The Honor in Retreat is Over-Rated

Jan. 11, 2010 - PRLog -- Venus Resources Unlimited, Goliath BattleCruiser.
Last night I logged into my VRU Goliath , And
began to search the Map for Glowing Bonus Boxes that contain the Game Money ( Uridium
and Credits) as well as other items that are good for the ship's account.
While doing this i would destroy Automaton Aliens.
that each one provided as a reward for destroying them.
On the second or third round of the map I met up with a "Peanut" : a free ship called a  Phoenix,
The Peanut was being surrounded by the Hostile Lordikas and taking heavy damage .
I destroyed the Aliens quickly with my 23 Laser Cannons and moved off : the Peanut followed me.
This is not uncommon, a small ship following a larger one for cover as they explore the game map.
I disregarded my own ship's needs to collect the Bonus Boxes and led the Peanut around the map
from one box to the next, destroying Hostile Aliens that threatened the little ship  or fired on mine.
This activity is called "Crossing Guard" where you take a newer player and cover them
as they learn the game and the maps.
Naturally, as with all games, they call these Players "Noobs" .
The most frustrating thing about being a Crossing Guard is when the Noob does not listen.
You tell them to repair their ship : they neglect it.
You tell them to run and they dont.
Back to my current "Noob" :
I was trying patiently to
Demonstrating that a slow search up and down the map was far better and easier then running around looking for boxes.
About Half-way through the map the mini map showed a Yellow line : Danger.
Yes, I was on a "Safe Map". I am not interested in fighting the larger Aliens or other Players
as much as I am trying to build up my ships and accounts So I can eventually "go out there".
I led the Peanut toward the Nearest  Portal and it's Safe Zone ( " No Attack Zone" ).
It was not meant to be, Obviously , as a Mars Mining Operations Vengeance StarFighter
Suddenly showed itself.
I target locked it and fired 1x lasers to warn it off : But the pilot was not there to be polite.
He returned fire with more powerful lasers , so i changed mine as well,
he immediately backed away and targeted the small Phoenix : the new player had no chance
against a bigger ship's guns.
the Peanut was destroyed in seconds as I fired on the Vengi, moved to collect the remains of the fallen ship and eventually drove the StarFighter away from the Portal.
I was Noobless :( Its' embarrassing to loose your Noob.
I reloaded my ammunition and repaired: then gave chase. The vengi was joined by a second
at the next Portal and it was a tag team for a few seconds , simple team spirit that vanished
quickly as the second Vengi was on a mission of his own and went on his way.
The Offending StarFighter dashed out the Portal and headed toward a MMO dominated map .
I did not give chase: there was no telling how many Mars players with bigger Goliaths awaited
on the other side of the next map.
I let the fight go, repaired and reloaded. I returned to collecting Bonus Boxes ,
when to my surprise, the little Phoenix had returned.
I was glad the Player was not being a good sport about it. I know i used to get very unhappy
when i got destroyed in my beginning of the game. But here he was, back in the Danger Zone.
Again I led the Phoenix to  collecting  Bonus Boxes until the next warning signal.
An Invasion of Hostiles : at least 5.
This time the Phoenix reached safety.
The Danger Signal was caused by EIC : Earth Industries Corporation.
Nothing makes the Galaxy smell better then the Burning ships of EIC.
An EIC ship showed itself: I went after it, leaving the Peanut in the safe zone while I chased
the Hated Critters from Earth.
My target suffered a good deal of damage: I was not the only Goliath hunting the EIC in that map.
There were at least 6 VRU Goliaths in all Hunting the Hostiles.
The number of Hostiles dropped to two : my Target and his Wing Man.
I know he had a Wing Man because EIC rarely fly alone and this Wing Man caught me fighting the target and got me good : I had to repair.
I watched the Red Dot on my Mini Map while repairing, ready to attack again.
As soon as I had most of my Hit Points restored I began the chase : we battled down the map.
The Wing Man gave me a pounding again and i reached a Portal where 3 VRU Goliaths rested.
The EIC ships retreated quickly as the VRU gave chase but watching my mini map I could
see that Red Dots separate: I could see them both because I had a target lock on one:
the Wing Man had a target lock on me as well: so they were both visible to me.

I watched the Wing Man escape up the map as my target ran to the middle of the map.
As soon as I had half my Hit Points restored I gave chase to my target : his hit points were out
his shields low to nothing : i could finish him off and call it a good night for the Galaxy.
As I arrived into Firing Range my ship  began pounding the EIC Target: then he turned on me.
Above his ship stood a Brand  New Blue line : he restored his hit Points .
The first thought is "booster" but I know there is no booster that can restore his Points that fast there was only one way to get his ship those points : the Galaxy Gate Button.
He must have been hitting that Button like a Monkey on Crack Cocaine .

I immediately made my retreat, he did not follow me . It was obvious his plan worked : I had seen
the Blue line and knew I could not knock him down again: and it would be stupid to try .
Id have no idea how much he got from the Galaxy Gate Button.
It could be 256 or more: stupid to try my luck.
I retreated to a Portal and waited : A team of VRU Goliaths came through and began to hunt the EIC:
One Hostile was destroyed and the other left the map.
A few minutes later another danger signal :
Battles raged as I could hear the weapon's fire of VRU ships. I raced toward the fight but was too late.
The Hostile had jumped.
I went ahead and jumped as well and there it was:
A huge box of yellow goo oozing EICness in the middle of  the Base Map.
I ran out to get a lock : then raced back to the Portal to wait for help.
And Help I got.
5 ships came through and together we made for the Hostile.
Not a word was spoken, My chat window was "down" :
the thing never works for me after it restarts.
but we all knew what to do :
Hunt The EIC!.
The EIC  made it back to the Portal and jumped: we gave chase.
Naturally we split up as soon as we got into the next map : but i hit the map running to the right.
I figured that after getting hit by 6 ships he would be running to the shortest route to an EIC safe area.
that would be to the right and up the map to the next Portal
then at least halfway across the next map.

I gave my chase and found him resting at the next Portal trying to repair before making the jump.
I opened fire : the small ships that had taken refuge in  that Port's safe zone opened fire as well.
It was Glorious to see these little ships in action against
the boogy-man that they finally see is just a ship : and ships can be destroyed.

The EIC ran out  the S.A.B. ( Shield Absorbing Ammunition) on me as we circled  : wiping out my first shield.
then he switched to lasers: I switched to my second shield:
He returned to S.A.B. : I switched back to my first  configuration without a shield.
Frustrating when your opponent counters your move.
By switching back to the configuration without a shield : his S.A.B.  was a waste on me while my lasers
were still hitting him.
we circled and as he changed weapons i changed configurations : the entire time the small ships were
pounding his ship from the sides .
Blue Dots Moving toward the Portal : the others could hear the battle and were responding.

I kept the EIC steady  in the battle as long as I could, it was going well.
My hit points were going down : I would have to jump.
Blue Dots were increasing around me but not quite there : I hit the Jump Button.
Connection  to the Game Server was lost : My ship never made that Jump : I died.

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