I sat down with Markonius Porkbutte, Brave Collective’s Public Relations officer, to discuss Brave Newbies Inc(dot) amongst other things
Brave Newbies Inc(dot) has become one of the largest corporations in EVE Online in just over a year. With more than six thousand current members and growing, it has passed so far the mile stones laid before by such entities as GoonSwarm and Test Alliance Please Ignore, prompting many to wonder at its future. Will it prove to be a revolutionary force such as GoonSwarm, or will it be another broken promise as so many others have proved to be?
So far, it seems that Brave Newbies Inc(dot) is content in defying expectations. After forming their own alliance, Brave Collective, and deploying to the Syndicate region, a rite of passage for many alliances, they formed their own coalition, rather than join any of the current ones with other newbie friendly alliances. This coalition, dubbed the H.E.R.O Coalition by its members, has made its debut by deploying to the Sendaya system, Derelik region and launching a controversial campaign to say the least, by attacking Against ALL Authorities Alliance and the Catch region. Which begs the question, what is next in the life of this young organization? To maybe try and answer a part of this question, I sat down with Markonius Porkbutte, a former Brave Newbies Inc(dot) member and Brave Collective’s Public Relations officer.
Background
Brave Newbies Inc(dot) was founded at the thirty-first of January, 2013. The main intent of the Corporation was to allow newer players a fun and nurturing environment in the game many have claimed has the most intimidating learning curve. As the corporation grew, it became far more involved in the political machinations of EVE Online, acting as an honourable third party in many conflicts and remaining largely independent from the power blocs that rule Null Security space.
The culture of the Corporation, and the Alliance it subsequently created, is mostly focused on generating fun content without promoting negative behavior that has been the staple of other Null Security space entities. Brave Collective have become renowned for the usage of cheap, Tech I fleets featuring Talwar class Destroyers, Thorax class Cruisers, and lately Megathron class Battleships, as well as their willingness to fight to the last pilot.
Salivan Harddin: Brave Newbies Inc(dot) has been the fastest growing corporation in recent years, do you think it will continue this trend, or did it reach its zenith?
Markonius Porkbutte: With the corporation cap now raised we expect to keep growing until we hit it again.
Salivan Harddin: What is Brave Newbies Inc(dot) in-game culture, or does it not posses one?
Markonius Porkbutte: Yes, we have a culture. I think of things now more from a Brave Collective Alliance perspective as both my mains are outside of Brave Newbies Inc(dot) now, but the culture of Brave Newbies Inc(dot) is very much the embodiment of Brave Collective, which is the premise that we would like to play this game on a fun per hour mindset.
Since Matias Otero established everything and is sort of a spiritual leader for us, we want to always be a place where day one newbies can start playing Eve Online, hop in a shuttle and join up with us where ever we are in the galaxy.
In trying to keep Brave Newbies Inc(dot) in particular and Brave Collective in general fun we have a ‘Keep It Classy’ rule where we do not permit racialsexualnationalistic bashing of the people we fly with. We want people to have fun, just not at other people’s expense.
Salivan Harddin: However, even newbies have to grow up one day, what does Brave Newbies Inc(dot) see in its future?
Markonius Porkbutte: True, we encourage higher skill point pilots to join Brave Newbies Inc(dot) just as much as we do newbies. Yet I don’t see how we can really ‘Grow Up,’ In being a newbie centered corporation in a newbie friendly alliance and now in a newbie friendly coalition, we’re trying to grow our play into areas of the game not commonly known for its friendliness towards newbie players.
Getting an opportunity to mess around Catch region and drop Brave Newbies Inc(dot)’s first ever sovereignty structure is certainly pretty exciting for us. It’s not a big deal to some people, but to those of us who have been in the Corporation andor the Alliance, we were tremendously happy when we did it. If we keep it – great, If we lose it – that’s cool.
We’re learning a lot of things doing this whole deployment. It’s amazing getting to fight people like Elo Knight (Of Origin[dot], Black Legion Alliance) and Mister Vee (Of Magellanic Itg, GoonSwarm Federation Alliance) everyday. Even your Fleet Commander, republicov (Of treu republic, Silent Infinity Alliance) has been throwing some fast and fun Interceptor fleets at us. It’s been a lot of fun.
Salivan Harddin: Which brings me to ask, how was H.E.R.O Coalition formed? Who conceived of the idea? And how were the members chosen?
Markonius Porkbutte: H.E.R.O Coalition was formed as a result of diplomatic voodoo. I don’t know the specifics of how the alliance executors got together and hammered things out, lIke who approached who, I know Lychton Kondur (C.E.O of Brave Newbies Inc[dot] and Executor of Brave Collective Alliance) spent months working on it.
Salivan Harddin: Why was the Catch region chosen as the first target of this new coalition?
Markonius Porkbutte: well there were other options, other parts of NPC Null Security space. Ultimately I think it came down to how many entities were in the area, who were capable of bringing in big fights. The Catch region is well located, always has been so it makes a lot of sense to launch operations into there.
Salivan Harddin: Even though it is no small secret that the Stain-Wagon Coalition has been burnt out from over a year of continuous sovereignty warfare?
Markonius Porkbutte: We also had intel on that as well.
Salivan Harddin: Seems a bit of a contradiction, after all, wouldn’t attacking the CFC or N3 would have guaranteed a large fight?
