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Single Sensor Damp Solo Bomber
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0ccupy 4-4
Doomheim
#1 - 2012-06-11 23:57:26 UTC
I was thinking

BCU
BCU
Nano

Afterburner
MSE
Sensor Damp (scan resolution script)

Torps
ect.

With good dampening skills (Signal Suppression IV: 20% bonus) and assuming you're using the right damage type against your target and it's hopefully a BS

Won't it die before it can lock you?

If that's not the best EW what would be?

Tracking disruption is really good but only against turret ships and absolutely worthless otherwise.

Target painters are iffy because a BS's signature radius is already as large as a Torp's explosion radius so these are only good against BC's provided they don't have 2 LSE (in which case it only helps a little)
Vyktor Abyss
Abyss Research
#2 - 2012-06-12 00:02:54 UTC
0ccupy 4-4 wrote:
I was thinking

Won't it die before it can lock you?



Unless it warps off.

Bomber versus BS, go learn the hard way - keep those T2 ship manufacturers in business.
0ccupy 4-4
Doomheim
#3 - 2012-06-12 00:32:32 UTC
Vyktor Abyss wrote:
0ccupy 4-4 wrote:
I was thinking

Won't it die before it can lock you?



Unless it warps off.

Bomber versus BS, go learn the hard way - keep those T2 ship manufacturers in business.


Yeah would probably need a point when hunting unless relying on rats, though could hunt with a damp in a manticore or nemises
ChromeStriker
Sebiestor Tribe
Minmatar Republic
#4 - 2012-06-12 09:42:42 UTC
0ccupy 4-4 wrote:
Vyktor Abyss wrote:
0ccupy 4-4 wrote:
I was thinking

Won't it die before it can lock you?



Unless it warps off.

Bomber versus BS, go learn the hard way - keep those T2 ship manufacturers in business.


Yeah would probably need a point when hunting unless relying on rats, though could hunt with a damp in a manticore or nemises


BS hunting is great fun and very doable. Your main problem will be drones (MSE helps a lot) but you should have the ability to gtfo if it looks like you will lose.

I would think however a single SD wouldnt be enough... but ive been wrong before... try it lol. The normal set up is double SD but thats normally for gang work (no point).

No Worries
Substantia Nigra
Polaris Rising
Goonswarm Federation
#5 - 2012-06-13 01:32:11 UTC
WoW warning ... Wall of Words following :-)

There is not a lot that a solo torpedo-boat bomber can instapop, so you're gonna need something to keep any potential target in place - and a point is a darn good something for that purpose. Sure, if you're also using bombs you can instapop small fleets of miners and haulers with just one bomb, or even some not-terribly-bright MWDing frigates if ya gets lucky, but if you're using torps only you need them all to hang round for a little while to be able to kill them --- even low-end haulers. Having said that, there is also not much that a solo bomber cannot kill ... given the right set of circumstances.

Tough targets for solo bombers include:
- Small fast ships. Because of their small sig size, and often their speed, you need to apply a bundle of torps to kill them so you need to be dictating range for quite a while, and stopping them from fleeing, which is not always easy. Consider scrams, webs, painters etc.
- Anyone with a warp stab fitted. You are usually using a point so a very squishy hauler, with just one stab fitted, is able to chuckle at you as he warps away to safety. Swapping to a scram (or dual point) counters this, but a scram will force your engagement to be at a closer range. Same logic, and more, applies to deep space transports, altho I have fitted a +3 scram when I was trying to catch one that was taunting me.
- Anyone with decent small drones. Warrior IIs are often the bane of a solo bomber, altho Hornet ECs are also a nuisance. I ran some hisec tests and found T2 medium combat drones, with decent skills behind them, are also able to mess majorly with a solo bomber. Consider ECCM if up against EC drones, or GTFO if warrior IIs or other decent combat drones.
- Anyone with an uber-tank. While many PvE ships are sitting ducks, target wise, they also often have tanks that a solo bomber simply cannot crack ... even more so if they're a well setup sleeper killing PvE ship. Obviously this becomes less of an issue as you move from solo, thru small fleet, to a bomber gang, and there is nothing that the weekend Bombers Bar fleet cannot reduce to space dust in a few seconds.

Damps are great for bomber fleets but, IMO, of very limited utility for the solo bomber. If you're pointing the target and hitting them with torps then you're probably working somewhere in the 20 - 30km range, depending on your choice of point, or a bit wider if you're also boosted. It's really only frigates that a single damp (range script) would have enough effect on, most cruisers and above will probably still have you in targeting range. If you run the scan-res script you're unlikely to be able to kill your target before they get a lock and start hitting back ... and drones set to aggro (along with those specialised missiles) can still grief you even without your victim getting a target lock.

