So where do Cruisers fit into the large scheme of things?

Cruisers are what you use while you learn the all-important battlecruiser skills. You can easily run lvl2s with a cruiser. Depending on your abilities (not trained skills necessarily) a couple of cruisers can handle lvl3s. I'm assuming you're asking about early in the game, and not the more specialized, T2 ships that do serve distinct and important functions.

Yes, specifically Tech 1, but even outside of early times in a characters life. I mean, T1 frigates serve a purpose as tacklers and dogfighters, destroyers serve as gankers and some more direct fire from a small package, battlecruisers make up the majority of a fleets composition thanks to their adaptability and modest damage, and Battleships serve as a guns platform for bigger threats. All of these Tech 1 ships serve a purpose in the universe past missioning, whether it be pvp or not. I've never seen something a cruiser can bring to the above that a Battlecruiser or Destroyer couldn't.

Just my 0.02 ISK

I was talking to a personal friend about eve (having him only recently start), and we were talking about his skill training and preferred path, where he hit me with the question:



And quite honestly, I was stumped. I've seen very little in the way of use for cruisers since I got into a Myrmidon, and other than using them as a stepping stone to tech 2 cruisers, I have not seen them being widely used in all aspects of the game. I rarely see any Cruisers in anybodies killboards, they're too fragile to be worth using in many roles, and they don't have the flexibility of their larger counterparts.

The only advantage I can see in a PvP situation is the price, and even then, if you can spend an extra few million fitting a battlecruiser that will win the fight that your disposable cruiser will struggle in, then what's the point? What benefit is there to flying a cruiser?

Frigates and Cruisers:

CCP wants to boost tech one Frigates and Cruisers so that they are viable options for new players, rather than the current system where new players are often told to skip over them towards tier two Battlecruiser or even tech two ships. CCP noted that Cruisers should generally be more mobile than a Battlecruiser, but that this is not currently always the case. Furthermore, CCP added that the higher velocity of Cruisers was not often viewed as being worth the loss of EHP and slots. The CSM agreed and was pleased, noting that there are a large number of ships in these classes that have long needed iteration.

i'm going to post this video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVeoAedPVSA

sure i was in sys-k but my hat is off to these guys well fc'ed and took a lot out a lot of ships

First off. CPU is a long term friend of mine but he was on the losing side this time!

From a solo perspective most of the time t1 cruisers are woefully inadequate although they are often very effective versus small frig gangs if fitted for the occasion. Sadly they are generally lacking and need some attention from CCP, with a few tweaks they could be more effective solo. For now there is little reason to use them other than a brief stepping-stone towards bc.

T2 variants are a whole different story and aside from sniping being obsolete given modern probing; they are more or less fine.

Furthermore, a good small gang of these underpowered ships can be used effectively versus more expensive gang comps. One tank and one gank is common enough now but still works. Also simply out piloting in underestimated ships can be devastating.

Edit: spelling

The only real use for T1 cruisers is getting fights. Most people are woefully under skilled both in SP and pilot ability. We don't let people into a BC hull until they have nearly perfect skills, this translates into have an extremely nice skillset for cruisers such that when you reach cruiser V, you can go troll solo/tiny gang BC's. When you're sitting at nearly all V's you can trounce the typical mega nullsec pilots who have terrible pilot skills, terrible SP choices (lul bc below V or t1 guns), and typically even worse fits.

Amongst intelligent people though T1 Cruisers are relegated to failfit challenge tournaments. (Its like a white elephant cruiser tourney, everyone submits a failfit cruiser and randomly selects one to fight to the death in

There may be some merit to the concept of wolf packing in cruisers, but its mostly unnecessary.

Put 10 newbies in ECM Blackbirds, take them out on your fleet with you, kill everything.

Also bait cyno ships for blops hotdrops

The only real use for T1 cruisers is getting fights. Most people are woefully under skilled both in SP and pilot ability. We don't let people into a BC hull until they have nearly perfect skills, this translates into have an extremely nice skillset for cruisers such that when you reach cruiser V, you can go troll solo/tiny gang BC's.

So where do Cruisers fit into the large scheme of things?