I’m looking at playing with a Scalpel for small gang nullsec standing fleet patrols, which has a lot of speed but moreso - a tiny signature radius. I particularly like the ability to bounce when yellowboxed on the T1 logi frigates with comfort already, before I get tackled as the priority pest I am.
What are some tips on how else I can best use this to my advantage?
That rather depends on fit, for example an afterburner doesn’t effect sig rad but a mwd will make your ships sig bloom larger than kim k’s bbl… whilst a 1mn ab is slow a 10mn may not fit and takes time to build speed; which is fine if you land at range… you could try dual prop but you have limited mid slots…
Keeping transversal up helps with gunboats if you dont have it already to your overview id recommend adding it and the tactical overlay can also help (watch the enemies blue lines)
As an example of a basic dual prop setup this one would go 2400 m/s with an oversize propulsion module but capacitor only lasts 52 seconds with everything running… 10mn frigates are however notoriously hard to hit… so this fit would require max skills and you can use the mwd to get up to speed or burn back to gate etc… you could take the mwd off, swap it for a cap booster and change the ancil rig out for more tank/speed… and even change the arsb for a normal one…
like this… which gives you better tank and capacitor but you might miss the mwd…
'course none of that matters if your jammed, neuted or using alliance doctrine fits; in these cases its all about manual piloting for range control and trying to keep that transversal up.
Hope this helps.
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Not sure if it’s still possible, but with HG Halo implants, a Strong X-Instinct booster and sig radius skirmish links (this was the offgrid boosting days), I could get my Dramiel’s sig down to roughly that of a Warrior II drone with my AB running. We once had a Ragnarok in fleet as well giving me extra teensy sig.
Even other frigates had trouble hitting me unless I was webbed and painted.
Ask your friendly skirmish link provider fleetmates to load up the Evasive Manoeuvres charges and try to keep in range of them?
I’d actually suggest against a 10mn fit. Scalpels rely heavily on their speed and agility to keep out of trouble. Best thing for you would be another Scalpel in fleet.
If the enemy is shooting you, then you don’t need to burn cap on those remote reps.