Markonius Porkbutte: Not really, the Catch region is well located so that we could get fights from more entities than just the burnt out russians, like the N3 and the Providence-Bloc. a lot of people have jump bridges that can bring fleets into there [Catch]. Plus, straight up attacking the CFC or N3 would not be a good idea for us, since we are not interested in engaging as a wannabe super power in the game of space thrones.
Salivan Harddin: Can you comment on the rumors that the N3 Coalition paid for H.E.R.O Coalition’s deployment to Catch, for at least thirty days?
Markonius Porkbutte: I can’t comment on it, I think the only person who knows is Lychton Kondur.
Salivan Harddin: What does Brave Newbies Inc(dot) expect to achieve from this deployment, beside “Good Fights”?
Markonius Porkbutte: Well, most of our deployments are certainly more about just fights. There is usually a strategic operation that happen as well, but most of our deployments are ultimately designed to test our abilities.
For instance, our first ever deployment from the Rahadalon system, Devoid Region, to the Vestouve system, Placid region, during the Fountain War, was to try to get in on some fights between the CFC and Test Alliance Please Ignore as honourable third parties in Talwar class Destroyers. It was a massive logistical challenge as there were only a few Jump Freighters in the Alliance at the time, and most of the stuff had to be delivered via Haulers and Blockade Runners.
Once we re-settled in the Barleguet system, Placid region, we deployed to help a sister corporation fight some Germans off their playground in the Syndicate region. we got a very in depth taste of Null Security space warfare and tactics. It was a challenge but we pulled together, got used to having tactics, and got better at avoiding bombs and bombing runs.
Of course, no plan survives actual combat, and we deploy to the Sendaya system, Derelik region, for the first time as part of a coalition. We are messing with sovereignty structures, so what we learn here is valuable, not to mention, whatever strategic objective we have in the future will have its roots here, in this deployment.
Salivan Harddin: As a newbie Alliance, what are your impressions of Null Security space and its politics?
Markonius Porkbutte: in one word: Hilarious. As for sovereignty, I could take it or leave it. I think it is good for the Alliance if we have sovereignty eventually and are able to lay roots somewhere.
Salivan Harddin: Is Brave Collective ready to make the transition and become a sovereignty holding alliance?
Markonius Porkbutte: Well, we don’t have plans to be a sovereignty holding alliance at the moment, at least in full.
Salivan Harddin: So you don’t believe that your deployment to the Catch region will succeed in permanent sovereignty gains?
Markonius Porkbutte: I think we can do it but it may or may not happen. Permanently holding sovereignty was not the reason for this deployment – Causing disruption in the Catch region was. It’s in a way harder for others to conceive of it since part of that means holding sovereignty in the Catch region, but essentially we’re here to run amok.
Salivan Harddin: Can you comment on some of the disastrous results of H.E.R.O Coalition’s capital ship deployment?
Markonius Porkbutte: The capital ships have been an integral part of the deployment This is the first time we’ve ever even tried to deploy capitals in any way at all and in any real numbers. Generally we used to bring out two or three of them on a Tower bash back in the Barleguet system, Placid region, and that was it.
It’s amazing to see how much HP these sovereignty structures have. I’m glad we are able to drop the the capitals in to help grind those things down, if we lose them here and there that is to be expected. After all, anything you undock in New Eden can, and probably will, be destroyed right?
Salivan Harddin: Does H.E.R.O Coalition have strong anti-CFC sentiments, considering its make up?
Markonius Porkbutte: On an offcial level, not at all. However, line members might differ but given the variety of people we have it’s to be expected. Most of our pilots respect the current sovereignty Blocs, some are even former members of them, and some are alts whose main accounts are still in them. We [Brave Collective] are a melting pot and I think that is part of the beauty of H.E.R.O Coalition,
Salivan Harddin: There are many alliances and political entities in New Eden who have a bad history with Test Alliance Please Ignore Alliance, do you think it might harm H.E.R.O Coalition in the future as well?
Markonius Porkbutte: No, Test Alliance Please Ignore is an awesome organization that has had a very rough year. I can’t speak for them, but I can say that we are glad they are with us.
Salivan Harddin: Seeing GoonSwarm Federation and Test Alliance Please Ignore, does Brave Collective take notice of those two former newbie alliances and the paths they took, in regarding to plotting its own course in New Eden?
Markonius Porkbutte: Do we see ourselves like them? I think it’s easy to draw comparisons, but I think we need to focus on what makes us – us.
Having stemmed out from a game website like reddit, we have a platform that has a large user base. it’s important for us and we like having an outreach there. I just want to make sure we always have a pipeline of newbies coming in and learning the game and learning how to have fun in the game.
Salivan Harddin: Do you believe H.E.R.O Coalition can become an independent sovereignty holding coalition of its own, or will it be forced at this stage to align to one of the established superpowers (CFC or N3)?
Markonius Porkbutte: Anything is possible. We might pack up and go our separate ways and reset everyone’s standings as well. It is hard to tell. Lychton Kondur may actually be Rina Kondur of Fweddit and he might just be waiting on the precise time to press the button and disband us.
Special thanks to Markonius Porkbutte of Dropbear Anonymous, Brave Collective Alliance for granting me this interview.
*The text has been been edited and altered to create a flowing narrative, as well as correct grammar and spelling mistakes. It has been verified by Markonius Porkbutte of Dropbear Anonymous, Brave Collective Alliance before publication.
When not hoping for a True Sansha Commander to spawn, Salivan Harddin writes a fair and balanced EVE News site for the Providence-Bloc under the name The EVE Scribe.
