Okkamon Falls

Gal mil had been busy this month and so have I. We've had two major campaigns starting in Huola helping our minnie brothers defend their stronghold in Huola. Unfortunately I wasn't involved in any of that, the first day of the deployment I couldn't be bothered to move ships over and after seeing the battle reports of the first day I assumed the fighting would slow and I'd have moved ships there for nothing. Well it wouldn't be the first time I predicted politics wrong and the fighting grew over the next few days. We've still got standing orders to leave a jump clone somewhere nearby for the good fights.

Okkamon would be the next target, with us making the tier 3 push leading up to the offensive. Between my limited playtime and my poor wallet having just rejoined the militia I had to balance time between fleets and some farming. The fights that I did participate in were a blast and reminded why I rejoined gallente militia.

Gal mil has always had a tendency to fight outnumbered, let's face it our fac war missions can't be soloed in a stealth bomber like the 3 other races. Knowing this there was always a push to upship, our lp is worth more because less farmers, so the isk is there all we needed was a willingness to fly shiny. When I left galmil the first time around I painstakingly did so to help a friend with a startup alliance that failcascaded in syndicate (where alliances go to die IMHO). I didn't want to leave because fcs were calling for ishtars and hugiins and other assorted HACs and the militia was responding. I'm all for flying derptrons when the need arises but I'm definitely having more fun with the shiny toys.

Thankfully they found great success in these doctrines while I was gone and they didn't fade away, and coming full circle to my point afterall this rambling. From what I saw in the Okkamon campaign, our victory was brought about by our willingness to upship. Every medium and large compoud we were bringing AHACs and guardians to hold despite being outnumbered in local for the entirety of the afternoon. Squid FCs through waves of sniper corms and coraxs into the meat grinder against our AHACs, and with some help from Julianus' group of thirsty thrashers we were able to dominate the plexs and their undock between fights. The only exception was a group of Bohica that brought out a skirmish gang of ishtars with scimmy support and props to them for bringing the good fight. The point here being that if they were able to rally the troops and get all the pilots in local into HACs the day would have gone differently.

Maybe it came down to logistics, I have to give huge props to veronica and perunga and all the behind the scenes logistical monkeys who made our reships seamless. At one point we finished a large burned two jumps downsized to destroyers and were back in time to contest a small in a 4 minute window which is insanely impressive cat herding for 45 guys.

Anyways that's just my thoughts on this campaign, all I learned is that I need to start stocking stations all over fac war space so I don't have to mooch ships from those more equipped than I.

Okkamon BR

A new focus

I have to apologizefor being very inactive in my posts. Real life has been bearing hard down around me and what little free time I get, I'd rather spend playing eve them writing about it. The girlfriend and I have been house shopping which comes with a whole mess of things to get ready, so this had to be put on the back burner for the meantime.

With this in mind I'm canceling my Art of War series, I can't devote enough time to realistically cover everything at a fair pace and I'd hate to leave people waiting. Another blogger is essentially covering the same thing over at Plowshares and Lasers. I honestly think he does a better job at covering the subject matter than I ever could, so go give him a read.

In the meantime, expect sporadic fit of the week posts I'm bound to write. I might even write some faction warfare commentary seeing as I'm flying with JUSTK again.

The Art of War: Combat Frigates Part One

Now that I'm back its time to continue on with the Art of War series. We last left off on attack frigates so this week I'll be covering combat frigates for Amarr.

Tormentor

Traits:

Amarr frigate skill bonus per level:

10% bonus to small energy turret capacitor use

5% bonus to small energy turret damage

Slot layout: 3H/3M/3L

This ship used to sport mining bonuses back in the day, and boy am I glad they changed that. Now it's a very unassuming damage dealer sporting both light drones and energy turrets. The tormentor fulfills the tackle role better than the Punisher because of its third mid slot; granting the ability to fit prop mod, web, and scram.

[Tormentor, Brawler]

Pseudoelectron Containment Field I

Small Ancillary Armor Repairer

Small Armor Repairer II

Heat Sink II

Experimental 1MN Afterburner I

J5b Phased Prototype Warp Scrambler I

X5 Prototype Engine Enervator

Small Focused Pulse Laser II, Imperial Navy Multifrequency S

Small Focused Pulse Laser II, Imperial Navy Multifrequency S

Small Focused Pulse Laser II, Imperial Navy Multifrequency S

Small Semiconductor Memory Cell I

Small Semiconductor Memory Cell I

Small Auxiliary Nano Pump I

Warrior II x 2

It's an unassuming little ship with the ability to put out 166 dps before heat with imperial navy while still being able to retain its tank. Run the small armor rep the entire fight and burst the AAR as you need it. With everything except the AAR on you get 2min 45 of cap which should be more than enough to finish the fight. Always carry Conflag and Scorch also, Amarr ships can change their ammo crystals practically immediately so never be afraid to swap out depending on engagement range. I leave scorch in by default and swap to imperial navy for frigs or conflag for cruisers. Some people prefer to use two auxiliary nano pumps and a nanobot accelerator, but I'm terrible at cap management when it comes to amarr ships. I've noticed I pulse too early on the AAR and end up capped out way too early in the fight.

