What is your favorite alternative way to use a ship?

Wrong !

A Procurer with max skills using t2 crystals and t2 mining drones , with 2 MLUs and 3 MMDA drone rigs mines 25.6 m^3 / s .
Your Praxis with max skills , just 17.9 m^3 / s .

Back when Apocrypha Expansion was implemented, I was using a T2 Covert Ops Frigate for exploration. It was great for Scanning and Hacking but not for doing any combat. At that time NPC’s guarded most of the Hacking sites and would also spawn randomly while Hacking cans. Either I’d have combat fit ships in fleet with me or I’d have to switch to a combat ship myself. Ultimately it was more hassle than it was worth and half of the time it wouldn’t work out due to lot’s of competition for the sites.

Anyway, what I needed was an ‘All In One’ exploration ship, one that could cloak, scan, hack and do combat. At that time I didn’t have the ISK or skills to use a T3 Strategic Cruiser so I decided to use a T2 Force Recon Cruiser as my ‘All In One’ exploration ship. I installed a T2 scan rig on the ship and a Hardwiring scan implant in my clone. Along with top line equipment and max skills, I had no problem easily completing most exploration sites.

Of course it didn’t take long after that to get the ISK and skills to pilot a T3 Strategic Cruiser. However since the T2 Force Recon Cruiser had proven itself to be a good ‘All In One’ exploration ship, I continued to use it for a long time afterwards.

3 Likes

Would you still use it these days or do you recommend a T3 S.C for an “all in one” now ?

Definitely use a T3 Cruiser for ‘All In One’ exploration ship, it has much better bonus attributes without having to install rigs or implants to boost scanning stats.

The T2 Force Recon Cruiser I used was the Rapier. In my opinion it worked great until CCP changed it from a Gunboat to a Missileboat.

I love missiles. What is it that makes you not recommend the T2 missileboat now ? Are missiles inferior to guns/lazers? Is it about the signature radius or something else ?

I like using Projectile weapons, mainly Autocannons because they provide quick DPS.

2 Likes

So it’s a question of preference, right ?
If I like missiles combined with projectile turrets, like the Drake for example, can I then chose the Rapier or a similar boat today or has there been some nerfs in the past couple of years that would make it an inferior choice now ?

I use a Flycatcher, one of a ship class designed for PvP as my high sec anomaly runner. Its fast, agile, light missiles get decent range and dps against the frigates that most of these sites contain and it can fit a fair shield buffer.

Blasphemy I know. :woman_shrugging:

2 Likes

Nah, it’s not blasphemy. I would say use a Jackdaw , but if you liked the Flycatcher it also does the job very well for what you use it . For running those highec anomalies and get the 4/10s I used a Pontifex for example , for both the anomalies and the DED sites.

I used to rock a “Battle Procurer.”

Lows were either packed with Drone Damage Amps or a DDA and Emergency Control.
Mids were usually a web, scram, and either an ASB and/or buffer.
Rigs for resistances.
Hobgoblins were the primary damage dealer with a backup of either Warriors (for kitey mfs) or ECM drone if I wanted to “nope” out.

For the sole high-slot (this was before all barges got 2 high slots) I had to choose between a Neut or a strip miner (if I wanted to “sell” the ruse).

I would roll up to an asteroid belt in low-sec and wait for some frigate or destroyer looking for easy prey.
I caught so many… but, sadly, most would manage to wiggle away from me in a deep panic before I could pop them (DEVs: the Procurer needs MOAR deeps! Make mining lasers deal actual damage to ships!).

Eventually I had to abandon the idea as my security status at the time was close to -10.0.
Nothing screams “trap” more than a mining ship being piloted by an “outlaw.” :sunglasses:

2 Likes

cata with 8 festival launchers

Anyone remember the Battle badger fleets

Back when it was still doable and I had better skills, before the CPU rigs …

My favourite ship was a high speed stiletto fitted with a cloaking device …
… point …
… tracking disruptor …
… small cap booster …
… mwd …
… and ■■■■■■■ expanded probe launcher.

I think the TD was on it too, not sure if I’m adding a midslot here unintentionally.
Yes, this really works worked. You just have had to figure out how. :smiley:

In any case, really great ship to fly and the versatility was amazing.
Never had a better scouting ship.

2 Likes

I am shocked that no one had mentioned the ship spinning. so seriously, this is THE ultimate alternative use of a ship.

3 Likes
  • pvp magnate, you can put about 150dps plus a quite decent tank on one, enough to surprise a badly fit astero
  • hauling magnate, a magnate can hold about 1500m3 if fully cargo expanded/rigged

I guess rolling BS/HICs also count as “alternative”

1 Like

The following list of ships i use as “travelships”:

Prowler, Viator, Ares, Atron, Loki, Sunesis, Endurance. The Corax is a nice for fireworks. Interceptors make nice exploration ships.

I have this (extremely skill-intensive) combat Venture setup that I use…

Don’t particularly want to share it, because then everyone’s going to be flying it around. It’s exceptionally effective on getting carebears to bite during wars or suspect flag baiting, though. They don’t fall for anything else these days. Even bringing a T1 cruiser into a hive of mission-running battleships doesn’t yield results like it did a few years ago.

2 Likes

I use a Talwar Destroyer as my Fireworks ship.

I use a model of a barghest as a frying pan.

You can make good omlettes with it.

2 Likes

There’s no “right way” or “wrong way” or “alternative way” to use a ship. They’s only what EACH of us WANT to use it as.
Part of having FUN is to try different things.

2 Likes