It's Been A While
08 Jan 2024Haggis Jnr
So it's been a long time ... a really long time. No excuses really, just life going on!So what's happened since I last posted?
Well, I hit combat Expert.
... then Master!
... then Dangerous!
... and along the way I earned the right (yes "the right", we've talked about this before - come on guys) to buy a Federal Corvette and an Imperial Cutter.
Man, they sound grand don't they. Big buggers, all about the Boom! Boom! ... can't turn for the life of them though and sure as Hell can't turn on a sixpence. Bob's encountered a few Corvettes on his travels and lets just say they are not as plentiful as they used to be! Cutters are a different story though, that hull is ridiculous ... Bob & I learned to run away before we fell asleep. Life's just too short for that kind of long drawn out protracted combat ... ZZZzzzz!
Of course my brother(?!?) has one of each. His Cutter is GOLD ... I'm not kidding, it's actually plated in GOLD ... I'm really not sure I know who he is any more!
But Bob and I are still together and couldn't be happier. I'm not even remotely tempted with those bourgeois abominations! I'm kinda loving the close quarters intimate combat that Bob affords. We've settled on rails as the main weapon and really fast ships are a challenge, although we will get them eventually, but the big boys that you can't miss don't last long (except Cutters - damn they are tough).
A couple of new engineers want to talk to us (gracious glory hunters) but in all honesty we're not that interested. No offence but you're simply not offering anything new to us in a humble sidewinder. Sorry Petra, we don't have much room for those fancy explosive things. And as for you Lori Jameson ... well I have heard interesting things about Shinrarta Dezhra. I've been "allowed" to go there for about a year but am I going to risk it for ... well I don't actually know what ... SCB sounds fun but should I give up my shield generator to fit one, what do you think Lori?
What else?
Well, my AX credentials have gone up a bit ... killed 3 Basis (sorry ... that's Basilisks if you don't know), and 5 Hydras but didn't do that on my own (Yeah, Yeah, OBVIOUSLY!!! Whatever!). Been a bit of a tussle going on for a while and we thought we'd chip in so Bob and I went into a few combat zones. It's amazing how much attention you draw dropping into a CZ in a sidewinder but we really weren't there just to watch (which is what most people think). We chip away just the same as everyone else, although our chips are maybe a little smaller (more french fries maybe). Bob and I get away with one mistake ... make another and you're toast ... you're running ... literally for your life. But someone else normally draws fire and saves you ... if you're lucky you can repair elsewhere and get back into the same fight but sometimes it's just tough and you miss your chance and your bonds. But you gain experience, you gain courage, you gain the balls to go in again.
And next time, it's you, yes YOU and little old Bob that get the final shot. YOU take down that Hydra! You ... yes YOU ... earn the final hit for your team. YOU complete that mission, not just for you but for your entire team. Let's just say there is a lot of fist-pumping going on.
Ironically, Scouts are too tough for us. They are so fast and they don't half pack a punch ... too hard to hit with fixed weapons and poor old Bob just can't tank that kind of damage so we run ... but there is always someone else willing to step in and a well timed final shot will reap a few extra CRs as well ... Die Sucker!!!
How many Hydras did I say?
5!
Guess how many Medusas ...
none, zip, nada, zero
... no idea why?
My brother doesn't hesitate to tell me he's killed 8 though ...
Amazing! Well done! In your ~8000 hull 'conda with top of the range weapons ... you must be so proud! When did you last fly your Cheiftain? Sorry ... I can't hear you? Yeah, thought so! He'll be plating the damn thing in gold next.
... a mate of mine tells me he didn't even do those solo. Is he really my brother? I'm not sure I even like him any more!
But Bob and I are doing our bit ... the credits are really rolling in now.
Talking of which ...