[AAR] BLAP Vexors 17/08/17

[Adrien Claremont]

I'd be the first to admit that I wasn't looking forwards to FCing BLAP Vexors after the previous time I'd FC'd them, however this fleet turned out to be the complete opposite and I had a surprisingly huge amount of fun. Great turn out, including some old faces from the NSC that I wasn't expecting to see.

Roam members (31)

Spoiler

Adrien Claremont
Alf Saissore
Altar Kabal
DeanSherman
Decklin Quark Reiger
Deviney Jouhinen
DonBasuno Ichosira
Etchard Yarghol
Gareemoko
General Killah
Genwhi Thellere
Hopatkong
Kora K
Krektogar Garkros
Lanik Solette
Matheus Esp
Oh' Leeador
Phaethonx Brutor
Richard Starwalker
Rikali Laru
Saanguinee
Subbi Aucie
Tiberius Auduin
Tom Endares
Torg Navatin
Troven Smalvard
Union Pivo
Victor Kaj
Z0X Ambrye
Zana Fehrnah
Zivoca Prometheus

The BLAP Vexors are extremely slow. From my limited experience with the doctrine, I really do not think they are suitable for the plex diving "seal clubbing" style approach to roaming lowsec that we often taken. To that end, I asked Decklin to head off as the fleet was forming to see what, if any, big content there might be in Black Rise so that we could move as fast as these Vexors would allow. He highlighted a few areas which lead us to some good fights, which in turn has solidified this as an approach I'll likely take with most cruiser roams in the future.

Also during the form up, Saanguinee informed us that he had come across a gate camp on his way from the NSC. As it was only a couple of jumps out from staging the fleet headed there first. I sent a vanguard into the gate camp initially with the main fleet following once the campers had committed to the fight. Some nice kills and action within the first 15 mins.

(18:49:46) 6E-578
Ares -36.06m
Vexor -42.13m
Hecate +74.34m
Hecate +57.47m

From here we headed up Oulley, where Decklin had found another gate camp earlier. We thought they had eyes on our fleet though as they swiftly docked as we approached the area.

From there we burned straight to Kinakka, another area of interest. On our way, we found a small T2 gang that we began to stalk, with a vanguard again going forwards to try and bait a fight. The T2 gang ran to a small plex where they were joined by a Hurricane Fleet Issue. I presume the two began to fight as further kitey ships joined in on the side of the HFI. Not being one to miss a party, we made best speed to third party and cleaned up whatever T2 frigates we could catch.

This became a weird scenario in that what we had was the Uni blob and the T2 frigates brawling in the centre with a group of blingy kiting sharks circling us between 50-80km. This cost us most of our lighter ships who I presume pulled range when we landed, into the jaws of the kiting ships.

Troven also DC'd mid fight in his Ashimmu. I was content that his ship warped off grid, and then warped the rest of the fleet to the sun. Troven E-Warped back into the middle of the previous fight though and was promptly dispatched by those still on grid. We headed back as fast as slow Vexors could, and managed to take down another Hecate, but at the addition cost of another of Decklin's Maledictions.

I think we can all agree that this was a really fun fight.

(19:22:16) Kinakka
Ares -35.17m
Vexor -55.18m
Vigil -2.13m
Capsule -5.61m
Kirin +63.86m
Blackbird -27.61m
Harpy +43.99m
Harpy +42.71m
Malediction -45.99m
Ashimmu -116.5m
Hecate +65.77m
Malediction -51.37m

As the rest of Black Rise was looking quiet, we turned around and headed back to Syndicate with the intention to push through and give Cavemen a knock on the door, in Solitude.

A wild Megoste appeared in Harroule, who Decklin baited long enough for the Uni Blob to do it's thing. Unfortunately we'd lost our ECM by this point.

(19:50:48) Harroule
Catalyst +24.31m

While trying to play games with the guys from the previous Syndicate gate camp, a Tengu landed 100km from the fleet. Interceptors bounced and grabbed tackle while I held the main fleet at a gate ping, in order to facilitate a warp in on the Tengu. When we landed, we soon found out that the Tengu was 100mn AB fit which was a huge struggle for us in that only our webs (on our super slow Vexors) could hold him. Therefore it was vitally important that we re-positioned and tried to get a warp in exactly on top of him. The main fleet bounced back to a ping while Decklin moved himself 20km in front the Tengu's path. The fleet warped and everything worked perfectly... except that the Tengu had rapid light Jesus missiles and was able to clear our tackle. As our Vexors landed directly on top of him, he warped off. Sad face.

