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Warfare & Tactics

 
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Solo Level 4

Author
Brute Minator
Brutor Tribe
Minmatar Republic
#1 - 2013-09-17 10:15:47 UTC
Tried my luck on mt first solo level 4 yesterday, didn't go well. Lost my Typhoon! Hadn't prepared for being webbed and scrambled and by the time I realised it was far, far too late. So my question is this, what is the best Minmatar ship for level 4 solo? Do I need to go tech 3? If anyone can help me out with suggestions for a ship and fit that would be great, I've been away from the game for a while now and am only just getting used to the changes. Oh and please don't go all faction fit on me, keep it relatively affordable. Many thanks. In the mean time I shall mine a while.....
Marc Callan
Center for Advanced Studies
Gallente Federation
#2 - 2013-09-17 10:36:02 UTC
Of the Minmatar T1 battleships, your best bet is probably the Maelstrom, which can sport an impressive active shield tank and has a decent drone bay for scraping off tackle frigates. It's also adaptable to almost all mission types, if you're willing to switch out shield hardeners and swap between autocannons and artillery based on the engagement range of your foes.

What I'm posting isn't the most time-efficient setup out there, but it should be enough to start with (it assumes you've got Weapon Upgrades V, because it's tight on CPU; you can use a C5-L meta-4 booster if you come up short on CPU). As you get more confident, you can replace the DC with a third Gyro. Switch hardeners depending on what you're facing, and if you need to be mobile, pull one hardener or the boost amp in favor of an afterburner or microwarp drive, CPU and powergrid permitting. Some people like to use a cap booster as well.

[Maelstrom, 1200 Scratchpad]
Gyrostabilizer II
Gyrostabilizer II
Damage Control II
Tracking Enhancer II
Tracking Enhancer II

X-Large Shield Booster II
Thermic Dissipation Field II
Thermic Dissipation Field II
Kinetic Deflection Field II
Kinetic Deflection Field II
Shield Boost Amplifier I

1200mm Heavy 'Scout' Artillery I, Phased Plasma L
1200mm Heavy 'Scout' Artillery I, Phased Plasma L
1200mm Heavy 'Scout' Artillery I, Phased Plasma L
1200mm Heavy 'Scout' Artillery I, Phased Plasma L
1200mm Heavy 'Scout' Artillery I, Phased Plasma L
1200mm Heavy 'Scout' Artillery I, Phased Plasma L
1200mm Heavy 'Scout' Artillery I, Phased Plasma L
1200mm Heavy 'Scout' Artillery I, Phased Plasma L

Large Capacitor Control Circuit I
Large Capacitor Control Circuit I
Large Capacitor Control Circuit I

Hobgoblin II x5
Hammerhead II x5

"We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be." - Kurt Vonnegurt

Starbuck05
Abiding Ormolus
#3 - 2013-09-17 11:10:35 UTC
Any of the minmatar bs can run the lvl 4 missions,they just need to be fitted properly and to have small t2 drones to handle the frigs that web and scram you. Also its important to read up on he mission info so u know not to kill the trigger to each wave,that way u minimize incoming dps. And with time so will ur skills be better and u will start to run them more efficiently and faster. Good luck

Just because i am blond does not make me stoopid !

Degnar Oskold
Moira.
#4 - 2013-09-17 13:57:59 UTC
As an approximate rule of thumb, your ship is ready for solo Level 4s when your applied DPS and active tanking DPS (both for the type of damage relevant to the mission) sum up to 1000.
Eggs Ackley
#5 - 2013-09-17 16:37:42 UTC  |  Edited by: Eggs Ackley
Support skills all at least 4. Being able to sit in a BS does not mean you are ready for Level 4s. The Mael build above is fine.
Cage Man
Fusion Enterprises Ltd
Fraternity.
#6 - 2013-09-17 20:20:15 UTC
I would use an 800AC maelstrom with a heavy cap booster. NO fit handy as I am at work, but if I remember I'll post one later.
You should also read the mission guides to make sure you know whats coming... http://eve-survival.org/wikka.php?wakka=missionreports
If you want to make sure your fit will work, try it on the test server first.
Marc Callan
Center for Advanced Studies
Gallente Federation
#7 - 2013-09-18 08:17:41 UTC
Cage Man wrote:
I would use an 800AC maelstrom with a heavy cap booster. NO fit handy as I am at work, but if I remember I'll post one later.
You should also read the mission guides to make sure you know whats coming... http://eve-survival.org/wikka.php?wakka=missionreports
If you want to make sure your fit will work, try it on the test server first.


