Bring Me Gas Harvesters And Tractor Beams
Posted by: Marlenus, in Salvage Notes, Today In IronfleetHere in w-space, where (as you probably assumed from my last post) I have at least temporary access to a rather well-equipped POS, I’ve been having a lot of fun doing “casual” gaming, sitting at the POS like a spider at the center of a web. Working at other projects on my other screen, from time to time I can scan “my” system to see what ships might be in it. And then, if I feel like it, I can scan them down and — if they seem tasty — land on their head with a pile of missiles.
This morning, my scans showed me a destroyer, an assault frigate, and a battlecruiser, all at the same spot. So I hopped in my trusty Caracal of Doom (yeah, I know, but it’s a very cheap platform on a per-tube basis for delivery of heavy missiles) and went to see where the party was.
I found the battlecruiser and the assault frig at a gas mining site, although the destroyer was nowhere visible. So, I started launching on the assault frig, but being at a great distance, he was able to warp out in armor. Transferring my missile affections to the battlecruiser, he, too, decided to go elsewhere.
Fun, but not profitable.
Returning to the center of my web, I resumed scanning. The battlecruiser and the assault frigate eventually left the system, but the destroyer seemed to be warping around. A bit of time passed.
I scanned again. There’s the destroyer — alone? — at the gas site.
About ninety seconds later, heavy missiles began landing on his head. He never had a chance:
2009.03.16 18:53:00
Victim: Dag Tackar
Corp: Atlantean Corporation
Alliance: NONE
Faction: NONE
Destroyed: Catalyst
System: J235321
Security: 0.0
Damage Taken: 2562Involved parties:
Name: Marlenus (laid the final blow)
Security: 1.2
Corp: Ironfleet Towing And Salvage
Alliance: Tear Extraction And Reclamation Service
Faction: NONE
Ship: Caracal
Weapon: Scourge Heavy Missile
Damage Done: 2562Destroyed items:
Monopropellant I Hydrazine Boosters
Salvager I
Fullerite-C84, Qty: 54 (Cargo)Dropped items:
Gas Cloud Harvester I
Small ‘Accommodation’ Vestment Reconstructer I
Small Shield Extender I
Photonic CPU Enhancer I
Salvager I
Small Tractor Beam I, Qty: 2
Hornet I (Drone Bay)
I was particularly pleased to see the gas harvester, as those are currently on my shopping list; it was nice to have one delivered to w-space for me. The tractor beams, too, are nice loot to get, although I’m not sure what use they are for a gas-miner, or why they were fitted.
Entries (RSS)
March 16th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
Seeing how he had 2 salvagers, it seems likely that the tractor beam was for getting the wrecks in close and fast. Seeing how he had no weapons, it does seem a tad strange though. Perhaps he was relying on the BC and the Assault Frig for cover?
March 16th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
That might have been the plan, Zenith, but so far I haven’t seen any Sleepers at the gas sites. I guess he could have been the well-rounded “cleanup” guy for the larger fleet before it buggered off — and they may have planned to rat as well as get gas.
March 16th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
I can confirm that gas sites do have defenses occasionally, at least sentry guns. See http://eclipticrift.wordpress.com/2009/03/16/mine-some-lose-some/ for more…
March 16th, 2009 at 5:21 pm
Thanks, Casiella. I’ve really only spent time so far in the relatively safe “unknown” space, so I only have a few data points. I’m not at all surprised to hear that the Sleepers defend their gas in places I haven’t seen yet.