Wednesday 31 October 2012

Nashh with a Bang

Quote #161. 
DON'T THINK OF IT AS DYING, said Death. JUST THINK OF IT AS LEAVING EARLY TO AVOID THE RUSH.
-- (Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman, Good Omens)

On November 4th, Goinard, Sing Laison 2100 EVE Time, my good friend and founder of The Celebrity Death Match™ Nashh Kadavr is having a little leaving party:


Nashh Kadavr > i am undocking in a carreir and a 10 bil pod
Nashh Kadavr > and a 3 bil hauler
Nashh Kadavr > and have 100 frigs available for free




Nashh is leaving the life of a Capsuleer behind but is having one last Bashh™, and while he's at it, he's giving you a chance to win a dreadnought of your choice (Of the three he owns) 

Nashh Kadavr > be there or be squeare
Nashh Kadavr > #square

Nashh Kadavr > damn champagne

So whatever you do, wherever you may be in the Verse, make the trip to Goinard to give Nashh a fitting send off

Sunday 28 October 2012

Joe Struck strikes again...

The illustrious illustrator Joe Struck made this commemorative wallpaper for our recent devastation of two Naglfar dreadnoughts via the means of mass frigates.

Joe's work also takes pride of place at the top of this here blog.

Saturday 27 October 2012

I am Legend

It is a fact that although the Death of the Discworld is, in his own words, an ANTHROPOMORPHIC PERSONIFICATION, he long ago gave up using the traditional skeletal horses, because of the bother of having to stop all the time to wire bits back on.
-- (Terry Pratchett, Mort)


Here's a little plug for my main man Joe's Sign Painting, Pinstriping and Tattoos

A little snippet from local after a little 3v3 in Gusandall, much respect gentlemen :)
Zeidaks > an honour fighting the legendary  Kane Rizzel

Friday 26 October 2012

Links and Stats




Thursday 25 October 2012

A Game of Frigates

"These people were not only cheering, they were throwing flowers and hats. The hats were made of stone, but the thought was there."
-- Life among the primitive Discworld tribes

(Terry Pratchett, Eric)


My day started with a rather extreme workout, for which my muscles aren't thanking me for right now, but to avoid the atrophy of long spells spent in a capsule full of goo, it's a necessary evil.
The 2/10 seems to be picking up again, thanks to the likes of Sard Caid and his stream and Miura Bull's fantastic guide promoting them as bastions of PvP, the one in Gus is seeing a little more attention paid to it, and this is a good thing.

The first fight of the day was against a Jaguar, a ship I am intimately acquainted with, as of late there is a rather nasty dual medium ancillary shield booster fit making the rounds but regardless I chose a fun new ship to play with, The Sentinel.

Sentinel
Sentinel Name: Sentinel
Hull: Crucifier Class
Role: Electronic Attack Ship

Electronic attack ships are mobile, resilient electronic warfare platforms. Although well suited to a variety of situations, they really come into their own in skirmish and fleet encounters, particularly against larger ships. For anyone wanting to decentralize their fleet’s electronic countermeasure capabilities and make them immeasurably harder to counter, few things will serve better than a squadron or two of these little vessels.


Developer: Viziam

Viziam ships are quite possibly the most durable ships money can buy. Their armor is second to none and that, combined with superior shields, makes them hard nuts to crack. Of course this does mean they are rather slow and possess somewhat more limited weapons and electronics options.

Amarr Frigate Skill Bonus: 20% bonus to energy vampire and energy neutralizer transfer amount per level and 5% bonus to effectiveness of tracking disruptors per level

Electronic Attack Ships Skill Bonus: 40% bonus to energy vampire and energy neutralizer range and 5% reduction in capacitor recharge time per level 


It ticks a lot of boxes as a Frigate destroyer for me, particularly a few variations that rely on capacitor and turrets. So I undock and warp to the 2/10
The Jaguar seems to be in two minds as it takes him a little while to come to me, but when he does he warps in nearly on top of me, not ideal as his damage would hurt at such range... That it does, but overloaded  energy neutralisers soon shut his propulsion and tackle mods down, which allows me to gain range and use my tracking disruptor to full effect.

