Overdue Update

For those who don't know I've been on a pretty lengthy Eve break. The reasons behind my leave of absence are quite varied. With both of my parents being diagnosed with cancer within a month of each other(they are both on the mend now) I had some IRL srs things to deal with and stressing over internet space ships was not on my priority list.

In addition to that Amarr had finished a rather large war zone push. I ended up Fcing/planning/coordinating way more of that than I should have. Shalee asked me to help take one system in the back of Metro to keep the Minmatar from getting a medal and I agreed. Our offensive went so well we kept the ball rolling and with the Amarr Militia working like a well oiled machine(for once)we rolled on finishing up with the capture of Arzad.

Arzad was kind of the proverbial straw for me. I've said it a million times but I will say it again, I care not for war zone control. The weekend we took Arzad I woke up to find the offensive pretty much stalled. Iron Oxide was dug in hard and ripping the split attacking forces to pieces. I took over the Fweddit fleet and merged in a few other fleets to blob IO into docking up. The fleet swelled to over 100 people and at that point you are not FCing, you are babysitting. The combat was non existent. The Minmatar tried to take advantage of people not listening or paying attention. Getting ganks in new plexes before I could have the right number of people in the right ships in a plex.

There is no glory in blobbing a system. Many systems we took that way were hollow victories. Earlier in the year we fought over Dal for almost a month. That victory was sweet, but that was the exception. The majority of systems I have help take were either blob fest or “didn't want that system”.

So I took a break. I played Kerbal Space Command, Minecraft, Sins of a Solar Empire, and hell I even played Lemmings. Anything BUT Eve. I've enjoyed my time off only logging in to talk to people and load skills. I was still on comms talking to my friends and playing other games with them.

Today I bought the motorcycle I've been pondering on for almost a year. I have plans to ride down Highway One, see the Red Woods, maybe take a trip down to Yosemite. But as I told Shalee today, I may end up back in Eve before too long. When I got home I checked the forums and saw this http://i.imgur.com/KcFiDLG.jpg . I went from thinking about playing Eve to hating Eve again. It was like a light switch being flipped in my head.

(right here I wrote a rant about FW mechanics, how I can't be bothered caring. I cut it out because it put a sour taste in even my mouth)

If I do come back to Eve I never see myself leading 100 man fleets again. I don't see myself dropping dreads on the Huola gate. I think those days are behind me. I truly believe I have reached the top of my game as an FC. I was never a great FC, I was just good enough. People like Pinky and Rina made me better than I was. Maybe someday soon the Minmatar will get to bitch about an Almity fleet again, but there is a good chance its going to be a hell of a lot smaller in numbers and ship size!