[Tormentor, kite]

Pseudoelectron Containment Field I

Tracking Enhancer II

Tracking Enhancer II

Nanofiber Internal Structure II

Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I

J5 Prototype Warp Disruptor I

Medium F-S9 Regolith Shield Induction

Dual Light Pulse Laser II, Scorch S

Small Focused Pulse Laser II, Scorch S

Dual Light Pulse Laser II, Scorch S

Small Energy Collision Accelerator I

Small Energy Locus Coordinator I

Small Ancillary Current Router I

Warrior II x2

There's one problem with this boat that you guys should be able to guess by now. It suffers terribly from Amarr's cap hungry condition. You won't be able to leave everything running for too long so use this kiter very carefully. Overheat everything and hope for the best. Keep at range at the edge of your optimal.

Crucifier 

Traits:

Amarr frigate bonus per skill level:

7.5% bonus to tracking disruptor effectiveness

10% bonus to tracking disruptor optimal range

Slot layout: 2H/4M/3L

This boat really used to shine until they upgraded the sentinel, its tech II older brother, now not many people fly it because the sentinel does everything this boat does and more. If money is an issue and you'd like to learn how to fly a sentinel this is the boat to stepping stone with.

[Crucifier, Crucifier]

Nanofiber Internal Structure II

Heat Sink II

Micro Auxiliary Power Core II

Experimental 1MN Afterburner I

J5b Phased Prototype Warp Scrambler I

Balmer Series Tracking Disruptor I, Optimal Range Disruption Script

X5 Prototype Engine Enervator

Small Focused Pulse Laser II, Imperial Navy Multifrequency S

Small Focused Pulse Laser II, Imperial Navy Multifrequency S

Small Energy Collision Accelerator I

Small Energy Metastasis Adjuster I

Small Energy Metastasis Adjuster I

Warrior II x3

This is the best I can come up with and I gotta say I'm hard pressed to do anything with it. Its dps is low and tank is low and its not amazingly fast. Mwd fit it would run out of cap too soon but this way it runs stable, you could swap the nano for a small armor rep but I don't see it buying you much time due to its pitiful base armor hp. I feel like the ticket here is to stay at scram range and use your tracking disruptor to mitigate damage. The sentinel does it better because its neuts wreak havoc on the enemies active mods and guns. Thoroughly unimpressed though, please prove me wrong and show me how to fly this.

Punisher

Traits:

Amarr frigate skill bonus per level:

5% bonus to small energy turret damage

4% bonus to armor resistance

Slot layout: 4H/2M/4L

Last but not least the almost perfect brawler, I say almost perfect because this hull really needs that 3rd mid slot to shine but it's still a decent option.

[Punisher, Plate Rep]

Damage Control II

Small Ancillary Armor Repairer

400mm Reinforced Rolled Tungsten Plates I

Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II

Experimental 1MN Afterburner I

J5b Phased Prototype Warp Scrambler I

Dual Light Pulse Laser II, Imperial Navy Multifrequency S

Dual Light Pulse Laser II, Imperial Navy Multifrequency S

Dual Light Pulse Laser II, Imperial Navy Multifrequency S

[empty high slot]

Small Energy Burst Aerator II

Small Trimark Armor Pump I

Small Trimark Armor Pump I

9.5k ehp with a 130dps heated tank all while doing 119 dps unheated makes for a mean little brawler. If you require a nos you can downgrade the guns to make one fit but as long as you're pulsing the AAR cap shouldn't be an issue. You'll be hard pressed to find something you can't out brawl in the < 8km range. 

That's all for this segment. Next week will be Caldari combat frigs. Always feel free to Convo or eve mail me if you have any questions or comment below.

Fly ballsy o7

Fit of the week: Rapier

Yesterday was my first day back from a two month hiatus from eve, and good old adaptive chaotic tranquility had been running black ops fleets in there new home. While I was gone minmatar cruiser V had finished so what better time to try out the rapier. I've mentioned my love of recon ships and I think I found a new favorite.

[Rapier, Blops]
Damage Control II
1600mm Reinforced Steel Plates II
Armor Explosive Hardener II
Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II

Experimental 10MN Microwarpdrive I
Warp Disruptor II
Stasis Webifier II
Stasis Webifier II
Stasis Webifier II
Phased Weapon Navigation Array Generation Extron

Dual 180mm AutoCannon II, Republic Fleet EMP M
Dual 180mm AutoCannon II, Republic Fleet EMP M
Cynosural Field Generator I
Covert Ops Cloaking Device II

Medium Trimark Armor Pump I
Medium Trimark Armor Pump I


Valkyrie II x4

This is not your typical roaming around fit this is catered for black ops hot dropping and filling just the support web role. It has a pitiful 85 dps from guns and 90 from valkyries so don't expect to be top damage. This boat setup this way is meant to hop in and shut down a secondary target plus add an additional web to the primary.  For a roaming fit out suggest something like this.

