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| − | {{FCC Links}}
| + | ==Artillery Thrashers== |
| − | {{FCC Doctrine Links}}
| |
| − | ==Artillery Ruptures== | |
| | {| style="padding:0px;" | | {| style="padding:0px;" |
| − | | nowrap style="padding:0px;" valign="top" | <div style="border:1px solid #525252; position:relative;"><div style="border:0px; position:absolute; top:0px; left:0px"></div><div style="border:0px; position:absolute; top:80px; left:80px;">{{icon|minmatar|48}}</div>[[File:Rupture.jpg|128px|]]</div> | + | | nowrap style="padding:0px;" valign="top" | <div style="border:1px solid #525252; position:relative;"><div style="border:0px; position:absolute; top:0px; left:0px"></div><div style="border:0px; position:absolute; top:80px; left:80px;">{{icon|minmatar|48}}</div>[[File:thrasher.jpg|128px|]]</div> |
| − | | valign="middle" style="padding:4px;" | At first glance, the Artillery Rupture is unimpressive when compared against its T1 Cruiser equivalents. Its tank is extremely light even with good skills, at around 25k EHP, and while it is fast, its sustained DPS initially seems very low at around 250-300 DPS vs the 400+ DPS most other doctrines can achieve | + | | valign="middle" style="padding:4px;" | Gate-camping Artillery Thrashers are the bane of many solo Low Sec and Null Sec pilots. Fitted for insta-locking, and delivering up to 1.5k volleys of damage, a couple of these ships can remove a frigate from the field in seconds. A small fleet of them can remove even Cruisers in the same way |
| | | | |
| − | The key to the Rupture though is its volley damage or “Alpha Strike”. Like the Artillery Thrashers, The Rupture specializes in delivering huge (up to 2.5k) damage in a single blow, immediately deleting an opponent from the field. The step up to Medium weapons for the Rupture vs the Thrasher, means that it is able to project that alpha strike out to much higher ranges, up to 60KM with Barrage ammunition
| + | It is possible, if generally sub-optimal, to add tank to an Artillery Thrasher and fly this doctrine with Logi support, however the most common and effective way to fly the Thrasher remains as a roaming gate camp – similar to [[Longbow Cormorants]] – catching and devastating single ships moving through gates. It’s low effort PvP, but it’s a fun casual fleet because of that, and it can rapidly get more interesting if you can annoy nearby residents sufficiently to provoke a response fleet for a proper fight |
| | |} | | |} |
| | + | |
| | ==Implementation== | | ==Implementation== |
| − | With a decent speed, low tank, and high volley damage at long range, the Arty Rupture is a natural skirmish cruiser, in a similar manner to the BLAP Caracal. While it is more than capable of using shorter range ammunition to gank outnumbered targets up close, in fleet vs fleet combat it is best used to warp in at range, alpha a few targets off the field, then disengage before the main bulk of a fleet can get on top of you
| + | Like all Destroyers, the Thrasher is designed for pure damage dealing. Bonuses to tracking, damage and range make it a deadly force with Artillery – able to hit for 1.5k volleys up to 30km away |
| | + | |
| | + | Impressive as that is though, it doesn’t quite match the exceptional ranges of [[BLAP Talwars]] or [[Longbow Cormorants]] which make them the preferred option for skirmishing with other fleets. What the Thrasher does excel at however, is in having the joint-highest scan resolution of any T1 destroyer, and in delivering its damage in an instantaneous volley of damage. The Talwar’s missiles need time to deliver their volley, and Comorants deliver sustained rather than volley damage. A Thrasher however can simply delete an opponent as soon as it can lock it. And with such a high base scan resolution, combined with modules and rigs designed to maximize this, a Thrasher can lock and fire almost faster than your fingers can move on the keyboard |
| | + | |
| | + | With these advantages, Gate Camping for individual unsuspecting targets is the name of the game. A full gate camping Thrasher in Low Sec will maximize its scan resolution, and usually not fit a propulsion module. Pre-aligned out, it can lock, tackle and fire within a single server tick. Assuming sufficient numbers to instantly kill an opponent on that first volley, the Thrasher can hit warp and leave the grid on the next server tick - before gate guns even lock them |
| | | | |
| − | Just like any skirmish cruiser, when engaging another fleet, always try to fight aligned to something, so that you can disengage once they start to close range on you. Up close, your low sustained damage, and low tank generally puts you at a disadvantage against similar sized fleets, unless you have managed to pick enough ships off from range to give you a numerical advantage by the time they catch you
