Clearing a class 3 w-space system of Sleepers
2nd December 2010 – 5.15 pmThe home system is empty and quiet. I scan all the signatures again, keeping track of the changes, and noting that we have a new ladar site. There is only one wormhole in our home class 4 w-space system, though, keeping us free from visitors so far today. I warp to the wormhole, our system's static connection, to jump through and explore our neighbouring C3.
My directional scanner shows me a tower in the system, but no ships. I locate what I think is the tower only to drop out of warp near one that is off-line, although I definitely saw a force field on d-scan too. I realise that my sweep of d-scan, looking for modules coinciding with a single moon, was a little hasty, although it reinforces the point that it is easier to check active towers by checking for force fields than tower names. A second sweep of d-scan finds the active tower easily enough, which I bookmark for reference.
Scanning the class 3 system is simple, and enticing. Only four signatures are present, resolving to a ladar and gravimetric site, and two wormholes. One wormhole is the K162 leading homewards, the second must be the system's static connection, which means there are no further links coming in to the system. In that case, I don't visit the static wormhole, as the ten anomalies I also find when scanning are ripe with profit and can be best exploited without interruptions from other nosy capsuleers.
As I jump home to get my Tengu strategic cruiser Fin turns up, bringing as much company as firepower. I update my cohort with today's status report and warp out to begin shooting Sleepers in the class 3 system, Fin following behind in her own Tengu. Her ship needs a refit, though, with one of the low-slots compromising her tank a little. Fin returns to our tower to swap out modules after the first anomaly is cleared of Sleepers, as I continue in to the second.
My reliance on short-ranged heavy assault missiles and the Sleepers' heavy use of webbing effects becomes painfully apparent in the second anomaly, as the cruisers are able to keep their distance beyond my range. At least my warp engines are not disrupted and I simply warp to a different anomaly to continue, Fin returning shortly after I do. We blast through the class 3 anomalies easily enough, my HAMs and Fin's heavy missiles ripping through the Sleepers.
And a second pilot is all it takes for the anomaly that stymied me to be cleared as well. The Sleeper cruisers not being able to keep out of range of the heavy missiles, and when they divide their attention between the two of us I can even close the gap to get in my own weapon range. Nine of the ten anomalies in this system are cleared in total, both of us salvaging to bring home easily enough loot to cover a month's tower fuel with plenty of profit left over. Having a static connection to a C3 looks like working well for us.
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