Ships & Modules

He's quite right. Posting something like "if you know how to fly -X- you'll always win" is about as helpful as a hangnail. You think you "know how to fly" something? Prove it, and educate those that don't/don't think they can.

There was nothing malicious behind my response to Alara IonStorm. I just had no interest in broader issues. Which was in Alara IonStorm's post. Didn't want this thread to turn into one of those. I wanted solutions players could put in effect threw fittings and not possible changes applied by CCP.

So I was interested in out of the box setups or setups that are still viable.

In anycase. Clearly there's not much out there in terms of viable setups left for the Rifter. @tleast versus the Punisher, Incursus and Merlin.

The argument around the response of both pilots is a strange one. Considering we did not escalate into harsh words...


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The rifter has versatility on its side. It has the speed and range flexibility to control a fight, kite, or disengage as necessary. It can also fit a nos, which makes it suitable for engaging things larger than frigates. Nobody really knows what to expect out of it.

It's the best frigate if you're blindly roaming and don't know what you might engage. You can adapt to different situations. Fighting a cruiser? Orbit close, NOS, shoot drones. Fighting an incursus? Load barrage, web, kite at the edge of scram range. Fighting a Punisher? Get close and use your superior tracking to your advantage.

It's not excellent at any one role, but that's a fair price to pay for being able to perform every role.

While the Rifter is slightly faster when both are AB fit, i can fit a Long Point on an Incursus alongside a MWD without downgrading my Guns. It's fair to say an Incursus can dictate range in neutral circumstances. If the Rifter pilot gets the drop, sure, but this is basically EFTWarrioring.

That aside i haven't had too much trouble hitting targets at 9km with Void anyway, assuming i fit a TE, which i usually do, plus the Drone is worth its weight in Gold for an Incursus. (Edit: i just realized i also fit an Optimal Rig, since it's all that was available.)

A Rifter can do it, it's just that aside from maintaining point under Cap pressure (A role soon to be taken over by other Frigates), everything a Rifter can do a Merlin or Incursus does it better.

Well, I have no Merlin setup that can defeat a dual armor repair Incursus; I do have a Rifter setup that can. Once someone starts flying a Incursus with a 200mm plate, armor repair + Neutron blasters things become difficult...

I do believe the Rifter isn't far from the Incursus in terms of effectiveness.

I don't even like the Incursus anymore. I've engaged a few Thrashers with it on purpose, just to see what's possible. Doesn't take much capacitor warfare to ruin an incursus and while I can run 1 armor repair while being effected by a neutralizer. It's not enough. The Incursus range with Ions is also pretty terrible. Mind you I have never used a setup only geared towards defense with no damage modules like the one below. I've been told it can tank a Thrashers damage with 1 armor repair if the Thrasher is using explosive damage.

Incursus
Small Armor Repairer II
Small Armor Repairer II
Damage Control II
Prototype Armor Explosive Hardener I

Faint Epsilon Warp Scrambler I
Limited 1MN MicroWarpdrive I
Small Capacitor Booster II, Cap Booster 25

Light Ion Blaster II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S
Light Ion Blaster II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S
Light Ion Blaster II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S

Small Auxiliary Nano Pump I
Small Auxiliary Nano Pump I
Small Nanobot Accelerator I

So, tier 4 frigates seem to be balanced with one another. One of these ships can defeat another ships optimum setup.


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I've been looking for a similar fit, OP, trying to find something that can give you reasonable chances against the other t1 buffed frigs in a brawl and this is what I've come up with to try:

[Rifter, Hellshard]
Small Armor Repairer II
200mm Reinforced Rolled Tungsten Plates I
Damage Control II

Warp Scrambler II
Fleeting Propulsion Inhibitor I
1MN Afterburner II

200mm AutoCannon II, Barrage S
200mm AutoCannon II, Barrage S
Rocket Launcher II, Caldari Navy Mjolnir Rocket
200mm AutoCannon II, Barrage S

Small Projectile Ambit Extension I
Small Projectile Ambit Extension I
Small Projectile Burst Aerator I


It's faster than a shield fit Merlin and a solidly armor-tanked Incursus or Punisher, so the idea is to use your speed to sit out around 8-8.5km and pick away at them.

You're looking at 129dps with heat (barrage for better damage projection at that range), 1103m/s and a bit of rep to try to mitigate the bit of damage you'll be receiving. The idea would be to outlast them, mitigating their damage by using your falloff and speed. Except with a punisher, where you'd try to get in close and out track it.

I took it out last night but didn't find anyone to try it on yet, but seems like it'd be worth a shot.

What would you use other than 3x 200mm and a rocket launcher? You won't be in range for nos/neut unless you're using deadspace.

As for the DC, you're right, you could drop it for a Gyro or a TE for much better damage projection, but you'd probably be in trouble if the fight doesn't start at range.

Nos/Neut is exactly what I use for the 4th high slot.

Personally, I have never seen the value in AC rifter fits. Autocannons have such a short range that it puts you in that hellish nightmare of webs and death. Toss some artillery on it and kite your prey. always have done this and always had success.

Idiots now in their blaster merlins try to get in close and orbit you, boat out to 15k and snipe them to death. Use your ships speed and fitting ability to its advantage.

^what this guy said... write that **** down.