Monday 11 February 2013

Eve: a new tactic in high sec griefing

Suicide ganking pods is becoming a thing. An enterprising player called ST0NER SMURF has been suicide ganking pods in high sec and has sought sponsorship. He has impressed two members of the Goon economic cartel: trillionaires Aryth and Mynna. Aryth as it happens had 15000 fitted Thrashers lying around that he had no particular use for and donated some to the cause.



ST0NER SMURF started in October last year and since then has racked up an impressive 1436 kills, almost all of which are suicide ganks of pods in highsec. There are others including this guy with 817 kills, again mostly pods.

They have an intel channel up, a killboard and a variety of sophisticated countermeasures to protect themselves against enraged victims.

And it's growing in popularity: in Stoner's words - "there are alot new podders around, bad news for me as the hunt takes longer ;o"

As gankings go this is probably one of the easiest to avoid - always use a noobship or shuttle if you're just travelling around, especially in Jita or near Niarja.

Fly inside something o7

4 comments:

  1. yep, this has been going on for a while, I've killed maybe a hundred myself, though not in a while. inspired by this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zue8udrDkOs

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  2. This game. Always something new. Did you used to gank hulks then switched after they buffed them?

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  3. I think it's a bit of stretch to call this a 'tactic'.

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    1. Oh I appreciate that people have always blown up pods but to operate this systematically and to seek sponsorship from rich speculators with large implant stockpiles is new and really clever. It is an example of emergent gameplay and possibly a reaction to the improvements to mining barges.

      As for the semantics tactics is the little things, strategy the big things. Keeping your head down when someone is shooting at you is a tactic but not a strategy. I think tactic is fine if you accept the point that this is a new development rather than a mere intensification of something that's always happened.

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