Taranis 1

One of my favourite blog series is the Punisher Plan from Flight of Dragons. In it gets into PvP by flying and loosing 20 Punishers (t1 Frigate). I consider it to be a perfect example of how new players should approach PvP in EVE.

At the same time I have always respected the Taranis. There was a pilot in Agony who flew them frequently and had a ridiculous amount of solo success with it, including a spectacular 1v1 with a Vagabond in which he was victorious. I have flown the ship a few times with much less success. To that end I have decided to follow the Taranis plan and fly with and loose 20 Taranises.

The Fit
[Taranis, Taranis 1]

Light Neutron Blaster II, Federation Navy Antimatter Charge S
Light Neutron Blaster II, Federation Navy Antimatter Charge S
Light Neutron Blaster II, Federation Navy Antimatter Charge S
Small Diminishing Power System Drain I

1MN Afterburner II
'Langour' Drive Disruptor I
Initiated Harmonic Warp Scrambler I

Small Armor Repairer II
Damage Control II
Magnetic Field Stabilizer II

Small Ancillary Current Router I
Small Ancillary Current Router I


Hobgoblin II x2
note: I was only able to fit this thanks to a 3% powergrid implant

This fit was a modified version of the fit used by that storied Agony pilot. Hull tanking for the win, with an active armour tank for good measure. Changes with the Crucible patch have allowed me to fit more DPS then he used to be able to.


The Hunt

Leaving Jita I roamed through low-sec looking for targets of opportunity. I almost landed on a fight between a Jag and another ship, but I was not fast enough on the d-scan. Going further I set the destination to Hevrice, home of the Tuskers, hoping to find a comparable ship to engage. After not really seeing many possible targets I arrived. At first I chased a Rifter around, but again I was slow on the D-Scan so he was never in danger (note to self, practice d-scan). However a Tusker Federation Navy Comet wanted to play so we were soon in battle.

At this point I turned into a noob to end all noobs. I made so many mistakes in the fight I embarrass myself.
1. I had an opportunity to engage near a station's gate guns. This would have allowed me to make the first shot since my opponent would have had to wait for me to aggress. Instead I found some celestial for the fight.
2. Federation Navy Comet != Caldari Navy Hookbill. For some reason I always get the two confused.
3. A Taranis is not a shield tanked ship. For some reason when my shields were obliterated by the first shot... I started to panic.
4. Turn on the AB. I thought I activated it... but when I checked it near the end it didn't seem to be on though.
5. Should have brought Null. My plan was to engage in deep falloff for antimatter. Good plan if I was using Null. Bad plan otherwise.
6. Check pilot on battleclinic. The enemy had just lost the same ship type recently. I should have checked her fit first to see that she had ambit extension rigs... engaging at range = bad.
7. Don't experiment with keyboard shortcuts when doing frig 1v1. For some reason I remembered that there was a keyboard shortcut for orbit. I held the 'T' key down and selected the ship. Duh! It is the 'W' key for orbit.
8. 23 seconds before my drones got into the action. I must have never assigned them.
At least I remembered to get my pod out.

All in all it was a completely fail fight. The Comet is a tough ship that probably would have won regardless, however I at least hoped to crack the ships shields.

Anyways, with a gf in local I logged in station for the night. My taranis will be back :D Probably with a bit of a different fit though.

2012.01.12 05:31:00

Victim: Toterra
Corp: Walking Dead Pilots
Alliance: Unknown
Faction: Unknown
Destroyed: Taranis
System: Hevrice
Security: 0.4
Damage Taken: 1824

Involved parties:

Name: Maia Demoncast (laid the final blow)
Security: -9.60
Corp: The Tuskers
Alliance: None
Faction: None
Ship: Federation Navy Comet
Weapon: Light Neutron Blaster II
Damage Done: 1824

Destroyed items:

1MN Afterburner II
Small Diminishing Power System Drain I
Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S, Qty: 72
Small Armor Repairer II
X5 Prototype Engine Enervator
Light Neutron Blaster II, Qty: 2
Small Ancillary Current Router I, Qty: 2
Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S, Qty: 760 (Cargo)

Dropped items:

Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S, Qty: 144
Magnetic Field Stabilizer II
J5b Phased Prototype Warp Scrambler I
Damage Control II
Light Neutron Blaster II