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How to easily deal with AI enemies while solo mining?
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Jauffre Perkele
The Scope
Gallente Federation
#1 - 2012-05-28 10:19:09 UTC
I started mining in a 0.5 sec system so I can use secure containers (got my cans stolen too many times), have less traffic and get better ore. The problem is that I get attacked by AI enemies very frequently and its a pain to fly back to the station, get my (pretty crappy) frigate with crappy weapons and then spend a while destroying them (takes a while due to my bad PVP experience and bad equipment), which makes me lose a lot of mining time.

Is there an easier way to deal with them? I tried finding some corps but I can't really find anyone in my time zone (Australia) and even then my time online varies depending if I have a lot to do (don't want to be a bad corp member). Would the best way be just getting a better ship and equipment for combat?

Thanks.
Johnny Augustus
Doomheim
#2 - 2012-05-28 10:29:11 UTC
What are you mining in? If it's anything above a frigate, you should just be okay with drones as a NPC defence. When ever an A.I attacks, just sic your drones on them.

But I'm willing to bet that you don't have any drone skills. I'd recomend getting some at the earliest oppurtunity. Even as a miner, they'll be a help to you. Mining drones can increase your yield, and combat drones can defend you. Mining barges and exhumers, which you'll eventually want to get into if you want to mine, have enough space in their drone bay for both, I believe.
Galletine
Doomheim
#3 - 2012-05-28 10:36:38 UTC
As a new player I was having the same issues. I found the Serpentis are not that difficult to kill. I actually started going to a lower sec area to find some tougher to kill. The reason I was doing this is because I wanted some combat play time but I have no idea how to find the big battles I see talked about.

You can actually use a small frigate to mine and fight them. I used a little Navitas while mining in a .4 area. Their cheap and most loads are worth more than the ship. I had a couple destroyers show up. I found if I focused on one and kept my distance from the other to avoid taking damage from both I could kill them both one at a time. You can always warp out to repair and come back to finish them.

The only thing I don't understand about the AI is why we get an aggression timer when the AI is whats attacking us.
Jauffre Perkele
The Scope
Gallente Federation
#4 - 2012-05-28 11:07:00 UTC
I've been using a Navitas with two Mining Laser IIs. I have enough skill to use three drones at once but the Navitas only has room for one drone. So I don't really have much offensive capability in it, and I thought that its best to have 2 mining lasers or else I may as well just mine with my hauler (iteron III). Should I look into upgrading to a more capable ship? At the moment I just fly back to my station, get my Tristian (which I just got destroyed when I got too a bit too ambitious), fly back and fight them.
Galletine
Doomheim
#5 - 2012-05-28 11:29:52 UTC
I don't know a lot about it but you might consider using the Imicus. I believe you can use three drones. It doesn't mine near as quickly though but three drones may be enough defense if you target only one AI at a time.

If your using a secure container though, I would think you could easily get by with on laser and one blaster and could still mine faster than the iteron. I found the iteron is extremely slow. I took a secure container out and anchored it then went back with my navitas to fill it up.

I actually started doing this in low sec also since I could make more, but I always used the Navitas since it is so cheap and one load of jaspet or hermo was worth the cost of the ship. One night I did about 1.5m with that little ship before I had to run from a pirate. But that is why I took the small ship, in case I died. I can see corps making much more though since they don't have to run.
Johnny Augustus
Doomheim
#6 - 2012-05-28 11:35:59 UTC  |  Edited by: Johnny Augustus
I would definately suggest upgrading, if only to upgrade your yield and increase your isk/hour ratio/. Which way you way you want to upgrade will be up to you. You have two choices:

1. You're gallente, so if you upgrade to a cruiser you have access to the Vexor. It can have fit four mining lasers, and it has a bonus to the yield of mining drones. With mining drones it can mine almost as much an an Osprey, considered by many to be the premier mining cruiser. You'll be far better able to fend off AI enemies, since you have a sizable drone bay and a bonus to drone damage. I believe it has a higher yield than the Procurer, the smallest mining barge. You're also less tempting to suicide gankers, since frankly... you ain't worth the loss of a ship.

2. Retriever. This is the second largest mining barge and it's something you'll want to get into eventually. It has enough room in it's drone bay for a full flight of light drones. You have to get the skills to pilot this ship anyway if you want to eventually get into a hulk. Downside is the fact that you start to become more tempting to the suicide gankers. It has a higher yield than the Vexor.

