[AAR] Soli/NSC Longbows + Torpedos (Dec 2 0030)

[Yuri Levnik]

Howdy all,
We went on another Cormorant roam through Null tonight. We had some action early on with the PC9 folks, then a whole lot of nothing, followed by another couple of engagements at the end of the fleet. Overall, we could have done with a bit more content but we got good kills all around.

|_337 5|\|1|>3|25

Spoiler

Akiro Shikkoken - DD
Alto DeRaqwar - Scout
Arrek Lemmont - Scout
Atticus Vex - DD
Azador Delacroix - DD
Blind Scion - DD
Boill Strone - PC9 QRF
Carthereon Crust - PC9 QRF
Calder Ormand - 2IC
Castor Udan - Hero tackle
Cizer Austrene - PC9 QRF
Crimson Herring - 3IC
Dastardly Nash - PC9 QRF
Derek Jalarr - Tackle
Dominic Altol - PC9 QRF
dominique Rotineque - DD
Ebane Padecain - Tackle/HIC
Glen Burney - Tackle/Interdictor
Gunman Aldent - PC9 QRF
Harai Rex - Scout/Super extra hero tackle
Hillybilly Hinken - DD/Combat Probes
Hofborn - PC9 QRF
Jana Preynar - PC9 QRF
KPYTOE KOPOBO - Bomber
Lanik Solette - PC9 QRF
Maximus Hert - PC9 QRF
Oh' Leeador - PC9 QRF
POG Actual - Hero tackle
Raijin Naom - DD
Raskyn - Bomber
Ravenna Kane - PC9 QRF
Raxon Noseworthy - Tackle
Reheaha Preynar - HIC
Rohan Amadeus - DD
Staberinde - Heavy Tackle
T'amour - Bomber
Tlymphocyte - PC9 QRF
Tyler Arnoux - Tackle/EWAR
Yuri Levnik - FC
Z0X Ambrye - Fancy Tackle

We started out by heading up to PC9 where the NSC guys were already fighting. They were trying to lock down a blingy fleet of Loki/Talos/Oracle/Gila/Gila/Malediction/Rapier. Our fleet consisted mostly of Cormorants with some bombers so we had the range to hit the opfor targets, making this a somewhat promising engagement. We merged fleets with the NSC standing fleet and joined comms (note, *always* merge fleets if you're fighting together for warp ins, and obviously merge comms to communicate better). Staberinde took command at this point and quickly landed us a juicy Loki kill, though a number of tackle pilots sacrificed themselves for the cause. A few folks didn't managed to get on the killmail, sorry y'all!
(01:03:30Z) JH-M2W, MHC-R3

Omen Navy Issue -138.41m
Executioner -1.75m
Incursus -2.01m
Hecate -63.59m
Atron -5.99m
Merlin-5.96m
Loki +904.69m
Capsule -0.01m
Capsule +0.01m

Following the Loki loss we chased the remainder of their fleet around for a while. They tried to get out of system but eventually accepted that they were stuck and docked up at the freeport. Meanwhile, a Venture landed in our bubble on the gate to M2-. Not much of a kill on the ship, but the pilot apparently forgot to get out of his training clone.
(01:20:53Z) JH-M2W
Venture +0.49m
Capsule +78.6m

Since the NSC attackers had docked up we parted ways with NSC and reformed our fleet, with some NSC buddies coming along with us. We had seen a Machariel up to no good and pursued into ZVN. We spent a long while chasing the Machariel around and got on grid multiple times but could not hold it down. At some point in all of the warping, Glen found a Kestrel fighting a Firetail in a bubble on the 6E- gate and appropriated the killing blow on the Kestrel from the Firetail. Meanwhile, the Machariel's Stiletto buddy got tackled by our Keres and we popped him before he could get away. The pilot in question is dangerous, watch out if you see Nibelunge2337 in a Stiletto.
(01:40:46Z) ZVN5-H
Kestrel +5.38m
Capsule +0.01m
Stiletto +45.75m

The Machariel left system and we decided to keep moving. We roamed up to central Syndicate, finding very little on the way. Lo and behold, the Machariel had gotten ahead of us and we found it again in PF-. Harai died again doing heroic duty, but we were unable to hold the Machariel. He decided we were a bit too dangerous (we had multiple torpedo boats) and headed to high sec. Good fights were had, but a pity we couldn't hold 'em down.
(02:00:08Z) PF-346
Slasher -5.25m

We went to check RF-GGF as there were many kills on Dotlan. We found a cyno in X-M2LR and popped it. There were interceptors running around but nothing else we could catch. Our scouts checked RF- and an Apostle and a Thanatos and possible another cap docked. We had a couple of bombers but that seemed a little big to us, so after a lot of frustrating running around we headed back toward home.
(02:09:03Z) X-M2LR
Burst +1.89m

