Penumbra, Level 4 Epic Arc

Last edited by Dark_Missioner:
Added detail to mission 7 Part 1
Sun, 07 May 2023 10:26 UTC

Epic Arc Overview

Starter Agent: Aursa Kunivuri
Agent Corporation: Expert Distribution
Agent Location: Josameto System at Nugoeihuvi Information Center (Celestial Beacon)
Standings Required: +5.0 Caldari State (Faction) or Expert Distribution (Corporation)
Additional Requirements: Hacking III (skill) and Data Analyzer (module)

Important note :

Your standing is only checked by the starter agent. After starting the epic arc, subsequent agents will not check standings.

This means while running the epic arc, you can continue doing missions even if your standing drops below +5.00 yet remains above -2.00 Faction standing.

Final Rewards:

Choice of path = Home In Peace - (Caldari State path) 25m ISK reward and Caldari State Faction standing increase.

Choice of path = Across the Line - (Hyasyoda path) Standup Hyasyoda Research Lab Blueprint Copy reward and Caldari State Faction standing increase.

Choice of path = The Price of Silence - (Nugoehuvi path) 20x Nugoehuvi Synth Blue Pill Boosters reward and Caldari State Faction standing increase.

Blitz:

T3 Strategic Cruiser + Mobile Depot + Data Analyzer module is a fast setup for completing combat missions.

Use an Interceptor or other fast Frigate with nanofiber and/or warp core stabilizers for missions into low/nullsec space.

Chapter 1 - Proof of Intent

Go to Chapter 2: Blackness Rising
Go to Chapter 3: The Bottom Line

Mission 1 - The Intermediary

Mission Type: Travel

Mission Objective:

Report to new Agent - Katsen Isha - located in Poinen System at Poinen IV Moon 13, Nugoeihuvi Corporation Development Studio (Station)

Note

Agent gives 1x Dossier = Author Unknown (0.1 m3)

Tip

Speaking to Agent - Katsen Isha - after docking in station completes the mission.

Mission 2 - Trust And Discretion

Mission Type: Courier

Mission Objective:

Deliver 1x Questionable Cargo (3.0 m3)

Mission can be completed remotely.

Mission 3 - Their Loss, Our Profit

Faction: Serpentis
Mission Type: Encounter
Space Type: Normal Space
Damage Dealt: Therm/Kin
Web/Scram: Elite Frigates
Extras: Sensor Damp (Elite Frigates, Elite Cruisers & Battleships)
Recommended Damage Dealing: Kin (best), Therm (secondary)

Mission Objective:

Destroy the Hyasyoda Research Facility and recover 1x S.I Formula Sheet (0.1 m3).

Mission can be accepted remotely.

Single Pocket

Warning

Wave 1 is triggered by destroying the Core Grand Admiral Battleship in the Initial Group.

Wave 2 is triggered by destroying the Core Grand Admiral Battleship in Wave 1.

Research Facility Guards are triggered when the Hyasyoda Research Facility is at 50% shield damage.

Initial Group: (83-112km)

2x Elite Cruiser (Corelum Guardian Chief Infantry, Coreli Guardian Chief Sentinel)
6x Battleship (Core Admiral, Core Rear Admiral, Core Vice Admiral Sensor Damp (50km range), Core Grand Admiral) Trigger = (Core High Admiral) (Wave 1)

Wave 1: (48-54km)

4x Elite Frigate (Coreli Guardian Protector, Coreli Guardian Defender, Coreli Guardian Patroller)
5x Battleship (Core Admiral, Core Rear Admiral, Core Vice Admiral Sensor Damp (50km range), Core Grand Admiral) Trigger = (Core High Admiral) (Wave 2)

Wave 2: (23-49km)

5x Elite Frigate (Coreli Guardian Protector, Coreli Guardian Initiate, Coreli Guardian Defender) Web/Scram
5x Elite Cruiser (Corelum Guardian Chief Infantry, Corelum Guardian Chief Sentinel)
4x Battleship (Core Admiral, Core Rear Admiral, Core Vice Admiral, Core Flotilla Admiral) Sensor Damp

Various structures located within pocket including:

1x Hyasyoda Research Facility (72km)Trigger at 50% Shield Damage (Research Facility Guards)
1x Hyasyoda Security Compound (125km)

Research Facility Guards: (86-102km)

8x Elite Frigate (Coreli Guardian Guard, Coreli Guardian Safeguard)

Blitz

Destroy all NPC's in initial group except for the Core Grand Admiral Battleship. That will bypass wave 1 and wave 2 spawns. Attack Research Center, destroy new spawn and structure, collect mission objective and complete mission. No need to destroy the Hyasyoda Security Compound - just approach container and collect the Hyasyoda Captain corpse.

