Ships & Modules

YES!! So, I used to go low-sec mining for the valuable Jaspet ores but would get blown up a lot in the Navitas by other players, so I haven't been back in a while. Been chillin' and skillin' in high sec, learning how to fit ships, and I decided to brave the wildlands again a few moments ago with a Jaspet run in Alachene with my new Vexor low-sec combat mining fit:

[Vexor, Torbat-e Class ]
F85 Peripheral Damage System I
1600mm Reinforced Steel Plates I
Energized Thermic Membrane I
Energized Thermic Membrane I

Medium Azeotropic Ward Salubrity I
Medium Azeotropic Ward Salubrity I
Medium Azeotropic Ward Salubrity I

EP-S Gaussian Excavation Pulse
EP-S Gaussian Excavation Pulse
Dual 150mm Carbide Railgun I, Caldari Navy Plutonium Charge M
Dual 150mm Carbide Railgun I, Caldari Navy Plutonium Charge M
Prototype Cloaking Device I

Medium Processor Overclocking Unit I
Medium Trimark Armor Pump I
Medium Cargohold Optimization I


Mining Drone I x5
Mining Drone I x6
Wasp I x1
Hammerhead I x1
Hornet II x2

So, I pick a solid chunk of Pristine Jaspet and unleash a flight of mining drones on it, then open my D-scan while I approach the 'roid, and notice a Drake and an Incursus on there.... but hang on a minute, that Incursus is really close. And it was, less than a hundred clicks away just off my starboard, so I recalled the mining drones and let out the two Hornets, the Wasp and the Hammerhead, and let them orbit while I orbited the Jaspet at 5 klicks with my miners drilling away, and just waited to see what would happen.

So the Incursus warped away, and but it was still on D-scan, as was the Drake, so I left the combat drones out just in case, and kept drillin' away, slightly nervous considering that was my first trip into low-sec where someone decided to leave me alone... for now.

Then, the Incursus appeared again, warping in close, less than 10 klicks away, and started targeting me, so I returned the favour. He got lock before I did, but webbing me and opening fire on me caused my drones to attack automatically, otherwise I would have left him alone. I got lock a few moments later, and let loose with my mediums. He was on half his armour before I could blink - I actually wondered if he was even packing a repper. I concluded probably not, and that this would be my lucky day - without a scram of my own though, I couldn't stop him warping away. That's okay, though, cuz I didn't really want to kill him, I just wanted to be able to defend myself, and I succeeded.

For my first time, I went mining in low-sec and didn't die! In fact, I engaged in my first PvP combat victory today - IMO, even without a killmail, running away counts as a loss

I still hadn't seen the Drake do anything except disappear off my D-scan. I finished a full load of Jaspet and returned for a second, and wasn't bothered at all.

Today has been a good day

Basic stats of this ship with my skills: 154.5dps total, including guns and that sole flight of combat drones (which I have in a group for easy deployment, labelled so as not to confuse them with the mining drones), guns only make up 46.7 dps (I can't use T2 mediums just yet), 16,291 ehp with DC running, and yes I know I've double-tanked but it works. The idea is to improve my chance of survival, not run away, hence why there's no warp stab. Armour resists are 56% EM, 76% thermal, 43% kinetic, and 21% explosive, and obviously these can be adjusted by changing the low slot thermic membranes for.... well, whatever you want. Cap stable, including when cloaked (I thought that might come in handy one day maybe, but haven't needed it yet, plus I couldn't really figure out what to fit on the leftover high slot). Top speed is lousy, only 190, but you could swap a shield extender for AB and still be cap stable and have a damn good tank.

Needless to say, I know it was only an Incursus, and not a very even fight, but I would have stuck around for the Drake. I probably would have lost, depending on his fit, but I would have been happy to try.

Definitely a good day

Also, would love to hear any constructive input on how I could make this even better.

Footnote: I have REALLY high drone skills, which is good because I don't think I hit that Incursus even once with my guns, looking back over my combat logs just now

Link to combat log

Thanks. I am actually trained for EWAR drones so I might just check that out. I had the extra mining drones "just because" there was more space in the hold and I thought spares might come in handy if rats ever got them. But considering I can pull them in pretty quickly if I have to, that's a change I can implement next time I'm on.

I was going to fit prop, but I do prefer the extra "cushiness" of a high number of hitpoints. I have a T2 10MN AB handy if I need it, and a cap booster... now that i think about it, if someone decided to neut me, I might be in trouble. I'm stable at over 90% atm, but it might not be worth the risk to fly low without one.

Ah, I see. I will take a look at that then. Would I be removing the resistance amps for the reppers?

Okay, I get it, cheers.

Not very constructive, is it.

I'd rather get the Nocxium myself than waste my ISK buying it off the marketplace. Additionally, how do low-sec inhabitants get set up in low-sec without starting somewhere?

I'm not interested in what NOT to do, I want to know how I CAN do it. I'm also not interested in deterring anybody. If someone wants I fight, I will give them a fight, hence why it's a COMBAT miner, and not just a miner.

Thanks for trying, though, but I won't be avoiding low-sec, regardless of opinions on how crap the ore is (apparently, you still need nocxium to build stuff - who knew?)

You're not even on the same page. You think I'm trying to make money?

I'm not mining in order to sell the minerals.

I'm mining to USE them. And guess what, I CAN do it and I HAVE been doing it most of the day, so ner obviously, figuring things out instead of just giving up on the possibilities isn't your strong suit. There is such thing as a combat miner and I proved it by using it in combat, while mining.

You're not sorry, though, I can tell that straight away. You're just cynical, and probably the kind of player that thinks players should only play a certain way. And FYI, if you think I'm silly enough to just focus on one low-sec system, you're mistaken. I also know how to use DotLan, and local chat, to check system activity. Did you know Alachene isn't always as active as you seem to think? I was alone in the system at one point today.

You are being terribly cynical without offering me any viable alternatives to acquiring what I needed - nocxium, all of which I needed, I know have thanks to successful low sec mining ops. One of which I successfully utilised the cloak to evade a Drake - saw him coming on D-scan, recalled drones, cloaked, and was invisible before he even came out of warp. He stuck around for a while, did a run from one end of the field to the other and then sat static for about ten minutes before leaving. He disappeared from local chat, so I uncloaked and got back to mining.

So it turns out I CAN defend a solo mining op in low sec, in a Vexor, because I HAVE done so. So once again, stop saying "you can't", because obviously I'm succeeding where you've simply failed, or at the very least, failed to try (which in my book are the same thing).

Hey, thanks for the tips! I've got most of those, but the one about finding a pipeline is new for me. And I hadn't thought of scanning down grav sites - I am trained in the Helios so I can pick up a ship that's perfect for the job

And don't worry, if you try to kill me.... Imma try to kill you right back

I'm currently training for mining barges, need to get Industry V yet before I can fly any of them, but I've always intended to check them out. Cheers, though I am enjoying my Vexor, though. Found a wormhole to Ashitsu a little while ago and managed to kill two Guristas battlecruisers with it before I started mining. It seems to be as good a pipeline system as any, too, and it turns out, it's not too far from me via gate travel when the WH goes down.

Yeah you're going to be a pirate one day :)