PROPOSED SHIP CLASS – “WANDERER” CLASS MOBILE EXPLORATION PLATFORM
Manufacturer: Sisters of EVE
Slot Layout:
Turret Hardpoints: 0
Launcher Hardpoints: 0
High Power Slots: 2
Medium Power Slots: 4
Low Power Slots: 6
Capital Rig Slots: 3
Role:
The Mobile Exploration Platform is a ship geared toward exploration, and survival in Wormhole space for those trying to carve out a niche, or just operate for a few days. As a result the Sisters of EVE developed a ship which could provide pilots with a safe haven for short term operations. The vessel, with usage of a specialized Localization Module, the vessel will deploy a small shield bubble, and function much like a POS in the sense of not being able to move. The shield bubble will deploy to be 7500m is size from the centerpoint. This will allow two ships to safely sit within. The EHP of this shield (and the deployed ship) will be something to the effect of 2.5M EHP when in deployed mode. When deployed, 6 specialized Sentry Drones will deploy in stationary positions surrounding the platform with a 30 kilometer range with approximately 25K EHP with 99% resists when in deployed mode while ship present. This module will only be usable once per 24 hour period, but will be able to be forced out of deployment mode. The module will require isotope-based fuels. The ship will be capable of accommodating one Strategic Cruiser (largest type), one scan frigate (largest type) and one harvest frigate.
Bonuses:
5% bonus to ECM Burst strength and range per level
Role Bonus:
10% reduction in ship mass per level
5% bonus to scan strength per level
This ship will be incapable of utilizing Covert Ops Cloaking Devices. It will be a armor tank, capable of fitting a basic passive tank, a prop mod and an ECM Burst. This ship will also be able to utilize an Expanded Probe Launcher.
Any ship being carried by it will drop on a percentage base (possible loot piñata). The security of this ship will be based on either coordination with other pilots, or just pilot skill.
Also, it would be restricted do being able to deploy it’s localization mode in J-space. This ship would provide an ideal base of operations for pilots who plan on spending any long amount of time in Shattered WH systems, as no structures can be permanently anchored.
Any thoughts, questions, comments?
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There was a guy on the forums that used to live out of an orca with a cloak and carried around a POCO refiner(not the station) to refine what they(him and his alts) ninja mine his way through null and WH space. He was complaining about CCP removing the POCO and parts.
Maybe a add in a a mid grade refinery system or compacting system when deployed like rorq, since will be deployed for an extended period of time.
I would be happy to have anything like a small citadel. Even if it’s only a caravan for my Astero.
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Well, consider the following mate.
One person would pilot it obviously, however it would require support.
The cost would likely be on par with a dread.
This “safe space” would also serve as a loot pinata, and the specialty mode would be limited in the amount of fuel it could carry, as well as the amount of times per day it could utilize that mode.
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This doesn’t really make sense: if it is that expensive it will be more effective to just drop an Astrahus or a Raitaru for only 1/3 the price (which also offers more safety for your stuff)
Except for the fact that you can’t drop an Astrahus or Raitaru in a shattered wormhole.
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Sounds like something 2 people in the game would use (months of dev time for something no1 will see), and if you allow this outside of wh’s… oh boi.
This gives me the feeling the intended audience is farmers, who want to play safe.
I don’t actually see the point of this at all and looking at the initial post, there isn’t actually a real point given.
The Mobile Exploration Platform is a ship geared toward exploration, and survival in Wormhole space for those trying to carve out a niche, or just operate for a few days.
That’s not really explaining a reason for its existence and only describes its supposed function, while ignoring that whatever it allows to do can be done already anyway.
This really is aimed at farmers, who will just stay resident, right?
No, not really. It’s geared towards solo and small gang Nomadic short term excursions into dangerous systems.
Years ago I read a game news article about Nomadic players using Blockade Runners to transport a small POS with enough fuel to last for a few days to set up shop in empty low / null sec systems to mine, rat and run exploration sites. When the fuel was almost gone, all loot would be taken to Market, more fuel bought to replace what was used and then the small Tower would be taken down and moved to another location.
Course that was before ‘placeholder’ Control Towers were anchored at every moon in Eve.
The point of it was that having a small POS anchored afforded a temporary ‘Safe Haven’ from roving gangs and when that empty system became compromised or camped, the Tower could be quickly dismantled and moved to another system.
Personally as an explorer I like that idea and would love the ability to set up a temporary ‘Safe Haven’ in empty low / null sec systems while doing exploration.
DMC
3 Likes
Thanks for helping out on this.
I fail to understand the point, but that’s okay. I don’t have to. From my perspective, a proper choice of ships, mobile fitting units and a proper choice of modules would be all i’d need.
