I need to get standings with Brutor Tribe and Boundless Creations because they own the stations that are the focus of the Rens and Hek trade hubs and I really need to improve them if I want to do any serious business. Boundless Creations I can run missions for in low sec but for Brutor Tribe they only hand out security missions and the only level 4 low sec missions are in Amamake. Since I don't have a death wish I flew off to a high-sec system (ugh!) and asked an agent for a mission. When the missions did not involve the Angel Cartel I just logged off. I couldn't bear to even be bothered to change my resists.
This morning I had a revelation. I've been using the same ships (a Maelstrom/Hurricane combination) for almost 2 years. No wonder I hate security missions. I need a change.
So what do I change to? I've discovered running around low sec in a Bellicose that I love missiles. I love them so much that I even have an NPC station set up as a missile production facility. So that seems a given. I've come up with two possible combinations.
The first combination is Drake/Drake. With the advice from CCP to train both Destroyers and Battlecruisers to V I can fly all the races battlecruisers but I only have the skills outside Minmatar ships to fly the Drake. That combination uses a lot of missiles but I don't mind mining an hour or two a week in low sec to keep the supply up. Also, with the new UI, does that mean the NPCs will focus fire on one or split their fire? Maybe I should find out.
The second combination keeps me firmly and safely encased in duct tape: Typhoon/Claymore. Why those two? While Retribution may have nerfed I think torpedoes received a buff. So I could go with either a torp 'Phoon or a cruise missile 'Phoon. I'll need to pick up the blueprints for cruise missiles if I go with the second option. And why the Claymore? One, I like the three gang links it can run. And two I hear the ship has a pretty good tank. That is important with the changes to the UI. I envision that I could use the Typhoon to pick off long-range targets and set the Claymore as a decoy to draw off fire from the 'Phoon. And if anything small gets close the Claymore can take care of that with autocannons. Using drones with the current AI is something I only want to do with care.
I can always get some level 1 and 2 missions in low sec and run those also and I actually intend on doing so this year. I'm thinking of running a Jaguar or the new destroyer in level 1s and the Bellicose in level 2s. Maybe I'll get brave and run a Vagabond in level 3s. But I really do need change because when talking to agents makes me want to log off that's a bad sign. Especially when CCP won't let us kill agents who make us unhappy.
