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exploration ship advice
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Luh Windan
green fish hat bang bang
#1 - 2011-11-05 20:09:56 UTC  |  Edited by: Luh Windan
(tl;dr version :- So I get that the answer to all in one exploration is Tengu or Loki but they seem like a whole load of money right now. where do I go next from a Drake or a 'cane. I get blown up a lot because I'm foolhardy)

I'm currently exploring in high sec and ninja raids into low sec and wormholes (depending on how much time has elapsed since I was last ganked)

I've run (depending on my mood. ) a Drake (T2 fit except for the missile launchers) and a Hurricane (also T2 fit except for the guns) - will have t2 skills for both launchers and guns in a couple of weeks, Both passive shield tanked. Also both a little compromised because I'm "all in one'ing them" - too lazy to make many changes and I'm still training up my alt.

I'm finding the Drake doesn't have enough Gank - found an empty C2 wormhole this afternoon and spent the best part of an hour and a half chipping away at some sleeper battleships.

I like the 'cane but I struggle with the tank sometimes.

I don't want to buy implants because I've fallen into at least 2 gate camps in the last couple of months and been ganked in a wormhole once as well.

So where do I go next?

The idea of billion iso ships is a bit scary because I've only made about 100m isk this week - I don't get a lot of time to play . My play style certainly favours 'don't fly what you can't afford to loose' as well. I certainly don't want to fly anything I have to treat as precious.

but on the other hand something that scans faster and kills faster might increase my income a lot - perhaps to the point where I can afford to fly them into danger too.?

is there a 'next step' between the BCs and a T3 that would be good to aim for? (I have Min and Caldari ship skills but neither of the other two)

(oh to answer all the usual comments :- I'm not in a corp because I have a startup and three small children and play as and when to relax from all the other demand on my time but can't really commit to anything - plus the MMO bit for me is not being blown up in dangerous places. Also I've tried PvP and I'm rubbish at it)
mxzf
Shovel Bros
#2 - 2011-11-05 20:23:15 UTC
It depends on what exactly you're doing. The T3s are the only ships other than probing frigs/covops that have a probing bonus (and the other two have crappy tank and gank). So anything other than a T3 is going to be slower at probing. Not necessarily a problem, but it's something to bear in mind.

Personally, my choice of exploration ships for highsec is an Assault Frigate (either Wolf for Sansha/Blood, Ishkur for everything else), since they pack a nice tank and gank and can handle most highsec sites. For lowsec, a T3 is optimal but stuff like Gilas and Ishtars work well too.

The problem is that most of those are T2/3, and you're looking for budget stuff and probably T1. For T1 stuff, your best bet is likely going to be BCs (Drake and Cane are both very solid, if not optimal compared to T3s). So, no, there's not really any middle step between BC and T3 in Min or Cal ships. A HAC might work ok, depending on the site and your skills, but T3s are the typical next step.
Wacktopia
Fleet-Up.com
Keep It Simple Software Group
#3 - 2011-11-05 22:04:55 UTC  |  Edited by: Wacktopia
I always used to low-sec plex in something like this. Sounds like you probably don't have Gallente skills but you might be able to find an analog to this in your skill set (Gila maybe).

Edit: Essentially this ship has everything you need to plex.
- a prober to find the complexes
- a cloak to get through low sec gate camps and to cloak up if local spikes up
- about 500 dps damage (small guns only used to kill scram rats)
- enough speed and agility to zoom around plexes and kite damage
- a decent omni-tank.

The big thing it is lacking is any real bubble defence for nullsec, which is where a T3 will be much better.

[Ishtar, LePlexChatton]
Medium Armor Repairer II
Adaptive Nano Plating II
Damage Control II
Armor Explosive Hardener II
Medium Armor Repairer II

Y-T8 Overcharged Hydrocarbon I Microwarpdrive
Large Peroxide I Capacitor Power Cell
Cap Recharger II
Cap Recharger II
Cap Recharger II

Core Probe Launcher I, Sisters Core Scanner Probe I
Improved Cloaking Device II
125mm Gatling AutoCannon II, EMP S
125mm Gatling AutoCannon II, EMP S
125mm Gatling AutoCannon II, EMP S

Medium Auxiliary Nano Pump I
Medium Capacitor Control Circuit I


Garde II x5
Bouncer II x5
Warrior II x5
Vespa EC-600 x5

Kitchen sink? Seriousy, get your ship together -  Fleet-Up.com
Luh Windan
green fish hat bang bang
#4 - 2011-11-06 10:09:24 UTC
Thank you. Some good food for thought here.

I've been tootling about in a rifter doing an escalation. Reminded me how boring the Drake is so might give the Wolf a go next.
Cade102
Cade Industries
#5 - 2011-11-06 15:17:11 UTC
I've always found Combat Recons to be good for exploration.

Fast, T2 resists, plenty of high slots for probes, salvagers, weapons and maybe a cloak.....plenty of mids for codebreakers, analyzers, prop and tank and then good old weapons upgrades in lows. Drones to add MOAR dps....

Cheaper than a T3 to replace as well....
Elezondo
Sebiestor Tribe
Minmatar Republic
#6 - 2011-11-06 17:20:17 UTC
Luh Windan wrote:

The idea of billion iso ships is a bit scary...


