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How to fit a trader frigate
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Thius Taxus Thellere
Blueprint Mania
#1 - 2014-01-27 15:29:01 UTC
Hello,

I am new to trading and have started to make a decent amount going from hub to hub trading items. I use a frigate to do this as I'm trading small volume items. As I trade more and more items I find that it is probably unwise to fly around in a frigate with a 100m ISK cargohold. Even though it is high-sec trading there are pirates/gankers. I use a frigate because it is fast and I can only be logged in for a short period of time each evening. Should I use a ship that has much hp? Or can one fit a frigate correctly and get away with it. Just wondering what some on the board have done in the past. I would appreciate any input. Thanks.
Fluffi Flaffi
Royal Amarr Institute
Amarr Empire
#2 - 2014-01-27 15:51:10 UTC  |  Edited by: Fluffi Flaffi
Following points I would suggest in decreasing priority:

1) Agility to get into warp as fast as possible

2) 2 Warp Core Stabilizer

3) EHP


but in a frigate they will catch you if you have cargo with 100m and more inside!!

And if you are done with necessary trading skill, go and train for a T2 Industrial (Blockade Runner). They have Cov-Ops, can warp cloaked, have an aligntime quite similar to a frigate and enough EHP to resist an alpha from a Tornado. And they are unscannable. If you do not fly afk and take care of what you are doing, it's very, very difficult fot the gankers to catch you! And even then they have to guess, that you have valuable cargo inside, which makes it very seldom that they even try. I had 2 attacks when flying afk with this ship, but I was empty and both Tornados didn't get through my hull.
Batelle
Federal Navy Academy
#3 - 2014-01-27 15:59:34 UTC
what you are doing can be dangerous. What you need to watch out for are arty thrashers. Your biggest hope is that by being fast and not-afk, you won't get cargoscanned, and if you do you'll be fast enough moving system to system and leaving gates, that whoever does scan you doesn't get a chance to kill you. Moving up to a t2 covops frigate or even better a blockade runner is what you want to do for this kind of work.

"**CCP is changing policy, and has asked that we discontinue the bonus credit program after November 7th. So until then, enjoy a super-bonus of 1B Blink Credit for each 60-day GTC you buy!"**

Never forget.
Bertrand Butler
Cras es Noster
#4 - 2014-01-27 16:04:33 UTC  |  Edited by: Bertrand Butler
OP, train for a Blockade Runner, it will help you in your cause.

Before you get to that, training for a CovOps will also help you.

And before you get to that, use a scout frigate like the magnate. Here is an example.

[Magnate, Magnate fit]

Nanofiber Internal Structure II
Nanofiber Internal Structure II
Expanded Cargohold II
Expanded Cargohold II

[Empty Med slot]
[Empty Med slot]
Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I

Prototype Cloaking Device I
Core Probe Launcher I, Core Scanner Probe I
[Empty High slot]

Small Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizer I
Small Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizer I
Small Cargohold Optimization I

This one holds about 750m3 (900m3 with containers), aligns fast, has a high warp speed and costs around 4,5mil isk. Remember to utilize the MWD+cloak trick, and happy trading...C:
Praxis Ginimic
The Scope
Gallente Federation
#5 - 2014-01-27 16:06:24 UTC
Or if you don't mind the risk... a max cargo fit magnate with a cloak and mwd can hold a butt load of high value cargo...
Bertrand Butler
Cras es Noster
#6 - 2014-01-27 16:30:15 UTC  |  Edited by: Bertrand Butler
You can top the magnate into a 2095m3 capacity with containers, I really think though that adding a couple of nanos and warp speed rigs will really help both survivability and trip turnaround times. If you want to move low cost items in bulk, a T1 industrial is really fine for HS. Blink
Thius Taxus Thellere
Blueprint Mania
#7 - 2014-01-27 16:52:42 UTC
Thank you for all of the helpful information. Eve is a big game but many are generous with what they've learned already. I will begin to train for the Covert-Ops as you suggested. I do not AFK when I make the hauling route. My thinking was as you said: jump quickly system to system hoping that even if they do scan your cargo by the time they're done I've jumped already. But, yes as you all have stated the Covert-Ops sounds like a good solution.
Noxisia Arkana
Deadspace Knights
#8 - 2014-01-27 16:58:44 UTC
Interceptors are also a fine way to haul goods. They have next to no cargo room, but if you are really pulling high cost items they can be incredibly valuable.

