My first PVP experience

My goal for the weekend was to buy myself a Myrmidon (Costs 32m). I have been running L2 missions for Federal Intelligence Office (FIO) to get my standing up with them and almost without noticing had a standing of 4.91 – almost enough for Level 4 missions and me without the ship to do level 3 missions – or so I thought!

Sunday evening came about and I was still short a few bob and getting fed up with the level 2 so I looked up L3 FIO agent and found one (quality 15?) I thought appropriate in Essence. I flew my trusty Thorax now named Hazelnut (tough little fecker) over there and was asked to go next door to a 0.4 security system. I must admit my heart hammered a bit harder as I jumped in but no one was there so I moved on to do my 1st L3 mission. I quickly found out that it was well within the ability of a 2m skill point pilot with a Thorax. I had to warp out once to repair and had almost finished when the bad thing happened.

A new ship popped onto my overview. It took me a few seconds to realise what was happening as he appeared just as I was picking up the loot from the last downed rat. He had me scrambled before I realise it stopping me from getting away then he dropped 4 or 5 drones on me. I tried to target but he had ECM – my armour disappeared disturbing quickly and before I realised it, my pod was in space and I was warping out as fast as I could.

My insurance company wrote to me and had a velator waiting for me with a free pressie of 1unit of tritanium (what were the developers thinking?) before I docked. I had some militants from a previous missions that I picked up to complete the mission (about 8k ISK + bounties). The level 3 certainly do pay out better than the L2s if you bring your ship back in 1 piece!

The insurance paid out 6m as did the corporation (thanks Smint and Jayden) leaving me loaded with enough for a new Thorax (Hazelnut II – about 6m as backup) and my Myrmidon (32m + fittings).

I won’t dignify the pirate that killed me with a mention – it taught me something I suppose I needed to learn – only go into 0.4 space with a PVP fit-out, particularly Warp Core Stabilisers (Stabs). I’m informed by the corporation that no one will do the same in high-security space as Concord will arrive to your rescue – you only need to survive long enough for Concord to do their work.

I have found a L3 FIO agent with no close-by low sec systems near the corporation base to continue my L3 career!