Ship Fits - Fast Transport Vigils

As mentioned in yesterday's comments, here's that "better than a shuttle for fast transport" 2 second align Vigil fit I promised.

[Vigil - Fast Transport]

Inertia Stabilizers II
Inertia Stabilizers II

Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I
Eutectic Capacitor Charge Array
Eutectic Capacitor Charge Array
Eutectic Capacitor Charge Array
Eutectic Capacitor Charge Array

[Empty High slot]
[Empty High slot]

Small Polycarbon Engine Housing I
Small Polycarbon Engine Housing I
Small Auxiliary Thrusters I

Stats with all Vs in relevant skills are:

594 / 3978 m/s speed (MWD off / on)
1.99 / 2.91 second align time (MWD off / on)
5 Au/s warp speed
250 m3 cargo capacity

Cost about 4 million ISK

Note the cap chargers are to get maximum use out of the MWD. IMO the best defense in a ship like this is speed so might as well optimize for more time at maximum speed rather than trying to tank it.

Or maybe you'd prefer a 3 second align fit with better normal and warp speed like this:

[Vigil - Light Transport]

Nanofiber Internal Structure II
Overdrive Injector System II

Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I
Eutectic Capacitor Charge Array
Eutectic Capacitor Charge Array
Eutectic Capacitor Charge Array
Eutectic Capacitor Charge Array

[Empty High slot]
[Empty High slot]

Small Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizer I
Small Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizer I
Small Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizer I

624 / 4324 m/s (MWD off / on) speed
2.74 / 4.01 align time (MWD off / on)
7.85 Au/s warp speed
200 m3 cargo capacity

cost about 3 million ISK

Notes:

1. All stats are with all Vs in relevant skills.
2. The first fit requires high agility skills to get align time under 2 seconds.
3. For low skills alts the 2nd fit with another nano replacing the overdrive works great.
4. The cap rechargers are particularly good for alts with low cap skills, especially if they don't have Warp Drive Operation V yet.

Prowler Fits for Kronos Changes

Kronos is out and Blockade Runners have been rebalanced. I'm happy with the changes to Prowlers, overall it's a pretty nice buff. The biggest change to Prowlers is the addition of an extra low slot which gives the ship a lot more fitting flexibility.

I've been trying out various different fittings in Pyfa since last night, here's what I came up with.

All alignment times are with MWD off.
All tanks are omni tank.

[Prowler - Basic fit]

Damage Control II
Nanofiber Internal Structure II
Nanofiber Internal Structure II

Experimental 10MN Microwarpdrive I
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II

Covert Ops Cloaking Device II
Covert Cynosural Field Generator I

Medium Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizer I
Medium Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizer I

This fit is basically my old Prowler fit with a 2nd nano added to the lows and polycarbon rigs replaced with Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizers. It easily gets under 4 second alignment time, even with low skills alts now. Even with relatively low skilled alts, there's no longer any need for Polycarbons to get alignment time under 4 secs. Hyperspatials put warp speed up to 10.6 Au/s (assuming all Vs in relevant skills) without implants or 12.5 Au/s with a WS-618 implant (13.5 au/s with HVO IIs). With full T2 resists now tank is a fair bit better too, at 17.1k with Invulns and DC active and 9.26k with them inactive. It has 4.38k m3 cargo space, a bit better than before.

BTW, with Transports Ships IV, the warp speed is 10.1 Au/s.

If you want a little more tank and don't mind losing ~3 au warp speed you can always swap out the Hyperspatials for CDFE Is increasing tank to 10.4k / 19.9k.

Overall, it's faster (both warp speed and normal space speed), aligns quicker, has better tank and even has a bit more cargo space than the pre Kronos Prowler. I also noticed cap performance seems somewhat better too.

Note the Covert Cyno is optional, you don't really need it, it could easily be replaced with something else (a Sisters Core Probe Launcher for example) or just left empty (as I usually do). Also the fitting might be too tight for low skills alts with the cyno but no problem without it.

The above is probably the fit I'll wind up going with but the fitting flexibility gained with that extra low opens up some interesting new possibilities. For example a fit with under 3 second alignment time which was not possible with the old pre Kronos Prowler.

