you
Naoru > oui, je suis francais
AzazelDev > I want 1million isk
AzazelDev > and you are free to go
Naoru > je ne les ai pas
AzazelDev > and finish your mission, if there is yet something to finish
AzazelDev > ok, hold on a sec
DJ Akula > Bonsoir
DJ Akula > Apparemment tu n'a pas un million isk?
DJ Akula > il y a une autre solutio pour conserver ton vaisseau..
DJ Akula > serais-tu dispose a chanter ou a ecrire un Haku?
DJ Akula > Naoru, il serait a ton avantage de repondre...
AzazelDev > c'est vrais :)
DJ Akula > no s Az ;)
Naoru > un haku?
DJ Akula > poeme japonais, je te trouve la definition
Naoru > heu, je connais mal mes ideogrammes
DJ Akula > tu peux le faire en francais Naoru > et ça consiste en quoi?
DJ Akula > 5 syllable dans la premiere phrase, 7 dans la deuxieme et 5 dans la derniere
AzazelDev > yes, that would actually be very cool (pls translate)
DJ Akula > I will translate
DJ Akula > Je le traduirai en anglais
AzazelDev > (moi, je comprends, mais ne parles Francais bien :( )
Naoru > Je vais m'en aller, loin de vos turpitudes, et aller dormir
Naoru > ça vous va comme poeme? :)
Naoru > 5/7/5
DJ Akula > je crois que loin compte pour un mais je vais te le laisser :)
DJ Akula > You can let him go az :)
AzazelDev > have fun :)
AzazelDev > you're free to finish this mission
AzazelDev > afterwards you are fair game again
Naoru > i don't understand your motivations, but " ce fut fun"
DJ Akula > bonen soiree et ca va t'arriver souvent si tu reste dans les parrages
DJ Akula > nous sommes pirates.. la motivation est l'argent.. ou le divertissement

Je vais m'en aller, loin de vos turpitudes, et aller dormir Translation: Will be on my way Far from your many hassles and speed to my sleep

October Pirate Speedlinking...

Welcome to my October 2009 speed-linking of pirate focused blogs here in New Eden.

[OOC] - on a personal note with the poor health of my mother (not quite improving) and a couple of humanitarian disasters that I deployed to, EVE has had to take a back seat.

Anyway, what has been going on the length and breadth of New Eden's piracy? Here's a very, very quick round-up....

-MYNXEE-

No one could have failed to have noticed that Mynxee was pounding the drum for the Hellcat's party. Her idea simply grew and grew and by the time the party had kicked off, Evati local (and the Hellcats public channel) was heaving with party goers. Local was a mish-mash of impromptu 1v1, the station was also camped by some party crashers, there was some whineage in various channels about targets and over seeing this entire ensemble was the queen of piracy herself, Mynxee. Her after-party thank you and thoughts is well worth a read.

There was also a nice surprise Celebrity Death Match (CDM) that Mynxee was asked to participate. The brain-child of this fun series of matches is Nashh Kadavr, who had placed an application with The Bastards a while ago with the condition that if he beat me, he would be considered. Mynxee and Nashh were to go up against Quivering Palm and Luminus Aardokay of Split Infinity Radio. Ships would be faction cruiser with some tip-top commentating by EVE Alliance Tournament commentator, Teadaze. Mynxee's report is fun and exciting.

Mynxee is my view, should be running for CSM herself but for now, she's content to comment on the candidates and their policies, she's done an analysis on the 49 candidates so far and has already found a fair chunk of them uninspiring and wanting.

-KANE RIZZEL-

Kane's blog is always on my to-read list and his latest exploits has shown that Mr Rizzel is now an Admiral having an impressive fleet that includes his latest toy: a carrier. Recently, he and friends from Mean and Hellequin got together to pop a POS tower in Sotrenzur. I was in a roaming frigate gang when we spotted the cap ships on our scanner and it was good to get some corroboration from Kane. Kane is also a respected fighter of the highest order and I have been honoured by flying as his wing-man in the past. Like me and Wensley and countless others, we fly the rifter and love it. Kane's philosophy, prompted by Wensley excellent post is simple: Fit to Win.

Check out Kane's impressive KillBoard.

