Will you be my PvP Sensei?

With the kind of schedule I have these days, it's pretty impossible for me to partake in any kind of official corp operations. Don't get me wrong, it certainly not because the guys from Mobile Alcohol Processing Units weren't playing nice or ignoring me, but circumstances just made it impossible for me to join them when there were combat operations. I either logged in and out before anything interesting was happening, or simply was too many jumps away for me to get there in time.

So I've decided to go at it solo. What! Blasphemy you say? I hear you loud and clear on that one. I myself have always told folks to get into a good corp as soon as they can find one. But right now, that play style doesn't suit me. I'm more like a 3rd leg, a fifth wheel or whatever expression you want to use.

So earlier this week, I took the jump and left MAPU. I plan on staying in Heimatar for while, until I get familiar with my Close Range PvP Vexor setup. After reading up on the great advice that given to me after I mentioned I was fitting a Vexor for PvP, I've decided to use @00sage00's setup suggestion and am now on the hunt for those missing modules. Soon though, I'll be ready to test the waters with this new ship. First I plan on testing it out on NPC missions and pirates. But I know that soon, I'll have to face some real opponents.

Before I do that though, I thought I'd through a friendly request for some one on one lessons with fellow capsuleers willing to meet face to face and teach me the basics of PvP. I've read and will try to put into practice the wonderful advice that the Tweetfleet Father has put together in this wonderful post of his, "Piloting Savviness".

So if your willing to visit me and share some advice, I promise to be nice when I share our story on this blog of mine. But be aware that this is the setup you'll be facing... ....come to think of it, give this much of info to a potential opponent might not be a wise decision... of what the hell!

Close Range Vexor PvP Setup


Damage Control II
Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II
Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II
1600mm Reinforced Rolled Tungsten Plates I

10MN MicroWarpdrive I
Warp Scrambler II
X5 Prototype I Engine Enervator

Light Neutron Blaster II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S
Light Neutron Blaster II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S
Light Neutron Blaster II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S
Light Neutron Blaster II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S
Small Energy Neutralizer II

Medium Trimark Armor Pump I
Medium Trimark Armor Pump I
Medium Trimark Armor Pump I

Hammerhead II x5
Warrior II x5
Hornet EC-300 x5


Now if you'll excuse me, I have a podcast to do!

Getting ready for my first Player Kill - A Vexor PvP Setup

After roaming systems near or within the Heimatar Region over the last 2 weeks, I've finally gathered all the necessary modules, ammo types and drones for the all 6 Gallente Vexors I've setup for PvP. And though I'm based out of GERBOLD, earlier this morning I traveled to EBODOLD, a dead-end system of 0.4 security level. I'd been told that there was a good plex in the area, one where I could test out the Vexor setup I've been so diligently putting together for my first foray into the darker side of EVE, the Player-vs-Player.
The system has but only one station, fittingly numbered CK-19. I feel at home already! My plans over the next few days are simple: test out that PLEX as I get to know my Vexor setup. It'll give me the opportunity to go through to great PvP Guides I've recenltly come across: the first is "Piloting Savviness" by @00sage00, and the second is "The New Rifter Guide" by @wensley. Both are available in PDF formats by the way.

In the mean time, here's my PvP Vexor Setup. Experts such as Wensley and 00sage00 are more than welcome to critique and provide their advice. God knows I need it!

HIGH POWER

• 1x Medium YF-12a Smartbomb
• 4x 150mm Railgun II

MEDIUM POWER

• 1x DDO Photometry Tracking Disruptor I
• 1x Y-58 Hydrocarbon I Afterbuner
• 1x J5 Prototype Warp Disruptor I

LOW POWER

• 1x Emergency Damamge Control I
• 1x Microcell Nanite Explosive Hardener I
• 1x Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II
• 1x 1600mm Reinforced Crystalline Carbonide Plates I

DRONES

• 1x Warrior II
• 5x Hornet EC-300
• 2x Ogre II
• 2x Infiltrator II

Ship Setups - Crusiers: All Purpose Uglies, by the Gaming Griefer

This is a guest post by the Gaming Griefer. You can follow him @JohnBatDell.

The cruiser class in EVE online is nothing if it isn't the most versatile. It was precisely this versatility which attracted me enough to make a priority of training every racial cruiser skill to V, and has kept my interest over all other ship classes save Assault Ships and Pirate Frigates. A competent cruiser pilot is a welcome addition to any roaming gang, if gang roams are your thing. They aren't mine. I was born in the year of the tiger, so I choose to hunt like one: alone.

As I mentioned, cruisers are my third choice. With to the upcoming changes slated for December 1st, anything I write about the pirate frigates would either be obsolete or theory-craft, and I don't really feel like parting with my favorite AF fits. Nevertheless, I've been fairly successful over my EVE career in cruisers, and if you manage to find me on Battleclinic, you'll see that cruisers are by far my favorite prey. Cruisers it is, then.

Before going into specific ship fits, there are a few things I'd like to prepare you for. The first thing is that I prefer an afterburner + warp scrambler combination over a microwarp drive and disrupter on almost everything. I use close range weaponry, and fitting a MWD is completely antithetical to close in fighting.