[Rapier, Roam]
Damage Control II
Nanofiber Internal Structure II
Nanofiber Internal Structure II
Capacitor Power Relay II

Experimental 10MN Microwarpdrive I
Large Shield Extender II
Large Shield Extender II
Federation Navy Stasis Webifier
Federation Navy Stasis Webifier
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II

425mm AutoCannon II, Arch Angel EMP M
425mm AutoCannon II, Arch Angel EMP M
Covert Ops Cloaking Device II
Medium 'Notos' Explosive Charge I

Medium Anti-Kinetic Screen Reinforcer II
Medium Anti-Thermal Screen Reinforcer II

Warrior II x5
Hornet EC-300 x3

Still laughable dps at only 178 but you are much more mobile and much more reppable than the armor fit above. 33.5k ehp isn't bad for a recon. The armor fit is meant to support redeemers and only to survive long enough to pull range. This one is meant to hang around 30km from the fight to apply support webs and take out choice tackle or eliminate ewar drones with your smartbomb. If you're a drug user, standard mindflood will allow you to run both mwd and webs permanently. Could swap drones but I like having dishonor drones in squishy boats.

Fit of the weeks are meant be an idea. If your skills prevent you from fitting something try using meta 4 modules, or if you have better suggestions leave them in the comments below.

I'm not dead

Hooray! I'm back! Did you miss me? I needed a hiatus from eve due to some real life and work issues I couldn't devote enough time to either endeavor so I decided it was best to put eve on the back burner for a bit. Now I'm back though, so expect a continuation of my art of war posts and some fit of the week posts. I foresee a rapier post today considering I flew it for the first time on my first day back with great luls.

The Art of War: Attack Frigates Part Two

Continuing on with the series this week I'll be covering the Minmatar and Gallente attack frigates. The Atron and Slasher are quite possibly two of my favorite ships to fly because of their glass cannon play style

Gallente

Atron

Gallente Frigate skill bonus per level:

10% bonus to Small Hybrid Turret falloff

5% bonus to Small Hybrid Turret damage

Role bonus:

80% reduction in Propulsion Jamming systems activation cost

Slot layout 4H/3M/3L

The balanced slot layout of the atron gives it versatility. With 3 mid slots you can fit the "holy trinity" of brawling; scrambler, web, and prop mod. The falloff bonus is great for this hull because small blasters have a naturally high tracking bonus. Orbiting closely to this hull does not get you under its guns. Able to put out high dps with Caldari Navy Animatter but still having the versatility to switch to null, granting near auto cannon falloff range makes this a great hull for its class.

[Atron, derptron]

Damage Control II

Micro Auxiliary Power Core II

Magnetic Field Stabilizer II

Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I

J5b Phased Prototype Warp Scrambler I

Medium F-S9 Regolith Shield Induction

Light Ion Blaster II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S

Light Ion Blaster II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S

Light Ion Blaster II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S

[empty high slot]

Small Hybrid Burst Aerator I

Small Polycarbon Engine Housing I

Small Anti-EM Screen Reinforcer I

Gallente militia spends a lot of time in this hull. Derptrons are the ultimate harrasser hull. Get ten of these together each doing 203 heated dps and aim for something expensive to suicide into and hooray op success. A common misconception for this hull is to orbit at 500. When flying in numbers you want to approach to get as close as possible to deal maximum damage to burn them before they burn you.

[Atron, Railtron]

Damage Control II

Small Ancillary Armor Repairer, Nanite Repair Paste

Magnetic Field Stabilizer II

1MN Afterburner II

Faint Epsilon Warp Scrambler I

X5 Prototype Engine Enervator

125mm Railgun II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S

125mm Railgun II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S

125mm Railgun II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S

[empty high slot]

Small Hybrid Burst Aerator I

Small Polycarbon Engine Housing I

Small Anti-Explosive Pump I

The railtron is a bit different than its derpy brother. With the hulls natural speed bonus this ship will pull just under 1400m/s with an afterburner which should be more than enough to dictate range. Burst the ancillary as needed and know when to keep at range versus orbit. If you want more deeps use keep at range for better tracking, if you need to mitigate some damage use orbit.

Minmatar

Slasher

Minmatar Frigate skill bonus per level:

5% bonus to Small Projectile Turret damage

7.5% bonus to Small Projectile Turret tracking speed

Role bonus:

80% reduction in Propulsion Jamming systems activation cost

Slot layout:  4H/4M/2L

Not as versatile slot layout as the atron but still a very versatile boat. That fourth mid slot allows for extra ewar or other nice options that make this boat a great Jack of all trades brawler.