[Prowler - 3 sec align]

Inertia Stabilizers II
Inertia Stabilizers II
Inertia Stabilizers II

Experimental 10MN Microwarpdrive I
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II

Covert Ops Cloaking Device II
Sisters Core Probe Launcher

Medium Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizer I
Medium Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizer I

This fit keeps the warp speed but trades some tank and normal space speed for a 3 second alignment time. Though I don't travel into low/null much anymore, that 1 second lower align time might be useful for those who do. The tank is lower too (14k with invulns active, 10k with them off) but with T2 resists now it's still slightly better than my old Prowler fit. Again you can always trade off some warp speed for a bit more tank (roughly 2.5k more with modules active) by replacing the Hyperspatials with CDFEs.

Then there's a fairly hefty active buffer tank fit.

[Prowler - Brick Fit]

Damage Control II
Nanofiber Internal Structure II
Nanofiber Internal Structure II

Large Shield Extender II
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II

Covert Ops Cloaking Device II
[Empty High slot]

Medium Core Defense Field Extender I
Medium Core Defense Field Extender I

This one trades the MWD for heavy tank with an LSE and 2 CDFEs. It has 41.8k EHP with active mods on and CDFE Is (44.8k with CDFE IIs) and still has an alignment time well under 4 seconds.

You could always dual tank it, trading one of the nanos for a 400mm Reinforced Rolled Tungsten Plates and increase the tank to 49k (with CDFE IIs) but your align time would be over 4 seconds and IMO that's not worth the tradeoff (IOW, dual tanking is bad).

Finally though I normally shun cargo mods because I really don't need that much cargo space normally and alignment time is very important to me, there is one new cargo fit I find intriguing.

[Prowler - Cargo 6.41k (4 sec align)]

Damage Control II
Nanofiber Internal Structure II
Expanded Cargohold II

Experimental 10MN Microwarpdrive I
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II

Covert Ops Cloaking Device II
Covert Cynosural Field Generator I

Medium Cargohold Optimization I
Medium Polycarbon Engine Housing I

I do buy a number of frigate and cruiser hulls. With under 5k cargo I can only pick up a single frigate and nothing bigger. This fit with 6.41 cargo capacity can carry 2 frigates or a single T3 strategic cruiser and still has an align time under 4 seconds.

By swapping in 2 more Expanded Cargohold IIs it gets 10.4k cargo, enough to carry 4 frigates, 2 T3s or a single T1 Cruiser with enough left over for the usual skillbooks, mods and implants I'm always moving around.

For 5k cargo, you don't really need the Cargohold Optimization rig (it breaks 5k without the rig) but the rig is essential to break 10k. Of course alignment time goes up without the nano but it's still under 5 seconds which isn't terrible.

That extra low really does give the Prowler a whole lot more flexibility. Besides these fits many perfectly good variations on them are possible now. They can easily be tweaked for a little more of one stat at the cost of a little less of another stat.

Bombless Bombers - The Solo Hunter

Some players think bombless bombers are a big joke but they do have their uses.

For example they make nice solo hunters in low/null/wh space, providing good dps and covert stealth at a low cost. Here's a manticore setup for hunting industrials. It can take out a lot of other ships that aren't too heavily tanked too.

The target painter and rigs pretty much guarantee full damage vs Industrials and increase damage application vs smaller targets too. The EM Ward Amplifier is really just a placeholder. It can be replaced with a cheaper, lower meta version, an AB for dual prop, a shield extender for a bit more tank, a sebo for faster targeting or whatever you like.

This post was inspired by a Hound Fit posted elsewhere. It was so similar to one of my Manticore fits I thought I'd post my fit for comparison. Both have the same dps and volley damage, the difference is the Manticore has an extra mid slot and the Hound has an extra low slot, making the Manticore more versatile and the Hound faster (a lot faster actually).

I forgot to put them in the screenshot but the Manticore is with the following implants

Low-grade Snake Alpha
Low-grade Snake Beta
Low-grade Snake Gamma
Low-grade Snake Delta
Low-grade Snake Epsilon
Zainou 'Snapshot' Torpedoes TD-605
Zor's Custom Navigation Hyper-Link
Zainou 'Deadeye' Target Navigation Prediction TN-905
Zainou 'Deadeye' Rapid Launch RL-1005

Without the Snake implants, it goes 1922 m/s (the Hound goes 2433 m/s).

