For the later date i would say... maby Summer ?

not sure if the ship needs that many high slots. i would get more use out of an extra low so i can fit more tank or more gank but no real need to split weapon focus here.

before bonuses apply, a 425mm Autocannon with RF Fusion will deal 37,3 dps. While shooting explosive. Or em. Or therm.
A Heavy Pulse laser with IN Multifreq will deal 41.6 dps. While being holed into EM / Therm.

So unless you're shooting ships that have a hole on EM / Therm, Projectiles are always better. and even then, they're maximum SLIGHTLY WORSE. It is true that it will be better at scorching ranges, but i already showed you earlier that this is basically where you want Railguns already.

Was considering optimal bonus instead of cap use. Maybe can continue to consider that. We didn't want to do damage bonus in the role bonus because then you would have like 900 dps covert cloaking cruiser which is way too much. Optimal might work though.

No thanks, 5 HighSlots are ideal. Not too much, not too little. Well, a damage bonus for lasers would be even better, or at least a compromise, something like 25% cap usage bonus and 25% damage bonus for lasers.

Someone can dream, right?

HERE THEY ARE

I think we will have a lot of discussion here, these ships will be great for a lot of different things meaning people will be trying to tug them in a few different directions. That's fine!

What we're shooting for is ships that are themed around exploration and therefor make good platforms for a range of activities including probing, hacking, exploration combat sites, anoms, killing anom runners, spying on people, looking super sexy and generally being kind of awesome.

We're supporting that model with things like:

Covert cloaks

Exploration role bonuses

Drone and laser weapon systems with large cargo and drone bays so that you don't have to go home often

Extremely high ship agility

And more!

Anyways you guys can toy around with these specs and let me know what we missed or what you think would be better and I'll try to make everyone happy (which is usually easy).

Thanks!

Astero

Role Bonus: 100% reduction in CPU requiement for cloaks
Role Bonus: 37.5% increase Scan Prob Strength (maybe this should be a rounder number? right now it follows the t1 bonus)
Role Bonus: +5 Virus strength for Relic and Data Analyzers

Can fit Cover Ops Cloaking devices

Amarr Frigate Bonus:
4% bonus to Armor Resists

Gallente Frigate Bonus:
10% bonus to Drone hitpoints and tracking speed

Slot layout: 2H, 4M, 4L; 2 turrets, 0 launchers
Fittings: 32 PWG, 170 CPU
Defense (shields / armor / hull) : 540 / 600 / 600
Capacitor (amount) : 430
Mobility (max velocity / agility / mass / align time): 312 / 2.87 / 975000 / 3.88s
Drones (bandwidth / bay): 25 / 75
Targeting (max targeting range / Scan Resolution / Max Locked targets): 37km / 620 / 6
Sensor strength: 13
Signature radius: 35
Cargo Capacity: 210

---

Stratios

Role Bonus: 50% reduction in Energy Turret capacitor need
Role Bonus: 37.5% increase Scan Prob Strength (maybe this should be a rounder number? right now it follows the t1 bonus)
Role Bonus: +5 Virus strength for Relic and Data Analyzers

Can fit Cover Ops Cloaking devices

Amarr Cruiser Bonus:
4% bonus to Armor Resists

Gallente Cruiser Bonus:
10% bonus to Drone hitpoints and damage

Slot layout: 5H, 5M, 5L; 4 turrets, 0 launchers
Fittings: 920 PWG, 400 CPU
Defense (shields / armor / hull) : 1950 / 2400 / 2450
Capacitor (amount) : 1700
Mobility (max velocity / agility / mass / align time): 182 / .47 / 9350000 / 6.09s
Drones (bandwidth / bay): 125 / 500
Targeting (max targeting range / Scan Resolution / Max Locked targets): 55km / 275 / 7
Sensor strength: 20
Signature radius: 150
Cargo Capacity: 550

PICTURES (Sorry don't have in-client shots yet)

honestly i thought split weapon system was a thing of the past....

i would wait for blops reblance first... perhaps 1.1?

my assumption is the ship will be simular in function.

always amazes me how people liek to fit the weakest weapon system on this condition. AC have less dps than ANY weapon system, that is because minmatar ships have the ROF bonuses (strogner than damage ones). Lasers and blasters are far stronger when unbonused.

But are they just general purpose ships? that's not the idea about pirate faction ships, is it? From the lore description they are all round exploration ships,able to scan down and get the goodies in a hostle environment, why gimp down its advantage by giving it T1 frigate virus strength, if it was only meant to do easystuff in hisec why bother at all?
Please CCP make it what it is meant to be, use covert ops skills if you must, but let it shine at exploring! The cruiser too!

I don't see it that way. Drones are not a primary weapon system for me, I use them more for utility (ECM, anti-frigate / anti-drone) then as an actual weapon. Even my Pilgrim has two heavy beam lasers I somehow forced in between probe launcher and cov-ops cloak!

On the Astero, it does not get a drone damage bonus. Hypothetically speaking if it did get a bonus are the following DPS values too much for a frigate? Using Hobgoblin IIs
1 DDA 182.6 DPS
2 DDA 219.17 DPS
3 DDA 247.93 DPS (lol Shield Tanked)
4 DDA 264.06 DPS (Trolol Shield Tanked)

The cruiser is literally a straight upgrade to the Ishtar. It does everything better. I don't like that.

i would not remove the ability to fit lasors... just see no use in having a cap reduction bonus when its not the primary damage weapons system... if the ship had a lasor bonus instead of a drone damage bonus i would be with you on the utility argument...

but ccp likes options... and if enough people are happy with it i am fine with the majority rules.