Ships & Modules

Returned to the game a few weeks ago, and since then I've moved up to Battlecruisers however I'm struggling to find a fit that works well for the harder level 3 missions where I'm feeling I'm lacking DPS primarily.

Current build: EHP: 53.8k, Resistances: 53%/63%/72%/77% With all modules running.

7 x Arablast Heavy Missile Launchers. (Swapping Missile type dependant on enemy)

2 x Muon Coil Bolt Array I
1 x pseudoelectron Containment Field I
1 x Beta Reactor Control: Shield Power Relay I

2 x Large Shield Extender II
2 x Limited Invulnerability Field
2 x Shield Recharger II

3 x Medium Core Defense field Extender I

DPS: 197 Including Drones.

Originally I had two cap rechargers and another shield mod in the low slots, however I found I was still cap stable without them so I dumped them in favour of the above.

I've got 88k Skill points in Missile Launcher Operation.

I've been playing about with this build and am I going too defensive and therefore crippling my DPS?

I'm quite far (a month) from T2 Launchers/Missiles and probably a week off everything else being T2 level.

What direction should I be heading to maximise my DPS. Modifying this build or going for T2 Missiles/Launchers?

Use rat specifice dmg resistance. Been a long time since I ran missions but I would use someting like this:

[Drake, New Setup 2]
Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II
Co-Processor II

Experimental 10MN MicroWarpdrive I
Large Shield Extender II
Thermic Dissipation Field II
EM Ward Field II
EM Ward Field II
Large F-S9 Regolith Shield Induction

Heavy Missile Launcher II, Caldari Navy Scourge Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Caldari Navy Scourge Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Caldari Navy Scourge Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Caldari Navy Scourge Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Caldari Navy Scourge Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Caldari Navy Scourge Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Caldari Navy Scourge Heavy Missile
[empty high slot]

Medium Core Defense Field Purger I
Medium Core Defense Field Purger I
Medium Core Defense Field Purger I


Hobgoblin II x5

This does 500+ dps and you will have around 80% resist for the main rat dmg type, you don´t need much tank at all for lvl 3 missions and imo you should not use a ship for pve if you can´t t2 fit it.

Train to use something like the fit below. Use Malkuth or Arbalest launchers if you need more CPU. Swap out shield hardeners depending on the rats you are fighting. Drop down to named mods where needed, but train for T2 Ballistic Control Units and Shield mods ASAP. Once you have that, train for T2 Heavy Missiles.


[Drake, Drake ]
Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II
Shield Power Relay II

10MN Afterburner II
Large Shield Extender II
Large Shield Extender II
Kinetic Deflection Field II
Thermic Dissipation Field II
Target Painter II

Heavy Missile Launcher II, Scourge Fury Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Scourge Fury Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Scourge Fury Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Scourge Fury Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Scourge Fury Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Scourge Fury Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Scourge Fury Heavy Missile
[empty high slot]

Medium Core Defense Field Purger I
Medium Core Defense Field Purger I
Medium Core Defense Field Purger I


Hobgoblin II x5

Missile skills! You have 88k sp in missiles, which means you BARELY can even fit the heavy launcher.

Buy the support skills you are missing and get them to level III asap. Then get the easy ones to level V. (Missile Launcher Op, rank 1. Rapid Launch, rank 2.)

Next step can be T2 light drones or better tank skills. Either has great benefits.

You stated "quite far (a month)"
Eve is a long term game. Get used to 30 day goals, because there are lots of them. They may seem long now, but they are pretty satisfying when they complete. And each goal will improve your game a lot.

You should be able to see/feel the improvement after every skill. As your ship gets stronger, you can play with fits a bit more to see what fits YOUR style of play. More tank, more gank, more speed, etc.

GL

Buffer tanks are for PvP. Drop the extender rigs and fit 3x Medium Core Defense Field Purger rigs. If you fit rat specific resists you can drop the suitcase and fit another BCU.