Which route you want to go is your decision. I believe if you start learnign the skills now, it will take about two or three weeks to get into the Retriever. You could be be in a Vexor with drones 5 in about a week, but when you eventually get into a mining barge or exhumer any levels you put into Gallente Cruiser 5 could be considered wasted SP depending on your future decisions.
J'Poll
School of Applied Knowledge
Caldari State
#7 - 2012-05-28 11:43:51 UTC  |  Edited by: J'Poll
Galletine wrote:
As a new player I was having the same issues. I found the Serpentis are not that difficult to kill. I actually started going to a lower sec area to find some tougher to kill. The reason I was doing this is because I wanted some combat play time but I have no idea how to find the big battles I see talked about.

You can actually use a small frigate to mine and fight them. I used a little Navitas while mining in a .4 area. Their cheap and most loads are worth more than the ship. I had a couple destroyers show up. I found if I focused on one and kept my distance from the other to avoid taking damage from both I could kill them both one at a time. You can always warp out to repair and come back to finish them.

The only thing I don't understand about the AI is why we get an aggression timer when the AI is whats attacking us.


Yet you unsub and start whining about all kinds of crap ( https://forums.eveonline.com/default.aspx?g=posts&find=unread&t=114241 )

There are multiple types of aggression timers, the NPC aggo timer (yellow) is nothing to worry about, it means next time in the 15 minutes you see same rats they will start shooting you (And even without that timer they will shoot you anyway).

As for OP: scout drones all the way on your mining ships (cruiser or above) and none of those NPC rats in Empire will be a match to you.

Personal channel: Crazy Dutch Guy

Help channel: Help chat - Reloaded

Public roams channels: RvB Ganked / Redemption Road / Spectre Fleet / Bombers bar / The Content Club
Jauffre Perkele
The Scope
Gallente Federation
#8 - 2012-05-28 11:48:44 UTC
Thanks guys! I think I'll upgrade to a Vexor + drones seeing as I can afford it(barely, still trying to work out how to get a good cashflow).

Thanks for the help, much appreciated :D
Johnny Augustus
Doomheim
#9 - 2012-05-28 12:02:19 UTC
Final tip, since you mentioned cashflow. You're a miner, you're never going to have a good cash flow compared to other stuff you can do in the game. That doesn't mean you shouldn't mine if you enjoy it. I'll sometimes mine because I find it relaxing.

A tip to improve your cash flow is rifining the ore that you mine. You can often get a better price for the minerals than for the ore. You'll want to boost your refining skills, as well as gaining faction standing with the corp in control of the station you bring your ore back to, so that the station doesn't take so much of your new minerals in tax. That can be done very easily and relatively quickly through courier missions, available through distribution agents. Since you'll be in a Vexor, you can also take combat missions from security agents. You won't raise your standings as fast as with courier agents, but it's a bit less monotonous. There's also a skill, which I can't remember, to help raise your standings with NPC corps.

But yeah, your cash flow kind of stinks right now because you're in a frigate. Once you're in something a bit bigger, you'll find it goes up a bit.
Jauffre Perkele
The Scope
Gallente Federation
#10 - 2012-05-28 12:13:23 UTC
I have been refining my ore, and training up some refining skills, I just usually stockpile it for a while and then sell it in bulk, which means I go a while without any income then I get it all at once then repeat. I just bought the vexor and the necessary skills so hopefully I'll have that up and running soon. I also plan to get into PVP but I'm just taking it slow in my first few months, killing Serpentis ships is fine for now. And thanks for the missions advice!
Yuriko Deathstrike
Federal Navy Academy
Gallente Federation
#11 - 2012-05-28 13:53:04 UTC
Galletine wrote:
I don't know a lot about it but you might consider using the Imicus. I believe you can use three drones. It doesn't mine near as quickly though but three drones may be enough defense if you target only one AI at a time.

If your using a secure container though, I would think you could easily get by with on laser and one blaster and could still mine faster than the iteron. I found the iteron is extremely slow. I took a secure container out and anchored it then went back with my navitas to fill it up.

I actually started doing this in low sec also since I could make more, but I always used the Navitas since it is so cheap and one load of jaspet or hermo was worth the cost of the ship. One night I did about 1.5m with that little ship before I had to run from a pirate. But that is why I took the small ship, in case I died. I can see corps making much more though since they don't have to run.


Imicus and Iteron are both poor choices for mining. If you dont care about ISK per load or you want to AFK mine and only make 1/3 or 1/4 of what a non AFK miner makes then yah go with those ships. Rather then take the Imicus which does have better defense and lower yield, i would relocate to a 0.7 sec belt with my GSCs.