| + | To do this effectively, pre-cycling modules is essential. Make sure fleet members are familiar with this technique (click an offensive module with no target locked and it will start flashing – once you lock a target, those flashing modules will now activate immediately and automatically as soon as you have a target locked that they can apply to) |
| | | | |
| − | Your ability to alpha targets off the field often lets you directly target DPS ships in a fleet, killing them with alpha volleys before their Logistics wing have time to land repairs
| + | Pilots should fly independently on this fleet – waiting for a fleet warp or command will likely get you killed. Thrashers should be pre-aligned and hit warp themselves as soon as they unleash their first volley |
| | | | |
| − | Your maximum alpha strike with close range ammunition is around 2.5k at 20km, or 1.5k at 60km with T2 Tremor. T1 fits have a slightly shorter max range at 50km with XXX, but even a low skilled Minmatar Alpha pilot should be capable of achieving a 1.5k close range volley, making it fairly easy for a fleet of 20 pilots to reach a combined volley enough to delete almost any T1 Cruiser in a single volley. Even if you don’t have the alpha to take out cruisers, it’s an equally satisfying tactic to simply alpha off small tackle and support ships, then escape before the main DPS can catch you
| + | If fighting on a gate in Null, or if engaging flashy suspect targets on Low Sec gates, where Gate Guns aren’t a concern, the pre-alignment tactics don’t apply, and the Thrashers can remain on grid and usually deliver several volleys before an opponent has time to react |
| | | | |
| − | Coordinating that Alpha strike is fairly key. If your volleys are staggered and land a few seconds apart, then the Logistics ships have a greater chance to catch repairs on someone. Ideally, all your damage should land in a single server tick, to instantly delete an opponent. The best way to achieve this is rather than have all ships free-fire on the primary target, an FC can count down 3-2-1-FIRE for each new target
| + | If you cannot kill an opponent rapidly in a couple of volleys, then you will want to avoid the fight – the Thrashers are extreme glass cannons due to their focus on maximizing scan resolution and damage and as soon as an opponent starts fighting back, it is likely you will rapidly lose ships. For the same reason, engaging a fleet or small gang is inadvisable unless you have overwhelming numbers. This is a true ganking fleet |
| | | | |
| − | Note that, like all T1 Cruisers, your capacitor life is awful when using your MWD. Unlike the Moa, the Rupture doesn’t really have the spare tank to fit a capacitor booster instead of a shield module in the mids, so capacitor life needs to be managed carefully, and FC should call out for use of the MWD selectively – “prop mods on two cycles” etc for whatever period is needed to maintain the appropriate range. Perma-running the MWD is not an option on this ship, although at least with Artillery, you can still shoot things while you float motionless and tank-less in space waiting for your capacitor to recharge
| + | It is unlikely that you will be allowed to gate camp a single site indefinitely. Eventually, nearby residents will usually form a response fleet, either due to irritation, or hoping for some cheap Thrasher kills. Be aware of this and keep your eyes and scouts watching both sides of the gate for such a threat. If you are close to a home station, then this may be a good chance to re-ship into a more combat efficient fleet to take the fight they bring |
| | | | |
| − | Like BLAP Caracals, Arty Ruptures can be effective in both Low-Sec and Null-Sec. The lack of bubbles in Low Sec, combined with a lack of tackle on the ship itself might discourage FCs from using these in FW space, but in reality, your alpha strike means you can kill most ships instantly without even needing to tackle them. Anything which takes more than 1-2 volleys to kill probably isn’t the best target for you anyway. In Low you want to avoid people using Plex mechanics to fight you in brawling range, but you can be a very effective gate camper, and gate fighter. Those same characteristics make Ruptures an effective option in Null as well, where bubbles can offer even more tactical options
| + | If you get chased off a gate and don’t want/cant re-ship to fight them off, then simply re-position your Thrashers to another gate with high traffic (look on Dotlan for systems with high numbers of jumps) |
