Tracking Onions

Right then, I have looked at just replacing two gyros with two tracking enhancers, whilst running Hail ammo for the Loki vs Wolf scenario.  the tracking graphs are below:

Loki 4x Gyros Hail Ammo

Loki 2x Gyros 2x Tracking Enhancers Hail Ammo

and the answer is ... use Titanium Sabot ammo for small fast things.  The drop in DPS due to T2 to T1 change is not gonna be an issue for flying tin cans.  So time to test this theory tonight and have some of these graphs handy.

More Onions

Right, I have run the same four scenarios that I ran in The Onion That Is Eve except for this time I have put the Loki up against  Rupture and a Maelstrom.  This is what I got:

Loki vs Rupture

425mm w Hail Ammo

425mm w Titanium Sabot Ammo

220mm w Hail Ammo

220mm w Titanium Sabot Ammo

Loki vs Maelstrom

425mm w Hail Ammo

425mm w Titanium Sabot Ammo

220mm w Hail Ammo

220mm w Titanium Sabot Ammo

The conclusion; well as long as I can set my range the Hail are worth it for the additional DPS, if range, speed (transversal) or signature is an issue then I only need to swap ammo and get my range sorted out.  The next check I need to do is on the benefit of a tracking enhancer against a gyro.  Its also worth noting, in this instance, that if I can fit 425mm autos rather than the smaller 220mm autos then do it, the only difference is range.

The Onion That Is EVE

Damn, just when you think you are getting somewhere it turns out that there is more to learn.  Onions vs Ogres strikes again! Just when I think I might a little closer to the core I find I am just at another layer; I'm disappointed child playing "pass the parcel" who finds another layer of paper under the one I have just ripped off.  Admittedly there is a little sweet in there to keep me going till it is my turn again.

Your starting to wonder what on earth am I talking about right.  Well I have finally got round to looking a little more into the Loki fitting I have and why it cannot shoot frigs for toffee.  So this morning I opened up my favourite program EVEHQ and started to do a little theory crafting.  What the issue is I am not sure but it is time to learn a little more about range vs tracking as I know the level of DPS is fine.

In order to start the test I made three copies of my current fitting, the original remained unchanged with 425mm autos, loaded with Hail.  The first copy had the ammo changed to Titanium Sabot, the second and third copies I changed the guns to 220mm autos and then Hail and Titanium Sabot respectively.  I then set up a scenario in the HQF Damage Analysis section as seen below.

This puts the Loki against a Wolf, the Wolf is doing a steady 400m/s and the Loki I have set to 200m/s.  The Wolf is moving perpendicular (at right angles) to the Loki, this builds in a level of transversal velocity, making the scenario a little more realistic.  I then swapped out the four Loki's and looked at the Range vs Hit Chance graph.  The results can be seen below:

425mm w Hail M Ammo

425mm w Titanium Sabot M Ammo

220mm w Hail M Ammo

220mm w Titanium Sabot M Ammo

For this comparison, the reality is plainly obvious; the guns are not the issue.  Note that there is other areas I intend to look at, but the case in question shows that against a Frigate sized vessel Hail is just not the ammo to use.

I intend to use this ship to run PLEX solo.  I therefore need a ship that can do all size vessels without changing fittings, so I need to run this analysis against cruiser and battleship sized vessels as well as with other weapon upgrade modules like tracking enhancers.  So watch this space for more checks.

Skilled First?

Heaven forbid I am actually sitting here skilled up to fly my Loki and the ship ain't in my hanger; now that is a first.  Ok, I am not completely level 5 maxed out yet (though surprising not far away), but I am ready to take my future ship out, so where is it?  I even have the ISK for run a faction / T2 mix until I can afford the real bad boy. I now have to sit patiently until a very good corp mate pops back to hi sec and picks up the parts (a huge thanks for that ... you know who you are), and then I have to wait till I can log on again, which other than the odd skill queue refresh is gonna be a couple of days away ... sigh.  I also have to thank said corp mate for going through my load outs last night and coming up with something a little more nasty, so today will be playing with that fitting to get real grips with what is consists of.

Anyway here is to great corp mates and a new ship fairly soon ...

Loki Fittings

Well, as many of you know strategic cruisers bring a whole new meaning to fitting; with five sub systems categories and four version in each category you can create a very large number of potential ship base configurations and that is before you have even added fittings.

As I noted before I am looking at obtaining a Loki as I am already skilled for that.  After grabbing a few other fittings from people I have attached my various changes and other make ups.  With officer fittings you get some amazing setups but this will come with time.  I have also put in the Tengu fit I put in previously as an example and to give an idea of where that tank is going and how comparable the Loki versions are.  Your comments for these fits would be appreciated.

Strategic Cruiser Comparison Tables

Loki vs Tengu

Well,

I can fly a Loki, but seems like the best PVE PLEX ship is going to be the Tengu, so the plan is to buy a Loki now that I can use for exploration and rating and other complexes whilst I train up for a Tengu.  By the time I have Caldari Cruiser V and the missile skills I willl hopefully have the funds so I can then fit out a Tengu for running PLEX.

Here is a target Tengu fit, note that this is for PVE not PVP and is set up to run Guristas PLEX:

[Tengu, Guristas Plexing 002]
Tengu Defensive - Adaptive Shielding
Tengu Electronics - Emergent Locus Analyzer
Tengu Engineering - Capacitor Regeneration Matrix
Tengu Offensive - Accelerated Ejection Bay
Tengu Propulsion - Fuel Catalyst

5x Heavy Missile Launcher II (Scourge Heavy Missile)
Sisters Core Probe Launcher

Gistum A-Type 10MN Afterburner
Gist X-Type Large Shield Booster
Pith A-Type Shield Boost Amplifier
Dread Guristas Invulnerability Field
Pith A-Type Ballistic Deflection Field
Pith A-Type Photon Scattering Field

'Radical' Damage Control I
3x Dread Guristas Ballistic Control System

2x Medium Capacitor Control Circuit II
Medium Capacitor Control Circuit I

The Loki fit here is for solo exploration, so has some tank and DPS but all necessary kit for hacking etc.:

[Loki, Cov Ops]
Loki Defensive - Adaptive Shielding
Loki Electronics - Emergent Locus Analyzer
Loki Engineering - Capacitor Regeneration Matrix
Loki Offensive - Covert Reconfiguration
Loki Propulsion - Interdiction Nullifier

Covert Ops Cloaking Device II
3x 425mm AutoCannon II (Barrage M)
Salvager II
Sisters Expanded Probe Launcher (Sisters Core Scanner Probe)

10MN Afterburner II
Codebreaker II
Analyzer II
Pith A-Type Explosion Dampening Field
Pith A-Type Ballistic Deflection Field
Gist X-Type Large Shield Booster

3x Domination Gyrostabilizer

2x Medium Projectile Ambit Extension II
Medium Anti-Thermal Screen Reinforcer II

Also have a PVE Loki here:

[Loki, PVE 003]
Loki Defensive - Amplification Node
Loki Electronics - Tactical Targeting Network
Loki Engineering - Augmented Capacitor Reservoir
Loki Offensive - Projectile Scoping Array
Loki Propulsion - Fuel Catalyst

6x 425mm AutoCannon II

Corelum A-Type 10MN Afterburner
Pithum A-Type Medium Shield Booster
Pith A-Type Ballistic Deflection Field
2x Dread Guristas Invulnerability Field

3x Republic Fleet Gyrostabilizer
Republic Fleet Tracking Enhancer
Damage Control II

2x Medium Capacitor Control Circuit II
Medium Capacitor Control Circuit I