Hydra Merlin
Contents
General Info
- Special Ability: 5% bonus to shield resistances and 10% bonus to Small Hybrid Turret optimal range per skill level.
This is a basic T1 setup for use in a PvP-BASIC Hydra gang. The merlin offers a good alternative to the Kestrel - it has plenty of CPU and 4 mid-slots, meaning it can fit plenty of electronic warfare. It also has more effective hitpoints than other frigates due to its shield resistance bonuses. It is, however, one of the slower lower-dps frigates. Merlins are very versatile ships, and are very popular among Agony pilots.
Please have several of the following modules in stock at class start location. You will have to adjust the 2 EWAR midslots as needed to balance the fleet so make sure to bring 2 of each of these electronic warfare modules with you per frigate hull that you buy. Because ewar modules are CPU intensive you may want to bring a co-processor along. You will also need to use scripts with some ewar modules (dampeners and tracking disrupters) so make sure to bring along one of each kind of script per ewar module that you buy and bring along.
- J5 Prototype Warp Disruptor I (named 20km warp disruptor)
- J5B Phased Prototype Warp Scrambler (named warp scrambler, 8.6 km range)
- 'Langour' Drive Disruptor I (named 10km stasis webifier)
- F-382 Baker Nunn Tracking Disruptor (named tracking disruptor)
- Indirect Scanning Dampening Unit (named sensor dampener)
- Sensor dampener scripts: Scan Resolution Dampening and Targeting Range Dampening
- Tracking disruptor scripts: Optimal Range Disruption and Tracking Speed Disruption
- Quantum Co-Processor I or Co-Processor II - to help fit ewar modules if needed
Rigs: These are optional, but some of these are extremely cheap to purchase in trade hubs. Next to each rig in parentheses is the number of calibration points it requires. Merlin has 400 calibration points in total:
- Small Hybrid Collision Accelerator I (200) - increases turret damage, increases turret pg use
- Small Hybrid Burst Aerator I (200) - increases turret firing speed, increases turret pg use
- Small Hybrid Locus Coordinator I (100) - increases turret optimal range, increases turret pg use
- Small Core Defense Field Extender I (50) - increases shield amount, boosts signature radius making your frigate bigger
- Small Low Friction Nozzle Joints I (50) - improves agility, decreases armor amount
- Small Auxiliary Thrusters I (100) - improves speed, decreases armor amount
- Small Targeting System Subcontroller I (100) - cuts targeting speed, decreases shield amount
Note: Using several rigs that decrease your shield or armor amount will make you more susceptible to bombs. Normally using shield extender rigs will also make a frigate more susceptible to being killed by bombs, however, due to Merlin's shield resistance bonuses the smal extender rigs grant more HP bonus than damage penalty by bombs.
Example Long-Range Hydra Merlin Setup
Stats (All level V)
- Effective HP: 2,720
- Speed: 860 meters/second
- Turret Optimal + Falloff: 12 + 7.5km with Federation Navy Antimatter Charge S
- Light Missile Max Flight Range: 42km
- DPS: 59
Note: this setup requires Energy Management IV, Electronics IV, Weapon Upgrades IV. If you do not have Energy Management IV you will not be able to fit a MAPC. In this case you can try to substitute standard launchers for rocker launchers. If you do not have Electronics IV and Weapon Upgrades IV you may choose to purchase a more expensive version of damage control, such as F85 Peripheral Damage System, fit rocket launchers instead of standard launchers, or fit ewar modules that use less cpu.
Low Slots
- Emergency Damage Control I
- Micro Auxiliary Power Core I (aka MAPC, grants more powergrid)
Mid Slots
- Cold-Gas I Arcjet Thrusters (named 1mn afterburner)
- F-392 Baker Nunn Tracking Disruptor I (tracking disruptor)
- F-392 Baker Nunn Tracking Disruptor I (tracking disruptor)
- 'Langour' Drive Disruptor I (named 10km stasis webifier)
alternative layout:
- Cold-Gas I Arcjet Thrusters (named 1mn afterburner)
- Indirect Scanning Dampening Unit I (sensor dampener)
- Indirect Scanning Dampening Unit I (sensor dampener)
- J5b Phased Prototype Warp Scrambler I (named 8.6 km warp scrambler)
High Slots
- 'Malkuth' Standard Missile Launcher I
- 'Malkuth' Standard Missile Launcher I
- 150mm Carbide Railgun I
- 150mm Carbide Railgun I
Cargo
- 1000 units Federation Navy Antimatter Charge S
- 1000 units of Caldari Navy light missiles, your choice of damage type
- both kinds of scripts for any electronic warfare modules that need them
Example EFT Copy & Paste
[Merlin, hydra T1] Emergency Damage Control I Micro Auxiliary Power Core I Cold-Gas I Arcjet Thrusters F-392 Baker Nunn Tracking Disruptor I F-392 Baker Nunn Tracking Disruptor I 'Langour' Drive Disruptor I 'Malkuth' Standard Missile Launcher I, Caldari Navy Flameburst Light Missile 'Malkuth' Standard Missile Launcher I, Caldari Navy Flameburst Light Missile 150mm Carbide Railgun I, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S 150mm Carbide Railgun I, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S [empty rig slot] [empty rig slot] [empty rig slot]