[Slasher, Slasher]

200mm Reinforced Rolled Tungsten Plates I

Damage Control II

Experimental 1MN Afterburner I

J5b Phased Prototype Warp Scrambler I

X5 Prototype Engine Enervator

Balmer Series Tracking Disruptor I, Tracking Speed Disruption Script

200mm AutoCannon II, Republic Fleet EMP S

200mm AutoCannon II, Republic Fleet EMP S

200mm AutoCannon II, Republic Fleet EMP S

5W Infectious Power System Malfunction

Small Anti-Explosive Pump I

Small Anti-Kinetic Pump I

Small Projectile Burst Aerator I

The above fit does require a 2% powergrid rig, if you don't spring for it drop the 200mm autocannons to 150s and you can upgrade the plate to tech II. This is every brawling gun frigates nightmare. A scram kiter with a cap stable nuet and a tracking disrupter makes this boat a bear to take down the longer the fight progresses. With its tiny signature radius of 30m combined with 1100m/s and the ability to ruin tracking speeds you will mitigate a ton of dps. Autocannons are also nice because like missiles they offer tunable damage to shoot at the enemies weak resist hole. 

[Slasher, Shield Brawl]

150mm Light AutoCannon II

150mm Light AutoCannon II

150mm Light AutoCannon II

Small Unstable Power Fluctuator I

1MN Afterburner II

J5b Phased Prototype Warp Scrambler I

Medium Ancillary Shield Booster

DDO Photometry Tracking Disruptor I

Pseudoelectron Containment Field I

Overdrive Injector System II

Small Projectile Burst Aerator I

Small Projectile Metastasis Adjuster I

Small Projectile Metastasis Adjuster I

Similar to the other fit but with a much better tank. You lose the web but the slasher has a naturally high speed and the overdrive injector should help this further. The asb provides a nice boost that should help you tank for a long while. Fly it the same way as the armor brawler orbiting at the edge of nuet range and you'll have a great time. This is a great ship to practice micro managing in as you have a lot of active modules too keep track of.

Next week I'll be covering combat frigates. Depending on how long the post becomes it might be two races per series or one.  If you have any silly fit suggestion feel free to eve mail me at ZIF W or post them in the comments below.

The Art Of War: Attack Frigates Part One

As promised here's the first of the series to hopefully (fingers crossed) be added to every week till no ships remain.  So where better to start than at the basics? Tech 1 frigates are one of the first ships you will enter in this game so it seems fitting to start here.

Attack Frigates are designed with speed and tackle in mind, but this does come at a cost of less resilience than their combat frigate brethren.  Speed is life for these ships and if flown correctly you can avoid or mitigate the incoming damage enough that you can still dictate your terms for this fight.

Amarr

Executioner

Amarr Frigate Bonuses (per skill level) :

10% reduction in Small Energy Turret activation cost

5% bonus to small energy turret damage

Role bonus:

80% reduction in propulsion jamming systems activation cost.

The Executioner follows the aggressive pattern of some Amarr ships with both of its bonuses going to its turrets. The executioner shines out of the attack frigate class because it can switch from a kiter to a brawler almost instantly due to its pulse lasers with Scorch and Imperial navy multifrequency respectively.  Most executioners fall into two categories, AB fit or MWD fit.  The first of which is your standard brawler with the ability to dictate range with a scram and web and sit right out at the edge of both to mitigate incoming damage.

[Executioner, AB]

Small Ancillary Armor Repairer, Nanite Repair Paste

Damage Control II

Heat Sink II

Limited 1MN Afterburner I

J5b Phased Prototype Warp Scrambler I

X5 Prototype Engine Enervator

Dual Light Pulse Laser II, Scorch S

Dual Light Pulse Laser II, Scorch S

Dual Light Pulse Laser II, Scorch S

Small Diminishing Power System Drain I

Small Energy Burst Aerator I

Small Energy Collision Accelerator I

148 dps at 3.4+1.9km with Imperial Navy Multifrequency

118 at 10.1+1.9km with Scorch

2.57k ehp 

1247m/s 

7 minuteso f cap stability(NOS)

 1min 20 secs (without)

Dropping the Nos will give you room to upgrade the guns but I prefer to have a utility nos.

[Executioner, MWD no-tank]

Nanofiber Internal Structure II

Heat Sink II

Heat Sink II

X5 Prototype Engine Enervator

Faint Warp Disruptor I

Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I

Small Focused Pulse Laser II, Scorch S

Small Focused Pulse Laser II, Scorch S

Small Focused Pulse Laser II, Scorch S

Small Energy Locus Coordinator I

Small Energy Locus Coordinator I

Small Energy Locus Coordinator I

137dps at 15.9+2.5km with scorch

1.61k EHP

3867m/s 5519m/s(heated)

Think of this version as a ghetto imperial navy slicer. The purpose of it is to stay at kite range so ideally you will be keeping at  around 15-17km. Watch out for webs with this fit because you do not want to get caught brawling in it. use your web defensively to pull range again and do it quickly.

