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Having Extreme Difficulty With L2 Missions
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Drake Firespirit
Federal Navy Academy
Gallente Federation
#1 - 2013-06-25 16:14:54 UTC
All:

I just started eve about 6 weeks ago. I'm just shy of 2 mil skill points. I was breezing through L1 missions with my atron so I thought I'd move on to L2 missions. I knew I didn't have the skills to pull off L2 missions with a frigate so I went to the gallente destroyer the catalyst. After losing that one quite quickly I moved to a thorax at the advice of my corporates. It is decently fitted, and yet I am still having a heck of a time doing these missions. And I really have no idea why.

My first thought is just my skills. But they are basic in some areas and standard in others. I should be sufficient for L2 mission running.

My second thought is that I'm not doing enough damage. The missions Ive run so far have been such that I quickly get overwhelmed by too many baddies. I'm not taking them out fast enough. But most of the missions so far have had multiple waves and they just keep coming and coming and coming and I can't get them down.

Each mission I've run has resulted in more costs (in lost drones, ammo, and ship repars) than what I've made. And I've even lost a Thorax.

I know this isn't the case of "I need a bigger ship". The Thorax should be fine. I know I'm doing something wrong. Can someone give me some guidance? Has anyone else been having similar issues?
Kahega Amielden
Rifterlings
#2 - 2013-06-25 16:28:24 UTC  |  Edited by: Kahega Amielden
First off, you need to be a whole lot more specific with "decently fit", and "sufficient skills". My first instinct is that you're using blasters on the thorax which...is normally a very good idea, except very short-range fits don't work so well in missions due to the high volume of weak targets - You spend more time moving between targets than actually shooting them. I'd fit railguns and, if you aren't using them already, drones (Drones V + drone interfacing is very important for larger ships, especially Gallente ships)


Secondly, are you using an active-tank? Missions involve taking very little damage per second, but over a very long period of time. If
you're fitting plates, don't. Fit a medium armor repairer and some resist modules (specific to the rat type you're fighting is preferable).


...but yeah. Show us your actual fit.
Marsan
#3 - 2013-06-25 16:39:33 UTC
My 1st question is what resists are you fitting? My 2nd is what weapons are you using?


Personally I'd recommend joining EveU or something similar or listening to their recorded classes.
http://wiki.eveuniversity.org/Thorax
http://wiki.eveuniversity.org/EVE_University_Class_Library#Gallente
Gallente Ships 101
Gallente PvE Ships and Fittings
http://wiki.eveuniversity.org/EVE_University_Class_Library#Core_Mechanics
How to Survive
Fitting 101
Gunnery 101
Damage Dealing 101
Armor Tanking 101


Also eve survival is handy as it will tell you the resists to fit, and which ships trigger new waves.
http://eve-survival.org/wikka.php?wakka=MissionReports

PS- If you are having trouble with missions I might recommend training Calderi missile ships. They are much simpler to run missions with.

Former forum cheerleader CCP, now just a grumpy small portion of the community.
Lenna Kaundur
Doomheim
#4 - 2013-06-25 16:47:09 UTC  |  Edited by: Lenna Kaundur
Almost always, if you're unable to complete missions, you're not ready for that level of mission yet skills-wise. Even if you can fly a given model of ship or fit certain modules, it doesn't mean you can use them well. Don't rush through your L1 missions too quickly -- spend some time getting the hang of the tactics and fitting strategies, and build your various relevant weapons and shield skills to at least level IV.

And this is another point: even with good skills, tactics are important. If you're skilled up but are still having trouble completing missions, you're most likely using the wrong tactics. Are you muscling in close and trying to blast everything? Are you kiting and sniping from afar? Do you have the correct amount of tank vs firepower for your frigate?

There are all kinds of things involved in flying your ship well. You might want to fleet up with a corpie and take him/her along with you on a mission -- not just to help you if you get into a jam, but to provide some pointers on what you might be doing wrong at any given time.

Good luck!

EDIT: I see that you're flying a Thorax, which is a Gallente ship. Each race's ships have certain strengths and weaknesses. I don't fly Gallente ships, but in general they rely on blasters and drones for damage projection and armor for tank; they are also relatively slow compared to other ships. So you need to factor that into your fitting strategy. A Thorax usually has an armor tank (armor reppers or armor buffs) and either blasters or railguns. Hobgoblins for your drones. (Don't forget your drone skills! They are vital, especially for Gallente pilots!)
voetius
Grundrisse
#5 - 2013-06-25 16:50:56 UTC

I'd deffo look at the links / info Marsan posted above, just to make sure your fitting in a reasonable way given the minitations of skillpoints etc.

It's also possible that you just had a run of a few of the tougher L2 missions, like Blockade and the one with a head in a jar (can't recall the name) or too many missile boats spamming you.
Mia Restolo
Royal Amarr Institute
Amarr Empire
#6 - 2013-06-25 17:06:26 UTC
Most but not all missions require clearing out all/most of the rats, some require you to do something simple and GTFO.

Recon 1 comes to mind as missions that will easily kill your ship if you try to fight and aren't prepared for it. Wave after wave of ships spawning quickly and your goal is simply to get to the acceleration gate and use it then get away as soon as you land in the next room, you can actually do it in a shuttle. Recon 2 is similar. Cargo Delivery doesn't require any fighting either, fly to warehouse, grab the cool refreshing Quafe, warp away.

