TRS - Fitting Discussion: Shield Coercer

I like fits that are out-of-the-box designs, and while there are quite a few people who would shield-tank some Gallente ships, it is very uncommon to do the same with Amarr ships.

During research for a community feature piece, I went on a public roam with Redemption Road. There I saw an exception to the armor tanking rule for Amarr. Considering that we flew around in nullsec and fought people with considerably heavier ships, this destroyer fit performed surprisingly well in a fleet of just under 20 people:

[Coercer, Shield Tank]
Heat Sink II
Heat Sink II
Fourier Transform Tracking Program

Medium F-S9 Regolith Shield Induction
Experimental 1MN Afterburner I

Small Focused Pulse Laser II, Scorch S
Small Focused Pulse Laser II, Scorch S
Small Focused Pulse Laser II, Scorch S
Small Focused Pulse Laser II, Scorch S
Small Focused Pulse Laser II, Scorch S
Small Focused Pulse Laser II, Scorch S
Small Focused Pulse Laser II, Scorch S
Small Focused Pulse Laser II, Scorch S

Small Ancillary Current Router I
Small Anti-EM Screen Reinforcer I
Small Anti-Thermal Screen Reinforcer I

Let's look at the good things first.

This ship can reach a very nice 290 DPS and close to 600 volley damage. The Scorch crystals give the ship an optimal range of up to 18km at maximum skills. That range can be surpassed by long-range destroyers like artillery Thrashers or railgun Cormorants, but those ships will have significant disadvantages in tracking. A Thrasher with 280mm artillery will have less optimal as well. That makes the Coercer much better at actually applying its full damage.It comes close to the DPS of a blaster Catalyst but with much longer range.

If you switch to short-range Conflagration crystals, you can even outperform a Catalyst using Neutron Blasters loaded with Null ammunition. Except if it's a full-out gank fit.

Even at level 2 of the Destroyer skill, the tracking bonus of the ship together with the meta level Tracking Enhancer already compensates for the drawback from Scorch. Everything else is an extra bonus. With maximum skills the Pulse Lasers will not reach the tracking of a blaster Catalyst, but it will be better than any other alternative.

It has somewhat decent buffer and resists, and its signature is still very low for a shield-tanked ship. It can also perma-run the Afterburner and maintain a comfortable speed. Together that gives the ship average defensive abilities. There are more flimsy destroyer fits than this one.

Now, let's look at the negative things.

The most glaring problem is, that this ship does not have a point. If you want targets held down, you need to bring tacklers. An opposing FC who pays attention can just wipe the frigates off the field and escape without problems.

The second problematic thing is fitting. The available amount of CPU forces you to use a meta level Tracking Enhancer and Shield Extender. T2 lasers are practically a must, otherwise you wont be able to get the range and DPS out of the ship that makes it work well. Alltogether you will need pretty good fitting and weapon skills for that, so it's not suitable for the really new players.

Last but not least, this ship is not exactly fast. Positioning on the grid is best done by getting warp-ins from the tacklers which you need to have with you anyway.

For comparison, let's have a look at a more standard armor fit Coercer.

[Coercer, Wolfpack Coercer]
Damage Control II
400mm Reinforced Rolled Tungsten Plates I
Tracking Enhancer II

Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I
Warp Disruptor II

Dual Light Pulse Laser II, Scorch S
Dual Light Pulse Laser II, Scorch S
Dual Light Pulse Laser II, Scorch S
Dual Light Pulse Laser II, Scorch S
Dual Light Pulse Laser II, Scorch S
Dual Light Pulse Laser II, Scorch S
Dual Light Pulse Laser II, Scorch S
Dual Light Pulse Laser II, Scorch S

Small Anti-Explosive Pump I
Small Energy Locus Coordinator I
Small Energy Locus Coordinator I

As expected, this ship has a much better tank. About 8500 EHP compared to the 6000 of the shield fit. It is also a lot faster of course, but that speed can only be maintained for short bursts. It has slightly better range and tracking, and it has it's own point.

The one thing where the shield fit excels is damage. With 120 less in DPS and 270 less volley damage, the armor version is not really impressive.

In Conclusion

Would I fly such a shield Coercer in my day-to-day fleets? Most likely not. It is, however a workable and creative fit that doesn't do too bad considering that it goes against common fitting philosophy. As a mid-range DPS platform it performs exceptionally well, and even more so as a short range damage dealer. With its good tracking and damage projection, it is an excellent fit for gatecamps and ganks while still maintaining an average level of survivability.

It is also a cheap ship, so losing one for the sake of flying an experimental gimmick fit is not such a bad tradeoff.

TRS - Fitting Discussion: Shield Logi Frigates

In my previous fitting discussion post, I said that I will feature shield logi frigates, and so here we are.

To begin with I have to admit that this is pure theorycrafting. I prefer to write about ships I have some experience with but I have never actually flown a shield logi frigate. I have flown shield logi (Scimitar mostly), but that was in a time before there were frigates available for that role.