Ummm... only if you faction fit it. A full T2 (except Sisters probes and launcher) equipped Loki will only run about 475m ISK.

Aside from a T3, the recon ships dont do too bad (I know you dont have amarr skills, but the Curse and Pilgram do a pretty good job). I wouldnt go exploring with a Rook or a Falcon though... I guess you could, just wouldnt be my first choice.
Aesiron
Viziam
Amarr Empire
#7 - 2011-11-07 07:50:35 UTC
Luh Windan wrote:
(tl;dr version :- So I get that the answer to all in one exploration is Tengu or Loki but they seem like a whole load of money right now. where do I go next from a Drake or a 'cane. I get blown up a lot because I'm foolhardy)

I'm currently exploring in high sec and ninja raids into low sec and wormholes (depending on how much time has elapsed since I was last ganked)

I've run (depending on my mood. ) a Drake (T2 fit except for the missile launchers) and a Hurricane (also T2 fit except for the guns) - will have t2 skills for both launchers and guns in a couple of weeks, Both passive shield tanked. Also both a little compromised because I'm "all in one'ing them" - too lazy to make many changes and I'm still training up my alt.

I'm finding the Drake doesn't have enough Gank - found an empty C2 wormhole this afternoon and spent the best part of an hour and a half chipping away at some sleeper battleships.

I like the 'cane but I struggle with the tank sometimes.

I don't want to buy implants because I've fallen into at least 2 gate camps in the last couple of months and been ganked in a wormhole once as well.

So where do I go next?

The idea of billion iso ships is a bit scary because I've only made about 100m isk this week - I don't get a lot of time to play . My play style certainly favours 'don't fly what you can't afford to loose' as well. I certainly don't want to fly anything I have to treat as precious.

but on the other hand something that scans faster and kills faster might increase my income a lot - perhaps to the point where I can afford to fly them into danger too.?

is there a 'next step' between the BCs and a T3 that would be good to aim for? (I have Min and Caldari ship skills but neither of the other two)

(oh to answer all the usual comments :- I'm not in a corp because I have a startup and three small children and play as and when to relax from all the other demand on my time but can't really commit to anything - plus the MMO bit for me is not being blown up in dangerous places. Also I've tried PvP and I'm rubbish at it)


The Drake itself is a fairly good PvE exploration ship, and so is the Harbinger. If you want to get into an all in one ship aim for a Drake as you can fit a probe launcher, salvager, 6 missile launchers and the rest is free to customize.

Another tactic is using an alt/friend in a proper exploration ship such as an Anathema/Magnate while you have a pure Drake instead of wasting 2 slots.

The recon ships such as Pilgrim and Curse are also good as they focus on drones so that you can utilize them further with free DPS slots. But if you lose your drones you are screwed.
Shayla Sh'inlux
Aliastra
Gallente Federation
#8 - 2011-11-07 08:48:10 UTC  |  Edited by: Shayla Sh'inlux
The Domi is a pretty good boat for ninjaing around in wormholes.

You can fit a 50% cap stable dual rep setup with tons of utility, like cloak, codebreaker, salvager, analyzer and probe launcher in your high and mids, while still maintaining excellent DPS from your drones.

I sometimes probe up a C2 or C3 entrance, jump into a cheap clone (+3's, low-end hardwiring) and take a cheap Domi out for a spin into W-Space. I've been ganked a few times, sure, but overall I'm operating at a profit. The only downside is that it's slow to scan with, but good skills and sisters probes (I don't use a sisters launcher in W-Space) help a lot.
Luh Windan
green fish hat bang bang
#9 - 2011-11-07 10:21:39 UTC
Shayla Sh'inlux wrote:
The Domi is a pretty good boat for ninjaing around in wormholes.

You can fit a 50% cap stable dual rep setup with tons of utility, like cloak, codebreaker, salvager, analyzer and probe launcher in your high and mids, while still maintaining excellent DPS from your drones.

I sometimes probe up a C2 or C3 entrance, jump into a cheap clone (+3's, low-end hardwiring) and take a cheap Domi out for a spin into W-Space. I've been ganked a few times, sure, but overall I'm operating at a profit. The only downside is that it's slow to scan with, but good skills and sisters probes (I don't use a sisters launcher in W-Space) help a lot.


Which drones do you use on sleepers? I've been through a fair few hob II's in w-holes...
mxzf
Shovel Bros
#10 - 2011-11-07 19:07:33 UTC
Luh Windan wrote:
[quote=Shayla Sh'inlux]Which drones do you use on sleepers? I've been through a fair few hob II's in w-holes...


Personally, I use T1 Warriors and other Min drones. Gal drones do more DPS, but they're much slower, meaning that they take longer to recall than Min ones. And I like T1 because it doesn't cost close to 2M when you lose a flight, lol.
Emily Poast
The Whipping Post
#11 - 2011-11-08 07:18:06 UTC
I've been away for about a year. I used to take my domi into WH sites, but the sleepers ate my drones alive. Senties, lights, all of them. Has their drone aggro fetish been changed?