As others suggested, it might also be fitting or skill problems.
imbaRabbit
Caldari Provisions
Caldari State
#7 - 2013-06-25 18:11:41 UTC  |  Edited by: imbaRabbit
Drake Firespirit wrote:
All:

I just started eve about 6 weeks ago. I'm just shy of 2 mil skill points. I was breezing through L1 missions with my atron so I thought I'd move on to L2 missions. I knew I didn't have the skills to pull off L2 missions with a frigate so I went to the gallente destroyer the catalyst. After losing that one quite quickly I moved to a thorax at the advice of my corporates. It is decently fitted, and yet I am still having a heck of a time doing these missions. And I really have no idea why.


First of all, I don't want to be mean, but it seems that you're not in the right corporation : ). Not that I want to flame anyone and that is not my intention since I have no clue who's running what and what kind of issues they have in their lives, but it's just bit sad that there's no one who can guide you. So you could think about switching or at least join some channels which offer help to rookies.

Second of all, I think this section is missing some kind of guide on how to post ... The information (read: data) what you've provided tells us nothing else than that you're Gallente pilot and that you have some kind of issues in level II missions. 'Decent fit' does not mean anything because there were people who placed Civilian modules on Faction battleships and they've thought the fit was decent (though, not sure if that was the influence of certain substances ...). 'Shy two million skill points' is one more piece of data and not information. It tells us that you have some kind of skill points but it does not tell us anything where did those skill points go (could be that one and a half million skill points have gone into the science, while the rest is in gunnery and ship command). In order to get the most precise answer, please try to be more specific. There's no need for you to hold back in showing where did you place skill points. Unless you're just creating random stories and you're in fact someone else.

Where are you running missions (in which space; for which faction?). With this you cover the fields: How to tank and what modules you should fit? (although, this changes depending on enemies). Maybe there's someone around your system who'll just baby-sit you and cover the basics how you should proceed in engaging.

You've already got nice answers from the good people here, but if you will have more questions, please provide more details. The Mission Reports (EvE-Survival) should be good enough for you to stand on your feet.

Thank you for reading and just don't take my comment as something negative - I just want to help out and this is best what I can do^^.
dexington
Caldari Provisions
Caldari State
#8 - 2013-06-25 19:16:58 UTC
Drake Firespirit wrote:
I know this isn't the case of "I need a bigger ship". The Thorax should be fine. I know I'm doing something wrong. Can someone give me some guidance? Has anyone else been having similar issues?


Are you using the correct resist for each mission?

You can use the eve damage types chart you see which resist you need for each pirate and navy faction, and you can use eve survival for some hints on how to complete the missions.

I'm a relatively respectable citizen. Multiple felon perhaps, but certainly not dangerous.
Freighdee Katt
Center for Advanced Studies
Gallente Federation
#9 - 2013-06-25 20:04:36 UTC
As suggested above, look at the EVE-Uni noob fits for the PvE Thorax. If you start with their suggested fits, you should be able to muddle through any L2 in any cruiser, even with quite low skills and a basic Tech 1 fitting. The UNI Wiki also has tons of information that covers all the basics. Check their pages on "good support skills," tanking fundamentals, and gunnery in particular to get a handle on the basics (what to train, what to fit, and how to fly it).

If you still feel like you are completely lost or just struggling with the fundamentals, try joining the Uni for a while. You will find plenty of people who can help you get on the right path, and they provide skill book reimbursement to help you build out your basic skills.

EvE is supposed to suck.  Wait . . . what was the question?
Cage Man
Fusion Enterprises Ltd
Pandemic Horde
#10 - 2013-06-26 01:18:17 UTC
Welcome to eve.. be prepared to be frustrated for at least a year Blink

Your best bet to get a proper response is to post your fit, the stats, ie resists, dps etc, and then what mission it is.
Reading the missions guides are extremely important for new players. As you using hybrids you should be shooting guristas rats, anything else will make it more difficult.
As mentioned above, if your corp can't help you then it may be time to move. The early stages of eve will be tough and you need decent help to get you through.
Lots of good advice posted above, but if you need any help feel free to contact me ingame, happy to help out where I can.
Q 5
999 HOLDINGS LLC
#11 - 2013-06-26 06:10:08 UTC
Guns are very skill intensive, the frigs are getting under your guns and once they do it's useless to shoot at them, that's where drones come in.

In the short term use a corax for the win, it will eat most lvl 2's easily

Fit all rockets and use kinetic damage (all around good for almost all rats)

If your drone skills are ok then the Gallente algos is great for staying at distance and letting drones knock out rats, fit rails 75mm are cool or if you want in on the fight directly then blasters are great....but again guns are SKILL intensive so to get isk rolling in train missiles and it will make missions easier while you train up gun skills higher.
Cage Man
Fusion Enterprises Ltd
Pandemic Horde
#12 - 2013-06-26 19:51:01 UTC
Q 5 wrote:
Guns are very skill intensive, the frigs are getting under your guns and once they do it's useless to shoot at them, that's where drones come in.

In the short term use a corax for the win, it will eat most lvl 2's easily

Fit all rockets and use kinetic damage (all around good for almost all rats)

If your drone skills are ok then the Gallente algos is great for staying at distance and letting drones knock out rats, fit rails 75mm are cool or if you want in on the fight directly then blasters are great....but again guns are SKILL intensive so to get isk rolling in train missiles and it will make missions easier while you train up gun skills higher.



6 week old.. not going to have decent drone skills and probably hasn't trained missiles either. Destroyers don't work for new players in the harder levl2's. Cruiser is the best choice, just fit it right. Rails on a thorax will do the job, just need make sure you have a prop mod and keep some range and fit a web, and of course some light drones which you only use when the npc are right on top of you.