Baby Steps

Today, I want to take you along on a journey to the distant past. To the time I first fired at unsuspecting and Code-violating miners. 

I want to take you back to the beginnings of my career as a ganker and Code-Agent.

 So we’re talking early January of this year, not quite two months ago.

Here’s the story of my first three ganks (or embarrassing attempts thereof):

My attempt to draw first blood happened somewhere in Verge Vendor, most likely in Jufvitte or Scheenins. I was not yet part of the New Order and knew even less than Jon Snow, but I had read a few guides on ganking and felt like I was ready to burn down the whole system. 

I even had a Cat that was decently fitted and was actually able to fit T2 guns (because I had a mad crush on the Enyo and had skilled in this direction).

So I undocked in my first gankship (probably named “Keera Erquilenne’s Catalyst”) and made my way through the belts, enjoying the perks of a positive sec status and looking for something to unleash my wrath on. It did not take long until I found a Retriever slaving away on some asteroids, and I figured that this would be as good a target as any. I had no scout, no intel, and generally no clue about anything (much like today, actually), but I had determination aplenty, and so I began to slowboat towards the Ret, whose pilot was either massively afk or not worried about a Catalyst attempting to cuddle up. 

My heart was racing like mad as I got close to optimal range. I locked the target (an act of aggression far beyond anything I had done before!), got point  and overheated my guns. Well, I tried to overheat my guns, but I actually ungrouped them instead. Derp. 

After being startled for a moment, I regrouped, overheated and commenced the pewpewing. Needless to say, I was unaware of that oh-so-important issue of pre-pulling Concord, so I guess you can imagine what happened next. The Killjoy Squad spawned right next to me and put an end to my alleged unlawful aggression, while the Ret was just sitting there in mid-hull, probably not even realizing what was going on.

I warped my pod back to station and whined a bit.

Attempt #2 , this time in Balle, went way better, thanks to the guidance of both Tisiphone Dira, who helped me with my fit and provided me with a few Cats to get me started again, and Liek DarZ, who was patient enough to give me a full tutorial on the mechanics of ganking, scouting and Concord. 

The knowledge of these Code agents helped me pull off my first successful gank. I was pretty nervous, but I dare to say that it was a relatively well executed attack. I popped the Ret und got the pod as well (aka pod-death by afk). 

Fattened up by MT

It was nothing special in the grand scheme of things, but it was a special moment for me. I felt like I made a difference in the world of EvE for the first time. 

It just so happened that the savior of Highsec himself, the one and only James 315, was blessing the minerbumping channel with his presence at that very moment, and even congratulated me on my first kill. 

I felt on top of the world and was already fitting my next Cat.

I was hooked.

My third kill came only a few hours later. I acted like a proper agent this time, using a scout, scanning the target and warping within optimal range right away. It was an untanked Retriever, one among many that should follow on my killboard. What’s interesting about this one is the pod, that had an unusual name.  The pilot even had a few implants plugged in, and  the killmail showed a modest worth of 72 Mil ISK, more than I had destroyed before. I was elated.  

 
When I linked my handiwork in the mb channel, people started congratulating me and freaking out about the pod, which I didn’t really understand until somebody posted a link to zkillboard, which estimated the pod at a bit more ISK. Now I was ecstatic. 

That Ret was nothing to write home about...

...but omigod omigod...4,6Bil ISKIES

I popped a golden pod. And I had absolutely no right to do so. My Sig Analysis skill was around level 2 and I didn’t equip any SeBos, so if the pilot had not been afk, he would have been able to save his Genolution set without any problems whatsoever. 

 

That kill got me my first ever mention on the minerbumping blog, which I assume you are all familiar with. 

If not, stop reading my stuff right now and head over there. Go!

Things we learned today:

• Read up on the mechanics of things before you attempt doing something

• Tisi and LieK are hyperawesome people. Seasoned veterans of Code and well respected agents, yet not above teaching a complete scrub the ropes. Thank you.
•  Don’t go afk in space. Period. You might not react in time to save your ship, but you might be able to save your pod.