Learning to Survive

Exploration Gameplay Center Known Space
1

Hi All,

As I am just 2 days away from completing the training for my first Astero I need some support. Up till now I have been flying a Probe, outfitted for scanning and hacking, and whenever I’ve been under attack I’ve just tried to run (futilely in 99% of the cases). With the Astero I’ll be including a weapon for the first time ( Dual Light Beam Laser 1) and need to learn some combat. What I’d like to do is over the next few days, practice with a Probe fitted with the same laser weapon, not minding if I’m dying … but at least getting some practice. Specifically what I’m asking it:

  1. Where is the best place/way to start with basics weapons practice (did the intro missions but that’s it).
  2. Would like to be able to play scenarios where I’m ambushed, to simulate what would happen whilst hacking, or run into a WH gate ambush
  3. Scenarios where I could use and practice with Drones
  4. Suggestions on Augments that I might consider to help me in these situations
  5. Finally, what skills I might consider adding, incrementing (Current Skills levels below).

I know this is a lot in one go, and deeply appreciate any and all suggestions!

T’ral Vsengne

Armor
IV Hull Upgrades
III Mechanics
III Repair Systems

Drones
I Advanced Drone Avionics
I Drone Avionics
IV Drone Navigation
V Drones
I Light Drone Operation

Electronic Systems
III Cloaking
IV Electronic Warfare
I Propulsion Jamming

Engineering
III Capacitor Management
III Capacitor Systems Operation
IV CPU Management
III Electronics Upgrades
I Energy Grid Upgrades
IV Power Grid Management
I Thermodynamics
II Weapon Upgrades

Gunnery
II Controlled Bursts
IV Gunnery
III Motion Prediction
II Rapid Firing
II Sharpshooter
I Small Energy Turret
I Small Hybrid Turret
I Small Projectile Turret
I Surgical Strike
I Trajectory Analysis

Missiles
I Missile Launcher Operation

Navigation
III Afterburner
III Evasive Maneuvering
I High Speed Maneuvering
IV Navigation
III Warp Drive Operation

Neural Enhancement
III Cybernetics

Scanning
III Archaeology
III Astrometric Acquisition
III Astrometric Rangefinding
III Astrometrics
III Hacking
III Survey

Shields
II Shield Emission Systems
III Shield Management
III Shield Upgrades
I Tactical Shield Manipulation

Spaceship Command
III Amarr Frigate
III Gallente Frigate
I Mining Frigate
II Minmatar Destroyer
IV Minmatar Frigate
I Minmatar Industrial
IV Spaceship Command

Targeting
II Long Range Targeting
II Signature Analysis
III Target Management

1 Like
2

o/

  1. i think that astero often use drones rather than lasers.
  2. if you want to practice, my best advice is: go to Sisi, the test server, with a friend
4 Likes
3

A gun on an Astero? What do you leave out? The cloak or your Core Probe Launcher? Do you plan to do uncloaked exploration? That would be a waste of this hull, in my opinion. The Astero without the ability to warp cloaked… sounds not like something to strive for.

Combat Anomalies, PvE. To learn the ropes.

I won’t be the same if you do this with a friend on the test server, but probably as close as you will get.
But consider this: Someone who is ambushing you while you are hacking thinks he has at least as decent chance to kill you. So you will exclusively end up in situations where you are in a worse position to fight than your attacker. I recommend to read in this thread:

Combat Anomalies is the answer again. An Astero can probably do nearly all of the ones you find in highsec - if you use drones and stay at range to the NPCs. You don’t want to brawl with an Astero in pve, usually.

Augments? You mean Implants?

Cloaking IV, so you can use a Covert Ops Cloaking Device II that will allow you to warp cloaked.

Train those as high as you like. These are skills that will benefit nearly every ship in the game: The Magic 14 - EVE University Wiki

2 Likes
4

Plan to have a Mobile depot and swap out the scanner for the gun prior to going into the sites to hack

Yes … sorry …

Thats already in my training plan for my v2 of the fit :slight_smile:

Thanks for the pointer to the other threead … will check it out!

