Missions & Complexes

dude, did you even read the respective postings?

beyond optimal range, the hit-quality decreases continously until beyond fall-off limits. when you increase your optimal, you shift the declining curve of hit-quality farther away from you. meaning: you will get better hits over a larger distance.

since the ACs already have good tracking, you do not need to increase tracking. as long as the guns can keep up with your targets speed, why would you need more tracking on your guns? it's wasted. it is of no use if the guns can rotate faster then you target is circulating around you. of course, with fast targets you'll want even more tracking, but you'll also want to kill them asap anyway on their way towards you. and there you won't need tracking again.

the contrary is true for tachyon lasers (for example) where increasing optimal is not as essential as increasing tracking speed, since optimal is already good while tracking is beyond terrible.

This.

A standard mission fit Mach already has 3 TE's in the lows. A TC with optimal script gives you a paltry extra 0.2km on optimal. That does not, and never will, increase the dps curve for you to ever be applying significantly more damage in falloff. This is a common problem for pilots who first start using a Mach and haven't used projectile turrets before. Understanding the dps curve in falloff is never more important than at this point.

If you have to fit a TC, use a tracking script. Even after the 3xTE stacking penalty, you still get a significant wadge of the TC's 30% bonus.

That said, it's worth mentioning that the many varied Mach fits play to different styles of missioning. Some like to sit & pew. Others like to burn about, cruiser-style, and get close.

Experiment with your fit, based on your own (Tengu-stlye?) method of play. The Mach (& Nighmare) are, for me anyway, the fastest missioning boats in the game.

With a Mach, Angels are your best prey, period.

If you want to shoot other baddies, its really the methodology as much as the fit.

1. You can instapop frigs and destroyers that are pretty far out. If there is a group of many ships, pop the little ones while the BS's slowboat in. Its angular velocity that makes you miss. a frig/dessie/cruiser headed strait at you is dead meat.

2. Get sentry II's. Run 4 of them and 5 mission appropriate light drones.

3. You can run 2 f-90's with tracking scripts for serpentis easily.

4. Make sure you have the correct ammo type for the mission, and of course drones.

Getting close is the key. For a 4.23+69.1km optimal/falloff gun, and ignoring tracking, being 10km closer will increase your effective DPS by ~10.5%.

Ignoring tracking, you're looking at doing the following effective DPS at various ranges:
* at 100km - 38.3% of max DPS
* at 90km - 42.3%
* at 80km - 46.8%
* at 70km - 51.7%
* at 60km - 57.2%
* at 50km - 63.2%
* at 40km - 69.9%
* at 30km - 85.4%
* at 20km - 94.4%

The Mach is great because it has the speed to close the range quickly, especially if you fit an MWD. Speed -> reduces falloff -> increase effective DPS.

OTOH, if you just sit there in a Mach and deploy four sentries and let the NPCs come to you, hrmm... where's my spreadsheet?


edit: http://wiki.eve-id.net/Tracking (includes falloff)

Why would you not use T2 ammo? cost or damage type? The DPS difference is huge between standard and T2

Speedtank the Mach, use a good Afterburner. a Webifier is better for those rats who are automatically travel into a below 15km range and the speed of the AB assures that you can speedtank a good amount of the damage.

Don't fly the ship like a Raven with projectile turrets and you will see it shine.

Also with Ammo with Phased Plasma, Fusion or EMP you have a good selection for all types of rats.

first problem... you are trying to take stuff out at 60k with autocannons...

Use fusion ammo for angels, phased plasma for serpentis.

Typically what I do is burn AWAY from the rats so they follow me in a nice line, this is called kiting. This reduces their transversal velocity and makes them easier to hit and does more damage to them.

Targets frigs first and then work your way up with small guys to the bigguns. If you are going after battleships, get up next to them and stop your ship. You moving and them moving makes you hit for less damage.

Honestly if you have any kind of tracking computer on a mach you are an idiot....


Here's how you don't fail fit a mach.

highs: all 800mm AC + drone link augmentor
mids: XL shield booster (get a Gist-X you poor bastard), 2x Invul II's, as many mission specific damage hardners as can fit.
Lows: 3 gyro II's, 3 TE II's, DC II

If you do it any other way for mission running you are ********! The only exception is swapping out a hardner or Invul for a AB. Speed tanking a mach is super easy and very effective. Can easily swap out that XL for a L booster and be cap stable.

t2 800mm x 7

Invulfield t2 x 2
100mn t2 after burner
t2 extra large shield booster( gist b type x-large is what i ended up using)
1 slot for what ever + target painter, shield boost amp, cap recharger,
I use a hardner of choice.

4 gyros t2
3 tracking enchancers t2

large capacitor control ciruits x 3

warp to missions and kill frigs and cruisers with small drones( or you can be instapopping them with your guns)
use med drones for Bc and up along with your guns.
Orbit Primary target @ 10- 15 km
Just remember that when you have the rat going through 50% armour to select your next target to orbit and have your drones already approaching the new target.

Cap doesnt last long with the shield booster but using the afterburner to orbit i find i hardly got below 50% shields.
I always use t1 ammo.
I have used this fit in the assault and in the angels bonus room to great affect.

Speed is the way to go with the mach ,, get in close and forget about al this fall off crap. @ 550ms it doesnt take long to get anywhere..
Hope this helps..