Caldari

Condor

Caldari Frigate bonuses (per skill level) :

10% bonus to kinetic Light Missile and Rocket damage

Role Bonus:

80% reduction in propulsion jamming systems activation cost

The condor is almost exclusively designed to be a kiting ship.  There are a few who run scram kiter setups but at <3km it is out damaged by all the other attack frigates. It's 4/4/2 slot layout provides an ideal setup for Ewar mods to help enhance damage mitigation. 

[Condor, Kite]

Ballistic Control System II

Nanofiber Internal Structure II

Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I

Warp Disruptor II

Balmer Series Tracking Disruptor I, Optimal Range Disruption Script

Medium Ancillary Shield Booster, Cap Booster 50

Light Missile Launcher II, Caldari Navy Scourge Light Missile

Light Missile Launcher II, Caldari Navy Scourge Light Missile

Light Missile Launcher II, Caldari Navy Scourge Light Missile

Small Ancillary Current Router I

Small Ancillary Current Router I

Small Processor Overclocking Unit I

Object here is to stay out of web and scram range.  Use your mwd and long point to keep them at about 20-22km and the td on optimal range to slow any incoming damage.  Use the ASB to pull range in the beginning but don't get scramed. 

[Condor, Rocket Brawl]

200mm Reinforced Steel Plates II

Damage Control II

Experimental 1MN Afterburner I

Faint Epsilon Warp Scrambler I

Balmer Series Tracking Disruptor I, Optimal Range Disruption Script

Fleeting Propulsion Inhibitor I

Rocket Launcher II, Scourge Rage Rocket

Rocket Launcher II, Scourge Rage Rocket

Rocket Launcher II, Scourge Rage Rocket

Small Unstable Power Fluctuator I

Small Trimark Armor Pump I

Small Anti-Kinetic Pump I

Small Anti-Explosive Pump I

100 dps at 8.4km

1050m/s 1355m/s(heated)

33m Signature radius

Cap stable at 42% w/nuet

Trick to this ship is to stay right at that sweet spot of 6.6km nuet web scram td and afterburner around.  it will slow their dps to almost nothing and eventually you will nuet them out and shut off their guns if Amarr or Gallente. Against minmatar I would pull out to the edge of scram web range and keep with the optimal range script so they are forced to switch to long range ammo.

Next week I'll cover the other half of the Attack frigates Gallente and Minmatar.

o7

The Art of War

When I first started playing this game I was incredibly overwhelmed. I did all the "pants on head" retarded things newer players do now and more when I first started. It took me about a year to finally figure out what support skills were and why bigger is not always better. It took the advice of a real life friend who is now my new CEO to get it in my head that I needed to "slow my role." At the time battle cruisers were the meta (yes the drake used to be a bad as boat) and I was blitzkrieging through skills to get into one way before I had the necessary skills to fly or income to replace one. Everyone knows what came next, I died in a fire belt ratting in null.

I've wrote about this encounter before, and how this inspired me to get into pvp. Which presented a brand new even steeper learning curve that took me at least two years to climb. At the time I didn't know resources existed to help teach. EVE UNI didn't exist and most people were unwilling to help if you weren't a corpmate.

In this past year I stumbled across the alruist. Reddit led me to his signing off post and being that I'd never heard of him and my own blog was still in its infancy, I decided I'd read up on his style. If I had read his know your enemy articles all those years ago it would have saved me so many stupid losses. As I read though knowing what I know now some of his info is getting outdated, so I've decided to rehash his old series with up to date Intel, fits, and strategies stop that newer players can climb this learning curve with the proper tools.

Expect a post this afternoon.

Fit of the week: Firetail

Adjusting to gal mil has been crazy for me. I haven't farmed any lp like I used to in our short lived caldari stint when I was apart of Casoff. Honestly the space is too busy and I get sidetracked every time I try farm by the constant combat available to me. This is something I've been playing with recently.

[Republic Fleet Firetail, Scram kite]
Damage Control II
Small Ancillary Armor Repairer, Nanite Repair Paste
Gyrostabilizer II

Limited 1MN Afterburner I
Faint Epsilon Warp Scrambler I
X5 Prototype Engine Enervator
X5 Prototype Engine Enervator

280mm Howitzer Artillery II, Republic Fleet EMP S
Rocket Launcher II, Scourge Rage Rocket
280mm Howitzer Artillery II, Republic Fleet EMP S

Small Projectile Collision Accelerator II
Small Anti-Explosive Pump I
Small Anti-Kinetic Pump I

I've never flown in space where scram kiting was more popular. After watching a similar rocket scram kiter condor I decided it was time to retool a ship I haven't flown in a while.

At level 5 skills this ship pushes 155dps and moves at just over 1000m/s. I orbit at 7500 which pulls me around 8300 orbit where tracking is not an issue due to the double web. The ancillary is just to burst for the occasional glancing blow that you'll receive.

Fit of the week: Ishtar

I'm not dead! Hooray! January and February are the busiest months for my industry, and between moving to Minmatar space and out of it I haven't had a whole lot of time to write. I'm no longer apart of winmatar, I joined the frogs in my old home of placid I'm just further up the pipe now. I feel like placid will be where I spend the rest of my eve career. I know the groups, their capabilities and weaknesses, and where the pipes lead. Something I really don't wish to learn elsewhere.