Vexor set-up for both Solo and Gang PVP

The Gallente Vexor has got to be my favourites cruiser, if not ship period! There's something about the look of the ship, it's armour tanking abilities, or the fact that it it can carry a good stack of drones with its 100m3 drone bay. And so I'm always looking for a good ship set-up, playing around with various configurations. I can't tell you how much time I've spent docked at a station, putting and pulling ship modules, then undocking and testing theses set-ups. Its' a good part of the fun of EVE.

Gallente Vexor Screenshot

I haven't flown old Brutus IV in a while. The Vexor is one of my favorite ships. It's quick, packs a punch and can easily be armor tanked. I think I might take her out for a spin.

Getting my wings to fly a Dominix

The 4 screenshots above were taken after I picked up my Dominix, which was build by our Manufacture & Production division, a few systems out from our headquarter in Badivefi. Man what a beautiful ship she is.

I've had a Dominix Blue Print Copy (BPC) for a few months now, but never actually requested that one be built. I neither had the skills ready to fly one, nor the rank to do so within my corp, PPL. But I wanted to, man did I want to.

So after joining Phalanx Division, I worked on my required skills in order to qualify for Gallente Battleships. You see, the Labs is an amazing corporation with an amazing set of people, dedicated to EVE. A stroll through our site will quickly convince you of the professionalism and dedication that's involved. And that's only part of the story. PPL members have their own dedicated website, which is used for all internal matters, including character development.

Because, in order to qualify for specific duties, you have to meet the corps minimum skill sets and level. In the case of being approved to pilot a Gallente Battleship, there are 45 skills required, at various level. Now that doesn't mean that you can't fly a Gallente Battleship if you don't have all theses skills, but in order to fly them with efficiency, you need the right skill set. And PPL's Board expects nothing else, hence, you better meet the requirements.
As most EVE pilots, I used to use EVE skill tools (EVEMon and ECM) on a daily basis in order to navigate the complexities of EVE Online's multitude of skill books. But that is no longer required. I simply look at what I'd like to do, or pilot, or control, and complete the list of skills that are required by PPL. There are qualifications for manufacturing, drones, science, Tech I and Tech II (over 30 Qualification categories in all).

In addition to Gallente Battleship training, I'm also looking to complete Drone training up to the level of a Drone Commander. But before I get there, I still have to complete my BS training, and that means training 2 more skills: Surgical Strikes and Large Hybrid Turret - the last 2 of 45 skills! I have a few days still remaining.

It's almost overwhelming to pilot such a ship for someone who has always in cruisers. How the hell do I set-up that ship? I've looked at dozens of threads on the EVE forums, trying to find the right 'Dominix set-up'. No small task, believe me.

Anyways, until I've completed those two last skill training, I'll continue flying my Vexor (with the new set-up). That should give me enough time to continue my research on the Dominix set-up, and find a good one that will match both the ship's capabilities, and my style of piloting.

I'll keep you posted, but if you've got any suggestions on a good set-up, then please post a comment to let me know.

A Vexor set-up for security missions

As most you know, I've been running a lot of missions these past few weeks, both for fun (isn't that the purpose of gaming) and also as per our corporate directives to increase our standings with the Khanid.

There are quite a few ships which I'm skilled enough to pilot, but I always tend to come back to my good old Vexor. I've gone through a few of them now having lost some to missions where the darn NPC pirates had the upper hand, or (usually) through unwanted PVP. But you learn and adapt (or die). Which is a great part of the fun I find in EVE.

I don't know how many hours I've spent with my ships in stations, reading through the EVE Forums, chatting with corp mates, trying different set-ups. Some poor, some fun. In some cases I'll go for speed and maneuverability, in others for a good tanking. Don't know what tanking is? You've tanked your ship when she's able to take a beating for a long time before Armor and Structure go. So you usually load up on Armor, Shield and Hull, and hardeners (Shield or Armor).



I've recently come up with a set-up (see above) for my Vexor which seems to be working very well for my current level 3 missions. I send out my Hammerhead II drones off to a target and stay at a range of about 22 km shouting down the rats. I can take a lot of beating before my shields go down (if I recall correctly they're at 3200 points! Yes that's on a Vexor!). If any rats get close, I'll shoot them down with the Dual 180mm Gallium Machine Guns, once they get with a good range (about 8500m).

Here's my current Vexor set-up:
High slots
2x 720mm Howitzer Artillery I
2x Dual 180mm Gallium Machine Gun
1x Micro 'Notos' Explosive Charge I

Medium slots
1x Medium Shield Extender I
1x Large F-S9 Regolith Shield Induction
1x Shield Boost Amplifier I

Low slots
2x Type-D Power Core Modification: Reaction Control
1x Reactor Control Unit I
1x 800mm Reinforced Steel Plates I

Drones
5x Hammerheads II

Now, eventually, I'd like to come up with the right set-up for PVP, though I'm far from ready for that. Having recently joined the Phalanx Division within PPL's Military Division, I'll get there pretty soon (more on that later).

Finally, here's a screenshot of a recent mission. Lots of action eh!

Combat missions over the last few days

I've been having a lot of fun over the last week or so, running missions for various agents. I first started doing missions for a level 1 agent in Kihtaled and then decided to go back to a level 2 agent I had started working with in Baratar some 14 systems away. The missions are a bit more challenging and bring in better rewards/standing/loyalty points. The screenshots below were taken over the week.



I plan to do some more missions tonight, since Tuesday night we'll be mining in a low security systems for some rare ores and I'll be hauling that cargo back to home base in Fat Mimi I, my trusty Galletean Iteron Mark V.