Fit Kitchen: No Local Edition

So I’m going to take a hard stance here and say that a potential “Local Blackout” is the best news since the glass of prosecco that I just poured. It’s fantastic, I love it, it’s the best, thank you CCP. If you’ve been living under a VNI-shaped rock for the last few days then check out this video from the Scope.

The fits described in this article were created before the resistance nerf in April 2020. Post-patch revised fits will be marked with a ++ at the start of each fitting name although screenshots will not always be updated.

And now because I’d be bad journalist if I didn’t capitalise on recent events for more clicks, let’s take a stroll through various ways to fit a recon ship; preferably Combat Recons which are the kind that doesn’t appear on dscan. Force recons are fine, too, but they’re a bit more specialised half the time since covert cynos are a thing. First up will be the Curse and Pilgrim. With a direct offensive option by way of neuting I’m sure that they’ll be some of the most popular to choose from.

Amarr Neuts: Curse & Pilgrim

If it wasn’t obvious I’ll be focusing more on the solo and small-gang PvP fits here with an emphasis on keeping things affordable. I don’t want to start with “Step 1: Buy three A-type invuls”. Also in true Fit Kitchen fashion we’ll start with the heavy neut curse. As you can see on the right, this monstrosity chunks capacitors for 1,200GJ. That’s enough to almost effectively cap out an opposing curse in one shot.

However, since a joule is effectively just a unit of energy, we can do the maths and work out that one gigajoule is equal to 239,006 kilocalories. In nicer units we can say that one 1GJ/s works out to 470 Big Macs per second. Therefore, every time the heavy neut Curse cycles (from over 78km+ mind you) it sucks almost two hundred thousand Big Mac meals out of the target. Here’s the fit:

[Curse, HEAVY O_O] Dark Blood Reactor Control Unit Dark Blood Reactor Control Unit Dark Blood Reactor Control Unit Dark Blood Reactor Control Unit Republic Fleet Large Shield Extender Adaptive Invulnerability Field II Adaptive Invulnerability Field II Medium 'Gattotte' Capacitor Booster, Navy Cap Booster 800 Small Capacitor Booster II, Navy Cap Booster 400 50MN Quad LiF Restrained Microwarpdrive Corpus C-Type Heavy Energy Neutralizer Small Energy Neutralizer II Small Energy Neutralizer II Small Energy Neutralizer II Small Energy Neutralizer II Medium Ancillary Current Router II Medium Ancillary Current Router II Infiltrator II x5

Now that isn’t the fit I’d necessarily recommend for general use. In a small gang scenario you likely want a bit more versatility than “hey I can neut from really far away!”, although that is good fun. Instead, my aspiring recon pilot friend, you can focus on one of two areas in an Amarrian ship such at this. Either stick with a neuty-shooty Curse that can take some punishment and hold a point, or go all out with weapon disruption from an armour Pilgrim.

Flying a shield Curse is hella fun. With the potential to suck up 49,000 Big Macs per second (-105GJ/s) you can flatten a cap regen Myrmidon in just 60 seconds. Most other targets, however, will drop off much sooner and you can basically just say ‘no’ to Hecates. As with all XLASB ships, watch out for alpha damage and try to utilise your neut range well here. Curse damage is also mostly just complimentary so don’t pretend to be a Gila and get back to sucking instead.

The Pilgrim, on the other hand, is a little more multi purpose. It features a Covert Cyno but don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a specialised hunter. It also isn’t exactly a throwaway 90k+ EHP entry point for blops. Instead, this is about as tanky as a cheap Pilgrim will go without cosplaying a literal brick. Neuting potential does drop down to 15.6k Big Macs per second (-33GJ/s), but bringing some extra toys to the table may be worth it. Of note is that an afterburner is a valid option too. Just be wary of bubbles and having to fully commit to every target.

