Ships & Modules

I tested HAMs vs RMLs. I used a Cerberus with 3 BDUs plus the launcher types. Nothing on the Cerb will change except the launcher. Ammo will be Caldari Navy light missiles, and Caldari Navy heavy missiles.

I will post combat log, and other toons date of birth. Ships fit will stay the same for both missile types.

HAMs 617.3 DPS
Rate of Fire - 2.5sec
Explosion Radius - 88m
Explosion Velocity - 160.59m/sec

RMLs 340 DPS
Rate of Fire - 3.7sec
Explosion Radius - 28m
Explosion Velocity - 270.3m/sec

Test pilot 2007-10-10, Armor pilot - 2007-01-21, Shield pilot - 2008-11-23

RMLs -
against Cerberus - MWD on - 05:38:08 Combat 228 to Badden Powell[FUDY](Cerberus) - Caldari Navy Scourge Light Missile - Hits
MWD Off - 05:38:08 Combat 228 to Badden Powell[FUDY](Cerberus) - Caldari Navy Scourge Light Missile - Hits

against Thorax - MWD on - 05:53:51 Combat 566 to aduron - Caldari Navy Scourge Light Missile - Hits
MWD off - 05:54:01 Combat 567 to aduron - Caldari Navy Scourge Light Missile - Hits

against Ishtar - MWD on - 05:58:22 Combat 186 to aduron - Caldari Navy Scourge Light Missile - Hits
MWD off - 05:58:22 Combat 186 to aduron - Caldari Navy Scourge Light Missile - Hits

against Stabber - MWD on - 06:02:23 Combat 455 to Badden Powell[FUDY](Stabber) - Caldari Navy Scourge Light Missile - Hits
MWD off - 06:02:23 Combat 455 to Badden Powell[FUDY](Stabber) - Caldari Navy Scourge Light Missile - Hits

against Gila - MWD on - 06:07:25 Combat 366 to aduron - Caldari Navy Scourge Light Missile - Hits
MWD off - 06:07:25 Combat 366 to aduron - Caldari Navy Scourge Light Missile - Hits

against Phantasm - MWD on - 06:09:29 Combat 455 to Badden Powell[FUDY](Phantasm) - Caldari Navy Scourge Light Missile - Hits
MWD off - 06:09:29 Combat 455 to Badden Powell[FUDY](Phantasm) - Caldari Navy Scourge Light Missile - Hits

HAMs -
against Thorax - MWD on 06:15:50 Combat 511 to aduron - Caldari Navy Scourge Heavy Assault Missile - Hits
MWD off - 06:15:50 Combat 511 to aduron - Caldari Navy Scourge Heavy Assault Missile - Hits

against Phantasm - MWD on - 06:15:50 Combat 511 to aduron - Caldari Navy Scourge Heavy Assault Missile - Hits
MWD off - 06:15:50 Combat 511 to aduron - Caldari Navy Scourge Heavy Assault Missile - Hits

against Ishtar - MWD on - 06:22:01 Combat175 to aduron - Caldari Navy Scourge Heavy Assault Missile - Hits
MWD off - 06:22:32 Combat 188 to aduron - Caldari Navy Scourge Heavy Assault Missile - Hits

against Stabber - MWD on - 06:24:19 Combat 297 to Badden Powell[FUDY](Stabber) - Caldari Navy Scourge Heavy Assault Missile - Hits
MWD off - 06:25:18 Combat 316 to Badden Powell[FUDY](Stabber) - Caldari Navy Scourge Heavy Assault Missile - Hits

against Gila - MWD on - 06:28:13 Combat 755 to aduron - Caldari Navy Scourge Heavy Assault Missile - Hits
MWD off - 06:28:40 Combat 443 to aduron - Caldari Navy Scourge Heavy Assault Missile - Hits

against Cerberus - MWD on - 06:32:39 Combat 192 to Badden Powell[FUDY](Cerberus) - Caldari Navy Scourge Heavy Assault Missile - Hits
MWD off - 06:41:01 Combat 275 to Badden Powell[FUDY](Cerberus) - Caldari Navy Scourge Heavy Assault Missile - Hits

Intereting RMLs won against T1s, HAMs won against faction, and with a MWD RMLs won slightly, but also need to take in account the HAMs firing 1.2sec faster. But with MWD off the HAMs won against HACs. Wow did not see that. also this was tested on the regular EVE server, not the test server. I wasn't right out everything but I wasn't wrong about everything either, neither was Chessur.

I'd say against T1 cruisers HAMs will take a bit longer to kill them but shouldn't be an issue. Against faction cruisers they are very much the choice, and HACs they work pretty much just as good. What this shows to me, is HAMs either perform as good, or right around the same area as RMLs against cruisers, against faction cruisers HAMs rock.. Now against destroyers or frigates you will need to put a rigor or TP on, or just allow your tank to help out your attack but they won't be much an issue against HAM cruisers or bigger. To me this proves RMLs aren't OP at all and adding the .40sec reload and less ammo is BS. This was an interesting test, and depending on how faction ships get rebalanced will depend if HAMs will still be so effective against them. As rapids are going to be close to worthless with a 40sec reload, this test really didn't matter all that much. All I can hope is CCP sees it and takes it into account. mostly it shows if you use a scram use HAMs, disrutpor use RMLs haha.

I also said make rapid rockets and HAMs if range was part of the issue.

Also, I think a lot of people complaining about the RLML changes are forgetting they can still use LMs. The damage is much less, but the playstyle is still there.

Just to chip in my 2 cents to the Stabber vs. other T1 cruisers, yes, I do think nano Omen or Caracal are better kiting ships, but one thing that Stabber has going for it is it's very forgiving to new players learning to kite, and that is mainly for the cap issue.

New players first starting to learn kiting tactics tend to use MWD more often than they would actually need, and often run into cap problem from running MWD too much. Nano Omen, if the cap & MWD cycle aren't managed very well, is very easy to cap out and run into all sorts of problems. Sure, it is a better kiting ship in experienced hands, but Stabber with its capless weapons, while doing crap damage, is much much easier to fly and manage for new players and get a feel for kiting tactic.

Most importantly though, due to nostalgia or whatever, Stabber will always have something 'yarr!' about it for me. ;)