The buddy system

The stealth bomber is a phenomenal ship with some really outstanding capabilities. I have no real experience in using them in anything bigger than a small gang, but I know the 0.0 alliances use them to some impressive results. For me they do very respectable damage, close to 500 dps and 5000 alpha with my skills. The bombs are nice, but as my loyal readers know I don’t even carry them anymore. What makes the stealth bomber such a stand out platform for me though is one unique quality that is virtually unmatched in EVE. The bombers ability to lock targets immediately after uncloaking is the one defining feature of the stealth bomber that allows me to have the amazing success I do. Paired with a great scan resolution and the ability to warp cloaked, the Stealth Bomber is the king of guerrilla and psychological warfare.

Recently I watched a corporation start up a mining operation. They had 3 mining barges and were using a Typhoon as an overwatch. The Typhoon had its light drones out, but had managed to station itself about 10km from two of the barges. I carefully worked myself about 22km from the isolated barges and over 30km from the Typhoon. I have been in the situation of not enough points for all the targets, but have learned to lock and point the covetors while shooting the retrievers or haulers. I uncloaked and did so to a covetor and retriever. Both were down in the blink of an eye and I started to lock the third barge, when the Typhoon finally woke up and started to lock me. With the third barge being out of point range, I warped off as his light drones came screaming in. Cackling evilly I returned to the site to find the Typhoon guarding the wrecks. I estimated his reaction time plus lock time and uncloaked, popped a wreck and then recloaked. I repeated for the second wreck and both jet cans they were mining into. At some point he broke radio silence:

ColeMega > come on
ColeMega > get some or not ?
ColeMega > donny
ColeMega > whats up ?
ColeMega > you gonna fight or run ?

Of course, the answer to that was; “I’m going to take a few pot shots from extreme range and then head out to a new hole with fresh targets.”

There is very little in EVE that is as satisfying as killing people while their friends stand guard and watch. Encounter after encounter that I go through people don’t even start reacting until after the first ship pops and only then usually in a desperate scramble to get out. Without the ability to immediately lock the psychological effect of such a rapid kill would neuter the bomber.