Curse [Curse, Curse Solo-ish] Nanofiber Internal Structure II Drone Damage Amplifier II Dark Blood Reactor Control Unit Damage Control II 50MN Quad LiF Restrained Microwarpdrive X-Large Ancillary Shield Booster, Navy Cap Booster 400 Adaptive Invulnerability Field II Gistum B-Type EM Ward Amplifier Medium Capacitor Booster II, Navy Cap Booster 800 Caldari Navy Warp Disruptor Medium Energy Neutralizer II Medium Energy Neutralizer II Small Energy Neutralizer II Small Energy Neutralizer II Imperial Navy Small Energy Nosferatu Medium Anti-Thermal Screen Reinforcer II Medium Processor Overclocking Unit II Acolyte II x5 Hammerhead II x5 Hornet EC-300 x5 Valkyrie II x5 Navy Cap Booster 400 x9 Navy Cap Booster 800 x9 Nanite Repair Paste x100 Pilgrim [Pilgrim, 2019 "Not a literal brick"] Imperial Navy 800mm Steel Plates Medium Ancillary Armor Repairer, Nanite Repair Paste Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II Nanofiber Internal Structure II 50MN Quad LiF Restrained Microwarpdrive Republic Fleet Large Cap Battery Tracking Disruptor II Guidance Disruptor II Warp Disruptor II Covert Cynosural Field Generator I Medium Energy Neutralizer II Corpum C-Type Medium Energy Nosferatu Covert Ops Cloaking Device II Medium Anti-Thermal Pump II Medium Trimark Armor Pump II Hornet EC-300 x5 Infiltrator II x5 Vespa EC-600 x5 Warrior II x5 Missile Precision Disruption Script x2 Missile Range Disruption Script x2 Nanite Repair Paste x225 Optimal Range Disruption Script x2 Tracking Speed Disruption Script x2 Liquid Ozone x350 Guidance Disruptor II x1 Tracking Disruptor II x1

Minmatar Webs: Rapier & Huginn

I don’t like the Huginn at all. Compared to its sister ship, the Rapier, it really struggles to do anything useful with the high slots other than close-range DPS or long-range Nerf cannons. That said, I’m sure I can work some magic for the masochists out there. Instead, consider the Rapier and it’s beautiful missile hardpoints. Thanks to the magic of Rapid Light Missile Launchers it’s entirely possible to delete interceptors and related tackle pretty much instantly using this ship. As with the Curse before it, I can recommend an XLASB fit and present here one that my corp member Rex dreamed up.

Fed Navy webs as standard are a necessity, bringing your cold, non-linked range up to 56km. That’s enough to reach from Keflavík airport to CCP’s offices in Reykjavík with room to spare for anyone who tries to run away. Links and heat take the range even further out to 93.4km, or the equivalent of about a million Big Macs laid out in a line. I did the maths on that, it’s a surprisingly nice number. Not as much as an abyssal 129km web (1.35M BM’s), but more than enough for almost anything else in EVE. If you’re really serious about webbing, too, I can recommend the MR-80x series of implants, the 3% range bonus is only 27m ISK at time of writing!