5

Will you hack a can, while waiting for a fight in an Astero which you refitted with a gun? How do you know who and how many will show up?
Pick your own fights instead. Nobody guarantees a fair fight to you, and you shall also not expect it.

Don’t swap probe launcher for a gun on the Astero before you warp into site to hack. It’s like a very strange chess move which has stonger alternatives.

Here is an example of one possible ninja hacking fit. It is excellent for hacking, scanning, travel and getting out of troubles.

[Astero, Explorer]

Damage Control II
Inertial Stabilizers II
Nanofiber Internal Structure II
Nanofiber Internal Structure II

5MN Quad LiF Restrained Microwarpdrive
Scan Rangefinding Array II
Data Analyzer II
Relic Analyzer II

Sisters Core Probe Launcher, Sisters Core Scanner Probe
Covert Ops Cloaking Device II

Small Gravity Capacitor Upgrade II
Small Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizer I
[Empty Rig slot]

Hobgoblin II x5
Hornet EC-300 x10

Nanite Repair Paste x20
Core Scanner Probe I x8
Sisters Core Scanner Probe x8

Astero also has decent combat fits, but I will not link them. You shouldn’t learn in them, because it could get expensive and then you will only be dissapointed. You should know how to fit ship before you use it.

Looking at the Probes which you lost, I would recommend to practice more in it. Even the basic rusty Probe with aligh under 3 is very difficult to catch if you are vigilant.

2 Likes
6

My final base fit for my Astero was something similar to the above, some of them will come later as I get the skills (level II on the analyzers). One thing I did not see was a cargo scanner. I would think checking the can before I spend precious time uncloacked hacking to make sure it is worth the effort would be a good thing … no? …and I do have some questions on certain pieces …

  • What benefit does ‘Small Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizer I’ give me?
  • What is ‘Nanite Repair Paste x20’ in the cargo for?
  • Why the two probe types?

Finally a generic question on Drones … how ahould I be using them? Should I have them launched while I am hacking the sites? Or do I launch them at first sign of trouble?

Appreciate the comment as to going in for combat when I do not know what is coming after me … does not make sense you are correct.

7

Cargo scaner. Some people use it, some don’t. It’s more a matter of personal preference. I like the surprise after hacking the can, seeing what is in it. And once you fail twice and the can will explode you will never know what was inside. Cargo scanner is up to you.

I did’t put it in the fit because I didn’t want to sacrifice 1 mid slot for it. You will speed-hack the containers anyway and the scanner is not really necessary (again personal preference). You can use more expensive combided relic/data analizer and use 1 free mid slot for the scanner. You can also drop the Scan rangefinding array and use the scanner insted of it.

But with regard to being new and have limited SP I went for more scanning strength which is very useful. I didn’t use the more expensive combined analizer, because you will loose ships while learning. It is a game, no problem in that. But at least it should not hurt you too much.
Scanner is very useful in “Limited sleeper cache” though, to check which containers are not worth risking your ship. And if you will do ghost sites in that Astero, well good luck. There are so many exciting options to fittings and ways of doing things :slight_smile:

You will warp faster with it (6AU/s instead of 5). Being faster is really handy. I wound also consider some cheap warp speed implants like “Eifyr and Co. ‘Rogue’ Warp Drive Speed WS-605” which costs only 1mil in Jita. It will further enhance your warp speed.
On the other hand, the rig makes your signature a little bigger which is not handy, but it isn’t a game breaker here.
There are more valid options what to fit here and you may put a different rig that suits your individual taste. You will be limited by remaining calibration space for the rig though. In contrary to other ships which have fitting space for rigs 400, Astero has 350. And small gravity capacitor upgrade II has 300.

