Ships & Modules

I would like some advice as a would-be solo bomber pilot. I have tried, without any success, to hunt and kill PVE ships in 0.0. I feel like I need assistance with just about everything, but most importantly:

1. Fits
2. Tactics
3. Viable Targets

First off, on the fitting front, I have been using a Purifier:

Highs: 3x Arbalest Siege Launchers with Faction Mjolnir missiles. Cov Ops Cloak
Mids: T2 1 MN AB, best named medium shield extender, best named point or scram
Lows: 2x T2 BCS, 1x nano or overdrive injector
Rigs: 2x T1 rigors

With current skills, I'm getting just under 500 DPS without heating (I always overheat, so that adds another 80-100). I can use T2 Siege Launchers, but cannot make them fit without sacrifices in other areas. My e-war skills currently suck, except for Propulsion Jamming.

Due to RP reasons, I have been working in Guristas Space. I like the idea of using stealth bombers to sneak up on people, so all my limited training is focused on those ships. I've been skill training for about six months, but RL commitments have kept me from playing that much. I've learned that level 1 & 2 missions really suck, but the thrill of Eve combat is like crack.

Basically, I spend hours waiting for a target I think is viable, then attempt a swift strike. Unfortunately, I am new at this and my luck has also been terrible. The first time I attacked someone, I think he was in a Drake. He was in an anomaly with a bunch of people in local. I guess he thought I wouldn't attack him in those circumstances. I had really bad skills then and barely dented his shields before all the rats in the anomaly switched to attacking me and I had to warp out. Saved my ship, but just barely.

The second time, I found an Ishtar ratting in an anomaly. He initially left the anomaly when I entered the system, but came back after about 20 minutes. I was waiting for him. I saw he was using heavy drones and appeared to be mostly speed tanking. I began approaching him, but unfortunately got decloaked by a wreck or some other object before I was ready. I was within point range of him, so I locked him up and began shooting. Unfortunately, his heavy drones were only about 10km away from me and they killed me super fast - before I could even warp out.

I have better skills now, and I would like to continue the hunt. What can I do to improve my fit? Any tactics that are especially useful? What targets can I hope to kill? Should I train for a different class of ships? Is my chosen play style viable? Or will I be forced to join a corp and fly with friends?

Thank you in advance for any assistance you can offer.

Obligatory eve isn't a solo game statement.

Bombers really typify this point. A few waves of bombers can destroy many many times there own weight when coordinated properly. A solo one can be torn apart by most any 'competent' PvP pilot.

Then again always bet on stupid. As stated, pve ships under rat fire can be put out of their misery by solo bombers. But the door swings both ways. NPC agro can and will switch at the worst times so that a bs with a point can ruin your day as well.

The engagement envelope of a solo bomber is narrow. You are looking for toothless targets. Noctis' & exhumers. The problem with that is local. When you come into a system those targets dock up because they can see you in local and your targets' Intel channel alerted them of you while you were still 4 jumps out.

Go to wormholes. There is no local there. You will need to sacrifice a lot to fit that core probe launcher but you won't need the things you sacrifice to pop a mining barge. Look in ore/gas anoms for ventures & barges. Look for wrecks in combat anoms then get in place and wait for the noctis or salvage destroyer show up.

Once you get good at finding noctis' you can be patient with them follow them from anom to anom (remember to bm them before the dps crew finishes) and let them fill their cargo with tasty, tasty drone poop.

If you would rather use that bomber to kill things with teeth then get friends. Two bombers, an assault frig, a battle cruiser & a cloaky scout can kill anything. Or train up for a proteus or loki.

With all that said, I've known some very competent bomber pilots that solo battleships and even multiple targets from time to time.But it certainly isn't a regular thing.

Good luck out there man.

Thank you for this - very helpful! I need to take some time to train up some scanning skills.

I also think I should switch over to the Ancillary Shield Booster - that looks like it might be more survivable than the MSE fit.

People always say that the Eve-O forums are a cesspit of unhelpful pricks. Thank you for proving there are at least a few exceptions.

After reading through the solo bomber blog, I'm curious. Is it really necessary to pimp out ships like that for success? A Snake set is probably outside my budget right now (I currently don't have any real income stream in game. I'm living off a PLEX I permitted myself to buy after I felt like gouging my eyes out running missions).

This is the loss referenced above:

http://eve-kill.net/?a=kill_detail&kll_id=20107526

Theres a GREAT old post from years back from a ridiculous solo bomber pilot...included full analysis, fits, target selections, etc.

It was an old post, but the lessons still apply today. Someone help me out with a link or the guys name...I can't recall it.

MR

Edit: His name was Valadeya...find his post, read it: profit.

Personally like t2 launchers. Mjolnir rage torps actually apply damage to ratting BS :D

Thank you for linking me some more fitting ideas. I'm pretty happy with my new fit - MASB purifier.

I had some terrible luck today... I fought a Brutix down into low hull before I had to warp out (mistimed a couple of my boosts from my MASB). Then had the terrible luck to get decloaked on a bubble by a Vigilant.

Perhaps somewhat out of date these days but the old forums had a very good thread on the solo bomber...

here.

The thread covers the full range of issues for the style; fitting (yours appears to be quite close to the one suggested), target selection and more. The target selection data is from before the massive Tiericide changes so its specifics are no longer necessarily applicable but the principles are still sound.

Oh, wow. I didn't realize Chessur was doing this again. Yah, he knows his stuff. I learned w-space hunting from him.