War Machine

You're sitting on 2,000 horsepower of Nitro-boosted war machine

The original Mad Max from 1979 is one of those movies that's so bad, it's hilarious.  The movie is literally just a gang of privatized cops chasing down a psychopathic motorcycle gang, which turns personal when Max's family gets involved.  I suppose the best thing that comes out of it is setting the scene of pre-apocalyptic earth, and how Max comes to live a nomadic life.

Mad Max 2: Road Warrior (simply called Road Warrior in the U.S.) is awesome.  The world's gone to shit after world wars over fossil fuels, leaving gangs of people fighting over resources and gasoline.  Max comes across a settlement with an oil drill and refinery being harassed by a raider gang.  Their mission is to move a tanker of gasoline to a coastal paradise.  It introduces a lot of things you'll see in Fury Road, like the sawed off shotgun, Max's muscle car, raiders strapping hostages to the front of their cars, and driving a tanker war rig.

Mad Max: Beyond ThunderDome is the third in the series and explores more of the settlements and residents of this post-apocalyptic wasteland and Max's nomadic travels.  If you've ever heard of the term ThunderDome to describe a 1v1 deathmatch, this is where it's from. "Two men enter, one man leaves"

As for the latest, Mad Max: Fury Road, go see it in theaters.  That Avengers movie is shit, see this one instead. 10/10

______________________

Last night we had a C3--Frigate hole C1 in our chain that proved to be active.  We fleeted up with ~5 Assault Frigs and SB's and tried to break a Talos/Exeq/Augorer trio that was controlling their B274.  We couldn't break the tank as expected but it was fun to fuck with them anyway.  The rest of the chain was quiet aside from a 5-day old Imicus that we killed.  So I got some logistics done in preparation for my hiatus---

Smitty's going to be taking a break from EVE for a couple months starting the next day or two. Uncle Sam's given me a nice chunk of leave as a reward for my 4 years at the Academy.  And it's a pretty good time for me to take a step back.  There's been a lot of clashing personalities, shitposting, lack of communication, and drama going on, which I'm allergic to.  Doctor-diagnosed and everything.  It's a hard life being allergic to drama and retards.  I've moved my non-essential isky assets out of J-space and set my queues for a long-haul.

Hopefully I'll be able to settle back into EVE with an actual internet connection (not phone tethering) and maybe even a new gaming rig.  My big white beauty, David (named after the Prometheus AI), is past 3 years old.  Still running on an Ivy Bridge i5 and GTX 670.  Gonna have to upgrade for all these great games out like Witcher 3, GTA V, and a game I especially like called "Running multiple EVE clients".  I've been doing some research into building a high end small form-factor PC.

=@= Smitty =@=

Dead-End Beatdown

One of our Officers got passed word of a possible small-scale capital fight that was to go down in a dead-end low sec system occupied by some new friends.  We flash formed up in armor BC's, BS's, and T3's, got in position, and stood by to assist.

Initially, the plan was to bait out a Russian Vindi from station and coax a carrier + dread drop, which we'd counter drop.  After the Russians didn't want to play, we engaged an Easily Excited Proteus who was in fact, cyno bait.  After we sent in more of our sub-cap fleet on top of the Proteus, they dropped 3x Thanny's, Phoenix, and Archon.  We retreated to station to prepare a counter drop while our Archon pilot hero tanked the shit out them.  We warped in another Archon + Moros and the rest of our sub-caps,

and the rest is history

EDIT: Video

It's safe to say they weren't expecting a counter drop, they pulled out, and we caught some of their shinies.

Screenshots:

=@= Smitty =@=

Deception

I've been reading more Sun Tzu's Art of War.  I still haven't made it past his first chapter "Laying Plans" because I've been meticulously reading and researching the introduction, background, and commentary.  Having studied at a military academy, I've been through multiple Military Strategic Studies courses, but Art of War always comes to mind before anything else.

A certain passage really hits the nail on the head pertaining to EVE. 

"All warfare is based on deception.

Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.

Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder, and crush him.

If he is secure at all points, be prepared for him.  If he is in superior strength, evade him.

If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant.

If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them.

Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.

Now the general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple ere (before) the battle is fought...Thus do many calculations lead to victory."

This is why I don't take it personally when people spy and awox.  Although I may call them fuckbois when we get blue-balled, I respect their use of deception and guerrilla tactics to suck our resources. Another thing they have done well is take advantage of our ally's "choleric temper".  

J-Space is full of deception.  When you're able to attack someone, you try to appear unable by utilizing POS location, ship traits, scanning alts, and the limitations of d-scan.