Once at range it is pretty much over as he valiantly tries to swat my drones, but the little critters are tenacious and tear the Jaguar apart, piece by piece.

Kenzo Shimada > gf
Kane Rizzel > gf
Kenzo Shimada > never seen this ship in action before
Kenzo Shimada > nice
Kane Rizzel > I've only been flying it a few days, enjoying it, something different
Kenzo Shimada > I have to confess, that I underestimated it a little
Kenzo Shimada > but then my cap was gone^^
Kane Rizzel > I'm finding most people are
Kane Rizzel > yeah, it caps frigates pretty quickly
Kane Rizzel > you got very close in the beginning and got web on, thought I was done for
Kenzo Shimada > yup, but then within a few secs my cap was gone
Kenzo Shimada > and so were you
Kenzo Shimada > couldn't get any closer to you
Kenzo Shimada > good fight though o7

Kane Rizzel > yeah, gf o7

A few minutes later, a Retribution class assault frigate enters system and I guess he'll be heading to the 2/10. I undock the Sentinel again and DSCAN shows him where I expect, I warp over, overheat everything, I land and the DSCAN shows him inside the plex, probably waiting at zero, which is not ideal for me, but I warp in anyways... Yup, he's waiting for me and I hit him with a full force of neuts, but a single volley from his medium pulse lasers strips my shields, the second volley puts me at half armour, if it carries on like this my Sentinel won't be long for this Verse... I probably forgot to mention this thing has no tank whatsoever :)

I struggle to get range, but an overheated afterburner pulls me out to 15km, my tracking disruptor playing havoc with his laser optimal range, and shortly there-after he stops shooting altogether as his cap runs dry. A tense few seconds for me becomes frustration for the Retribution pilot as my drones are now free to do as they want to the golden ship, and what they want is explosions.

I manage to tackle the escape pod before it warps to safety and offer terms:
Kane Rizzel > 50mil ransom?
Maggistr > yes
Kane Rizzel > ok
Kane Rizzel > gf


He accepts and I disengage my tackle and let him go on his merry, although 50million ISK poorer :)


Operation IVY

A rather large fleet of EVE University rolls through Gus (add to that a Manticore and two further Stilettos)
I shall use this opportunity to promote a rather useful tool for all your FC/Scouting needs, DingoGS's FC Toolbox.
Kane Rizzel > there's an acre of you fellas
Jake Uta > Do you know the way to Rens?
Kane Rizzel > go get some more and I'll take you on
Jake Uta > http://i.imgur.com/AvHwD.gif
Kane Rizzel > what's a rens?
powerfreak evans > a system
powerfreak evans > ;)


Nothing comes of this however as they move on.


Links up: A tale of two Maledictions

The family is back in Gusandall, for the moment, and as such I employed the use of skirmish links for this next fight.

A single Malediction enters Gusandall, naturally assuming it will be going to the 2/10, I board something a little more daring to take on the rocket based interceptor, an Incursus.

Incursus
Incursus
The Incursus may be found both spearheading and bulwarking Gallente military operations. Its speed makes it excellent for skirmishing duties, while its resilience helps it outlast its opponents on the battlefield. Incursus-class ships move together in groups and can quickly and effectively gang up on ships many times their size and overwhelm them. In recent years the Incursus has increasingly found its way into the hands of pirates, who love its aggressive appearance.

Gallente Frigate Skill Bonus: 10% bonus to Armor Repairer effectiveness and 5% bonus to Small Hybrid Turret damage per skill level.


I undock and warp straight to the 2/10 and sure enough, the Malediction warps in at range... And continues to stay at range whilst holding me tackled.


