Hello Everyone,

Last night I went on my first beacon mission (no I'm not that good yet - read on).

It all started when my soc leader needed a few more people for a beacon he and some friends wanted to do. After carefully explaining that I did not have the right armour (or the dodge) to take on bots he let the issue drop - for a while. Then he chatted back ensuring me that I would not have to fire a shot and would be protected by the others - all I had to do was pay attention and loot like a bandit when the time came. So I agreed.

It all began in a little briefing for me and the other beacon noob on the team (and a reminder to the more experienced), the signal was activated and we ran onto the ship. Woo hoo - the nerves started jangling and I began paying attention to eveything - didn't want to mess this up - even though my part was small it was a part that was required and helped out the team.

True to his word - I was protected and didnt have to fire a shot (until later, but we'll get to that). The mission progressed and I saw a new side of PE/EU that I had not experienced before - a quest style challenge. The blood was pumping, senses hightened and I was concerned for my team and the mission. It was a different feeling to the hunt. It was being more closely tied to your team due to the objective while at the same time being the same game in a different setting. I cant wait until I can participate more and provide some level of fire or health support to the team.

The alarms began to sound and all individuals in the team knew what they had to do.... GO GO GO.... It was a race against time and I was off. "Wow they move fast" I thought. Some of the slowness was me shifting movement modes on the run trying to optimize my own speed, some was getting hung up on rises and then realizing I had to jump, once I ran the wrong (long) way instead of a more direct route - but I made my objective.
Looting like a bandit I checked all my boxes - empty (shoot), empty (darn), empty (ok, begining to feel a bit useless) - mission complete and ship explodes, everyone dies (this is ok. I tis how all beacon missions end). I am the sole survivor and transported back to the start co-ordinates - alone, with no help..... Ha, Ha very funny guys.... dump the noob in the middle of nowhere to do a run back to the nearest TP. I was asured later that they had forgotten that the person on the lowest level gets off safe while all the others die and transport back to the nearest revive. All I gotta say is there was alot of "LOL" going on when I got back, I prefer to think of it being for the quantity of loot the other hauled in. I was lucky I had brought a weapon after all as I had to shoot my way through a small mob herd to back.

After a more than fair split of the loot the mission was truely at an end. I sold some ores and began to head home. Then, since I had nothing on me but cash, my big gun (JMKII) and a bunch of ammo I decided to take a pass by some Feff's. They have never looted well for me but I keep dreaming of a Korss drop. Plonked a few with not so good returns and was ambushed by a new warrior spawn - Hmm never tried one that big and already at half health - I threw caution to the wind and blasted away - almost got him. Fortunately I was close enought to the CP revive, I ran back and reintroduced that warrior to my little friend. On the way back a droped a guard and .... No Korss but I did get a nice little 20+ped Ricker UL. What a night.

Thanks everyone.

Grounder

A nice read there Grounder. Yes, it was a lot of fun even if I didnt shoot anything and just looted boxes. It was my 2nd beacon and I was quite impressed by how orgainized this one was. We looted all the boxes with plenty of time to spare. My first beacon mission was organized by people who had never done one before. So they took their sweet time and got us all blown up with no loot.

It was great fun and profitable for all from what I saw. Big thanks to all of you who had us along.

nice read grounder. +k
I still recall my first beacon and the adrenalin push with it.
Actually I didn't know that if you are at the lowest level you end up safe. After looting my boxes I mostly try to help others or reinspect my level to see if I haven't forgotten a box. 3 empty ones is really bad. It was my impression that typically 50% of the boxes contains loot.

Hey guys I can't tell you how much you helped us out. I was quite impressed with the fact that you picked things up with very little direction. We could not have done it without you. I will most certainly invite you on any beacons we have in the future where we need looters. Hang in there and keep up the good work and oyu will be shooting in no time.

Good read ive never actually been on a beacon run before but now i really really want to do one

After being in this game for 2 and a half years and being 99% hunting all the time, i have STILL never done a beacon mission. I have alweays wanted too and would love an invite if anyone need an extra head along.

LOL

With all these offers of new beacon runners I may have put myself out of a job. I better get some botting armour next time I HoF.

Still, it is great to see some enthusiasm from people - maybe we've just found the next big addiction. I can tell you I was really into it even though I wasnt doing much. I can't wait until I'm good enough to help clear out the baddies.

Now, where is some good bot training area on Eudoria????

Hey, I just had an idea.. (there is always a first time)
In the interest of keeping the beacon/botting experience fresh I will run a contest. I will have to get the details when I get home but the contest will be for noob botters - anyone with under 20 dodge. The race will be to get to 500 dodge and the winner will get some forum sweat from me (don't know how much I have while posting so I can't say how much yet).
I'll start a seperate thread for it when I get home and sort out the details - so don't start skilling dodge yet.

Grounder

Congratulations there with your first run on the robots. I still remember my first run where I got dragged along by a couple friends. On the 3rd level or so which happens to be the big big maze, I had to play follow the leader because nobody told me how to hug the wall and make my way out :-P. Luckily I too got my goal done which happened to be level two but I panicked thinking that I'd lost all of my loot when the ship blew up :-P. I was shaking so bad... Anyways it was still a good time.

Realy nice to read. to bad that you didn't have any pictures to show us (hade been fun). I have never self had the opportunity to been on a becon mission yet , but i hope that I will sometime in the future.