Tasko Pal
Heron Corporation
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Posted - 2009.01.12 00:20:00 -
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Edited by: Tasko Pal on 12/01/2009 00:20:48
 Originally by: Patri Andari
Originally by: adriaans
Originally by: Burn Mac
so why are some ppl running courier missions in low sec almost 23/7? at first i though it was just bots but when i started shooting em ppl came and wanted to defend em.
almost all of them are macroers. if some come to 'defend' its either the owner(s) of the macroers not liking you disrupting their isk gain or pirates who finally spot someone that drops better loot than the macro haulers (which hardly pays ammo costs btw, though they're fun to shoot when boored)
a few of those in between are real players though, but very rare.
Because of people like this ^^ and their narrow unsubstantiated views, couriers in many low sec systems go largely undisturbed. There will be random homicidal episodes but they will not cost much as your mission ship, a hauler, is cheap and fully insurable. It is possible to fit in amongst the hordes of alleged macros and complete level 4 missions with impunity.
I have never seen a courier "macro" and I have done couriers for more than a year. I have seen what appears to be courier "farmers." Most of those alleging "macro" abuse have little to no experience running large scale courier missions. If they did they would understand just how much micro-management it takes to run them quickly and make good isk. It is not like mining and I truly doubt a "macro" exist to complete them.
Are they worth it? Hell yes! If you train the advanced connection skills and fit your ship properly (cloak, MWD, propulsion and agility mods) you can make 10-20mil an hour in a system with multiple level 4 courier agents in low sec. 
Sure you could make more doing level 4 kill missions, but this requires far less SP and you are doing it in a cheap ship that is often ignored and you can even afford to loose it and buy another with ease. In fact, for a legitimate new character, courier missions are the best way to start your earning career IMHO, because of the low SP required to make good isk and gain standings.
Oh, and be sure to resist the temptation wave at the Hictors camping the gates as you jump past them. If you show any form of animation they will suspect you are not a "macro" and hunt you.  Never pay ransom and never accept a convo. Just keep another fitted industrial ready at you mission spot and keep on trucking.
Hope that helps.
I've done a lot of low sec courier missioning in my trusty blockade runner and the income is good especially if you're doing low sec trade at the same time. The thing I like about it is that you move around a lot, it's a great way to get familar with that part of space and the pilots who live in it.
There's a lot of courier mission farming. I don't know how much is legit and how much not. But back in 2007 and early 2008, there were macrohaulers. Ingunn used to have them bad in the good old days when pirates would smartbomb hundreds of haulers at the exit to the station and they'd still undock over and over again.
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