(20:00:16) 6E-578
Sabre -81.28m
Malediction -51.23m
Kestrel -3.51m

Not sure what happened here Dean, as this loss was completely away from the main fleet. Were you returning with a reship from PC9 or heading home by yourself?

(20:12:15) JH-M2W
Vexor -19.09m
Capsule -0.01m

Finally, on our way to see the Cavemen, Decklin found a lone Osprey on a gate. Completely forgetting that Poitot is the only named system in Syndicate, he swiftly grabbed tackled and succumbed to gate guns. We probably stayed in Conomette too long trying to catch a Drake, and the Cavemen were not interested in a fight anyway, so we headed home after this taking one last go at trying to bait a fight out of the Syndicate gate camp.

(20:15:32) Conomette
Malediction -36.92m
Osprey +18.67m

Stats
ISK Destroyed: 391,110,446.14
ISK Lost: 609,797,709.47
ISK Delta: -218,687,263.33
Efficiency: 39.076%

The Good

Great turn out. The more people who join the fleet, the more we can do and take on. Everyone enjoys a big fleet.
Form up was better than FCs previous Vexor fleet, with FC remembering to call for a spread of tackle modules
Scouts free burning way ahead of the fleet to find content worked really well
While over relatively quickly, everyone did a great job in the fleet flight of spreading tackle, damping logi, and murdering everything we could
Fleet mobility, while extremely slow, nearly managed to bag us a swanky Tengu kill
FC's mumble did not die mid fleet, for a change (I've been playing with mumble settings, so I don't know if the actual quality was just as bad or worse but at least they didn't drop completely!)

The Bad

Completely forgot about Troven (both when picking him up in Vey and when he logged back in after his DC. Sorry bud!)
Didn't send scouts deep into Syndicate to look for activity early, resulting the fleet wasting an hour at the end of the fleet achieving nothing.

Thanks again to everyone who came out for the fleet. The more people we have in fleet, the more we can look to achieve so please please please keep x-ing up!

For those taking part in the CCI, this fleet will count as a LSC participation event: https://wiki.eveuniversity.org/CCI
For those who lost a ship, don't forget that you can claim a hull back through the Uni SRP: https://wiki.eveuniversity.org/SRP#Uni_ ... sements.29
Finally as I am taking part in the FCC, please fill in the FC Feedback Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIp ... rm?c=0&w=1

Cheers guys

https://www.poitot.com/

[Kora K]

It was a fun fleet Adrien

Regarding the Kinakka fight, the kitey ships were around 100km when we landed. Unfortunately, after a minute, they noticed my pontifex and stayed around 40-60km from us, so we couldn't boosh on top of them. I then took a stupid decision to try and chase like a scout with my slow-ass pontifex, instead of staying with the fleet. When we finally had the opportunity for a boosh (me back with the fleet, and the target at 100km), I'm 99% sure someone bumped me and we ended up nowhere. In the end, I still spent most of the time confused about my crap piloting skills and I should have stayed put with the vexors.

[Troven Smalvard]

Troven also DC'd mid fight in his Ashimmu. I was content that his ship warped off grid, and then warped the rest of the fleet to the sun. Troven E-Warped back into the middle of the previous fight though and was promptly dispatched by those still on grid. We headed back as fast as slow Vexors could, and managed to take down another Hecate, but at the addition cost of another of Decklin's Maledictions.

all on me and my ISP this one, i thought i would have been able to sneak back in and immediately warp off grid as i was 60km off the kiting gang when i DC'd and since the fight was ongoing as i rejoined i figured would be ok. but the orthrus managed to snag me with the bonused point and h was too far off to be able to try and neut off me.

hindsight 20/20 should have asked FC if he had a spare scout that could check the site for me.
I didn't want to stay off too long as 15 min timer and with hecate they may have combat probes and find my poor self if you de-spiked system