@ OP i can tell you from personal experience, that 1 drone can handle 0.7 sec rats. In 0.6 Gallente space, in some regions you there is a chance 2 Safeguards will spawn and these hit pretty hard. If you end up seeing too many safeguards or your 1 Navitas drone cant handle 0.5 rats you can always relocate your GSC to 0.7 until you get a Vexor.

With a Vexor you can fit some a scanner, some tank modules, and some co-processors down low and fit 4 Miner II's, or 4 Miner I's. With the Vexor you have a huge drone bay so you can bring both defense drones and mining drones. The Vexor has enough shield capacity, you could have your mining drones out and if rats warp in you will have time to recall your mining drones, launch your hobgoblins/hammerheads and kill the rats. But once you go to a retriever, if you mine solo you will want to have defense drones.
Lewis L Vella
Aliastra
Gallente Federation
#12 - 2012-05-28 14:28:08 UTC
Probably a bit late if you already bought a Vex but I'm sure the Eve birthday present offer is on till June, check the website where you sort your Eve account, should be a link there - one of the choices includes a Vex & Thorax + skill books. At least you can sell & get some iskies back to cover your recent outlay or fit one miner & one combat. Love the Vexor by the way, great ship :-)

Good luck.

"Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast!"
Khanh'rhh
Sparkle Motion.
#13 - 2012-05-28 18:12:13 UTC
Lewis L Vella wrote:
Probably a bit late if you already bought a Vex but I'm sure the Eve birthday present offer is on till June, check the website where you sort your Eve account, should be a link there - one of the choices includes a Vex & Thorax + skill books. At least you can sell & get some iskies back to cover your recent outlay or fit one miner & one combat. Love the Vexor by the way, great ship :-)

Good luck.


You CAN do that, sure.

You could also accept the gift that simply sells for the most ISK (the one with 2 implants and all the mining books in it) -- which nets you about 40-45mil.

Then simply use this to buy the ship you need.

"Do not touch anything unnecessarily. Beware of pretty girls in dance halls and parks who may be spies, as well as bicycles, revolvers, uniforms, arms, dead horses, and men lying on roads -- they are not there accidentally." -Soviet infantry manual,

Baneken
Arctic Light Inc.
Arctic Light
#14 - 2012-05-28 19:23:30 UTC
Khanh'rhh wrote:
Lewis L Vella wrote:
Probably a bit late if you already bought a Vex but I'm sure the Eve birthday present offer is on till June, check the website where you sort your Eve account, should be a link there - one of the choices includes a Vex & Thorax + skill books. At least you can sell & get some iskies back to cover your recent outlay or fit one miner & one combat. Love the Vexor by the way, great ship :-)

Good luck.


You CAN do that, sure.

You could also accept the gift that simply sells for the most ISK (the one with 2 implants and all the mining books in it) -- which nets you about 40-45mil.

Then simply use this to buy the ship you need.


Or if you're actually in to mining train those skills as the offer has all the mining skills except a few important ones needed to train high end mining skills.
Also as far as mining is concerned only vexor has something to offer as (with maxed out skills) it mines as much as a retriever with t1 strip miners and unlike a retriever it actually has some degree of defense even when fitted solely for mining.

I've actually ran some lvl 2 missions with my mining Vexor; yes drone interfacing V with gal cruiser V and all V support skills are that good. Big smile
Galletine
Doomheim
#15 - 2012-05-28 19:40:28 UTC
J'Poll wrote:
Galletine wrote:
As a new player I was having the same issues. I found the Serpentis are not that difficult to kill. I actually started going to a lower sec area to find some tougher to kill. The reason I was doing this is because I wanted some combat play time but I have no idea how to find the big battles I see talked about.

You can actually use a small frigate to mine and fight them. I used a little Navitas while mining in a .4 area. Their cheap and most loads are worth more than the ship. I had a couple destroyers show up. I found if I focused on one and kept my distance from the other to avoid taking damage from both I could kill them both one at a time. You can always warp out to repair and come back to finish them.

The only thing I don't understand about the AI is why we get an aggression timer when the AI is whats attacking us.


Yet you unsub and start whining about all kinds of crap ( https://forums.eveonline.com/default.aspx?g=posts&find=unread&t=114241 )

There are multiple types of aggression timers, the NPC aggo timer (yellow) is nothing to worry about, it means next time in the 15 minutes you see same rats they will start shooting you (And even without that timer they will shoot you anyway).

