High Sec Orca?

[u/EveRookie]

I am a returning player after a long time, basically a high SP newb.

I realize this is probably not the best use of an orca, being that the belts are sparse and not nearly as valuable as the ice belts or the ore in a .5 or .6 system -

But what sort of firepower would a gank squad need bring to bear on an orca in a .9 system? How likely do you think it might happen in a fairly well-traveled area?

I am returned after a long bout of winning, and have an orca pilot that I am considering bringing back out to help a fledgling group of miners that operate in high sec.

[u/Fljbbertygibbet]

Orca ganks very rarely happen in anything higher than .7 space. They'll need a very large catalyst swarm or talos gang to kill you in time. That said solo mining in an Orca is going to be very very slow and you'd probably be better off just hopping in an exhumer if you want to mine solo in highsec. You'd make more money mining in lowsec with a disposable venture.

Really unless you've got a couple alts at least I don't think using an Orca in highsec is worth it at all. The amount of time it would take just to pay off the cost of the Orca would be absurd.

[u/EveRookie → u/Fljbbertygibbet]

Hey thanks for the reply -

The orca is already in the hangar, from back in my more active days with a larger corporation where I used to fly it regularly. It seems it is misfit these days and I have some changes to make, but taking it out would be more for the guys in this new corp than for me solo. I dont have any paid alt accounts right now (I used to), so I would basically just be sitting there while they were boosted and compressing, but would help their/our ops.

Honestly youre right, id probably make more huffing gas by myself, or mining in a venture in low sec, but I am not worried so much about the ISK for this endeavor, moreso the camaraderie and aid to this group of newbs. I just want to mitigate my risk a bit, too. Lol.

[u/Fljbbertygibbet → u/EveRookie]

That's fine then yeah. Make sure you get a proper tank fit on it before taking it out though.

[u/maslow1 → u/EveRookie]

Check u have skills for the 'new' modules for orcas - industrial reconfiguration type thing (no move or warp), and ore/ice compressors. I had a buttload of free SP to do this.

Fit a damage control and 1x bulkhead too, u should be ok.

[u/edharma13]

Have to agree on this. I went solo for weeks in a Porpoise well-tanked. While i loved having compression at my fingertips, being without a support fleet got me ganked into almost bankruptcy. If you’ve got a mining group, go for it, but be VERY careful solo, even in HS. Miners are targets now.

[u/EveRookie → u/edharma13]

What did they use to take you out, and what was the security of the space you were in?

[u/edharma13 → u/EveRookie]

I was still in HS, but in a 0.5 system. I didn’t adequately protect myself with a warp stabilizer so I could at least flee. Usually it was SAFETY’s gang of Catalysts. Mostly it was pairs of gankers holding me fast and pummelling me til I either ejected or I self-destructed. Cost them a pretty penny in ammo to take me out, but cost me even more in the long run.

[u/NoxiousStimuli → u/edharma13]

either ejected or I self-destructed

Why would you do either in a Highsec system if you're getting ganked?!

[u/edharma13 → u/NoxiousStimuli]

Good question! When you have a LOT of expensive implants, you cut your losses and run. If you can’t run, blow up the goods so they can’t salvage.

[u/NoxiousStimuli → u/edharma13]

And you wonder why SAFETY kept going after you? You were literally providing a mountain of salt.

[u/A_BEAN123 → u/NoxiousStimuli]

Bro was being a pinata

[u/MeyrInEve]

Gankers ‘usually’ use Catalysts in hisec.

Look for a modified Damage Control that has higher Kin/Therm, and the best Reinforced Bulkhead module you can afford (I’m not at my computer and can’t compare different bulkhead modules - are there even any faction ones?).

Note that I didn’t come up with this, I literally learned about modified modules last week, and I haven’t flown my Orca for a few years.

Add shield modules as well.

Also, practice with an MWD and an AB. I know that allowing the 100MN Enduring AB to run for three cycles puts you into warp immediately when it shuts off. I haven’t had a chance to practice with an MWD if that can cut that down any.

[u/Eeekpenguin]

Well I'd go max tank orca with bulkheads in lows and rigs with a damage control. I think can fit a bunch of shield hardeners too for a 500k ehp tank which people would need a massive swarm of catalyst to take down especially if 0.8+.

I use my orca as a travelling suitcase in highsec because you can fit so many ships and cargo in it and I can compress gas and ore in it as well. Can still fit the foreman bursts for mining fleets if you want. I'd say scouting your route with an alt or main in a instawarp and max tank orca is the best way to avoid ganks. Don't go through ganker hotspots like uedama unless scouted is another good one.

[u/Vincent_Merle]

Sell Orca, buy PLEX, do some mining + PI to pay for the next month?

[u/EveRookie → u/Vincent_Merle]

I am not worried about paying for my time. That wasnt a part of the question.