Blockade Runners Revisited

I've totally loved Blockade Runners ever since getting My First Blockade Runner a few months back. Since then the more I get the more I like them. A month ago I had 6 Prowler pilots, in the 30 days since I've trained up another 7 for a grand total of 13 Blockade Runner pilots in Prowler Fleet now (they all fly Prowlers). Number 14 is a month away and after that I'll have more coming at a rate of about 1 every 2 weeks for (at least) several months yet.

The thing I like best about BRs is how incredibly safe they are to fly. For the most part high sec gankers seem to completely ignore BRs and even in low/null they're quick and agile enough I haven't had any trouble yet.

In the entire time I've been flying BRs (over 3 months now) I think someone tried to gank one of them in high sec once. I was AFK on auto-pilot at the time, but when I came back I noticed I had an aggression timer so someone must've taken a pot shot at me. I doubt he did much more than scratch me though (if that even) since shields, armor and hull were all at full.

I assume that means gankers really don't like attacking anything they can't cargo scan first, especially not if it's something they can't pop with a single volley from a cheap ship. In other words, yeah sure being immune to cargo scans sounds good, but the reality is it's even better (much better) than it sounds.

I do expect I'll eventually run into some crazy suicide ganker who just doesn't care and goes for it anyhow. Or I'll get caught in low/null eventually. It hasn't happened yet though. When it finally does I'll just consider it a cost of doing business. Even if he gets extremely lucky and nails me with a big load worth billions.

Another thing that's great about BRs is the Covert Ops Cloaking Device. The ability to warp while cloaked is huge especially when travelling in low and null.

I also really like BRs for the low alignment time, high warp speed (which is going to get even faster in the next patch) and decent tank (7k - 15k depending on skills and active hardeners). The warp speed greatly reduces travel time (especially when flown manually) while the alignment time and tank make you harder to kill.

The good sized cargo hold (4.06k m3) is nice too. That's more than enough to ensure I can almost always pickup everything in a region in a single run without having to drop anything off to make room for more. Once (and only once) I had a capital remote repper in cargo taking up 4k m3 all by itself, that's the only time I had to drop something off before I could finish doing pickups in a BR. I've since stopped buying capital remote reppers altogether (for several reasons but mainly for that one).

[Prowler fit - 4 second Align]

Nanofiber Internal Structure II
Nanofiber Internal Structure II

Experimental 10MN Microwarpdrive I
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II

Covert Ops Cloaking Device II
Festival Launcher

Medium Polycarbon Engine Housing I
Medium Polycarbon Engine Housing I

That's the fit my Prowler pilots start out with. With mediocre IIIs and IVs in applicable tank, navigation and agility skills it's stats are:

Tank: around 10k with invulns on, 7k with invulns off

Alignment time: under 4 seconds with MWD off (under 6 seconds with MWD on)

Cargo capacity: 4.06 m3

speed: 2300 - 2400 m/s

warp speed: 9 AU

The nanos and polycarbons get alignment time under 4 seconds with mediocre agility skills. With Evasive Maneuvering V you can drop one of the Nanos for a DC-II increasing tank by nearly 50% while still keeping alignment time under 4 seconds. With both Evasive Maneuvering and Spaceship Command at V, you can drop one of the polycarbons for another rig too.

In that case I like replacing 1 Polycarbon with a Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizer (increases warp speed) but with the warp speed changes coming in the next patch a Warp Core Optimizer (reduces cap usage for initiating warp) might be better. That'll depend on just how much cap usage goes up due to the shorter warp times.

With all Vs in applicable tank, navigation and agility skills, replacing 1 nano with a DC-II and 1 Polycarbon with a Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizer, the stats are:

Tank: 14.7k with invulns and DC on, 7.58k with active tank mods off.

Alignment time: 3.99 seconds with MWD off (5.99 seconds with MWD on)

Cargo capacity: 4.06 m3

speed: 2319 m/s

warp speed: 10.8 AU

If you want more tank you could replace the Polycarbon with a Medium Core Defense Field Extender. And though I wouldn't recommend it, if you want/need even heavier tank you could always replace the MWD with a Large Shield Extender II and about double the tank (28.4k with all Vs in applicable skills and an LSE II but no MCDFE).

