I would probably put a core probe launcher and use it to hunt/trap explorers, or possibly try to catch haulers or salvage ships in w/space. And probably to fight a majority of other frigates, if you can engage them.

Its not very good in straight up PVP but you can fit up a fit to mess with folks, that being said.

[Astero, ASSTERRO]

Covert Ops Cloaking Device II
Sisters Core Probe Launcher (Core Scanner Probe I)

Federation Navy Stasis Webifier
Republic Fleet Warp Disruptor
Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I
True Sansha Warp Scrambler

2x Imperial Navy Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane
200mm Reinforced Rolled Tungsten Plates I
Damage Control II

Small Anti-Explosive Pump II
2x Small Trimark Armor Pump II

5x Hobgoblin II
5x Hornet EC-300
5x Warrior II

Which only gets you like 130 DPS...its not a good PVP ship with 0 damage bonuses. The Stratios is built much better for PVP imo.

[Stratios, Strat]

Covert Ops Cloaking Device II
Sisters Core Probe Launcher (Sisters Core Scanner Probe)
3x Focused Medium Pulse Laser II (Scorch M)

2x Federation Navy Stasis Webifier
Experimental 10MN Microwarpdrive I
Republic Fleet Warp Disruptor
Small Electrochemical Capacitor Booster I (Navy Cap Booster 400)

2x Imperial Navy Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane
1600mm Reinforced Rolled Tungsten Plates I
Drone Damage Amplifier II
Damage Control II

Medium Anti-Explosive Pump II
2x Medium Trimark Armor Pump II

5x Hobgoblin II
5x Hammerhead II
5x Vespa EC-600
4x Bouncer II
4x Garde II
5x Hammerhead II
5x Warrior II

That will get you like 600DPS @ 30K Optimal with a 90K tank if you have slaves and skills. You can squeeze more DPS by fitting a 4th Turret as well, and projection says nearly 700DPS if the stars align and your drones and you are hitting optimally all the time.

Its not very good in straight up PVP but you can fit up a fit to mess with folks, that being said.
[Astero, ASSTERRO]

because when you're going to spend 750m on a pvp ship, you should make sure its a frigate with 130dps

because when you're going to spend 750m on a pvp ship, you should make sure its a frigate with 130dps

Thanks!

[Astero, ASSTERRONOTFaction]

Covert Ops Cloaking Device II
Sisters Core Probe Launcher (Core Scanner Probe I)

2x Fleeting Propulsion Inhibitor I
Faint Warp Disruptor I
Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I

Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II
200mm Reinforced Rolled Tungsten Plates I
Drone Damage Amplifier II
Damage Control II

Small Anti-Explosive Pump I
2x Small Trimark Armor Pump I

5x Hobgoblin II
5x Hornet EC-300
5x Warrior II

~150 DPS about 5K less EHP. (which is about 33% difference in EHP)

Couple hundred mil cheaper though. (may need a CPU implant depending on skills though.)

CPU on these ships is kind of **** IMHO.

Thank you for the insight... what I've gathered so far is that pound-for-pound the Stratios is better suited to PvP than an Astero. Maybe I'll just sell it and build some more Assault Frigates :D

Its mostly that the stratios can engage more things by virtue of being a cruiser while still being cloaky. Specifically, it holds the line better against other combat ships (including ratters), while the astero has issues taking on such ships.

Its mostly that the stratios can engage more things by virtue of being a cruiser while still being cloaky. Specifically, it holds the line better against other combat ships (including ratters), while the astero has issues taking on such ships.

I was recently [Xmas] gifted an Astero and ... well, other than exploration [no thanks] I'm not sure what role suits it best. I spend most of my time looking for non-consensual engagements etc. Any ideas on appropriate fits?

Thanks.

Its not very good in straight up PVP but you can fit up a fit to mess with folks, that being said.

[Astero, ASSTERRO]

Covert Ops Cloaking Device II
Sisters Core Probe Launcher (Core Scanner Probe I)

Federation Navy Stasis Webifier
Republic Fleet Warp Disruptor
Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I
True Sansha Warp Scrambler

2x Imperial Navy Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane
200mm Reinforced Rolled Tungsten Plates I
Damage Control II

Small Anti-Explosive Pump II
2x Small Trimark Armor Pump II

5x Hobgoblin II
5x Hornet EC-300
5x Warrior II

Which only gets you like 130 DPS...its not a good PVP ship with 0 damage bonuses. The Stratios is built much better for PVP imo.

Astero is amazingly good at PVP because you can pick your fights. I've killed 101 ships so far with the Astero and only lost 3 of my own. 2 losses were in the first week when I was trying to figure out how to use it and the 3rd was due to my own stupidity and forgetting that I had ECM drones.

Everyone seems to be posting fits with buffer tanks but you really shouldn't buffer tank your Astero, because of your low dps anything that has an active tank can tank/kill your drones and then chip away at your buffer till you die. Also I wouldn't use a probe launcher on a PvP Astero unless you specifically plan on killing people in Relic/Data/DED sites but relic/data guys are usually warp core stabbed and in low level DEDs you have to worry about rats/gate keys etc. I don't fly Asteros but many of my corpmates fly a fit similar to this:

[Astero, PvP]

Coreli A-Type Small Armor Repairer
Coreli A-Type Small Armor Repairer
Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II
Damage Control II

Coreli C-Type 1MN Afterburner
Faint Epsilon Warp Scrambler I
Fleeting Propulsion Inhibitor I
Small Capacitor Booster II, Navy Cap Booster 400

Small Unstable Power Fluctuator I
Covert Ops Cloaking Device II

Small Ancillary Current Router I
Small Auxiliary Nano Pump I
Small Auxiliary Nano Pump I

You can pimp/unpimp the fit as you see fit, I went for around the same cost of the hull in modules in the stats I thought mattered most, with this fit you can take on most frigs 1 on 1 and they won't be able to break you and you can slowly chip away their buffer or break their active tank with your neut. Be sure to watch your drones and keep a flight of ECM drones if things go south.