| | | | |
| − | The key to an effective Rupture fleet, as with any Alpha Strike doctrine, is simply numbers. Your effectiveness lies in your combined alpha strike. Get that as high as you can, and use it to delete everything
| + | ==Fleet Composition and Fits== |
| | | | |
| − | ==Fleet Composition==
| |
| | ====Primary DD Fit==== | | ====Primary DD Fit==== |
| − | There is some debate as to the best balance of Gyrostabilizers and Tracking Enhancers for the low slots. While many groups will go for 3:1 in favor of Gyrostabilizers for maximum damage, for the Uni, 2:2 is probably the best bet, to help lower skilled characters reach the range which makes the doctrine work. Extra damage isn’t much use if you can’t apply it because the fleet is fighting outside of your range. Tracking Enhancers also have lower fitting requirements than Gyros, which helps players with lower fitting skills
| + | The full insta-locking Thrasher reaches 2k signature strength, letting it insta-lock almost anything – including Interceptors. However this does leave the Thrasher with a tissue paper tank. Depending on the purpose (and location) of the fleet, FC’s may wish to go full insta-locking, or to mix a few insta-lockers with a main fleet of more robust ships which can survive at least one volley of gate guns if a pilot is slow to warp off |
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| |
| | ====Logi==== | | ====Logi==== |
| − | Given you aim to skirmish, and warp out before you take too much sustained damage, Logistics are marginally less important here than for doctrines such as Rail Moas, where you aim to fight a sustained battle. Bringing Logi is still advisable, however achieving a critical mass of Logistics is less of a priority. Any MWD Logi can work, so BLAP Ospreys, or Scythes work well, although Ospreys rely on their Cap chain, so you need at least 3 Ospreys to be effective
| + | Logistics ships are of little use here – limited tank and terrible resists means you’re almost always going to benefit more from additional DPS than Logistics support |
| | | | |
| | ====Support Ships==== | | ====Support Ships==== |
| − | Your primary scouts and tackle remain Interceptors as always. In Null Sec you will also, of course want an Interdictor or two for bubbles.
| + | T1 Frigate scouts can be useful to watch for incoming targets on either side of a gate, and watch for possible response fleets, and if gate guns aren’t an issue, then ECM ships can help keep a larger target from firing back while the Thrashers take a few more volleys to finish them off. Otherwise, support ships are minimal |
| − | As with most Cruiser doctrines, Command Destroyers make very effective support ships. The MJFG helps with fleet repositioning, and the command bursts add a few benefits. Shield tank boosts are universally useful, but the most useful command burst for the Rupture is information, which lets you boost lock range – very useful for a long range doctrine where your maximum range with good skills actually slightly exceeds your lock range. Command Burst assistance can therefore be very useful for fighting at extreme ranges. Given the use of Information Bursts, the Stork is your best option
| |
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| |
| − | Finally, given Artillery has terrible tracking, support ships which help you maximize your alpha strike are essential. The Bellicose is a great ship for this, offering a good shield tank, excellent damage maximization at long range with Target Painters, as well as offering some nice additional DPS via its light missiles
| |
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| − | Long webs such as the Hyena are always useful for pinning down smaller ships for alpha strikes as well, although it should be noted that very often you will be fighting outside of the Hyena’s 30km web range, and so, depending on preference, a Hyena pilot may be more usefully deployed elsewhere in the fleet
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Artillery Thrashers
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Gate-camping Artillery Thrashers are the bane of many solo Low Sec and Null Sec pilots. Fitted for insta-locking, and delivering up to 1.5k volleys of damage, a couple of these ships can remove a frigate from the field in seconds. A small fleet of them can remove even Cruisers in the same way