Train for the following (probably in this order):
1. T2 light drones. (this is a MUST for killing scraming frigates)
2. T2 damage mods
3. T2 shield mods
4. T2 launchers

The launchers should not be a priority. If you move on to Battleships you wont be using them. If you decide on the Tengu, you've got a tonne of training before you can use them anyway.

I'm not a huge fan of the Shield Rechargers or the Shield Power Relays. I've found that the mids are better used with an extra resist mod and an afterburner, and the lows should all be damage mods. You may need to fit more tank when you're just starting out though.

I mission in this pretty effectively up thru lvl 4's

3 MCDFE I

7 HML II

2 LSE II
Invul II
EM Ward Amp II
Thermic Dissipation Amp II
EXperimental 10MN MWD

2 BCS II
Internal Force Field Array I
Capacitor Power Relay II

All resistances are in the mid to hiigh 70's 103K EHP 198 HP/sec sustained defense efficiency
510 DPS with Drones 5 Hobgoblin II's and Scourge Furys
Not Capstable but it runs everything for 54 mins 50 secs cruising at 1038 m/sec

I do have a 4% Powergrid Implant and perfect fitting skills

[High]
7x Arbalest Heavy Launcher
1x Drone Control Unit

[Mid]
1x 10MN Afterburner
2x Adaptive Invulns II's
3xLarge Shield Extender II's

[Low]
2x Ballistic Control II's
2xPower Diag II's

[Rigs]
3x Core defence field extenders

[Drones]
5x warrior or hobgoblins (T2 if poss)

good for 28000+ shields, LOTS of EHP, and should easily tank any Lvl 3 while giving reasonable DPS

For him the tank difference wont make a huge difference but 11mil might. Id advice keeping the buffer rigs. Theyll work for L3s

overall your fit should work, I'd mainly suggest adding an afterburner. a bit of mobility really helps in missions I think.
this is pretty similar to what I used when I ran level 3s with low skills. with specific hardeners the shields barely even move. t2 bcus and t2 hardeners are some great upgrades that don't need a ton of skills. but also as said really work on some missile support skills.

[Drake, pve]
Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II
Beta Reactor Control: Shield Power Relay I
Beta Reactor Control: Shield Power Relay I

10MN Afterburner II
Limited Thermic Dissipation Field I
Limited Kinetic Deflection Field I
Limited Kinetic Deflection Field I
Large Shield Extender II
Large Shield Extender II

'Arbalest' Heavy Missile Launcher, Mjolnir Heavy Missile
'Arbalest' Heavy Missile Launcher, Mjolnir Heavy Missile
'Arbalest' Heavy Missile Launcher, Mjolnir Heavy Missile
'Arbalest' Heavy Missile Launcher, Mjolnir Heavy Missile
'Arbalest' Heavy Missile Launcher, Mjolnir Heavy Missile
'Arbalest' Heavy Missile Launcher, Mjolnir Heavy Missile
'Arbalest' Heavy Missile Launcher, Mjolnir Heavy Missile
Small Tractor Beam I

Medium Core Defense Field Purger I
Medium Core Defense Field Purger I
Medium Core Defense Field Purger I


Hobgoblin II x5

more recently I ran some level 3s to boost standings on an alt and used this. could probably replace the shield recharger for something else,

[Drake, pancake]
Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II
Power Diagnostic System II

10MN Afterburner II
Shield Recharger II
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II
Large Shield Extender II
Large F-S9 Regolith Shield Induction

Heavy Missile Launcher II, Scourge Fury Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Scourge Fury Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Scourge Fury Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Scourge Fury Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Scourge Fury Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Scourge Fury Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Scourge Fury Heavy Missile
[empty high slot]

Medium Core Defense Field Purger I
Medium Core Defense Field Purger I
Medium Core Defense Field Purger I


Hobgoblin II x5

Pretty much this ^^^

My fit was near identical when I was flying my Drake. Only thing I did was switch out the TP for another hardener when incoming deeps was high. My drones could handle dessies and frigs.