-NASHH KADAVR-

Nashh Kadavr is now a Bastard but he's more well known for his well thought out celebrity death match (CDM) series of blog posts. He has already fought a number of times and is doing well. His account of CDM during the Hellcats party is exciting and gripping. An enjoyable series of posts and amusing insights into these 1v1s.
Nashh has been unable to log-in recently due to a hardware crash on his gaming rig but we hope he should be back in the groove soon. Certainly, the killboard and ransomboards are missing his love. Come back soon mate.

-WENSLEY-

With a new name for his blog (Rifter Drifter) and layout, Wensley continues to lead the way with rifter based may-hem and madness. The latest post has Wens showing off the signature making abilities of yet another Pirate, Helicity Boson of the Python Cartel. Who said pirates didn't help each other?

I loved his article (Price of Death) in which he discusses in detail, the cost of pvp and the balance between winning and losing and the isk cost that this entails. Wens brings in and attempts to collect together the different schools of thought when it comes to ship fittings and I thoroughly applaud his effort in doing this. Well done Wens - a talent with the written word as well as the 150mm T2 auto canon!

-SPECTRE3353-

One of the craziest and most fun persons that I know of, is Spectre3353, AKA EVENewb. He's on my quick read list and the antics this chap gets to is nothing short of outstanding.

I knew that Spectre had decided to run for CSM and I threw my support behind him, as did many other of the pirate persuasion. Unfortunately, Spectre fell foul of some EULA ruling that barred him from further consideration. Spectre took this in his stride and decided to get some isk via his silver-tongue and scamming. He's good at it though he attributes the ease of isk to people's greed as much as anything else. Still, he has been accused of being a 'lost cause to humanity'. While I don't scam - I understand that it is a viable method of isk generation and I loved the post. All power to you Spectre.

-ANDREA SKYE-

The last time I visited Andrea Skye, she filled me with some confusion - she's left New Eden for something called WoW, claiming it is a little something sweeter...however, piracy and New Eden always will call people back and being pulled back in Spectre's scamming antics (see above post) - she did her own thing and made enough isk to get a machariel....only for her to lose it. Andrea called it Karma and took the loss with some aplomb. She can always scam to get more isk.

-SHAE T'IANN-

Shae has been so busy in real life and in-game that's it has reduced her pirating time somewhat. However, when you read her latest published installment, I think we can all agree that it is worth the sacrifice.
Well done Shae, you are an inspiration...

-HELICITY BOSON-

Hulkageddon was an event put together by Helicity Boson of the Python Cartel. She deserves the credit for bringing together the groups and doing the lion's share of the organising. A fun event that resulted in much dead miners in high-sec. Due to the swift CONCORD response, we were unable to ransom any of the miners.

She has a nifty new site as well and have I mentioned that Hel does a fine side-line in signature art? I love the clean and clear colours and lines she uses.

-OMGAH-

Omgah the friendly pirate is another PC pirate putting his thoughts down into a blog, no doubt inspired by Spectre.

-BRUTUS SEVERUS-

I was looking forward to some excellent yarr tales of yet another rifter loving pilot but his post was in March and he explains that with the demands of the new client, he would be grounded for the forseeable future. All power to you and hope to see you back in the yarr!

Eve-pirate is a great site but I have neglected it as of late but there's a new post by a chap called 'Grumbles' who has skilfully posted about what an adrenaline rush piracy and pvp is in New Eden as he embarks on his first solo kills in his thorax. New posts include: On a Whim and trial of a newb, part 1. If you want quick snippets of pirating goodness from newer bloggers, go to Ander's excellent site. I still think their forums can do with some improvement....

I know I have missed out many of you but have no worries - am going to try and attempt a part 2!

Hulkageddon

Just wanted to give a shout out for 'Hulkageddon' - a wonderful idea where a bunch of pirates get together to blow up as many Hulks and other mining ships as possible. Details are here and The Bastards were asked to sign up and we found ourselves organised along with those fine chaps at the Python Cartel, Tuskers to name two. It is the brain-child of that sexy little pirate going by the name of Helicity Boson, also of Python Cartel.
Of course, we get to pick up the loot to ensure a positive isk outcome and each pirate organisation works in their own allocated areas to ensure that there isn't any 'collateral' damage. Most of the ship types are destroyers (catalyst or thrasher hull) fit for close and intense damage with a few coercers and cruisers thrown in. These ships are very cheap and in a group of four to five; can do enough alpha damage to destroy a hulk before CONCORD arrives to fulfil their vengence filled role.

