This post is supposed to be a condensed knowledge drop to get you going quickly. If you are interested in the experimentation phase, I recommend reading my post from last year: Stargate Trailblazer Event.
Last Update: 2022-09-03
Table of Content
- A Brief History of Eventful Mining
- When & Where?
- How it Works
- The Endurance
- Recommended Fleet Setups
- The Logi-Problem
- General Tips
- Video Example
A Brief History of Eventful Mining
The current ‘Mining Blitz’ sites were first introduced as the so-called ‘Resource Wars’. The sites were already good and the mechanics worked. But people didn’t run them a lot, because the rewards from the connected Loyalty Point (LP) shops weren’t motivating enough. It had ship packs with questionable fittings that also included volatile SKINs. That meant when the ship gets destroyed, the SKIN would be lost with it. Somehow people weren’t overly motivated to spend their LP on that. The only thing left that could make you money from the LP shop were faction-branded apparel items. After a while, CCP got rid of the sites and put them in the back of the freezer.
After a couple years of nothing, the ‘Stargate Trailblazer‘ event reintroduced the sites. This time with an updated LP store. Instead of ship packs, you would get SKINs and apparel items. No more “volatile” boxes with fitted ships and SKINs glued on. Additionally, you could get your name on a monument, if you completed enough sites. You can read more about that here: The Lowsec Gate to Stain.
When & Where?
The mining blitz sites usually stay for the duration of the event of the respective faction, which is round about two weeks.
- Federation Day (Gallente): ~16th June
Constellations: Marele (Everyshore), Goins (Solitude), Crux (Essence) - Liberation Day (Minmatar): ~10th July
Constellations: Ani (Metropolis), Odengsolf (Heimatar), Almur (Molden Heath), 730-KH (Great Wildlands) - Foundation Day (Amarr): ~5th August
Constellations: Anidaza (Tash-Murkon), San Matar (Derelik), and Sosarir (Domain)
Constellations 2022: Kisana, Nashar, Maseend, Hevaka, Eugidi (Amarr occupancy systems only) - Union Day (Caldari): ~1st September
Constellations: Umamon (Lonetrek), Okomon (The Forge), Santenpaa (The Citadel)
Constellations 2022: Nagaslaiken, Etsala, and Aokinen
⚠ NOTE: The constellations might be subject to change. The ones listed are just where CCP has let sites spawn during previous events.
How it Works
- Warp to a site.
- Once a player activates the Acceleration gate, the timer of the site is started.
- Inside, ore needs to be mined and delivered to NPC-Orcas.
Each Orca has a maximum of 10.000 units of ore it can hold. - Once filled, the Orca warp off.
- When all haulers have been filled, the site will finish and pay out rewards to everyone who participated if the time limit was met.
- The rewards have four stages from the base payout to bronze, silver, and gold medals. Each medal increases ISK and LP payout. To reach higher ranks, certain time limits must be met.
Rewards
In our experience, we found that it’s rather realistic to complete a Major or Critical site every 5 minutes if you have a good team going. You can calculate yourself how much ISK/h that might be.
Preconditions per Site
- Limited Mining Expeditions allow up to three pilots flying corvettes and frigates (including the Venture)
- 10k Ore, 12 Minutes
- Minor Mining Expeditions allow up to four pilots flying corvettes, frigates, and expedition frigates
- 20k Ore, 10 Minutes
- Standard Mining Expeditions allow up to five pilots flying corvettes, frigates, expedition frigates, destroyers, cruisers, and mining barges
- 30k Ore, 12 Minutes
- Major Mining Expeditions allow up to six pilots flying corvettes, frigates, expedition frigates, destroyers, cruisers, mining barges, battlecruisers, and exhumers
- 40k Ore, 12 Minutes
- Critical Mining Expeditions allow up to seven pilots flying corvettes, frigates, expedition frigates, destroyers, cruisers, mining barges, battlecruisers, exhumers, and battleships
- 50k Ore, 14 Minutes
The Endurance
This basic Endurance fitting has proven to be most effective. Don’t ask me why CCP allows Ice Miners on these rocks, but it’s very effective. The most expensive part is of course the O.R.E. faction mining laser. You can go T2 here as well if you want to be safe on ISK. Up to you.
Cancel Early
The sole trick to mine effectively is to cancel the cycle of the miner at 10-15 seconds since the asteroids hold between 800-1400 ore each, which comes down to only few m³. So if you mine for longer than at most 30% of your mining modules cycle, you waste time. Of course, this depends a bit on your skills.
