Outgrowth Rogue Drone Hive

Complex Details

Outgrowth Rogue Drone Hive
Signature Strength	2.5% (high) 5.0% (low)
Type	Unknown
DED rating	5/10
Security	Lowsec, Null
Known Regions	The Bleak Lands
Pirate type	Rogue Drones

"This deadspace complex once held a great naval installation, but after a strain of rogue drones attacked and seized the complex, little remains from any human inhabitation. The sector has now been taken over for an outgrowth hive of the strain, though not properly developed to count as a true mother hive.
DED Threat Assessment: Dangerous (5 of 10)"

This site may also be found as an escalation from the Cosmic Anomaly 'Drone Menagerie'

10/10 sites are only found when you are running Drone Hordes in Null Sec

If you're not salvaging all the drone compounds then the reliable loot tops out at around 35M isk, with the possibility of a decent extra drop from the overseers. The entire complex is easily tankable in a speed / range fit cerberus, but be prepared to spend a couple of hours clearing it, particularly the final boss. Rooms have around a 50km slog from warp in to the next gate, so when summoning reinforcements, tell your corp mates to fit an afterburner!

Room 1

"This outer section of the complex shows stark signs of the rogue drone infestation. The few human station structures that used to occupy this pocket have been reduced to debris, safe for a single storage facility. Odd drone-built constructions dominate the scene, serving as maintenance platforms for the resident automated machinery. Scouts have reported the acceleration gate being actively scrambled by the local defense force, requiring total elimination of drones before it is possible to continue deeper into the complex."

Spawn (40 - 60 km)

3-5 x (Frigate) Decimator/Hunter/Raider Alvi

2 x (Cruiser) Violator Alvum

Structure drops 9th Tier Overseer Personal Effects.

You can gain access to the gate by having the 9th Tier Overseer Personal Effects in your cargo hold.

Room 2 - Via Surging Accelerating Gate

"This pocket appears to serve as the main defense gauntlet into the complex. The primary acceleration gate is locked by an encrypted passcode being normally stored by one of the resident master drones. Another gate lies at the pocket's border with a serious plasma leak, rendering it all but useless unless for a pilot knowledgeable in the field of plasma physics. It has been speculated that it may provide a shortcut to another pocket deep inside the sprawling complex."

8 x (Sentry) Rogue Drone Sentry Gun

3 x (Sentry) Drone Point Defense Battery

2 x (Frigate) Strain Infestor Alvi (Stasis Webifier)

2 x (Frigate) Raider/Sunder Alvi

12 x (Cruiser) Viral Infector/Violator/Devastator Alvum

1 x (Battleship) Drone Commandeered Battleship (Drops 10th Tier Overseer's Personal Effects)

The contents of the cans are generally ammo, minerals, or occasionally drone alloys.

There are also two gates in this room.

The first, an Ancient Acceleration Gate, unlocks when all hostiles are killed. This gate leads to Room 3.

The second, a Surging Accelerating Gate, requires the skill "Plasma Physics" trained to Level 4. (It may also require a Zbikoki's Hacker Card)

Room 3 - Via Ancient Acceleration Gate

"This section used to be a small navy base specializing in plasma weapon research. The station's torn superstructure still floats around the swarming new inhabitants, emitting hazardous plasma leaks. The pocket's acceleration gate is frequently scrambled by the local drone force.

Appendix: Old reports from the time the complex is thought to have been overtaken by the rogue drone strain say that at the time an infamous band of pirates were seen docking at the station, picking up a secret cargo into their industrial ships. Some have speculated that the pirates summoned the drones here, intending to wipe out the complex after they had stolen all it's valuable equipment. Whether that's truly the case remains uncertain, but what is certain is that a few derelict industrial ships remain within the pocket, cluttered with the frozen bodies of known criminals."

4 x (Frigate) Hunter/Silverfish Alvi

3 x (Cruiser) Bomber/Disintegrator Alvum

3 x (Battlecruiser) Crippler/Defeater/Enforcer Alvatis

1 x (Sentry) Drone Light Missile Battery

Industrial derelict drops 11th Tier Overseer Personal Effects. Usurped Freight platforms drop random ammo.

Room 4

Another Ancient acceleration gate takes to to the next room.

"According to DED reconnaissance officer Jen Maynor, this pocket functions as a storage area for captured equipment and construction minerals for the drone hive."

2 x (Frigate) Devilfish/Silverfish Alvi

8 x (Cruiser) Viral Infector Alvum

2 x (Battlecruiser) Striker Alvatis

4 x (Battleship) Alvus Controller

1 x (Battleship) Swarm Preserver Alvus

1 x (Battleship) Swarm Parasite Worker (Overseer)

The containers have t1 modules and ammo and some drone compounds. The overseer drops at 12th tier overseer's effects (and possible t2 salvage). This has a pretty strong tank and may need an alt or a corpmate to help out.

Room 5

Yet another ancient acceleration gate and you are greeted with the following:

"This area has been reported to be heavily defended by a large force of rogue drones. Although many of the automated machines are light and do not carry much heavy weaponry, DED advises pilots to be on high alert. It appears to be a rendezvous point for excursion swarms and raiding forces before departure. The acceleration gate is actively scrambled by the resident forces, denying anyone entrance while there's at least a single drone left with an open scrambling frequency."

Initial Defenders

4 x (Frigate) Hunter/Sunder/Silverfish Alvi

1 x (Frigate) Strain Render Alvi

3 x (Cruiser) Disintegrator Alvum

5 x (Battlecruiser) Crippler/Enforcer Alvatis

1 x (Sentry) Swarm Defense Battery ( Drops 13th Tier Overseer's Personal Effects)

Another reasonably tough overseer will this time drop you a set of 14th tier effects.

Room 6

An imaginatively named ancient acceleration gate drops you into this room.

"This pocket contains the final acceleration gate leading into the mother hive itself. Reports speak of multiple sentry guns and cruise missile batteries installed in this heavily guarded security pocket. "

9 x (Frigate) Hunter/Raider/Sunder/Silverfish Alvi

2 x (Frigate) Strain Infestor Alvi (Stasis Webifier)

5 x (Battlecruiser) Crippler Alvatis

4 x (Sentry) Drone Point Defense Battery

4 x (Sentry) Drone Heavy Missile Battery

2 x (Battleship) Alvus Controller

1 x (Battleship) Supreme Hive Defender (Drops 14th Tier Overseer Personal Effects)

Nothing much challenging but the suggestion that you are at the last gate makes a rallying call before you head on to the climax of the complex in the final room.

Room 7 - Boss fight

"Intelligence data is scarce concerning this deepest pocket within the deadspace complex. It is speculated that this section houses the central hive along with a strain mother drone. "

3 x (Frigate) Hunter/Raider Alvi

3 x (Frigate) Strain Splinter Alvi (Statis Webifier)

5 x (Cruiser) Bomber Alvum

8 x (Battlecruiser) Crippler/Defeater Alvatis

6 x (Battleship) Hive Defender

3 x (Sentry) Drone Cruise Missile Battery

1 x (Sentry) Drone Point Defense Battery

1 x (Sentry) Lesser Strain Mother (Statis Webifier 50km) (Drops 15th Tier Overseer's Personal Effects)

The Lesser Strain Mother has modest shield and armour which it repairs very fast. Its main defence, however, is the vast number of structure hit points you have to nibble away at (while keeping a careful eye on local, mind you).