Tips

The Hyasyoda Research Facility has about 155,000 hp, no resistances.

The Hyasyoda Security Compound container is unlocked and contains 1x Hyasyoda Captain corpse.

Destroying the Hyasyoda Research Facility flags the mission objective as completed.

The S.I Formula Sheet spawns in container when the Research Facility is destroyed.

Mission 4 (Epic Arc Branch) - The Paths That Are Hidden

This mission has 3 different branch options. The final reward of this Epic Arc is based on your decision here:

If you immediately take 'Two Steps Into Hell' or 'Playing It Safer' you will be siding with Nugoeihuvi and your final reward will either be from them (20x Nugoeihuvi Synth Blue Pill Booster + Caldari State standing) or from Caldari State(ISK + Caldari State standing).

If you choose 'An Honorable Betrayal' you will be siding with Hyasyoda and your final reward will either be from them(1x Standup Hyasyoda Research Lab Blueprint Copy + Caldari State standing) or from Caldari State(isk + Caldari State Standing).

Mission Objective:
Choose 1 of 3 different options to continue the Epic Arc

Nugoeihuvi path:
- 'Two Steps Into Hell' (Leads to Null Security system)
- 'Playing It Safer' (Leads to Low Security system)

Hyasyoda path:
- 'An Honorable Betrayal' (Leads to High Security system)

Note

Making a selection completes the mission.

Mission 5A - Two Steps Into Hell

Deliver S.I. Formula Sheet to the Nugoeihuvi Cargo Facility in KFR-ZE (Syndicate) in Null Security.
No fighting involved.

Mission location is over 30 jumps.

Tip: Use a nano fitted MWD interceptor, since Syndicate is usually bubbled and almost always camped.

Mission can be accepted remotely. Be sure to bring the S.I. Formula with you, though.

Mission 5B - Playing It Safer

Deliver S.I. Formula Sheet to the Nugoeihuvi Cargo Facility in Faurulle (Solitude) in Low Security.
Note:

By choosing this mission as part of the Nugoeihuvi path (by NOT doing 'An Honorable Betrayal'), the option to choose 'The Crimson Decoy' will be removed and you will be given 'Pre-Emptive Opportunities' instead.

Mission location is over 30 jumps. If path goes through Null Sec, Interceptor is recommended.

Low Sec is very risky. Nano Interceptor or fast and agile Frigate is recommended. Cloak will also help. Beware of pipebomb camps or remote sensor booster camps (instalock).

Mission can be accepted remotely. Be sure to bring the S.I. Formula with you, though.

Hyasyoda Path

Mission 5C Part 1 - An Honorable Betrayal

Report to Arikio Kuretsu in Wuos (Wuos V - Moon 1 - Hyasyoda Corporation Mining Outpost) in High Security. (Make sure to bring S.I Formula Sheet)

Mission 5C Part 2 – Proof of Intent

Once you report to Arikio Kuretsu in Wuos, you explain to him what NOH is having you do in regards to his corporation. He then has a lengthy explanation about how Hyasyoda has nothing to do about these things. To complete this mission you have to give the agent the S.I Formula Sheet.

Mission 5C Part 3 – Return to Isha

Arikio Kuretsu sends you back to Poinen, where you then get 'Re-examining Options', see Mission 4 'The Paths That Are Hidden' for details. This also unlocks the Hyasyoda story arc branch after you complete either one. (Don’t forget the S.I Formula Sheet)

Mission 5C Part 4 – Re-examining Options

You will be given the choice between 'Two Steps Into Hell' (Null Sec) and 'Playing It Safer' (Low Sec).