[Endurance, RW Mining Blitz 2022]
Ice Harvester Upgrade II
Ice Harvester Upgrade II
Ice Harvester Upgrade II
5MN Quad LiF Restrained Microwarpdrive
Republic Fleet Medium Shield Extender
Pithum C-Type EM Shield Amplifier
Pithum C-Type EM Shield Amplifier
ORE Ice Mining Laser
Auto Targeting System I
Auto Targeting System I
Small Core Defense Field Purger II
Small Core Defense Field Purger II
Hobgoblin II x3
Light Shield Maintenance Bot I x3
Paradoxical Nebula Firework x50
ECCM Script x1
Nanite Repair Paste x50
Damage Control II x1
Sensor Booster II x1
Multispectrum Shield Hardener II x1
Nanofiber Internal Structure II x1
Shield Power Relay II x2
Enduring Multispectrum Shield Hardener x1
Pithum B-Type Thermal Shield Amplifier x1
Pithum B-Type Kinetic Shield Amplifier x1
1MN Afterburner II x1
Pithum A-Type Explosive Shield Amplifier x1
Small Shield Extender II x1
Inertial Stabilizers II x2
Signal Amplifier II x2
Re-Fits in Cargo
Of course, adjust the Shield Amplifiers according to the site you want to run. Intertial Stabilizers and Nanofiber Structure are intended to be fitted when traveling. The additional tank may be required if you don’t have dedicated logistics in your fleet. Sensor Booster and the ECCM Script are intended to be used in Caldari sites where Guristas NPCs may jam and hinder your mining. That forced idle time can mess up the run. Sacrificing some tank can be worth it in this case. Although I’m not 100% sure if the jamming got patched out since last time. I have a vague memory of it.
Update 2022-08-28: It did not. Guristas Gilas still can jam you. If you run ‘Major’ and ‘Critical’ sites in a group, you can bring a Battle Cruiser with an Information Command Link to reduce the chances to get jammed further.
Update 2022-09-03: I added 2x Signal Amplifier II to the Endurance-fit. fitting them can almost double your Magnotometric Sensor Strength from 25 to 45 points! I got jammed way less using these in the “Minor” sites with the single Gila.
Recommended Fleet Setups
The ideal setup is one Endurance per Orca that needs to be filled. If you reach the higher-level sites, you want five miners + some support.
Porpoise and Command Destroyers are banned in all Mining Blitz sites. The only way to get links into the site is via a Battlecruiser in the Major and Critical levels.
Limited and Minor Fleet Setup
It’s quite possible to solo up to Standard sites. But if you can share the workload it tends to become much more effective. A single Venture can easily solo a Limited site. Well fitted, a Minor site should also be doable. An Endurance can reliably get “silver” rank on Minor sites as well. Gold will require some luck with the spawn of the Orcas and asteroid fields. Note that you can not bring a Cruiser into Limited or Minor sites.
Standard Fleet Setup
Standard can also be completed solo with an Expedition Frigate, most of the time it will only be a “bronze” rank though. And, depending on the faction of the site, tank may also become an issue as the two NPC cruisers may get lucky shots.
- Endurance: 3x
- Cruiser to go in first to pull initial aggression and tank the NPCs
A decently tanked vessel should be able to hold out until the miners delivered their loot. For most flexibility, a PvE-fitted Gila could be rather easily multi-boxed. To run Major sites, you would want to have a logi with you as well. A T1 Bantham for example, coming in soon after to repair the Gila, and if necessary the Endurances, has worked for us even in Critical sites.
A cheaper setup could be just a Caracal or a Scythe for logistics like the following.
[Scythe, RW Standard +]
Mark I Compact Power Diagnostic System
Mark I Compact Power Diagnostic System
Capacitor Power Relay II
Co-Processor II
IFFA Compact Damage Control
10MN Monopropellant Enduring Afterburner
Large Compact Pb-Acid Cap Battery
Enduring Multispectrum Shield Hardener
Enduring Multispectrum Shield Hardener
Medium Clarity Ward Enduring Shield Booster
Medium S95a Scoped Remote Shield Booster
Medium S95a Scoped Remote Shield Booster
Medium S95a Scoped Remote Shield Booster
Medium EM Shield Reinforcer II
Medium Ancillary Current Router II
Medium Capacitor Control Circuit II
Hornet II x5
Light Armor Maintenance Bot I x4
Nanite Repair Paste x50
Explosive Shield Hardener II x1
Kinetic Shield Hardener II x1
EM Shield Hardener II x1
Thermal Shield Hardener II x1
Major Fleet Setup
- Endurance: 4x
- Logi: 2x
For a setup with two logistics, Ospreys would of course be the better way to go about it: Two Ospreys transferring capacitor to each other for cap-stability while repairing the fleet. Just spread the reps accordingly and you should be good. And don’t forget to launch drones and let them shoot up some NPC frigates.
