The repeated suicide tackling is already beeing used by both CODE and CFC:
among other kills. The tactic is more than valid and makes it possible to gank without bumping and expensive ships are being used on cheap targets (if you consider that a 7.6B Nomad is less valuable than some of the 11B+ freighters being bumped and destroyed). This tactic works, both CFC and CODE do not seem to have a problem with wasting expensive ships on it, and you do not need the ship every 30 seconds (0.5 concord response time is 30 seconds) because your gank fleet, like in the above examples, is ready to gank within the minute.
I’m seriously considering doing just that, any particular reason for recommending a Mach ?
The other thought I had was to bump the bumper, so he couldn’t line-up on the miner - if he can’t do the job he’s being paid for, they’ll stop paying him to do it - any comments on that ?
I don’t actually need to fit out the bump-ship at all (apart from an MWD perhaps) - it’ll be parked in a station in the same hi-sec system, and only come out to play when the bumper appears - what’s the cheapest hull that will do the job ?
Cost is the only reason. A Stabber (or Nomen or whatever bump cruiser) is an order of magnitude cheaper than the Machariel.
To that, you could say ‘no poors’ and be partly right as in this day and age a bumping Machariel is only a fraction of a monthly subscription, but I could still see a Stabber being a better choice for a poorer, new player.
I mean if you use the tool correctly the investment pays itself off. I relate it to a carebear researching his favorite BPO. Sure t takes some time and initial investment, but when it’s all said and done he should be able to use it to recoup his investment and more.
You can use your hand to tighten a bolt, but why do that when you can go buy and use this really nice set of ratcheting wrenches?
You know the value of what the Machariel does, so I’m not preaching to you.
Edit: Stabber for a poorer bumper, sure. Newer? No go straight for the Mach. It’s exactly what I did. 3 days of practice in Madi / Niarja and it has paid itself back and I was good enough to keep freighters perma-bumped for a gank Fleet.
Oh, I am sold, but a new player looking to add bumping capability to protect their belt may not want to employ the same money making tactics you have so effectively.
In any case, I am just being argumentative for the sake of completeness. Many years ago I did by a Stabber to start practising my bumping while I waited for my scout’s skills to train for the Mach. Back then my first Mach did also cost a noticeable fraction of my wealth, while Stabbers were cheap enough to buy in bulk.
Actually, to show you how naive I was about the game back then, I will admit that I actually bought 12 Stabbers for bumping and looting duties to make sure I had back-ups in case I ever lost them (and a few stashed around various parts highsec). Many years and maybe close to 1000 highsec ganks later, I still have 11 of them, the only casualty being a triple-stabbed one lost during a lowsec shortcut to a massive gatecamp. Highsec is just so safe.
But to the point, yes, if you have can afford an Orca, then you can afford a Mach. Just get one of those.