At this time of writing, The Python Cartel is leading in points with The Bastards in second and I.M.M. in third; of course - The Bastards have several members with them who are in the current recruitment cycle and have parked themselves into NPC corps; so the actual Bastards' score is probably higher. However, who is bothered? I am not - instead I am chuckling at the antics of the entire session and following my chaps process on the killboard.

When are we going to stop? Hulkageddon was meant to be a 23 hour kill-fest for the 17th October (saturday) only but it looks like it has been extended to cover this weekend and may go on until everyone becomes sick of it. This does remind me of the 'Jihad' that Goonswarm carried out on the very same ship types and what the Broski's have been doing.

Anyway, keep it coming!

Slow night but ransoms are good for the soul

Last night was a fun episode - we came close to grabbing a number of mission runners, our probes and tacklers arriving literally seconds after the mission runner. Quite frustrating but the motley crew of pirates didn't give up. In a broad circle centered around Evati, the fleet had eyes and ears in several systems. Shae was chased by a thrasher while I had little luck with a rupture.

Happy and Jmarr had tackled a caracal in Las and grabbed the pod and then spent a good ten minutes figuring out what to do. I strongly suspect that they're answering the call of a forum thread to hold a pod 'from dusk to dawn'. An interesting concept. However, a nervous twitch by Jmarr and he blew the pod to pieces. Not a good move and the ventrilo server was filled with groans and howls of anguish. Ok, a bit over the top but it was funny.

There was a prize however: Hera had spotted a missioning rokh class battle ship and three probes did their best to track him down. Twice, we missed him, by seconds in one case as our tackler caught the warp trail signature of a departing ship. Pirates, are persistent if not dangerous. Now after observing the pilot, who disappeared from local a number times we decided to wait for the rokh with a couple of HICs and tackle the ship as he came back in.

Once again, the rokh pilot disappeared from local. The order was given and five pilots zipped off to the five different gates / systems. One by one, each pirate reported that the target was not visible. The last destination was a high sec system and a Hellcat, due to her, still acceptable security rating was approaching the system and requesting permission to jump. When she arrived, we smiled as she informed up that the target was indeed, in system and had docked up. Still apparently oblivious to our attempts at tackling him down.

We formed up around the Anher gate in Evati and waited.

Five minutes later, our scout in Anher announced that the rokh pilot had undocked and was heading back towards low security space and hopefully into our warm embrace. There was Viginti in his devoter (or lol-devoter), myself in a broadsword, Hera in his domi and a few other ships. There was a gate flash announcing the arrival of a new ship. Local updated with a new list of pilots, our mark was there. We tensed and waited. The Rokh pilot held cloak until the last minute before decloaking. To our horror, he was 35km from the nearest tackler. Fearing a failed tackle, I urged my broadsword forward, as did Vig and Hera. The rokh aligned slowly but it was enough and it's warp engines engaged.

Fighting back disappointment and recriminations - we visually followed the escape vector of the rokh. It was headed to the top asteroid belt or top planet. The fleet split into two and screamed after the escaping rokh.

Jmarr landed first at the belt and got a point, followed by me and then everyone else.

With the broadsword and devoter using their warp disruption generators - no amount of warp core stabilisers can prevent a ship from being ensnared. It was trapped and we easily stripped the shields down to armour. Being pirates, we decided to ransom the rokh pilot for 150m isk - he had only 147million isk and we took it gladly. For the eight pilots involved, it was a nice 18million isk payout. Not bad for risk free work.

Interestingly the rokh pilot had no idea how we found him. He thought he had escaped the camp and didn't assume that we could track him. I want to meet more pilots like this individual.

Isk and well, more isk.....

