Highsec Mining and Counterbumping

New Citizens Q&A
1

I used to play EVE back in the day, so many of the mechanics are still in play, but I consider myself pretty new to the game as I’ve just come back and there’s so much new stuff going on. I used to PvE and PvP quite a bit, but never really mined. So, while I’m not a complete noob, I am relearning the game. With that said…

So, I’ve taken up highsec ice mining, in part to try something new in EVE and (primarily) to just have something to chill out and watch asteroids crack. I know having details helps a lot in answering questions, so I’ll try to provide that up front. I am mining in an 0.7 system, it spawns 3 belts regularly, I’m in an NPC corp (for now), and I fly an Orca specifically for use in solo mining, I don’t have any alts, and I play actively (only AFK for bio breaks).

Also, I don’t believe in whining in EVE. Nothing in this is meant to imply anything needs a nerf or a buff. The mechanics work fairly all around and this is a question primarily for gameplay in the current EVE system.

And, now that I’ve taken an hour to get to the point (he said before writing even more)…

I have a guy who enjoys bumping me off rocks, just for the lolz, I guess. I have no problem with that. To each his or her own, and he or she is probably having fun. So, I have zero issue with that. And, frankly, if he can make the game more of a hassle for bots, then I’m all for that.

What I’d like to do is make it a bit more difficult for him to bump me.

I’ve tried talking to him (he blocked me, so that is a non-starter), and he’s in an NPC corp also, so mercs can’t war dec him. So, my solution is to orbit the rock I am mining (via drone) at about 5km. That is actually not inefficient, though parking on the rock would, of course, eliminate most of that travel time for the drone, thus increasing my yield per hour.

To make this Orca as fast as possible (yes, I see the many issues with even writing that sentence), given my choices in mining ships, and just to try something new and test it out, I’ve fitted it with an MWD and I’m even trying out an Overdrive Injector II, and orbiting a rock at 5km w/ the MWD active it gets roughly 305 m/s (490 m/s max). At that speed, the bumper has missed me probably 25% of the time (which is kinda funny to watch a guy take a run at me from 100-200 km off, only to fly right by - pretty much the only satisfaction in this scenario), which seems to be the best I can do. He flies a Fleet Issue Stabber, btw.

Is there anything else anyone can recommend for enduring or countering a dedicated bumper? The goal: to make him finally say: “OK, this guy is more hassle than he’s worth, moving on to an easier target.”

I’ve considered and ruled out the following:

  1. Leaving the system and finding another (as a carebear, I like the three ice belts, and highsec, for now, is fun for me)
  2. Hiring mercs to gank him (for the reason cited above)
  3. Negotiating with him (again, as above, a non-starter as he’s blocked me)
  4. Choosing another activity or profession until he goes away)
  5. Parking next to a mining fleet to make my Orca at least a bit more of a pain to get to rather than having it sit out there all alone in orbit
  6. Trying to figure out which other miners might be buddies of his and staying out of the belt they are mining in (from what I can figure out, he’s not buddies with any fleet and he’s not protecting his own - just loves bumping)
  7. Moving to one of the two other belts to avoid him (he just follows and bumps)
  8. My last step was to create a Dramiel (understanding there are probably better ships for this, but this was within my SP) to attempt to bump the bumper and at least be annoying (and yellow box him, if only for the ever so slightly increased “I’m here” nuisance factor) and be a bit more proactive - understanding all the while that I was likely only drawing his attention further, and giving him a response he enjoyed - but, as he pretty much has targeted me anyway, I was OK with that.
  9. Leaving the MWD cycling while orbiting so that, if Im bumped off into deep space, my Orca will return as “fast” as it can to the rocks.

Anyway… I know this was a tediously long post, to say the very least, so apologies for the War and Peace OP, but I know it’s annoying when the OP only has partial info and three replies later you finally get to the info you need to respond…

Cheers and thank you for any advice. Hopefully, ya’ll have some fun with ideas here…

EDITED to fix some poor grammar.

2

Why are you using an Orca if you aren’t AFK?

3

Ore hold yield, and that I don’t want to make repeated trips back and forth in a Skiff, etc. ISK per hour, if not bumped, is pretty good using an Ice Harvester II and watching the rocks crack while also watching a movie or whatever else on my laptop next to my primary monitor. The drone cycles at about 50 seconds, so it’s a decent income. Just my personal preference. Seems to be a popular one. As I write this, there are (I just counted) 14 Orcas doing the same thing on this current belt, for example) - each using a drone, though I’m the only person orbiting, the rest are parked.

4

They’re all AFK. That’s the only reason to use an orca over other better mining vessels.

1 Like
5

If the guy never bumps most of the other ships in the belt it is likely the stabber pilot is an alt of the probably-multiboxer running at least a few if not all the other ships there.
He’s bumping you because he doesn’t want you taking “his” ice. Get a stabber yourself and start bumping the other ships he never bumps.
Say in local something like “I’m not leaving. I will disrupt your operation until you decide it’s less bother to leave me alone.” Now, whether or not you choose to stop mining there at any point is your choice, but he doesn’t need to know that.
Make it your choice, not his.
Bump them more than Kim Kardashian on meth at a bumpercar ride.

4 Likes
6

I’ll give that a go. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to who else is mining. I actually wrote down who was mining and he wasn’t bumping, but no matter who is in there, he just enjoys targeting me. But, as bumping isn’t much on the way of ISK-generating, I have to think he’s got alts mining or doing work. So, we’ll find out…

7

You can also add him with a standings level of your choice for easier recognition as it will also show up in space and on overview or when you open his character page.

2 Likes
8

Since you seem more like the active kind of guy; when you see him coming, circle the rock at 500m and try to stay on the other side of the rock. That way he will bump of the rock.

1 Like
9

Have you considered not being a highsec carebear?

10

What kind of carebear should he be in your opinion?
A Code-carebear, or a lowsec-carebear, or maybe a nullsec-carebear?

11

It doesn’t matter as long as he’s not being a highsec carebear.

12

I am and proud of it.

http://1.1.1.1/bmi/4.bp.blogspot.com/-cSwxHJ0VwlE/UznE9FxeHpI/AAAAAAAARbc/lvxdlJzEpvY/s1600/20.gif

13

I like option number 2.

14

Most likely scenario is that a cartel is trying to monopolize mining in that system and this guy is their enforcer. He may simply be getting paid to do a job - nothing personal.

If this is true, you won’t be able to outlast them, they will make your life and that of other independents who try to mine the belt as miserable as they can until you move on.

The good folks at CODE. may be able to help you by making the other groups’ lives miserable.

15

Basically just not a carebear would be fine.

Yeah it does. Carebear is a carebear regardless where they hide :blush:

16

Since i’m an ice-miner in highsec, i am almost never hiding.

1 Like
17
18

This topic was automatically closed 90 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.