The fit:
Arbalest Siege Missile Launcher x3
Covert Ops Cloaking Device II
Core Probe Launcher
Catalyzed Cold-Gas Arcjet Thrusters
Warp Disruptor II
Small Capacitor Booster II
Nonofibre Internal Structure II x2
Ballistic Control System II
Small Warhead Calefaction Catalyst I
Small Bay Loading Accelerator
The hunt:
It had been a bit of a depressing day, actually. I'd found a handful of targets, but something went wrong on each approach. Perhaps they finished their mission before I could creep into range. Perhaps I uncloaked myself on a wreck or structure. Different stories, but same result: no kills.
So when some of the lads found some trouble a few systems over, I was happy to head over to help them out. I was a couple of jumps off, and the fight was already under way.
We had a Cyclone and a Drake on the field to their Myrmidon and Hurricane. Going by com chatter, our Cyclone had been jumped by both the Myrm and the Hurricane, and Naoru's Drake had jumped in as support. They Myrmidon, for some reason, was called as primary. Presumably he had been first on the field.
The Cyclone tanked like a trooper, but was going down by the time I landed. I had warped in at about 30km and immediately opened fire on the Myrmidon, who was at about 20% armor. However, just after I launched (but before my torpedos hit), primary was switched to the Hurricane. This made sense, but was a pity; my torpedos stripped away most of his armor, and my second volley kept him there; since he was barely able to tank me, I suspect that the three of us would quickly have broken him.
Nevertheless, I switched targets. I had aligned to a planet that kept me near enough the fight to target each of the two BCs, so that was not a problem. Still, I need to break this down, step-by-step, because everything that happened next took no more than a few seconds.
First, I left-clicked the Hurricane on my overview. Then, I hit the "target" button, and my overview started beeping at me, indicating that I am trying to target something. As soon as the target was locked, I reengaged my torpedo launchers.
However, the beeping continued, and I realised that my autotargeting system was trying to target the drones that both ships had just sent my way. I immediately spammed my "warp" button, but nothing happened.
That's when I realised that I no longer had the celestial I'm aligned to on my HUD because I had left-clicked on the Hurricane, bringing that up instead. I quickly tried to reacquire the planet on my HUD, but at this point I was already in my pod, because an mwd bomber has just over 1k ehp.
It was over for me that fast.
2011.11.20 09:51:00
Victim: Taurean Eltanin
Corp: The Tuskers
Alliance: None
Faction: None
Destroyed: Purifier
System: Indregulle
Security: 0.2Damage Taken: 817
Involved parties:
Name: Jaxx Blackfox (laid the final blow)
Security: -1.7
Corp: The Jazz Lounge
Alliance: None
Faction: None
Ship: Myrmidon
Weapon: Hammerhead II
Damage Done: 790
Name: Jethro Winchester
Security: 1.3
Corp: The Jazz Lounge
Alliance: None
Faction: None
Ship: Hurricane
Weapon: Warrior I
Damage Done: 27
Destroyed items:
Core Probe Launcher I
Cap Booster 75, Qty: 5
Catalyzed Cold-Gas I Arcjet Thrusters
'Arbalest' Siege Missile Launcher
Covert Ops Cloaking Device II
Small Bay Loading Accelerator I
Ballistic Control System II
Nanofiber Internal Structure II
Small Warhead Calefaction Catalyst I
Caldari Navy Mjolnir Torpedo, Qty: 108 (Cargo)
Dropped items:
'Arbalest' Siege Missile Launcher, Qty: 2
Warp Disruptor II
Core Scanner Probe I, Qty: 8
Caldari Navy Mjolnir Torpedo, Qty: 39
Small Capacitor Booster II
Nanofiber Internal Structure II
Nanite Repair Paste, Qty: 51 (Cargo)
Cap Booster 75, Qty: 20 (Cargo)
Naoru was able to finish off the Hurricane and point the Myrm. We rushed to reship, but the Myrm launched some ECM drones and escaped.
