Warfare & Tactics

So, I just recently managed to get my hands on a Level 3 Agent(Security) and is struggling with my very first mission using my Myrmidon. There's about 10 Cruisers and/or Battlecruisers(I really can't tell, they look like the Moa though so I assume they're Cruisers...) called "Rival Security" and they're using Missiles.

I really can't do anything, I can't use any kind of charges since they outrange and outdamage me easily. And using Drones is a no-go since as soon as I launch them, they target the drones right away and destroy them in a matter of seconds.

From what I can tell, Railguns seem to be heavily underpowered in comparison to Missiles. Considering Missiles seem to be effective at all ranges, and don't suffer from some nonsensical "falloff range" in which Railguns and Blasters do.

So, I'd like some suggestions as to what to do. I can tank a few of them nicely, but when all of them pile up on me(~10) they start getting through my tank pretty rapidly.

I'm more or less using this fit. With a Tier 2 repairer instead.

And try to not laugh at me, even though you might want to. In my entire life in EVE I've been mining and nothing else, I just decided to run missions a few weeks ago.

Thanks in advance!

I have to kill them all as well as some Repair Outpost. :(

Thanks for the advice!

2) I'm not using Projectile Turrets, I'm using Hybrid. More precisely Railguns, which I mentioned in my first post. They outrange me even when using Iron Charges...

3) I've been doing that, but sometimes they get shot at anyway. I guess not all of the enemies are shooting at me. And I was told that the Gallente drones' damage multiplier more than makes up for not having the correct damage types. I take it this is incorrect?

Also, I will be getting more hardeners after this mission. I just happen to be in one of those Systems where either nothing is for sale within 5 jumps, or it's up for 5000%+ the regional average. So, guess I'm pretty lazy =p

The drawback of using drone ships in missions is that enemy ships that don't have aggro on you will usually target the drones if they come within a certain range, meaning you have to draw full aggro. Most normal mission NPCs orbit within 40km of you, which is within falloff range of 200mm rails w/ Thorium charges (good skills.) With 5x hammerhead II's you're still doing relatively modest DPS, but it should be sufficient for level 3's.

Try the following (some suggestions already mentioned by others):

1. Consult Eve-Survival. I'm guessing this was your mission. The "recommended ship" is almost never a drone ship, but that doesn't mean drone ships can't work. I've done level 4's in Myrms / Ishtars (though I later gave it up due to low completion speed and drone aggro.)

2. Buy and fit appropriate hardeners and change other aspects of your setup as needed.

3. Determine what range you get with different ammo types and go for what hits hardest within falloff. Don't automatically default to iron charges for long range. You'll also want to buy some blasters or autocannons (autocannons preferably, if you have the skills) for missions where the NPCs orbit close and the rails can't track.

4. Since you'll need to aggro most of the NPCs anyway in order to safely launch drones, target the smaller enemy ships first. Take them out while the turret traversal is still low, and then hit them with drones if they do get close. You'll eliminate a fair portion of the enemy DPS and probably some of their EWar. I know in this mission there really aren't any frigate-sized ships, but it's still a good thing to remember.

5. In missions where for whatever reason you get lots of aggro and need to engage at range, start moving in a straight line away from the enemy once the battle starts. They'll follow you and lower traversal, increasing your chance of landing decent hits. On *some* missions this advice isn't as good, since you need to avoid enemy tracking (from Sansha ships especially), but against missile ships and short-ranged stuff it doesn't matter.

This is not the PVE section of the forums. Please post this in the correct section next time.

As much as I love the Blues, as a former member, I should still tell OP that this is by far the least efficient way to be running missions.

I used to use a Brutix myself (many years ago), and I utilized the same tactics.
To OP:
Don't do this.

If you use warping out as a deliberate tactic in missions, you're doing it seriously wrong. A properly fit mission ship does not ever have to warp out from either 3's or 4's. Can't speak to 5's but I've heard as much about them.

You might want to cross-train onto other faction ships. I'm currently training up for level 4s in a Domi droneship and it freaken blows. Mission completion times are so long, and you have to micromanage your drones. Just saying.

Drone herding is in many ways like herding cats, but given that your ship's basic damage bonus is drone-based and you should have at least drones 4 and battlecruiser 4 before even buying the hull you're flying, you should give it a go anyhow. They are in the end generally the bulk of your damage.

Try running a few level 2 missions if you're having trouble to get a feel for targeting and ranges. Not having your drones eaten is more a range problem than anything else, if you fly far enough away that your enemies rubber-band away from you their aggression will reset and they'll go after whatever fired the last shot that's in add range instead, which is usually a drone.

Another thing I'd recommend for level 3 missions specifically? Forget the heavy drone. Grab as many mediums as you can instead (get drones 5 so you can have a full set of 5 as soon as possible). Drones have the same difficulties with smaller-sized targets as guns, so a large drone has issues with medium-sized targets and couldn't hit a small target if it parked in front of the gun turret and disembarked to wash the windows for half an hour, let alone if it's flying around at thrice the speed of said drone. Ideally use Hobgoblin II drones for most missions (requires advanced gallente drones 2 skill), as the higher base damage makes them the most effective even against critters that are technically not particularly weak to thermal.