A loss with a silver lining
It was with some surprise and sadness that the first week of January had us Bastards bade a fond farewell to Jedizah and Kulmid. Both whom I count as friends and assets to the pirates. Their reasons for (in my view) an abrupt departure was driven by their need to engage in even more and more pure ship combat; free from the constraints of politics and other baggage. Hopefully, away from anyone using an excessive amount of Falcons too. For that, they've joined up with Club Bear; a corporation with a fearsome reputation for combat prowess. They are mobile and travel extensively, picking up fights are they go along. They also have some impressive videos of them dishing out carnage.

I can see the attraction of this, The Bastards has increasingly been establishing a base in our system and the surrounding areas so we're much more tied to territory. We still roam of course. though we derive a portion of our monthly income from the relatively rich pickings around the system. It is not in our immediate plans to leave our current home.

Still, the two departures have been viewed by all as an opportunity to step up and fill their considerable shoes - both in terms of acting as new fleet commanders and in the back-office roles they have been engaging. A pirate organisation isn't just all about the yarr but relies on the dedication and hard graft of loot selling and ransom management.

Speaking of which, it was pay day for me and all the other bastards and associates. Just to give you an idea, here is an amended and cut-down payout list from the loot sales listing in our forums of items sold since October/Novemeber 2008. The names have been removed to protect the er, innocent. Also, the number of # are random so plugging in the names of known Bastards will not work. So no risk of any muggings of isk thank you very much. However, I am immensely pleased with my pay out all from the combined loot drops from kills.

#### 259,071,266 isk
##### 13,053,234 isk
######### 191,894,511 isk
######## 85,603,274 isk
# 106,990,146 isk
### # 5,927,862 isk
##### # 144,973,662 isk
## 49,575,916 isk
### 201,897,050 isk
### 66,209,240 isk
###### 255,560,451 isk

Not bad numbers and it doesn't include the income from ransoms and individual kills since we have a 'you-keep-what-you-kill-when-you're-solo' rule. There's still more loot to sell as well.

Once again, the ease and smooth running of this process ensures that all pirates involved in any kill will get a share of the loot that is successfully sold. We have developed an application that takes the kill mails and the loot (from the asset manager) and organises it into a hyperlinked format that can inform the directors who is due what amount from which ever kill, based on kill-id. Just have a look at the screenie on the right. All the useful information is there and makes the loot split per kill as well as a summation, so much easier. With the amount of loot we are dealing with - a more robust and automated system was required.

If only the selling and automatic distribution of the loot can be done automatically too....

Oh, just to show you how much we love this process here's a quote from one of our pirates when he noticed his isk bonaza...

Nice work!!!! Bet that took a while to sort, and explains why you've been a right sour c*nt the last day or two, RoninData.

A happy pirate

You have to laugh. It's not easy being the CEO is it, and worse if you're in charge of a bunch of cussing, grog swilling and cut-throat pirates.

However hats off to Perdy for this application!

There's an obstruction ahead of us.... Lately, The Bastards have been trying to figure out a way of circumventing or pushing aside a rather large corporation now parked about five jumps from our current position. It's already affected two scheduled pirate excursions as these chaps are numerous and has more or less the same TZ coverage as we do. Like us, they have eyes almost everywhere. Unlike us, they are aligned to the Minmatar Militia and are fighting to secure local space from Amarr factions. While I (and most of the Bastards) have stayed away from the increasingly volatile Empire based wars; it's effects are now almost exculsively being felt in low-sec.

Am mildly concerned at the possible reduction in loot and hence isk. Nothing worse than the possibility of not earning isk for a pirate. We love coin too much however, plans are afoot and gathering pace to fix this intolerable attack on our liberties but we've had a lot on lately and with the alliance tourney just round the corner....

Am a director?
Er, yes - it seems that I have been quietly promoted around christmas time to directorhood and I look forward to now raiding the fabled gold-leaf lined toilet paper in the boardroom en-suite bathroom as well as see the famous 'Unemployed Stu's Comfy Soffa' in the corner. Quite funny that no-one told me about both the promotion and the loo roll, but there you go.

Tournament!
Yes, The Bastards are in the alliance tournament. Hooray! We have no plans but to appear in our rag-tag ships and bum rush the opposition and then we will eat their women, board their food and ravish their ships and er, no - wait.

Now, where's my ticket for the event?