As for the Huginn, it really is a bit of a sad story. With a lack of powergrid and middling damage bonuses there isn’t a huge amount you can do with turrets. A polarised version is nifty and does way damage than it has a right to but who wouldn’t primary that as it sits at 5km to apply. Artillery is equally sad when fitting 720mm guns means setting up a monthly subscription of Reactor Control Units. The best I came up without imitating the Rapier is below. It’s essentially a platform based entirely around trying to make 650mm Arty work. I can’t really say it’s any good. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Huginn [Huginn, Powergrid Poverty] Dark Blood Power Diagnostic System Damage Control II Gyrostabilizer II Gyrostabilizer II Tracking Computer II Target Painter II Stasis Webifier II 50MN Y-T8 Compact Microwarpdrive Republic Fleet Large Shield Extender Adaptive Invulnerability Field II 650mm Artillery Cannon II, Republic Fleet Phased Plasma M 650mm Artillery Cannon II, Republic Fleet Phased Plasma M 650mm Artillery Cannon II, Republic Fleet Phased Plasma M 650mm Artillery Cannon II, Republic Fleet Phased Plasma M Small Infectious Scoped Energy Neutralizer Medium Projectile Burst Aerator II Medium Core Defense Field Extender II Valkyrie II x4 Quake M x1000 Tremor M x1000 Nanite Repair Paste x100 Republic Fleet EMP M x1000 Republic Fleet Fusion M x1000 Republic Fleet Phased Plasma M x1000 Republic Fleet Titanium Sabot M x1000 Optimal Range Script x1 Tracking Speed Script x1 Rapier [Rapier, 2019 Nano Rapier] Nanofiber Internal Structure II Nanofiber Internal Structure II Damage Control II Power Diagnostic System II Federation Navy Stasis Webifier Federation Navy Stasis Webifier Republic Fleet Large Shield Extender X-Large Ancillary Shield Booster, Navy Cap Booster 400 Adaptive Invulnerability Field II 50MN Quad LiF Restrained Microwarpdrive Rapid Light Missile Launcher II, Nova Fury Light Missile Rapid Light Missile Launcher II, Nova Fury Light Missile Rapid Light Missile Launcher II, Nova Fury Light Missile Covert Ops Cloaking Device II Medium Capacitor Control Circuit II Medium Polycarbon Engine Housing II Hobgoblin II x5 Hobgoblin II x3 Inquest 'Eros' Stasis Webifier MR-803 Nova Fury Light Missile x1500 Scourge Precision Light Missile x1500 Navy Cap Booster 400 x21 Caldari Navy Inferno Light Missile x480 Caldari Navy Mjolnir Light Missile x480 Nanite Repair Paste x100

Caldari Jams: Rook & Falcon

Since the ECM rework we certainly have seen the Rook and Falcon fall from grace a little bit, and for good reason. Now that pesky ECM boat at range can be your new primary, introducing more mechanics than simply Ctrl+Click. Being the centre of attention as an jamming recon pilot is obviously not the best thing in the world, but we can work around that. Either stay at stupid range and be a basic bitch, or get up close and channel your inner Heavy Assault Missile.

The Rook fit below, in my humble opinion, is actually pretty effective. Since we’re using these ships almost entirely for their dscan immunity, the jamming can come as secondary. In return we see a whopping 600 DPS hot from a recon ship! In a fleet where DPS may well be quite limited that’s really nice to have; it isn’t like anyone expects the Rook to be the powerhouse anyway. In fact if jams and align time weren’t so useful, I’d swap out the ECM entirely. What you’d get in return is a 90k EHP punching bag to keep your enemies distracted with the fear of jams. Fortunately there is the quad shield booster Blackbird if you want to dip your toes into that style of play.

Conversely, my Falcon is entirely committed to jamming, more so than even Michael Jordan in 1996. With a 29k EHP armour paper tank you do have to be sure to keep range. Getting caught out with how jams work now is pretty much a death sentence. Fortunately, your radar jam chance against the Drekavac menace is 85% thanks to the Jam Calculator. Even the off-type ECM has a 37% chance each against a Kikimora which is pretty nice. Both are excellent targets considering the spool-up mechanic. Whichever way you slice things, though, jams aren’t quite the pocket sand that they used to be with the exception of EC-300’s.

