Hello, my name is Porky and I’m an opinion piece writer and analyst of Eve politics and war here at EN24. The thoughts and opinions written here are mine and not meant to represent EN24′s or anyone else’s.
The war in the South (Feythabolis, Tenerifis & Immensea) has been simmering for the last month and is picking up in intensity as well as drama. On Sunday Garst Tyrell, the leader of Triumvirate., made a reddit post in a public and brazen appeal to Test line members. Garst is hoping that in speaking to Test members directly through reddit, he can convince Test members to rebel against their leadership or even influence decisions.
Garst argues for a PVP content driven kind of sovereignty game; in his desired Eve-Online, people living in null doing mining, renting, building, forging relationships and partnerships is bad unless the end-goal is PVP itself. To Garst, all things not PVP must only exist to serve PVP. This old-school view of sov warfare is shared by several organizations who don’t want/own sov and I am sure Garst’s appeal resonates to many. Admittedly, I am a biased (member of FCON); nevertheless, I feel Garst needs a rebuttal so here it is.
Relationships matter in both directions
It is true that honesty is important in a partnership. No one accused TRI of being deceitful or dishonorable in it’s planned divorce with DRF – however TRI is a little naive. Did Garth really expect a different reaction from DRF after saying “going to reset you to fight you, going to hit your partner cause I am bored”? Oh and by the way “I am the PL of the South – you folks just rent”. If Garst wanted DRF to not stab them, it shouldn’t threaten to attack them or their friends. I find great satisfaction in listening to a bully cry about how unfair it is that he is getting a smack-down from a bigger kid. Garst thought he could stroll in to FCON space, get some morale saving-kills on care-bears and get everyone to just give ‘golf-claps’?
In Eve as in most real life situations, you don’t attack your friends at the expense of partners because you are bored. If Tri was hurting for content, it could go to low-sec or go for round 2 up-north. Garst knows his organisation would get a bloody nose so he picked the easiest target – FCON. Now, Garst cries because he knows that Insmother is about to be salted. How dare FCON not fight on their terms!?
Be true to your-self
As stated earlier, those that like PVP (me included) find resonance in the sentiment Garst has towards PVP in Eve. I remember saying to people, that all things in Eve had one singular purpose – to explode. I viewed all non-PVPers as scrubs who were necessary evils to maintain supply lines and ships in place. Every time, I found a person I liked that was a miner, I would do all I could to persuade them to get into a PVP ship. This attitude from the past needs to stay in the past because it is wrong. CCP made a game full of non-PVP content and capability in null, owning sov is supposed to be meaningful and advantageous. CCP envisioned organisations making deals and relationships to protect themselves and to grow in financial as well as in military strength.
When successful organisations like DRF flex their muscle by using cash, or by speaking to people, or by moving their own considerable resources, they are accused of being treacherous or sponsoring illegal RMT activity. Garst accuses DRF of staging canned fights and essentially of being 2nd class renters. I think TRI need to rethink their existence in sov-based null and maybe take up the mantle that Black Legion left on the table. TRI was a member of DRF but clearly never in spirit or intent; the idea of owning sov. renting, mining, enterprising is repugnant to many TRI members. Garst’s real problem is that he wants sov for sustenance but without any of the requirements that come with it. He likes to park his stuff somewhere safe to make some ISK but decries the sedentary lifestyle that comes with it. I wonder if TRI would take cash to be a mercenary without their own sov – I bet it would.
Test is not like Tri
TRI believes it is filled with elite PVPers and I have to admit that by FCON standards they are. TRI got FCON in 100 man fleets that are really well designed, ships that are maxed out in deadspace mods. A typical TRI Loki is not your average Loki. Also, they are experienced PVPers. Test is different; I flew with Test and can say from personal experience that Test members don’t think they are elite. They are a carefree organisation that cares about content for all pilots it has and does not crap on its indy pilots or coalition partners. Test loves nothing better then to pooh-pooh on some little space bully. Garst’s appeal to Test has only one thing going for it, PVP. I am not a member of Test but I know this – Test doesn’t need TRI to make their PVP conditions or narrative.
FCON is crap, right
Of course – FCON is crap. TRI brings in entosis ships supported by elite pilots that get popped by interceptors and the elite pilots cry about how FCON are cowards – of course they are. FCON hired people to harass and kill TRI pilots at home and join in their dread bombs; this is also cowardly because real fighters man-up in formation and charge at the sound of a horn. FCON is full of renters who don’t fight; of course Garst is right… The fact that after 3 weeks of fighting, the map is basically the same with 2 elite attacking entities from 2 sides/regions at the same time is pure luck. Clearly any people who may or may not come to help FCON are also going to be crap because they fight with FCON.
Porky