I intentionally left one high slot empty because I don't do anything with BRs besides transport stock between stations (on autopilot more often than not). Others might find a probe launcher, salvager or something else useful but for me even if I did put something there I wouldn't use it anyhow. The only thing I'd consider is a Covert Cyno and that only in a covert fleet with Bombers, Black Ops and Recon ships.

Edit: As suggested by Noizy I put a Festival Launcher in the empty high slot.

Cargo Rigs and Mods - Why I don't use them

I've never been a fan of cargo rigs and mods. I'd rather carry less but be faster and harder to gank than carry more but be slower and easier to gank.

Similar to max mining yield fits, sure you can increase mining yield or cargo capacity but only at the cost of less tank, lower speed and higher alignment time than you could have with another fit. Since cargo ships (and mining ships) are primary gank targets I've always felt making my ships harder to gank is more important than increasing cargo capacity (or mining yield).

Cargo expander mods reduce speed and structure hitpoints, cargo rigs reduce armor amount. All of which reduces your survivability. In addition for every cargo mod or rig you fit that's one less mod or rig you can fit to increase tank or improve speed and/or alignment time.

Nanofibers in the lows increase speed and lower alignment time. You can also fit a Damage Control in one of the lows (DCs don't stack so 1 is all you need) for better tank too. And of course if your ship is armor tanked the lows are where your tank mods go too.

Polycarbons in the rig slots also increase speed and lower alignment time, Field Extenders increase shield tank and Trimarks increase armor tank.

Fitting for higher speed and lower alignment time rather than cargo space means gankers have less time to target, lock and kill my ship. Fitting heavier tank means when they do manage to target, lock and fire upon me, it takes more damage to kill me, which in turn means it takes longer to kill me and I have more time to escape.

I prefer Minmatar ships for transport because they're fast and agile shield tanked ships. Shield tank mostly uses mid slots leaving the lows open for mods to further improve speed and agility.

Ship Fit - Tengu Trader

I've been working on getting Tengu subsystems skills to V on my main for a couple weeks now. He has 3 down and 2 more to go. For use as a shiny hauler the only subsystems skills that really matter are Defensive (more tank) and Propulsion (better alignment time) so I trained those to V first and bought my first Tengu.

This is a tank fit intended for transporting valuable items in both low and hi sec. My requirements for the fit were simple. I wanted as heavy tank as possible without making it overly expensive and I wanted good speed, in particular alignment time under 4 seconds while flying solo without implants or boosters. And of course a Covert Ops Cloak was a must have. Here's what I came up with.

[Tengu Trader - lowsec]

Damage Control II

Nanofiber Internal Structure II

Power Diagnostic System II

Power Diagnostic System II

Experimental 10MN Microwarpdrive I

Adaptive Invulnerability Field II

Adaptive Invulnerability Field II

EM Ward Field II

Large Shield Extender II

Large Shield Extender II

Large Shield Extender II

Covert Ops Cloaking Device II

Heavy Missile Launcher II, Caldari Navy Scourge Heavy Missile

Heavy Missile Launcher II, Caldari Navy Scourge Heavy Missile

Heavy Missile Launcher II, Caldari Navy Scourge Heavy Missile

Heavy Missile Launcher II, Caldari Navy Scourge Heavy Missile

Medium Core Defense Field Extender II

Medium Core Defense Field Extender II

Medium Core Defense Field Extender II

Tengu Defensive - Supplemental Screening

Tengu Offensive - Covert Reconfiguration

Tengu Propulsion - Intercalated Nanofibers

Tengu Engineering - Capacitor Regeneration Matrix

Tengu Electronics - Emergent Locus Analyzer

254k tank with all Vs (253k with my current skills)

3.61 sec alignment time with MWD off (4.88 with MWD on)

1361 m/s with MWD on (239 with MWD off)

Fully cap stable at 54.9% (all Vs, 52.5% my skills) with everything (including the MWD) on.

472 million ISK total cost as estimated by Pyfa (the in game reality was a bit less than that).

In nullsec you'd want to swap in Tengu Propulsion - Interdiction Nullifier. That'll lose you a low slot which means dropping a PDS and about 11k tank but it's well worth the trade-off for immunity to bubbles.

