Having done a brief tour of Providence last night in an effort to kick off somewhat of a Feasibility study regarding null sec production/trade and sustainability, I have to say that the 4th guys were welcoming and polite. NRDS policies tend to put me in a paranoid frame of mind, and my experiences of others holding to it informs me that I am not alone, but they appear to hold to it with good grace and a rare sense of fair play, making it somewhat easier for me to conform with rules of engagement that I am not naturally comfortable with.
Providence is generally referred to derisively as 'junk space' but this is a relativistic fallacy. Exploration is only incrementally less valuable than in deeper regions; it is true that local ore is lack lustre and the base pirate spawns are not the best there is, but fully upgraded systems still yield ample opportunities for those wishing to contribute to activity in the region, especially if they build relationships and harden themselves to the realities of null sec life. I have personally discovered high rated DED complexes (when I get more numbers I will add to this post with specifics), as well as a lucrative escalation chain, all in one committed day of exploration.
The unknown factor is the market. I have had bad experiences previously, where demand was cited where it did not exist (market graphs are relatively useless in emerging markets, as there is not yet precedence to set expectation, and so somewhat apocryphal stories of perceived demand crop up as the only guiding element). However, it seems that the years have forged Providence into a somewhat more active region economically, where the supply of materials from nearby high security space is evident, but the future of that market is still uncertain. There is potential here, should someone be enterprising enough to make buying locally an attractive prospect - the protectionist philosophies of yesteryear seem to be dying out through nullsec as the strain of demand outstrips the production and purchase capabilities of the mercantile minded leadership elements of many alliances.
For these reasons, MITG will be setting up a forward base, at the pleasure and sufferance of the 4th District, in the interests of gathering more data about productivity and profitability in this region. It will also provide a pvp training opportunity for our small but enthusiastic body of part time pvpers, while providing enough PVE to supplement pay received for industrial work. I would like to thank Demion for his supportive, friendly and concise breakdown of local laws and potential activities, and extend that thanks to other leading diplomatic elements of his organisation - they have all be forthcoming and welcoming of even the most probing questions.
Pending a month of casual deployment, I would like to, with the permission of 4th (and their editorial input) publish a review of MITG's experiences and potentially put together a document detailing the issues surrounding full-chain production, should such be seen as viable, in a nullsec outpost, for outsiders. It is my hope that through cooperation, and the use of resources and facilities so generously provided by our hosts, Providence may yet become an economically stable region at the consumer level; an extension of the civil stability that 4th and CVA have long developed.
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Topic: Fourth District (Caldari RP) (Read 11775 times)