Every once in a while I check out the EvE forums, and every once in a while something strikes me as funny. This is one of those particular instances that stood out today.
The thread was entitled Best ways to catch cov ops haulers?.
I quote:
We are trying our bestest to outsmart and catch those abundant cloaky haulers such as viators, hoarders, prowlers and cranes. The scene is low sec. As they jump in from high sec they cloak up and warp out. So far I’ve tried putting up giant secure containers around the gate to try to decloak at least some of them but they can’t be anchored this close to the gate and vanish after downtime. I’ve tried smartbombing them on their outgoing gate but tank too strong, they slip through. I need to find another solution which would allow me to catch them, suggestions? Is freighter dropping 100s of shuttles legal? Not even sure if its possible. Need some good advice, halp?
About 7 comments down the page was this comment.
I quote again:
Confirming that the Blockade runner is pretty good at getting through blockades..
I don’t if I’m just punchy today or what, but it’s just funny. I fly Cranes, and knock on plasteel, I haven’t lost one yet. I’m still careful, but they’re designed to get through safely. They don’t carry a whole lot, but they’ve gotten me out of a lot of scary situations while I’ve been hauling.
5 Comments
I don't think you can do it in low sec. In 0.0 space a double bubble dictor can take down a warping cloaky, including a t3 with bubble immunity, with the correct sequence of bubble launches.
There's a known bug with double bubbles but several T3 pilots have told me about a workaround. I don't have a T3 so I can't confirm this myself.
Well can spamming gates is treated as an exploit.
Freighters don’t have cargo handlers so you can’t move stuff to and from a freighter unless docked or within range of a POS hanger.
Blockade runners are a poor choice for low sec,
but a better choice for null sec. DSTs make better low sec haulers than BRs and are better suited to low sec than null sec. Only ship a properly fitted dst needs to worry about is a HIC with a scripted disruptor.
In low sec you need the warp stabs of the DST and just bust through gates. A BR with it’s covops cloak is better for dealing with bubbles since it can fly full speed while cloaked. If you get caught in either ship in a bubble, you are dead so the trick is don’t get caught. Same in low sec, but stabs are the escape in low sec, again except for HICs you have nothing to worry about I’d you know how to fit and fly the ship properly.
Anyway, if you have a team, a jump freighter is the safest solution in all cases, but more expensive to buy and operate. It require fuel.
IMO, BRs are best for low sec because you don't have to worry about bubbles. BR have a small cargo hold is another reason why quick trips into low sec are best suited for BRs. BRs are also great for null but only if you are moving small expensive items. Anything beyond that an escorted freighter should be used or a JF.
How to stop/catch them, is your question? You just get lucky is all I guess. Because they are doing the job they are meant for and that is why they are hard to catch. Their draw back is small cargo hold size compared to other haulers.
The are no bubbles in low sec, only scripted disruptors that point and tackle you. A BR would need to fit stabs, otherwise if you get decloakes, you are dead. The benefit of the BR in null sec is being able to fly at full speed while cloaked to get of of the bubble faster.
The DST can go to warp cloaked if you know how to do it, though it doesn’t stay cloaked in warp. And except for the HIC pilot with extremely fast reflexes, you won’t get caught. When you spend as much time in low sec and null sec as I do in these haulers, you learn to take advantage of the subtle things that have a huge impact when you take proper advantage of them.
I have been in out here 99% of the time and haven’t yet lost a ship and bust through gate camp every day.