Reds in fleet?

So (KBG) currently shares the 'redsinfleet' intel channel, created as the brainchild of itsmeHck and occupied by Shadow Cartel Alliance and the infamous Tuskers.

The idea behind the channel is pretty simple; the people involved in the channel are not blue to each-other but can invite each-other to fleets when needed. The idea is pretty simple indeed but the execution is more complicated than one might think. There have been several altercations that have jeopardized the future of the channel but this post is my views on it and in no way represent the views of anyone else.

In the time that we have spent under Shadow Cartel's wings there have been a few occasions where I had to check with Alliance Leadership if certain targets are fair targets for us. There are a certain amount of pilots in the area that may be 'blue' to the Alliance but not to -KBG-, regardless we have chosen to adopt the same stance and have not opened fire.

When encountering a Tusker around the start of our time at Shadow Cartel I asked what rules of engagements we have with our 'enemies with benefits'. The answer was clear, engage at will but remain respectful, wherever possible ransom there pods rather than popping them.

Now these are not strange rules to follow or unreasonable, we have a similar understanding with Heretics in Amamake and The Bastards in Evati.

Over the last few days something has become more evident in the KBG relation with the Tuskers. Bastards and Heretics will wave in local and strike up a chat here and there, with a few exceptions the Tuskers do not.

There are a handful of Tuskers that are actually very friendly and accommodating, but the majority seems to have grown a dislike towards at least myself.

What is the point of this post? I don't know really, perhaps I am still a little disappointed in the actions of a particular Tusker yesterday and am not sure how to proceed.

Occasionally I fly to Hevrice to pick fights with the Tuskers, losing some winning some. Although I am space poor I wouldn't even ransom their pods if on a given occasion I would be quicker than their pro-pod-warps. I either don't even lock them or would let them go for a nominal fee to prove a point. If I win I even return their dropped items as an offer of respect.

Having spoken to several friendly Tuskers this is a tactic returned and part of the 'Pirate-code', making isk of a pod ransom is usually worth more than pod goo splattered over your ship.

In a moment of extreme derp I exploded my Jaguar 30 clicks from the Tusker home-station after mistakingly aggressing first and taking station sentry gun fire as well. The shock of my derp and in the following panic I failed to whip my pod out quick enough and was scrambled.

Mixed emotions of 'oh fuck' and 'it's ok, think ransom' shot through my head before being replaced with rage as station environment loaded.

I lost over 900 million isk in implants as I was carrying my low-grade Snakes and other stuff. Yes, it was my derp, yes I didn't get my pod out in time, yes we are not blue to each-other...

But how can I possibly fleet up with this jerk that in my eyes did me wrong and cost me serious spacemonies? I am stuck in a bit of a pickle as I cannot leave the channels we share, and there will be occasions where we will be forced to fleet up by our superiors. Or, will I refuse to fly with Tuskers? Or deny my Corp to fly with them? or just when the jerk is in the same fleet? Should I gank the fucker when we do share a fleet? Why can't I just get over myself? Have a quafe a smile and stfu?

Yes I am butthurt and yes I am still raging, I is mad bro mkay. Even more so now he has quoted me in his bio like a trophy and takes the piss out of me on their killboard. You fucking prick.

Politics in EVE suck balls.

Slaughter in Jovainon

With an 18 man strong shield fleet and 5 additional support ships -KBG- and Shadow Cartel thundered from Egghelende to Evati, snagging just a few kills on the way.

Several technical issues and mistakes later and the call was made to return to Goinard, our temporary base of operations. Making the wise choice to avoid combat with three roaming fleets around the Evati area.

On return some of us where still keen to score a kill before retiring to bed and I volunteered to lead a shield Battlecruiser gang on an hour loop via Old Man Star.

Most pilots where tired but eager to spill blood. Hearnie kindly offered up his alt to scout ahead freeing me up to set the route for this still unfamiliar area.

Cannonfodder Pope, Luitenenant Junior Grade Caldalra, Commander Anabaric and Captain Kadavr represented the Kadavr Black Guards joined by Hearnie, Chandaris, illirdor and Torrinor of Shadow Cartel.

A lone Hurricane Battlecruiser piloted by a Tusker pirate was spotted flying in the direction of Onne, allowing us plenty of time to setup camp and catch him, spilling first blood only a few jumps into the roam.

The roam continued, narrowly missing out on a few Cynabals before the final swing back towards Aeschee to drop of members of the Douchingtons.

Three pilots in Hevrice, representing the Tuskers, where pushed into a scrap but to no avail and thus we sped on all eager for bed.

Intell notified us of a large HAC gang with logistic support coming down the Goin-Aeschee pipe and I chose to hold back the fleet as we where outnumbered and where sure to perish if we would engage.

Intell piped up again, notifying us a 5 man Tusker gang in Aeshee likely coming our way, all had GCC and where in Battlecruisers, no support.

An excellent opportunity of course but with that large HAC gang on-route and now only two jumps out we needed to act fast.

'Tuskers warping to Jov gate!' our scout reported.

