Warfare & Tactics

I’d like some advice on how best to approach recon support for my stealth bomber habit. I’m not really after ship-fitting advice, altho I realize that will come into it, and so am posting here and not the fitting forum. I’m after advice re tactics and approach … what things I’ll get the most mileage from by countering or allowing for.

It has been a lot of fun dual-boxing a stealth bomber PvP ‘fleet’. This sees me stalking, and occasionally killing, opportunity targets in w-space. So far the fleet has been two hounds … but have not been brave enough to tackle a drake, tengu, or other T3. I’d like to start trying for those T3s and so have fitted out a falcon as support ship, converting my fleet to 1 falcon and 1 hound.

It may not be a question that anyone can answer with certainty but, what is the best multi-function way to fit my support recon? I’m using a falcon atm, but can also fly the minmatar and gallente recons if needed.

My falcon currently has: EW strength rigs; 2 x signal distortion amps + 1 x 800mm plate; 3 x multi EW, 1 x caldari EW, 1 x minmatar EW, 1 x painter, & 1 x 10MN MWD; 1 x covops cloak, 1 x medium EM smartbomb, 1 x standard missile launcher, & 1 x medium neut; and 2 x warrior II drones. It’s a fairly tight fitting with CPU being the limiting factor.

I’m using a bomber with MWD/cap-booster and 30km point.

My (noob) logic is that:

1. I am most likely to find drakes / tengu solo running w-space sites … and so the caldari jammer with 3 multis will have no problems jamming them out and having extra capacity if needed.
2. The minmatar jammer is dedicated to the stiletto that my present targets have been using to try catch me … planning to let him arrive next time. Also lokis seem to be the next most popular solo site-running ship in low-end w-space, after tengu / drake.
3. The highslots and my drones are aimed at killing their drones if they start automatically aggroing my bomber guy or me;
4. The painter is to augment the destructive power of the bomber’s torps;
5. A falcon will have more general purpose utility than the painter / web bonuses of a rapier … which was my main ship choice debate. A falcon keeps the DPS away from my fragile little bomber, whatever ship type I am tackling. A rapier will do that when I am tackling turret ships, but not in the case of missile boats.

I’m tempted to drop the plate buffer altogether, to free up some fitting space and perhaps pop in a DC or another signal distortion amp. I’m also debating (with myself) whether I should add in a web, perhaps at expense of the minmatar jammer … but that would force me to get closer than I need for the jammers/painter.

I suppose I could web/paint fit a rapier and add a couple caldari ECMs, using them at their non-bonused range of around 30km if my target is a drake/tengu. Decisions, decisions.

Has anyone taken this approach? What works and what doesn’t? Am I missing anything important here?

Thanks very much for thoughtful and helpful reply.

I will explore faction ECM mods when I next pop up for air in empire ... and forgot that I prolly have a bundle of guristas multis in my home hangar already, from all those pirate epic arcs I've run.

As for the amarr recons, yes absolutely, once I finally bite the bullet and complete my cruiser V skill collection with amarr. Recon V atm, and then it's amarr cruiser V ... assuming I don't get distracted on some new grand venture

T3's in wormholes have big active tanks that *must* be neuted out if you want to kill them. The SB is a good enough ship to kill a T3 once its tank is turned off but your "recon" support has to be a curse.

For doing exactly what you want to try I use a scorpion (ECM, Neut, Web) and a vagabond for initial tackle and enough "hold your ground" power to get the scorpion in and locked up on him. Better would be a curse and a cov-ops fit T3 for the OMGWHEREDIDYOUCOMEFROM factor.

Nevertheless a SB and Curse have chances against a WH fit T3 if you're quick but the SB is very squishy and should be uncloaked only *after* the curse has done it's magic. Bomb first then torp to maximize dps.

The pilgrim's neuts can make the difference if they're active tanked, and EC-600 drones do a good job of keeping locks to a minimum. The falcon is a superior jammer, but if they can tank more damage than you can dish out you're just going to waste time and missiles on an unkillable target. The pilgrim will put an end to that.

F.o.F ........ goes into tengus tubes and the drake will pop out warrior 2's in addition to the fofs.

To support your Hound wouldn't you be better off considering an Arazu, especially if you are targeting 1 or 2 PVE'ing targets.

Using damps on your Arazu plus hound will see your targets locking range reduced down to pretty much nothing (even better with damp skills maximised)

This would mean you can keep your target tackled and if played correclty your target won't even be able to hit you.

Between your Arazu and Hound you should be able to fit around 5 damps and still have everything else required.
That's a lot of damp and with that you should be able to control the fight in your favour facing 2 targets or less.

Try a Manticore Especialy in fleets, lots of midslots help.