Missions & Complexes

I recently fired the game back up after a year+ break. I've been running level 4 missions for a while to build up my wallet while deciding what to do, which I now think will be training for a Mach to run Incursions in. That's 3-4 months off as I have essentially 0 skills in Gunnery (aside from WU) and Minmatar/Gallente cruiser to just 3 (I plan on waiting until the expansion to inject Minmatar + Gallente BS so that I don't have to train their cruiser skills to 4).

My current skillplan involves getting Gunnery and Motion Prediction to 5, the rest of the gunnery support skills (besides Controlled Bursts) and Large AC Specialization to 4, then Minmatar BS to 4. At that point I would only be 2-3 days away from Gallente BS 4 as well. If I'm already able to comfortably run level 4's in my Raven is there any reason for me to get something like a Maelstrom first, or would I be safe going straight for the Mach?

If you're comfortable with the Raven, then like the man says, depending on how many missions you're running, you might consider a CNR as an upgrade - if you can fly the standard Raven, then you can fly the Navy Raven, and get the extra tank and gank pretty much right away. Of course, the CNR is somewhat expensive (though the prices have dropped a bit recently), so it's a trade-off as to whether the faster mission clearing is worth the added expense of the faction battleship delaying you from saving up for the more expensive Mach.

By the time you'd be effective in a Maelstrom, you'd probably be almost ready for the Mach anyway, skill-wise; you've got to train all the way up through small and medium projectile guns to large guns before the Mael is worth undocking anyway.

With the CNR, you can take advantage of the pricier hull pretty much right away.

I would recommend running a Mael for a bit as they duplicate the Mach in many ways.

I have flown both extensively. Although the Mach is indeed a different ship, you fit it pretty much like a Mach. You know, projectiles, shields,Gyros etc.. Certainly more than a CNR. And wtf does a Vargur have to do with OP's question??

Why some go out of their way to take a contrary position is beyond me. But it is usually the same bunch.

One more time for those who don't read the OP's posts. You can move the guns, shields and damage mods from a Mael to a Mach. saves isk. And as OP mentioned he is flying a CNR.

Not getting in a p**ssing match with someone who has issues, just trying to help OP.

Go for mach don't invest in mael at all you already have some slug to earn you money mael will not change that in any significant way.

You're fine with the CNR for now until you train for a Mach. For practice try using it on easier missions like Cargo Delivery instead of jumping straight to something like Worlds Collide.

No, I'm not far off from a Golem (in fact that's what I was training for before I quit), but I want to move away from missiles as they seem to be frowned upon for most things besides solo PvE.

Also thank you for the responses everyone, I think I'll just stick the the CNR until I'm trained for the Mach.

You need javelins, max range skills, range implants, range rigs. Gives the Golem a 65KM range (effectively it's about 61-62).