Like good old days

The c4 wormhole I have been camping did not give a good feeling like I will get a target any time soon. I mean, it was rather clean, not too many anoms, but after observing locals for several days I just did not get the feeling, you know. Sometimes you know in your gut an opportunity will appear. Sometimes you don't. I decide to pack it up, but not before I say my goodbyes. I notice one of the local pilots is gas huffing.

Few pews later.

The quality of kills really went downhill fast. From an Orca to gas mining frigates. Well, that's just how it is sometimes.

After exploring for a bit I find a new home. A new c3 with a high-sec static. I do love watching high-sec statics. The activity in and out is always interesting and intriguing. Especially if the connection happens to be close to one of the trade hubs. A connection close Amarr and Jita is guaranteed to have some good traffic. You will often find someone running logistics.

Other times people are just passing through.

But once in a while, you will have a ship appear that will get you excited like nothing else.

I hear an activation and suddenly a beautiful, shiny Paladin shows up on an overview. If anyone wonders what's my reaction to such a sight, it usually looks like this:

There is a big difference between an expected target and something completely random. As I hear quite a few activations of random stuff flying, I just ignore it. Sometimes if a pod flies to high-sec I login my trader alt to keep an eye on what that pilot will undock, cargo, and ship scan for maximum intel. In this case, since it was Ares I did not think of doing that. Just figured a pilot was passing one way. Of course, I'm not available at my pc every minute, and often my ship drifts alone without me being at the keyboard, so I probably miss half the traffic. Just think how many Paladins I did not see go through my watched connections! Ignorance is truly bliss.

I straighten my posture and quickly try to get an angle where this Paladin warps. System has a lot of connections so I can't even pre-align like if it was only 1 or 2 connections. I manage to get a direction just before the Marauder disappears from an overview and initiate my trusty Proteus to follow.

I and trusty Proteus have been through a lot. While trusty, it aligns like a house of bricks. I land as the Paladin makes his jump. I follow. Lucky and Unlucky for me I am late and out of position.

I can't help but watch the Paladin warp off. Way out of scrambler range and basically entering warp as my screen finishes loading. This is the unlucky part, but now you ask why "Lucky"? Well, the pilot is from Almost Dangerous corp. A fairly active pvp corp with 300 members. In addition, I've seen their pilots go in and out of the high-sec for a good while. And if this Paladin is fit with anything but travel fit, it may tank enough time for the reinforcements to arrive. So I like to tell myself it was 50/50 between me losing everything and a shiny Marauder kill. Of course, I am not just gonna let a random Marauder pass without me trying to tackle it. Otherwise, what's even the point of all this? But Bob decided it was not the time.

Old School Cool

While no Marauder kills, Bob leads me to a wormhole where I find 2 Dominixes killing sleepers, old school style.

This is what I'm talking about. Who needs these fancy Triglavian ships or buffed op Marauders. Here are 2 spacewhale shaped battleships with spider tank and drones, existing since the beginning of time. A ship I am very familiar with as my first setup was triple boxing spider tanked Dominixes. I admire them for a bit and once I get into a position I decide to say hello. I give respect to these ships by bringing the full wrath of my fleet.

The fight is short but sweet. Both drone ships fall. The pilots panic so much, that they even scoop the mobile tractor unit while being slaughtered. Saves me the headache having to deal with it, but not like I expected any shiny modules on them to begin with.

I feel much better now. Grab what I can, shoot the wrecks, and warp off. I guess t1 battleship also shouldn't be downplayed anymore. With recent industry changes and new prices, it does feel like a good catch. Certainly better than a gas huffing frigate.