Stopped in your Tracks – The Heavy Interdictor Story | EVE Online

Stopped in your Tracks – The Heavy Interdictor Story

2008-01-24 - By Svarthol

The recent release of the new Heavy Interdictor cruisers was set to shake the cluster in many ways. Many were enticed by the potent defenses these ships offer. Other pilots were attracted to these unique vessels by their ability to generate warp interdiction spheres. But the real allure, the thing that sets pilots’ mouths agape and makes their knees tremble is the Heavy Interdictor’s power to stop any ship. Any ship at all.

In order to attain faster-than-light speeds, ships generate a bubble of “depleted vacuum” – space leeched of all free energy – in which they glide from point to point free of the constraints of normal space-time. A standard warp disruptor works by bleeding energy into another ship’s warp core, preventing it leeching the surrounding space sufficiently to allow a bubble to form. However, warp core stabilization equipment can circumvent such tactics. To undeniably prevent a warp by any ship, it takes a powerful, focused warp disruption field that suffuses the surrounding space with energy.

To achieve this warp disruption effect, the giant, throbbing disruption engines of a Heavy Interdictor are required. But as with any fine tools, there is an art to using them in order to achieve the most knee-trembling effect. I have been able to talk to one well versed in their use, someone who makes pod pilots quite literally stop dead in their tracks: the aVoCaDo MuFfInMaN.

“The Broadsword is my weapon of choice. Since we are a pirate [corporation] and have a lot of people coming through with [warp core stabilizers], it is the ultimate tackler with the infinite point script. And, of course, it has an amazing tank with which you can survive the sentries."

However, as with all things, it is a case of the right tool for the job.

“Since a Broadsword can’t use bubbles in 0.4 [security space], we don’t use them in ‘belt pirating.’ We prefer the Lachesis, since we are attacking people that don’t expect it… and those people generally don’t use [warp core stabilizers]. We prefer the longer disruptor range.”

So, which is the best Heavy Interdictor to choose? For the aVoCaDo MuFfInMaN, there are only two choices, the Phobos or the Broadsword.

“I chose the Broadsword because I’m more skilled in [the use of] Minmatar ships, and I have [had extensive engineering training].. I think those two are about equal though – it’s down to skill as to which one you pick. But if you don’t have people to [remote sensor] boost you, the Phobos would be nice because of the extra mid-slots not used for tanking.”

“My favourite encounters have been with transport ships. Before I started using the Broadsword, those ships were almost uncatchable.”

“When you are a pirate, the only way of becoming really good is by teamwork. There are always people remote sensor boosting me – high enough to catch anything that comes through except maybe an interceptor or a shuttle. Usually we use a Scorpion with 4 scripted remote sensor boosters.”

“When you have years of experience with pirating, you miss a lot of targets and each target you miss, you want to improve yourself by all means so that next time, you won’t miss that target. By experience, your tactics get perfected – and the HIC are a new tool to achieve that perfection.”

So what is the HIC’s key to success in piracy?

“If you want to be truly successful with a gatecamp, a tackler with infinite [warp disruption] ‘points’ is required. A heavy interdictor isn’t any use if he doesn’t have an insta-lock, so don’t go out there with 400 scan resolution because that would defeat the purpose of the ships – to tackle better and faster than all other ships.”

While the aVoCaDo MuFfInMaN informed me on the finer points of HIC use, he was able to lock down and destroy over 25 star ships. Whatever your opinions of these cruiser-size vessels are, the heavy interdictors are certainly a powerful new tool for pirates within New Eden.