Yeah, I looked around, and it does looks like the basic T1 hull is not ever gonna be enough for the tier 2 agitated sites.
That is too bad. Tier 1 abyss sites are so easy to grind with just the basic T1 hull that I wish they had a “tier 1.5” that is do-able with T2 guns, (cheap) faction mods, and good piloting. So I could have more fun flying my basic T1 hull more.
IMHO blaster boats are the worst off because the range on the guns is so incredibly short. It forces you to maintain very close proximity to targets to maintain optimal. And when you do that you take a lot of tight turns or very tight orbit which drops your speed. Once your speed drops you lose tank, very significantly.
So unless you have a blaster ship with hull bonusses to optimal (or even falloff) I wouldn’t fly it because you lose both DPS and tank, despite what it looks like in the fitting tool. I forgot what the Thorax bonusses are.
Rails do too little DPS and have completely inadequate tracking. Yes you can finish a pocket but you will need to kite to keep things lined up and that takes too much time which you do not have.
Some faction T1 hulls can be blinged to the state, when they can run any Abyss spawn T2 filament through at you. But cost of implants, dead space modules and consumables required for that makes it much cheaper to use semi bling heavy assault cruiser or even Gila for T2.
I have been doing t2 electric sites with a navy omen. Died twice. Once as I went outside the site, didn’t work out just click on anything inside the site and approach. The other time was not killing the vedmak straight away won’t happen again.
But to be honest. I was thinking the sites were easy until the vedmak issue. Even thinking about trying it with a tier 3
T2 sites can be completed with many Tier 1 cruisers. However, as has been mentioned, blaster boats are really tough to use. The range is just too short and the ship speed to low.
I have successfully completed many T2 with:
Arbitrator and Vexor
Caracal
Rupter and Stabber
Omen
I have completed the sites with the Thorax and Moa but its rough and spawn dependent.
Finally, on a suggestion from others i completed a T3 site with a Vexor and an Arbitrator died in the following sites. Good tanks but too spawn dependent.
here is the fit, doesnt need drugs, get the 1% tracking implant, its less than a mil.
I did a t3 on sisi, have to be on alert and cant approach, drugs are required, had the neuting drifter spawn but they are nothing to worry about, the interesting spawn is the vedmaks, im guessing there would be 2 or 3. i doubt it would live with that. and strong drugs would be required with perfect rolls.
[Omen Navy Issue, Tier 2 Electric Only]
Medium Armor Repairer II
Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II
Damage Control II
Coreli A-Type EM Plating
Heat Sink II
Reactive Armor Hardener
Heat Sink II
Stasis Webifier II
Large Compact Pb-Acid Cap Battery
10MN Afterburner II
Focused Medium Pulse Laser II
Focused Medium Pulse Laser II
[Empty High slot]
Focused Medium Pulse Laser II
Focused Medium Pulse Laser II
Medium Energy Collision Accelerator I
Medium Energy Metastasis Adjuster I
Medium Energy Discharge Elutriation I
Acolyte II x10
Imperial Navy Multifrequency M x4
Scorch M x4
Conflagration M x4
Synth Drop Booster x1
I got wrecked trying a level 2 in a Vexor… I am not sure Abyss stuff is worth doing, is it? I get no bounties, and 2 of the three rooms I cleared had nothing in them, and the 20 minute thing forces me to rush, rush, rush, which can be hard when you have three kids… poor loot, (at least at first) and having to rush… is it really worth it?
And I am not sure what keeps killing my drones, but they are not cheap and the no reward thing stinks.
I have used the following fit for all types of T2 filaments excluding dark. Normal T2 drones would most likely work fine but I find using faction drones (significantly more HP than T2) with the VNI drone HP bonus gives you plenty of breathing room to recall your drones when needed.
With the VNI tracking bonus plus Omnidirectional Tracking Link II with Tracking Speed Script, Heavy Drones apply well to cruisers and up. Mediums tear through frigates. I keep a flight of lights for the rare case that drones are not applying well to frigates.
[Vexor Navy Issue, Abyssal VNI]
Medium Armor Repairer II
Medium Armor Repairer II
Reactive Armor Hardener
Energized Explosive Membrane II
Drone Damage Amplifier II
Drone Damage Amplifier II
Large Compact Pb-Acid Cap Battery
Large Compact Pb-Acid Cap Battery
Omnidirectional Tracking Link II
10MN Afterburner II
Drone Link Augmentor II
Auto Targeting System II
Medium Anti-Kinetic Pump I
Medium Anti-Thermal Pump I
Medium Semiconductor Memory Cell I
Edit: I just noticed the OP mentioned basic T1 because I can’t read. I purchase VNIs via a faction warfare toon so the cost is really low (isk & effort) vs buying them off the market.
My main is a lazy, and possibly brain dead, null sec carrier ratter.
The income from abyssal sites are nowhere near carrier ratting for me, especially if I am doing tier 1 filaments.
However, these requires at least a little thought to do, which makes them much more fun than carrier ratting. Also, gives me a chance to play with various cruisers. The 20 minutes “rush” actually makes it more exciting for me.