Groothese – 2025-11-14
EIN-Advisory: Groothese — High-Risk Low‑Sec Chokepoint; Avoid EU Prime-Time (17:00–23:00 UTC)
Summary
- System threat level: HIGH (3.8/5.0). Groothese is a focused ganking and predation hotspot, not random PvP.
- Two persistent aggressor profiles dominate kills: the small, fast EWAR/T3C gang (“Alexis/Sick/Jason”) and a heavier Drake Navy Issue battlecruiser group.
- Peak danger window: European Prime Time (17:00–23:00 UTC), especially Sunday (2025-11-09) and Monday (2025-11-10).
- Primary victims: industrial haulers (Badger, Epithal, Porpoise), exploration frigates (Heron, Imicus), and capsules/pods.
Observed Threat Actors & Patterns
- Group A — “Alexis / Sick / Jason”:
- Composition: Legion (T3C), Vigilant, Lachesis (recon/ewar).
- Behavior: Highly-synchronized small-gang ganking with strong electronic warfare and fast tackle. Concentrated Sunday 16:00–23:00 UTC. Thread threat: 5.0.
- Group B — “Drake Navy Issue” fleet:
- Composition: Multiple Drake Navy Issues / Drakes.
- Behavior: Heavier, coordinated battlecruiser ganks (notably active Monday evenings). Thread threat: 4.5.
- Other notable activity:
- Opportunistic battleship hunter (Praxis) and light-gank Gnosis users targeting shuttles and capsules.
- Presence of retaliatory/counter-gank forces (Redeemer Black Ops + Tengu) demonstrates escalation risk — fights can rapidly change from small-gang ganks to organized retribution battles.
What is at Risk
- High probability of lost ships and full pod kills for:
- Haulers and mining support (Badger, Epithal, Porpoise) during prime hours.
- Exploration/scouting frigates (Heron, Imicus) when scanning or operating uncloaked.
- Capsules — attackers are achieving pod kills; pod survival in Groothese is not guaranteed.
Tactical Advisories (Rooted in observed patterns)
- Avoid transiting Groothese during EU Prime Time (17:00–23:00 UTC), especially Sunday and Monday evenings. This is the single most effective mitigation.
- Do not run high-value hauls or unescorted mining/support ops through Groothese during the peak window. The groups target industrial ships deliberately.
- If you must transit:
- Use the fastest, best-aligned ships possible (covert/stealth/transports with sub-3s align). Note: explorers and cloaky frigates have also been targeted; use extra caution.
- Do not loiter at gates, anomalies, or wrecks. The attackers use predictable choke points and will respond quickly to exposed targets.
- Avoid attempting to loot or salvage in system after a kill — counter-gank and trap behavior has been observed.
- For scouts and combat pilots:
- Expect strong EWAR (Lachesis-style) and fast tackle in small-gang scenarios; prepare for electronic warfare countermeasures and prioritize tackle/overapply DPS where appropriate.
- For anyone considering intervention: both heavy Drake groups and a Redeemer/Tengu counter force have been active — engagements can escalate into multi-capital or Black Ops involvement.
- Pod safety:
- Capsule escape is uncertain — align to a safe and have a plan to dock or warp off immediately on aggression. Pod loss rate in observed kills is elevated.
- Consider re-routing around Groothese where possible or scheduling movements outside the high-threat window.
Operational Note
- Groothese operates as a chokepoint with habitual hunter presence. The pattern is persistent and organized; caution is required even when threat appears to subside. Presence of both proactive predators and organized counter-gank units means the system frequently transitions into a contested warzone rather than isolated gank incidents.
Conclusion
Groothese is an actively hunted low‑sec chokepoint with predictable peak activity and two dominant predator profiles. The clearest risk mitigation is avoidance of the EU Prime-Time window (17:00–23:00 UTC, Sunday and Monday most dangerous). If transit is unavoidable, travel fast, don’t loiter, minimize value exposed in‑system, and be aware that engagements may rapidly escalate.