As we approached PC9 we found out that our old buddies from 404 were poking around in JH-. We hid out in ZVN while I sent a couple of tackle pilots ahead. The 404 guys decided to jump PC9 and we landed behind them in JH- and put up a HIC bubble to trap them in PC9. I sent Glen ahead in an interdictor along with some additional tackle to bubble the X-P gate. A couple of their pilots aggressed on the gate and I called the fleet to jump in and warp in, knowing we would land in the bubble but correctly estimating that it wouldn't matter. We were too many for the 404 guys, though their Succubus got away from our dessie blob. Lots of nice tackle in this engagement - nice job on the bubble and on spreading tackle around!
(02:30:15Z) PC9-AY
Kestrel +6.47m
Confessor +85.38m
Dragoon +8.44m
Capsule +43.72m
Capsule +0.01m

We officially called the fleet and a number of folks docked up in PC9, but I offered to run down to Y9G for one last look. There were a bunch of folks docked up but we did have a Phantasm in space. We sat in 97X and waited while our scouts looked around and Hillybilly refitted to a combat prober Heron. As I had hoped, the combat probes spooked the pilot and he jumped 97X. We got tackle and he ended up jumping back and forth a couple more times. Unfortunately, our only webs landed just a little too late to snag him as he realized he could just burn away from us while blapping tackle. We broke his shield tank but he got away before we could get the kill. Interesting fight but sad outcome. Note for the future - Phantasms and Succubi are extremely hard to catch without webs. After the Phantasm made his escape Hillybilly warped his prober Heron to the sun. He called out a Coercer but I misunderstood him and thought he had it on DSCAN. It was on grid and got hold of him, but I realized my error in time for a few of us to get to Hillybilly and avenge him.
(02:56:52Z) Y9G-KS
Ares -54.27m
Enyo -55.89m
Heron -9.17m
Coercer +21.21m
Capsule +0.01m

Overall, good numbers, though the Loki kill made up a big part of that. We didn't lose any Cormorants but we did lose some hero tackle.

Stats
ISK Destroyed: 1,202,050,000
ISK Lost: 340,290,000
ISK Delta: 861,760,000
Efficiency: 78%

What went well:

• -Over 1BN in kills and solid ISK efficiency.
  -Our Cormorants lived up to their expectations - we were too kitey to die, much to the frustration of our enemies. We did not lose any corms or bombers.
  -The bombers didn't make a pivotal difference in any of our kills but they did give us a very real chance of killing the Machariel. No doubt that was part of his decision to run as opposed to fight. I liked having a couple of bombers along - I felt like they boosted our range of engage-able targets to larger stuff than I would take with an all Cormorant fleet.
  -Our tackle folks did a lot of great tackling. We landed a couple of decent bubbles too.
  -I ran multiple scouts again and all of our scouts reported intel concisely and accurately. Worked out great, I appreciate your efficient use of comms and brave scouting.
  -Staberinde and I co-FC'd the first fight simultaneously (though he gets credit as "lead" FC for sure) and it didn't go nearly as badly as I would have expected with two FCs working at the same time on the same comms. I imagine there was some confusion from folks in fleet though, would be interested to hear y'all's thoughts. Anyway, it proved possible to have two separate "wings" operating in the same comms channel, though it was challenging. Very interesting.
  -The engagement with the Phantasm was a good learning experience. We did everything right to catch a normal MWD or unbonused AB fit ship but the massively bonused AB escaped our tackle despite our best efforts.
  -I finished my last fleet for FCC Lieutenant.
  -I had fun!

What could have gone better:

• -I was not on top of my game tonight. I had a hard time keeping it together when we were in the middle of the action and I feel like my commands were more muddled and slower coming than usual. Today was a rough day and I was a little ragged - my apologies y'all!
  -Not much content in central Syndicate.
  -We didn't nail down the Phantasm kill. Catching the Machariel would have been great too.
  -I got a lot of tackle pilots killed. Need to reevaluate how I use tackle with my Longbow fleets. Z0X's Keres was very effective, maybe use more Keres/Hyenas and less Interceptors...

Overall, good times y'all! Thanks for coming out!
Yuri

[Raxon Noseworthy]

thanks for mentioning me i was in capsule just cruising back to dodixie for spare part lol glad you got decent kills

[Rohan Amadeus]

Always great seeing Solitude folks over here and joining us on some good kills. A few moment sooner and you would have had a hyperion, gila, and loki.

Minor edit: in the first part of your kill/death list, the second "hecate" is an Atron.

[Yuri Levnik]

Fixed, lol. The fleet log parser tool was *not* enthusiastic about me dissolving the fleet, joining another fleet, then reforming the original fleet (;

[Raskyn]

Thank you for the fleet. It was fun, and I agree; having a few of us bombers around gave that Machariel something to think about. I'm keeping my bomber in PC9, and I'm ready for the next one.

[T'amour]

Really enjoyed myself... First "event" after getting back into EVE.

TY sir!