Definitely a good idea to read the EVE-Survival reports on the various missions. And the autocannon Maelstrom is good if you're dealing with close-range enemies, such as Angels or Mercenaries. However, the Maelstrom doesn't have the sort of range bonuses that you get from a Vargur or a Machariel; if you're up against Guristas, for example, you'll need artillery-level range. (I posted 1200's because they have better tracking and more forgiving fitting requirements; 1400's are powergrid hogs, but if you can fit them, they're really the Maelstrom's weapon of choice against long-range targets.)

"We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be." - Kurt Vonnegurt

Garviel Tarrant
Beyond Divinity Inc
Shadow Cartel
#8 - 2013-09-18 09:42:57 UTC
Pretty sure you could do lvl 4's with even the worst bs's in the game. They are really easy.

BYDI recruitment closed-ish

Brute Minator
Brutor Tribe
Minmatar Republic
#9 - 2013-09-18 10:27:21 UTC
Thanks for all your help thus far, I think I'll try the above fit but maybe mix 1200's and 800's if that's a good plan, is it?

Mariko Kitsune
Innsmouth Academy
#10 - 2013-09-18 10:42:53 UTC
Brute Minator wrote:
Thanks for all your help thus far, I think I'll try the above fit but maybe mix 1200's and 800's if that's a good plan, is it?



Never mix your weapons like that - you'll just end up being ineffective at all ranges, not effective at both.

Like others have said, take a look at what you're dealing with in the mission and then either bring artillery or autocannons depending on which will be best. And make sure to have a flight or two of small drones.

After you've trained up and made some money, think about grabbing a machariel or a vargur, then you can just slap 800mm Autocannons on and destroy everything up to about 60k away.
Ka'Narlist
Dreddit
Test Alliance Please Ignore
#11 - 2013-09-18 10:46:01 UTC
To be a little bit more precise. Look the mission up on http://eve-survival.org/wikka.php?wakka=CategoryLevel4 so you know what damage types you need to tank for and what damage to deal and fit your ship accordingly.
Brute Minator
Brutor Tribe
Minmatar Republic
#12 - 2013-09-18 11:49:11 UTC  |  Edited by: Brute Minator
Once again thanks to all, I have tweaked the above suggestions somewhat and come up with this

Gyrostabalizer II
Gyrostabalizer II
Damage Control II
Tracking Enhancer II
Tracking Enhancer II

X-Large Ancillary Shield Booster
Thermic Dissipation Amplifier II
Thermic Dissipation Amplifier II
Kinetic Deflection Amplifier II
Explosive Deflection Amplifier II
Shield Boost Amplifier II

800mm Repeating Artillery II
800mm Repeating Artillery II
800mm Repeating Artillery II
800mm Repeating Artillery II
800mm Repeating Artillery II
800mm Repeating Artillery II
800mm Repeating Artillery II
800mm Repeating Artillery II

Large Capacitor Control Circuit II
Large Core Defense Field Extender II
Large Anti-EM Screen Reinforcer II

The suggested drone payload

Gives me 75125 EHP
Cap stable
1177 ehp/s
Garviel Tarrant
Beyond Divinity Inc
Shadow Cartel
#13 - 2013-09-18 12:09:54 UTC
Brute Minator wrote:
Once again thanks to all, I have tweaked the above suggestions somewhat and come up with this

Gyrostabalizer II
Gyrostabalizer II
Damage Control II
Tracking Enhancer II
Tracking Enhancer II

X-Large Ancillary Shield Booster
Thermic Dissipation Amplifier II
Thermic Dissipation Amplifier II
Kinetic Deflection Amplifier II
Explosive Deflection Amplifier II
Shield Boost Amplifier II

800mm Repeating Artillery II
800mm Repeating Artillery II
800mm Repeating Artillery II
800mm Repeating Artillery II
800mm Repeating Artillery II
800mm Repeating Artillery II
800mm Repeating Artillery II
800mm Repeating Artillery II

Large Capacitor Control Circuit II
Large Core Defense Field Extender II
Large Anti-EM Screen Reinforcer II

The suggested drone payload

Gives me 75125 EHP
Cap stable
1177 ehp/s

Quite sure you very rarely need to tank three damage types well. (If at all, i don't mission so)

BYDI recruitment closed-ish

Marc Callan
Center for Advanced Studies
Gallente Federation
#14 - 2013-09-18 12:47:29 UTC  |  Edited by: Marc Callan
1) The CDFE rig adds to raw shield HP, which isn't the best idea for an active-tanking ship like the Maelstrom; for missioning, always try to fit resists before buffer, because improved resistances will also magnify the effect of your shield booster.