Purpose of the paste is twofold. First it enables you to repair your MWD after overheating. Never not overheat and never not paste. Overheating MWD is very useful for example when going though warp disruption bubbles. Second is to have something which you can drop at 0 on the site, which will decloak somebody who will warp to 0 to you to the site. It is very fast to jetcan some cargo there, and you shall do it as a rule. Later when you have something else in your cargohold from the sites, like carbon or scrap metal, just drop that instead of the paste. Yes, it is lavish to drop the paste, but few pieces is not an issue. You will earn so much more in relic sites in wormhole space (pirate only in C1-C3). Or just carry in advance some scrap with you for jet-canning.

More probes is better. Never leave with only 8 pieces in the launcher. Have minimum 2 sets or more. The normal probes is just a backup. You can loose your probes sometimes. The 8 Sisters probes in cargohold is reload set to the launcher. You drop your 8 probes from the launcher and at the same time it automaticaly starts to reload by probes in your cargohold. Hence these 2 sets of the Sisters probes always circle between your cargohold and the launcher. You don’t have to decloak to reload.

If you release drones while hacking, the odds are that you will be loosing them a lot and later you will not have them, when you will need them. At first sign of trouble just get off and cloak. You will not have time to recall your drones. Bother with the drones only if you get caught (use ECM by default in that case).
It is helpful to spam D-scan and have your owerview sorted out, that you immediately see other ships there and have something to warp out asap.

Last thing, do not hesitate to combat fit the Astero and go out to chase other explorers. It is fun. You may have full combat fit or you will mix it with exploration fit or go two fits and refit with mobile depot. But never ever please, do not put 1x Dual Light Beam Laser 1 on the Astero. It deserves better.

Cherrs and have fun. Let us know some feedback later and how things go with the hunting :slight_smile:

8

Thank’s so much for your feedback … one last question then…

What would you reccomend if I wanted to weaponize?

9

[Astero, Wraith]

Damage Control II
Small Armor Repairer II
Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II
Small Ancillary Armor Repairer, Nanite Repair Paste

1MN Afterburner II
Small Capacitor Booster II, Navy Cap Booster 400
Stasis Webifier II
Warp Scrambler II

Covert Ops Cloaking Device II
Core Probe Launcher I, Sisters Core Scanner Probe

Small Nanobot Accelerator II
Small Auxiliary Nano Pump II
Small Anti-Explosive Pump I

Caldari Navy Hornet x5
Hobgoblin II x5
Hornet EC-300 x5

Agency ‘Hardshell’ TB5 Dose II

Small Standard Container x1
Navy Cap Booster 400 x18
Nanite Repair Paste x100
Sisters Core Scanner Probe x8

2 Likes
10

read my answer several days ago: astero dps usually relies on drones

1 Like
11

I was wondering how are you doing with exploration and I saw the Astero loss.

Don’t get discouraged. You will loose ships. But it is up to you how expensive it will be. Nothing bad about loosing ships, if you keep it within your budget. You can see that even if you get an exceptional ship, it can easily end up as pixel space dust. You can’t buy invulnerability.

I sent you enough ISK in game to recover this loss. Get lessons learnt from it, speak with people who killed you and ask them how did you get there and how to improve.

Quite frankly, even saying it as someone who is bad at EVE, you should not fly an Astero if you fit it that bad. You didn’t grow into it yet.

Before you undock another Astero, practice more in the Probe/Imicus. It will be way cheaper learning.

To your your fitting:

Mid slots:

  • You decided to fit data analizer only. Missing relic analizer is missing great opportunities. Relic sites are generally more valuable than data sites. Way more.
  • Drone navigation computer I, is basically wasted slot for hacking sites. Relic analizer could easily be here, but instead it is in your cargohold together with mobile depot.
  • Cargo scanner, ok :slight_smile:

Rigs:

  • Small emision scope sharpener I, which enhances efficiency of ship’s relic modules. Yet you don’t have any relic analizer fitted. No effect.
  • Small drone speed augmentor I: Wasted rig for hacking.
  • Small signal focusing kit II: Modification is designed to increase the scan speed. Maybee. Yet, combination of these 3 rigs is suboptimal.