Bait. Simple enough.

If your neighbor is in superior strength, roll that hole.

"Making calculations in our temple" means to me experimenting with fleet comps.  Playing with EFT and Pyfa.  Mastering wormhole mechanics.  Gathering intel and utilizing Tripwire.  Being willing to scan.  Personally, I enjoy scanning down chains and observing active wormholers, sitting 100km off their POS watching them re-ship, making permanent notes in Tripwire about their activity, weighing the possibilities of catching them or inviting a fight. Fun stuff.

________

If you haven't seen the new Mad Max movie, you should.  Imagine the movie Waterworld, except it's the desert instead of the ocean.  Imagine the Fallout New Vegas setting, with the factions battling over water and gasoline in custom-made muscle cars with weapons.  Tom Hardy is badass as expected, and Charlize Theron is smokin' as expected.

And if you haven't checked out Kerbal Space Program recently, they're out of Alpha and 1.0 has been released.  I've been playing the campaign and it's been satisfyingly difficult.  I'm currently trying to either send a mission to the ice caps of Kerbin for a soil sample or go to the mun.  I'm in need of science points, but the parts limit of 30 imposed by my vehicle assembly building is making it difficult for me.  And I can't upgrade unless I get more money...but my only active contract is achieving 2.5 km/s speed, which I imagine will be done in a nice elliptical orbit.

Zaqq's Talos Roam vid (boring, but fit is cool)

HK hits some Goons

Aim High,

-Smitty

CHOO CHOO

Balcora responded and was blue-balled as expected by the Awoxer Fuckbois.  We showed up with a Gila Rape Train + Basi's + Orthrus + Maulus + Cov-Ops fleet.

After we repped the POCO, they showed up and poked at an offline POS or two, but they don't fight. They're all talk and boring and we'll be moving on to bigger things.

Here's their names btw:

Ryani

Punos

And alts, including the Islamic State of New Eden

Here's a cool small gang pvp vid from Camel Empire

Enjoy,

-Smitty

The Blood Stained Banner

Smitty's been distracted lately because he's just finished his four years of school in Colorado and is headed back to his home, the South.  Where the air is humid, the sun is hot, the tea is sweet, the fish bite, the nights are cool, the ducks are plenty, and the buck racks are big.  So how about an EVE update, and then a history lesson about the Confederate Flag, which has a very interesting past.

Yesterday I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to scramble together a fleet of 6 in ~2 minutes to break up a small hole camp adjacent to our C3 which had failed to catch me in my Helios. Unfortunately the camp had dispersed and a cloaky Loki didn't feel like tangling with my Myrmidon. I'm really excited to get some combat time in my Myrm- it's a MWD+MJD, Neut, Tackle, 2xLocal Reps setup.  I've been using it to troll holes for a fight after I've scanned down the chain a ways.

In other new, the awoxer fuckbois have reinforced a POCO in our ally's C2 so we're suiting up for a fight tonight.  I'd bet 100mil that they won't even show up though.  Which is why we're going to get the residents to engage them first and then bring in the heavy cavalry.  Should be good practice either way.

So most people don't know that the beautiful flag up there ^^ is actually the Battle Flag of the Army of Northern Virginia, which is now commonly referred to as the "Confederate Flag" and a symbol of the American South.  But first, let's take a look at the 3 National Flags of the Confederacy.

"The Stars and Bars"

The First National Flag of the Confederacy was referred to as the Stars and Bars.  It resembles the Flag of the Austrian Empire because it was designed by a Prussian in Alabama.  Its similarity to the U.S. flag caused some confusion on the battlefield and ultimately disliked because of the similarities. So a new flag was designed

"The Stainless Banner"

Designed by a newspaper editor and blockade runner from Georgia, the Stainless Banner was often referred to as "The White Man's Flag".

As a people we are fighting to maintain the Heaven-ordained supremacy of the white man over the inferior or colored race; a white flag would thus be emblematical of our cause.
—William T. Thompson (April 23, 1863), Daily Morning News

Although it was never officially stated that this was the reason for the white-colored field.  The primary complaint was that it looked too much like a battle flag on top of a truce flag, and could be confused for a truce flag while resting with no wind.

"The Blood Stained Banner"

My favorite,the Third National Flag of the Confederacy, was adopted.  The red stripe gets rid of the truce flag confusion.

Nowadays, the Confederate flag can be seen in the Mississippi state flag, and obvious influence in the Arkansas State Flag (Smitty's home).  It meets a lot of controversy nowadays, especially from people who dropped out of high school cuz they got their baby mama pregnant and never had a proper history lesson.

