Difference between revisions of "Shield Logi Gang"

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===HACS===
 
===HACS===
 
*[[Vagabond (DB)]]
 
*[[Vagabond (DB)]]
*[[Arty Muninn (DB)]]
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*[[Muninn (DB)]]
 
*[[Deimos (DB)]]
 
*[[Deimos (DB)]]
 
*[[Ishtar (DB)]]
 
*[[Ishtar (DB)]]

Revision as of 08:54, 8 October 2010

Tactic Overview

Relying on a large personal tank in typical pvp engagements is often a losing proposition.

Using speed, range, or electronic warfare scales better against larger forces.

Giving up on tanking completely though is a mistake. This tactic focuses on the use of two or more Basilisk logistic ships to remote shield tank the gang, and the gang being fitted for shield resists/buffer to increase the amount of dps that they can be remote tanked for.

While the more ships you have the more effective remote repairing becomes, once fleet size gets above a certain point ships start getting too much damage too fast and they are killed before they can be locked and repaired.

The target gang size for a Dual Basilisk gang is typically about 7-20 which includes two Basilisks.

Finally its important to note that using remote repair modules/drones does not create agression, this means logistics pilots can activate a gate or dock at any time, engagements using this type of gang should always aim to be on a gate or station.

Tanking as a Basilisk

Basics

We've demonstrated that Dual-Basilisk gangs can be some of the most effective and fun fleets in EVE for small/medium scale pvp. With a decently sized group you can take on large amounts of firepower and even larger numbers while losing few if any ships. As a Basilisk pilot, all thats required is appropriate fittings, and understanding of a few general procedures, and a 2nd Basilisk pilot to pair up with.


Additionally, having the following skills is important for Basilisk pilots:

  • Logistics IV
  • Energy Emission Systems IV
  • Shield Emission Systems IV
  • Multi tasking II (IV preferable)
  • Repair Drones IV

Fittings

When fitting a Basilisk for a DB gang, the key attributes are cap stability between the right shield amount, shield resistances, and sensor strength.


The starting point for fitting a Basilisk for a DB gang is your high slots with your shield and cap transfer arrays. Generally, this means 3 large best named or T2 Shield Transfer Arrays and 3 Large best named capacitor transfer arrays. Next, focus on increasing your shield buffer by throwing on a Large Shield Extender II. Then add shield resistances using invulnerability fields, damage controls, shield resist rigs, and or shield hardeners. Finally, you want to make sure you're as hard to jam as possible. Generally, this means using 2 best named / T2 Gravimetric ECCM modules.


Flying the Basilisk

"Link up" by each basilisk targeting each other (use broadcasts) and then activating all their cap and shield transfers on each other as soon as they see that they've locked each other (wait till the other guy is flashing yellow).


Once you've "linked up" you can take 2 shield transfers off of each other and put them on whoever else in your team is being attacked. Other gang members should use the broadcast shields button as soon as they see themselves taking shield damage.

In an emergency, each basilisk should put all their shield transfers on the gangmate being attacked.


Should one basilisk fall under attack, the basilisk under attack should take over shield transferring other ships under attack while the other basilisk focuses entirely on the basilisk being primaried.

Both basilisks should be on a gate/station and prepared to jump/dock in an emergency (your tank is dieing) since your shield transferring doesn't cause aggression.


Additionally, logistic pilots that have logistics IV, Energy Emission Systems IV, and Shield Emission Systems IV, may take one of their cap transfers off of each other and apply to other gang-mates that need cap.

Basilisk Setups

Tanking as other Ships

Basics

A Dual-Basilisk gang, while powerful with two Basilisks, is much more effective when everyone else in the gang also focuses their fitting to take advantage of the strategy. Namely, this means increasing your shield buffer, and shield resistances. However, small ships such as frigs and destroyers, continue to have the downside of not having a lot of hp or resistance. It is still not recommended that frigs and destroyers focus on tanking, resistance, or hp but rather stick to the speed and agility advantages they maintain. Thus, the rest of the discussion is focused on cruiser sized and larger ships. The one exception can be Assault Frigates. Because they have such high natural resists, its ok to focus their fittings for a Dual-Basilisk gang by adding more resistance and some HP buffer.

