Science & Industry

Quick question.

I'm multi-boxing moning.
Currently have two hulks and an orca.
I also have a frieghter alt, which I'm currently using as extra retriever for mining, and as a hauler for when the orca is full.

Since it takes several runs from base to orca in order to fully unpack the orca while the hulks keeps going, I started wondering whether I should just stop the mining for a couple of minutes, send the orca to fully unpack, return, and continue mining.

So the options are basically:
1. Stop mining while the orca goes to unpack - 5-6 minutes (or so).
2. Stop the retriever from mining, and spend 15 minutes hauling, while the hulks keeps mining.

As option 2 does seems slower (I'm only getting 22.5M an hour this way currently with my alts skills, nothing is perfect but using T2 crystals on everyone), I wonder what is the best practice of large mining ops without a roqual).

Cheers.

just to add though if your more than 1 hulk and 1 retriever..quite fast the opposite starts to be the better option. (hauling from the orca)

Or get a POS with a hanger in the same system

Unload in space.

Hi Tikera Tissant,

Here is another idea: Send to Orca to unload and if you mine in the meanwhile any excess that doesn't fit into your cargohold, drop a can and store it there until the Orca returns, then pick up the can. Also synchronize the departure of your Orca with the beginning of your mining cycles, this should give you some additional time.

Of course dropping the ore into a can, even temporarily, is not without risk. But having the can out there for only a few minutes (until your Orca returns) and choosing a quiet system should help you in reducing you risk.

i find it easier just to dock the orca aslong you keep your miners within15 k they keep mining , the little bit of yield you lose for the few minutes the orca isn't providing a bonus is really nothing compared to what the total yield of your ops will be

If you mining with other people tho warn them if you going to dock the orca or make sure you have a dedicated hauler and even then he will probably not be able to keep up if you have 4 or more hulks and a orca mining

you shouldn't ever stop the mining lazers.

at beginning of a mining cycle, once orca reaches or nears its capacity, warp orca to station (do not dock). hulks cargo should be empty at this point. turn on mining gang links and sit outside station in orca till new mining cycle begins. dock as soon as new mining cycle begins, unload and if possible warp back before completion of that mining cycle. if not possible, unload, undock and align while turning on mining gang links again. at this point you'll need to jetcan for one cycle in the hulks. (sometimes i'll have them all share one can). once new cycle starts, warp orca back to hulks and wait till next full load. rinse and repeat.

I use 4 accounts: 2 Hulks + Orca / Rorqual + Bustard (Deep Space Transport)

The Bustard hauls so the Orca never has to move. The Rorqual stays within a force field, and the Hulks jetcan until the hauler comes by.

fixed for you...

On hauling, maybe invest in a Itty 5 with max rigs - 41,848 m3 if you want to go that route but I think the orca would be your best bet.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned that might help, is to turn on your orca boosts when you are aligning for warp. As you probably know, you don't actually turn them off until you warp but if the hulks start their cycle when they have it (say when you leave belt) as long as it's on when the cycle ends (when you are at station/back in belt), you'll still get ore out of it. Sometimes when I'm warping back from station I'll turn them on to make sure I don't miss that stray rock out past 15km.