Looking to see if anyone can help me with this fit that aims to combat scan and warp in with an SB ally for shenanigans. Something like warping in at 20km on miners/industrials, SB using warp disrupt and both using target painters for SB’s torpedoes. What would I need to change to make this work?
[Heron Navy Issue, SB Target Assist Navy Heron]
Damage Control II
Nanofiber Internal Structure II
If you’re going to support a stealth bomber, wouldn’t it be nice to be cloaked as well?
I assume you’re going to be creating warp-ins with those combat probes, which can spook the target if you do so uncloaked.
A Buzzard could fill such a role cloaked, but with a bit more trouble of fitting an expanded probe launcher. Or if you can fly one, a covert Rapier is awesome as bomber assistance as it’s bonused webs and paints let the torpedos apply really well, and can fit an expanded probe launcher too.
Next, if you’re going after non-combat targets like industrials and miners your fit could work, but you might want additional tackle instead of one of those ancillary shield boosters. With MASB you have a lot of bait and tank potential, but no way to hold people down. And the targets you mention (miners, haulers) won’t be looking to fight you, they’re looking to run in which case extra tackle could be a better choice.
Lastly, ancillary shield boosters don’t really benefit from extender rigs. Shield resistance rigs may offer a bigger benefit for your survivability in this fit.
You could just give it a try with your current fit though, it looks OK to me. See what works and what doesn’t, then adjust your fit as you notice you need less of one thing or more of another.
I also question the use of 2 TPs, especially as you say the bomber will also have a TP, swap one for a warp disrupter, and consider a web too, and given that maybe a fleet vigil, which has a web bonus might be a better choice than the Navy Heron.
Hi. Thanks for your reply. I have also been thinking about the issue that I’ll be warping in uncloaked and that will freak some targets out. I would love to be cloaked too! But I saw that the Buzzard has a 5 second decloak targeting delay, and I thought that this may be as detrimental as warping in with the uncloaked Heron. That said, I suppose if the bomber disrupts them, I can perhaps afford the extra 5 seconds, especially given the targets. I will play around and see if I can get an expanded probe launcher to work with it.
The Rapier is probably out of budget for now! But I’ll start to train into it for later for when I feel more secure in that kind of purchase.
I am considering replacing one of the MASBs with a web then. I was concerned about being too close to the target, but I suppose it’s mostly drones I’m worried about anyway. Speaking of, a few people have suggested I’m just going to melt to industrial and miner drones before we take them down. Is this a genuine concern? Is an effective counter even possible with this ship combination?
I have replaced the extenders with EM and thermal rigs. Looks a bit more rounded now.
Hi thanks for the reply. I’m currently on MASB, MWD, TP, TP, Web after dropping one of the MASBs for a web based on the other post. I will also drop one of the TPs for a disruptor, but I was wondering if I am taking a web if I shouldn’t just go for a scram instead due to needing to be within 10km for the web anyway? Maybe it would make more sense to warp in at 10km rather than 20km once they’re probed, since as far as I can tell, miners and industrials can’t use guns anyway. But then again if they’re using a stabilizer and I go out of range with my scram, they can flee, as SB only has a disruptor. Will probably need to test it out and see what happens!
Oh, and about the Vigil, I am not sure if it will work with combat probing because of lack of buffs?
All non-bomber covert ships indeed have a 5 second delay after decloaking, during which the target could warp away if they’re paying attention and either pre-aligned or in a very agile ship.
What you could do is use the combat probes to warp in the two of you close to the target, then let the bomber decloak and tackle first to stop them from warping away. You can decloak right after, wait out your decloak timer and then support the bomber with webs and paints.
Just let the bomber tackle first with their lack of a cloak targeting delay!
A lone miner can switch to combat drones and deal a bit of damage, which against a stealth bomber can be a threat as stealth bombers have very little hitpoints. With a MASB your Heron can tank some damage so this probably isn’t a big issue for you.
That said, most lone miners and pretty much all haulers have no combat capabilities. Only the Upwell haulers can shoot back a little, but not enough to make a dent. Explorers too make good non-combat targets if you manage to catch one. Asteros can be scary.
Mining fleets however are scary for a couple of frigates. You could still try to engage them from range, see if you spook all but one and then kill the slow miner, but if they stand and fight and deploy a ball of drones against you you would want to run if you’re still able.