As for OP: scout drones all the way on your mining ships (cruiser or above) and none of those NPC rats in Empire will be a match to you.

You have a fettish with me or something to purposely single me out. If you don't like me or one of my opinions, fine. But you could leave it on the thread I posted and not troll this guys thread. Despite my opinions of the game, I didn't bring them onto this topic. I stuck to the point and posted what I thought might help based on my very limited experience.
Sabotaged
Veritas Vincit
#16 - 2012-05-29 12:44:56 UTC
Jauffre Perkele wrote:
I started mining in a 0.5 sec system so I can use secure containers (got my cans stolen too many times), have less traffic and get better ore. The problem is that I get attacked by AI enemies very frequently and its a pain to fly back to the station, get my (pretty crappy) frigate with crappy weapons and then spend a while destroying them (takes a while due to my bad PVP experience and bad equipment), which makes me lose a lot of mining time.

Is there an easier way to deal with them? I tried finding some corps but I can't really find anyone in my time zone (Australia) and even then my time online varies depending if I have a lot to do (don't want to be a bad corp member). Would the best way be just getting a better ship and equipment for combat?

Thanks.


You need to fit drones into your mining vessel. Combat Drones 3, Drone Durability 2, and Drones Lvl 4.

[Osprey, Mining Osprey]
Expanded Cargohold II
Expanded Cargohold II
Expanded Cargohold II

Survey Scanner I
Medium Subordinate Screen Stabilizer I
Medium Subordinate Screen Stabilizer I
10MN Afterburner I

Miner II
Miner II
Miner II
Upgraded 'Malkuth' Light Missile Launcher, Mjolnir Light Missile

Medium Cargohold Optimization I
Medium Cargohold Optimization I
Medium Cargohold Optimization I


Hobgoblin I x1
Hornet I x1
Warrior I x1
Mining Drone I x1
Lyric Lahnder
Deep Core Mining Inc.
Caldari State
#17 - 2012-05-29 14:29:53 UTC
Galletine wrote:
J'Poll wrote:
Galletine wrote:
As a new player I was having the same issues. I found the Serpentis are not that difficult to kill. I actually started going to a lower sec area to find some tougher to kill. The reason I was doing this is because I wanted some combat play time but I have no idea how to find the big battles I see talked about.

You can actually use a small frigate to mine and fight them. I used a little Navitas while mining in a .4 area. Their cheap and most loads are worth more than the ship. I had a couple destroyers show up. I found if I focused on one and kept my distance from the other to avoid taking damage from both I could kill them both one at a time. You can always warp out to repair and come back to finish them.

The only thing I don't understand about the AI is why we get an aggression timer when the AI is whats attacking us.


Yet you unsub and start whining about all kinds of crap ( https://forums.eveonline.com/default.aspx?g=posts&find=unread&t=114241 )

There are multiple types of aggression timers, the NPC aggo timer (yellow) is nothing to worry about, it means next time in the 15 minutes you see same rats they will start shooting you (And even without that timer they will shoot you anyway).

As for OP: scout drones all the way on your mining ships (cruiser or above) and none of those NPC rats in Empire will be a match to you.

You have a fettish with me or something to purposely single me out. If you don't like me or one of my opinions, fine. But you could leave it on the thread I posted and not troll this guys thread. Despite my opinions of the game, I didn't bring them onto this topic. I stuck to the point and posted what I thought might help based on my very limited experience.


She's not stalking you Jpoll lives here. Dont walk into some one else's house and expect them not to see you.

Noir. and Noir Academy are recruiting apply at www.noirmercs.com I Noir Academy: 60 days old must be able to fly at least one tech II frigate. I Noir. Recruits: 4:1 k/d ratio and can fly tech II cruisers.
J'Poll
School of Applied Knowledge
Caldari State
#18 - 2012-05-29 14:47:57 UTC
Galletine wrote:
J'Poll wrote:
Galletine wrote:
As a new player I was having the same issues. I found the Serpentis are not that difficult to kill. I actually started going to a lower sec area to find some tougher to kill. The reason I was doing this is because I wanted some combat play time but I have no idea how to find the big battles I see talked about.

You can actually use a small frigate to mine and fight them. I used a little Navitas while mining in a .4 area. Their cheap and most loads are worth more than the ship. I had a couple destroyers show up. I found if I focused on one and kept my distance from the other to avoid taking damage from both I could kill them both one at a time. You can always warp out to repair and come back to finish them.

