**edit: (clarification) 7/2/2020 7:05am
-This topic is NOT an anti-ganking topic, and anyone trying to say it is or tries to change this topic into an Ganking related topic will be reported to mods (this has already been done a couple of times).
-This topic is solely about improving the gameplay of freighters and jump-freighters, nothing more or less. The only reason Armor RIG’s appear first is they are the first you see in the fitting window, thus not the focus of the topic.
-The examples given in the topic use an Amarr freighter, only based on the fact my skills are related to Amarr, not because it’s tanking abilities.
-The goal of this topic is about how limited freighter players are in customization of these two ship classes, and IF YOU READ THE OP PROPERLY you’ll see it talks about a number possible fits.**
Please read with an open mind and remember this isn’t an anti-ganking topic.
edit end:
It’s been years since RIG slots were added, yet freighters and jump freighters are the only ship classes that still haven’t had them added yet, other than one off special ship models.
Isn’t time these were put in?
As we know the rig modules will allow for enhancements for a cost (rig mount points and isk), but they also have a counter to the positive benefits the rig module adds.
And as most know you can’t nullify these negatives, only reduce the effect with skills down to an -5% per RIG module.
If these rig slots were added, it could improve the game experience of flying these ships.
Depending on the rigs installed you can have some good fits, but you’d basically be limited to using Armour, Astronautic, Engineering and Shield RIG’s, and even in these groups there are a number of RIG’s that would be a complete waste of time installing. So anything that repair related would be almost a complete waste of time, a passive shield increase would be questionable as you’d be talking an extra 0.5-1.0 HP/s increase. Engineering RIG’s for CAP is a waste of time looking at, as you have heaps already with what you have. But CPU and Powergrid RIG’s could allow mounting of Civilian Small Armor repair module or Basic Damage Control module installation, and these would be a huge game changer even though they are the weakest modules of their types.
Armor
See also: Armor Tanking and Guide to Logistics
The downsides of armor rigs can be mitigated by training 
Armor Rigging.
| Name | Effect | Downside |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-EM Pump | Increase armor resistance to EM damage | Decreases ship’s maximum velocity |
| Anti-Explosive Pump | Increase armor resistance to explosive damage | Decreases ship’s maximum velocity |
| Anti-Kinetic Pump | Increase armor resistance to kinetic damage | Decreases ship’s maximum velocity |
| Anti-Thermal Pump | Increase armor resistance to thermal damage | Decreases ship’s maximum velocity |
| Auxillary Nano Pump | Increase amount a local armor repair module repairs per cycle | Increases armor repairer powergrid requirements (not recommended unless you can mount an small civ armor repair) |
| Nanobot Accelerator | Decrease local armor repair module cycle time[1] | Increases armor repairer powergrid requirements (not recommended unless you can mount an small civ armor repair) |
| Remote Repair Augmentor | Reduces capacitor used by remote armor repair modules | Decreases ship’s maximum velocity (not recommended) |
| Transverse Bulkhead | Increases hull hit points by a percentage | Decreases ship’s cargo capacity |
| Trimark Armor Pump | Increases armor hit points by a percentage | Decreases ship’s maximum velocity |
- ^ This is not subject to stacking penalties, despite what the rig’s description says.
Astronautic
The downsides of astronautic rigs can be mitigated by training Astronautics Rigging.
| Name | Effect | Downside |
|---|---|---|
| Auxiliary Thruster | Increase maximum velocity | Decreases armor hit points |
| Cargohold Optimization | Increases cargo capacity[1] | Decreases armor hit points |
| Dynamic Fuel Valve | Decreases the capacitor used by afterburners and microwarpdrives | not recommended |
| Engine Thermal Shielding | Increases cycle duration of afterburners and microwarpdrives | not recommended |
| Higgs Anchor [2] | Increase mass and agility while greatly reducing maximum velocity | Reduces warp velocity |
| Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizer | Increases maximum warp velocity | Increases signature radius |
| Low Friction Nozzle Joints | Increases agility | Decreases armor hit points |
| Polycarbon Engine Housing | Increases maximum velocity and agility | Decreases armor hit points |
| Warp Core Optimizer | Reduces the capacitor needs for warping | Increases signature radius |
- ^ This only affects the “normal” cargo bay, it doesn’t increase the capacity of any “special” cargo bays (e.g. ore hold, fleet hangar, etc)
- ^ Only one Higgs Anchor rig can be fit to a ship at time. Additionally, there is no Tech 2 variant of this rig.