So now that I'm back and flying a new banner why not fly a new ship? Sentry drones V finished from my short lived time with mafia so the ishtar seemed fitting.

[Ishtar, Ishtar]
Nanofiber Internal Structure II
Drone Damage Amplifier II
Drone Damage Amplifier II
Drone Damage Amplifier II
Drone Damage Amplifier II

Experimental 10MN Microwarpdrive I
Large F-S9 Regolith Shield Induction
Large F-S9 Regolith Shield Induction
Omnidirectional Tracking Link II
Omnidirectional Tracking Link II

Drone Link Augmentor I
Drone Link Augmentor I
Small Unstable Power Fluctuator I
125mm Gatling AutoCannon II

Medium Anti-EM Screen Reinforcer I
Medium Anti-EM Screen Reinforcer I

The general idea of this ship is to carry 2-3 loads of sentries, start a fight at range, and keep that range throughout the fight.  Always prioritize tackle so the enemy fleet can not get warpins on you and watch for long range alpha like tornados.

I love brawling so much but this ship gave me a new found admiration for shield HAC gangs. 700 dps at bouncer range is just silly. A few of these behemoths mixed with huugin and lachesis support makes a bad day for an AHAC gang.

We started this fight 15v many. That prophecy fleet came near the end to grab tackle on those trying to bugger off. Props go out to Deen Whispa for being the calmest FC/target caller I've ever flown with. If I get one fight like that a month in gal mil I don't think I'll ever leave.

Fly ballsy o7

Never fly what you can't afford to lose.

So for the first time on my eve career I lost something stupidly expensive through noones fault but my own.

Tengu

Yes that's 1billion with a b. I made some mistakes. First mistake #1 overconfidence. I've owned this same tengu for 3 + years and never even come close to losing it. It was a ship I flew often and knew it's limitations.

Mistake #2 know your surroundings. I was in between corps moving towards my new eventual home and I knew nothing about this area of space. 4 jumps through low sec in placid would have been no big deal. 4 jumps here I encountered way more pilots. Which should have made more turn around our dock up.

Mistake #3 don't be lazy. I had the cloaky subsystem in my hold and could have easily refit, but I assured myself I didn't need to dock. That would be a waste of my time.

So gg pandemic legion. I should put an obligatory "didn't want that tengu anyway" line here but I'm really not that bitter about it.

Fit of the week: Algos

New year, new me. The winds of change blew and I've been in 3 different corps this week. I've needed to fly in a different area of space for a few months now and this week I decided to go for it. I joined mafia redux and promptly realized I don't belong in a wormhole. It is a logistical nightmare to pick up everything you own and put it in a wormhole. So I joined winmatar instead. Faction warfare will always hold a soft spotin my heart because frigates and dessies are my favorite boats to fly. With that in mind.

[Algos, Algos]
Damage Control II
400mm Reinforced Steel Plates II
Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II

Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I
Fleeting Propulsion Inhibitor I
Faint Epsilon Warp Scrambler I

150mm Light AutoCannon II, Republic Fleet EMP S
150mm Light AutoCannon II, Republic Fleet EMP S
150mm Light AutoCannon II, Republic Fleet EMP S
150mm Light AutoCannon II, Republic Fleet EMP S
150mm Light AutoCannon II, Republic Fleet EMP S
[empty high slot]

Small Trimark Armor Pump I
Small Trimark Armor Pump I
Small Trimark Armor Pump I

This is my new plex sitter. Load EMP by default but keep fusion and barrage in the hold, swap to fusion when fighting armor tankers. Auto cannons make you non cap reliant and there's little to no micro managing to fly this ship. Enter the plex launch drones. Scram web, orbit at range for gallente boats everything else orbit tightly.

This is a tanky little boat that pushes a lot of dps. With 13.6k ehp without slaves and 254 dps with a flight of warrior IIs you're going to be hard pressed to find a dessie it can't beat 1v1. Obviously this is not a boat designed to take on gangs or some of the tankier assault frigs, so use your judgement on what you can fight.

The win:
Corax
Dragoon

The fail:
Haven't lost one yet

The only problem I've found so far, is that it gets very annoying to go rep armor damage after each fight. You will probably lose your plex while you are gone.

Now I've gotta learn all the new Intel for living in the new warzone. I'm so very lost in this pipe.

Fly ballsy o7

Fit of the week: Harpy

Continuing with my faction warfare fits, I've noticed slicers are a popular fit in my pipe. It's a valid ship and comes with its strength of speed and range to mitigate damage. Always wanting to find counters I present to you, the railpy

[Harpy, Harpy]
Magnetic Field Stabilizer II
Magnetic Field Stabilizer II
Beta Reactor Control: Capacitor Power Relay I

Warp Disruptor II
Gistii B-Type 1MN Microwarpdrive
'Langour' Drive Disruptor I
X5 Prototype Engine Enervator

150mm Railgun II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S
150mm Railgun II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S
150mm Railgun II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S
150mm Railgun II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S
[empty high slot]

Small Processor Overclocking Unit II
Small Hybrid Locus Coordinator I

So first things first,with Genos you can upgrade the meta webs both to level 4 but I planned on plugging snakes in this week. Also if you're not comfortable with the EM hole you can sub out the optimal range rig for an EM rig.