Alekseyev Karrde > let you go for 3mil
Kane Rizzel > :)

There's no way I'm going to catch him at the rate he's moving, and there's no way in hell I'm going quietly without getting a shot off, so gang is formed and skirmish links go up. I overheat my mods and try to activate them but for some reason the overheat primer has fused my mods and I sit helpless as the Malediction skilfully pilots around me, I bide my time, he's holding me for a reason, which soon becomes apparent as his corpmate jumps into system in another Malediction. 

This is when the fight gets interesting, after what felt like 5 minutes of me trying to slingshot into range, the first Malediction starts to close, I try to tackle it, but my mods are still fused, I toggle overheat a few times, eventually I can activate my mods and the fight begins in earnest. Second Malediction warps in and starts to close, my blasters start playing merry havoc with the firsts armour but he seems to be repping well, but only a matter of seconds till he breaks, and break he does, I turn all attention to the second Malediction, I'm easily repping his damage and he's doing the same to mine... It's about now I remember I have a drone to use...

For fucks sake, this will be the first deployment of this drone since I started using this particular Incursus and he's raring to go, I unleash the wee beastie and he zips across the void to add to my Null damage and the second Malediction explodes

Alekseyev Karrde > vgf
Kane Rizzel > gf
Kane Rizzel > gf
Kane Rizzel > very gf
Preestar > gf
Kane Rizzel > my overheating wasn't working for most of that
Kane Rizzel > very weird
Alekseyev Karrde > Rizzel, did you have off grid armor links for that?
Kane Rizzel > just skirmish
Alekseyev Karrde > tank was wicked bro
Kane Rizzel > but my overheat wasn't working
Kane Rizzel > the incursus is mad tank
Kane Rizzel > built in bonus
Alekseyev Karrde > aye
Alekseyev Karrde > havnt actually tried to kill one w just frigates since the patch
Kane Rizzel > it's a nasty little ship and a beast with null
Kane Rizzel > good fight though, wasn't going to catch you even with skirmish if you didn't come in, was just biding my time :)
Alekseyev Karrde > p much the same on our end.  I knew i couldnt take you by myself, but i was surprised the two males couldnt break the local.  Now i know hehe
Alekseyev Karrde > gotta scoot


A good fight from good opponents :)

In other news

Long time friend and Celebrity Death Match founder, Nashh Kadavr is leaving the Capsule behind and retiring to a terran existence, all the best old friend, may your skies always be friendly :)

Edit: I've been asked a few times now, those are my knuckles in the previous blog :)


Saturday 20 October 2012

Eyes Open












Cuddy had only been a guard for a few days, but already he had absorbed one important and basic fact: it is almost impossible for anyone to be in a street without breaking the law.
-- (Terry Pratchett, Men at Arms)


Life in Gusandall has been good over the years, with old friends departed, some new friends have appeared and whilst Gus is no longer the fortress it once was in those halcyon days, it's still my home.

As old friends have departed, so have old foes and Gus sometimes feels a very lonely place but I have in the past shown great patience and so it is now that I practice it. The 2/10 seems to have livened up a bit and I've cut my teeth on a few new frigates. The Incursus is much fun and the Sentinel is beyond ridiculous fun as well if a bit frustrating.































The universe has changed, with as many cloaked  strategic cruisers about as things that have changed. This of course makes hunting more difficult as strategic cruiser pilots are terribly gun shy, running or cloaking as soon as anything with a heart beat enters local.

Eifer has lost a lot of what once made it a haven for good fights, it seems aspiring combat pilots no longer see it as a place to cut their teeth.

I don't know what the answer is to bring good fights back, if only with I had the time to commit to bringing the glory back to my little pocket of space.

So hunting now requires more patience and a lot more luck, but always, keep your eyes open.

Saturday 6 October 2012

Dreadfully dead

Using a metaphor in front of a man as unimaginative as Ridcully was like a red flag to a bu-- was like putting something very annoying in front of someone who was annoyed by it.
-- (Terry Pratchett, Lords and Ladies) 
Through various back channels an op of some significance was forming, Molden Heath the host, I was informed that I would be required to bring a plated Rupture, a quick scan of my hangars in Bosena confirming I had said ship available so I made preparations to clone jump, instead of making the x jumps from my home in Gusandall. 
As the area had been sort of barren of late, I was certain a change of scenery might even change my luck.

