What could have been

A month or so ago, I lost a Blackbird to a gate camp in the typical, larger than frigate ship undocks to several fastlocking gankship fashion.  I don’t typically fly ships larger than frigates anymore so I wasn’t particularly attached to the ship and considered selling it before moving to my new home, but decided to try and move it and see what happened.  I sat off, transited high sec and the first few jumps of low sec without issue.  I next jumped into the system that would be my Blackbird’s final resting point and there before me was lowsec gategamping in all its glory.  My overview lit up with flashes of red indicating that a Drake, Tengu, Loki, and Pilgrim where now staring my gate activation down with ill intent.  Now it was decision time.

I pondered my options for a few moments while my gate cloak was still active.  As I saw it I could try to enter warp which had about a 0% chance of working, or make a run back for the gate and try to jump through as all these guys would likely have aggro against me by the time I jumped.  I choose the latter and pulsed my mwd and made a run for it.  As you might suspect, the end result was an exploding Blackbird.

As I contemplated my recent loss, something popped out at me from the posting on the kill board.  I was faced with 2 Caldari ships, a Minmatar one, and an Amarr ship.  I looked back at my loadout and was equipped with 2 Caldari jammers, a Minmatar jammer, and an Amarr jammer and began to wonder, “Could I have fought these guys off and been on my merry way”?  Furthermore, I had defender missiles equipped to hopefully counter the missiles from the two Caldari ships.

My experience flying ECM ships is practically nil, so I’m not surprised that fighting didn’t really pop into my mind, but I can’t help but wonder what could have been.  While my ECM experience is next to none, I spent a few months a while back training practically every electronics skill up to V, so while I may not have made it out, I might have been able to get a few jams on these guys and turn an exploding blackbird into a “gf” in local.  I know some of you are wondering what in the world I’m doing training electronics skills up to V?  I was bored, they looked interesting and when you’ve played since 2003 there aren’t that many holes in your training so I figured what the heck. 

So as I look back on the situation, the phrase “coulda, woulda, shoulda” just keeps streaking though my mind. 

Could I have fought them and at least made it entertaining—You bet.

Would I have won and been on my way—Maybe I’ll never know.

Should I have given it a go—Definitely.

The take home lesson for me is that when you’ve considered all your options take another second to find the one you’ve missed, and even when outnumbered and seemingly outgunned a combination of wit, skills, and a touch of luck may not get you out alive, but should always end in a “GF”!

Runnin' with the Rebels

As I began my adventure into pirating, I very quickly discovered one of the banes of pirates the universe over.  Target locating—it’s not easy.  When I say it’s not easy it’s probably best to say it’s not easy when you really don’t know what you’re doing.  I was relatively novice at the directional scan, didn’t understand the mechanics of GCC, can-flipping, or even dropping an item in a cargo can for an arranged fight.  My pirating consisted of roaming through low sec, scanning down my target only to warp to an object as my potential victim finishes aligning and warps away.  But this time was well spent practicing the d-scan.  This tool is immensely valuable, hated by those trying to learn it and loved by those who understand it.  I’m quite pleased to now reside in the latter.

As I continued to learn the basics of pirating, I began monitoring a few of the public communications of organizations dedicated to the profession of pirating.  I was particularly interested in the corporation of one Miura Bull, a nefarious pirate at best.  I located the public channel for his corporation and began to monitor it to get a feel for who these rebels were.  After a week or so I noticed that recruitment was open and decided to apply.  I figured what better way to practice my new profession than with a group dedicated to the same.  After all, how could I go wrong with a corporation that had Rifter in their name?  I applied, and after intensive interview (chronicled later, perhaps after the wounds heal), I was granted access to the ranks of the Black Rebel Rifter Club.  What has followed has been pure exhilaration.

A new dawn

To tell the truth, I had hit a bit of a rough patch after sitting in Empire for several months.  I had grown tired of the "you must fly this ship with this setup and have two of these ship types available at all times" attitude of many corps, but desperately missed PVP.  After much thought, I came to the realization that pirating would be the perfect match to what I wanted to do.  If I felt the need to sit in the station bar for a month and drink beer, so be it no mandatory ops or ship types or play styles.  It seemed as though I had found a perfect match, in principle at least, implementation was a bit more tricky.

After considering the idea for a while, I made two decisions that shaped my future in the universe. 

1.  I need to learn how to solo.  This fundamental hole in my training was the source of much of my frustration.  If I didn't feel comfortable on my own, then I was tied to a gang and therefore their shiptypes and schedules.  This needed to change!

2.  The Rifter hull is king.  As I began my studies into pirating and solo flying, I quickly ran across the works of a Rifter afficinado named Wensley.  I can't begin to articulate how the information gathered from his works enlightened and inspired my current path.  I highly recommend reading and contemplating the information contained within his pages if you ever plan to be truly effective in solo combat.

So here I am, a new path, new information to digest and practise, and a new thirst for the blood of all those I deem enemies.  Only the future will see how it all pans out, I'm only certain that there will be lots of flames.

The beginning

The day started like so many before it, waking up wondering how I made it back to my quarters in one piece with a splitting headache from the previous nights drinking with my fellow Rebels.  As I got dressed and prepared to start the day, I couldn't help but recall the last thing my old man had said to me before I left for the last time.  "Ninyn, this self destructive behaviour will be the end of you"  How little did he know how right we would be, the lifestyle had led to my destruction hundreds of times as explosions ripped through my pod, only to be alive today through the virtual immortality afforded by capsuleer technology.

The story of my life is like so many others in New Eden, born into a wealthy family (of course only wealthy through the slave labor of the Minmatar), proverbial silver spoon firmly in my mouth.  I attended the Imperial Academy for capsuleer training, then flew with several corporations in both Empire and null-sec.  I even had a misguided month flying with with a corporation dedicated to killing Minmatar who only sought freedom for their families.  Eventually, I tired of all of this returned to my corporation I had started years before to launder ISK, settled in Empire and began to plot my next course.