Note:

Regardless of which mission you select at this point, you will remain on the Hyasyoda Path.

After completing whichever mission you select, you will be given the mission 'Almost Unmasked'.

Mission 6 - Almost Unmasked

Report to Arikio Kuretsu in Wuos (Wuos V - Moon 1 - Hyasyoda Corporation Mining Outpost).

Mission 7 Part 1 - Some Light Theatrics

In this mission, you have to make NOH think that the CPF compound they are watching has been destroyed. You have to hack into the electronic surveillance(a CPF Habitation Module) and take the security forces out before it explodes, and then return to the agent. You have to be quick however, as the CPF compound explodes about 30 seconds after you hack into it, and if you fail to retrieve the CPF Security Personnel you will fail the mission.
Warning: The explosion of the CPF Habitation Module causes damage to nearby targets. Unknown whether or not this damage is effected by resistances.
Combat 900 from CPF Habitation Module - Hits

No fighting envolved. Agent mentions 10 km blast radius.

Fly to the logistics center.

Approach habitation module < 2500 m.

Hack habitation module, loot directly afterwards.

Cuddle with the logistics center, you'll be outside the blast radius.

Wait until habitation module blows up (30 - 60 seconds after looting).

Return to agent.

Mission 7 Part 2 - Untouchable

Report to Katsen Isha in Poinen (Poinen IV - Moon 13 - Nugoeihuvi Corporation Development Studio).

Next Mission is 'A General's Best Friend'

Nugoeihuvi Path

Mission 6 - Too Close for Comfort

This Story Arc Branch occurs after completing the mission 'Two Steps Into Hell' or 'Playing It Safer' without doing 'An Honorable Betrayal' first.

If you did 'Two Steps Into Hell', you will have the following options:

The Crimson Decoy

Pre-Emptive Opportunities

If you did 'Playing It Safer', you will be given the following mission:

Pre-Emptive Opportunities

Mission 7A - The Crimson Decoy

Faction: Blood Raiders Covenant
Mission Type: Encounter
Space Type: Normal Space
Damage Dealt: EM/Therm
Web/Scram: N/A
Extras: Energy Neut / Tracking Disruption
Recommended Damage Dealing: EM (best), Therm (secondary)

Single Pocket

Initial Group (40km) Auto Aggro

7x Battleship (Corpus Patriarch, Cardinal, Harbinger,) Energy Neut (25km)
2x Battleship (Dark Corpus Harbinger) Trigger (Last Ship Destroyed)
4x Cruiser (Corpum Dark Priest, Shadow Sage)
2x Elite Cruiser (Dark Corpum Arch Templar) Tracking Disruption
3x Frigate (Elder Corpii Diviner, Reaver, Raider)

Spawn (30km) Auto Aggro

2x Battleship (Corpus Pope)
5x Battlecruiser (Corpatis Phantom)
2x Frigate (Elder Corpii Herald)

Tip

Warp to 100km and lead the initial group out to 150 to 175km range. Keep at least 30km range from the 7 Corpus Battleships (Neut). Destroy the 2 Dark Corpus Harbinger Battleships last to trigger spawn.

Mission 7B - Pre-Emptive Opportunities

Faction: Mercenaries
Mission Type: Encounter
Space Type: Normal Space
Damage Dealt: Therm/Kin
Web/Scram: Elite Frigates / Spider Drones
Extras: N/A
Recommended Damage Dealing: Therm (best), Kin (secondary)

This mission can be completed remotely.

Single Pocket

Warning

Prioritize targets and eliminate EWAR threats asap.

Reinforcement Waves are time based (3-5min) with no trigger.

The final wave is very strong, might consider getting help from friends.

Blitz:

Destroy the Caldari Logistics Center (Caldari Station1) and Ewar NPC's, then GTFO, DPS will build up quickly.

Station has quite a lot of HP, about 250K HP total. 950DPS applied right from the start should destroy it before Reinforcement Wave 5.

