How to Run an HMA Public Mining Fleet [Updated]

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Although each bosmang has a great deal of autonomy in how they run their fleet, in order to be considered a legitimate HMA Public Mining Fleet there are certain standards that must be met. These standards have been put in place to create consistency in function and appearance in order to create a unified public presence. In doing so, we strengthen the HMA which benefits everyone who participates. Failure to adhere to these standards could lead to sanctions being applied. To help avoid this, and just make things a Hek of a lot easier, we present this guide on how to properly configure and operate an HMA Public Mining Fleet. Although this example is specific to that kind of fleet, it can easily be adapted to your particular activity. Don’t forget to also review the Fleet Standards in our Rules and Regulations.

Fleet Configuration

To begin, go to the Neocom Menu and select Social > Fleet then click Form Fleet. After initial setup, you will have a template to select for future fleets.

Once the fleet is setup you will first want to up the MotD. To do so, select More (⋮) then Channel Settings.

Feel free to configure this with whatever information you find useful. However, we do ask that you include at minimum: a link to this blog, a link to the Hek Mining Association channel, a link to the HMA Buyback channel, a link to the Discord, and that you identify the person in charge of the fleet.

For your convenience, my personal MotD is provided below. Simply select the clipboard icon icon in the top right and paste into the MotD section of Channel Configuration.

<font size="13" color="#bfffffff"><br></font><font size="18" color="#ffd4af38"><b><i><u>H</font><font size="18" color="#ffd7b546">M</font><font size="18" color="#ffdaba53">A</font><font size="13" color="#99ffffff"> </font><font size="18" color="#ffddbf61">P</font><font size="18" color="#ffdfc56e">u</font><font size="18" color="#ffe2c27c">b</font><font size="18" color="#ffe5cf89">l</font><font size="18" color="#ffebdaa4">i</font><font size="18" color="#ffeee0b1">c</font><font size="14" color="#ffffffff"> </font><font size="18" color="#fff4eacc">M</font><font size="18" color="#fff7f0da">in</font><font size="18" color="#fff1e5bf">in</font><font size="18" color="#ffeee0b1">g</font><font size="13" color="#99ffffff"> </font><font size="18" color="#ffebdaa4">F</font><font size="18" color="#ffe8d596">l</font><font size="18" color="#ffe5cf89">e</font><font size="18" color="#ffe2c27c">e</font><font size="18" color="#ffdfc56e">t           </i></u><br></font><font size="14" color="#ffffe400"><a href="https://roguecorp.space">Website</a></b></font><font size="14" color="#ffbfbfbf"> </font><font size="14" color="#ffdfc56e"></font><font size="14" color="#ffffe400"><loc><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@roguecorpstudios">YouTube</a></loc></font><font size="14" color="#ffdfc56e"></font><font size="14" color="#ffbfbfbf"> </font><font size="14" color="#ffffe400"><a href="https://discord.gg/hM27SWRahg">Discord</a></font><font size="14" color="#ffbfbfbf"> </font><font size="14" color="#ffdfc56e"></font><font size="14" color="#ffbfbfbf"> </font><font size="14" color="#ff6868e1"><a href="joinChannel:player_6ddd526eba3b11eb89b89abe94f5aa9b">Buyback</a><br><br></font><font size="13" color="#ff00ff00"><b>BOSMANG: </font><font size="13" color="#ffd98d00"><a href="showinfo:1376//91745288">Winston Enderas</a><br></font><font size="13" color="#ff00ff00">LOCATION:</font><font size="13" color="#ffff0000"> TBD </font><font size="13" color="#ff007fff">(</font><font size="13" color="#ffff0000">TBD</font><font size="13" color="#ff007fff">)<br></font><font size="13" color="#ff00ff00">RESOURCE: </font><font size="13" color="#ffff0000">TBD<br></font><font size="13" color="#ff00ff00">SPONSOR: </font><font size="13" color="#ffd98d00"><loc><a href="showinfo:2//98279893">RogueCor</loc>p</a><br><br></font><font size="13" color="#ff00ff00">STATUS:</b></font><font size="13" color="#bfffffff"> </font><font size="13" color="#ffff0000"><b>FORMING</b><br><br></font><font size="13" color="#ff00ff00">These fleets are a public service of the </font><font size="13" color="#ff6868e1"><a href="joinChannel:player_fdea5f70866011eb8cf99abe94f5b483">Hek Mining Association</a></font><font size="13" color="#ff00ff00">. By participating, you agree to abide by our </font><font size="13" color="#ffffe400"><a href="https://roguecorp.space/the-hma/rules-and-regulations/">Rules and Regulations</a></font><font size="13" color="#ff00ff00">.<br><br>Any questions? Check out our </font><font size="13" color="#ffffe400"><loc><a href="https://roguecorp.space/the-hma/frequently-asked-questions/">FAQs</a></loc></font><font size="13" color="#ff00ff00">.<br><br></font><font size="13" color="#ff6868e1"><a href="joinChannel:player_6ddd526eba3b11eb89b89abe94f5aa9b">How do I sell to you?</a><br><br></font><font size="13" color="#ffff0000"><b>⇧⇧⇧⇧⇧⇧⇧⇧⇧⇧⇧⇧⇧⇧⇧</b><br><b></font><font size="14" color="#ff00ffff">The MotD is up here</font><font size="13" color="#ffff0000"><br>⇧⇧⇧⇧⇧⇧⇧⇧⇧⇧⇧⇧⇧⇧⇧</b></font>

Once you’re happy with your MotD, it’s time to get the fleet configured. I recommend enabling Free-Move by going to More (⋮) and clicking Set Free-Move. Please be aware that with Free-Move enabled it is essential that you have your command roles filled to prevent bad actors from joining fleet and kicking everyone out.