What is best will depend on your skills, the bomber you're using, what you're planning to tackle, and how you like to fight.

The manticore is the most versatile and flexible bomber for solo use. It's also the slowest, largest, shortest-targeting-range etc option. The reason the manti is so good, and so popular, is it's extra midslot and good CPU to support the sorts of modules you want to fit into midslots. All the bombers are good, in their own way, but I usually choose the Hound or the Manticore depending on what I am doing.

... to be continued ...

I guess I am almost a 'vet' by now. Hopefully not too bitter and managing to help more than I hinder. I build and sell many things, including large collections of bookmarks.
Substantia Nigra
Polaris Rising
Goonswarm Federation
#6 - 2012-06-13 01:32:36 UTC  |  Edited by: Substantia Nigra
... continued ...

My solo-manti fit varies a lot, and I often refit depending on circumstances. At present I am hassling some w-space ppl by ganking their haulers and noctises. They're setting all sorts of traps for me, usually only one or two others, so I need to get on-grid and be there long enough to kill the target ... and then be able to get away alive with a hostile guy or two baying for my blood. For this my current manti has a 30km point (>40km overheated and boosted), a faction jammer (they mainly using caldari ships but sometimes also a sabre), and a faction web (>20km overheated with boosts). The downside is that I am not at all fast, with a 1MN AB fitted, but I am able to stick around and run everything for quite a long time without running out of CAP. That fit has allowed me to tackle the target and apply DPS, all the while jamming out one aggressor and webbing the sabre to keep him at a relatively safe range for long enough to GTFO after the deed is done.
When they were throwing a falcon at me I refit the manti with ECCM and targeting support gear. When I try for w-space drakes or tengu I often fit a small smart bomb (instead of bomb launcher) and try to jam/point/paint. When hunting a mach in a C3 I fit with smartbomb (anti drone), tracking disrupt, minnie jammer, and point ... but never did manage to get him.

So, your midslots setup options are going to include:
Point. Pretty well essential, unless you've chosen a scram. A 30km point (not cheap) lets you lock and apply point from your optimal bomb-launch distance, reducing the risk of bomb-killing yourself and them getting away while you're waiting to apply point.
Scram. Not usually so attractive for a bomber because it reduces your engagement range. Does switch off MWDs and (3pt) can be used to catch deep space transports ... unless they, in turn, also fit a warp stab.
Target painter. Good for ranged engagements, and it is always attractive to lob missiles and bombs at larger targets ... unless you have something better to put into that midslot.
Damps. Good for ranged engagements. Either reduce their targeting range (usual) or increase the time they take to lock you. May not be the best use of that slot tho. Very powerful en masse for bomber fleet work.
Jammers. Good for ranged engagements to reduce incoming DPS or enemy ability to tackle you. Better if you know the race of ships your dealing with (better range and less CPU) but multis also useful.
Webs. Great for slowing down incoming nasties, or small-fast ships you're tackling, but not so great for ranged engagements. Overheated faction webs are not cheap, but can provide very nasty surprises for your opponents.
Tracking disrupts. Good for ranged engagements, but not useful against missile or drone boats.
ECCM. Only really a player if they're likely to be trying to jam you and you care greatly that that not happen.

IMO solo or semi-solo bomber ops are a hekuva lot of fun. In my experience, however, the kills are usually spaced and there can be a lot of fail tackles between each kill ... because you often don't know whether they're sporting warrior IIs or EC drones until after you commit to the tackle. You will eventually find yourself a battleship that you can solo kill, but if you're going to go solo bomber you will need to be patient - very, very patient. While I am happy to spend two days scouting and bookmarking, to see what they use for traps and to get the right ships setup and at the right location, for just one nice semi-solo w-space noctis kill (with the pod as a bonus because their sabre guy forgot to remove his probe in time) ... this sort of thing is not for everyone.

I guess I am almost a 'vet' by now. Hopefully not too bitter and managing to help more than I hinder. I build and sell many things, including large collections of bookmarks.
Soldarius
Dreddit
Test Alliance Please Ignore
#7 - 2012-06-13 04:38:11 UTC
There is a lot of good advice here. I prefer the MSE/MWD fit with Arbalest launchers and a core probe launcher (essential for w-space work). For my manticore I use a TP and long point. With the MSE, you can tank warrior IIs for a decent amount of time, and even poorly skilled Hammerheads.

I generally find the damp to be less than optimal for solo work. If you have buddies then they work great. Bring scripts. The MWD actually lets me keep range on poorly tanked frigates long enough to make them warp out. They don't like getting torped with MWD on, which they have to do to keep up.

Also, those deep space transports have a +2 warp strength. So you will need a -3 warp scrambler to tie them down. Or an anchorable bubble.

http://youtu.be/YVkUvmDQ3HY