Initial Group

2x Battleship (Mercenary Overlord)
5x Cruiser (Mercenary Lieutenant)
5x Frigate (Mercenary Fighter)

Reinforcement Wave 1 (after 3-5min)

2x Battleship (Mercenary Overlord)
2x Cruiser (Mercenary Lieutenant)
3x Frigate (Mercenary Elite Fighter)

Reinforcement Wave 2 (after 3-5min)

4x Battleship (Mercenary Overlord)
2x Drone (Spider Drone I) Web/Scram

Reinforcement Wave 3 (after 3-5min)

2x Frigate (Mercenary Wingman) Web/Scram
6x Elite Frigate (Mercenary Elite Fighter) Web/Scram

Reinforcement Wave 4 (after 3-5min)

6x Cruiser (Mercenary Corporal)

Reinforcement Wave 5 (after 3-5min)

6x Battleship (Mercenary Overlord)
6x Cruiser (Mercenary Corporal)
1x Elite Cruiser (Mercenary Commander)
4x Frigate (Mercenary Wingman (Frigate) Web/Scram
3x Drone (Spider Drone II) Web/Scram

Note

The Mercenary Wingmen may web and warp scram. The Spider Drones are very quick.

After warping to the location you will receive the following objective - Destroy The Logistics Center.

No additional waves spawn when shooting the Logistics Center. However, it does have a lot of armor and structure points :)

Logistics Center drops trade items, no other structures drop loot. All Merc NPC's drop loot.

Tip

Warping in at 100km range will help manage the Reinforcement waves.

Mission 8 - A General's Best Friend

Faction: Gallente Navy
Mission Type: Encounter
Space Type: Dead Space (Gated)
Damage Dealt: Therm/Kin/ EM
Web/Scram: N/A
Extras: Sensor Dampening (Elite Frigates, Elite Cruisers & Battleships)
Recommended Damage Dealing: Kin (best), Therm (secondary)

Mission can be accepted and completed remotely.

1st Pocket

1x Newly Constructed Acceleration Gate (72km)

Initial Group (2.5 to 35km)

Note

This group will de-cloak when ship is within 30km of the Newly Constructed Acceleration Gate.

6x Battleship (Gallente Navy Sin)
10x Cruiser (Gallente Navy Arazu)
5x Frigate (Gallente Navy Nemesis)

Tip

If you want to engage the ships and collect Navy Tags you will get negative standing hits for ship kill / aggression. The ships do a lot of damage up close. Best to align out as soon as the Gallente Navy Sin Battleship spawns to gain range. The Gallente Navy Arazu Cruiser fires Thunderbolt missiles which put out a lot of EM damage, so fit your tank accordingly.

Blitz

Quickly approach and activate Newly Constructed Acceleration Gate (Not locked). No need to engage Gallente ships.

2nd Pocket

No NPC's

Approach objective structure - Caldari Navy Outpost - to trigger agent conversation and mission completion.
No structures drop loot.

Go to Chapter 2: Blackness Rising

Comments

Comment by AceMaverick

2009-09-01 10:46:17

It seems that your choice for mission 5 also determines which of the alternate Mission 7's will be chosen. I chose 'Playing it Safer' and got 'Pre-Emtive Opportunities' as mission 7. I suspect 'An Honorable Betrayal' leads to 'The Crimson Decoy' and the other two to 'Pre-Emptive Opportunities.
Completed M7 in a CNR with Navy fittings with a general tank. First two waves do not target drones, but third (or forth) did, so be prepared to retract them. No scrammers as far as I could see. Lots of loot, but poor salvage.

Comment by SyphurouS

2009-10-14 17:19:31

Just want to make a note here, as I may come back and fill in a report, "A Generals Best Friend", the Gallente Navy Arazu fire Thunderbolts and push a huge amount of EM damage, the RoF is very slow though so a high kin/therm tank and EM if you have room. I managed to rep the damage away before the next volley.

Comment by SandorKreja

2009-10-20 12:56:30

The reward for doing the path (Two Steps to Hell - Pre-Emptive Oppurtunies - Learning by Doing) is 20 x Nugoehuvi Synth Blue Pill Booster (5% shield Boost bonus that last 30 min)

Comment by BalaNah

2009-12-30 14:48:26

A General's Best Friend note:

During my trip to the gate, I blew up the 6 Dark Shipyards. I didn't encounter any resistance at all, no hostiles decloaked. Maybe next time I'll bring a faster ship.

