After an extended break, I have returned to Eve. However, things are going to be very different this time around. I am not going back to wormholes until CCP delivers on their promise of a new or revised POS system and greatly improved corporate management systems. Those who have run a corporation living in wormholes will understand my frustration with the game systems involved. Therefore, I decided to check out factional warfare for a change of pace and to experience a different aspect of the game.
My first week back was spent consolidating assets from all the backwater systems I had dumped stuff into when I moved out of the wormhole. While I was moving stuff around all over high sec, I looked into a variety of corporations and decided to join the Caldari militia with a couple of friends.
Once my application was accepted, I moved a couple of small ships into the warzone and went on a couple of excursions with some of my new mates to learn about the area and simply get used to flying in a different type of environment. Gate guns? Stations? Local? What is this stuff? :P
The first couple of trips out were interesting but relatively tame. I had no expectations of last night being any different. A call went out to form up for a POCO bash with battleships and battlecruisers. BORING! However, I am new so I decided to play nice with others and go along. They wanted shield battleships and battlecruisers with various supporting ships. Since I wasn't all that interested in shooting at a stationary object, I decided to try my hand at logistics in a larger fleet and hope someone jumped us during the bash. I jumped into an Osprey and joined the fleet.
Once everyone formed up, we undocked and headed down the pipe. We were 8-9 jumps from our base when we had scouting reports of an enemy fleet in the next system and we setup in Abune on the Heydelies gate. The FC ordered all drones out and a re-position of the logistics team. It took a couple of minutes but the numbers in local spiked dramatically and shortly thereafter, my overview started filling with hostile war targets.
Target broadcasts, shield broadcasts and the occasional capacitor broadcasts started filling my broadcast window and I started sending reps out with a constant juggling of targets. The enemy had jamming ships which were constantly playing havoc with our logistics chains. After the fleet engagement, I discovered that I can filter the broadcasts to only show certain types (thanks Grythome for the lesson!). That would have made things easier.
Once things stabilized, the encounter escalated with capitals appearing on field. At this point, I was extremely busy and have no idea who committed capitals first or even which side committed what ships. Both sides had them on field and I was swapping targets and applying reps and very occasionally putting my ECM drones on something. Who knew ecm drones couldn't be assisted? Probably everyone but me but in my defense, I do not remember the last time I used ecm drones. I learn something everyday.
I eventually went down to an alpha strike by a third party Ishtar fleet, but I was on field for 30+ minutes and felt that I contributed significantly to the battle before losing my ship even though I had nothing to show for it on the killboards. That was a fun engagement!! The total ISK lost climbed over 13B by the time the engagement ended.
The full video of the encounter is available at http://www.factionwarfare.com/the-battle-of-abune-08102014/.
