Hydra Merlin

To go back to the main page for this ship, see Merlin.

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.

• 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

Low Slots

• Damage Control
• Micro Auxiliary Power Core I (aka MAPC, grants more powergrid)

Mid Slots

• 1MN Afterburner
• 3x EWAR module of your choice

High Slots

• 2x 125mm railgun
• 2x standard missile launcher

Cargo

• 1000 units of antimatter charge s (close range hybrid ammo). Optionally you may wish to bring some mid range ammo such as Lead, but I find you will rarely use it.
  
• 1000 units of light missiles, your choice of damage type
  
• both kinds of scripts for any electronic warfare modules that need them

Example EFT Copy & Paste

Here's an example using cheap named fittings. This will (just!) fit with starting skills:
[Merlin, HYDRA t1]
Damage Control I
Micro Auxiliary Power Core I

Cold-Gas I Arcjet Thrusters
Initiated Harmonic Warp Scrambler I
'Langour' Drive Disruptor I
F-392 Baker Nunn Tracking Disruptor I

125mm Carbide Railgun I, Antimatter Charge S
125mm Carbide Railgun I, Antimatter Charge S
'Malkuth' Standard Missile Launcher I, Flameburst Light Missile
'Malkuth' Standard Missile Launcher I, Flameburst Light Missile

[empty rig slot]
[empty rig slot]
[empty rig slot]

And here's a t2 variant, which will require more advanced skills:

[Merlin, HYDRA t2]
Damage Control II
Micro Auxiliary Power Core I

1MN Afterburner II
Initiated Harmonic Warp Scrambler I
'Langour' Drive Disruptor I
F-392 Baker Nunn Tracking Disruptor I

125mm Railgun II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S
125mm Railgun II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S
Standard Missile Launcher II, Caldari Navy Flameburst Light Missile
Standard Missile Launcher II, Caldari Navy Flameburst Light Missile

Small Hybrid Burst Aerator I
Small Hybrid Collision Accelerator I
[empty rig slot]

Stats

With cheap named fit and starting skills:

• Effective HP: 2043
• Speed: 697 m/s
• DPS: 29
• Turret Optimal + Falloff: 5.7 + 5 km (with antimatter)
• Light Missile Max Flight Range: 18.8 km

With t2 fit and all Lv V skills:

• Effective HP: 2975
• Speed: 901 m/s
• DPS: 83
• Turret Optimal + Falloff: 10 + 6.3 km (with antimatter)
• Light Missile Max Flight Range: 42.2 km