Chasing Shadows

Epic Mission Arc: The Blood-Stained Stars
Mission 46: Chasing Shadows

Overview

Mission type: Encounter, Arc Mission
Recommended Damage: EM
Recommended Resists: EM
System: Arnon
Deadspace: Yes
Previous Mission: Mission 45: Sealing the Deal
Next Mission: Mission 47: The Missing Link, choose among The Gallente Commander, The Amarr Commander, The Caldari Commander, or The Minmatar Commander

Mission Briefing

An independent Amarr pilot named Kritsan Parthus has recently dealt with Dagan. Unfortunately, he won’t disclose Dagan’s location to the Sisters. Destroy Parthus’s ship and retrieve him for questioning.

Objective

Eliminate the squadron and bring Kritsan Parthus (3 m3) back for interrogation.

Details

No aggro upon warp-in.

Enemy group

(10km - 15km from warp-in point):

   5x Frigate (Mercenary Rookie - Reaper) 
   1x Battlecruiser (Kritsan Parthus - Harbinger).

Reinforcement group

(spawns near the deadspace station when the last Mercenary Rookie is killed - proximity aggro)

   3x Frigate (Mercenary Fighter - Kestrel - flameburst light missle armament)

Web/scramble: None
Ewar: Heavy neut (Kritsan Parthus) - confirmed 25km range

Please note: This mission is one of the most challenging in The Blood Stained Stars, because the kill objective is a battle cruiser with a heavy energy neutralizer. Capsuleers flying destroyers may have difficulty soloing this mission.

Solo play

Catalyst: If you are determined I picked up a little tip that will help you on your way - use a drone! I'm not sure about the other destroyers but a catalyst can take a single light scout drone. Not much I know but it can take the aggro from the cruiser without being hit, leaving you time to take out the mercenaries and cruiser with ease. Be wary though, deploying your drone too early may get it aggro'ed by all the people in the room.

Coercer: An Amarr destroyer (Coercer) fitted with 8 T1 high DPS lasers grouped, 3 cap control circuit rigs, an afterburner, a 'Skadi' Coolant System I, a Fourier Transform I Tracking Program, and a damage control II can defeat the battle cruiser with a few trips back to the station. I also had a Armor Repairer II but did NOT use it during the actual battle. The cap used by that module will lose you the fight. I can attest to the fact that the Catalyst has a much easier time with this opponent. The Amarr destroyer does need to take out all the frigates first and then return to the station to recover before starting in on the BC. After that, the destroyer will very likely have to return to the station 2 or 3 more times during the course of the fight (repair your armor on the way back to the station, not during the fight).

Mission Fleet

For the inexperienced capsuleer, completing this mission as part of a fleet is strongly encouraged. The extra damage per second (DPS) and cooperation make for faster and safer mission running.

Example: After the rookie ships are destroyed, one fleet member can first draw aggro from Kritsan and keep him at maximum possible range. For best results, fit an armor tanked bait ship with EM resists. Another fleet member can then safely warp in, approach, and inflict EM damage (EM Missiles/EM Drones/Lasers/Projectile with EMP) for a safe, easy, and quick kill.

Rewards

250,000 credits
Bonus: 179,000 credits if completed within 6 hours.
Bounties: 25,000 credits