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Covert Ops, Ratting ship, Alphafleet?
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Ki're Suahien
Center for Advanced Studies
Gallente Federation
#1 - 2011-10-20 15:42:57 UTC
Some background:

So I'm a relatively new player. I spend a lot of my time getting killed in rifters exploring Syndicate, and reading up on EVE in general. I've applied to join EVE University to get some more learning skills.

The one thing I *think* I have going for me is that I know what I'd like to do (at least for a while) in EVE.

I'm pretty set on the corporation I'd like to join in the future. They are a nullsec group that runs an Alphafleet Doctrine. What I want to play is a covert ops set up. I've even got the ship I want; a Cheetah specifically so I can light cynos, along with scouting/reconing for a fleet or just tooling around. I'm pretty set on that being what I want to do.

However, I've read that making isk as a covert ops guy is an uphill battle. So I thought it would behoove me to come up with an alternate (or concurrent) plan for isk. So, I thought I would try a battlecruiser out for ratting or exploring PvE environments my covert ops has scanned.

I'm actually only about 10 days training away from being able to FLY a hurricane. However, I know there is a difference between flying and successfully flying. So obviously I would have to put a lot more time into being able to properly fit/fly a hurricane.

TL:DR / My Questions:
Is a covert ops ship desired in medium-large nullsec corporations/alliances? Are they useful? Are they in high demand in general? Is there a decent way to make money with them?

And for a hurricane AND cheetah, are there any skill plans out there I could load into EVEmon to plan this out? If I had to pick one to (adequately) fly first, what would you pick? Why?

Thanks for reading!
Alua Oresson
Aegis Ascending
Solyaris Chtonium
#2 - 2011-10-20 16:01:49 UTC
Generally speaking people fly covops ships with their alts for scouting duties. I'm sure you would be able to run as a scout, but I would train for a battlecruiser as well for 0.0. Battlecruisers are the work horses of EVE. They are extremely versatile and heavily used.

http://pvpwannabe.blogspot.com/
Orlacc
#3 - 2011-10-20 16:18:36 UTC
Fly a Cane first. Get your support skills up. The idea of a ganking covops ship is nice, but not real.

"Measure Twice, Cut Once."
mxzf
Shovel Bros
#4 - 2011-10-20 17:14:35 UTC
Yeah, a Cane will probably be a better ship overall than the CovOps, just because it's more versatile.

If you're looking for a ratting ship and already getting CovOps skills, consider training some missile skills and getting a Hound, they're actually quite good at ratting as long as you pay attention to what you're doing.
Ki're Suahien
Center for Advanced Studies
Gallente Federation
#5 - 2011-10-20 18:28:06 UTC  |  Edited by: Ki're Suahien
Ok so hurricane first. Does anyone have a skill plan from a loadout I could load into EVEmon?

edit: more specifically, I'd be looking to get into a alpha-maelstrom later in life...a skill plan as concurrent as possible with the neccessary skills for that would be great.
mxzf
Shovel Bros
#6 - 2011-10-20 20:18:26 UTC
I'm not an expert on Canes, but this might be close to what you're looking for. Tanks 133 vs Serp and does 465 DPS with maxed skills. This should be a fairly cheap and all of the skills (except missiles of course) will transfer over to the Mael just fine. The SPR does fine as a meta4 module (same stats except less CPU needed), the AB it's up to you if you want to use T2 or not, T2 is more speed and cap use, for the weapons, upgrade to T2 when you can, but it'll work fine without them while you're training.

[Hurricane, Shield-Gank Articane]
Gyrostabilizer II
Gyrostabilizer II
Gyrostabilizer II
Tracking Enhancer II
Beta Reactor Control: Shield Power Relay I
Damage Control II

Large Shield Extender II
Y-S8 Hydrocarbon I Afterburners
Heat Dissipation Field II
Ballistic Deflection Field II

650mm Medium Prototype I Siege Cannon, Phased Plasma M
650mm Medium Prototype I Siege Cannon, Phased Plasma M
650mm Medium Prototype I Siege Cannon, Phased Plasma M
650mm Medium Prototype I Siege Cannon, Phased Plasma M
650mm Medium Prototype I Siege Cannon, Phased Plasma M
650mm Medium Prototype I Siege Cannon, Phased Plasma M
SV-2000 Assault Missile Bay, Flameburst Light Missile
SV-2000 Assault Missile Bay, Flameburst Light Missile

Medium Core Defence Field Extender I
Medium Anti-Thermal Screen Reinforcer I
Medium Projectile Collision Accelerator I

Hobgoblin II x5


If you want something that tanks more like a Mael (shield boosting rather than passive regen), you can either use a Cyclone, which is designed for shield boosting, or trade the LSE in this fit for a Med booster and trade the SPR for a PDS.
Mfume Apocal
Brutor Tribe
Minmatar Republic
#7 - 2011-10-20 21:08:45 UTC  |  Edited by: Mfume Apocal
Ki're Suahien wrote:
Is a covert ops ship desired in medium-large nullsec corporations/alliances? Are they useful? Are they in high demand in general? Is there a decent way to make money with them?


1. Yes.
2. Yes, very much so.
3. Yes.
4. Yes, scanning down plexes. Even if you can't run them yourself, you can usually sell the BM to those who can. Or fleet invite people and have them warp to you (while sitting at the plex) to confirm it's legit.
mxzf
Shovel Bros
#8 - 2011-10-20 21:12:28 UTC
Mfume Apocal wrote:
4. Yes, scanning down plexes. Even if you can't run them yourself, you can usually sell the BM to those who can. Or fleet invite people and have them warp to you (while sitting at the plex) to confirm it's legit.


This is a good point. I have a standing order with a couple corp-mates to run any plexes that they find but can't run, I give them about 10% of the value of anything I find and both of us go home richer than we would have been, lol.
Ines Tegator
Serious Business Inc. Ltd. LLC. etc.
#9 - 2011-10-20 22:16:38 UTC  |  Edited by: Ines Tegator
GOOD covops pilots are always in demand. Ones that can combat probe without the target catching their probes on dscan, that can give fast and accurate intel over voice comms, that can set up warp-ins and safe points ahead of the fleet. These pilots are few and worth their weight in tech3 salvage. It takes a lot of practice, but it's a very rewarding way to participate in fleet pvp without needing ridiculous SP levels or risking very expensive ships all the time.

If in 0.0 it's possible to make isk as a covops pilot by ratting with a SB. It takes some experience in frigates so you don't die, and don't engage any rat spawn with elite frigs in it, so expect your income to be less then it would with say a BC ratter or something. However it IS possible and benefits from the same skill plan so it may be an option for you. If you fly covops for PVP you'll find this meets your needs just fine since you won't be losing expensive combat ships all the time.

Overhaul Dscan!
Headerman
Native Freshfood
Minmatar Republic
#10 - 2011-10-20 22:21:36 UTC
Cheetha's are awesome. Fast and quick to warp. They would be the primary ship for any scouter for a sub cap or super cap fleet

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