Medium CDFE IIs aren't all that expensive (under 30 mil each) and make a fairly significant difference in the tank, more than enough to be worth using over cheap CDFE Is. The nano is required to keep alignment time under 4 seconds without implants or boosters, with them the nano could be exchanged for another PDS.

I could go with a faction fit. Swap out the invulns and EM ward field for Dread Guristas or Caldari Navy, the PDSes for Caldari Navy and gain another 55k tank (308k total) but the cost would increase by nearly 3 times to 1.33 billion. Not worth it IMO.

Or I could get ridiculous and fit it with deadspace Pithium A invulns, Pithium X EM Ward Field and Caldari Navy PDSes for an additional 83k (426k total) at a total cost of 4.67 billion. Definitely not worth it, the fittings alone would make me a target regardless of cargo.

Blockade Runner - First Impressions

I just got my first Blockade Runner pilot flying a Minmatar Prowler. I finally finished training Minmitar Industrial V yesterday and realized I didn't need Transport Ships IV for my planned fit. III was good enough and I already had that trained, so I bought a Prowler, slapped on my chosen mods/rigs and took it out for a test drive immediately.

So far, I LOVE IT!

It's nearly as fast as the frigates I've been flying all along and it aligns in under 4 seconds just like the frigates too. But it has better tank, far more cargo capacity and can't be cargo scanned.

I do wish Blockade Runners had better tank (another mid, another low and a little more power grid would be perfect) but I feel that way about many other ships too (especially cargo ships). Who knows, maybe my wish will come true and they'll get buffed after the T1 Industrial rebalance is done.

That's just wishful thinking though, my only real concern is that it actually is a ship intended for moving cargo around. As such it'll almost certainly draw more attention from gankers than the ships I have been using for transport. Probably not as safe on autopilot as my old frigates.

On the other hand, gankers can't see what I'm carrying, it can take quite a bit more damage before popping and should be able to survive smartbomb spamming camps easily.

The only real question (which only time will answer) is whether or not the increased survivability and unscannable cargo will make up for the greater attention drawn.


[Prowler fit - 4 sec Align]

Nanofiber Internal Structure II
Nanofiber Internal Structure II

Experimental 10MN Microwarpdrive I
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II

Covert Ops Cloaking Device II
[Empty High slot]

Medium Polycarbon Engine Housing I
Medium Polycarbon Engine Housing I


My Prowler pilot only has Evasive Maneuvering IV, Spaceship command IV and no skill implants. With Vs in either of those skills and/or an agility implant I could drop one nano or polycarbon and still keep alignment time under 4 seconds.

With Vs in both skills and a 5% agility implant (Rogue Evasive Maneuvering EM-705) I could drop one of each or both polycarbons.

Replacing one of the nanos with a Damage Control II would increase tank by nearly 50%. So yeah, I think I'll train the skills to V and get myself a suitcase.

This thing has oceans of cap and is cap stable with the MWD off. I never worry about running out of cap. I hit warp, cloak and both Invulns for every warp and never drop much lower than 70% cap.

With the MWD on it's not cap stable (50 seconds with medicore IIIs and IVs in cap skills, 60s with all Vs) but that's not a problem since the MWD is mostly for emergency use. It won't be used much and only for a few seconds at a time.

I spent a while flying around low sec looking for trouble to see how it performed while under attack. I wanted someone to shoot at me but unfortunately no-one even targeted me far less attacked. I guess I'll just have to fly out to EC-P8R or Aunenen sometime to stress test it.

Anyhow, though it's too soon to be certain, my initial impression now that I've actually flown a Blockade Runner is they're a whole lot better than I thought they were... But still not quite as good as I wish they were.

Edit: After only a couple days flying the prowler I've changed the training plan for my Amarr trader who had just started training Cloaking IV. Rather than training Minmatar Frigates and Cov Ops next as originally planned she'll be training Industry, Minmatar Industrials and Transport Ships instead.

Insane bomber

I found this crazy youtube video featuring solo PvP in faction/deadspace fit Manticore bombers and Cerebus assault ships. For the first half of the video the pilot is flying a Manticore with a fit based around an oversized Corelum C-Type 10MN Afterburner. With speed implants he gets over 2700 m/s overheated (1900+ without heat), a tiny 39 m signature radius and over 500 DPS from 4k+ torpedo volleys.