I have, however, applied much of the same fitting logic I would apply to the armor versions. That is: Keep your signature low, keep your speed up, maximize buffer and keep your capacitor stable.

When it comes to shield fits, there are two challenges with those goals: Shield ships tend to have pretty high signatures and they tend to have lower hitpoint buffers when compared to armor. Those negative aspects are balanced out by two pretty nice advantages: Shield ships are generally faster and shield transfers become effective at the beginning of the cycle. The latter factor makes it easier to apply your repair cycles correctly.

When it comes to fitting a ship that I am not experienced with, I usually have a look at the EVE University Wiki to check whether they have some example fits there. Unfortunately their suggested shield logi frigate fits are not what I would call optimal. They have a higher signature and lower EHP than the fits I came up with. A rather bad combination, because the higher signature makes it easier to hit you for full damage.

I would still recommend to take a look at their Microwarpdrive fits. They may have their uses despite me being prejudiced against using an MWD for such a ship because of the signature bloom. If your fleet tactics involve crossing some distance and moving fast on the grid, MWD fits might be necessary.
The ship that clearly has the speed advantage is the Minmatar Burst:

[Burst, AB Logi]
Damage Control II
Capacitor Power Relay II
Capacitor Power Relay II

Medium Shield Extender II
1MN Afterburner II
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II

Small S95a Remote Shield Booster
Small S95a Remote Shield Booster
Small S95a Remote Shield Booster

Small Anti-EM Screen Reinforcer I
Small Capacitor Control Circuit I
Small Capacitor Control Circuit I

With the Burst setup above you will have a lower buffer than any of the armor logi frigates, but you will be significantly faster. The ship is also easier to fit than any armor counterpart because of the lower powergrid needs of shield tank and shield transporters. With good skills you can fit a T2 Afterburner for some extra speed advantage.

Other than armor, there is no rig for shield that reduces the amount of capacitor you need for remote repair. That means you need to use Capacitor Control Circuits to achieve cap stability. Still, with the Burst you can get just as comfortably stable as with the armor repair frigates.

Another thing that sets the shield frigates apart from the armor versions is their better scan resolution. The Burst stands out the most in that respect. It gets noticeably faster locks, and it is important to lock fast if you are a logistics pilot.

So how does the Caldari version - the Bantam - compare to this?

[Bantam, AB Logi]
Damage Control II
Capacitor Power Relay II

1MN Afterburner II
Medium Shield Extender II
Cap Recharger II
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II

Small S95a Remote Shield Booster
Small S95a Remote Shield Booster
Small S95a Remote Shield Booster

Small Anti-EM Screen Reinforcer I
Small Capacitor Control Circuit I
Small Capacitor Control Circuit I

Almost all Caldari ships are natural shield tankers and this one is no exception. Its hitpoint buffer comes close to that of the Inquisitor and its EHP is superiour to the Navitas. Interestingly enough, its buffer is lower than that of the Navitas and it's EHP are worse than the Inquisitor's because of lower resists. Quite nicely balanced.

This ship is just as easy to fit as the Burst. You have slightly lower powergrid but better CPU, but even if you run out of powergrid, you can still downgrade your Shield Extender or Afterburner to a meta 4 version.

The Bantam has the highest signature of all the logi frigates and it is slower than the Burst. That puts it at a disadvantage for avoiding incoming damage. It still manages to outrun any armor logi frigate easily. Do not forget to keep moving within range to the friendlies you want to support. As I wrote in my last post: Always make sure you stay away from the thick of the fighting and always keep your radial speed as high as you can.

Shield fleets tend to be less popular these days, but there are still quite a number of frigate doctrines which use shield fits and take advantage of their high damage and speed. With the Bantam being a very well-rounded ship, and the Burst being the quickest and fastest locking of all logi frigates, those ships are definitely a good addition to any frigate based fleet doctrine.

Too bad that the Bantam was built by the State Bureau for Ridiculous Ship Design.

P.S. As with the other logi frigates, bring a scout drone to get on killmails.

TRS - Fitting Discussion: Armor Logi Frigates

Logistic ships are an important backbone of more advanced fleet operations. In the past, there was exactly one T2 hull for each race available to fulfill that role.

Since Retribution we have T1 logistics cruisers and frigates available. That opens the way for pilots to grow into the role of "healers" without having to train up to a T2 ship at first.

For the new pilots who would like to train for that role, the logistics frigates are an ideal entry point. I will feature all four of them, but I will begin with the two armor logi frigates.

The Amarr Inquisitor is the one I have most practical experience with. A good standard fit for that ship looks like this:

[Inquisitor, Logi Standard]
400mm Reinforced Rolled Tungsten Plates I
Pseudoelectron Containment Field I
Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II
Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II

Cap Recharger II
Experimental 1MN Afterburner I

Small 'Solace' Remote Armor Repairer
Small 'Solace' Remote Armor Repairer
Small 'Solace' Remote Armor Repairer

Small Remote Repair Augmentor I
Small Remote Repair Augmentor I
Small Remote Repair Augmentor I

The Inquisitor's drone bay has room for one small drone. Personally I would suggest using a Warrior II because it can be directed at targets quickly to get on killmails. Using a single repair drone or ECM drone is hardly effective.

