Goon Gank Squad

New Eden is a dangerous place. Even the deceptive safety of Empire is subject to suicide gank squads. There are reports that members of Goonswarm are currently attacking pilots undergoing agent missions within Empire. This is an action which I completely condone and occasionally undertake myself, but it carries huge risks and should only be attempted by the most accomplished and disciplined pilots.

It’s a costly and dangerous profession and one that the local Concord forces do not take kindly to, penalising aggression with deliberate destruction and subsequent security hit of the offending party. The composition of the Goonswarm gank squad and the methods they employ are a carefully guarded secret but I can reveal that some serious firepower is needed as the target vessel will more than likely be able to sustain serious amounts of damage before succumbing to the void.

A target is only worth the loss of your crew if it has factional items aboard either in cargo or fitted. For this reason a scan of the ship is absolutely necessary before any engagement is committed and should only be undertaken if the estimated loot from the target comfortably exceeds the investment of the gank squad. This can be done using a passive targeter to avoid suspicion and a ship and cargo scanner. For this reason is it wise not to utilise expensive riggings and modules. It is wise however, to use battleships as they have enough bulk to withstand the onslaught that is sure to come from both the target and Concord when the fighting begins. The gank squad needs to survive long enough to destroy the target, but another passive vessel will be needed to collect the loot.

The target must be scanned with a recon probe within their respective complex during a mission. A good indication of a mission runner is to scan for drones. This is by no means certain and many savvy mission runners will refrain from using drones to minimise this means of detection. If the target is a faction ship then it shouldn’t be too hard to differentiate from the many signals. It also helps to observe the target entering warp as this will give a good indication of the vector in the system where the mission is undertaken.

Upon locating the target the fleet should stand by for 5 seconds while an interceptor or similar rapid targeting vessel warps ahead and points the ship immediately upon arrival on the grid, with the gank squad following. It may be the case that the target is located in a complex which has gates. If this is the case then the delayed warp order should be followed each and every time. With luck the interceptor will be overlooked long enough to trap the target and then the gank squad can engage with maximum deliverance.

The target may attempt to retaliate and can pose a significant threat. This is more pronounced the later into the mission the target may be as there will be fewer distractions on the battlefield. ECM drones are a good idea but ECM modules are quicker to execute to suppress any retaliation. Once the target has been destroyed enter the passive hauler and scoop up the bounty. It is worth noting not to assist the hauler in any way fearing criminal flagging by Concord.

An operation such as this is hugely dependant on the squad operating efficiently and with precision. The timing of the engagement is crucial to success and every ship in the squad should be engineered to fulfil it’s role as effectively and as cost efficiently as possible. A manoeuvre such as suicide ganking is expensive but can reap huge rewards if the correct target is selected and taken down. Groups of mission runners are not advised unless your squad is confident enough to engage multiple targets swiftly and surely but it is always much easier to neutralise a single vessel ahead of Concords arrival.

This guide is by no means definitive and there are many ways of executing mission runners in Empire. Above all remember that the timing is crucial and the mission is only a success if the target is destroyed.

Happy hunting…

Related Links
Goonswarm (EvE Wiki)