They warp quickly, and they have incredibly agility.
Gizznitt Malikite
Agony Unleashed
Agony Empire
#9 - 2014-01-27 18:54:20 UTC

How to fly a trader frigate:

1.) Have insta undocks from your stations.
2.) Have insta docks at all your stations.
3.) Cloak / MWD trick to get into warp safely.
4.) Pray no-one shoots your ship just because they can.

CMD Ishikawa
New Eden Public Security Section 9
#10 - 2014-01-27 22:10:38 UTC
The MWD+cloak does not work with the prototype one, you need a Improved Cloaking Device to make it work and with that one you won't even need a tank, you're as close as invulnerable in high sec as you can be.

Be aware that you still can be killed, but the possibilities are reduced a lot.
CMD Ishikawa
New Eden Public Security Section 9
#11 - 2014-01-27 22:12:15 UTC
Gizznitt Malikite wrote:

How to fly a trader frigate:

1.) Have insta undocks from your stations.
2.) Have insta docks at all your stations.
3.) Cloak / MWD trick to get into warp safely.
4.) Pray no-one shoots your ship just because they can.



This pretty much sums it all...
Old Phill
Doomheim
#12 - 2014-01-27 23:17:21 UTC
if you got a bit of money astero can get under 2s align time fairly easy has a cov op cloak
555m3 cargo 5kehp (some mods but the best tank is not getting shot which is the reason for the cloak)

astero because some people may not have covert ops frigate skill though everyone should get it
Ireland VonVicious
Vicious Trading Company
#13 - 2014-01-28 03:30:08 UTC
The ship you may like best is the worm.

Big effective shield health with an aux shield booster.

Load with a set of ecm drones too.
Chad Wylder
Malevelon Roe Industries
Convocation of Empyreans
#14 - 2014-01-28 04:52:09 UTC
Nereus:

Improved Cloaking Device II

Experimental 10MN Microwarpdrive I
Limited Adaptive Invulnerability Field I
Upgraded EM Ward Amplifier I
Upgraded Thermic Dissipation Amplifier I
Large F-S9 Regolith Shield Induction

Damage Control I
Beta Reactor Control: Reaction Control I
Local Hull Conversion Inertial Stabilizers I
Local Hull Conversion Inertial Stabilizers I
Local Hull Conversion Inertial Stabilizers I

Medium Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizer I
Medium Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizer I
Medium Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizer I


Easy to train for and has a large cargohold while still being quick and a bit tanky. I put meta 4 modules above since I don't know what skills you have, but swap for T2 wherever you're able to do so. (Especially for the shield modules and the Damage Control. Don't worry about T2 rigs or Microwarpdrive.)

If you can't cloak yet then drop the microwarpdrive and put on a second shield extender instead.
Kurtz
Eldorado Exploration Expedition
#15 - 2014-01-28 05:54:31 UTC
CMD Ishikawa wrote:
Gizznitt Malikite wrote:

How to fly a trader frigate:

1.) Have insta undocks from your stations.
2.) Have insta docks at all your stations.
3.) Cloak / MWD trick to get into warp safely.
4.) Pray no-one shoots your ship just because they can.



This pretty much sums it all...


In addition to the sound advice on bookmarks...
Don't draw attention to yourself. Posting on the forums about running high value cargo in a frigate draws attention. Ugh

You should exercise extra caution over the next few days, until this thread buries down a few pages.

