Hi sec Gank

Not something I had done before. I have never been on the giving or receiving end of one of these.

Now this is something that some members of my corp indulge in when in High sec and are stuck for a period.

I had clone jumped to near Rens last night for a skill book, thinking I was logging from eve shortly.

Events at home gave me another 30 - 40 minutes. I was listening to another member failing to gank a retriever in high sec. He apparently had drones on his overview and the positions swapped and he locked up and shot a drone. Realising his error he shot at the barge but concord showed up with the barge in structure, and he died. 

So I stopped in Rens and outfit a catalyst as he suggested. Then as a ganking virgin I looked for a 0.5 system to hunt in.

So off to Dammalin, at 4 jumps, a very close high sec with a couple of low sec entry points.

I had never been to this system before, and on the way was thinking it a poor choice as its probably well traveled by people of dubious moral character....

Anyway I get there and Dscan. Only a Procurer on scan but 6 people in system, 4 belts are out of scan range though.

Quickly warp to the planet and dscan and find a Coveter and a Venture. Narrow it down to 2 belts as both of these in a line from the planet.

Now a Procurer is generally too well tanked for a catalyst to kill in the moments before Concord shows up and a Venture is economically not worth it.

So Coveter here we go.

Warp to the first belt and nothing there but rats, who red box me before I warp. No matter.

Off to next belt at 0.

As I land I see a Coveter 13km away stationary mining rocks with at least 3 drones out and a Venture close by.

So I pre fire guns and warp scrambler so as soon as I lock I will fire, and hit approach.

Now I want to start firing at 2km and carry on in. I actually lock him at 2k but no guns fire....

Safety.. argh had it set to yellow. Forgot as irrelevant in Null sec.

Anyway, bumped the Coveter, he seemed to not react to being bumped by a Catalyst and targeted.

I suspect was not watching the screen.

It was at least 5 seconds before I set safety to red and confirmed and cycled my guns.

Now, I made an error that could have made the trip pointless. I forgot to overheat the guns.

But it was fine, the Coveter died with 4 seconds to spare before concord slapped me.

My poor Victim

My poor Catalyst

Warped pod to station and logged off.

Now I made several beginners errors here.

1. Did not have a neutral alt ready to scoop the loot so missed out on about 18 million in dropped modules. So the experience cost me about 8 mill in ship fittings and hull. Part of me hopes the miner went back and retrieved his stuff.

2. Did no research, literally flew to first 0.5 system and shot the first barge I could take. A retriever would have done. 

3. Did not have gun security lowered so the victim had a chance if they were not AFK.

To be honest, I feel bad. First time I have shot someone who really had little warning. I have shot unarmed exploration craft before, but they were in low sec or null sec and so knew they were fair game.

This feels different.

Would I do it again. Probably. 

Would I do it regularly. No.

Thoughts anyone?

John