Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

YC114.04.19
Now this is just too beautiful, too typical, too James to keep to myself!

I was in the hangar bay the other day inspecting the Itty V, making sure she’s space-worthy - seeing as how the Nice is my only transport after losing the Nice II a few weeks back.  This got the hangar crew talking, and they mentioned the same fate had befallen James as well.

I figured they were talking about him getting Tubby blown to pieces - but nope...  This wasn’t James losing the freighter, but an Itty V of his own even before the Nice II went up in flames!  And in Dodixie no less, just like me.

Now here’s the part that is priceless: not only did CONCORD make short work of the criminal element that blew up the Itty, but James also procured the services of a set of mercs to really drive the point home!

(Hmm, reflecting on it, I guess hiring mercs isn’t exactly “priceless”...  Methinks James may have more ISK than sense sometimes.)

This finally explains this weird communication that showed up in the RECLT offices about that time that I deleted - some rambling plea to call off the vultures...  

Ch-ch-changes

YC114.04.17

Life has been much simpler for RECLT since FCO left Faction Warfare.  Hell, we were able to have quite the little fleet mining op Friday night, and didn’t get disturbed once.  And it’s sooo nice to be able to fly the Itty around picking up supplies without constantly checking for folks who’ve managed to duck the Fed Navy’s ever (un)watchful eyes...

But this got me thinking: we’re loyal to the Federation, and support its goals fully.  But it makes no sense at all that to best serve, we have to hide our allegiance.  Our strengths are industry, mining, building, and supplying materiel for the war effort.  I’ve heard the drunken rants from the fighter pilots in the bars, with their grand plans of “if I wuz in charge, this heres what I’d do...”  But I’ve heard very little about helping those of us who fight with our wallets rather than bullets.

(Full disclosure: I overheard a hot Minmatar pilot mentioning most of these ideas [Big Picture, Docking, Occupancy, Sandbox], and it got me thinking how it would apply to someone who fights with ISK, not bullets.)

(Oh, and I would love to sell you some bullets if you need them!)

System Ownership

Right now, if our brave boys and girls do manage to manage to push the scum out of a system and gain ownership, nothing actually changes.  It seems like ownership is just one more way for the soldiers to whip them out onto the table and compare sizes - ultimately useless and good for nothing but a laugh.

(Um, and I guess the girls compare cup sizes?  I dunno...)

Sure, the Fed Navy is supposed to respond.  James, Tycho, and I have all see just how uber effective that is!  If we control the system, it should make life hell for any enemy trying to operate in-system.  

If they’re able to survive the gates and the valiant freedom fighters defending the system, they sure as hell shouldn’t be able to just dock at any Fed Navy station.

And hey, I have no problem with them being allowed to dock at other stations - after all, they need to be able to buy my goods!  But I see no reason to allow them full station access - or at least not full access at the same prices I pay.  

OHIP: Ownership Hath Its Privileges...  You wanna repair that damage you incurred running the gauntlet?  Fine, but you’re gonna pay one sweet markup!  Clones?  Sure, why not!  Just bend over first so I can get every last ISK - we need to finance the war efforts somehow...

Dedicated Marketplace

I support the Federation.

I also support having a huge balance in my wallet.

But I see no reason why I can’t support the troops and gouge those who choose not to align, or those who actively align against us.

Give me a place where I can fly the flag, and bring my strengths to the effort.  Give me a dedicated FW marketplace, where only other loyalists can list and buy items.  And to make sure it’s not filled with turncoats and folks hiding their true allegiance - make me earn my way in with standings.  If I haven’t proved my worth, than why should the Federation reward me with exclusive market access?

Surely the Fed Navy and others can afford the competition to their LP Stores.  

(Practical note:  any FW member could access and buy from the FW Marketplace.  But to be able to list items, you should need a certain standing.  Or, have fees to list that decrease based on higher standings.  And make those fees actually noticeable, to drive the incentive to improve standings.)

And adding to OHIP:  Have these marketplaces only at the Fed Navy (or other FW “base” stations) in systems, and only allow the marketplaces to exist while we own the system.  Lose ownership?  Permanently lose the goods listed on the market, and the new owners get a portion of the market as loot drops!  

How’s that for linking the industrialist and the soldier, making us actually care about how each is faring?

Cultural Bonuses

One of my biggest bones to pick here...  Gallente technology has so much to offer, but are you really telling me the Industrial Military Complex can’t find a way to eke out a few extra points of armor or damage accessible only to those willing to fight for the cause?

And while we’re at it, can’t they find a way to inhibit the same ships from performing optimally for the enemy?  

We’re fighting for the Federation, the least they can do is reward us.

Let Us Fight Too

I can barely hit the broad side of a planet with my turrets, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to help.  But hey, you gotta make it worth it.  If showing my colors does nothing but cost me ISK and make me a target, then why would I do it?

After all, the Federation is all about free choice and maximizing our potential (earnings)...

We Were Soldiers Once...