2) For maximizing mission resists, avoid using rig slots that you can't change without ripping out the rig; shield hardeners can be added or dropped between missions as needed.

3) Don't try to omni-tank a mission boat unless either you're expecting all types of damage from the mission, or you're worried about being ganked along the way. If you're confident you're only going to be facing Guristas (thermal and kinetic only), slots dedicated to pumping up EM and explosive resists are wasted.

4) Ancillary shield boosters have great numbers, but don't forget they're inoperable during their 60-second reload time; if you get hit by a fresh wave of battleships and your ASB has just started its reload cycle, you're in trouble.

"We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be." - Kurt Vonnegurt

kurage87
EVE University
Ivy League
#15 - 2013-09-18 13:13:44 UTC
1. Do not use T2 rigs.

2. ASB's are very good, but aren't really used for L4's. A Shield Amp on top of the recent buff to normal Shield Boosters on top of the hull bonus will make the rep of the XLSB very strong already, no real need to go for the XLASB.

3. The rigs themselves, go for CCC.
If you do want to keep the ASB, then damage application rigs maybe? Not really sure though, I'm a missile spammer xD

4. The hardeners, 2 for primary damage type received and 1 for secondary. So, using Marc's example of Guristas, 2 kinetic and 1 thermal. Change them out for the enemy you're facing.

5. That final mid slot can be a cap booster, a cap recharger, a web for the frigs or a tracking computer. (No idea on the fitting numbers, haven't eft'd this at all they're just solid mids)
Soldarius
Dreddit
Test Alliance Please Ignore
#16 - 2013-09-18 21:30:04 UTC  |  Edited by: Soldarius
A cruise Typhoon would work fine for level 4 missions. Here:

[Typhoon, PvE]
Large Armor Repairer II
Large Armor Repairer II
Reactive Armor Hardener
Armor Kinetic Hardener II
Armor Explosive Hardener II
Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II

Fleeting Propulsion Inhibitor I
Heavy Capacitor Booster II, Cap Booster 800
Phased Weapon Navigation Array Generation Extron
Sensor Booster II
Large Micro Jump Drive

'Arbalest' Cruise Launcher I, Mjolnir Cruise Missile
'Arbalest' Cruise Launcher I, Mjolnir Cruise Missile
'Arbalest' Cruise Launcher I, Mjolnir Cruise Missile
'Arbalest' Cruise Launcher I, Mjolnir Cruise Missile
'Arbalest' Cruise Launcher I, Mjolnir Cruise Missile
'Arbalest' Cruise Launcher I, Mjolnir Cruise Missile
Drone Link Augmentor II

Large Auxiliary Nano Pump I
Large Capacitor Control Circuit I
Large Capacitor Control Circuit I

Bouncer II x4
Warrior II x5



Here is the gist of it: Warp into mission space. Align out, MJD 100km. Pop sentries. sebo on. Start shooting. When you or your sentries start taking damage, scoop them and MJD away again. Honestly, as long as you can stay at range, which is ridiculously easy with a MJD, you don't even need tank. But if you do get caught by a fast frigate, you can abandon the sentries, pop warrior IIs, web/TP the tackler, and obliterate it. Recall warrior IIs, reconnect to sentries, resume profit-taking.

If things go really bad, you can rep ~500 raw HP for as long as you have cap charges. Honestly, you should only need to do that if you get dropped right in the middle of a massive full-aggro room with scramming frigates. Web is there for frigs that get too close. Feel free to swap hardeners as required. The Reactive Hardener is imo one of the most under-rated modules around. But if you don't like it, again you can swap it for something else that gives resists.

I'm showing 689dps out to 85km (drone control range, yo). Beyond that, you're limited to missiles only, which is still pretty good.

http://youtu.be/YVkUvmDQ3HY

Brute Minator
Brutor Tribe
Minmatar Republic
#17 - 2013-09-20 10:56:28 UTC
Thanks for this latest suggestion, I hadn't considered missiles again after my ship loss. It's an interesting fit.

This forum is a great place, thanks guys!
AKilla Sunday
EVE Corporation 98582134
#18 - 2013-09-20 11:32:37 UTC
Hello?! Anyone - AWU is PG not cpu
Brute Minator
Brutor Tribe
Minmatar Republic
#19 - 2013-09-20 11:40:33 UTC
Yes Reduces the powergrid needs of weapon turrets and launchers by 2% per skill level