We could set up an TEST scouting flight pattern.
As simple as whenever an org member spawns in the PU we take a quick fly past Grim. Monitor for ships, if there is something that looks like a camper blasting anything that spawns on the pad we chase 'em off or at least keep them busy. If there is nothing there, we fly on our way and enjoy the game. We should have enough players to make it a viable anti-camping strategy, sometimes nothing more than putting a pair of eyes on a problem can dissuade those who would like to profit from it and pad-camping is definitely a problem...
It's not helping pirates, it's helping players.
A long while ago I suggested KITS - Knights In TEST Service - a TEST rapid reaction group to help org members in peril, and the question that came from it was how can we make sure the KITS force is in the same instance as those who require help... Well, that would still be an issue, but if we could get enough TEST members to make this part of their routine when joining a game we may be able to make it a better experience for everyone.
Okay, I tried this out today and here is the account of my findings:
Spawned at Olisar. Jumped in a fast ship 350R and QD'd directly to Yela. Did a second jump to the right of the planet and QD'd back again... In the general right area, but where the hell is it? Picked a likely cluster of rocks and just as pulling away see a huge explosion come from them. Okay, I have the right set of rocks.
Takes me about 60 seconds to reach them, I pick up a Sabre, Hornet and Starfarer of all things hanging over the pads. No action going down, just hanging there, can't be sure they are camping, but they are not marked as criminal or enemy...
I keep my speed up and buzz through at 810m/s. The sabre breaks off and chases, I turn and come back through again, the Sabre opens fire but I am past them before I can register this and get aimed. I fire aimlessly though as I buzz back through at 810m/s.
I get a good 10 to 14km from the sabre and turn, but the time I am round and back up to speed they're only 7000m. again they open fire, this time I get hits but do not damage them, they light my shields up blue, again I buzz back through the group. Missiles fly but i'm in a 350, so they are pretty pointless. I slow, turn momentarily hiding behind an asteroid to loose the rest of the misiles and come back in. The Sabre has stopped over the pads and the Hornet is chasing. it fires, again too late, but as i am fumbling with my targeting computer to highlight the hornet I realise my buzz through the group is going a bit wrong - I fire and hit the sabre but then slam in to it. My ship explodes, I see the sabre spinning off unharmed as far as I can tell.
Spawn back at Oli, insurance cost is too high for my fast ship so grab a Connie with S5's and get back as fast as i could. They had long gone. A call out on the comms to check if they were campers or if i'd ruined a game they were playing got no response, from the random explosion can only surmise they were campers and split.
Conclusion: At present unless you sit and watch for a long while, it is not easy to tell campers from players. Attack at own risk unless totally sure, it could be argued my flypast was an act of aggression.