It is possible, if generally sub-optimal, to add tank to an Artillery Thrasher and fly this doctrine with Logi support, however the most common and effective way to fly the Thrasher remains as a roaming gate camp – similar to Longbow Cormorants – catching and devastating single ships moving through gates. It’s low effort PvP, but it’s a fun casual fleet because of that, and it can rapidly get more interesting if you can annoy nearby residents sufficiently to provoke a response fleet for a proper fight
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Implementation
Like all Destroyers, the Thrasher is designed for pure damage dealing. Bonuses to tracking, damage and range make it a deadly force with Artillery – able to hit for 1.5k volleys up to 30km away
Impressive as that is though, it doesn’t quite match the exceptional ranges of BLAP Talwars or Longbow Cormorants which make them the preferred option for skirmishing with other fleets. What the Thrasher does excel at however, is in having the joint-highest scan resolution of any T1 destroyer, and in delivering its damage in an instantaneous volley of damage. The Talwar’s missiles need time to deliver their volley, and Comorants deliver sustained rather than volley damage. A Thrasher however can simply delete an opponent as soon as it can lock it. And with such a high base scan resolution, combined with modules and rigs designed to maximize this, a Thrasher can lock and fire almost faster than your fingers can move on the keyboard
With these advantages, Gate Camping for individual unsuspecting targets is the name of the game. A full gate camping Thrasher in Low Sec will maximize its scan resolution, and usually not fit a propulsion module. Pre-aligned out, it can lock, tackle and fire within a single server tick. Assuming sufficient numbers to instantly kill an opponent on that first volley, the Thrasher can hit warp and leave the grid on the next server tick - before gate guns even lock them
To do this effectively, pre-cycling modules is essential. Make sure fleet members are familiar with this technique (click an offensive module with no target locked and it will start flashing – once you lock a target, those flashing modules will now activate immediately and automatically as soon as you have a target locked that they can apply to)
Pilots should fly independently on this fleet – waiting for a fleet warp or command will likely get you killed. Thrashers should be pre-aligned and hit warp themselves as soon as they unleash their first volley
If fighting on a gate in Null, or if engaging flashy suspect targets on Low Sec gates, where Gate Guns aren’t a concern, the pre-alignment tactics don’t apply, and the Thrashers can remain on grid and usually deliver several volleys before an opponent has time to react
If you cannot kill an opponent rapidly in a couple of volleys, then you will want to avoid the fight – the Thrashers are extreme glass cannons due to their focus on maximizing scan resolution and damage and as soon as an opponent starts fighting back, it is likely you will rapidly lose ships. For the same reason, engaging a fleet or small gang is inadvisable unless you have overwhelming numbers. This is a true ganking fleet
It is unlikely that you will be allowed to gate camp a single site indefinitely. Eventually, nearby residents will usually form a response fleet, either due to irritation, or hoping for some cheap Thrasher kills. Be aware of this and keep your eyes and scouts watching both sides of the gate for such a threat. If you are close to a home station, then this may be a good chance to re-ship into a more combat efficient fleet to take the fight they bring
If you get chased off a gate and don’t want/cant re-ship to fight them off, then simply re-position your Thrashers to another gate with high traffic (look on Dotlan for systems with high numbers of jumps)
Fleet Composition and Fits
Primary DD Fit
The full insta-locking Thrasher reaches 2k signature strength, letting it insta-lock almost anything – including Interceptors. However this does leave the Thrasher with a tissue paper tank. Depending on the purpose (and location) of the fleet, FC’s may wish to go full insta-locking, or to mix a few insta-lockers with a main fleet of more robust ships which can survive at least one volley of gate guns if a pilot is slow to warp off
Logi
Logistics ships are of little use here – limited tank and terrible resists means you’re almost always going to benefit more from additional DPS than Logistics support
Support Ships
T1 Frigate scouts can be useful to watch for incoming targets on either side of a gate, and watch for possible response fleets, and if gate guns aren’t an issue, then ECM ships can help keep a larger target from firing back while the Thrashers take a few more volleys to finish them off. Otherwise, support ships are minimal