You will also want to configure your wings and squads. This is entirely up to personal preference and may need to be adjusted to meet the needs of your fleet. My personal default is shown below.

Once you’re done, go back into More (⋮) and select Store Fleet Setup. Give it a short name and be sure to check the boxes for Include current Message of the Day and Include current Free-Move setting so you don’t need to redo those next time.

Now that you’re fleet is properly configured, it is time to bring it live. To set up a fleet advert, go to the Neocom Menu and select Activities > The Agency > Fleet up! and click on Create Ad. The fleet should be named HMA Public Mining Fleet. The description should include a link to the Hek Mining Association. This may require you to play around a little with the formatting but it can be done within the characters allow. Make sure to set the Fleet Activity as Resource Harvesting and select New Player Friendly and Use Advanced Options. Once that’s been filled out, click Advanced to set those options.

Select Publicly Accessible and Minimum required standings to -4.9 (or 0, but I like the flexibility that the granular standings provides). This will make the fleet available to everyone except those that you have personally set to Bad or Terrible Standing. Click Save then Register Fleet.

Note – You will need to come back to Fleet Up! and Update Fleet Registration if you change a members standing in order for them to be excluded from the fleet.

Congratulations, you are now the bosmang of your very own HMA Public Mining Fleet. Try not to let the power go to your head.

Running the Fleet

As the bosmang, you will be expected to think on your feet and deal with challenges as they appear. However, I would like to provide some guidance regarding some common challenges.

Ganking and Griefing

As a public mining fleet, you can expect to be ganked and griefed from time to time. To those unfamiliar, ganking (or, more accurately, suicide ganking) is the practice of utilizing cheap and efficient ships to kill more expensive targets while griefing is the practice of harassment that avoids criminal status such as attacking MTUs, can-flipping, or bumping. Sometimes these are done as part of an extortion racket but just as frequently it is meant to send a message or as simple for the fun of it. Dealing with gankers and griefers is the most challenging part of being bosmang and there is no one-size-fits-all answer for managing them. However, there are three things to keep in mind to help get you started down the right path.

First, a gank happens fast. In Hek, Concord will respond to criminal acts in between 19 and 24 seconds. That means that if you can survive those 19-24 seconds you should be safe. However, that also means you also only have (at most) 19-24 seconds to implement any defensive strategies. For this reason, ECM is the only practical way to defend against gankers. All you need to do is prevent your opponent from applying damage long enough for the cavalry to arrive. Even a single Griffin can turn the tide. That being said, a fast-locking high-damage ship is fun and can (if you’re lucky) kill Catalysts before they can kill their target.

Second, most griefers want you to fight them. Generally speaking, what they are trying to do is bait you into engaging them at which point they will destroy you. And, don’t be fooled into thinking that the fight you see is the fight you are going to get. Always remember that when you engage another player you will have a limited engagement timer. Even if you destroy the ship you see, they have five minutes to reship into something more suitable.

Third, keep your composure. Gankers and griefers want to upset you. Not only is that satisfying in its own right, but if you lose your cool you will make poor decisions which will likely result in your destruction. Either way, do not give them the tears they so desperately crave. My personal preference is to respond with either disdain or acknowledgement of their skillful play depending on the ganker or griefer in question.

Unauthorized Mining

The official purpose of the HMA is to regulate all mining within Hek and the surrounding systems. In short, if you aren’t mining with the HMA you shouldn’t be mining. How strongly we adhere to that principal is dependent on the preference of the bosmang and the resources at their disposal. When deciding how to handle unauthorized mining it is important to remember that we are a friendly neighborhood cartel. As such all reasonable efforts should be made to get independent miners into fleet. My personal preference is to post regular messages in local advertising our group and invite outside miners both to fleet and our channel (usually a few times). After that, it is just a matter of how many ganking or bumping ships we can muster. Another tactic which can be deeply frustrating and highly effective is to mine the asteroids they are mining (ideally with Type-C crystals) which will interfere with their operation without requiring any significant effort on your part.

Multiple HMA Public Mining Fleets

There should only ever be one HMA Public Mining Fleet although it is fine to split the fleet members into multiple wings should people wish to mine in different systems (for example, an ore “fleet” in Hek and an ice “fleet” in Nakugard). In the case of multiple fleets only one is considered legitimate which can be determined according to the following priorities:

  1. Number of members. The larger fleet takes precedent over the smaller fleet.
  2. Age of the Fleet. The older fleet takes precedent over the younger fleet.

Boosts, and Compression, and Buyback

It is not required for the bosmang to offer either compression or boosts, however most participants will expect those and it is assumed that you will hand over the fleet to someone who can boost or compress should they become available. Likewise, offering in-space buyback is not required (and not terribly necessary when compression is available). Although HMA regulations prohibit you from requiring compensation for your services, tipping is highly encouraged to help compensate for the time and cost of running boosts and compression.

Winding Down the Fleet

At some point or another you are going to need to leave the fleet. If you can find someone to take over for you, all the better. However, if you can’t our recommended practice is to go to Fleet Up!, right-click on your fleet and select Remove Advert. This prevents the fleet from being visible while still allowing those still participating to continue without the guidance of a bosmang.


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