You may remember my last player spotlight with TESTicle hero Evian Drinker who hero-tackled several Tengu’s in a mixed TEST/PL fleet, impressing everyone including PL FC Shadoo. Well another hero newbro has shined in TEST Alliance who goes by the name Orion Winters.
Mr Winters has played EVE for just 2 days, signing up after seeing TEST Alliance’s recruitment advertisement over on the Reddit forums and has quickly got to grips with the game. How so I hear you all cry! Well, in those 2 short days in EVE, Mr Winters has managed to not only partake in a POS takedown operation but he also hero tackled a Hurricane, a Thanatos carrier, and Nyx Super-carrier which the Hurricane was trying to protect! That’s right, you have heard it here first, this 2 day old character has managed to bag himself a super carrier killmail – the first super kill of the year, and carrier killmail, in his second day in the game!
This newbro has achieved something many people would only dream of, and he did it whilst still getting to grips with fleet culture. Although most people new to EVE begin in Empire and start by running missions, maybe a little mining on the side, these new players who are recruited by TEST Alliance and Goonswarm from their respective forums Reddit and Something Awful are absolutely thriving! This brings into question the current consensus that players new to EVE should begin in high-sec, as clearly these new players have skipped that part and are doing very well in nullsec. TEST Alliance’s newbro mentorship proves to be a success and with free ships and items these newbies have arguably the best start in the game.
I caught up with our hero Mr Winters and conducted a brief interview. He insisted I included this picture:
Lovelocke > You’re a Reddit member and saw the advertisement from TEST Alliance to join them in EVE. What was it from that advert which prompted you to sign up?
Orion Winters > Mainly that they’re newbie friendly or as they like to say newbro. This was important because Ive only been playing 3 or so Days.
Lovelocke > How did TEST bring you up to speed on Nullsec – seen as the “Endgame” of EVE – and teach you surviving and fighting out here?
Orion Winters > Well I’ve found that if I ask a question there will always be one or two people who will answer them. I think I’ve got the navigating in a fleet down but as combat’s been quite rare and I can’t hit anything I reckon it will be awhile till I have a decent grasp on that. Also the free ships help. Also wikis!
Lovelocke > Most people start their life in high-sec and spend a good 6 months there on average before delving into nullsec. Do you think jumping in at the deep end forces you to learn faster and become a more competent player quicker?
Orion Winters > Yeah I’m definitely learning a lot about how fleets work and how important even a small ship can be (Hero Tackle!). The only thing I worry about is not learning about high sec which I’d like to venture back into at some stage. The NPCs are very tough out here.
Lovelocke > In just 2 days you’ve managed to help annihilate a POS, kill your first battlecruiser and also help in the take down of a Thanatos carrier capital class ship and a Nyx, a super carrier capital class ship. This has made for a total damage of just under 20bil isk. This makes your killboard stats look pretty epic. How do you feel?
Orion Winters > Is that alot?
Lovelocke > err, just a bit lol
Orion Winters > Oh
Orion Winters > Oh wow. I bet that guy is mad
Lovelocke > yea, pretty mad mate lol
Lovelocke > so how do you feel knowing your killboard in just 2 days has more damage on it then most people have in a year?
Orion Winters > Uhhh good I guess. I think it’ll take a while for me to truly understand how high my killboard truly is.
Lovelocke > so humble 
love it!
Lovelocke > So you’re a newbro who has already taken down a super carrier, what’s next?
Orion Winters > Train skills and get a steady income of isk to save up for something powerful.
And there we have it gentlemen, another newbro owning up nullsec!
