Missions & Complexes

I was originally planning on using wormholes to transit into null and do some ninja-ratting, but once I got in one I looked around and thought "why not just do **** here?" So, I went out and read some guides, but I still have some concerns.

I have an Orca alt and a "nano" fit (inasmuch as that fat ****** can be nano...) with a cloak (bulkheads and DCII in the lows). Align time is bearable. If I feel safe enough bringing it into a hole and cloaking it at a safe, is it wise? It would allow me a lot more flexibility; a dedicated scanning frigate, a PvE ship, and a salvaging ship, instead of trying to make a catch-all. Plus, having cargo space is nice.

My PvE ship is a Hurricane with a decent shield omni-tank. Are ACs okay against Sleepers or should I look into Arty? Do I need an AB (cuts down on my tank)? Should I even bother with drones and, if so, Hobs or Warriors? Maybe a rail Myrm or Brutix?

I'm still a month and a half away from a T3. I know Tengus are the prefered T3 for running Sleeper sites but most of my skills are in Gunnery. So which of the other T3s would fit the bill best? I can run T2 hybrids or projectiles right now, and I can always train lasers if needed.

Thanks in advance!

If you're playing in w-space you will lose your ships ... at some time(s). An orca is a fairly significant asset to many ppl, so the loss-risk is going to need to be balanced against the benefit.

ppl do do what you're proposing, but there may be less risky, easier, and cheaper ways to achieve the same.

do-everything ships are a bit of a pain but if you're running two characters you could, instead of orca-guy and other-roles-guy, run a DPS ship and a scanner / salvager ship. The latter would be a compromise and would be a slow salvager but it would mean a thorough ganking will lose you a hundred mill not a bill.

Sleeper stuff is big-value for low-volume so, unless you are also mining and harvesting gas you're not going to need the cargo capacity of an orca.



When I first moved into C2 I used a 'cane and, while it's sorta do-able, I would not recommend it. If you can cope with lvl4 encounter missions in your 'cane you should be able to survive most C2 anoms. A/Cs apply more DPS and track better but there is often a delay as you get into range.

sleepers omni damage and omni tank, so just use whatever weapon types have best bonuses and allow you to apply best DPS. Drones help but not if you take mission-runner approach to them. You need to be very very careful with your drones, sleepers love to kill them.



There's a reason that tengu, and drakes, are so often recommended for w-space efforts ... they are way better for the role.

Like you, when I started out into w-space, I flew a moderately skilled hurricane and was pretty poor on caldari and missile skills. It didn't take me long to realise that not-so-skilled drake worked better than well-skilled 'cane.

If you're likely to be spending some time playing in w-space then I'd recommend steering your training queue towards drake / tengu, T2 HMs, T2 drones, and all-T2 fittings with decent support skills. A decent drake will be fine in C2s, and can (sort of) cope with most C3 sites, and good drake support skills are a major stepping stone towards good tengu.

Thanks for the replies and advice, this is some great information.

I think what I'll do is use the Orca for staging; I can bring along all the crap I need and day- or week-trip into a nearby hole. That way it stays in high-sec and I only have to worry about concentrated gankers.

I really want to keep my main in the gunnery skills for the moment. Fortunately, my Orca alt can fly a Drake in L4s (T2 fit all around) and is actually closer to a Tengu than my main is to a T3, so I'll just do a "role-reversal" on my accounts. Besides, my main has better exploration skills.

This looks like a case of "You could do it that way, but why, especially when you already have the tools?" Thanks again.

If I make enough money doing this I'll definitely look into a Vaga, thanks.

When I ran around doing C1s/C2s in a Cane, I used an AB Arty Fit. Sounds weird but I found it to be pretty effective as it allowed you to get a bit of speed/signature tanking in (As much as a 314m sig tank can well, sigtank). But, keep the range open at 20-25 km.

Also, you can use Drones as bait magnets. A bunch of Warriors have the wtfspeed to absorb quite a bit of sleeper fire as long as you keep them moving from target to target.

Don't expect them to survive long tho.

Day tripping isn't any more dangerous than the many WH corps who farm their static WH. The big key difference is every K162 you find from K space is gonna likely be an active WH that the residents opened at some point.

I am guessing the C2/C3 comment is more likely because C2 and C3 WH's are probably the most widely lived in. So you are more likely to come up against the residents of that WH when daytripping.

Orca works but I would go out of my way to destroy it for laughs.

Keep the Orca out of the WH's as I believe My Fenrir is more agile than my Orca with 2 Inert Stabs II. Everyone and their mother will make a temporary truce to kill that thing.

Go on day trips in C1's to get your feet wet and get used to losing ships and scanning. Scanning is the one thing that can really burn you out of WH life.

I'd suggest a Cane in C1's over a Drake because the sig is so big on a Drake you mind as well broadcast where you are to the scanner because it would be harder for him to find you that way than with probes. Get used to the incoming HIC as a T3 decloaks and scrambles you. Then you have the small problem of people camping the hole for day trippers. You'll want to set up in a quiet part of HS/LS to avoid such things.

AC's will have trouble with the cruisers who like to hang at 30-40KMs out.

You can also just camp the WH with a small bubble to get scanners and haulers as they go to exit the WH. You might get some nice stuff and a few pods that way.

A Noctis is also perfectly capable of performing support in WH trips, and can carry tons of ammo into the system with you. Highly recommended if you want to upgrade from a cheap and cheerful destroyer sidekick.