Exploring the Ocean of Emptiness(EVE Blog): Pt2
By Renahzor 2 Comments
Combat is a game of intel. Careful planning, researching good fits for ships. Finding and engaging targets on your own terms, enticing people into a fight that's in your favor rather than theirs. Slowly and methodically getting the right fights at the right places, on your terms.
Screw all that. High on my moderate success from last night I hope back in my Punisher, check all of the systems and repair it back to full strength, reload and head back to Mara, hoping to find a quick fight before I need to dock up for the evening. Mara local has a handfull of people in it, including my victim from the night before, Chasin Muff, in her Punisher thats likely fit very similar to my own. I scan a few belts looking for her, but find something even more intriguing. Sitting in an isolated belt on scan are 3 relatively newer pilots all from the same corp, 2 Rifters and a Merlin, all T1 frigates like my own ship. Typically Rifters are considered among the very best PvP frigates, but what the hell, I'm ready for a fight.
Coming out of warp, I land almost directly on top of one of the Rifters with the Merlin floating at around 10km, I focus my inital efforts on the Rifter pilot. As my inital volleys shred the shields from my hapless target, the second Rifter appears on grid and engages. Cycling my energy neutralizer, I quickly disable Rifter 1. Caldari Navy Antimatter charges streak across the less than 500m between us, blowing huge holes in his armor. Shortly after: he explodes, and I re-evaluate my situation. The second Rifter and Merlin have both engaged, a Punisher has appeared on grid 50km off but I ignore her as a simple onlooker. Only the Merlin has me tackled and both have closed to within 6km, well within range of my dangerous neutralizer, I decide to push the fight. My Punisher is just dipping into armor, but I have faith in my hefty armor buffer.
The second Rifter is my primary target, I figure I can always neutralize the Merlin to gtfo if I need to. Rifter 2 has settled into a 2.5km orbit, annoyingly out of my blaster range. I begin draining his capacitor, his afterburner fit isn't phased by my scrambler and he is easily faster than my chunky frigate as I helplessly chase behind him in orbit. My best hope is to shut down his AB and close to 1500m, and it works like a charm. My armor is taking a pounding, dipping to near 50% as I finally close range, his ship now completely out of capacitor. I fire up the blasters, overheat them for maximum damage. I make a noob mistake here, leaving my guns on overheat for too long. Luckily I notice and save my guns from burning up in the heat, 96% damage to each, too close. He and his Merlin buddy are both finally dispatched. Chasin Muff appears back on grid within 20km, but respectfully doesn't engage my now battered ship which would have been an easy kill for her. I warp off to wait out my Criminal timer.
Once again, the fight only lasts a short time, but I am thoroughly satisfied with the combat. I was entirely expecting to lose my punisher, and just wanted a big fight, and that's exactly what i got.