The only thing I don't understand about the AI is why we get an aggression timer when the AI is whats attacking us.


Yet you unsub and start whining about all kinds of crap ( https://forums.eveonline.com/default.aspx?g=posts&find=unread&t=114241 )

There are multiple types of aggression timers, the NPC aggo timer (yellow) is nothing to worry about, it means next time in the 15 minutes you see same rats they will start shooting you (And even without that timer they will shoot you anyway).

As for OP: scout drones all the way on your mining ships (cruiser or above) and none of those NPC rats in Empire will be a match to you.

You have a fettish with me or something to purposely single me out. If you don't like me or one of my opinions, fine. But you could leave it on the thread I posted and not troll this guys thread. Despite my opinions of the game, I didn't bring them onto this topic. I stuck to the point and posted what I thought might help based on my very limited experience.


I just wanted to point out that you have mixed views on what EVE is and has to offer.

As for OP:

I suggest, drones on a cruiser or above to defend you.

Logically if you like mining:

- Cruiser with bonuses of your choice (Osprey is best with miner II's in ISK/hour ratio and cargohold, but each race has their own)
- Retriever (skip the procurer, your cruiser will out mine it)
- Covetor
- Hulk

All of them with some scout drones to protect you against NPC rats.

As for using industrials for mining, Don't. They are totally crap for the job cause of slot layout and not receiving bonuses.
That being said, I have an alt that has an Iteron mk 5 for mining, but I use it only rarely. When I do, I use my laptop to run it, sit it in a 1.0 system (no rats there) and target as much veldspar rocks as possible. Then I play on the desktop with my main and only keep half an eye on the miner, as I have rocks prelocked as soon as one dies I just hit the miner again and move on to the next. It's not main income, it's not effective but you have to do something while on boring structure bashes.

Personal channel: Crazy Dutch Guy

Help channel: Help chat - Reloaded

Public roams channels: RvB Ganked / Redemption Road / Spectre Fleet / Bombers bar / The Content Club
J'Poll
School of Applied Knowledge
Caldari State
#19 - 2012-05-29 14:54:07 UTC
Lyric Lahnder wrote:
Galletine wrote:
J'Poll wrote:
Galletine wrote:
As a new player I was having the same issues. I found the Serpentis are not that difficult to kill. I actually started going to a lower sec area to find some tougher to kill. The reason I was doing this is because I wanted some combat play time but I have no idea how to find the big battles I see talked about.

You can actually use a small frigate to mine and fight them. I used a little Navitas while mining in a .4 area. Their cheap and most loads are worth more than the ship. I had a couple destroyers show up. I found if I focused on one and kept my distance from the other to avoid taking damage from both I could kill them both one at a time. You can always warp out to repair and come back to finish them.

The only thing I don't understand about the AI is why we get an aggression timer when the AI is whats attacking us.


Yet you unsub and start whining about all kinds of crap ( https://forums.eveonline.com/default.aspx?g=posts&find=unread&t=114241 )

There are multiple types of aggression timers, the NPC aggo timer (yellow) is nothing to worry about, it means next time in the 15 minutes you see same rats they will start shooting you (And even without that timer they will shoot you anyway).

As for OP: scout drones all the way on your mining ships (cruiser or above) and none of those NPC rats in Empire will be a match to you.

You have a fettish with me or something to purposely single me out. If you don't like me or one of my opinions, fine. But you could leave it on the thread I posted and not troll this guys thread. Despite my opinions of the game, I didn't bring them onto this topic. I stuck to the point and posted what I thought might help based on my very limited experience.


She's not stalking you Jpoll lives here. Dont walk into some one else's house and expect them not to see you.


Have to do something whilie being cloaky camped myself or do the cloaky camping to others. Nothing more rewarding knowing that none in system is doing stuff while I look at forum posts, or is waiting till I do something so he can kill meBig smile

Personal channel: Crazy Dutch Guy

Help channel: Help chat - Reloaded

Public roams channels: RvB Ganked / Redemption Road / Spectre Fleet / Bombers bar / The Content Club
Bunnie Hop
Bunny Knights
#20 - 2012-05-29 15:20:09 UTC
If you rely upon drones to protect you while you mine make sure that you put them on 'passive'. You do this to prevent someone making the drones attack them by stealing from your wrecks, which makes you killable. While on passive you just target the NPCs attacking you and tell your drones to engage.
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