Earning ISK from Sleepers

31st July 2012 – 5.55 pm

Shev's here and scanning as I wake up. He resolves the static wormhole for the both of us as I orientate myself and note that the build-up of gas in the home w-space system is yet to dissipate. I suppose a bunch of clouds doesn't really get too much in the way, but they are a minor distraction when looking for other w-space systems to explore. Resolving a new signature to be a ladar site doesn't quite hold the expectation of finding a rogue wormhole connecting in to the system. But now we've opened one in to another class 3 w-space system, and we head in to see what opportunity awaits.

There is nothing for our directional scanner to show us from the K162 in C3a, although my notes from a couple of weeks ago indicate a tower should be just out of range. I bookmark the wormhole home, move and cloak, and warp away to see that the tower remains where it was and that no one is home. I think that's how it was the last time I was here too. Scanning reveals seven signatures and a healthy thirteen anomalies, including a bunch of our favoured type, although by 'our' I mean 'mine and Fin's'. I think Shev can be persuaded of their benefits.

This evening certainly looks like it could be a good time to earn some iskies from the Sleepers. The system is quiet, there are enough anomalies to keep us busy, and the seven signatures hold just the one wormhole. I keep the wormhole unvisited for now—although that doesn't guarantee it not being already opened—and Shev and I head home to board our Sleeper Tengu strategic cruisers. Well, I board mine, Shev borrows Fin's, which seems quicker and easier than him refitting his own Tengu.

We return to C3a and I pick the first anomaly. The sites are spread out a little, but I take care to choose anomalies within d-scan range of the local tower for us to clear. It doesn't seem intuitive to stay in range of possible prying eyes, but my reasoning is that I'd rather see when a local pilot appears even if it means he can see us. That is surely preferable than having a local capsuleer turn up, scout his home in a cloaky boat, and get the drop on us without us having a chance to see him first. Of course, much like leaving the wormhole unvisited, this safety is not a guarantee either, but I consider it better than the alternative.

Two anomalies are cleared with little fuss, but little is not none. Shev is having issues with the stability of his Tengu's capacitor. Perhaps a little insultingly, I wonder if the ship's fitting suited for me and Fin is straining his own skill training, not quite sure how many skill points Shev has accumulated. It turns out that Fin refitted her Tengu for anomaly combat in the home system, removing a capacitor recharger for a target painter, knowing that the pulsar phenomenon would compensate, and that our two ships are no longer duplicates. I forgot about that. Shev takes a short break to swap the two modules over back at the tower, and returns to happily announce that the capacitor is now stable. Good man.

We blast through two more anomalies, with even less fuss, and decide that we've probably got enough ISK for one night. That is, as long as we can recover it. We jump home, board a Noctis salvager each, and go back to C3a to sweep up all the wrecks we've created. We pick two anomalies each, loot and salvage to our hearts' content, and return safely home with a fairly average two hundred million ISK in combined earnings. It's not great, but it's also not shabby, and it keeps the value of our wallet heading in the right direction.

With ISK made, I think it's time to open the static exit to low-sec and see what else we can find. I board my cloaky Loki strategic cruiser once more, and leave w-space to appear in a system in Khanid. A few other pilots in the system deter me from ratting, but scanning reveals a fairly decent result of seven signatures for an empire space system. Sadly, those signatures only turn out to be rocks, a dirty site, three radar sites, and a magnetometric site, as well as a cruiser, heavy assault cruiser, and strategic cruiser on a stargate. It's a bit of a disappointing result for this w-spacer, but the gate camp appears to have seen some action.

Out of curiosity, I warp across to the stargate at range, dropping short to see four battlecruiser wrecks that four battleships, one battlecruiser, and a command ship are picking clean. That's a bigger scrap than I've seen for a while, and I occasionally think I should be getting more involved with other pilots than I do, particularly as it appears to be taken in good humour, but I am still enjoying the relatively isolated existence I get in w-space. Either way, there are no wormholes to find here, and shooting Sleepers has eaten up the evening nicely, so I'm going home to get some rest.

  1. 2 Responses to “Earning ISK from Sleepers”

  2. What is the est way to get into W-Space?

    Do I dip my toes in and ninja a few empty holes?
    Do I bring my alt in an orca with a cloak and live out of that?
    Do I join another corp?
    Do I go all ballz out and drop a POS?

    What do you think is best?

    By Samzig on Jul 31, 2012

  3. They are all good routes. Which do you think you like the sound of best?

    Poking in to a few random systems is a good way to get a feel for scanning, using d-scan, and living without local, all without having to leave your current corporation.

    Living out of an Orca is a good starting point to see if you can live in w-space without needing a big initial investment or having the hassle of finding an empty system.

    Joining another corporation lets you get set-up quickly and easily, even if finding the right corporation can take time.

    If you have more ISK than you know what to do with, go ahead and anchor a tower in a system and see what happens. It's one way to learn, but it will be a way full of hazard and potential losses.

    By pjharvey on Aug 1, 2012

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