Fittings

When fitting a general ship for a DB gang, the key attributes are shield amount and armor resistances. The starting point for any T1 fitting should be the shield buffer and resistances, meaning 1 Large Shield Extender, a damage control, 3 shield resistance rigs (em, thermal, kinetic), and an invulnerability field. This should give any T1 ship a lowest resistance of at least 55% with at least 4-5k shield HP. Shield HP is important to prevent you from being killed before Basilisks can target, lock, and rep you, but your shield resistances will determine how much dps the Basilisks can tank you for. Additional tanking modules such as more shield hardeners or even an activate shield tank are very beneficial as well so long as you generally don't sacrifice your entire midslots for it.


In general, you should be able to take normal fittings but sacrificing ewar for shield tanking mods. You lose ewar while gaining high survivability.


An interesting point is that this works especially well for armor tanking ships such as Harbinger or Megathron as they can now devote all their low slots to increasing their damage with damage mods, tracking enhancers, and possibly signal amplifers to increase their resistance to being jammed. Another interesting point lies with some Caldari ships such as the Drake. A Drake, which already gets shield resistance bonuses per ship level, can easily be fit for insane resistances using 3 resistance rigs, a Damage Control, and only 3 or so of its midslots to increase its shield buffer and shield resistances. This means that a Drake would have 3 or so midslots available for ewar equipment such as a point, web, and remote ECCM to help prevent Basilisks from being jammed. Even a mwd is possible assuming pg fittings are ok.


T2 ships in general will have a much easier time adjusting their fittings due to already increased resistances. Usually, 2 resistance rigs, a damage control, and a shield harder for the lowest resist will satisfy the resistance need, and a Large Shield Extender again should give the ship about 4-5k shield hp. The rest of the ship can be fit normal-ish.


Finally, some Battleships may be fit with one or two large shield transfer arrays to help tank the Basilisks if their link is broken by jams. Because Battleships setup this way need to be close to the Basilisks, they should be setup to be able to hit reliably at a good distance (around 30km minimum generally).

Flying a DB-fit ship

If you start taking damage then broadcast "need shield" quickly. You should broadcast when you start taking damage, not when you you decide that the incoming damage is overcoming your own tank. This will give the Basilisk pilots (and other shield transfer equipped pilots) as much time as possible to get you locked and get repairers on you before you really need them. If you're being primaried there's not a whole lot for you to do, just focus on offensive actions, be sure any hardeners are on, and rely on your gangmates to keep you alive.


Don't waste time trying to figure out which one of the broadcast buttons is "need shield". Using "need cap" or "need armor" generally works just fine as well. Any broadcast that allows the Basilisk pilot to right click and target you.


While Basilisk pilots had a huge remote repair range, shield transfer equipped battleships don't have that range so its generally a good idea to stick together as a gang so that everyone will be inside of remote repair range. This is most commonly done by having a common point that everyone stays close to, usually the gate as it gives the Basilisk pilots the option of jumping out and returning if they take too much incoming damage.


Sometimes, a Basilisk may get jammed while the enemy focuses fire on the other Basilisk. If you're equipped with remote shield transfer arrays, then it's a very good idea to have the Basilisk pilots on your watch list, and even targeted, making it easy to help them out if they're taking too much dps or the Basilisk cycle gets broken with jams. When staying close to something your best bet is to rely on the "keep at range" option, usually at 500m. Approach or orbit can work, but keep at range will work better in the vast majority of cases.


Comparison to a Dual Guardian Gang

There are several advantages and disadvantages between Dual Basilisk gangs, and their armor tanking counter parts (Dual Guardian Gang) and its worth understanding the difference. First, a Dual Basilisk gang will generally have more damage output than a Dual Guardian gang because the low slots on a Dual-Basilisk-fit ship are free for damage mods whereas the low slots on a Dual-Guardian-fit ship are dedicated to tank. Similarly, a Dual Guardian will generally have more ewar than a Dual Guardian gang because the midslots on a Dual-Guardian-fit ship are free for ewar mods whereas the mid slots on a Dual-Basilisk-fit ship are dedicated to tank.


However, freeing up the midslots also leads to one further advantage. With midslots free, Battleships are able to equip cap boosters while maintaining their tank. This allows Battleships to easily fit large remote armor repairers and thus practically the same Battleship fitting for a Spider Tanking gang. In essence, it means that Dual Guardian gangs can generally have more tanking potential than Dual-Basilisk gangs.


One final difference is with regards to station warfare. Basilisks, in general, will be better at station fights since if their tank is being overpowered, they can dock and undock with full shields whereas guardians will still have to repair their armor.

Setups

Battleships

Command Ships

Battlecruisers

HACS

Recons

Heavy Interdictors

Cruisers

Assault Frigates