Recon Week

This week is going to be the build up to bi-weekly alliance mining ops. These ops are geared to killing a few birds with that single stone.

1. 1) getting the pilots of the different corps to work together.
2. 2) getting the minerals into the mineral bank so we have alliance level mineral reserves for mineral projects.
3. 3) train a new generation of miners/hauler how to strip a system properly with a minimum of fuss.

To do this conveniently, as I have stated, we need to find systems that meet fairly stringent constraints.

1. We need a 0.5 or 0.6 system. Anything higher does not contain enough of the better minerals.
2. We need to determine who has perfect refines (defined as 0% tax 0% waste for all high sec ores). We need to know which NPC corporations they have perfect refines at. This will put a range limitation on valid systems. The idea here is we don't want to be more than 2 jumps from a system with perfect refines. The refiner doesn't have to be online so long as he logs in relatively regularly.
3. Preferably the system we mine in does not itself have a station.
4. Preferably the system we mine in is not over crowded (no mining in hek - are you crazy?)
5. Preferably the system we mine in has over 12 belts (yea 0.5-0.6 and large belt count will restrict our choices).

Operating procedure:

• Startup
• A Mining boss will get the ball rolling. He will be designated the MC for the op (mining commander)
  
• The MC is responsible for scouting/designating the scout to determine which belts to attack and in which order. He is also responsible for choosing which belt on the night.
  
• The MC is responsible for keeping track of who attends the op
• The MC in an OP is like an FC in a fleet. He makes the decisions on which ship mix he needs for his op. Follow his/her orders.
  
• Operations
• This is fairly standard for any miner. We'll refine the details as we get better at it but basically this type of operation is designed to strip a belt. Don't worry too much about asteroid quality. Just cluster in 2's and 3's at strategic locations in a belt. (most belts can be spanned by 3 bookmarks)
• Have specific haulers assigned the the cans at specific spots. They haul the mins from the cans to the station. In the presence of thieves they keep the cans empty and pay attention for flips. Don't get aggro.
  
• Always haul to the MB's designated station - chosen because someone in the alliance has perfect refines there.
• Should the MC need to leave - He formally hands off the Boss-ness to another alliance Mining Boss who will become the new MC. make sure to eve-mail the details of attendence prior to the hand off.
  
• Closing down
• The MC in command when he decides the op has run it's course will call the end of the op.
• The miners will finish up and head on home
• The haulers will haul the last ore to station
• If the refiner is on hand he will refine it at the station otherwise the MC will transfer the ore to the mineral bank's control along with a list of who attended the op (and needs to get paid for the minerals harvested).
• Otherwise the bank will setup a contract so the refiner can get to it next time he logs in. The refiner will then transfer the refined minerals to the bank (either in person or by contract).
  
• Once the minerals are refined the bank will determine the value of the minerals received and will then send isk to all the people that attended the op in proportion to their work. (what to record without going crazy but still allowing for an equitable split needs to be discussed as well as the method of calculating mineral value)
• Thieves
• Till we get enough combat capable pilots in the right ships to setup ambushes we'll be passively resisting the thieves. I.e. don't get killed, reduce exposure by making sure there are more haulers and they keep their designated can locations as empty as possible
• Once we have enough combat recon/fleet recon/stealth bomber pilots we can setup ambushes. Till then don't go gunning. We'll discuss tactics in game.

Thats it for this post.