Maylin Li
Caldari
Sausages of Truth
S I L E N T.
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Posted - 2011.01.28 14:08:00 -
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I've been running mostly Vanguard sites, but also have completed a scout, and 2 Assaults. I was originally flying in PUGs (Pick up groups), which had random assorted players, I then switched to flying a basilisk duo with myself and my alt, and running/joining some gangs.
Vanguard - Nation Command Outpost. I've run this site the most, probably because it is the most straightforward and easiest to complete with no special objectives. I've run it in a Drake, Tengu and Basilisk pair. It was fairly easy to tank in a Tengu, solo with no logistics. I have snakes and a 10mn afterburner though, I feel like the Sansha AI sort of slipped here, as the bombers would shoot my tengu with everything else as opposed to massive sig passive drakes and battleships which were present, despite doing only about 150 damage per volley.
In dual Basilisks, with some random players I picked up in Battleships and BCs, it was a breeze. The battleships (non shield tanked) had problems, even lost a Megathron at one point because the Niarja incursion rat had my logistics jammed. Completed in 15 minutes. In a co-orindated fleet with T3s it would be very easy, and close to a 10 minute completion time. The site is much harder for Battleships and drake, but very easy for afterburner T3s, and cruiser hulls (because of the bombers being the only real DPS presence).
Difficulty: Moderate (No logistics, Battleships): Easy (Logistics, Battleships), Very Easy (Logistics + Hacs/T3s)
Vanguard - Overide Logistic Array
Much, Much harder than the previous site. It also takes a lot longer for groups without ranged DPS, as the Logistic cruisers (Mara) will orbit at 60km. The rats have super tanks while the logistic arrays are online, and there are usually neuting, webbing pointing battleships present. on top of high DPS web/scram cruisers and niarjas/tamas. In a non co-ordinated group without logistics, it is impossible without severe losses. Everytime I saw a group go in without a logistic pair or a group of spider tanking battleships they were eliminated.
In a decent fleet with Spider tanking battleships + my Basilisk pair, it still took about 30-40 minutes. Mostly due to the Mara cruisers repping the battleship from 60km away, and the logistic array coming back online after a few kills. I'd recommend the logistic array effect getting weaker the more times it is hacked, or toned down a little, as there really is no means to shoot the Sanshas and even kill them inefficiently without bringing the amount needed to forfeit all rewards. Introducing more Mara cruisers while toning down the logistic array effects would also be an improvement, as the maras could be effected by player electronic warfare. Losing the hacking ship results in boring stalemates, as does lacking DPS. DPS is the main problem with this site, as you need to fit a reletively decent tank and logistics to be able to handle the battleship + high dps cruiser DPS, while retaining 60km range to shoot maras and also kill ships before the logistic array comes back up. Replacing a cruiser or two with Eystur bomber NPCs would also make it a bit better, making fast frigate hacker ships like a Jaguar take less effective DPS while keeping the same DPS output on the main group.
Difficulty: Impossible (No Logistics), Hard (Logistics)
Vanguard - Nation Mining Colony
A bit harder initially than the Nation command outpost. But otherwise, relatively simple. My only real complaint with this one is that it's possible to get the lyavite needed from previous sites, and there is often more than enough. Making it possible for players to stock layvite in their cargo before running the site, and foregoing the need to mine the lyavite in the site (not sure if this was fixed on the Thursday patch though). Otherwise, it plays out at a similar time length and difficult as the nation command outpost does, a little less challenging for BS, due to fewer bombers, a little more challenging for cruiser hulls.
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