These forums have been archived and are now read-only.

The new forums are live and can be found at https://forums.eveonline.com/

Missions & Complexes

 
  • Topic is locked indefinitely.
 

Thinking of Running Epic Arcs
Author
Previous Topic Next Topic
Erokranthos
The Scope
Gallente Federation
#1 - 2012-12-03 16:13:36 UTC
First time post.

Been playing Eve off and on for about 2 years. I haven't had enough time to dedicate to PvP or a player corp, so that area of the game is relatively unexplored for me. I want to expand on that, but that's a separate topic.

Anyway, I plan on doing the Gallente Epic Arc. I've had enough faction to do it for a while now, but I never got around to it. Those who I've talked to though have some interesting horror stories about them, such as the 11-12 BSes dropping on top of you and the insane DPS some of them do. I was wondering if I could get some insights on a fit I'm considering.

I decided to go with extenders and not purgers for the rigs, because I feel like the lack of HP in the shield area doesn't really help the ASBs. The ship is fitted for serpentis but can be changed accordingly. I plan on utilizing a combination of other mission-specific amplifiers along with CN invuls. The extenders can be changed to T2 if ISK isn't important.

Idea was to minimize cap, maximize tank, without sacrificing DPS. The fit gets 875 DPS w/ Gardes, 900+ w/o the DC and w/ another DDA.

Some missions require a salvager, and that can be switched out. Some require an AB, and that can be switched out with an Omni or ASB if tank is not needed.

Love to hear thoughts from some of the pros on here.

[Rattlesnake]

4x Cruise Missile Launcher II (Inferno Fury Cruise Missile)
2x Drone Link Augmentor II

2x Pithum A-Type Thermic Dissipation Amplifier
Pithum A-Type Kinetic Deflection Amplifier
2x X-Large Ancillary Shield Booster (Cap Booster 400)
2x Federation Navy Omnidirectional Tracking Link

3x Drone Damage Amplifier II
Damage Control II
2x Co-Processor II

3x Large Core Defense Field Extender I

5x Garde II
5x Ogre II
5x Warden II
5x Hobgoblin II
goldiiee
Bureau of Astronomical Anomalies
#2 - 2012-12-03 18:17:11 UTC
For most of the missions in the arc that fit will be fine. But a few of them like, Assistance, Underground Circus, Intake Chase, Little Fingers, and of course Carry on and Studio One are going to test the duration of you tank.
I have run these a few times and I use a deadspace fit, 5 minute stable, 1200 dps tank, Machariel doing 1400 dps with guns and light drones.

If you get it completed before the update Dec, 4th you will be using the 13 charge ASB? After the update I don’t think they hold more than 10 Navy’s or 7 standards (just guessing here). The point is, I think you might not have enough sustained tank for some of the longer engagements that happen due to range issues, and sheer amount of total HP on the field you need to erase. But you be the judge if you can do the hardest LVL4 you can probally manage you cap and boosters for this.

For a first timer I would suggest scouting the deadspace missions with a noob ship. Get an idea of where you’re going to land and possibly get the spawns on the field before you commit your ship.

My SOP was to spawn with the mach and then MWD away to get the Friggs, Cruisers and BS’s to separate as they approached me. Easy to pick them off on ascending order and very little tanking required. Good luck and have fun I really enjoy the ARC’s they are just hard enough to be enjoyable without feeling like your being given ISK for time.

Handy guides:
http://eve-survival.org/wikka.php?wakka=Syndication4p1 (very complete guide)
http://dl.eve-files.com/media/corp/jowen/Gallente_Epic_Arc_guide_by_Jowen_Datloran_v1.0.pdf (useful flow chart to help follow mission order)
http://wiki.eveonline.com/en/wiki/Syndication (simple Information but updated by missioners)

Things that keep me up at night;  Why do we use a voice communication device to send telegraphs? Moore's Law should state, Once you have paid off the last PC upgrade you will need another.
Substantia Nigra
Polaris Rising
Goonswarm Federation
#3 - 2012-12-03 23:58:23 UTC
I’ve run all the epic arcs, many times, in a wide range of ships. I love the rattlesnake and used it for a while … both running the lvl4 epic arcs and for day-to-day w-space PvE work. Having worked through that phase in my eve-life I moved on from the ‘snake, to the tengu.

Tengu is a little slower with its DPS output but is able to tank whatever comes its way – smaller sig size and similar type of active shield tank fit to your ‘snake. Tengu is also much faster for moving back and forth between the spread-out mission systems, and easily refits to allow it to safely head into lowsec and nullsec to run those arms of the Amarr / Caldari (IIRC) arcs.

Now, when I run those arcs, I cheat. I use two DPS tengu and a booster tengu … lazy *** mode running each arc three times at once.


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.
DeMichael Crimson
Republic University
Minmatar Republic
#4 - 2012-12-05 22:22:48 UTC  |  Edited by: DeMichael Crimson
Excellent info and replies. Always best to read the comments, notes, tips, etc in those guides/mission reports.

I've run the level 4 arc's a few times. I started with the Amarr Epic Arc in a T2 fit Command Ship (Sleipnir).

1/2 way through the arc I needed to upgrade the ship with Faction/Deadspace mods which worked great. After that, I then ran Minmatar and Gallente with same ship fit. Towards the end of the Gallente Arc, I got a little worried about the incoming DPS and decided to go with Faction/Deadspace fit T3 Cruiser (Loki).

The T3 Cruisers have a smaller signature radius and can fit up more tank along with having faster ship speed. As was posted above, the T3 Cruisers also have reduced DPS compared to the larger class ships but still put out enough to kill the NPC's.

I then did the Caldari Epic Arc in the Faction/Deadspace fit T3 Cruiser which worked great, except for the very last mission due to the Perma-Jam being done by the NPC Elite Cruisers. Had the Loki re-fit as a Missile Boat with FoF missiles but the sub system fit up severely limits the tank and DPS which made the mission take a long time.

Loki is mainly a gun ship, doesn't work good as a missile or drone boat.

Anyway, the next time I ran the Epic Arc's, I just went with the T3 Faction/Deadspace fit up and basically ran through them all very easily and quickly. When I got to the last mission in the Caldari Arc, I just called in a friend who quickly knocked out the Elite Cruisers doing the Perma-Jam.

So, there's only one mission in the level 4 epic arc's that gives me trouble in which I have to call in help. It's either that or spend hours taking down a few Elite Cruisers just to be able to jump on the rest of the NPC pack.


DMC

'The Plan' | California Eve Players | Proposal - The Endless Battle