Is Faction War Dead....

.... for the next two months?

Before Inferno released we had a great month or two of fighting leading up to the expansion. It was non-stop and a throw back to the 2009 glory days of faction war. We knew Inferno was coming and it would be much harder to take systems. We knew station lock-outs were coming and we needed to defend our space. We knew capturing enemy station systems would hurt them badly. It was a great time to be in faction war. It was fighting, fighting and more fighting. I recall one battle that lasted about 8 hours. We wanted to kick the squids out of one of their home systems and they weren't going anywhere without a fight. It was a great day and even required someone to do jump freighter runs to bring more ships into the enemy system so we could keep going. It was the great 2012 land-grab and we fought for control of those systems as Inferno approached. Ah yes, happy days!

Now we're into the same time frame before the next expansion, Retribution. And what do we have? Great PvP? Lots of fighting?

No. In fact last few roams I've done have been.... quiet.

If we don't have lots of fighting, what do we have in the warzone?

We have Incursuses. Erm, Incursuseseses? I mean Incursi? Or is it Incursii? What the frack is the plural for an Incursus?

Incursus. A small inoffensive ship which is offending me big style. Go for a roam around Black Rise now with your D-scanner open and what do you see? A lot of the aforementioned ships. Here, I went for a roam last night trying to get some PvP but just got D-scan screen shots which I've stuck together....

The ships are named "Not AFK, I'll run", "No guns", "Farming", "stabbed plexer" and other imaginative names. But it all boils down to one thing, farming of LP's. There is no peak-time for this activity. It's all the time with people at work running Eve minimised in the background. Low skill point alt with no implants - so what if it gets podded.

The official description of the Incursus is the following:-

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. 

Really that needs changing for now:-

The Incursus may be found speed-tanking Caldari military operations. Its speed makes it excellent for avoiding NPC rat fire, while its resilience helps it helps it outlast the timer in the plex. Incursus-class ships move solo and can quickly and effectively run away if any PvP shows up as they have no guns. In recent months the Incursus has increasingly found its way into the hands of farmers, who love its ability to AFK speed tank. 

It wouldn't be so bad but it seems the Caldari are logging on Gallente alts to farm their own plexes.

The great FW gravy train of 2012 has two months and a day left before coming to a grinding halt as CCP shut off the ISK faucet. And it would seem everyone is determined to make as much cash as they can between now and then.

By December everyone in faction war will have a super carrier, twelve Vindicators and enough faction modules to choke a Titan, but will have forgot how to PvP!

If there are any players* around Black Rise wanting some actual PvP I can be found roaming from Nisuwa. Just listen out for the grumbling about farmers and the lack of PvP action, you'll find me!

*Not you Quake590, you can **** off :P