Rook [Rook, Not a basic bitch] Nanofiber Internal Structure II Ballistic Control System II Ballistic Control System II 50MN Quad LiF Restrained Microwarpdrive Adaptive Invulnerability Field II Republic Fleet Large Shield Extender Republic Fleet Large Shield Extender Pithum C-Type EM Ward Amplifier Magnetometric ECM II Radar ECM II Heavy Assault Missile Launcher II Heavy Assault Missile Launcher II Heavy Assault Missile Launcher II Heavy Assault Missile Launcher II Heavy Assault Missile Launcher II Medium Core Defense Field Extender II Medium Core Defense Field Extender II Hobgoblin II x5 Mjolnir Rage Heavy Assault Missile x2500 Scourge Javelin Heavy Assault Missile x2500 Scourge Rage Heavy Assault Missile x2500 Caldari Navy Scourge Heavy Assault Missile x2500 Nanite Repair Paste x50 Falcon [Falcon, Armour Falcon 2019] Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II Imperial Navy 1600mm Steel Plates Signal Distortion Amplifier II 50MN Quad LiF Restrained Microwarpdrive Radar ECM II Radar ECM II Magnetometric ECM II Gravimetric ECM II Ladar ECM II Sensor Booster II Covert Ops Cloaking Device II 200mm AutoCannon II 200mm AutoCannon II Sisters Expanded Probe Launcher Medium Anti-Explosive Pump II Medium Particle Dispersion Projector II Acolyte II x2 Nanite Repair Paste x200 Republic Fleet Phased Plasma S x1000 Sisters Combat Scanner Probe x8 Sisters Core Scanner Probe x8 ECCM Script x1 Scan Resolution Script x1 Targeting Range Script x1

Gallente Scrams: Arazu & Lachesis

Because pointing someone from 24km isn’t quite enough, the Gallente invented two of the spookiest ships you’ll ever find on grid. With an abyssal point you can held from well over a million Big Macs away (116km) and scrams have a maximum range of 43.6km from the absolute best mods. Strangely, both the Arazu and Lachesis do very similar jobs as far as recons go. The combat recon Lachesis has an additional mid slot, but otherwise they’re both typically fit in a similar way.

My favourite way to run a Lach is using a fairly typical shield tanked scram/point setup. Guns, tank, speed, and a sprinkle of capacitor is about all you need to be effective. Feel free to de-bling the fit and go to town. Any kind of point that doesn’t appear on dscan is invaluable in catching DED runners. There isn’t much else to say about this ship other than that you’re a great target and everyone hates you.

The Arazu is a bit more of an interesting ship purely due to its reliance on scan resolution damping, the kind that everyone forgets about. The way this hunting fit works is such that when landing on a target you can activate all three damps and dunk their resolution right down. Taking a Rattlesnake for example, it comes all the way down to 13.3mm. That’s as large as your average coffee bean. The result is such that you and your buddies get well over a minute to sit pummelling the poor krab before they can even lock.

Lachesis [Lachesis, Simple Skirmish] Damage Control II Nanofiber Internal Structure II Power Diagnostic System II Power Diagnostic System II 50MN Quad LiF Restrained Microwarpdrive Republic Fleet Warp Scrambler Republic Fleet Warp Disruptor Caldari Navy Large Shield Extender Caldari Navy Large Shield Extender Adaptive Invulnerability Field II Pithum C-Type EM Ward Amplifier 250mm Railgun II 250mm Railgun II 250mm Railgun II 250mm Railgun II Medium Core Defense Field Extender II Medium Core Defense Field Extender II Acolyte II x5 Warrior II x5 Javelin M x2000 Spike M x2000 Federation Navy Lead Charge M x2000 Nanite Repair Paste x100 Arazu [Arazu, 2019 Hunting Arazu] Imperial Navy 1600mm Steel Plates Imperial Navy Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane Corpii A-Type Explosive Plating Nanofiber Internal Structure II 50MN Quad LiF Restrained Microwarpdrive Caldari Navy Warp Disruptor Caldari Navy Warp Scrambler 'Executive' Remote Sensor Dampener, Scan Resolution Dampening Script Kapteyn Compact Sensor Dampener, Scan Resolution Dampening Script Remote Sensor Dampener II, Scan Resolution Dampening Script Covert Ops Cloaking Device II Covert Cynosural Field Generator I Small Ghoul Compact Energy Nosferatu Sisters Expanded Probe Launcher Medium Polycarbon Engine Housing II Medium Trimark Armor Pump II Hornet EC-300 x8 Nanite Repair Paste x100 Scan Resolution Dampening Script x3 Targeting Range Dampening Script x3 Liquid Ozone x500

That’s all folks! Have fun and enjoy the salt.I heard that the krab tastes pretty good this time of year.

o/

Like this: Like Loading...