Rorqual Operation, Success

A 3 month long corp objective was completed in the late hours of Eve universe a few nights ago. We set our sights on getting a Rorqual in WH space for ore compression. For those that don’t know the function of a Rorqual, it is a capital mining support ship that when in siege mode, can compress ore down (with the aid of BPO’s) to a fraction of their original size. High-end ores like Arkonor, Bistot and Crokite compress down 20:1 and low-end ores at 40:1.

In WH space you are limited to using POS refinery modules to refine ore which yield a maximum of 75%. With proper standings in empire, you can get close to a 100% refine rate. When dealing with multi-billion ISK ore hauls from WH space, you want that additional 25%.

With some corporate funding, we purchased a Rorqual in a lowsec system in the Citadel for around 1.5 B. Now we just needed to wait for a nullsec WH link with proper mass limitations to allow the ship to enter the WH system. After waiting for a few days, we got the link.

Our route led us through two lowsec systems, a Blue nullsec system and unclaimed system in the middle of hostile nullsec.

1. The Citadel, Kubinen  (0.42). Caldari State
2. Sinq Laison, Aliette (0.37). Gallente Federation
3. Domain, Mai (0.43). Amarr Empire
4. Providence, (0.0). Curatores Veritatis Alliance (CVA)
5. Catch, JGW-OT (-0.37). Currently unclaimed, but in Ushra’Khan, AAA Citizens, and Against ALL Authorities territory.

Dropping cynos in Sinq and Domin were easy. We lost a cheap frigate to the locals, but that was expected as creating a cyno makes an object on the overview that ANYONE in the system can warp to. For the jump into CVA space, we contacted a known diplomat that helped us find a system with no Cynosural System Jammer.

During the Rorqual move, a hostile chatted in local in WH space and was identified to be in a Buzzard (Caldari Covert Ops).

[01:31:33] Issabella > rip

We looked up this character and it was a member of the Ushra’Khan Alliance. She probably came in from the hostile nullsec WH since it was in the middle of their territory. We saw several Sisters Core Scanner Probes in system, but decided to move the Rorqual anyway. We had 3 combat ships ready to engage if needed in WH space if the Rorqual got warp scrambled.

It came time for the last cyno into hostile space and after scouting out local, which had 2-5 neutrals in it, we decided to go for the final jump. I took a cheap frigate into k-space, dropped the cyno right outside the WH entrance, watched the Rorqual jump into the system, and initiated a self-destruct. This way, the cyno was only active during the 2 minutes that my ship was alive.

Cyno, Cyno Frigate, WH and Rorqual

The Rorqual made it through the WH and warped safely to the POS bubble. After figuring out how to use the Industrial Core I Siege Module and ore compression BPO’s, we were able to start compressing ore.

Ore Compression

Five hangars of ore (1.4 M M3 x 5 = 7 M M3) compressed down to around 50,000 M3 which we hauled out to Empire via a C2 WH and refined at nearly 100% — more profit.

After the operation was completed, my WH partner sent out a corp-wide message.

2009.10.16 13:21
Just like to say a big thankyou to —, — and — for helping to get the Rorqual from Kubinen to our current nullsec entrance.

The whole operation went smoothly without misshap to the rorqual which is currently nestling comfortably at the J-Gamma POS.

All in all the whole thing was a success which pays a great testament to the teamwork that makes — the best corperation there is 🙂

As the mining starts to wind down over the next week I would still like to offer the PVP/PVE folks the chance to join us as we’ll be raiding the neighbour C2 for their complexes.  This will be a great introduction to W-space guarilla warfare.

Thanks also to our directors which made the purchase of the Rorq possible.  Time to look for the next milestone project.  titan anyone?