Hello fellow EVE players! I’m a pretty ancient character who hasn’t played in quite some time (I unsubbed a year ago, and hadn’t seriously played for like 3 years before that). I’m considering coming back to the game.
What I enjoyed doing the most was running a modest mining fleet in highsec (not bots, all manually controlled) while chatting with folks and drinking beers. So these days, if I were to set up a mining fleet somewhere, besides the occasional suicide ganker, what do I need to worry about? Sure, check the system for a FOB before doing anything, but I left the game before Triglavians were too big a thing.
So what ships are recommended to mine with these days, and should they be fitted for max yield, max defense, or somewhere in the middle?
I hope you come back, still lots of fun to be had. The Triglavians aren’t an issue currently from what I’ve seen - probably others will have more info on that than myself.
Other than that just the usual - your question about fitting is same as always - have you scouted a good quiet system, or are you mining near the ganker hangouts? What is your risk/reward comfort zone? I’m happy with mining in Hullks as I can’t stand the lower yield, but once every five years or so I lose one when I’m not paying close enough attention. Drop me a line in game if you want some more detailed Intel, I won’t bore everyone here. As always, check Cerlestes before you head out!
Like you I mine because I like to chat to people, although I don’t run a fleet. You will find some sector very quiet. Personally I try to chat to people while I’m mining because to me EVE is all about communication and community. Some people will chat some not. Ho hum.
I’m not wholly sure about using a Hulk for mining although if @0ld_Wolf is making them last for five years maybe he’s just way better than me at the mining lark. LOL
Most miners I’ve come across are using either Procurers, Skiffs, or Ventures. I used to mine in a Mackinaw. It was a lovely ship but hard to tank so it now sits in my hanger gathering dust, sadly.
If you’re looking for a corporation, the one I head up, Nul-Bridge Industrial Technologies is currently recruiting. We’re UK based, friendly and happy to consider most pilots.
If you want to chat more feel free to get in touch via in-game email.
I occasionally do some Orca mining. Generally I’m working on other stuff - markets, production, etc… at the same time. Mexallon and Pyerite are quite valuable these days, even Tritanium is at the high end of its traditional range. In my experience, the farther away you are from a trade hub, the less competition you’ll have for resources and the less likely you’ll be bothered by gankers.
Recent returner myself. Do some occasional mining in Venture (was not familiar with this ship before, love its 5000 m3 dedicated ore hold) can make a couple mils per hour (though mostly do it for own use when need ore to build some ship). Fitted with shield ext and drone damage amp fielding 2 T2 small drones can deal with normal NPC rats even in lowsec with no interruption (with high drone skill levels) and also collect some loot but have to watch out for diamond rats and (in lowsec) for other players, ready to warp off. Goes well with beer or other drink. Now can also mine richer asteroids near moons (was not aware of this possibility before) and ore anomalies in lowsec which are fun and reasonably thrilling.
Don’t waste your money. Do F2P 1st. Make sure them ■■■■■■■ things up on mining doesn’t mess up your plan. Nothing more than reg mining ore from moons. You still have the cyber terrorist CODE bullying around the system or their lapdogs. Now they screwed up the ice fields. They screwed the who area up with these damn trig. Now they cut jita off from the main fly threw. take close to 50 jumps to get to several area. (Thanks in no small part to fuktards from CODE helping the trig.)
I also returned recently and spend most of my time mining. My main character is in a very nice corp, Hideaway Hunters. Very good people, very friendly, mature adults. I highly recommend them. There are always 15-30 in-game when I am on. I too like to chat with my corp mates while mining. The corp uses Discord but I do not. Corp chat is enough for me.
Mining is…mining. I mine in hi-sec for most of what I need to produce frigates to sell. I buy what I can’t mine in hi-sec.
The key is to find a relatively quiet system, 0.7 and above, preferably one with a player-owned structure that offers compression services just in case I want to sell some of my ore. I have been told that big wars going on in lo-sec have smashed up many, many large ships, so demand for even veldspar is high throughout New Eden.
My main character and my main alt each have a Covetor and a Retriever. None of my characters is maxed out super duper anything. I just enjoy looking at the beauty of New Eden while I chat with my corp mates and mine ore.
How many alts do you mine with? That number changes the strategy of gameplay.
I have 30 highsec miners, all in out of the way systems with more than 5 belts.
My setup is 1 max boost orca, 4 covetors.
When I notice activity within 5 jumps, I switch to 1 max boost orca and 4 procurers.
That can have a pretty significant effect on my daily numbers.
If I find there is a quiet wh with some tasty ore, I use 1 porpoise and 4 endurances.
I never do groups of more than 5, because the orca/porpoise already fills up pretty fast. If I don’t miss cycles, and keep moving properly, my numbers go up to around 3b a day.
One day I hope to go mining with you, I’d like to see that, it doesn’t seem possible 3 bil, maybe I am wrong because I’m only considering high sec and maybe you mine in null.
None. If you want better returns just take your sub money (dollars or euros or whatever) and buy PLEX - it would earn you more ISK than actually using your mining fleet. Especially in HS.
Or better yet just buy yourself a pizza, that way you’d get yourself at least some enjoyment for your investment
I haven’t really looked around much after the resource changed but all I find is pebbles in high sec systems. I can mine out a belt in a Mack in like an hour and most times it doesn’t take a full laser cycle per asteroid.
I think the npc miners are the reason because I never see anyone in the systems I’m in doing anything other than moon mining.
Anyway, take that as one anecdote. I’m not sure how I’d orca mine with these either let alone a fleet.
in a similar place as the OP, just came back this week and payed for Omega for the first time since, well, since Omega has existed. I made a new account for the bonus skill points and have my self in a procurer after a few days, with dreams of chilling in an Orca with my drones doing the work.
I’ve been seeing some talk about permits and some code or whatever, Is this something I need to pay attention to? Or is it nerd-flexing?