Video link: New Era of Manticores

There are some insane fights in there like him taking on 7 or 8 Battlecruisers at once and not only winning but making it look easy.

The fit is expensive (around 750 million at current Jita prices) but it looks like an awful lot of fun. I may have to try it sometime.


[Manticore - Solo PvP Faction Fit]

Caldari Navy Ballistic Control System

Navy Micro Auxiliary Power Core

Small Capacitor Booster II, Navy Cap Booster 150

Republic Fleet Warp Disruptor

Corelum C-Type 10MN Afterburner

Pithi C-Type Small Shield Booster

Dread Guristas Torpedo Launcher, Caldari Navy Scourge Torpedo

Dread Guristas Torpedo Launcher, Caldari Navy Scourge Torpedo

Dread Guristas Torpedo Launcher, Caldari Navy Scourge Torpedo

Covert Ops Cloaking Device II

Shadow Serpentis Small Plasma Smartbomb

Small Ancillary Current Router II

Small Ancillary Current Router II

Low-grade Snake Alpha

Low-grade Snake Beta

Low-grade Snake Gamma

Low-grade Snake Delta

Low-grade Snake Epsilon

Low-grade Snake Omega

Zor's Custom Navigation Link

Eifyr and Co. 'Rogue' Fuel Conservation FC-805

Zainou 'Deadeye' Rapid Launch RL-1005

Vigil Trader - Post Retribution

Vigils were one of the ships with significant changes made in Retribution.

When I first heard about the changes planned for Vigils I wasn't happy. I'm a trader specializing in small, high value items that can be transported in small fast ships. The Vigil as the fastest, cheap T1 frigate (not counting expensive pirate faction ships) was my ship of choice for transport. I trained all my trader alts into flying Vigils because of it's speed and slot layout.

They were taking away the speed bonus and changing the slot layout. I was pissed! A little later I found out the base speed was being increased too but I wasn't sure if it would still be fast enough and I really didn't like losing a low slot (nano) either.

The cargo space was being increased by 100 m3 (from 150 to 250) but I really didn't care about that. Sure more cargo space would be nice but speed and alignment time were more important to me.

Now that the changes are here, I've changed my mind. The Vigil makes an even better light trade hauler now. While the speed bonus was removed, the increased base velocity makes that pretty much a wash. A little faster with low skills, a little slower with high skills and about the same with mediocre skills. They're still fast enough. I can only fit 2 nanos instead of 3 now but alignment times are still very good so that's ok. In fact, while I'm not certain, I think alignment times might be even better now.

Then there's the extra cargo space. I didn't think another 100 m3 of cargo space was all that great but after flying Retribution Vigils for a few days I've found I like it a lot more than I thought I would.

This is my new standard fit for Vigils

[Vigil - Light Transport]

Local Hull Conversion Nanofiber Structure I
Local Hull Conversion Nanofiber Structure I

Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I
Eutectic Capacitor Charge Array
Eutectic Capacitor Charge Array
Eutectic Capacitor Charge Array
Eutectic Capacitor Charge Array

Salvager I
Salvager I

Small Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizer I
Small Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizer I
Small Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizer I.

What's in the highs isn't important, leave them empty if you want. This fit isn't intended to fight or do anything besides fly fast and align quickly while moving small, valuable cargo.

With 4 cap rechargers I almost never run out of cap while warping repeatedly on low skills alts. Higher skilled alts could drop the rechargers for something else or leave the slots empty for even cheaper ships.

The 3 Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizers increase warp speed to 10.4 Au (more than 70% faster) and they're cheap.

For extremely low skills alts that might be having trouble making long warps all in one go you can always replace one or more velocity optimizers with Small Warp Core Optimizers (40% less cap needed to warp).

In conclusion, the Vigil is even better for light transport now than before and the new fit is cheaper too. It's win win all around!

Stealth Bombing - From a Beginner's PoV

From the perspective of one who hasn't bothered with PvP at all yet, Stealth Bombing looks like a lot of fun and a great way to get into PvP.

I've been flying Cov Ops for a while now using them as transports for my high value item trading business and they sure make running gate camps a lot simpler. I've found it really doesn't matter what I fly (Buzzard or Manticore) or how I fit it, the important thing is if it can warp while cloaked doing pickups in low/null becomes much easier... So much easier it's funny.

