Ships & Modules

Hi All

I enjoy running missions and have just done enough to do get my first Level 4 security mission, looking for a little advice on ship and fitting.

I am Caldari and have done my previous missions with the following ships.

Level 1 : Kestrel
Level 2 : Corax
Level 3 : Drake

So as you can see I like missile boats, it suits my style and gameplay at the moment.

So I know the obvious progression for me would be the Raven but I am open to other missile boats. I haven't used Drones as of yet as well I haven't had a need to due to keeping enemies at range and killing with missiles.

Now I prefer a higher tank in case I get into trouble, especially with missions such as The Blockade where I haven't paid attention and took out triggers and ended up fighting large amounts of ships at once, I know a higher tank means less DPS but I don't mind running missions a little slower if I can survive anything.

So what are good recommendations for a ship and build for Level 4s based on the above, also listing essential skills would be good to ensure I have what is needed to fly it as I am also new to battleships.

Cheers

Alucard

you can do lvl4 in Cerberus, Tengu, Raven, Navy Raven, Golem or in Barghest. It all depends what you enjoy to fly !

Dear, dear sweet and deliciously naive friend, you're going to have to define "extreme mess up".

"Extreme Mess Up" in EVE can take many varied, esoteric and obtuse forms. There's "messing up" and then there's "{redacted} up". For simplicities sake, assume that there's absolutely nothing you can do to save yourself from a {redacted} up.

For example, are we talking about forgetting to turn on a hardener, a situation where some judiocious overheating can save the day. Or are we talking about taking the bait and shooting at that oh-so-not-at-all-suspicious Ishkur that's been having a crack at your MTU kind of 'extreme mess up'?

As I understand things, having never flown either a Raven nor a Level Four Mission, a careful pilot can indeed complete level four missions in a rather nondescript T2 fit Raven.

"Extreme Mess Ups" will get you killed, regardless what kind of ship your in. Which is why I'm going to suggest that you take some serious time on those support skills. Engineering, Navigation and Shield Tanking (since you like Caldari ships).

Good luck, have fun. If you're ever feeling pissed off at missions, ideally before you hit that point, go buy a Kestrel and shoot a random someone in the face.

Hi

Thanks for the replys.

As far as extreme mess I guess the only example I could provide is triggering all spawns in the blockade by killing the trigger ships which I did for a bit of fun in Level 3, my Drake was able to tank all of the incoming damage as long as I stayed at range for most ships.

I do have a tanked Gila that I used for some level 3s as a change from my Drake but to be honest, just don't like that ship.

Cheers

Alucard

Try Tengu with Hams...it's fun ship to fly. Plug in decent implants and it can do 1000 DPS. Also if you decide to move to Lvl 5 missions, Tengu can do them as well. Solo.

Gila, Drake, Tengu and many others are viable options for level 4 missions, they are not the best for new characters with low skills however since all of them are in some way are fairly skill intensive to make them work well. Raven is generally the better option in terms of skill costs, if you have the ISK then stepping up to the Navy Raven in many ways is a better option. The ultimate missiles based level 4 mission ship would be the Golem if you are looking at a longer term goal.

Suicide ganking was a question no one else has touched.
There are many factors that come into play when looking at this aspect, so many that it is impossible to give you any absolute ideas, with that in mind here are a few general things to keep in mind.
The busier the system or area the more likely you are to be ganked because the more people there are the more targets the gankers have to choose from.

Cost of ship and fit are factors and the more expensive the ship and the more expensive the fit (bling) the more likely you are to attract a ganking group.

Tank is another factor, it is considerably harder to gank a brick tanked marauder than it is a high DPS output CNR.

Being aware of your situation and who / what is around you and keeping up with your d-scan to look for combat probes etc are the best things you can do to keep yourself safe.

My theory is it is all pixels and as such they can all be replaced very easily so my advice is to take the usual precautions and then fly what you like and that you are willing to replace. I know players that run missions with Sisters of EvE agents in multi billion ISK ships all the time, when they lose them they simply buy and sell plex and buy another and keep going. I know other players that are extremely paranoid about being ganked so they fly the cheapest fits they can get away with and never venture into the more highly populated areas. You will have to look it all over and decide what is right for you.

A Fit could look like this:

[Raven, Serpentis Tank]
Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II
Drone Damage Amplifier II

Large Shield Booster II
Shield Boost Amplifier II
Kinetic Deflection Field II
Thermal Dissipation Field II
Thermal Dissipation Field II
Kinetic Deflection Field II
Phased Scoped Target Painter

Cruise Missile Launcher II, Scourge Cruise Missile
Cruise Missile Launcher II, Scourge Cruise Missile
Cruise Missile Launcher II, Scourge Cruise Missile
Cruise Missile Launcher II, Scourge Cruise Missile
Cruise Missile Launcher II, Scourge Cruise Missile
Cruise Missile Launcher II, Scourge Cruise Missile
Small Tractor Beam II

Large Warhead Rigor Catalyst I
Large Warhead Rigor Catalyst I
Large Warhead Flare Catalyst I

Hobgoblin II x5
Hammerhead II x5

If you have cpu-problems, change the Drone Damage Amplifier for a Nanofiber. Once you get more used to the lvl 4 missions change the fourth hardener for something else.

Hi dude,

the advantage of this fit (and of missiles in general) is that don't have to keep range. You don't have to look at tracking or optimal range. In most missions you will land at the gate or close enough to slowly move to the gate and kill everything in the meantime.

Also with the tractorbeam you can tractor in mission items or loot within 24 km range without moving.

The tank should be more than enough. Rule of thumb is that tank + gank should be 1000 with none lower than 250.

[Raven, PvE - MURDER ALL THE THINGS]

Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II
Damage Control II

Large Micro Jump Drive
Dread Guristas X-Large Shield Booster
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II
Sensor Booster II, Targeting Range Script
Missile Guidance Computer II, Missile Precision Script
Phased Scoped Target Painter

'Arbalest' Cruise Launcher I, Caldari Navy Scourge Cruise Missile
'Arbalest' Cruise Launcher I, Caldari Navy Scourge Cruise Missile
'Arbalest' Cruise Launcher I, Caldari Navy Scourge Cruise Missile
'Arbalest' Cruise Launcher I, Caldari Navy Scourge Cruise Missile
'Arbalest' Cruise Launcher I, Caldari Navy Scourge Cruise Missile
'Arbalest' Cruise Launcher I, Caldari Navy Scourge Cruise Missile
Auto Targeting System II

Large Core Defense Capacitor Safeguard I
Large Core Defense Capacitor Safeguard I
Large Warhead Calefaction Catalyst I

Hobgoblin II x5

__________________________________________

This fit is all about the range. Warp to mission, MJD out and blap. Even Blockade shouldn't be much trouble with the kind of ranges you're going to be launching from.

CNR's extra tank reallly isn't necessary for L4s. IMO, save your money.

Fair enough. I still wouldn't buy either CN ship, for me they aren't worth the price.