Old friends reunited

Only a few weeks ago, crackling over some secure coms, was an old mate of mine from many years ago. AtomicBetty, former HUANG member announced her return to space. She was reforming an old corp Sporadic Movement and coming down to war zone to join the fight against the Amarr. Tired of 0.0 politics and POS bashing, SPORE was looking for a new start.

SPORE, only numbering 5 or so as only a week into the rebirth of this once feared and notorious corporation. Was hungry for action, and after close to half a year of inaction from me, so was I. To our luck there was the influx of Pandemic Legion into Amamake. Soon the space lanes where full of PL ships, Osoggur gate was camped 23/7 by at times with up to 20 super carriers and a few titans to boot.

One night some very old friends again formed fleet together, AtomicBetty, DuPuy, Souvera Corvus, Yoshikawa Eveangelicon, Koshua.. looking back 5 and a half years ago these 5 where the usual suspects patrolling the space lanes in Molden Heath for the once famous MH-SEC security service. We all grew up fighting, Infinitus Odium, Mercenary Coalition, Veritas Immortals and many more...

the old crew started hunting, as we knew not much apart from SmurfsBrigade blobs where in Low sec Amarr space so we hunted Metropolis. Our scout, SPORE member Rolgann in his Rapier  jumped into Hadozeko and reported a hostile fleet camping it. After hearing the list of hostile ships, I knew it was pretty even, 6 of us, 7 of them. and they would have to take gate guns.. giving us the +1 to make it even.

Being in a heavy tanked armour Hurricane I volunteered to jump in and pull aggression. As I held cloak and looked at those who where about to die, I formed the plan in my head.  The key factor for the enemy was there Scimitar a remote repair ship or Logistics ship,  I decided to get Rolgann in his Rapier and DuPuy in his heavy missile Drake to drive him off the field. I declared the plan to the fleet, then de-cloaked and called the Pandemic Legion Hurricane primary.

This is the time of the battle where trust in your comrades comes into effect. I knew my guys had good fits on there ships and would follow my order. Knowing this fight could go either way, all followed me into system and joined battle. No hesitation, pure trust and loyalty. 

As the fight progressed a Pandemic region Talos jumped into the frey, knowing this had a week tank but packed a huge punch I called for all to switch from the Hurricane and kill the Talos, it went down like a sack of Potato's. I seeing my armour was cracking, I then called primary on one of the more expensive ship's on field thinking to go for isk efficency if things went bad, next to die was the Pandemic region Sacrilege . By this time DuPuy and Rolagan had done there job and killed the wild card of the battle a pandemic Legion Scimitar. 

Though now my Hurricane's hull was cracked and the vaccum of space was ripping my ship to shreds, DuPuys Drake and Rolganns Rapier where able to bring much needed fire power down on the remaining Pandemic ships. Escaping out in my pod, my old mates, whos experience and skill match mine from many years of fighting continued to rip Pandemic Legion to shreds. Only there Absolution Command ship and Rapier where able to escape the field from there original fleet. We only lost my Hurricane.. 

http://minmatar.eve-kill.net/?a=kill_related&kll_id=12755611

This is why we Hunt.. for the thrill, for the kill!

Adversity

As a young pilot I remember the most testing times for my patience and loyalty was adversity.

I remember sitting in a rifter with Tetseptus in Oddelulf in Molden Heath waiting to attack a more skilled Pirate fleet lead by Velsharoon and his corp Corsets and Carebears. In a flash both of us where in pods before we could even blink. Every now and again, when I was available we would have a few victories against them. However so many times I threw ships into a meat grinder and was frustrated on how these guys where so much more able to destroy then I was.

Again a few months after, We where fighting Infinitus Odium or INFOD. I a new pilot, still in a stabber (back in them days we still warped to 15km of gates and getting into bigger ships took a lot longer) I spent hours docked, unable to fight and when I did un-dock, sensor boosted battle ships would blast me away.

Then Mercenary Coalition war declared our alliance. At the time this was the alliance with the biggest capital fleet in all of New Eden. I not only spent hours, but days stuck in station. I remember I lost 4 Stabber cruisers in less then a hour. My wallet was empty and I was pulling my hair out. After a week or so the war was over, however Infinitus Odium having watched and taking lessons from MC, war declared us to finish off our little alliance for good. As I have said before we lost every fleet battle, however in small guerrilla actions killing off 1 or 2 INFOD pilots here and there. The over all isk vlaue of ships lost in the war, we defeated them, though none of them will ever admit that. This to me gave a glimmer of hope.

In Foundation alliance in Great Wildlands, most of the time I was available our fleets where very successful, demorilizing  the enemy for once except for EVOKE alliance. When EVOKE got a fleet together or started camping stations and gates we had little or no response. Again I was pissed off and irritated, however the big fights against them in E02 where some of the most remembererable fights ever. Fist time I fought Titians, I was in a Sabre trying to bubble super caps, I got doomesdayed a few times. But hundreds on the battle field I dreamed about it for weeks. EVOKE moved out and took up a campaign in 0.0 space elsewhere so again my sanity was returned.

After the death of Foundation, I went to the war zone of the Amarr and Minmatar Militias. Here again I experienced great success and a lot of defeat. The "late night" fleets where lead by a great personality Bahamut420 he was able to draw about him skilled warriors who would risk expensively fit or just well fit ships, who where able to adapt to the enemy's reshipping and take many victories.

However after the moon or moons crossed mid way of their home worlds, these warriors where forced to sleep. After this time some bold fleet commanders would start fleets, sit in Plex's hoping to hold them as a far superior force, who where able to refit there fleet to take us on. They would then come in with superior numbers and equipment and destroy us. This happened night after night, until the pilot who formed the fleets lost all hope got so much abuse and went and did something else.

 I tried to help him FC,  as he claimed he wasn't good at knowing ships strengths or how to figure out if it would be an even fight. I wasn't interested in waiting for fleets to form or advertise them. To me this was a good fit!  He start and form up the fleet , I lead the combat.. but in some situations he would express this was his fleet and STFU.. only for me to see all others die yet again..so i stopped trying.

Currently Adversity has smacked me in the face again. I am unable to join the old late night guys as planetary duties have tied me down. When I am able to fight, I  find people fighting in Plex's allowing the enemy to scan them down, find our ship types and end up dieing horribly. Little team work and those leading the teams geting frustrated and angry or me being frustrated and angry as enemy's I expect to be able to kill easily defeat me.

I know I have better tactics I know I can do better.. I need to focus, If I am so critical I need to express too people what I want and what I believe I can defeat the enemy with. I should take the lead and with my experience aim for victory.. some days I wonder if I can.. or if people will follow me again.. after showing my frustration and anger at feeding a hungry enemy easy kills...

I still dream of how I saw smeggy and Futher Bezluden work back in the days of MH-SEC. Futher would form up the fleet, and move them about, give out the mundane orders, smeggy would lead the battle. This situation would be perfect for me, as I could plan and calculate what the enemy has vs us, as some of the pressure of the mundane is taken away from me. Maybe one day I will find my 2ic :)