Not saying it’s all that’s needed in general. I just don’t see the reason for having a mobile “station”, when you don’t plan on staying. I’d say it actually makes it less safe, because it makes you a bigger target of roamers, compared to simply warping to a safespot and cloaking.
Hell, idk. Others know better. 
Well, I can tell you that as a solo explorer myself, I use to take Giant Secure Containers in a Blockade Runner and anchor them in empty deadend cul-de-sac / pipeline systems that had a lot of Cosmic Signatures in them, then go get my T3 Cruiser and spend a couple of days clearing out those exploration sites.
Whenever the cans got filled up, I’d have to go get my BR, travel back and retrieve the loot in those cans, then go back to market, unload, switch ships again and go back to running the sites. That takes up a lot of time and required a lot of jumping. Having a small temporary station anchored would cut out a lot of trips back and forth.
DMC
1 Like
I like the basic idea but would want it geared more towards solo explorers.
It should function in low and null sec systems as well as w-space. Since it can’t fit any weapons and is vulnerable while traveling, it should be able to fit Cov Ops Cloak for travel, especially since it’s manufactured by Sisters Of Eve. Have the amount of mid and low slots the same so it can be fit with Shield or Armor tank.
Change the 5% scan strength bonus to agility. It doesn’t need the ability to probe since the system sensor sweep already shows all signatures available in systems. The T3 Cruiser can do the actual probing of signatures as well as run higher level combat sites. The Scan Frigate isn’t needed and should be replaced with a Combat or Assault Frigate to run lower level combat sites. Definitely keep the Harvest Frigate to mine rare Ores and Gases.
Since it’s main function is to be a temporary base of operations in dangerous space, it’s deployment into base mode and then back into travel mode should be quick and always available. It should also have ability to refit ships and online modules when deployed in base mode. The ship should also be equipped with a large Cargo Capacity to carry loot, equipment and supplies.
When deployed in base mode with full amount of fuel, the shield should stay active for 72 hours and if disconnected from the server, the sentries and shield would remain active until fuel is depleted. When disconnection happens in travel mode, the ship would follow regular log off mechanics.
Anyway, that’s my viewpoint on it.
DMC
2 Likes
It would be able to fit a cloak, just not a Covert Ops cloak, placing it on par with the Nestor as far as larger ships go. And I can agree with the alteration of the slot layout and the agility bonus.
At any rate, it was just a quality of life improvement proposed for explorer types.
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As a long time explorer myself, I’ve always wanted to have a temporary base I could set up for a few days while I cleared out multiple signatures stacked up in deadend systems.
Over the years all of my exploration ships have been capable of using Covert Ops Cloak for traveling and scanning. In 2009 started with ‘Cheetah’ Covert Ops Frigate, 2010 used ‘Rapier’ Force Recon Cruiser, 2011 incorporated ‘Prowler’ Blockade Runner and advanced up to ‘Loki’ Tech 3 Cruiser.
As a solo explorer I wouldn’t have it any other way. If a ship can’t utilize Cov Ops Cloak while traveling and scanning, then I won’t use that ship. In my opinion the main defense for explorers is the ability to hide.
Since you don’t like the Cov Ops Cloak suggestion, the only other cloak alternative that would even make me consider using the ‘Wanderer’ is a Black Ops Cloak.
Anyway, as an explorer I support your proposal and wish you good luck.
DMC
Make an Orca that’s d-scan immune. You fly it 100% solo, drop it at a safe, pull ships out of it, nobody finds it. No alts needed.
2 Likes
A ship like this maybe not exact mechanics described but something like it, a small mobile base would be a good addition.
One thing is that currently with cost of astrohaus, at 2 bil or so, any upstart group can deploy one of those with regular deep space hauler, downside though is that, obviously not mobile, needing days to anchor and unancor, in many ways the whole thing is pretty unrealistic, some medium sized ship has a thing that can hold freighters and surpass whatever this new ship is if it wasn’t for the waiting of deploying.
This new ship would allow things more mobile and defiantly add more realism.
I dont see though why the deploy mode should be limited to wormholes, let it be used by anyone for any reason, that would somewhat reduce the argument of it being a very niche thing, it might be a very usefull support ship for mobile fleet operations or whatever.
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Great idea.
As a ship, one presumes it would be usable by those of us in NPC corps that are otherwise unable to deploy citadels.
+1
2 Likes
Well I’m looking for something like mobile base since I began playing EvE and still looking. I was hoping to make Nestor mobile mothership but it doesn’t has covert cloak. Was thinking about Orca but alt is needed. Tried T3C but ammo takes a lot of space (compare missiles to hybrids not to talk about crystals…). Mobile depot?
For first we need to definie what nomad life is then seek for tools.
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