A Message to Solo Pilots
Law is for those under the blind notion that the skies have bounds. Lawlessness is for those so lost as to think she has none.
Then there’s us. The honest void between. The black knights of the empire’s rim. The ronin of the borderlands.
We are the independent drifters of low-sec space that ride between skies crowded with ungoverned governments to one side, and unchecked alliance giants on the other. We are not tools for any mega-corporation. We’re a network of soloists, rangers, traders, bounty hunters, explorers, and entrepreneurs bound only by our common will to get by another day—because as long as our skies are free, so are we.
Solo play is often shrugged at in EVE. It’s sometimes seen as going against the grain in a world that was built for social interaction. It’s considered not maximizing your experience, or just proven down right difficult. And from plenty of experience, I can say there’s truth to all of these perceptions.
But I behold myself to a few ideals when flying space ships: solo pilots are the coolest (Mal, Han, Deckard, and Fett), and I have no time for big commitments.
After I left M3 to pursue solo exploration at the beginning of the year, I was approached by Casiella Truza who was going through some difficulties of his own while flying solo. He had an idea for an unofficial community or network for explorers. A place where we could exchange intelligence, plan ops, but remain free of corporate influence and obligation.
Over the past few months we’ve brainstormed, plotted, prepared, and evolved this idea into what we’re calling:
Copernicus Coalition: a network of independent pilots and small corporations working to make low-sec livable for the common player.
This is not an alliance. In fact, aside from an in-game chat channel, it relies on no formal game construct. This is because we want pilots in the Coalition to remain independent by all accounts, while taking advantage of social support, help, ops planning, trade, and general banter among other pilots that share the same love for independence, and low-sec.
Yes, this is an experiment. We are convinced that low security space offers some of the most fun flying in New Eden—the risks are abundant, and the reward is survival. What we aim to do is balance the low-sec equation, to make it just a little more survivable. By supporting each other in our exploration, missioning, mining, bounty hunting, trading, hauling, manufacturing, and planeteering, we can burst the bubble that solo-flight means non-social, and low-sec means unbalanced risk.
To facilitate this, we offer an in-game chat channel and an online forum that will serve as a hub for conversation, exchange of resources, and general intelligence. And the real beauty of this experiment? If you join, there are no formal commitments. Just good company.
Speaking of good company, assisting in its inception along the way, and among its founding members are Casiella Truza of Ecliptic Rift, Jorshan of Industrialisms, Mark726 of EVE Travel, and my friends Nocipe and Denovin Zyrinax.
So if you’re an independent pilot or small corporation that’s intrigued at all, why not apply to the forums? We’ll do a little background check on you, but otherwise, acceptance is now open.
Visit the Copernicus Coalition home site here. Read the full charter here.
NOTE: I’m aware that, for some reason, the forums decided to crash the day after I post this. Figures. I’ll be able to look into it tonight. If you’re interested but can’t get to the forums, just send me an EVE mail @ Rettic.
And they’re back!
