The Unpainted Corner

I was asked, "What rigs will I get for my freighters first?"

I admit, the moment I learned that freighters would get rigs I immediately decided to get a hyperspatial velocity rig for both freighters. I then decided that the new hull rig will probably be a good second pick. However, I have to double check with the Rhea what will give me the most bang for my buck. I then started training my Jump Freighter pilot into T2 rigging skills. Go big, or in this case T2, or go home for the Rhea.

The reason why was simple. The first was speed and the second was to decrease my gankability. I had no plans to carry more cargo than I have been carrying. I ever understand that I will probably take a cargo hit due to the access of cargo rigs. But, I know that people gank just because Rhea are expensive and to not armor it for those times I do have to move it access high sec seemed rebellious.

So, I am armoring my empty jump freighter to avoid random ganks from people who will gank it simply because it is expensive. And I wondered if gankers have painted themselves into a corner where the only way out will be across a series of nerf blocks that won't damage the wet paint.

I've been rolling around a thought for a few weeks now. The reason behind my freighter rig choices solidified it. It is a point that is a bit contentious. Mostly, because it is one of those topics that tends not to promote good discussion. It is not that the topic does not need to be discussed. It is because it is a volatile, emotionally charged topic. Yet, I very well understand how helpless I am as I haul things. I have spent the time to max out on my skills that will improve my durability for that very reason. It is a time when fractions of a second will stand between me and losing a six billion ISK investment.

The Nosy Gamer has expressed irritation at the changes to the Procurer and Skiff. The speed changes wil cause him more work. They are there to give a greater option to the miners to avoid the popularity of miner bumping. On that same note, the great barge buff was created to give miners an option to tank their ships enough to avoid ganks. Now, with the freighters, people will cargo rig their loot pinatas and make themselves even easier to kill, perhaps.

The ability for someone to tank themselves to safety is a good one. The fact that people will choose not to amazes me but I am glad that it happens. There is a fine balance when it comes to ganking. To ask people to respect their ability to gank and be responsible with it will probably not happen. To create reasonable pathways for people to avoid being ganked will therefore continue to happen. To allow people to make irresponsible decisions must often happen.

Yet, buff and nerf tend to go hand and hand. For freighters, they will sacrifice their cargo load for armor or their armor for cargo load. For gankers? They may have to sacrifice their efficiency. Perhaps, "because it is expensive" may not be as common a motivator and the loot pinatas will be the focus if efficiency or ISK gain is the actual goal. Of course, some will explain to me that they are made of gold and they will continue to do what they wish.

There will always be for fun ganking. It may simply decrease a bit more. Maybe the paint will dry faster than the corner shrinks. I don't know. I may not fully understand the motivation behind much of the non-profit ganking.