(Title should end with 'my first PvP encounter'. Not sure what happened there. I blame the iPad. Any mods around that could tweak it?)
I've been running missions out of Bluford Orbital in LHS 3447, just gaining cash and Fed rank. I've gotten used to seeing the occasional hollow square and sending out a greeting, sometime getting one in return. It was nice. It was pleasant. It was civilised.
I'd become complacent.
Returning last night, holds empty, I jumped back into LHS 3447, scooped, and altered course for the Orbital. I saw a few more hollows than normal and idly cycled through them, expecting the usual mix of Sideys and Cobras.
A Federal Corvette.
"Hmmmm," thinks I, "Ok. Nothing to be alarmed about. I've traded greetings with Anacondas before, and a Corvette is just a sort of Anaconda++, right?"
Right. Also wrong.
Three things I noticed in quick succession: He was wanted. He was in a wing. And he was altering course towards me. I mentally filed these facts under "not good".
Being the cautious sort of chap I am I dialled up a local star, just in case things didn't quite go as cordially as I was hoping...
Interdiction.
Submit. Pips to engines. Boost. Boost. Boost!
"Leave system" comes over the comms, as my shields were taking a hammering.
"Suits me," I think. So I jump to my safe system.
But I'm not leaving it at that. Bluford is my home, dammit, and I'm not going to be blocked from it by some peckerhead in a flying extension.
Scoop. Recharge shields.
Jump.
Scoop again. Check out the local area. Seems quiet enough, so I can either do this quietly, or...
[To LOCAL]: I'm baaaaaack!
Ok, that was childish but I'm like that sometimes. I knew this had a really, really good chance of going pear-shaped, but I never fly without rebuy and besides, I'm curious.
Sure enough, CMDR Bawbag (not his real name) shows up again, but I've actually made it most of the way to Bluford, so I might just be able to...no.
Interdiction.
Submit. Pips. Boosty boosty boost boost, try to low-wake. Can't. Mass locked.
"Oh dear," I thought (or words to that effect).
Shields low. Gaining some distance from him, but still not quite enough for the FSD to do the low-wake boogie.
Shields offline. Hull taking damage.
"This is turning out distinctly sub-optimal," I think, or, again, words to that effect.
"Leave system". Not this time, laddie.
Hull down to 49% and the FSD finally gets its act together and low-wakes me out.
I burn space to Bluford and crash-stop, luckily timing it right. I have rarely been so pleased to see the place.
But it's not quite over.
Submit docking request. Throttle back. Docking computer takes over. I sit back and start to relax, and idly take a look around.
Hollow square.
In front of me.
Blocking the entrance.
CMDR Bawbag's friend, CMDR Numpty (also not his real name) in an FAS and, I think, trying to make me do something that the Station would blow me out of space for.
So I take over from the docking computer and execute a rather nifty little dip and roll, going under CMDR Numpty's hull, slight clash of shields and...I'm in.
[To CMDR Numpty]: Idiot.
So, that was it. My first PvP encounter, provided you count repeated "Brave Sir Robin" manoeuvres as PvP.
PvP is still something I don't want, but I have to admit that Holy Balls it was exhilarating.
Post mortem:
Things I did right:
Submitting. Boosting. Having a high-wake option on speed dial. Getting lucky on the crash-stop.
Things I did wrong:
Forgetting I had chaff that I could have deployed. Not even attempting FA off.
I've been running missions out of Bluford Orbital in LHS 3447, just gaining cash and Fed rank. I've gotten used to seeing the occasional hollow square and sending out a greeting, sometime getting one in return. It was nice. It was pleasant. It was civilised.
I'd become complacent.
Returning last night, holds empty, I jumped back into LHS 3447, scooped, and altered course for the Orbital. I saw a few more hollows than normal and idly cycled through them, expecting the usual mix of Sideys and Cobras.
A Federal Corvette.
"Hmmmm," thinks I, "Ok. Nothing to be alarmed about. I've traded greetings with Anacondas before, and a Corvette is just a sort of Anaconda++, right?"
Right. Also wrong.
Three things I noticed in quick succession: He was wanted. He was in a wing. And he was altering course towards me. I mentally filed these facts under "not good".
Being the cautious sort of chap I am I dialled up a local star, just in case things didn't quite go as cordially as I was hoping...
Interdiction.
Submit. Pips to engines. Boost. Boost. Boost!
"Leave system" comes over the comms, as my shields were taking a hammering.
"Suits me," I think. So I jump to my safe system.
But I'm not leaving it at that. Bluford is my home, dammit, and I'm not going to be blocked from it by some peckerhead in a flying extension.
Scoop. Recharge shields.
Jump.
Scoop again. Check out the local area. Seems quiet enough, so I can either do this quietly, or...
[To LOCAL]: I'm baaaaaack!
Ok, that was childish but I'm like that sometimes. I knew this had a really, really good chance of going pear-shaped, but I never fly without rebuy and besides, I'm curious.
Sure enough, CMDR Bawbag (not his real name) shows up again, but I've actually made it most of the way to Bluford, so I might just be able to...no.
Interdiction.
Submit. Pips. Boosty boosty boost boost, try to low-wake. Can't. Mass locked.
"Oh dear," I thought (or words to that effect).
Shields low. Gaining some distance from him, but still not quite enough for the FSD to do the low-wake boogie.
Shields offline. Hull taking damage.
"This is turning out distinctly sub-optimal," I think, or, again, words to that effect.
"Leave system". Not this time, laddie.
Hull down to 49% and the FSD finally gets its act together and low-wakes me out.
I burn space to Bluford and crash-stop, luckily timing it right. I have rarely been so pleased to see the place.
But it's not quite over.
Submit docking request. Throttle back. Docking computer takes over. I sit back and start to relax, and idly take a look around.
Hollow square.
In front of me.
Blocking the entrance.
CMDR Bawbag's friend, CMDR Numpty (also not his real name) in an FAS and, I think, trying to make me do something that the Station would blow me out of space for.
So I take over from the docking computer and execute a rather nifty little dip and roll, going under CMDR Numpty's hull, slight clash of shields and...I'm in.
[To CMDR Numpty]: Idiot.
So, that was it. My first PvP encounter, provided you count repeated "Brave Sir Robin" manoeuvres as PvP.
PvP is still something I don't want, but I have to admit that Holy Balls it was exhilarating.
Post mortem:
Things I did right:
Submitting. Boosting. Having a high-wake option on speed dial. Getting lucky on the crash-stop.
Things I did wrong:
Forgetting I had chaff that I could have deployed. Not even attempting FA off.
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