Ships & Modules

1. Retribution really sucks? (For solo FW) Everybody around me says it sucks. I was a carebear and started FW 2 weeks ago. I aimed AF and because i am Amarr based, i chose Retribution as an aim. Then? Others say it sucks.... :(

2. If so, or not, what should i do? Just go for it? (FW is my occupation for living now) Or it's much worth train other AF? Or... may be no need to AF, just faction frigs? If its much better to train other AF, then what should i aim? For solo.

Really??, i thought it is an upgraded slicer.... then, could you post me an standard Retri fit? Would appreciate it.

Fun Retribution fact.

A damage control alone puts it at over 8k ehp, more than any other frig. It is joint second with the ishkur for hull hp, the enyo being first. The extra armour pushes it to top slot though. You will often see them fit with a nanofiber as the extra hull hp gives it a bit of wiggle room. In fact, with a nano it has similar tank to the enyo but with better mobility. The mwd sig bonus makes inertia stabilisers worth a look too (yes, i-stabs)

Fly it like a Slicer that doesn't care if it gets caught. Catch a Slicer and it's game over. Catch a "Bution and it's game on, round two. It switches to 'Punisher' mode. It's great in a gang, getting it's dps down quick. Solo, fly it more like a mini cruiser.

That said, it benefits from some time in the Slicer and Punisher first to really understand it's two modes. It's not strictly 'super fast' kiting. It's more kite them till they catch you.

Retribution is a beast. Except the trick is, to align tackle things- and not fit a point.

Don't belive me? Check this out~

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqB-2T3Gqik

Does it work without OGB?

Wow thanks for all these advices. I cant understand the trick in video, but may be in someday.

Let's have a look at the Retribution:
Fitting: 5 lows, 2 mids, 5 highs (4 turrets)

Let us ignore all other ship stats and only focus on the slot layout of the Retribution and see whether we can make it work beneficially for FW purposes, which often result in 1v1-PvP situations.

Simplified:
lowslots carry armor tanking and DPS-related modules.
midslots carry shield tanking and EWAR/utility-related modules.
highslots carry turret and missile bay weaponry.

The Retribution allows you to fit 4 turrets. In the lows you can focus on either pure DPS, armor tanking, or find a compromise between the two. The mids however offer 2 slots. One slot pretty much goes for the MWD, thus one slot remains, and this is the problem. If you want to 1v1 in FW, then you need to tackle properly. Meaning you need to prevent your target from warping off and you need to keep your target within your warp disruptor/scrambler range, thus you need a webifier. In other words, you would like to have at least 3 mid slots for 1v1-PvP FW fights, and the Retribution does not offer you that.

However, the Retribution is an amazing "assault" frigate, in fact, my very favorite "assault" frigate.
How do you make this "assault" frigate work?

Regardless of what other people would say, I would fit the Retribution to be a glasscannon-high-DPS "assault" platform.
The only tank module I would use in the lows would be the Damage Control module. Other lowslots I would only use to increase DPS performance. I would maybe even bite into the sour apple and skip the Damage Control module entirely!
In the mids I would use a MWD and a webifier. In the highs I would use the 4 lasers.
Rigslots I would use to enhance DPS or/and capacitor usage of some sort even further.

I would NEVER initiate a fight, but always let someone else do the tackling and ONLY engage the fight when I see myself out of focus. I see my job with this Retribution to basically go in and plainly burst the target down before he can react towards me properly, strictly avoid prolonged fights and being focused.

This means that you can but you should not fly the Retribution as a solo-FW-frigate, and that's why people around you tell you that the Retribution sucks (for your FW related purposes).
This does NOT mean that the Retribution sucks in general. The Retribution cannot tackle, but she can "assault".

I am pretty sure that many people would now say "omg noob, why don't you fit EANM's and what not! And why do you fit a webifier and not a disruptor/scrambler?!!" I would consider this as a waste of the Retribution's true potential and I would not bother with tanking my personal Retribution.
If I had the need and desire to do so, then I would plainly fit a Vengeance for that purpose.

If you wish to use an Amarrian Assault Frigate for FW, then use the Vengeance, and good luck finding someone who would be willing to even fight you and if you are in a fleet with one ore more tacklers, then you do better flying the Retribution and "assault" others.