You do 190 dps to 23.5km with a 7km falloff and you have 5.23k ehp. Like all assault frigates you are pretty slow at only 2199m/s under mwd so heat is your friend.

You are slower than slicers so you should let them get arrogant. Make them think your blaster fit and burn in close. You have a higher ehp and dps than slicers so you will burn them down. Their only option is to pull range and deagress. I overheat my mwd and webs and keep them at 13km or 16km if you have skirmish links. Also you don't have to add the pimp but it is well worth it. The b-type mwd gives you 10% less of a capacitor penalty which allows you more mwd time.

The win:
Slicer

Fit of the week: Imperial Navy Slicer

Casoff joined faction warfare this week on the side of the caldari militia. Which is pretty cool, props to gal mil for bringing the gfs to us. Being that were are based out of Maut we realized we would be receiving little no support from cal mill because of our vicinity to the two gal mil strongholds, nen and vlill. So plexing our pipe is solely up to us, and we've had lots fun cruising around doing so. Here's a ship that has shined these past few days and nabbed us some kills we would have missed without it.

[Imperial Navy Slicer, Imperial Navy Slicer]
F85 Peripheral Damage System I
Heat Sink II
Small Ancillary Armor Repairer, Nanite Repair Paste
Beta Reactor Control: Capacitor Power Relay I
Nanofiber Internal Structure II

Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I
Warp Disruptor II

Small Focused Pulse Laser II, Scorch S
Small Focused Pulse Laser II, Scorch S
[empty high slot]

Small Energy Locus Coordinator I
Small Energy Locus Coordinator I
Small Capacitor Control Circuit I

I know I've mentioned before I have a thing for speed. I love fragile balls to the walls murder machines, and boy does this scream that. 3464m/s unheated  4957 with heat add low grade snakes to the mix and you cruise at 5751m/s.

So this ship isn't necessarily meant for crashing the plex gate. You want to pull range immediately and stay at it, carry imperial navy multi frequency in case you do get scramed and webbed. Sometimes you brawl them down faster.

Current fit does 137 dps to point range without heat (150 with) which isn't insignificant for a kite ship. Best if flown with others or defensively in a plex. You are fast enough to choose the engagements you want to take.

The win:
Malediction
Heretic #1
Heretic #2

The fail
Don't get webbed!

Quick post

I just wanted to send a thank you out to sicarious draconius for welcoming us back to faction warfare with this fight. Mail doesn't show our losses for some reason but boy was this fun for our first day back.

http://casoff.eve-kill.net/?a=kill_related&kll_id=21475503

Fit of the week: Cormorant

So big changes in the wind for Casoff, this weekend we decided to join faction warfare. With the departure of TEST from the gallente caldari warzone, and our lack of numbers this seemed like the perfect way to pick up some new bros interested in learning to PvP. I'm more excited about it because I can plex pin my main instead of my alt while I repair my state protectorate standings for those level 4s. So here's what I'm rocking in the plexes this week.

[Cormorant, Cormorant]
Damage Control II
Magnetic Field Stabilizer II

Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I
Warp Disruptor II
X5 Prototype Engine Enervator

125mm Railgun II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S
125mm Railgun II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S
125mm Railgun II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S
125mm Railgun II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S
125mm Railgun II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S
125mm Railgun II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S
125mm Railgun II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S
[empty high slot]

Small Hybrid Locus Coordinator I
Small Hybrid Locus Coordinator I
Small Hybrid Collision Accelerator I

Kiting destroyers are so much fun. With the cormorants natural optimal range bonus td's aren't very effective against you. The two Locus rigs push that optimal even further. You're rocking a 19.7km optimal with 6km falloff with a minute of traveling over 1600m/s. I set keep at range to 18km and pummel them with your 230dps which is 482 per volley, Not too shabby. The web is defensive and I've seen people sub it out for a medium extender because you are quite fragile. This fit only has 5.4k ehp. Stay out of range and you'll be just fine.

Poetry?

I'm never the one with words. I'm quick to the point and not flowery or sugary with language, but my friend over at pilgrim in exile is hosting a poetry contest. Grand prize is a plex and some other lovely runner up prizes. Go check it out.

http://pilgriminexile.wordpress.com/2014/01/13/plex-for-parody-poetry-contest/

Fit of the week: Sacrilege

So I'm back from my week-long hiatus and I tried something new. I started a market trader alt and I've realized one important lesson about trading. Don't. Haha :D. Not my game, I'm sure some people enjoy it and it is something to do when nothing's going on but I must be trading the wrong things either way. In the time I spent trading yesterday I probably could have made more money mining. So onto what I don't fail at.