This ship is quick to train for and easy to fit, but I would suggest training Amarr Frigate and Remote Armor Repair Systems to V as soon as possible. Both skills reduce the amount of capacitor needed by the RR modules. Being cap-stable is important for this ship, as I will explain.

To begin with, you want to be able to run your RR modules permanently if possible. You will also be in need of something to help you survive, because logi ships tend to get primaried often. Apart from a decent tank for a frigate, you will rely on a low signature and speed to avoid incoming damage. That makes the ability to permanently run your afterburner particularly important.

With your extended range for the RR modules, you can stay out of range from the main fight, and you should. Pay special attention to ships with stasis webifiers and energy neutralizers. Both can mean the end of your ship really quickly. Enemies with medium to long range are best dealt with by keeping your radial speed up to challenge the tracking of their guns.

Often fits for this ship will use an anti-explosive rig. Personally I consider the speed-tanking advantage of running your afterburner permanently a better asset in combat than the extra explosive resistance. So I prefer going for three Remote Repair Augmentors to stay comfortably cap-stable with everything running.

The Pseudoelectron Containment Field is chosen above the Internal Force Field array because of the price. If ISK is not an issue, and you are not worried to have a needlessly expensive frigate on your list of losses, by all means, go for the meta 4 version.

Of course you are not only there to avoid damage, but mainly to repair it.

The main challenge for the beginning logistics pilot will be to time their repairs properly. Because armor repair becomes effective only at the end of the cycle, you need to be proactive. Keep as many friendlies as possible on your watchlist and pre-locked. Start repairing once they take damage. Do not wait until they enter armor or your reps could be too late. Especially in frigate fleets one missed cycle can mean the the difference between exploding and surviving.

For those who do not have Amarr Frigate trained, the Navitas is an alternative.

This weird-looking fish-like ship has one less low slot but an extra mid. This means a less effective tank, but on the other hand you gain a bit more versatility. You can fit an ECCM in the extra mid to protect yourself against electronic warfare, or you could provide some EWAR support like in this example:

[Navitas, TD Logi]
400mm Reinforced Steel Plates II
Damage Control II
Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II

Experimental 1MN Afterburner I
Cap Recharger II
Balmer Series Tracking Disruptor I, Optimal Range Disruption Script

Small 'Solace' Remote Armor Repairer
Small 'Solace' Remote Armor Repairer
Small 'Solace' Remote Armor Repairer

Small Ancillary Current Router I
Small Remote Repair Augmentor I
Small Remote Repair Augmentor I

The main problem with the Navitas is it's powergrid. Even with maximum skills you will need a rig or an implant to fit propulsion, three reppers and a 400mm plate. Even with a Tungsten Plate you will have too little powergrid, so better use that rig and fit a T2 plate if you have enough CPU with your skills. Because you are forced to use a powergrid rig, you will have a much harder time to get this ship cap-stable. Only with maximum skills in Afterburner and Fuel Conservation in addition to others that's achievable.

Personally I find that the Navitas is a bit broken in that respect. With maximum skills this fit should be possible without a rig. It's only 0.75 that's missing!

In total you end up with more hitpoint buffer, but still a good 1000EHP less than the Inquisitor because of lower resists. The signature of the Navitas is slightly higher, but it is also faster than the Amarr ship. Together those factors balance each other out nicely.

Just like the Inquisitor, the Navitas has space for one drone. Again, I'd suggest a Warrior II.for the killmails.

This concludes the first part of logistics frigates discussion. The next time I will deal with the shield versions: The Burst and the Bantam.

OOC Entry 109 - Technomagic

One of the things that fascinates me most about technology is the strange realm where it almost begins to feel like magic. When it comes to EVE that feeling was always strongest for me in relation to the way capsuleers existed.

The skill system tells us of Infomorph Psychology. That's the thing you need to be familiar with to have multiple clones.

But what is that infomorph, and what sort of psychology applies to it? Like any good magic, such technology poses a lot of very intriguing questions, and I love those.

In my last chapter of the current story I make a bit of an attempt to explore that state of mind which makes a capsuleer something else than other humans. That consciousness which resides both in a brain but also in a computer. The part that can travel between machine and flesh in an instant and which is the actual immortal aspect of the capsuleer.

Such a mind can achieve great things when melded with a spaceship, but what else could it do immersed in an artificial system of complex machines?

Well, there is all that in the story but also some close combat in the corridors of a supercarrier and an escalating fleet fight still going on.

It's a bit of a longer read, but I hope you enjoy it.

I'm delivering this to you on the evening of my departure for two weeks of holidays. So next time I will actually have an excuse for taking longer to write something ;)