Caracal: Difference between revisions

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|shipid=621

|shipimg=Caracal.jpg

|shipname=Caracal

|class=Cruiser

|grouping=Standard Cruisers

|hulltype=Caracal Class

|faction=Caldari State

|variations={{Ship|Cerberus}}, {{Ship|Caracal Navy Issue}}

|highlights4=

==Summary==

The Caracal is an excellent choice for a level 2 mission runner because of it's ability to take on frigate packs. It can be either active or passive shield tanked. In fleets its main role is either going to be simple DD, or anti frigate, depending on how you fit it out.

With the changes to Heavy Assault Missiles (HAM) and Cruisers, the Caracal is a great solo/small gang kiting ship.

[[Missiles#Missile_Support_Skills|Missile]] and shield tanking skills should be trained for this ship along with general [[Support_Skills|support skills]].

==Fitting==

| ship=Caracal

| notes=Change the shield hardeners to match the damage types dealt by the mission rats.</li><li>Add Medium Core Defense Field Purger I rigs when you can afford them, these will substantially improve your tank.</li><li>Upgrade mods to Meta 1-4 or Tech 2 versions as funds and skills allow.

| warsop=A

| notes=If you are tight on powergrid even with the meta mods, try putting a Power Diagnostic System or Reactor Control Unit instead of the Nanofiber Internal Structure.</li><li>If you are close on CPU, consider dropping EM Hardener to Meta for 12 extra CPU.</li><li>Able to engage at very high range, but if tons of range isn't needed can also fit HAMs with some adjustments.}}

| ship=Caracal

| fitName=PvP fleet

| notes=Drop T2 modules to meta as required.</li><li>Able to engage at very high range, but if tons of range isn't needed can also fit HAMs with some adjustments.}}    {{ShipFitting

| skills=

| notes=This fit is able to perma-kite using a cap booster, MWD, and T2 disruptor. Even without perfect cap skills you can easily manage this for long term engagements.</li><li>Web helps against tackle. HAMs still do pretty decent damage to small targets, so TP is more of a niche mod for this slot. (Good against inties, assault frigs, etc).</li><li>Caracal has the nice ability to switch ammo without losing its damage bonus, so you can use any type you want.</li><li>Downgrade to Meta as needed, for example meta 4 launchers are easier to fit and the damage loss isn't much if you are using faction missiles.</li><li>If your Navigation skills are a little low, consider dropping a BCS for a nanofiber so you can kite more effectively.}}

{{ShipFitting

| ship=Caracal

| shipTypeID=621

| high1name=Prototype 'Arbalest' Heavy Assault Missile Launcher I

| high2name=Prototype 'Arbalest' Heavy Assault Missile Launcher I

| high3name=Prototype 'Arbalest' Heavy Assault Missile Launcher I

| high4name=Prototype 'Arbalest' Heavy Assault Missile Launcher I

| high5name=Prototype 'Arbalest' Heavy Assault Missile Launcher I

| drone2name=open

| version=RET 1.0

| skills=

| notes=This fit is able to perma-kite using a cap booster, MWD, and T2 disruptor. Even without perfect cap skills you can easily manage this for long term engagements.</li><li>Web helps against tackle. HAMs still do pretty decent damage to small targets, so TP is more of a niche mod for this slot. (Good against interceptors, assault frigs, etc).</li><li>Caracal has the nice ability to switch ammo without losing its damage bonus, so you can use any type you want.</li><li>If your Navigation skills are a little low, consider dropping a BCS for a nanofiber, or depending on your skills, possibly the PDS.</li><li>Not recommended, but you can drop DCU for nanofiber if you would like more speed/agility.</li><li>Depending on your fitting skills and missile skills, you might even be able to fit a T2 LSE instead of the meta one with the PDS. This will be tankier, although you should avoid getting caught in the first place if possible.}}

==Tactics==

* Kite the rats !! Use your missile range to keep the frigates away from you while you pick them off with your missiles. It is possible to Alpha strike a rat frig with ordinary light missiles. If there are rat destroyers and cruisers with the frigates then take out the frigates first, then the destroyers, then isolate and take out the cruisers. Use your afterburner to stay out of their effective range but inside your missile optimal. Train your missile skills to increase optimal.

* The Caracal has nice bonuses for missiles and is decently fast, so it is a very good kiting ship. With the HAM tweaks it's good for taking out smaller ships (without using light missiles) that can catch it, while still being able to put a lot of DPS onto larger ships that can't catch it. Basically you just want to kite away from them, maybe heat your MWD initially if they warp in close/you are on a gate or station, then turn it off as it will burn out quite fast if you don't pay attention. Depending on your missile and cruiser skills you'll want to keep them from 20-30 KM away with HAMs. When you are running low on cap, simply pop a booster charge and keep burning along.  

 

* If you are Rapid Light fit, focus on enemy destroyers, frigates, and possibly drones if necessary. If you are Heavy Missile (HML) or Heavy Assault Missile (HAM) fit, attack the target your FC calls primary. If you are using HAMs but it would be unsafe to get into range to use them on the designated primary, simply switch to attacking smaller ships such as frigates until such a time as you can damage the primary target.

* If you are kiting, small gang tactics are going to be pretty similar to solo, except that you will likely want to burn in the same direction/ be aligned to the same thing as your fleetmates. There are all sorts of small gang compositions that one can try out. Just one example: 2-5 Caracals, 1 Bellicose. The Caracals apply DPS while the Bellicose supports them with Target Paints and helps tackle.

This vessel qualifies for the University [[Ship Replacement Program]], [[PYOS]], and [[BYOM]].

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