2011.11.20 09:53:00
Victim: Jethro Winchester
Corp: The Jazz Lounge
Alliance: Unknown
Faction: Unknown
Destroyed: Hurricane
System: Indregulle
Security: 0.2
Damage Taken: 18296
Involved parties:
Name: Naoru Kozan (laid the final blow)
Security: -9.5
Corp: The Tuskers
Alliance: NONE
Faction: NONE
Ship: Drake
Weapon: Thunderbolt Fury Heavy Missile
Damage Done: 16759
Name: Taurean Eltanin
Security: -10.0
Corp: The Tuskers
Alliance: NONE
Faction: NONE
Ship: Capsule
Weapon: 'Arbalest' Siege Missile Launcher
Damage Done: 1537
Destroyed items:
Small Unstable Power Fluctuator I
V-M15 Braced Multispectral Shield Matrix
Warp Disruptor II
Republic Fleet EMP M, Qty: 20
Tracking Enhancer II, Qty: 2
Medium Anti-EM Screen Reinforcer I
Damage Control II
720mm 'Scout' Artillery I, Qty: 3
Medium Ancillary Current Router I
Y-T8 Overcharged Hydrocarbon I Microwarpdrive
Medium Core Defence Field Extender I
Large Shield Extender II
Republic Fleet EMP M, Qty: 880 (Cargo)
Dropped items:
Small Unstable Power Fluctuator I
Gyrostabilizer II, Qty: 3
Republic Fleet EMP M, Qty: 40
720mm 'Scout' Artillery I, Qty: 3
Warrior I (Drone Bay)
Afterthoughts:
Wow, are these bombers fragile. Granted, the timing sucked, but I should have used the right-click drop-down menu to target the Hurricane. My reactions were correct, and in time, but the process I used was a legacy of flying interceptors and assault frigates - you want your target to be on your HUD because you are constantly using your orbit/keep at range/approach buttons to control range and speed. That just does not work for tank-less bombers.
While I don't have a killmail to show for it, I was happy with the dps I was able to put on the Myrmidon, and the single volley I put on the Hurricane was decent. If I can avoid dying, I can contribute meaningful dps to a BC fight, which was one of my goals with bombers. Even if I can't solo in them, I can always fit them up for range and lob salvos at whomever Sule is kiting.
Still, I've been consistently disappointed by the lack of tank on this build, so I'll probably try the MSE fit next. I'll have to lose the mwd, but I've not really used that anyway; most of the time I'm cloaked up.
CTRL + Click on overview targets without changing your selected item and without taking as long as right clicking
ReplyDeleteSorry for the loss. Wolf suggested after that we should have primaried the cane as soon as it landed. Myrm's pack a mean active tank and he repped back up to full once the cane had gone down.
ReplyDeleteFrom my limited experience with bombers, the fits vary slightly depending on solo or fleet work.
Solo bombers have the point and a MSE for tank.
While fleet bombers have more range and EWAR for tank.
Small Hydraulic Bay Thrusters are good for extending torp range outside of gun and drone range.
There's a one-off trick every few seconds you can execute to prevent being redboxed or attacked by drones: toggle your cloak. While it does break your lock, it also breaks everyone else's lock on you while not affecting your navigation. Since you also tend to target faster than everyone else, you can make the lock and fire another volley before warping out most of the time. That trick is REALLY effective in combat if you are with a gang with non cloaky ships, and it keeps you alive quite a big longer when the hurt is coming for you.
ReplyDeleteThe Purifier works best with a tracking disrupter in the mids along with a Corelli c type mwd and I usually fit a cap booster as well but have never used it so maybe swap that out for a target painter in my next build will have to check the fit.
ReplyDeleteI usually set orbit at about 25k with mwd running and if they have warrior 2's it's best to warp out as soon as those agro.
Zandramus
Oh no! I'm finished great read. Start to finish Thank you taking the time to write this blog ^_^
ReplyDeleteI also do Solo Pvp... Wow its Tough... altho that may be my own fault...
Agreeing with Naoru, I'm a proponent of a combination of EWAR and range as the only tank on a bomber. I've honestly never found a fight I could take solo in my Purifier, but in something like what you had here I can sit at 60-70km and launch 400dps worth of Torps for days. At that range, you're exceeding drone control range, and a sensor damp in a midslot can negate a single ship such as a BS or the odd SeBo enhanced gate-camper that can still target you out that far. You need to give up your damage rigs for some Bay Thrusters, but I also roll with a dual BCS fit that more than makes up for it.
ReplyDeleteI realize this might not work with what you're using a Bomber for, but I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on how often you're using the Point you currently have equipped. I typically use mine for gang work to either scout for a larger gang where my propensity for Frigates often leaves me ill equipped to assist, or for purely as a heavy hitter with a frigate gang where 400 DPS is nothing to laugh at. What are you using/hoping to use yours for?
PS Cloaking doesn't break locks. In fact, locking breaks cloaks in that you can't cloak if you're being targeted by another ship even if the lock hasn't resolved.