Clever, but not Clever Enough

I like the adaptation that takes place around New Eden.  The evolution of hunter and hunted.  As the hunters find success, the hunted will evolve and improve.  This, for a short time, will confound and perplex the hunter until they too can evolve and improve.

In Pochven there is a good mix of hunter and hunted.  All of this in a convenient loop of connected systems.  An ecosystem on its own.  Some of the activities in Pochven can be extremely lucrative.  Some mildly rewarding.  Some take part in no activity and are just visitors passing through, using the filaments to come and go.  All activities make the chances of encountering other players across the various timezones possible.

I mentioned a while back how I have slowed down as I pass through the systems.  I will bounce around the system, take a look around, take a pause.  This has yielded some nice kills adding explorers and salvagers often found away from the gates.  I even feel I've been able to catch clever mining frigates that have the ability to cloak up at the first sign of activity.  

Last night before logging out for the evening I ran across an industrial hauler, an Iteron Mark V.  These ships can be performing a range of activities, but are always generally hauling something of value so my interest was piqued.

I have greatly improved at pinning down the general location of my prey, so often I can get within a reasonable range quickly.  This has served me well and allowed me to observe my prey and understand their habits and practices.  Knowing your prey will allow you to anticipate and gain the advantage on them.

This particular Iteron was warping from one Player Owned Customs Office(POCO) to then next.  I was able to get to the first POCO quickly.  As I approached the Iteron I noticed they were warping to the next location so I did not de-cloak and waste my opportunity.  I followed on to the next POCO.  As I landed a bit off the POCO structure I noticed they were about 200km away.  Bummer.  I foolishly approached feeling they might use a filament or maybe just sit there, but no.  They warped down to the POCO to conducted their business then warped on to the next POCO.  I followed.

At the 3rd POCO I now knew the drill.  Still at a short range from the POCO structure I waited.  When they came down the POCO structure I was ready, kind of.  Sadly they were on the other side of the structure.  This presented an issue as I was 45km away still and would have the slowly burn around the structure or decloak and be extremely quick but now give away my advantage.  Either scenario I am risking the loss of this target.  So I waited and hoped that they had at least 1 more POCO to visit.  They did.

On the final Poco I landed and waited.  This time they came down almost next to me.  A gift.  I quickly snapped them up.

As luck would have it I also obtained a trophy for the cabinet, the frozen corpse.  This capture ended the evening on a good note, and I left grateful for the quick and successful adventure.

For now,

Be Well New Eden!