[Probe, MiamiMillionaire]

Inertial Stabilizers II
Nanofiber Internal Structure II
Nanofiber Internal Structure II

5MN Quad LiF Restrained Microwarpdrive
Scan Rangefinding Array I
Relic Analyzer I
Data Analyzer I

Core Probe Launcher I, Sisters Core Scanner Probe
Improved Cloaking Device II
[Empty High slot]

Small Gravity Capacitor Upgrade I
Small Gravity Capacitor Upgrade I
[Empty Rig slot]

Sisters Core Scanner Probe x8

Cheers,

12

Really appreciate the gesture, does renew my faith in people in general. I really do not need the ISK though, have managed to stay alive for a couple of days now and have had good hauls (some 600m over the past couple of days), so thanks so much again, but I’ll be sending it back as I’d not feel right keeping it.

Also appreciate your comments … and have already done some upgrades to my fitting (will show below) … and wanted to make some specific follow on to your comments:

Something I always try to do … and did in this case. basically it was a trap … and down to me not paying proper attention to my dScan. Apart from setting dScan ‘Scan’ to my middle mouse button … one suggestion was that I have my EC drones in the air whilst scanning … they might just give me enough time to get away was the comment. Also suggested that I be using tactial view whilst hacking a site … and soo how it gives me a much better field to be able to reacte (have escaped twice now).

Not true … what I do, and you’ll see in the fit below, is have one setup whilst scanning down the system … and then based on the site I am hacking, fit out the proper analyzer using the Mobile Depot. Since this was a Data Site that was what was fitted.

Since my Drones are my inital defense line … this is for them …

Have changed the rigs (as you’ll see below) to cover three categories, and based on what Capacitor is available … one rig for scanning, another for hacing (relic), and the third for the Drones (defense … or perhaps offense if I want to chase someone off a site).

See above comment as the when I actually fit the relic analyzer.

Have changed this as you’ll see … since the only weapon the ship has are its drones

Following is my current fitting … any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Astero, SSPc Zheng He 1.2]
Nanofiber Internal Structure II
Nanofiber Internal Structure II
Damage Control II
Inertial Stabilizers II

Scan Pinpointing Array I
Scan Rangefinding Array I
Scan Acquisition Array I
5MN Quad LiF Restrained Microwarpdrive

Covert Ops Cloaking Device II
Sisters Core Probe Launcher

Small Signal Focusing Kit I
Small Emission Scope Sharpener I
Small Drone Durability Enhancer I

Acolyte I x10
Hornet EC-300 x5

Sisters Core Scanner Probe x16
Nanite Repair Paste x4
Relic Analyzer I x1
Data Analyzer I x1
Small Armor Repairer I x1
Drone Navigation Computer I x1
Type-E Enduring Cargo Scanner x1
Type-D Restrained Expanded Cargo x1

13

Ah, you are doing great apparently. It’s great to hear.

The fit is not such a big deal after all. Important is that you have fun. Experimenting, doing things your way and learning different ways of how to do things is part of the way to understand things. It is good that you are curious, have opinion and strive to improve. You will do great. In half a year you might remember this talk, which we have here, with a smile on your face.

I wouldn’t refit scanning and hacking fit on the Astero and use just one exploration fit. Also I would not use the drone durability rig here.

Cheers!

1 Like
14

I fly Astero primarily, weapons are not used, haven’t seen any on Killboard either. High slots are used for cloak and scanning., i did see one fit with and energy drainer with cloak, thats it. Its my information that the Astero main defense or offence is drones or escaping.

15

Wow you two. This has gotta be one of the classiest exchanges I’ve seen in the forums. I am 100% impressed. If either of you need any favors in New Eden, send me an Eve Mail, and I’ll see what I can do.

2 Likes
16

Leave the Astero where it is until you can fit it properly.

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