[Osprey, RW Major + Double Logi]
Power Diagnostic System II
Nanofiber Internal Structure II
Damage Control II
10MN Afterburner II
Large Azeotropic Restrained Shield Extender
Multispectrum Shield Hardener II
Large Azeotropic Restrained Shield Extender
Multispectrum Shield Hardener II
Medium S95a Scoped Remote Shield Booster
Medium S95a Scoped Remote Shield Booster
Medium S95a Scoped Remote Shield Booster
Medium S95a Scoped Remote Shield Booster
Medium Inductive Compact Remote Capacitor Transmitter
Medium Ancillary Current Router I
Medium EM Shield Reinforcer I
Medium Core Defense Field Extender I
Hornet II x4
Nanite Repair Paste x50
Explosive Shield Hardener II x1
Kinetic Shield Hardener II x1
EM Shield Hardener II x1
Thermal Shield Hardener II x1
Critical Fleet Setup
- Endurance: 5x
- Logi: 2x
OR - A sturdy Battlecruiser: 1x
with 2x Mining Links with the charges “Mining Laser Field Enhancement Charge” (mining laser range) and “Mining Laser Optimization Charge” (cycle time).
+ one other ship, like a Scythe.
The Battlecruiser could look like the following: A rather easy-to-use fit in a rather boring role. Perfectly suited for an alt. Or just let someone bring their Drake. :)
[Gnosis, RW Major + Links (active)]
Damage Control II
Nanofiber Internal Structure II
Nanofiber Internal Structure II
AE-K Compact Drone Damage Amplifier
Type-D Restrained Capacitor Flux Coil
Type-D Restrained Capacitor Flux Coil
10MN Afterburner II
Large F-S9 Regolith Compact Shield Extender
Compact Multispectrum Shield Hardener
Enduring Multispectrum Shield Hardener
Large Compact Pb-Acid Cap Battery
Large Clarity Ward Enduring Shield Booster
Mining Foreman Burst II
Mining Foreman Burst II
Shield Command Burst II
Small Remote Armor Repairer I
Small Remote Hull Repairer I
[Empty High slot]
Medium Command Processor I
Medium Command Processor I
Medium Capacitor Control Circuit I
Hornet II x5
Vespa II x5
Shield Harmonizing Charge x300
Shield Extension Charge x300
Mining Laser Field Enhancement Charge x500
Mining Laser Optimization Charge x500
Nanite Repair Paste x50
Explosive Shield Hardener II x1
Kinetic Shield Hardener II x1
EM Shield Hardener II x1
Thermal Shield Hardener II x1
The Logi-Problem
Make sure the pilots who fly logistics in this setup bring a bunch of combat drones in this setup to assign to the NPC frigates. Sadly, repairing alone does not seem to be recognized by the site and doesn’t get the logi on the payroll. A bit of damage is apparently needed.
General Tips
- Let your most durable ship warp in first to take the initial brunt of the NPCs aggression.
- When you warp out of the site, the already mined ore will vanish from your cargo hold. Jettison the ore before you leave to deposit it when you come back, or let your comrades pick it up.
- Have your ore-hold open to see how much you have already mined.
- Be sure to get the timing right on your miners. Canceling the cycle early is worth it.
- You can use boosters from your redeem queue when out in space. Some of them can increase the range of mining lasers/yield. To redeem them, click the “redeem to home station”-button.
- To save time, start moving early towards an Orca and use the range of your mining laser.
- If you split the stack of ore into exactly 10.000 units, you can drop off the ore into the Orca without the “split-stack”-confirmation dialogue.
- When you approach an Orca with MWD and time the “open cargo”-command via the radial menu right, you can open up the cargo, and drag & drop your 10k-stack within the same server tick. Otherwise, bumping can become a bit of an issue. The Endurance is not the most nimble ship.
Video Example
You can see us run Critical sites in this VOD on ertschlags Twitch-channel. We did not have an ideal setup yet – the Bantham was there because I wanted to use it to run Standards more relaxed – but it turned out to work well once we got the hang of it.
Update 2022-08-28: Sadly the linked VOD is not available anymore. I might add another video here in the future.
Happy mining. o7
Additional Resources:
- Stargate Trailblazer Event (blog post from 2021)
- Trailblazer Initiative Discord: https://discord.gg/PqU6ZCgdjG
If you look for people to mine with, chances are you can find some there. - CCP’s Announcement post in the Forums 2021
- A little dated Eve University Page about ‘Resource Wars’
the greybill 