Bombing sounds like a great way to get revenge on those lowlife gate campers who occasionally nailed me at permanent (or near permanent) gate camps in places like EC-P8R, Aunenen, Rancer and Amamake. Sneak into their own backyards and see how they like having their miners, transports and other soft targets picked off. See how they like having afk cloaked bombers sitting in their core systems for a day or three and never knowing just when they might come out of stealth to pop something. Grief the griefers for a change. Make them start thinking a least a little about keeping their own home systems secure instead of griefing honest traders and poor noobs who don't know any better yet. Oh yeah, now that's my kind of fun!

The last month or so my main focus has been on training up skills for bombing. So far that's mostly been getting missile skills to all IVs (done) and Cov Ops to V (only 4-1/2 more days to go!). Once I have Cov Ops V I'll start working on getting missile skills to V and getting T2 launchers (torpedo launchers first naturally).

I found a channel Bombers Bar that organizes and runs daily regular scheduled bombing ops. They seem like a cool bunch who should be fun to run with. I intended to start doing bombing runs with them long before now but the timing of their runs hasn't meshed very well with my work schedule lately. That'll change eventually though and when it does I plan on joining a lot of their runs. I'm definitely up for roaming deep into null territory and blowing up anything. I'd certainly be up for blowing the crap out of a gate camp anywhere too. Gate camping I'll pass on though, unless it's in a spot where the targets will mostly be members of  the very same alliances manning the usual camps at chokepoints between hi and null.


Here's the Manticore fit I plan on using

[Manticore fit]

Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II

1MN Afterburner II
Phased Muon Sensor Disruptor I, Scan Resolution Dampening Script
Faint Epsilon Warp Scrambler I
Phased Weapon Navigation Array Generation Extron

Prototype 'Arbalest' Torpedo Launcher, Caldari Navy Scourge Torpedo
Prototype 'Arbalest' Torpedo Launcher, Caldari Navy Scourge Torpedo
Prototype 'Arbalest' Torpedo Launcher, Caldari Navy Scourge Torpedo
Bomb Launcher I, Scorch Bomb
Covert Ops Cloaking Device II

Small Polycarbon Engine Housing I
Small Polycarbon Engine Housing I

With my current skills (all IVs in missile skills, Cov Ops IV) I do 467 total dps (415 from torpedoes alone). My bombs hit for 7680.

When I get T2 launchers (in another month or two) I'll switch to them and maybe T2 ammo too. I'll need to do something about the increased CPU requirements to fit T2 launchers though. Most pilots seem to solve that problem by dropping one of the BCS for a Co-Processor II.

That's all for now, I'll follow up with more about my experiences as a new bomber as I get experience. Look for the first update after I finally go on my first bombing run.

Trade hauling with small fast ships

A major problem for traders is picking up regional buys that have been filled in low or null sec systems. Many such systems are behind a major gate camp like EC-P8R, Aunenen, Rancer, Amamake, etc. These camps are pretty much permanently manned and difficult to run at any time with anything short of Covert Ops ships. The largest camps usually have smartbombing battleships on the gate making them difficult to run even with Cov Ops. Trying to run small gate camps (far less major camps) or undock from camped stations in a slow Industrial ship is basically just suicide.

If you trade in bulky items like ore, minerals, PI mats, or large quantities of fitting modules you don't have much choice. You need plenty of cargo space which means flying slow haulers, Industrials, Transports, etc.. Flying Jump Freighters and/or Blockade Runners takes a long time, a significant skill point investment and though they are better suited for operating in low/null they're still slow and susceptible to ganks.

However, if you deal in small, individually more valuable items like skillbooks, blueprints, faction/deadspace mods or implants you can transport in smaller, faster ships that have far better chances of successfully running gate camps.

Covert Ops frigates are ideal for light transport in dangerous areas. Small, fast, cheap enough to be expendable and the ability to warp while cloaked is huge for running gate camps. About all you have to worry about are large smartbombing camps and undocking. Even then they have to be alert, quick, ready for and expecting cloaked ships to nail you before you're gone. Almost any fit works for this purpose, you can even use a Stealth Bomber fit for standard bombing ops as I often do.

