Tressin's Down

Since I'm so awesom-pro, I thought I'd start blogging for all you newbs, and write up a little guide to proper tackling so that all of you can be awesome too!! There are many bad habits in tacklers, and misconceptions that I would like to get out of all your heads.

The most common misconception is that tacklers hold ships for fleets which they are already in. This is full of fail. A good tackler knows that he should have point a LONG time before he ever joins a fleet. So how do we do this? I'll explain.

We'll start with you noticing a target in local, for this example we'll use a Ishtar. You should be in your trusty Rifter and at least 10 jumps from any friendlies. Your first instinct may be to check for a fleet or join one: This is bad, and will only lead to disappointment from your fellows. Begin narrowing the target down with the D-scan or probes.

Once you have him probed out DO NOT CALL FOR HELP. You may be wrong about his location, and there will be plenty of time for screaming for help later while your ship is on fire. Instead, warp in and get to range on the target.

When you arrive at the target's location, fly straight at him. Do not bother with transversal or keeping range or any of that other wimpy stuff, just get right in there and tackle him! In all likelyhood he will fail to even target you appropriately, much less fire any guns at you. Plus, your Rifter is practically invincible.

Once you have him targeted and pointed, you will have a very strong urge to notify your fellows. It is important to remain calm through this very delicate portion of the tackling process though, and wait. Your target may have stabs on, and it will not look good to call for backup on the stabbed ship that has already retreated.

At this point you should be well into structure. This is a good time to activate your mic and calmly say "point" in vent. Your mates will reply with encouraging comments like "huh?" and "wha... where?" The ensuing confusion should be relatively amusing, and give you plenty of time to attempt to get under the guns of the beast you are being raped by.

Once everyone has formed up and is en-route to your location, you should calm them all by stating "Tressin's down" on vent. Enjoy the moment of silence wherein your mates proudly admire your bravery and sacrifice.

With some practice, and careful attention to this guide, you will find yourself super-elite-pro in no time.