Destroyer down

I start the evening doing the usual, popping modules out of manufacturing slots and hauling them and the hulls over to the main forward base. Some hauling later and I've got 10 more vigils over there. I then x up. That's when things go wrong. I had decided to go in a destroyer. The FC told us to head to the system they were operating in. And bang, not paying attention I jump straight into a gate camp. Pointed webbed and going down. I manage to get some shots off and sure enough I manage to get about half way thru the shields of the Stiletto that's got me, but the end result is never in doubt with 2 Drakes and a Harbinger amongst other ships pounding away on my poor T1 Thrasher.

The amount of damage I was doing to the Stiletto going down though gives me hope that my fit was good and that in more favorable circumstances will prove effective. Unfortunately I didn't concentrate fast enough after going down to get my pod out and they managed to pop me quite handily... Well that sucked. (new medical clone). While piloting back to my forward base to get another ship the gang kind of disintegrates to multple d/c's and I decide that a different tack is called for.

I pull out a cloaky Probe with a recon launcher as primary armament. As the raised eyebrows going up, the PvP amongst you are going "WTF"? Here's the situation: lack of intel meant that a gate camp was left to stay and operatate at the Minmatar high sec door with relative impunity. We're also at that stage where the various corps don't seem to be willing to form gangs tonight so not much oppostion. Going in solo again? Suicide. So that's not an option. Only thing left? Scouting and intel reporting. Prevent other pilots from falling into the same trap.

So I jump in my probe, cloak, align, uncloak and warp away from the gatecamp (Thank you nanofiber structure). Warp back to a random distance from my observation point and imediately cloak and gun. As I start reporting pilots and ships they are flying local chatter lights up with an insensed stiletto pilot that I've come in with a cloaked probe. Sure enough, as I poor intel into the militia channel, it's got to make the amarr pilots nervous since any non-broadcast move against them will be done with full intel on thier dispostion. Sure enough within 5-10 min the gate camp breaks up and they leave the system.

Who'd a thunk that a simple cloaky Probe would be so good at breaking up a gate camp. The lesson? We need more intel flow on enemy movements in the Minmatar channels. We have a preponderance of fast maneuverable frigates in the Militia. There is no reason we don't always know exactly who's where at all time except that it's not organized. It's simple people the more we know about the enemies position and movements, the better any action the FC's will take will be. Also the better the smaller gangs can avoid getting caught. And third of all, knowing that they are being watched and reported on makes the opposition nervous. Nervous enemies make mistakes

I think that I'll be concentrating on scouting for the next little bit. My build up of cheap disposable (and cloaky) ships will prove useful in this endevor. I also need to continue my safespot creation and get more of the most frequented systems better bookmarked.