Engineering
| Name | Effect | Downside |
|---|---|---|
| Ancillary Current Router | Increases ship’s powergrid | No downside |
| Capacitor Control Circuit | Increases ship’s capacitor recharge rate | No downside |
| Command Processor [1] | Increase the number of Command Burst modules that can be equipped to a command-capable ship | not recommended |
| Egress Port Maximizer | Decreases the capacitor use of capacitor transfer and neutraliser modules | not recommended |
| Liquid Cooled Electronics | Reduces the CPU needs of modules that require the Electronics Upgrades[2] skill | No downside |
| Powergrid Subroutine Maximizer | Decreases the CPU need for all power upgrade modules[3] | No downside |
| Processor Overclocking Unit | Increases ship’s CPU | -5% shield recharge rate[4] |
| Semiconductor Memory Cell | Increases ship’s total capacitor | No downside |
- ^ There is no Tech 2 variant of this rig.
- ^ This includes modules like Co-Processors and Signal Amplifiers.
- ^ All modules which increase a ship’s powergrid, e.g. Micro-Auxiliary Power Cores, Power Diagnostic Systems, and Reactor Control Units.
- ^ This penalty cannot be reduced.
Shield
See also: Shield Tanking
The downsides of shield rigs can be mitigated by training Shield Rigging.
| Name | Effect | Downside |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-EM Screen Reinforcer | Increase shield resistance to EM damage | Increases ship’s signature radius |
| Anti-Explosive Screen Reinforcer | Increase shield resistance to explosive damage | Increases ship’s signature radius |
| Anti-Kinetic Screen Reinforcer | Increase shield resistance to kinetic damage | Increases ship’s signature radius |
| Anti-Thermal Screen Reinforcer | Increase shield resistance to thermal damage | Increases ship’s signature radius |
| Core Defense Capacitor Safeguard | Decreases the capacitor used by modules that require the Shield Operation[1] skill | Increases ship’s signature radius*(not recommended)* |
| Core Defense Charge Economizer | Decreases powergrid use of shield upgrade modules | Increases ship’s signature radius*(not recommended)* |
| Core Defense Field Extender | Increases shield capacity | Increases ship’s signature radius |
| Core Defense Field Purger | Increases shield recharge rate | Increases ship’s signature radius |
| Core Defense Operation Solidifier | Decreases the cycle time of shield boosters | Increases ship’s signature radius*(not recommended)* |
- ^ Shield Boosters and Ancilliary Shield Boosters.
As can been seen some much needed improvements with a counter.
Looking to others thoughts and CCP’s input.
note this is to counter ideas like freighters-are-too-cost-effective-to-suicide-gank-need-hp-increase, which is suggesting increase freighters HP by x2, and another topic is suggesting adding med and high slots, both are massively overpowered boosts which would make ganking even harder were the rig option is percentage based.
Note:
I’m not suggesting any changes to the low/mid/high slot setup. And highly against adding med and high slots to these ships as this would make too much of a major change and imbalance.
edit:
Just adding RIG slots back into complement the existing lowslots and ship bonuses. To add a level of customization to these ships, to improving it’s alignment times, speed to warp, massive increase to cargo capacity, improved EHP and the ability to have EM shield Resistance (which will make some Gankers feel this topic is targeting at them) , this will make the freighters a little harder for the kill if the fit is deserving of the effort, which some I have spoken too believe would be an nice change to the current old tactic of solely EM damage attacks.
But adding RIG’s might make it harder for gankers in some areas in others it’ll make it easier, with shield RIGs, the gankers gain a larger target signature by 10%-5% **per RIG mounted, meaning near instant lock on these large ships. Armor RIG’s do the same to velocity, and Astronautical RIG’s reduces EHP by reducing armor HP. So Gankers don’t lose out on this, if anything they gain some nice bonuses as a byproduct of RIG Drawback effects.
edit end:
Just suggesting;
3 Capital RIG slots with 400.0 fitting points for the freighters
2 Capital RIG slots with 400.0 fitting points for the jump freighters
Edit (8/2/20)
(the fitting points could be reduced to 350 or even 300 for balancing perposes)
And maybe nuff the structure HP by 1/4 (or 1/3a mosts) to counter the affect of the Transverse Bulkhead offer.
Example: Providence 100,000 drop to 75,000 with 3× Transverse Bulkhead II would have 146,484 HP, with T1 versions 129,100, and still has the lose of cargo capacity.
Where currently the above without a reduced HP would get 195,312 HP with T2.
And if stacking penalties were applied as noted, the above amounts would require fitting 3× RIGs and 1-2× lowslot modules, and even with the best skills and modules installed would have at best a -35% to cargo for 3 rigs and 2 of the best lowslot modules.