The RedHawk (My Computer)

So, my old el cheapo Dell PC kept killing my graphics card, including a GeForce XFX 8600 and a Sapphire ATi Radeon in under 2 years. As I sent my GeForce in for a lengthy RMA... I had an idea...

I figure that to become a true geek, I have to build my own computer, so I went on Newegg and bought some parts and embarked on the ambitious project. I expected some scraps (and I did - got my palm bbq'd by the steel case, bah), but the total build time was under 12 hours, which I was pretty proud of as a first-time builder. Someone had attempted to teach me how to do it as a kiddo, but I was 8 and hardly remember anything besides how difficult it was to wench out the power cables.

The total cost of the components with shipping comes to approximately 600 bucks, which I thought was a great deal for a mid-range computer. Newegg is the only place I bought PC parts from and they've got fantastic service - highly recommended!

My system specifications:

Intel Core 2 Duo 3.16GHz Dual-Core Processor with Arctic Cooling CPU Fan
ASUS P5Q Intel P45 Motherboard
G.Skill 4GB DDR2 800 Memory
Western Digital 500GB SATA Hard Drive
OCZ StealthXStream 600W Power Supply
GeForce XFX 8600GT Graphics Card (RMA in progress, ugh)
Windows Vista Ultimate SP1
All encased in a red NZXT steel chassis.

Oh, and Arctic Silver Thermal Compound is so hax, it keeps my CPU at room temperature and the motherboard at 30C idling.

Anyway, enter the sexy little piece:

/end nerd pride

A huge thank you to the EVE geek squad who helped with picking my system parts!

I just had to stick my painted toes in there for color comparison...

Completing Job...

All pvpers need some way of recouping their losses. This time, y'all get to see the carebear side of me. After all, I need some way other than grinding L4 missions, which are boring (but admittedly relaxing) as hell, to earn some isk...

Enter Celestine, who has a wide array of skills for ship invention and building.

How delightful is it to see so many invention jobs ready and be able to click on that elusive "Deliver" button, just like pressing down the handlebar on a slot machine while the screen spins "Completing Job"? I swear even Aura plings happily when the window pops up for a successful job while the audience goes "awww" for a failed job. Many people even idle in their R&D alts and wait for jobs to complete, not that I'd ever admit to anything like that of course. In fact, the deliver button is so addictive that everyone in Celestine's empire research corporation likes to deliver her jobs every now and then, much to my chagrin.

The results from this one invention run? An impressive 50% success rate with 2 Sabre blueprints and a Kitsune blueprint, which was collected and placed into a container full of other T2 blueprints as Celestine trains up Frigate Construction V for the lovely Sabres:



It will be a full 20 days before she can start building all T2 frigates, HACs, Recons, Heavy Interdictors and Command Ships. A lucrative and satisfying business as the invented blueprints go into production. That would also mean more cerberuses at cost price for me, and everyone knows I "lose nyx-loads of cerberuses in pew pew". I can't wait!

P.S.: If you'd like to buy some Minmatar or Caldari T2 ships, feel free to talk to me.

The Power of Vengeance

And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who would attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee. - Jules, Pulp Fiction (1994)


After the super alliance formed by the combined forces of Goonswarm, IRON, Razor, RA, Tortuga (debatable), and miscellaneous other alliances who attacked BoB's fortress in Delve and nearly killed them, it wasn't hard to imagine the simmering thoughts of death the bobbits harbored for their northern brethern. In recent months, the GBC has been conducting massive campaigns in Tribute, Vale of The Silent, Deklein, and surrounding areas. The dark horse Triumvirate has been working with BoB, leaving their own trail of destruction by eradicating Hydra. IRON and Pure were the latest casualties in the so-called napfest to fall to GBC advances.

Just yesterday, the GBC scored another impressive feat in the Tribute pipe: the systematic slaughtering of some 50 NC capitals and innumerable support ships. A battle report is given by both SirMolle of BoB and KIAEddz of KIA Alliance from opposing points of view (with propaganda thrown in for good measure). What was supposed to be an ambush on the part of NC backfired badly; they were supposed to gate jump their support and battleships into M-O, cyno the capitals in at the gate (??!) and titan bridge the rest in at the same time. The last time the NC tried to pull this on Insurgency, the same thing happened: the node crashed, NC pilots lacked the discipline to log on at the same time, and the result was a turkey shoot that yielded some 60+ kills for me over a period of 2 hours. This was no different except that the NC had capital ships that crashed at the gate in M-O, with predictably disastrous results as they all logged in one by one. It made me wonder if the NC fleet commanders ever learn from their experience, and if they knew how to play chess.

Battlefield in M-O from a bobbit's point of view. Red ships and yellow wrecks belong to the Coalition.

One by one, the segments of the train has disintegrated. It will only be a matter of time until all the best PVP corps are consolidated into Morsus Mihi as BoB and Tri continue their rampage through the North. Then and only then will we know if MM can survive an onslaught on the scale of the Delve invasion that Bob successfully withstood.

My only qualm is that I couldn't be there to watch the NC die, for Insurgency.