Ships & Modules

Hey There S&M,

Longtime lurker, first time poster so here goes:

I want to get into Null ----> Highsec arbitrage. I originally wanted to do it using a JF. That proved to be too time consuming/expensive (at least until I make enough to buy a JF character) so now I want to do the same just in smaller quantities using a Blockade Runner. Now, my question is, what are the relative merits of each one? A lot of the info around the net is older and thus runs the risk of being outdated (especially with the release of inferno).
I like the Prowler because I already have ~3days of training for it done. The rest are ~17 days (Crane is ~16). I will primarily be running the pipe from my nullsec systems, into lowsec and up to Jita/Rens/Hek/etc. I obviously want to maximize cargo, while at the same time having a good amount of security and speed should I run into the gatecamp/stray neut. Thankfully the pipeline has I usually use has become more blue to me so security is less of an issue than before.
Also, to you blockade runner Veterans, any tips/tricks you could elaborate on? Fits you've used to escape sticky situations? What is a MWD+Cloak trick? Any other advice?


Many thanks,

Cahvus

Depends what you're moving. For Gallente, which produces the best haulers IMHO, I use Viator. It's pretty much uncatchable, provided you give it a Covert Ops cloak and stick 2 x Inertia Stabs and a nano-fibre in lows (I believe this is optimal in terms of align speed). You don't need the "trick" for these ships, as they have Covert Ops and can align very fast. However the volume you can carry isn't all that much (enough for loots and stuff of course).

So, there's the Occator. The Occator has bonus for armor tank and +2 warp strength. In practice in low sec the latter is useless to you, because even if he can't point you he can bump you out of align. Indeed I lost an Occator in low sec only two days ago because the attacker had an infinite point. If I'd fitted MWD and more of a tank/buffer I could have made it back to the gate however, but then he would have just jumped through with me and got me there, so it was kind-of hopeless.

So, if you're going to use the larger variant, you STILL NEED TO SCOUT AHEAD with an alt. If you're using the smaller variant, there's no need (in low sec - null watch intel for bubbles of course).

I tend to use any of the Blockade Runners. Properly fitted, they all do the job well. The only time I would choose one over another is if I decided to haul a cruiser in a BR. Some ships just cannot get over 10k m3. I always fit cargo expander rigs on my BRs, then use agility enhancing mods in the lows.

Whenever I go somewhere new, I take the time to make tactical bookmarks whenever possible. I also scout for my BR with a CovOps pilot or a disposable frigate alt. Having an unusual direction you can warp in to the gate from can help avoid some of the nasty bubble gate camps I have seen on the pipes in different parts of 0.0.

Learning to use D-Scan to check a gang's composition is also important.

Above all, remain calm if you do jump into a camp. You have time to find the optimal way out of your situation. Use your tactical overlay to your advantage. Sometimes it's best to try to warp/cloak immediately. This is good if the gate camp is sleepy. If they are alert, however, it may be to your advantage to wait until your gate cloak is almost done. They may assume that they somehow missed you and get complacent. Look at the system statistics to see how busy it has recently been. If you recognize the alliance camping a particular gate, check their killboard to see what they've managed to kill.

Learn the aggro mechanics. If a dictor pops a bubble and you don't try to warp out of it, he isn't aggressed. Which means that if you simply burn back to the gate and try to jump back through, he can jump through with you and try to bubble you again.

A small gate camp has a relatively low chance of decloaking you once you cloak up and start getting out of a bubble. A large gate camp can often achieve this with hilarious results.

Don't be afraid to be patient. I don't mind cloaking up at a safe spot and doing something else for a few hours if it means I can avoid having to run a well-run gate camp.

Except something like an Occator has six lows and can carry a lot more than the best of the others, although totally defenceless/not really acting in its role.

Didn't think about the aggression timer. I could have made it...

thanks for the info, but i do not have transport ships trained on my PI bimbos. i can however use hoarders with stabs and a regular cloak and laugh at people who waste the time and ammo to shoot them.

Im going by memory here... I think only 2 of the coverts will let you haul over 10.000 meters cubed. The Viator and the Prorator.

This is important for cruiser/recon hulls, fuel, etc. I prefer the Prorator and the skill allows us of the Itteron V in hisec.

In general, Cloaky is the best way to go. Undocking at station is the only place I ever lost one. Gates are cake.