[Sacrilege, Sacrilege]
Medium Ancillary Armor Repairer, Nanite Repair Paste
Medium Armor Repairer II
Ballistic Control System II
Damage Control II
Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II

Experimental 10MN Microwarpdrive I
Medium Electrochemical Capacitor Booster I, Navy Cap Booster 800
Faint Epsilon Warp Scrambler I
Stasis Webifier II

Heavy Assault Missile Launcher II, Nova Rage Heavy Assault Missile
Heavy Assault Missile Launcher II, Nova Rage Heavy Assault Missile
Heavy Assault Missile Launcher II, Nova Rage Heavy Assault Missile
Heavy Assault Missile Launcher II, Nova Rage Heavy Assault Missile
Heavy Assault Missile Launcher II, Nova Rage Heavy Assault Missile
Medium Energy Neutralizer II

Medium Auxiliary Nano Pump I
Medium Auxiliary Nano Pump I

Able to tank 656dps with 66 being your lowest resist and everything else in the high seventies and eighties. It runs everything at 39% cap stable without the Nuet or mwd on. You get 5 mins of cap with the Nuet running which should be more than enough time. Run the medium armor rep continuously and burst the AAR as you need armor. With a flight of hammerheads and tech II missiles you push 590 dps to 25km. To get the most out of this ship You should use some improved exile and upgrade to the tech II rigs. With both of those your tank jumps up to 887dps.

Quick Post

I mentioned in my Cerberus post that I'd hit 1500 views and then the reddit community blew up my page. O.o 1200 views yesterday alone and over 4000 all time now. Thanks for being awesome guys! Fly ballsy o7

Fit of the week: Ishkur

Haven't done a frigate fit in a bit and this one is fun. Ishkurs are not a common site in Placid so I feel like people underestimate them. Take an Enyo into most plexes and see who runs, but for some reason people want to play with the Enyo's silly brother.

[Ishkur, Ishkur]
Damage Control II
Small Armor Repairer II
Small Ancillary Armor Repairer, Nanite Repair Paste
Drone Damage Amplifier II

Experimental 1MN Afterburner I
Faint Epsilon Warp Scrambler I
Small Electrochemical Capacitor Booster I, Navy Cap Booster 200

Light Electron Blaster II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S
Light Electron Blaster II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S
Light Electron Blaster II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S
Small Nosferatu II

Small Auxiliary Nano Pump I
Small Anti-Explosive Pump I

5x Warrior II
5x Hornet EC300s

Brawling at its finest, able to tank 191 dps means you will stay on the field while drones do there thing. You have no web so range control can be an issue, but you can use your drones to trick people into your range. I've killed several ships that were kiting me outside of point range just by only turning on one rep. They'll stay those extra few seconds in hopes of killing you and then pop as you turn on the second rep.  Solid little ship that puts out 224 dps between drones and blasters, and if all else fails throw ecm drones on target and run(I don't use them but others do). Good luck with it!

The win:
Algos
Wasn't even pointed catalyst

The fail:
Always double check dscan!

Fit of the week: Cerberus

So first things first I'd like to point out that I just hit 1500 views, which is a big deal for me. I definitely don't see myself as eve famous but it's nice to know people are reading. I'd like to thank my fellow bloggers for introducing new audiences to my humble site (take a bow low sec lifestyle and pilgrim in exile).

So enough of the Grammy speeches and onto the pew. I'm taking the week off of EVE but here's a ship I expect too dick about in when I return.

[Cerberus, Cerberus]
Damage Control II
Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II

10MN Microwarpdrive II
Warp Disruptor II
Large Shield Extender II
Large Shield Extender II
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II

Heavy Assault Missile Launcher II, Scourge Rage Heavy Assault Missile
Heavy Assault Missile Launcher II, Scourge Rage Heavy Assault Missile
Heavy Assault Missile Launcher II, Scourge Rage Heavy Assault Missile
Heavy Assault Missile Launcher II, Scourge Rage Heavy Assault Missile
Heavy Assault Missile Launcher II, Scourge Rage Heavy Assault Missile
Heavy Assault Missile Launcher II, Scourge Rage Heavy Assault Missile

Medium Anti-EM Screen Reinforcer II
Medium Core Defense Field Extender II

Pair some of these with dedicated tackle and you've got a mean ship. 696 dps out to about 37km and 1730 m/s make this a nice kiting platform. This fit does require two Genos but you can readily meta the shield extenders to make it fit. Tech II Rigs are cheap now so I suggest using them because your EM hole is still pretty big even with the tech II.

I've got no win or fail for this. The last time I flew a Cerberus it was a silly upgraded version of my RLML Caracal. I refuse to fly normal boring ships all the time! Here's the loss mail if you want a good laugh though.

Cerberus fail

See you guys next week after my hiatus. Don't fly safe. Fly ballsy you'll have more fun o7.