Comment by TrabberShir

2010-07-05 15:51:01

you can blitz "A General's Best Friend" by burning to the gate in an interceptor, it is not locked and killing the Gallente is not a requirement.

Comment by DeMichaelCrimson

2012-01-14 03:52:34

Completed missions in T2 rigged Faction / Deadspace fit Command Ship (Sleipnir), active shield tank, AC's, HML's, Drones.

Seems a few missions are not listed for the path I did so I'll list my log notes for Chapter 1 - Proof Of Intent

Mission 1 - The Intermediary
Report to agent in high sec system

Mission 2 - Trust And Discretion
Small Courier mission

Mission 3 - Their Loss, Our Profit
Blitz - Destroy all NPC's in initial group except 1 of the Core High Admiral Battleships. That will bypass wave 1 and wave 2 spawns. Attack Research Center, destroy spawn and structure, collect mission objective and complete mission. No need to destroy the Hyasyoda Security Compound - just approach can and collect the Hyasyoda Captain corpse.

Mission 4 - The Paths That Are Hidden
This has 3 different branch options. 'Two Steps Into Hell' leads to 0.0 system, 'Playing It Safer' leads to low sec system and 'An Honorable Betrayal' leads to high sec system.

Mission 5 - An Honorable Betrayal
Report to agent in high sec system.

Mission 6 - Proof Of Intent
Small Courier mission

Mission 7 - Return To Isha
Report to agent in high sec system.

Mission 8 - Re-examining Options
This has 2 different branch options. 'Two Steps Into Hell' leads to 0.0 system and 'Playing It Safer' leads to low sec system.

Mission 9 - Playing It Safer (low sec)
Small Courier mission - 31 jumps total, 9 jumps are low sec systems

Mission 10 - Almost Unmasked
Report to agent in high sec system

Mission 11 - Some Light Theatrics
Hack can, collect mission objective

Mission 12 - Untouchable
Report to agent in high sec system

Mission 13 - A General's Best Friend
Blitz - Quickly approach Newly Constructed Acceleration Gate and activate asap. Approach Caldari Navy Outpost triggers mission completion. No need to engage Gallente NPC's in 1st pocket.

Comment by AnaGram

2012-10-17 03:38:25

Mission 7

Warped to mission , approached the can , used the codebreaker, looted the 5x CPF personnel, warped out and returned to Agent. Mission objective not complete. Tried placing 5x personnel in hanger , still incomplete. Had to return to mission , approach the main structure within 2500 m (no habitation module), return to agent, mission complete

[Comment deleted]

Comment by Dark_Missioner

2023-05-07 10:08:47

Same happened to us recently.
Your solution worked.

You need to loot first and approach the logistigc center second, the other way around (approaching, then looting and warping off directly) doesn't trigger mission complete.

Comment by WollE

2013-12-24 03:15:43

"The Crimson Decoy": Be aware you will get heavily neuted from the Battleships. Your Cap will by dry within a minute. Fly a passive tanked ship or you will loose you BS like I did (Golem).

Comment by DeMichaelCrimson

2014-04-09 18:29:17

This time I did different path choices which made this chapter much shorter compared to my previous comment.

Mission 1 - The Intermediary

Mission 2 - Trust And Discretion

Mission 3 - Their Loss, Our Profit

Mission 4 - The Paths That Are Hidden (Branch Point)

Mission 5 - Two Steps Into Hell

Mission 6 - Too Close For Comfort (Branch Point)

Mission 7 - The Crimson Decoy

Mission 8 - A General's Best Friend

Comment by ShintuFelper

2014-04-12 23:51:07

My path(is the longest route from what I understand):

Mission 1 - The Intermediary

Mission 2 - Trust And Discretion

Mission 3 - Their Loss, Our Profit

Mission 4 - The Paths That Are Hidden

Mission 5 - An Honorable Betrayal

Mission 6 - Proof Of Intent

Mission 7 - Return To Isha

Mission 8 - Re-examining Options

Mission 9 - Two Steps into Hell (null sec)

Mission 10 - Almost Unmasked

Mission 11 - Some Light Theatrics

Mission 12 - Untouchable

Mission 13 - A General's Best Friend

Comment by KirtaadTzash

2014-06-22 17:45:38

According to forums, the standing gain is actually the same regardless which path you take through the arc.

