Burning Down the Hive

Here's a link to walkthrough blog post(s) to provide some help to people until more complete write-up can be added in-place to this page.

Walkthrough: http://keithneilson.co.uk/eve-epic-mission-arc-guide-part-7/

EVE University Mission Tips: http://www.eve-ivy.com/wiki/index.php?title=Burning_Down_the_Hive

Epic Mission Arc: The Blood-Stained Stars
Mission 27: Burning Down the Hive

Overview

Mission type: Encounter
Recommended Damage:
Recommended Resists:
System: Arnon IX - Moon 3 - Sisters of EVE Bureau 0.6
Deadspace: Yes
Previous Mission: Mission 26: Tracking the Queen 3 or Chasing a Nightmare
Next Mission: Mission 28: Its Not Over Yet

Mission Briefing

Based on the data you’ve provided me, I was able to locate where the drone and its swarm is heading: Arnon. Do whatever it takes to destroy it.

Objectives

The following objectives must be completed to finish the mission:

Hunt down and remove all drones in the area.

Location 0.6 Arnon

Rewards

The following rewards will be yours if you complete this mission:
150000 credits

Bonus Rewards The following rewards will be awarded to you as a bonus if you complete the mission within 6 hours.
176000 credits

Details

Before you can use the first acceleration gate you need to destroy 8 drones (4 Infester Alvi, 1 Decimator Alvi, 2 Mammon Apis, and 1 Sunder Alvi). A ninth, the Mysterious Drone, goes through the gate, after which you use the gate to follow it.

At the second location there are 14 drones (3 Infester Alvi, 5 Splinter Alvi, 1 Sunder Alvi, 1 Raider Alvi, 2 Silverfish Alvi and 2 Strain Infester Alvi) and a second gate. This area is the most challenging. One or more of the drones will undoubtedly rush you and try to use a warp scrambler, disruptor, and/or stasis webifier on you to slow you down and prevent you from warping out, while the swarm simultaneously pounds your ship. The Mysterious Drone again goes through the gate, and you are to follow, after destroying all the drones (unless you can rush the gate and avoid them, but due to their speed that is unlikely).

At the final location there are 6 drones (3 Decimator Alvi, 2 Render Alvi and 1 Wrecker Alvum), plus the Myserious Drone, which ultimately self-destructs. After destroying all the drones the objective is complete.

Strategies

The second area poses the biggest threat to success because if you allow the warp-scrambling/webifying drone(s) to get too close (less than 20 km), you'll be unable to run away if the need arises.

It is not advised to use a destroyer because it may lack the speed to outmaneuver the drones and maintain range, and it cannot tank the hits from all the drones that will swarm you. Chances are you will be caught in their web and quickly taken out. (This probability is backed up by numerous reports from people trying this mission in a destroyer.)

One strategy is to use a cruiser fitted to withstand a lot of simultaneous attacks and with sufficient weaponry to take out the drones quickly. Another, probably more common approach is to use a fast frigate with one or two overdrive injectors and an afterburner so you can control range, and rail guns or other relatively long-ranged weapon to pick off the drones from a distance as they're following you.