Ships & Modules

I've been digging around trying to sort out how to outfit a Drake for running missions with a passive tank. So much info and fittings over some many years that I'm a bit lost on what is good nowadays. For instance, I found the detailed description below on another forum, but am not sure if it still applies or if other mods are now preferable. Appreciate any advice!


""How to build the OPTIMAL pasive tank mission Drake for YOUR particular skills:


1. Use 3x Core Defence Field Purger rigs. That's like the cardinal rule for a mission Drake.

2. Second, add 2x Large Shield Extender II (best named would be an option for a VERY short while, but seriously, if you're not using T2 extenders you might as well drop the idea, and you need the skill at L4 if you plan to make the fit decent anyway).

3. Add 7x Heavy Missile Launcher. Whatever you can fit/afford. Leave the last highslot empty, if you still have any fitings left at the end, you might want to add something there, but an empty slot works just fine too.

4. DECIDE how many Ballistic Controls you want. I'd recommend at least one, preferably two. Fiting no BCUs on the Drake is pathetic, the DPS is so small and the tank so big, you'd be doing yourself a disservice. Fiting three BCUs is however a bit of an overkill and too much on the CPU of the ship (at least for a full T2 fit). Named BCUs are way too expensive, but, whatever.

5. IF in one of the steps above you ran out of grid, add Power Diagnostic(s) until all fits. If all already fits, pile up Shield Power Relays in all the remaining lows.
Note that Beta Reactor Control SPRs are identical in bonuses to T2 SPRs, but they use up less CPU. They're also a bit more expensive, but every bit of CPU might matter, so use it.

6. IF you have enough grid left for an extra LSE (I seriously doubt that, but stranger things have happened), add it.

7. COMPUTE how much your peak capacitor recharge is (2.5 * max cap / cap recharge time) with your current fit.
Depending on number of SPRs and PDSs, this could differ significantly... and then there's the skill levels too.
Add mission-specific hardeners as long as you still fit them CPU-wise and have enough peak capacitor recharge to perma-run them (-4 cap/sec for T1 invul, -3.33 cap/sec for T1 named invul, -3.2 cap/sec for T2 invul, -2 cap/sec for T1/T2 hards, -1.66 cap/sec for T1 named hards, you get the idea).

8. IF you have any leftover midslots (ideally, you should try not to have any left at this step, but what the heck), fill them up with Shield Rechargers (T2 preferably, best named ok-ish too).
DO NOT fit passive ones (resistance amplifiers).
Better use 4 named T1 mission-specific hardeners or even 3 T1 named plus a recharger than using 2 T2s and 2 resamps.
Only in extremely rare cases is using resamps acceptable for mission fits, and that is usually limited to cases where you KNOW you will be subjected to energy drain.

Thanks for the reply. I'm actually just starting into lvl 2 missions, but didn't want to build an intermediate ship and the Corax I've been using for Sisters of Eve arc is clearly not up to lvl 2! I jumped in a bought a Drake before realizing the skills listed as required really wouldn't let me fly it well, so had to train up some more. Worth it at this point to just outfit the Drake with T1 mods until I've gotten to lvl 4, then build a good Raven? I'm well on my way towards Raven skill-wise, but figure I may as well learn the Drake?

Good tip on the salvage drones. Was going to load up some Hobgoblins, but sounds like they'd be overkill on lvl 2. Since rigs can't be removed, one last big question. The guidance I copied above says to install core defense field purgers. Assuming I'm going to move to a Raven for lvl 4, will the tech 1 version of the purger work for this Drake on lvl 3 missions or should I spend extra on the tech IIs?

Don't use Drake for L2s. Use an RLML Caracal. Drake doesn't get a bonus to RLMLs.

Also, Corax should be plenty for L2s. If you're having trouble using a Corax in L2s, you need to work on your skills a bit. Or a lot.

Thanks for the all the feedback. I never put much time into my Corax. It has real basic mods and got me through the Sisters epic arc. Good to know it would handle lvl2s if I put some more thought into it. I only tried one and ran away!! As mentioned, I do indeed have the Drake hull, so going to mod that as recommended for lvl 3 and continue training towards skills for the Raven next for lvl 4.

Thanks!

We are talking here about Drake in l2 mission. L2 is not a stress test for any bc. In particular, Drake is huge overkill for l2.

Drake's tank isn't changed appreciably, it can tank level 2 with a couple hardeners and ours naive recharge.It just doesn't have the damage to do level 4s.....unless you have a LOT of time in your hands.

For level.3 it can have a relatively light tank v and take nearly no damage.