I jumped over and contracted my Rupture to a carrier pilot who would be jumping it to the staging system, once done I joined the locals in harassing some Russians who had engaged an acquaintance one system over, unfortunately I started taking sentry fire as the locals were at war with the Russians and I was the only one who took GCC. With me yo-yoing to and from the gate we managed to kill three Drakes and scattered the Russians to the four winds. My Oracle in deep armour when the dust settled.

Back in Bosena it was time to move the staging system and once there I started waiting...

And waiting...

And waiting...

The op muster had come and gone, but I was informed plans had changed so I raced back to Bosena, to be told I would need an interceptor or assault frigate... Of which I had none so I started to peruse the well stocked Bosena market and bought a Stiletto class interceptor and went about the task of fitting it.

One of the rigs I had chosen presented me with a small problem, 114million SP and I couldn't fit it as I didn't have the skill 0_o

A quick trade with Tits and he kindly fit the rig for me.

So there I was, in an interceptor class I had never flown before, but eager to have some fun with it.


Soon we undocked and following our FC, the might Dirty Protagonist's orders we're soon on our way, the general plan was to find some Russians and start a fight, but as with most things, the plan doesn't always go as it should and we made a trip through Great Wildlands, trying as best we could to not give away details of our fleet or what direction we were coming from, but the Russians didn't seem too bothered and their supposed muster had also passed, many online but little movement on their part. Fact is, most of us had no clue where we were going either, but the promise of violence is like one of those things, where folk can't resist.

Eventually news of their dread deployment reaches us but our scouts lose track of them as the surrounding area is lit up with cynos, scouts move every which way but it is Sard Caid who brings the best news... Dreads sieging POCOs... But not Russian dreads. But that's not going to stop us now. The fleet had swelled to a massive thirty assorted frigates, interceptors, assault frigates, a destroyer and a single Caracal.

Sard barrels in with his Condor of Destruction and lays down the tackle, the dreads start to scatter and Sard points one of the Naglfar, the other getting caught up on the POCO. This didn't help it at all as our fleet of mixed frigates,  Thrasher and a Caracal descended upon the hapless dreads. Blotting out the star, we swarmed over the two Naglfar, grabbing points as the dreads cycled in and out of siege. Our minuscule DPS must have seemed amusing but we had one of the dreads at half shields when the suggestion of shooting each other was given, so that they could whore onto each others kill mails and to shorten the agonising minutes it would take for them to die, with no attempt from their corp mates to bring a support fleet to counter us and maybe save the multi billion ISK dreadnoughts. 

The first dread dies and we turn all attention to the other and after what seemed like forever, the second follows suit.

The Russian dreads never materialised even after we used a Niddhogur carrier at one of their POS to induce a fight, so we just went in and incapacitated the warp disruption battery and then went home... All in all, a good night.

Wednesday 3 October 2012

The wheel never stops turning...

- "What're quantum mechanics?"
- "I don't know. People who repair quantums, I suppose."

-- (Terry Pratchett, Eric)

I haven't met with a great deal of success since my return to Gusandall , certain miscalculations and general combat rustiness making me seem less than competent. I have bitten off more than I can chew on occasion and made great errors in judgement on others. Recent redesigns of favourite ships has made them slightly less stellar than they have been in the past and made others more potent than I remember but that just makes me more determined to make them work.

My lack of intel seems to be a quite large factor in my failures. The 1v1s I've lost were mainly down to me misjudging my opponents and failure to pilot properly, seems my long break had a greater impact than I first thought.

Or could it be that my heart just isn't in it anymore? Maybe I've lost that passion that drove me all these years to be a name, a force to be reckoned with, not just another in a long line of faces that nobody remembers.

Kane needs his mojo back.

The wheel never stops turning...

That only matters to the people on the rim.