Occupied w-space benefits scanning an exit
6th January 2010 – 5.50 pmAnother day to scan. Ignoring the anomalies in our home system reveals the latest wormhole quickly enough, and I jump through in my borrowed Imicus. A quick check of the directional-scanner is always prudent when entering a new system, although I'm not quite sure if I should do that before bookmarking the wormhole. The system appears unoccupied, and using the system map, I can see the distance to farthest planet. As the system doesn't extend beyond 14 AU, d-scan's range, there are no towers hidden from my scanner.
As can be expected from an unoccupied w-space system, there are plenty of sites to find and run. Amongst the many anomalies are several ladar and gravimetric mining sites, as well as a few radar and magnetometric sites, which are more dangerous than anomalies but hold highly profitable loot hidden away in data caches or relics. Normally, an unoccupied system like this would be welcomed, but as there is no one currently around all the opportunity will go to waste. More importantly, finding an exit wormhole is made more time-consuming, having to resolve the sites of specific Sleeper interest in order to know to ignore them. I eventually find another wormhole, this one leading again in to a w-space system, such is the consequence of having moved deeper in to w-space.
The second system is also unoccupied, again resulting in over dozen signatures to resolve in finding the next wormhole, hopefully the exit to New Eden. At least I am less at risk in the Imicus whilst exploring systems empty of other capsuleers. My early searches locate some gravimetric, ladar and radar sites, fairly interesting in themselves but not the wormhole I'm looking for. Scanning this far has taken me a while, so I head back to the tower for a break.
By the time I return to continue scanning, two changes have occurred. The daily reality shift has repositioned and realigned the wormholes, and I have been kindly left a Buzzard in which to scan. The Buzzard is a Caldari covert operations boat, ideal for scanning and capable of fitting a covert operations cloak. Being able to warp to unknown wormholes whilst cloaked will make me feel much safer. Locating our local wormhole is again quick and painless, and I jump through to an occupied w-space system. Bookmarking the return wormhole, I warp off cloaked to a relatively safe spot in the system, launch my probes, and recloak to start scanning.
Scanning in occupied systems is rather more dangerous, particularly if the capsuleers are overtly hostile or protective of their space. Of course, they need to find you first, but the presence of scan probes on the d-scan is normally spotted quickly, and wormholes can be bubbled or simply camped. Never the less, an occupied system is ideal for me at the moment, as it means there are likely to be far fewer sites present, leaving only wormholes and maybe the odd mining site. As I suspect, the wormhole in this system is easy to find, almost being by itself amongst the cosmic signatures. The wormhole has no ships circling it, so I jump through to another occupied system, again with almost no sites showing up on a scan. I can almost sense an exit to New Eden.
And there it is. The wormhole is revealed quickly enough again, and reconnoitring it shows it leads to high-sec space. No doubt it is mostly luck that leads me to a convenient exit today, but I like to think that flying the Buzzard helped too. I head back to the corporation tower to swap the cov-ops ship for my Crane, before blasting back in to New Eden, to take care of industry, research, and to claim my Zephyr.
2 Responses to “Occupied w-space benefits scanning an exit”
Zephyr is great little, "Oops, screwed up that cosmic signature!" salvage boat. I'm glad you got out in time to get yours picked up. In k-space they've become quite the head-hunter prize. Real rats and ne'er-do-wells the universe over are busy trying to keep the total number of ships at a bare minimum [with bare minimum being defined as, "All except the ones in my hangar."]
And scanning with the Buzzard is truly a two edged sword. You'll amaze yourself sometimes with the speed and prowess with which you locate sites on one hand. On the other, if you are ever flying anything else, you'll seriously begin to think you must be doing something wrong. This is even further compounded if the covop has some of those fancy Sisters of EVE corporation launchers and probes. It's nearly sick how fast some people can scan down signatures.
I've heard Zephyrs are being targeted with prejudice, and they'll no doubt become quite rare.
I also know what you mean about the Buzzard. I have often thought I 'must be doing something wrong' when scanning, but the right tools make the task much easier.