EVE General Discussion

I'd like to see t1 frigates amarr empire, with the possibility of rocket fitting .
As for the assault frigs, amarr empire could use more juice on the mid slot for retri and cap on both.
Like the Vengeance, armor tank and get rocket bonuses.
The inquisitor is a Light missile ship before you say "there is a option"

AB bonuses and so forth have been proven to be a bad choice, they make the "good" AFs awesome but they do nothing for the "poor" ones...

The "fourth bonus" needs to be tailored to the needs of the ship and its role rather than across the board.

So what is the role of an assault frigate?
Is it's job to tackle?

Well the Interceptors do a better job of that with their higher speed, greater agility and (in the case of the "tackle interceptors) tackle range bonus...

So what about holding tackle when doing so requires a bit more resilience?

The role of heavy tackler then? there would have to be some reason why a larger ship, perhaps a BC, would be impractical in that role - the most obvious is mobility of course, particularly since the reduction in web strength which means that ships like the 100MN Tengus are quite capable of outrunning most of the heavier tackle, at least where scrams are in use.

Ships like the Minmatar recons and, on the more expensive side, the Kronos and Paladin and the Web bonused Pirate faction ships however can all work that role however, with multiple long range or 90% webs at their disposal but their application is very limited. The anti-Vaga Ashimu for example, and the prices of those aren't rising out of all control as would suggest they're in such demand as would justify adding the entire range of Assault Frigates to the applicable group...

So if the role is to tackle then the niche would have to be where you have to get the first tackle on but an Interceptor would be popped before it could get there... or soon afterwards.

But that's not the whole story.

Many of the complaints about AFs is that cruisers do "the job" better and more cheaply so mobility isn't all we expect from them.

So do we need to give them (all) cruiser level damage? is the role we want them to fill the OMGBBQ section of a frigate fleet?

But might that make them uncounterable? if four AFs could kill a tanky, AML Drake without losses what could you bring to stop them?

I would say that I think that damage and tank are the primary roles of an AF, now that means I don't think a second mid is vital for the Retribution. The Hawk is hideously broken by this measure though, and the Vengeance isn't much better.

Their role is to assault.

Not intercept

Need bonuses to allow them to assault ships, this is why interceptors get bonus to tackling

Stop muddying the water

Read up on what assault means

the Retri does not need a 2nd mid slot, its needs another damage bonus.

seriously, do you even fly it?

and I would argue that AFs are fine, but then again, I know there will be some resistance to that idea. So if we do (thanks to CCPs obviously failed 'democratic' approach - that means lowest standards) then as previously noted - a damage bonus.

Medium ships in general have always had versatility as their strength from cruisers to HACs to even BCs. Frigates and Assault frigates on the other hand, are stuck as scouts and tackle.

Biggest reason cruisers do the job better is because they have more HP, a higher tank, can dps against large/small targets equally well, and they're cheaper because they're T1. The only place AFs really beat cruisers is in the speed and locking department. Meanwhile they won't melt to drones (as fast anyway) as interceptors and T1 frigates. Of course if you're in a fleet fight and there's dozens of Warrior IIs on the field, that is no longer the case which is why AFs are mostly used in small gang warfare while cruisers take their role in larger fleet fights.

Also, you can fit a cruiser for more situations than you can an Assault frigate.

5th turret, fittings to accommodate 5th turret and another damage bonus for the retri.


just because it's a frigate, doesn't mean it shouldn't be a gang only ship. Hell I always wanted to see the retri as a mobile turret platform

Grim, I know this topic has been brought up over and over again so I just wanted you to be a bit clear. The extra mid-slot idea is cobblers yah?

To the rest of you, the magic number is 3. At 2 mids, you are still going to under-perform as a tackler in frig combat anyway. But, it does let you put a SB in there and. . . well you get the idea - the retri will not compete against other tackler type frigs, and it should not be forced into that cookie cutter approach. And what do you think will be lost, a low. Now you go and play with fittings for a bit and come back and tell me a lost low for a 2nd mid is desirable. Its not.

So the mid slot request that keeps coming back is just B-S. It needs to do more damage and fulfill the ganker-tanker role more effectively - but only if there has to be a 4th bonus. TBH, AFs are, as a class of ships, very well balanced right now - I have no idea why people want to break that.

AFs are balanced except for one thing... they don't really have a role outside of solo/very small gang warfare, and being dps for frigate roams.

Since when do hurricanes need love?

Assault frigates are a pretty damn common sight in lowsec. It's a tankier and gankier version of their T1 counterparts making them great for solo/small gang work.

People asking how often they get flown should aslo ask how often they fly T1 frigates, EAFs and T1 Cruisers.