How bout those new Sleeper structures? Pretty cool.

=@= Smitty =@=

Battle Drums

This shit gets my e-peen hard

And here's the music

Was rolling our holes in preparation for ISK making in a fresh C3 last night.  Had two guys on the way from high sec to C3 so waited for them before closing it.  They got in, I put it critical and noticed a Vargur on D in the C3 who had entered from high sec. FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU BOB WHY YOU DO DIS TO ME

At the end of the sleeper fleet when we were settling down back home, we had some guys from a very similar small wormhole alliance come wandering through.  We had Proteus, Drake, and Harpy on our C3 as back-up for me while I was baiting a combat scanner in the C3.  They wanted a fight and brought in a Stratios and Arazu and Hound to start something.  But our Proteus pilot wasn't feelin' the Arazu and people were having to log off, so I settled on joining their public chat and saying hello.  We talked some, saw Lazerhawks come in looking for targets, then Lazerhawks rolled their connection to the C5 with a dread.

You'll notice a common theme among my writing.  Missed J-Space PVP opportunities.  Something we're working on.

Damn I love those guys' music.  The Native American theme is sick.  But the airhorns....blegh

=@= Smitty =@=

Fear no danger, shun no labor

"The people who can destroy a thing, they control it"

It's amazing what you can control in J-Space just by sticking your head out.  The real challenge is having the group of people on your wing to make something of it.

Today we had a C3 with 8-10 wormhole connections.  2 Null, 1 High, few C2/3, few C4/5.  After scanning everything down, I found an Astero in a Faction Data/Relic, but couldn't get someone to advantage of my warp-in before he bugged out.  However, having a hole completely scanned down opens up opportunities to kill as long as you are willing to simply watch.

I switched to my Ishkur for intel gathering and fight picking.  Meanwhile, our guys were beginning to take advantage of a convenient high sec entrance with hauling and logistics.  I entered the static null connection and found nothing interesting besides 1 local who was likely stationed up.  It was in the Oasa Region occupied by Alternate Allegiance, who I had not heard of.  I returned to the C3 and entered the other null connection.  Upon landing, D scan revealed a whole host of fighters and a Thanny who was very obviously ratting.  It was amazing how fast null bears pull back at the sight of +1 in local.  The Thanny left within minutes, but one of his Dragonfly fighters was left behind.  Poor guy.  So i told him in local that he forgot a fighter, which I'm sure freaked him out even more.  And then I check the map and had a good laugh.  3-QYVE, it is literally the most dead end butt-fuck nowhere in the EVE universe.  And i had interrupted their null bear ratting party.  But once again didn't have the support to do anything about it.  On my way back in to the C3 i followed a capsule in.  And then started seeing a good amount of traffic to/from this Null connection to another wh in the C3.  Capsules, Tornado, trickling in and out (put a bubble on that bitch and get some kills).  But without the ability to destroy, you don't control.  The fellas were content with watching the high sec and getting some logistics done. 

Look at all those opportunities that come just from putting in the time to gather intel and stick your head in places.  J-Space is not for the lazy, and it quickly weeds out the people who would rather have a fight handed to them on a plate.

We also got personally called out by a high sec merc corp who's been harassing our ally.  Waiting to see what the rest of our leadership thinks about that.  Here's what I have to say.

Anyway, here's a good article with my boy Neil Tyson concerning commercial enterprise in space.

Also, if you have a planetarium in your city, you really should check it out.  I had the opportunity to see a show in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum's Planetarium in D.C. and it was mind-blowing.  It was a show narrated by Neil Tyson about dark matter.  You should find out if one is near you.

=@= Smitty =@=

1v1

At home.  Bros form up little bomber fleet to check out our C5.  I'm Smitty.  I hop in my Ishkur. Let's do this.  Can i get a warp-in on that K162 Null-Sec? Sure bro. SpaceMonkeys. SpaceMonkeys everywhere.  Make 200km safe. Make off grid safe. Check out the SpaceMonkey locals. SpaceMonkeys start talkin' mad shit.  1v1 me bro? Sure bro.  Ishkur v. Enyo.  Planet VII. Woh there, that's not 1, i'm seeing 2 on D. Warp out. "Sorry about my friend".  SpaceMonkey repairs his honor. Ok let's try that again.

