Putting November Behind Us

November was horrible for me (3 kills, one of which was an arranged duel and another that was a cyno Velator, and 3 losses including a low grade snake pod) and was especially disappointing after the awesome October I had. I was logging in and looking for fights, they just did not come as expected. I was beginning to worry that the faction warfare and plexing changes had changed the warzone to be less friendly to my playstyle.

Well, last night changed that opinion in a hurry.

I logged in and noticed in teamspeak a whack of people in a channel. "A fleet!" I cried, "let's see if I can join."

I get in and discover that they are roaming around in Tech 1 frigates and destroyers. Not my favourite ship types for gang warfare but beggars can't be choosers. I hope into an arty Thrasher and head out to join the fleet in Black Rise region. The fleet is heading back towards Heydieles but is not standing down. Excellent.

Right after I join the fleet, we come across a Diemos and quickly dispatch it, and I accidently killed the pod (so used to flying solo!). Sorry FC.

Already December is better than October!

We continued on and ran into some Shadow Cartel pirates in Old Man Star (aka OMS). A Hurricane, Stabber Fleet Issue, Federation Navy Comet and Slepnir command ship. Our advance wing engaged and forced them through. The SFI was too fast to catch and the Comet warped off too, but the battlecruisers were caught and we piled in to the command ship. He boosted like a champ but in the end our large fleet (aka blob) proved too much. A few minutes later our scouting wing caught the Comet and killed it too.

We started plexing in several systems as things had died down and I decided to switch to my Dramiel.
Skipping over an uninteresting Thorax kill, we got reports of a Caldari militia gang composed of Crucifer, two Thrashers, and a Cormorant. We gave chase and fought them in a plex in Vifrevaert. I got an inital tackle and allowed us to kill teh tech 1 frigate and one Thrasher as I warped out in deep armour. I came back and found ourselves in a stand off with the two remaining destroyers 150 km off and our group of 9 frigates at the button. One of our cagey Incursus pilots loitered around a wreck 60 km off and lured them into approaching. The FC gave the order for fast tackle and despite still having armour damage I charged in close and hit the afterburner for transversal. I lost my shields and rest of my around, but the gamble paid off as the arty fit Thrasher and rail fit Cormorant could not track me and we dispatched him.

As we headed back to OMS intel reported a small battlecruiser gang headed our way from Pynekostah (pirates or War Targets, I don't remember). As the fleet rushed towards the Abune gate in Heydieles, I chose to upgrade firepower to my Hurricane. We engaged in Abune and I helped kill an Arazu and Hurricane.

But wait! THERE'S MORE!

That Caldari militia destroyer gang we busted up in Vifvaraert? They were in the alliance Happy Endings and we got reports that they were coming back in Drakes and a Huginn. Now fully in our bloodlust, we moved to engage. As we were setting up a Happy Endings Falcon jumped into our fleet and we obliterated it. A few minutes later the 4 Drakes, Bellicose (!), and Huginn warped in at 100 km off the gate. The FC, the always enthusiastic Marcel Devereux, gave the order to attack the Huginn.

Now I admit some hesitation on my part. It seemed unlikely we could catch the Tech 2 Recon with its long ranged webs before the Drakes picked off our frigates and destroyers, leaving our two or three battlecruisers hanging in the wind, so I stayed close to the gate. But Marcel made the right call and caught the recon long enough for the pile on to do its work. With their tackle gone the Drakes made a fight of it but ultimately were overpowered.

With that, and my Hurricane having several perilously overheated modules, I decided to log off. A total of 12 killmails with my name on them, all from decent PvP encounters and not a single noobship amoung them. Best night of PvP for me ever. This calls for Octo-hat and goggles.