Thursday, March 20, 2014

I am taken by a mad fit and hop out of frigates and into a Catalyst!

[Catalyst, Zappity’s Ions]
Damage Control II
Magnetic Field Stabilizer II
Tracking Enhancer II

Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I
Initiated Harmonic Warp Scrambler I

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

Small Hybrid Locus Coordinator I
Small Hybrid Collision Accelerator I
Small Hybrid Ambit Extension I

I don't have a clue whether this is a good fit or not but I'll explain my thinking behind it. I tend not to pay too much attention to battleclinic etc - half the fun is coming up with something that actually works.

The DPS is good at about 380 with CNAM unheated (420 Void) but this is of dubious value if you can't actually apply it to your target. So the idea is to approach under overheated MWD, shut down their own MWD with the scram at about the same time they presumably do the same to me, and coast into a turret range that is somewhat extended by the TE and rigs. The rigs also mean that Null has fairly decent DPS (300) out to the edge of a T2 (but not faction or linked) scram.

Weaknesses? Many and varied. No web, no active tank. No passive tank for that matter aside from the DCII. Would easily be kitescrubbed to death by ANY frigate with a long point and some agility. No way to hit a faction/linked scram. The list goes on but let's have a go anyway.

There are only miserable T1 frigate farmers in this system so let's head north. In the next system I spot a Thrasher in a Medium plex with a Corax somewhere else on dscan. I don't think they are in the same corp, not that I would matter much for a test flight.

I warp in and go for the Thrasher who is sitting about 20 off the beacon. Probably arty fit. But before I get close enough he warps away. I think he was aligned and just waiting to get an ID on the intruder. Or just not paying as much attention as he should.

As I am wandering back towards the beacon I spot the Corax on short scan. Just as good! I wait on the beacon for the ship to come sailing in. He lands only a couple of kilometres away but I still give it the Catalyst a single MWD cycle to get underway. We scram each other simultaneously but my momentum is good enough to coast me on top of him. He gets me to low armour before my overheated CNAM breaks him apart:

http://eve.battleclinic.com/killboard/killmail.php?id=20848834

He didn't give a gf in local because I podded him. Which I suppose is a reasonable excuse.

http://eve.battleclinic.com/killboard/killmail.php?id=20848833

I don't know why such an old character didn't warp his pod out in time. Dessies don't exactly lock fast, not compared to frigates anyway. Maybe it was just lag but I didn't feel like chatting so he got the express. My turn will come ;)

I loot the wreck and bounce off my safe to soak up the weapons timer before docking. Repairs finished, I immediately undock and see the Thrasher back in the plex!

I warp in (of course) and use overheated MWD to eat up the 15 km that lie between us. I wait a couple of seconds before starting to lock him, a lesson I have learned from farmers. If they happen to be distracted then an early lock will pull their attention back just a little sooner than needed. With blaster DPS the extra second or two can make the difference, even with stabs fitted.

I coast into falloff before activating the guns and as I push into optimal he quickly melts. Yes, he was arty fit:

Thrasher: http://eve.battleclinic.com/killboard/killmail.php?id=20848832

And yes, apparently he was watching the other screen according to local. That'll teach him!

Downtime is coming up so I dock and consider the ship. The Catalyst is good for a bit of fun but I don't think it is a serious solo ship. It lacks the flexibility that the extra mid slot would provide. I think I’ll have a look at the Cormorant next.

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