Hauling: Difference between revisions

The first hauling ships a player can use are [[Tech 1]] industrial ships. These are relatively cheap and fast, and can haul a moderate amount of cargo. They are however also very fragile and can be destroyed by just one ganker if the cargo they carry is valuable enough. These ships can be sorted into three different classes:  

* Bulk transports, which have a much higher capacity than the fast transports, but are slower and and have less [[tank]]

Tech 1 industrials have the lowest skill requirements of all hauling craft. Even [[alpha clones]] can fly them, though they can only train the Spaceship Command skills to level 1.

Blockade runners are tech 2 industrial ships. They are the fastest and most agile industrial ship by quite a margin. They can align as quickly as a [[frigate]], are some of the fastest ships in EVE at warp speeds, and even at sub-light speeds they can fly as quickly as a fast cruiser. Additionally, they can fit covert ops [[cloaking|cloaking devices]] (and hence can warp while cloaked). This means that the only real danger to a properly fitted and flown blockade runner are the [[Interdiction 101|warp disruption bubbles]] in nullsec and w-space.  With "The Great Escape" update, released May 18, 2021, Blockade Runners are at least somewhat protected from these, as well, by fitting a Warp Interdiction Nullifier.

They can carry a little less cargo than the Tech 1 fast transports, but can be fitted to carry up to about 10,000m³ of cargo (enough to carry a [[packaged]] [[cruiser]]) at the cost of reduced agility and/or speed.

Deep Space Transports (DSTs) are tech 2 industrial ships with larger cargo capacities than their tech 1 equivalents and fleet hangars that hold 50,000m³ (increased by skills). They have bonuses to active tanking, either shield resistances or armor resistances, helping them to fit substantial [[Buffer|buffer]] tanks. Finally, they get a unique role bonus of 100% to overheating benefits of Afterburners, Microwarpdrives, Local Repair Modules, and Resistance Modules.

The Tech 2 versions of freighters, jump freighters, have a reduced cargo capacity but are capable of using [[cynosural field]]s to jump long distances. They are also able to use stargates like normal ships. (Since cynosural fields cannot be lit in highsec, jump freighters travelling in highsec have to use stargates.) This makes them ideal supply ships for people who live in nullsec.

* 150,000 m³ Ore Hold for unrefined mining goods, with additional bonus due to ship skills ([[Mining]], [[Ice Mining]])

There are situations where a small fast craft is better then a big lumbering beast. These include moving blueprints or other small volume, high value cargo. One option is a warpstab or nano-fit frigate with a propulsion mod to try and burn away from tacklers. However, the best option at this size is a [[Frigate#Covert Ops|Covert Ops Frigate]], which can provide near-perfect safety if handled correctly.

Using a [http://themittani.com/news/alod-best-way-move-your-bpos shuttle] or untanked frigate to move through lowsec with high-value cargo is not recommended due to the danger of smartbombing battleships. An interceptor is the best option for moving through nullsec, assuming it is [https://web.archive.org/web/20160222022222/https://www.themittani.com/news/alod-13b-isk-interceptor-going-nowhere-fast properly fit]. Even in highsec, frigates are very safe but [https://i.gyazo.com/a8e94c20d47608dc93713c2bdf4cebb9.png not 100% safe] if you carry valuable cargo (the Perimeter gate in Jita is the most scanned point in the game).

The best form of tanking for haulers is not getting caught in the first place. Use the [[Cloak Trick]] wherever possible (always on Deep Space Transports), and consider warp stabilisers as an option if you have fitting slots to spare.

* Use [[Bookmarks#Instant_Warp-Out|insta-undock bookmarks]] at busy stations

For further information consider reading [[Suicide Ganking]] for detailed ganking and anti-ganking strategies for haulers

The more [[EHP]] that you have, the harder it is for the attacker to blow up your ship and steal your stuff.  In the case of low/null security space, a [[WCS]] (warp core stabilizer) may be the difference between getting away and getting blown up.

For T1 industrial ships, you will want to fit as many medium/large shield extenders into the mid slots as possible.  This should be balanced with shoring up your weak EMP/Thermal resist holes using Multispectrum Shield Hardener modules or Shield Resist Amplifier modules. In cases where you need more EHP and can sacrifice cargo space, consider adding DC2 ([[Damage Control Unit]] II) modules, reinforced bulkheads, or armor resist modules. A poorly fit T1 industrial hauler will only have 4k to 6k EHP, a well fit T1 industrial can have 10k to 20k EHP without sacrificing too much cargo space.

You should train [[Hull_Upgrades#Hull_Upgrades|Hull Upgrades IV]] and [[Mechanics#Mechanics|Mechanics IV]] (or better V) before undocking, being able to use a [[DCU#Damage_Control|DCU II]] gives a really nice EHP boost and since you are almost full-hull-tank, the extra 5% from Mechanics V are also very nice. You should also consider using a [[List_of_Skill_Hardwiring_Implants#Slot_8|Inherent Implants 'Noble' MC]] (Slot 8) which increase hull HP by anything from 1% up to 6%.

Blockade runners rely on good bookmarks, crafty use of their Covert Ops Cloak, [[MWD]], and not fitting anything that would increase signature radius (no shield extenders).  Due to their use of a covops cloak, well-flown blockade runners can be almost impossible to catch in hi-sec / lo-sec.  So they are a good choice for more expensive cargo runs.  But they are also very flimsy and can easily be ganked if you leave them uncloaked at a gate.

Busier market hub stations (such as Jita CNAP 4-4) will have people camping the undock 23x7, waiting for you to undock with something shiny in the cargo hold.  Your #1 defense against this is to prepare an [[Bookmarks#Instant_Warp-Out|insta-undock bookmark]] ahead of time.

*[http://red-frog.org Red Frog Freight]