Comment by Whisper1

2014-06-26 09:44:42

I collected all Information on Rewards, loot and completion times.
For calculation of loot values, I took the in game inventory value (Juni 2014)
The Values are from 3 chars, doing the complete arc, killing everything. So loot and salvage should be quite reliable, since i took the value of the loot/salvage of all 3 and divided it by 3

salvage: 12 mil
loot: 115 mil
final reward (mobile lab): 332 mil
mission rewards + bonus: 140 mil
bountys for killing all npcs: 15 mil

total: 614 mil

I also measured the time, the arc required for completion killing all npcs and traveling without autopliot in a BS. I used a Vargur with faction/T2 fit (850-900 dps) and an alt with T3&Noctis für Hacking/Salvaging.
Some of the missions can be blitzed, saving some time (maybe 30 minutes in total) but reducing loot/salvage by 45 mil.

duration: 4:30 hours

I will add these information for the other arcs as soon as I completed them for comparison.

[Comment deleted]

Comment by JaTon

2018-04-24 21:01:06

The mission Playing it Safer does not send you a station. Fortunately, its not a beacon site either...its a normal mission site, i.e., its created and randomly located at mission acceptance and then disappears when the mission is completed. It is warped to directly, not a deadspace (no acceleration gate). There should be no lurking gankers there unless they have scanned it down while you were traveling those 30 or so jumps.

Comment by JaTon

2018-04-24 21:08:28

The blitz description for Generals Best Friends says to get to the gate quickly...well...a shuttle is not quick enough, heh. The npcs will not kill your pod and the gate will allow your pod to warp thru, but the completion message will not trigger for a pod. You have to have a ship (I assume one from the Restriction list). For my second attempt, I used a decoy ship (an alt) and kited the npc's away from the gate, and when the npcs were far enough away I flew my main character thru.

[Comment deleted]

Comment by JaTon

2018-12-13 13:59:21

If you want to do A General's Best Friend without killing gallente ships, then this mission might get abit tricky. You warp in to a beacon and all those ships are almost on top of the gate. I was able to use the covops cloak on my Prorator, but would not have been able to fly to, activate and warp in time before succumbing to the the gallente dps (I did try...I got decloaked from a far enough distance, and they target/fire quickly enough such that the damage was quickly into 50% armor). The gallente are all over and close by so I don't know if a fast cloaked interceptor would have been fast enough before being uncloaked and popped.

After trying a few more methods, I ended up first flying in my Prorator and cloaking immediately before they had to time target. I then flew straight down, then across to underneath the gate and then back up to sorta behind the gate. I then warped in an alt in a Gila (any fast ship with a decent tank should be ok) and flew directly away using an MWD until about 100km away from most of the gallente group, then slowed down to same speed as the gallente (about 200km/hr). I kited them away from the gate until the ships closest to the gate were about 45km or so from that gate, then flew my Prorator towards the gate, and activated my MWD when I got uncloaked. My Prorator was able to gatewarp away quickly, and then I easily flew to the caldari station in the pocket (no ships there) and completed the mission.

Could the trip to the gate been simply tanked by an appropriate ship? I don't know...I'm more of a long range kiter than a toe-to-toe fighter.

Comment by JaTon

2020-07-04 10:08:15

The description for Some Light Theatrics mentions "take the security forces out". Maybe that was true in the past, but is no longer. There is no combat during this mission. Your ship is the only vessel there. Just bring a data analyzer, and a ship that can be 10km away within 30 secs.

Comment by JaTon

2020-07-04 10:39:13

During A General's Best Friend, I tried the technique mentioned by another commenter back in 2009...I warped in my golem and blew up all six Dark Shipyards before advancing to the acceleration gate. It worked...no ships decloaked. Not sure if using a drone boat would have worked too...unsure if drones would have triggered decloaking.

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