The Christmas Eve Odyssey: BALKS Special Operation
Date: 25-12-2024
It was a quiet Christmas Eve in the BALKS Discord channel when a bold idea emerged: transporting 1.3 million m³ of Pyerite from Delve (1DQ1-A) to UALX and selling it via buy orders. The plan seemed impossible—almost suicidal. The 30-jump journey from 1DQ1-A to UALX would cross multiple regions without titan bridges or a support fleet. Thirteen freighters would be involved, and gating them through such territory was a death wish.
Enter Remaker Shadow. When the team pitched the wild plan, his response was simple:
“When are we going?”
The Plan Takes Shape
By 19:00 EVE time, the BALKS crew had gathered 13 freighters and a titan at UALX, Tenerifis. The plan was as follows:
- Bridge the freighters through the initial safe systems using the titan.
- Cross the regional gate from 4-07 to 1DQ1-A without titan support, relying on scouts and webbing ships to aid freighters into warp quickly.
- Keep a close eye on enemy activity, especially known hot-droppers.
The Journey Begins
The first leg of the operation went smoothly as the titan bridged the fleet through UALX > OG > SNF > 4-07. But the most challenging part lay ahead: navigating Delve without the safety of local titan support. Scouts covered every entry point, and web ships ensured freighters could quickly enter warp.
The tension spiked as intel reported hostile hot-droppers just three jumps away. The team decided to limit movement to two jumps at a time to minimize risk. By 23:00 EVE time, the fleet was just two jumps from 1DQ1-A when a critical complication arose.
A New Plan for 1DQ1-A
Intel confirmed the presence of an enemy fleet, including a hot-dropper likely cloaked behind the Keepstar in 1DQ1-A. Entering the system with freighters would be suicide. The team brainstormed and decided on a daring workaround:
Use Kryos industrial ships to ferry the minerals through gates.
But there was a problem: Kryos ships could only carry 80,000 m³ at maximum skill. With the team’s mixed skill levels, they estimated an average of 60,000 m³ per ship. To transport 1.3 million m³, it would require 216 runs, equating to 432 jumps.
Was it insane? Yes. Was BALKS going to back down? Absolutely not.
The Great Mineral Relay
The crew purchased 16 Kryos ships from nearby E3 and began the arduous task of transporting the minerals. Each pilot had to make 13.5 runs to move their share. Hostile ships attempted to intercept, setting up bubbles and ambushes along the route. But BALKS was prepared:
- The ships were fitted to bypass bubbles and warp quickly.
- Core stabilizers added another layer of security.
The team split into two groups, using alternate routes to frustrate their enemies. After 20 minutes of futile pursuit, the hostiles gave up. One ship was lost due to a piloting error, but it carried no payload, limiting the loss to 15 million ISK.
By the time the last load of Pyerite was delivered, it was past midnight, but the celebration had already begun. Yet, the mission wasn’t over.
The Final Hurdle
The team still had to return the 13 freighters to UALX. At 01:00 EVE time, they devised a meticulous plan:
- The freighters would form a “train,” departing each gate 30 seconds apart.
- Scouts and frigates with webbing modules would secure the path.
- If enemies were spotted, everyone would dock immediately.
The long train of freighters moved steadily through hostile space, coordinated to perfection. By the time they reached the titan at the regional gate, the team was exhausted but triumphant. The titan bridged them back to Tenerifis in a series of jumps, each one bringing them closer to their final destination.
Mission Accomplished
At 02:00 EVE time, the operation concluded in UALX. The Pyerite was sold, netting 24 billion ISK. Despite the time investment and the numerous accounts involved, the team agreed that the true reward was the shared adventure.
“Not many can say they shipped 216 payloads in an hour under enemy fire,” someone quipped as the Discord erupted in laughter and cheers.
Players Involved:
- Remaker Shadow
- Vuchica
- Silverlight
- Grogisnake
- DJ
- Macka
- Sale
This operation was proof of the BALKS spirit: with determination and teamwork, even the impossible becomes achievable.
Thank you, Team BALKS. You truly are the best.
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