Originally by: Wrayeth

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Originally by: Merin Ryskin

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Actually, EHP IS everything, if you're talking about fleet battles (or even some of the larger "small" gang engagements). If you're called primary by a decent number of ships, they'll blow right through your peak regen point and active boosters/reps won't have enough time to cycle. A decent HP buffer tank can give you the equivalent of a couple minutes of constant active tanking, but it gives it to you all up front where it's useful in a short-term called primary situation.

In these situations, EHP is exactly what you want, to allow you to either align and escape or to do as much damage and/or delay primary shifting to your gang-mates as long as possible. This is why the Damnation is such a good ship, in its intended role.

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Everything you've said is true. The point here is that the nighthawk is not a ship suited for these types of engagements. Its role and weapons systems would make it next to useless in a fleet situation; it simply does not have the range necessary to be a player in the fight (that and missiles take time to reach their target). The vulture, in contrast, does have the range; as such, EHP is, as you say, everything for it.

In short, if you're going to run a hitpoint tank, the vulture is the ship for you. The nighthawk fares much better at its intended role with an active shield booster or passive recharge tank.

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