Thrasher Trashed in Heild

Starwalker headed into the deep of space in Molden Heath growing disillusioned with his ability to find targets and get into good fights. Spending hours on hours searching for targets was becoming less fun.

Starwalker ruefully noted that not finding targets was not the same as being a target and not getting any meaningful kills was not the same as not being killed. Indeed, Starwalker’s Thrasher had been caught at the Heild gate.

In reality Starwalker had made a mistake, by jumping through to Heild as a Slicer and Retribution arrived at the gate. They immediately followed and were able to quickly establish point and get to around 20km away. Too far away for the auto cannon fit Thrasher to hit but not too far to be hit by the kiters.

Starwalker made a desperate attempt to get back to the gate but the Thrasher was very slow with the 400mm plate fitted. The situation was not made any better when a Republic Fleet Firetail and Crow joined the Slicer and Retribution.

It was not long before the Thrasher exploded but as was becoming normal Starwalker was able to get the pod away to safety. Starwalker reviewed the fight and knew that he should have waited for the kiters to aggress and then jump through. It might not have changed the outcome but it would split the attackers at a minimum and offered more of a chance, to either get a kill or escape.

Starwalker got back to his quarters and poured a drink – maybe it was time for holiday.

Lone Wolf Killed by Pack

Starwalker was roaming around with Overnauta in the same system when Overnauta called for backup. Starwalker’s Wolf responded without hesitation and was soon in warp to find Overnauta engaged by an Imperial Navy Slicer and Republic Fleet Firetail.

Starwalker swung into action immediately against the Firetail but Overnauta’s Rifter had been overcome by the odds. What was worse was that The Wolf was now facing three opponents as an Ares arrived on scene to join in on the kill.

The Wolf had 150mm auto cannons and two tracking enhancers fitted but that seemed to make no real impression on the Firetail as it orbited at 1500m. Indeed it became apparent that the Wolf was losing the battle against the Firetail alone, never mind any other odds with the Slicer and Ares.

Starwalker changed tactics and tried to burn away to reduced traversal but similarly that seemed to also have no effect and by now the Wolf was starting to enter structure. It was going to be over soon so Starwalker focused on extracting the pod with its +4 set of implants. The Wolf exploded but the pod escaped.

Starwalker headed back to base. It was not losing the ship that was the problem but that the way the loss had occurred. The Wolf fit had been designed to counter fast ships with the 150mm and 2 x TE II. It had simply failed when tested – a surprise and most disappointing.