As I did some zKillboard research, this does seem to be the standard Rook fit, but I still don’t think it’s good at all. With such weak EWAR, I think you’re better off just flying a Cerb and forgetting the EWAR altogether.
Conceptually, I do like this idea, but the individual jammers would have to get stronger, but with stronger jammers, there would have to be some reason why you can’t do an all-in setup. A hard limit may be the easiest way to do it.
Basically, think of an Orthrus that’s being outrum. It turns on its defensive scram and the pursuing ship slows down as its MWD turns off. The same thing happens with the Curse, except the defensive scram is the nuets, which turn off the MWD and tackle.
I’ve actually seen the sniper-nuet Curse in action and it wasn’t really that good. Only having one nuet made it vulnerable to numbers and cap boosters.
Regarding the ECM stuff you’ve said, I disagree. It needs to be less of an all-or-nothing kind of thing, not more.
The impact of landing ECM is arguable. If you’re in a ranged boat, getting your optimal disrupted or getting your lock range damped is the same for all intents and purposes as ECM… and they have 100% uptime. Yet, ECM also offers effectiveness at any range (with the cost of RNG), so it’s effective against brawlers and tackle that would otherwise be easily able to ignore both of those.
By making ECM less likely to land but giving the ECM boats tank (and hopefully spank, like the Rook) you bring them because “it’s super-awesome when they land”, but yet, when they miss (and they will) you don’t lose your ship, you just shrug and wait for the next cycle. You’re still doing DPS, you’re still catching reps to stay on-grid and in the fight.
Regarding Rook VS Cerb, it depends. A HAM Cerb has a 0% chance of shutting down a scimitar. The Rook has a non-zero chance. Not gonna lie… if I had the ability to say “we’re taking a fleet of these out” and bring 50-100 HAM rooks, each with 1 or 2 multispec and full buffer fits (with scimitars of course) I totally would. Hostile logistics would be effectively zero, which would utterly WRECK a cerb fleet if you got it tackled and into HAM range. With or without their ADCs, you’d have logistics and they wouldn’t.
So while Cerbs have more tank and spank, the Rook has utility. I think it could use slightly more tank, but ultimately, that utility COULD have a significant impact if it’s used effectively.
I think you and I are pretty close on what we’d like to see. Both of us would like to see Rooks fit a solid tank with a few ECM modules.
Personally, I’d deemphasize DPS for EWAR range, because I think Cerbs shooting at 120km combined with Rooks jamming at 120km would be better and more interesting than a shorter range one-size-fits-all Rook. If the EWAR with 2-3 modules is oppressive, you could always reduce the Rook’s ECM strength bonus to 20% or something. Also, if you don’t want the Rook to be useless DPS-wise when working with a long range fleet, you could eliminate the missile damage bonus, but keep the missile velocity bonus. This would allow it to have poor, but still some DPS at the ranges that HAC, battlecruiser etc. fleets tend to operate at.
Yea, I dunno… speaking purely of the Rook’s ECM strength I think it’s in a great place. It definitely won’t perma-jam anything. The range, which is what you’re interested in, feels too cheap to me.
I do agree 100% that it doesn’t line up well with the Caldari HAC range, as both the eagle and cerb can hit out WAY farther… but honestly, even something like RSD with its insanely long range will be well outside of optimal. The Cerb as a particular case doesn’t really line up with any ewar, save for defensive measures (defensive webs on closing tackle for example). Within a defensive context, the Rook performs nicely. Slap some RLMLs on it for support fire and we’re ready to cook with gas.
The Sacrilige, on the other hand, would pair VERY nicely with the Rook (assuming they were both the same kind of buffer lol). Throw a rack of ham in your sac (god that sounds funny) and they’d both be operating at around the Rook’s ewar optimal range.
I’d like to see ALL of the ECM boats function that way. Griffin, GNI, Blackbird, Falcon, Rook, and Widow:
Griffin being long range, GNI being short range (both tanky enough to stay on grid, but less effective at jamming than they are now)
Blackbird being about as tanky as a Caracal, with roughly the same ECM projection range as an HML fit and enough strength to “reasonably” jam T1 cruisers
Falcon trading DPS for ECM range (ideal for dealing with carriers), Falcon trading the long range ECM for DPS, both of them being about as tanky as the Rook currently is.
Perhaps, but that’s also assuming the makeup of whatever group, or lack of, you’re with is. Hence the worth the sacrifice part. Granted, it’s also the same reason the EAFs are often used in favor of the Combat Recon’s ewar role. More likely to escape unwanted attention, and far cheaper for the times they dont.
I guess it depends on the recon ship. As it stands, most people recognize what the amarr and Caldari recons do as the are common, however your average player may not know of the other 2.
Same with EAFs. Bring out a Sentinel or kitsune and your sure to be targeted.
(At least in my experience)
I think that may depend on what sort of space you’re in. If you’re part of a large power out in null, most people know what Huginn is and what it’s used for, though they may be less familiar with the Curse or Rook.