My Epic arc Fail

So I have spent the last week or so ratting so I can get back into highsec. Also spent it training "Fast Talk" so I could get there faster. In any case I am now -1.9+ so I ran back to highsec for some mission running to see if I could get a fleet issue stabber. ANYWAYS, Verreuckter has been flying around in a Shaguar, and here is his ever so sexy video, well other than he needs to load different ammo, keep range and stop burning out his guns...

Du Bist Verruekt

Anyways, he engages a Claw and then after killing that he goes after two Rifters and kills one of them as well. I have heard he is adding more footage so I will update this as he does. Why yes, he is using windows movie maker and this is one of his first video's.

Back to what I was doing. Feeling particularly bored after doing a few level 4 missions in my Domi of doom, I saw the new dev blog, Epic is as Epic does, about nothing other than Epic Arc missions. Having done the Sisters epic arc already, I thought it would be fun to try the new "harder" level four equivalent missions in the epic arcs! I know, I'm smart.

So my Domi was fit like this,
3 x 720mm t2 arty
2 x tractor beams

5 x cap recharger t2's

2 LAR t2
2 EANM t2
3 x rat specific hardeners

2 x lccc
1 x lauxnano

Drones


This has been handling level 4 missions for me for about as long as I care to remember and doing it with ease. Nothing has ever been able to break the tank, but supposedly these epic arc missions were a whole new breed, I felt up to the challenge. I headed to Frarn, a whole 2 jumps from my missioning spot, and flailed in system trying to find the epic arc agent (turns out he is at a becon there, but at least I didn't have to ask in local!

So the first mission required an analyzer, and knowing me, I don't have the skills for that! Stupid non-combat devices, anyways I checked local and was able to find the item for around as much as I would make from the mission so I nabbed that and brought it back to the agent, finishing up the first mission. The lore revealed in these missions is pretty cool for those semi interested so I suggest a look at it! Anyways, the second mission comes rolling out and it seems some scum, in this case Gallente scum was holding onto a precious artifact and not giving it up to the proper people, aka the minmatar researchers, so I get to go in and sort this guy out. I load up on kin/therm armor hardeners and warp over to this guys hideout, upon arriving, I see a lone cruiser, it's got the look of an elite cruiser so I launch my Ogre II's and head towards the can in space labelled "Archives." He prattles on about how he knows what I am there for and that I should leave... Like I haven't heard that before, so I keep plowing on at my speedy 112 m/s domi. In warps an ASSLOAD of mercinary ships. I didn't stop to count, but seriously like 10 BS, and 30 assorted cruisers. I stuck my drones on them, looked at my armor layout, decided "the domi could take it" and kept on moving. Let it be noted at this time that I had both LAR going, and was sure the domi could handle it, up until the 5 webbing ships caught up to my ass, only one scrambler and I could not get it off of me. Anyways I watch as my armor starts evaporating as the BS pull into close range on me, my drones aren't killing the webbing/scrambling ships fast enough and I am not aligned out like I should have been. I hit structure HARD, dropping to about 1/2 structure before my LARs cycle again and boost me back up to 1/3 armor or so, I am trying to get out, but no damn luck, the domi went >POP< With a full load of drones in the cargo bay and drones in the drone bay and a bunch of hardeners. I was in travel mode for these arcs, what can I say!

One of my good buddies headed my way in a Golem to pickup my bookmarked wreck, he was hardened invul t2 x2 and EM t2 for all those cruisers, anyways he lands at my wreck and scoops all my crap while telling me he will be able to tank these guys no problem. The hell he will! His shields fall quickly as well, even with a CN X-L booster on full blast! He made it out though so no harm done! And he got my crap and a archive key from the wreck of the gallente dude!

I dicided to beg that he goes back with me into the pocket of doom and I will be his hospital domi and we could tank them combined! RIGHT! Umm how about no, did I mention how many of them there were in there? we killed a few and both made it out, including killing the last of the scram/web friglets but even with two large s95a remote shield reps, a full rack of shield repair bots and his XL booster going he was still losing shields! We warped out to a belt, on top of a very surprised orca and hulk, recapped, repaired and warped back in, this time we are able to kill enough that the cross-repping keeps him alive past the peak DPS and we are slowly able to whittle down the ships facing us. Only one thing I HAVE to mention, the M******F****** NPCS are Repping each other. Okay, no SHIT, I saw it happen to cruisers to frigs, etc. I couldn't pin down who was doing the repping but I think it was the "merc corporals" since i had never seen those assholes before in any other mission. No wonder I was having such a damn hard time with those web/scramble frigs!

In the dev blog it says something about this "this will not just be wave after wave of battleships and elite cruisers waiting for you after each gate. Some missions will be more difficult than others." They are not just talking shit on this! I highly suggest you find a friend, or an alt, and be CAREFUL. when you aren't and you get overconfident and die, your ship can hang out with my Domi. Creepy shit man, remote repping NPC's, already hate that! Was hoping they could keep that to the Sleepers!

Logan