You don't need tank. You can't fit enough tank to survive smartbombs or alpha strikes from larger ships anyhow. Your best chance of running a smartbomb camp is speed, particularly alignment time. Even station campers waiting for you to undock are best avoided with insta-warp bookmarks or failing that, fast alignment times. If anything else nails you, chances are either you got lazy or they got lucky. Standard Cov Ops fits work fine but if you want to fit specifically for transport then fitting for speed, agility and warp speed while ensuring you don't fit anything that reduces cargo capacity makes sense. A MWD in the mids, Nanos in the lows and for rigs I'd go with polycarbons or low friction nozzle jets, though hyperspatial velocity optimizers (warp speed) might be a good choice too.

Recon cruisers would be the natural evolution to Cov Ops frigates, with greater cargo capacity, capable of fitting 60k or so tank (EHP that is, more like 30k raw) and able to survive smartbombs and more. But Recons are much more expensive and require a lot more skills training to fly. Not exactly expendable and probably too time consuming to train most alts for too.

For new players or alts that need to fly low/null now and can't afford to wait to train into Cov Ops small, fast frigates fitted for speed and alignment time work quite well. They're very cheap, typically under 2 million even fitted with moderately expensive T2 mods. The good part is when you do get nailed in these ships it's almost always on the way into low/null while you're empty so all you lose is a cheap ship and maybe some implants. Conversely, if you get into low/null without trouble you can usually get back out a few minutes later with no trouble too and with your valuable cargo intact.

You will lose some of these ships, count on it, but they're cheap enough you can consider it a cost of doing business. I lost 1 or 2 a month across 9 trader alts on 4 accounts all flying T1 frigates when I was working regional buys and travelling in low/null on a daily basis. Just don't use expensive implants you can't afford to replace occasionally.

My personal favorite T1 ship for trade hauling was the Minmitar Vigil. With it's 5% per level speed bonus and decent skills it's the fastest standard T1 frigate (not counting expensive pirate faction ships) in the game. However that velocity bonus will soon be gone in the next round of ship balancing. Now you might as well just go with the fastest frigate available to your race.

For T1 frigates and assuming a low skills alt will be flying it I like nanos in the lows, cap rechargers in the mids and cap rigs. Cap rigs and rechargers are important for low skills alts to make long warps all in one go. As you get better nav and cap skills this issue goes away. The important skills are Warp Drive Operation, Energy Management, Energy Systems Operation and all the non-jump navigation skills. With all those skills at 3 or better you can use astronautics rigs (or no rigs at all) and start dropping rechargers too.

This is my standard Condor fit

[Condor, Light Transport]

Local Hull Conversion Nanofiber Structure I
Local Hull Conversion Nanofiber Structure I

Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I
Eutectic Capacitor Charge Array
Eutectic Capacitor Charge Array
Eutectic Capacitor Charge Array

[Empty High slot]
[Empty High slot]
[Empty High slot]
[Empty High slot]

Small Capacitor Control Circuit I
Small Semiconductor Memory Cell I
Small Semiconductor Memory Cell I

And this is my standard Vigil fit

[Vigil, Ninja Salvager]

Local Hull Conversion Nanofiber Structure I
Local Hull Conversion Nanofiber Structure I
Local Hull Conversion Nanofiber Structure I

Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I
Eutectic Capacitor Charge Array
Eutectic Capacitor Charge Array

Salvager I
Salvager I
Salvager I

Small Semiconductor Memory Cell I
Small Semiconductor Memory Cell I
Small Capacitor Control Circuit I

I find 2 semiconductor memory cells and one capacitor control circuit gives the best cap performance with low cap skills. As your cap skills get better and depending on exactly what ship you're flying your mileage may differ. What's in the highs isn't important, the ship isn't intended to fight, it's just supposed to be cheap, fly fast and align quickly.

As the alt gets better skills I start dropping rigs and cap rechargers, lowering cost and making the ships even more expendable. Drop rigs first because they're by far the most expensive fittings on the ships. Using T1 best named modules takes less resources and lower skills to fit, making them easier for low skills alts to fit than the T2 versions. They're also quite a bit cheaper and nearly as good as the T2 versions. You could go with lower meta modules to cut costs even more too.