'Roger, fleet warp Aeshee gate, spread points'. This was sure to be the perfect end to our roam. Mid warp the Tusker gang led by Sulli appeared on d-scan and as our fleet emerged from the warp-tunnel they had already moved of the gate. Damn.

In an attempt to catch them on their out-gate I ordered the fleet to warp back to the Hevrice gate. Although still in system the Tuskers where nowhere to be found, this was not their only exit but the shortest route home for sure so we setup camp with Anabaric jumping through to keep eyes on incoming traffic.

Tusker Rixx Javix was first to lose his global criminal status followed soon by the rest of their gang and we prepared for their imminent arrival.

'We could join forces and go after the HAC gang?' Ana suggested and immediately I attempted to contact Sulli regarding this.

With a delayed response followed by a rejection I should have known better. Sulli didn't want to go after the HAC gang; he was making his own preparations to come after us.

'Five Tuskers in Hevrice, not on scan' Anabaric notified me.

A quick headcount confirmed our fleets to be of about equal size, a last ditch attempt to give us the upper-hand by arranging for logistic support failed but by then it was all to late, I committed our gang to stay and fight.

'Check check, Tusker gang incoming, I am jumping back to you.'

I ordered the fleet to align to the sun, microwarpdrives on and deploy drones.

The two Tusker gangs of five each attempted to pincer us at the stargate as Marc Scaurus in a Harbinger was called primary. His shields dropping I asked for confirmed points before calling secondary on their Drake heavy fleet.

The Harbinger pilot managed to warp off in low armor before I realized my mistake; I had powered the fleet too far off the battlefield to effectively hold them down.

Like a house of cards my fleet crumbled around me, swarmed by ECM drones some of our pilots were unable to lock up anything and tracking disrupters hindered our Canes.

'I am going down, minus one Cane'

'Yeah me too, minus one Drake'

I burned myself back to get within point range requesting for points confirmed, hoping to even the odds a little.

The only target pointed was aznwithBeard in his Drake and I immediately called out him to new primary, hoping our remaing DPS could cut him out as the heavily damaged Harbinger returned within my disruptor range.

Douchington illirdor managed to warp off in his heavily damaged Oracle as news came over comms we had lost another Cane to enemy fire.

With myself in the only Hurricane left on the field I was sure to be next and I attempted to burn away, a little too late as two Drakes webbed me down and my fate was sealed.

Warping out my pod I requested for someone to call targets, still in the wrong belief we could down some of their ships.

'Guys? Who is still on the field? Hello?'

'Cal, but I am webbed and pointed'

'Yeah me too' Pope mumbled.

I then realized, too late, I should have bailed our fleet after losing our first two ships and ordered to retreat if possible, saving pods where possible.

'Sorry guys, type losses in fleet-channel please'.

The list extended and comprised nearly the entire fleet, 7 (out of 9) losses for 0 (out of 10) kills.

Annihilated…. Well done Tuskers, awesome scrap.

(Nashh fails...)

Read Marcs version of events here and Rixx's post on the happinstaps here.

Assault Frig Tourney!!!

I highly recommend to go check out Sulli's blog;

http://fleeonsight.blogspot.com/

....and sign up for the Assault Frig Tourney he is organising!

As a fan of organised events I have donated a little isk to the cause. Unfortunatly I cannot make it myself as I shall be working, I'll be there in spirit!

Alliance Tournament 8

Its that time of year again, AT8 is around the corner and we are in it! As the CDM proprietor you can imagine that I am a great advocate of pre-arranged fights and I am extremely happy for ‘The Tusker Bastards’ to be participating this year.

Extremely happy and nervous I have to say. Nervous simply as I fear not to be picked in any of the starting squads. Last year my alt's corp participated but I was kept on the bench as the big boys got to play. This time around I am nervous as there are far more skilled pilots at the Bastards than myself, and many of them ranking much higher on Battleclinic to prove it. When our CEO Flashfresh called a corp meeting and announced the plans to form an alliance with fellow pirates 'The Tuskers' my heart sank; more good pilots to take away a possible spot in one of the greatest events in eve.

Out of 20 Bastards attending the meeting I was the only one to vote against an alliance for this very reason, that and the for the simple reason I wanted the tourney to be a Bastard-only effort. Yes, I have only been a Bastard officially for 6 months but I hold the corp close to my heart. There has been some hick-ups along the way and z0de is a prick but not everything can be perfect. I have great respect for our cool, calm and collected CEO and many pilots within the Bastards have taught me lots and still do.

A future post will describe my bastard love in more detail and I am sure to shock at least my mum with that post...

In the last couple of weeks various fleets have been formed between the Tuskers and the Bastards; now collectively known as 'The Tusker Bastards', and to be fair I have warmed to the idea. The main concern for both parties involved was that neither would be able to field enough pilots on the day of the AT to actually participate. We certainly will do now and we (collectively) will show the rest of eve we mean business!

AT8, yarr we come!!





O yeah before I forget I wish to make very clear where my votes will go this CSM (more on this later);