Ships & Modules

The only thing CovOps frigates do better is that they have stronger probe strength. However, they have just about 0 combat abilities. With halfway decent skills and some practice probing, the lack of a strength bonus isn't that much of an issue though. You can do just fine probing in a non-bonused ship (atleast, that's what the 650M in loot I found in my Ishkur yesterday seems to say).

As to that specific fit, it looks like you're going to be in lowsec doing Radar and Mag sites. That looks like a fairly decent fit, but there are two things I would suggest. FIrst off, match your resists to the rats you're going to be facing, this will help your tank a lot. Second, use the right damage types for the rats you're facing (pretty much Min drones against Angels, Gal drones against the rest, and missiles depend on the race you're fighting). Oh, and third, if you can fit an AB on there, it'll help a lot (both for approaching your soon-to-be-loot and for tanking the rats).

You also might want to join the Exploration chat channel in game. For people who want to ask honest questions (not people looking for things to be handed to them on a platter), there are lots of experienced explorers on there who have lots of good advice.

tl;dr: You can probe fine without a CovOps, it just takes a bit of practice. And that fit looks fine, but it'd be better with rat-specific tank and damage.

PS: Alt and Shift are amazingly handy while you're moving your probes around trying to pin down a sig. Once you learn about them, you'll never go back.

It's simply 'Exploration'. And, for starting out, I would stick with the Arby, it's cheaper to lose when (not if) you make a mistake.

It appears from your fit that you are venturing into lowsec. The Arbitrator will be able to clear out the profession sites without too much trouble, but I would avoid the higher rated DED plexes. You might be able to squeak out a 4/10 in an Arbitrator, but a 5/10 will probably straight up murder you. A Myrmidon will have much greater odds of survival.

Also, for the love of science take some light drones along. If you are indeed going to lowsec, a flight of light ECM drones might save your ass. You probably don't need three full flights of mediums, so mix it up a bit.

I would fit a MWD, too. This lets you a) MWD/cloak through gate camps, and b) travel quickly between loot cans. In lowsec, some of them can be like 50km apart.

I actually run to accounts so i think this the setup Im goin to use for both the main in the myrmidon and the alt in the vexor.

[Vexor, PVE]
Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II
Damage Control II
Adaptive Nano Plating II
Medium Armor Repairer II

Cap Recharger II
Experimental 10MN Afterburner I
Cap Recharger II

Dual 150mm Railgun II, Antimatter Charge M
Dual 150mm Railgun II, Antimatter Charge M
Dual 150mm Railgun II, Antimatter Charge M
Dual 150mm Railgun II, Antimatter Charge M
Drone Link Augmentor I

Medium Capacitor Control Circuit I
Medium Capacitor Control Circuit I
Medium Drone Durability Enhancer I


Vespa II x5
Hornet II x5
Warrior II x5

---

[Myrmidon, Exploration]
Damage Control II
Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II
Adaptive Nano Plating II
Medium Armor Repairer II
Energized Kinetic Membrane II
Energized Explosive Membrane II

Codebreaker II
Analyzer II
Experimental 10MN Afterburner I
Cap Recharger II
Cap Recharger II

Improved Cloaking Device II
Core Probe Launcher II, Core Scanner Probe I
Salvager I
Salvager I
Small Tractor Beam I
Small Tractor Beam I

Medium Gravity Capacitor Upgrade I
Medium Gravity Capacitor Upgrade I


Vespa II x5
Valkyrie II x5
Hammerhead II x5

---

These seem to fit my playing style the best. Fitting the right resistance mods for the npc faction

Those fits will probably do the trick, but you might want to consider just how much drone management you want to do. Personally I'm not sure if I'd want to take two drone ships into a combat site. If you do, just make sure you set one set of drones to assist the other ship.

As you have lots of drones there, i would drop the missile launcher, and put a medium nos on there instead.
That should free up a mid slot for an AB or MWD if you have the power.

otherwise, it looks a great start