I got baited into attacking someone - and curious as to exactly what happened

[Retro_Vyvorant]

o7 fellow capsuleers,

I am a relatively new player (<7m SP) and would like to relate a PvP experience that I had a little while back, as it left me a bit confused as to exactly the mechanics/tactics that the baiters used against me.

I was going on a trip through highsec in a PvE fitted frigate with no special intention of getting into a fight with another player when I saw what appeared to be an AFK mining ship (it was a Porpoise or Dolphin or something like that - though not an Orca) sitting near a gate with a flashing yellow suspect timer. The ship was just sitting there motionless and I naively assumed that the pilot was AFK, and since I could freely engage him, I did - thinking that I was seeing a hapless target of opportunity.

I activate my modules on the guy and release my drones on him - and he doesn’t do anything at all. Just keeps sitting there as his shields deplete, reinforcing my belief that the pilot is AFK. However, once his shields are down to about 25% - he vanishes. Just disappears. Next thing I know I’m getting scrambled by a Thorax that has just appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, moments after the first ship vanished. I try and fight this new opponent but I am quickly outclassed, and as my ship explodes, I realize that the first ship I saw flashy yellow was bait and he/they were waiting for someone like me to come by.

Thinking back on the event, I realize a few mistakes that I made -

1. Obvious bait shoulda been obvious.
2. Engaging in PvP in a ship fitted for PvE.
3. Engaging another ship when I am unsure as to its role/capabilities.
4. Engaging in PvP near a warp gate when i’m alone and the target’s friends can warp in near me.

But I am still unclear on a couple things - where did that first ship go? I had it targeted so it couldn’t have cloaked up, and maybe I missed it, but I didn’t hear/see the nearby warp gate activate. And where did the Thorax come from, and how did it get there so fast? Again, I didn’t hear or see the cues of a ship warping in or decloaking - it was almost as if the mining ship had somehow ‘transformed’ into the Thorax.

Any input you guys could give me on the situation would be interesting.
o7

[Nevyn_Auscent]

Scooped into a bowhead/orca. Thorax ejected. And targeted back using the limited engagement.
Probably an Orca that warped in.

[Retro_Vyvorant]

Very interesting, I did not even know that was possible. Thanks!

[R4d1o4ct1v3]

High-sec is a very strange place. It has a collection of mechanics that somewhat made sense individually when they were introduced, but have combined and congealed into a mishmash of weirdness that even the most seasoned have a hard time predicting 100% of the time.

[Nevyn_Auscent]

Eh. crime watch 2.0 made it much easier to predict at least.
Generally someone hanging out flashy yellow is bait these days.