Ishkur and Enyo lock eyes at 30km.  They lunge for each other.  Hot metal is smashing armor at hypersonic speeds, nanites are zipping around repairing, drones are circling, MWD's are shut down, hardeners are hardening.  It's a passionate dance of fire and plasma and metal.  Enyo gets into hull. Smitty has 2 nanite pastes left.  1 left.  Enyo is halfway through hull but still repping armor.  Nanites run out.  Smitty pops.

https://zkillboard.com/kill/46447586/

SpaceMonkey tells me that he has a bulkhead so that I run out of paste before he does. Interesting idea, uniquely set up for 1v1 assault frigate brawl.

I was also close range with an Ishkur where I should have been kiting the blaster boat.  Back to the drawing board.

You learn something new every day.  Even from a SpaceMonkey.

=@= Smitty =@=

StarTalk, Diplomacy, and a Traffic Cop

StarTalk with Film Director of Interstellar, Christopher Nolan

Interesting talk about art and science and relativity.  

Last night was one of those times that reminds you why EVE is great.  We recently purged a couple unsuspecting awoxers from an allied corp, and as expected, things went deeper than they appeared.  These awoxers threatened to evict our friends with the help of a certain corp, who later befriended myself, telling me that they are in fact not on good terms with these awoxers and would love to help kill them again sometime, as well as be on good terms with Balcora.  This certain corp also frequently puts together high sec wh diving roams, which I took part in yesterday.  Their group is built on trust and consists of people they've shot at in the past.  It will be a fun and useful connection with like-minded J-space corps.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend.  We'll see what comes of this new relationship.

Sorry, but this is pretty hilarious.  2 pro-ISIS gunmen killed by a traffic cop during an Anti-Islam Muhammad art contest near Dallas.  Oh Texas....

=@= Smitty =@=

Eating at the kids table

From The Art of War, Sun Tzu

1. Laying Plans

"The art of war, then, is governed by five constant factors, to be taken into account in one's deliberations, when seeking to determine the conditions obtaining in the field.

These are: (1) The Moral Law; (2) Heaven; (3) Earth; (4) The Commander; (5) Method and discipline.

(1) The Moral Law causes the people to be in complete accord with their ruler, so that they will follow him regardless of their lives, undismayed by any danger.

(2) Heaven signifies night and day, cold and heat, times and seasons.

(3) Earth comprises distances, great and small; danger and security; open ground and narrow passes; the chances of life and death.

(4) The Commander stands for the virtues of wisdom, sincerely, benevolence, courage, and strictness.

(5) By Method and Discipline are to understood the marshaling of the army in its proper subdivisions, the graduation of rank among the officers, the maintenance of roads by which supplies may reach the army, and the control of military expenditure.

These five heads should be familiar to every general: he who knows them will be victorious; he who knows them not will fail."

How does this apply to EVE?

(1) The Moral Law: I interpret this as the CEO sharing the same goals and aspirations as his Corp members.  His members are willing to live in danger to achieve them.  Wormhole space certainly takes care of the danger.

(2) Heaven: There will be ups and downs; days of bloody killboards and days of green; days of people being pissed at each other and days of patience

(3) Earth: the necessary technical knowledge; do we have the necessary bookmarks? Is the logi trained and have a watch list set up? Are people clogging comms? Is that K162 within D-Scan range?  Do we have a scout next door?

(4) The Commander: FC has a cool head and good situational awareness, and not afraid to make a decision.  Often times, ANY decisions is better than NO decision.  He's not afraid to say "shut the fuck up" for the good of the fleet

(5) Method and Discipline: Do we have people in doctrine ships ready to go? Is it going to take 15 minutes just to get 2 people in logi?  Is Tripwire fully updated and are the bookmarks shared?  Do we have hole control for our haulers?

Today (May 2) was a fun day of Low Sec frigate roams, primarily in Amarr Faction Warfare systems.  We planned for T1 frigate comps, with two people FCing for the first time.  We netted ~1.3bil in kills, while losing primarily dirt cheap frigates.  We started out in Kiting Tristans + Navitas, then switched to local rep frigs.  Some highlights:

https://zkillboard.com/kill/46374748/

https://zkillboard.com/kill/46373480/

https://zkillboard.com/kill/46370393/

https://zkillboard.com/kill/46366511/

Our killboard for the day looks like Christmas red and green, but we were very positive on the isk front.

As the EU time zone started to log off, I headed back to Hiigara (our home), and heard from one of our Directors that he had been scouting in our C2 playground for a group of now-friendlies, and he linked a 1.3bil isk Tengu kill

https://zkillboard.com/kill/46368338/

Made me feel like I had been sitting at the kid's table all day in low sec while the adults were eating from the big maple wood dining room table of J-Space.

=@= Smitty =@=