YC114.04.13

Sure, we weren’t great soldiers - but we still participated for the Federation.  But no longer!  The politicos have heard our call, and realized FCO can do more for the Federation with our mining lasers than with our rail guns.

The petition for release from active duty has been granted, and we are no longer considered valid war targets.  Not that I really expect the Squids to no longer target us, but hopefully CONCORD will be quicker to defend us than the Fed Navy.

We’re going to take full advantage of our regained neutrality ASAP: alliance mining op planned for tonight!  And then the tough choices, refine and build, or stockpile and see how high the market climbs...

Advancing to the Rear

YC114.04.12
Peace can’t come soon enough for James and me, or at least a tactical withdrawal from this morass in which the Federation finds itself.

In the last week, I lost an Itty V right in the heart of Fed space, leaving station in Dodixie.  The ship was bad enough, but the noxcium and blueprints on board were even worse... Specially with mineral prices reaching new heights daily.

Adding insult to injury (although I’m sure James would say “injury to insult”, the selfish capitalist) James lost a freighter a day later, and a full load of ice products bound for our loyal customers.  Again, right in the midst of supposedly secured Fed space.

James went so far as to demand answers from the Fed Navy as to where they were, I guess any response is better than none...?

It sound like The Drunks have been faring just as poorly.  Hopefully the politicians start listening, and get us some relief, while we still have any assets at all.

All We Are Saying Is Give Peace a Chance

YC114.04.12

A few months ago, and against the wishes of RECLT, FCO voted to join the (seemingly repetitive) battle the Gallente Federation is waging against the oppressors of free markets everywhere.

Um, I mean against the oppressors of freedom, not free markets.  My bad...

Anyway, FCO dragged us kicking and screaming into a battle where suddenly half the market is against us, and we can’t freely travel systems we once did.  Still, we figured we would suddenly have a lot more built-in customers - after all, all those freedom fighters need to get their ships and ammo from somewhere.

Unfortunately, that just isn’t turning out to be the case.  We’ve been unable to make inroads with the new client bases, and our supply lines have proved too long to easily secure or navigate quickly.  As well, politically we’ve had no traction at all with the establishment already in place.

But!

It’s not all doom and gloom - in one of life’s nice little kicks-in-the-arse, FCO is going nowhere with the warriors, but having great luck with the industrialists!  The Drunk and The Brave have signed on with us, adding to our presence in the belts, placing customer orders, and even starting talk about setting up a station for us to build out of.

Hopefully TDATB is able to keep the air on the inside, and not find their ships vented due to FCO’s past political choices...

A Change Gonna Come

YC114.04.11

Well now, things are certainly shaking up around here.  RECLT is growing, and it’s not Tycho that we’ve added!

Earnest and Torvicus have joined the little corner of New Eden where James and I are making our presence felt.  I haven’t had a chance to work much with them yet, but growth can’t be a bad thing - if nothing else I can sell to them at the corporate rate...  Or as I like to call it: “You don’t need to check the prices, of course you can trust me, we’re mates!”

Now, on to more important things...

Scuttlebutt around the systems is heating up, people seem to be gearing up for major changes coming, only no one knows quite what they’ll be, or what impacts they’ll have.

First off, it looks like years of capsuleers thinning the herds of pirates has finally resulted in some evolution among those that are left: indications are they are planning on changing what they carry in easily picked-off crafts.  No longer will there be plenty of easily refined items to fill any mineral gaps I may encounter when building.

And it looks like the machines are learning too... rogue drones are finding safer ways to transport alloys as well!

Second, political unrest is looking to screw with my supply lines even worse.  It may soon become very unsafe to try pulling rocks without a combat patrol keeping watch.  Hopefully I can keep snatching up supplies while the prices are still (relatively) low.

Now, as long as no one tells Tycho the rates for ore are going up...

Everybody’s Working for the Weekend

YC114.04.11

Working vacations are great for two things: poorly completing work, and not getting any relaxation...

Over the past few weeks, I’ve taken a less active role in RECLT to focus on training more skills - chiefly around navigation, ship performance, and weapons management.  Our recent war, and becoming more involved in the sharper end of galactic politics has convinced me I need to be able to protect my own assets, rather than count on the kindness of strangers.

Luckily, this has not completely decimated my ability to produce goods and sell to deserving individuals.  Our allies at GIPA found themselves a fresh grad to take under their wing - Tycho Antus.  Of course, by “take under their wing” I really mean take under my wing - Tycho’s a junior Kat, and I couldn’t be prouder!

He’s been quite the boon for RECLT, a dedicated miner pulling in excellent quantities and selling to us at preferred rates in exchange for a guaranteed market and minimal hauling.  By keeping the tap flowing on ores, I’ve been able to maintain my market presence, branching out into ships and more custom orders.

Speaking of which, I’ve finally completed the huge custom order for Konici!  It looks like I got it done just in time for him - mineral prices have started skyrocketing...  I’m gonna need to look into that further, make sure I’m still charging an appropriate gouge...  

Um, I mean fair and equitable markup allowing profit and goods for all concerned in the transaction.