Yesterday it was my main toon's 3-year anniversary with Shadows of the Federation. Yes, he's been with the same PvP corporation since 11th July 2009! So even though I really dislike FC'ing I thought I'd FC a quick roam to mark the occasion. I am sure many corps and alliances are the same. You have a couple of great FC's who everyone looks to, to do all the fleets which is not right. So even if I need an excuse to step up and do my bit, I'll still do it even though I don't like it. Only problem is when I do that is when, like last night, the two awesomesauce FC's of WTFPWNAGE are actually in your fleet and you are wondering what they are thinking about your fleet command abilities....
Easiest way way to counter that? Plenty of Stolichnaya and 7up over ice after a few pints. Ahhhhhh! Right, back on topic, Drack's fail fleet of doom! I've got my A3 map of the local area printed with a nice route drawn on it, I have drink, I'm ready to rock, and indeed, roll!
Actually, before I get onto the roam I'd just like to wish one of our proper FC's (who actually knows what they are doing) a happy birthday. Obviously I don't want to be shouting his name out and getting him primaried any more than he is already is in fleet fights, but happy birthday Mr C. As he does so much for the corp, we decided to buy him a present. We even gift wrapped it and everything!
Anyway, finally onto last night and my planned roam!
I get the fleet started and soon enough I have a dozen pilots in fleet which climbs to 15. That'll do nicely! Got people into Arty Hurricanes with a couple of logi, a fleet booster and a Lach for looooong points plus a fast frigate scout. Then suddenly....... intel!
Enemy triaged Archon on OMS gate in Heyd with support fleet including BS and faction cruiser, only a couple of jumps away from us!
ZOMG!
Last thing I wanted to do was screw this up. I was in two minds if to try this myself, but, it was a potential Archon kill so I handed the fleet over to one of our FC's of uber-awesomesauce. We were ready to go in 90 seconds but the enemy fleet docked up as the Archon dropped out of Triage! Bah!
We gave them five minutes and sure enough, they undocked and the Archon jumps out. Now you might think we missed the party, but if the carrier is in the same system, then it cannot hotdrop, it can just warp which it does sooooooooooo slooooooooooooowly. So we waited. Sure enough they dropped the Archon again and we then we jump in to spoil their party. Blap!
We head back to home base and reshiped so I can take the fleet out for the planned roam. Well, after that engagement, even if I welp the entire fleet, doesn't matter, had cap kill!
So we head out and it's quiet, far too quiet. We're finding the odd one or two targets but they are busy plexing not fighting. Our scout finds a Harbinger on an acceleration gate that he cannot use (medium FW plex) so goes for point. Unfortunately the Harb is set up for killing frigates (probably why he is sat on a medium plex acceleration gate) and even at 5000m/sec our scout is taken down and we land 45km off as the target warps away. Slippery bugger!
From then on I "Leeroy scout" by jumping first and having a poke around. In Ouellete I have a Drake and a Talos on scan and they are talking in local about belts. So I warp to top belt, nothing. Warp to bottom belt, nothing. Warp to middle belt, wrecks. Bugger! Going to have to D-Scan them. So off I go D-Scanning them down when a Drake suddenly lands 100km off. I burn for him... he burns for me...
"LiCuid Ice > hey look a gay little hutticane" appears in local as we both point each other and open fire. I'm waiting for the Talos to come in but he doesn't appear before my shields are starting to get low. So I get the fleet to jump in and warp to me. The Drake tries to run, but a little overheat of the MWD means I re-establish point and he goes down.
I cannot help but copy and paste the earlier comment from local and make a small addition - "hey look a gay little hutticane <- With mates"
As soon as my agro drops I jump into the next system an it's rather Squidy! Finally, multiple targets, and lots on scan so they are in space! They start landing on gate and jump through not wanting to engage this lonely Hurricane 12km off gate. Of course they jump into a fleet of Hurricanes on the other side and die. Those who landed late just bounce from the gate as they are obviously listening to the screams of their dying fleet mates on the other side! I try to lock them but without a SeBo I cannot lock them in time before they warp off. So no kills for me but a few for the fleet!
We head on and pass through the earlier Archon owners home system. I order the fleet "Smack Free". It's a bit like "Weapons Free" but with 35% more trollolololololol. Our piss-taking complete we head home as it's bloody late and I have work in the morning.
So a "successful" fleet. 1 loss (the poor scout) a few kills under my command and an Archon plus Damnation, three Megathrons, a Muninn, three Drakes, a Cane, a Vigilant and an Incursus under a proper FC's command but.......
...... it was still MY fleet! It had Drackarn's Fleet as the fleet name and everything! ;)
Awesome write-up, mate! Noses bloodied + fleet survives = "Op Success!"
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