Ships & Modules

Its been 4+ years since I've played. I've spent the past 2'ish weeks reading up to get back up to speed. A lot of what I did know had been forgotten and some things have changed. I'm planning on moving into low sec into an alliance that's already in place. There are pre-made ship fits ie doctrines, but I have skill points to allow for some extra modules. I loaded up Eve Fitting Tool (what a great program) and adjusted a Manticore fit as follows:


Manticore

Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System I

Phased Weapon Navigation Array Generation Extron
Limited 1MN Afterburner I
Warp Disruptor II" slot="med slot 2"/>
Medium Azeotropic Ward Salubrity I

Prototype 'Arbalest' Torpedo Launcher
Prototype 'Arbalest' Torpedo Launcher
Prototype 'Arbalest' Torpedo Launcher
Improved Cloaking Device II
Bomb Launcher II

Small Ancillary Current Router II
Small Ancillary Current Router II

My cpu is at 398.25/412.5, and my power is at 61.54/62.82. That's stable then, right? I would want this shipfit to play Scout/Stealth Bomber. Did I figure things out right?

Also, like I said, its been 4+ yrs since I played and I guess some ship classes have changed/been redesigned? -- I have some Iteron Mark 4's (not 5's) that show up connected w/ a Miasmos blueprint if I go under the Industry tab. Should I save these as collectibles since I couldn't find any on the Regional Market?

Lastly, I know this doesn't regard Ships and Modules, but did CCP change cloning? A lot of guides out on the Net still talk about making sure that you have a clone that can hold your total number of skillpoints else you lose skillpoints... but that doesn't apply anymore, right? I can't find anywhere to buy higher grade clones.

Constructive advice would be appreciated.

Improved Cloaking Device II??????????

Ok, first, like Goldensaver already said, if there's a doctrine fit, you fly the doctrine fit unless you really know what you're doing.

You say you want to play a scout/stealth bomber. For a scout you would better use the non bomber covops frigate (in case of Caldari that would be the Buzzard), because you can fit that with a probe launcher that can use combat probes and that way you could check out enemy ships and provide warpins. Plus you could use some of the mid slots to improve scanning.

The Manticore fit itself is not very good.
Having the wrong cloaking device is already a capital blunder.

Main purpose of a stealth bomber is doing bomb runs. For that you would need more agility (different rigs plus inertia stab or nano) and should have a warp core stab. Also a MWD would be better than an AB in most cases.

Alternatively you can fly a stealth bomber with torpedoes as its main weapon. In that case you either don't need a bomb launcher at all or should at least downgrade it to T1 to save CPU and PG. However, you should try to fit T2 torpedo launchers then. And you need more tank. Get a DCII, upgrade your shield extender to T2 and try to fit an Invuln. You might need to improve PG and CPU via rigs and/or low slot mods for that (don't have EFT available on this computer, so I can't check it out). Also don't fit a target painter and a warp disruptor. Solo you don't have enough tank to survive anything and in a group it's enough if some have a TP and some others a scram or point.

Third you could fit the bomber to gank explorers. In that case you would go for light missile launchers, a scanner, MWD and scram and some tank and maybe some agility to gtfo in case you misjudged the encounter.

Btw, you should switch to another bomber, if you have the skills for it. The Manticore is one of the best looking ships in the game, imho, but unfortunately it's the worst of the four bombers (and not only because kinetic damage is the least used damage type). In general the Hound and the Purifier are the preferred bombers.

good advice. Thank you.

The cloak module was a mistake when I was moving modules back and forth to try fits.

The arbalest torp launcher is cheaper than the torp 2 launcher -- 300k vs 3.5m isk. The attributes seem the same except that the torp 2 can fire tech 2 torps, but since I'd be mostly firing Caldari Navy torps for better dmg, I see why now that the fleet doctrine goes for the arbalest.

Good point on the probe launcher. I still haven't reacquinted myself w/ probe scanning, but yeah, I overlooked fitting a probe launcher. I'm opting for a Core Probe Launcher 1 until I get better at using probes, vs risking losing a better, more expensive probe launcher and probes. I figure that I'll move up to a Core Probe Launcher 2, then a Sisters afterward. Yeah, I'll prob lose more than a few ships before I move further on up the learning curve.

I had previously watched the first of Wingspan's vids, while I was at work and it was in background while I was doing other stuff, before I was at home days later playing w/ EFT, so it didn't really hit home. I did mean to look it up again, along w/ his guide that we could get for free and decide to donate on, which is fair if I find it useful.

I did like the Caldari Navy Ballistic Control vs the Ballistic Control System 2, despite the costs of 98m vs 850k isk respectively... for a difference of 2.5% damage. I understand why the generic 2's are doctrine in a ship replacement program for a corp w/ a lot of newer and/or lesser skilled players. Maybe I should stick w/ the BCS2 for my first 6 ships, on second thought...

The Medium Azeotropic Ward Salubrity I is part of corp doctrine on all stealth bomber ship fits across the races, and it ate up power. I assumed that there was something that I didn't know about flying stealth bombers that required having that shield booster so I didn't touch it, but having it fit required me to change my rigs. I do like and agree w/ Wingspan's initial recommendation of Small Warhead Rigor Catalyst Rigs, and I like the model 2's. The cost difference between model 1 and 2's seems to be 460k vs 4.7m isk, for 5% difference in explosion radius. I think I'll equip the model 2's after my first 6 stealth bombers.

It woulda been nice to have a bomb launcher, but maybe that will come later if I even like the stealth torper/scout gameplay like I think I will. Then I might swap it out w/ the probe launcher.

I'm training up Mimitar Frigate from 2 to 5. Level 5 Mimitar Frigate will take me almost 7 days, so maybe it'll be ready in 10'ish days when I'm ready to graduate to more expensive modules ie CNBC, SWRC2, and Sisters Probe Launcher.

Again, thanks everyone for the feedback!

One note. If you are fighting small ships, use rockets.

As has been said, follow doctrine for fleets. If you are planning to go solo, you're ship can reasonably deal with
Covert Ops and their T1 variants (although they can be effective when bait fit, so check KBs before engaging)
Industrials
Miners (skiffs and procurers will be tough)
Possibly other Bombers.

If you're stretching your legs for the first time in a while, keep the fit simple and cheap.

Cov Ops Cloak II
Prototype arbalest Torps x3
Core probe launcher I

For mids, I need to adjust depending on targets. If I'm hunting relic/data hackers or PI ships, they are stabbed to high heaven so:

Warp scram II x2
Phased weapon navigation array target painter x1
Experimental AB x1

BCSII x2

Rigor rigs to help with the explorer's small sig.

You could use rockets, but torpedoes work well along the entire spectrum of ships I listed, so no need to refit highs depending on target.

That's all assuming you won't engage unwise targets, I.e. any combat capable ship, while solo.

In fact, if you want to be proficient at using a SB, hunting hacking ships is a good start. Aside from asteros, they are mostly harmless, plus you learn related skills like probing down sites, d-scanning, creating perches for sites, etc. plus if you mess up, the worst that'll happen is that they warp off leaving you empty handed.