For "Open Carry" in a frigate I would recommend a Venture. It is very common, fast, cheap, has a lot of fiting options, and built in +2 warp core stabilizer. Fit mining lasers on it and a cloak, put some low end ore of various local types in the ore hold. If your unlucky and get cargo scanned, their brain may see a miner, because that is what they are expecting to see. Especially if they are drunk, high, or up too late. (Very common in Eve)

Look for frigates especially Coverts or Interceptors hanging around the station. Sometimes if they are close you will hear a scan sound effect that a cargo scanner is active. Watch around gates when you jump in. If you see a frigate either orbiting or sitting, assume it is a scanning ship. Try and ID pilots who are scanning ships, and mark them as an "Orange" standing contact. Be sure you do not notify them.

While sitting in station watch local for talk about ganks and scanning ships. Log your char in to your favorite trade hub and then leave it logged in for as long as possible to gather local chatter. The chat logs are saved to your computer so even if downtime happens you can always go back and read the stored logs.

Use an website like "Eve Kill" to look up kill mails in the systems you visit. This will give intel on who is ganking. Use the in game map and look at ship kills for the route you are taking. Lots of kills in a high sec is either ganking, or permitted warfare.

If you think you have been made, dock up and ditch the high value cargo right there. Undock and jump an few more jumps, and then circle back noting who is in local. Watch for Destroyers and Battlecruisers using directional scanning as you pass through.

Be extra careful in .5 systems that are on main highways. Ganks are common in these systems due to the slight delay in Concord response times. Trade hub systems should always be considered to have active gankers on at all times.

Get into a Blockade runner, as fast as you can.
Fluffi Flaffi
Royal Amarr Institute
Amarr Empire
#16 - 2014-01-28 08:12:02 UTC  |  Edited by: Fluffi Flaffi
Ireland VonVicious wrote:
The ship you may like best is the worm.

Big effective shield health with an aux shield booster.

Load with a set of ecm drones too.


Worst reply in this thread. Shield booster won't help you. ECM Drones won't help you.

@Thius: Don't train Covert Ops Frigate: Train directly for Blockade Runner ships. The reason is the unscannable cargo and much more EHP! A single Thrasher can and will kill your CovOps Frigate! But even a single Tornado can not kill your Blockade Runner. It's only a few days more (3-5) in training afaik and for the purpose of trading it's worth a lot more!
Zappity
New Eden Tank Testing Services
#17 - 2014-01-29 09:02:35 UTC
Public courier contracts. Honestly, it is not worth the time to run small volumes between hubs.

Zappity's Adventures for a taste of lowsec and nullsec.
Webvan
All Kill No Skill
#18 - 2014-01-29 11:34:11 UTC  |  Edited by: Webvan
Been flying a cov-ops frig courier for ages, good ship. Cargo rig, mwd, add agility, go anywhere. If you have T3 skills thats another option for cov-op config.

In a BR, it wont matter if they can scan or not, you have a big target on your ship. They will miss your cov-ops frig, just make sure you get the correct fitting and the mwd trick right (start cloak before mwd).

I'm in it for the money

Ctrl+Alt+Shift+F12
Silvetica Dian
Imperial Shipment
Amarr Empire
#19 - 2014-01-29 18:30:53 UTC
high value cargo.
t1 frig.
made this OP.
i forsee D400 in your future.

Money at its root is a form of rationing. When the richest 85 people have as much wealth as the poorest 3.5 billion (50% of humanity) it is clear where the source of poverty is. http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/20/trickle-down-economics-broken-promise-richest-85
Your Dad Naked
Doomheim
#20 - 2014-01-29 19:04:19 UTC  |  Edited by: Your Dad Naked
Atron.

Low slots:
2 x Nanofiber Structure
1 x Warp core stabilizer

Rigs:
2 x Low Friction IIs

Implants:
Evasive-Maneuvering 05


Make sure you've trained the Evasive Maneuvering skill to V as well. This thing is far faster than a shuttle even, I believe it is impossible to lock this ship in fact.


Those suggesting Blockade Runner: Many gankers just blow ALL of them up. They treat the unscannable cargohold like they treat plastic wrap. I actually wish I could make my cargohold scannable, as my loot is usually under 100mil; I just want to warp around faster!