Shereza
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Posted - 2008.11.29 22:46:00 -
[1]
I've gone ratting against Serpentis rats using an ishkur, ishtar, phobos, nemesis (that was interesting, very glad remote damps. work on rats), bellicose, stabber, harbinger, myrmidon, eos, ferox, moa, caracal, and I think a few others.
Most of them worked out fairly well but a few just stank. Well, one stank, the stabber. It took forever and a day to kill anything and after one kill I had to warp out. The caracal just wasn't all that effective even compared to the nemesis. Yes, I found a stealth bomber more effective at ratting in 0.0 than a cruiser. Of course said stealth bomber also had a setup based more on electronic warfare than shield tanking (2 remote dams and a painter) and stayed way the heck out of blaster range, but still. 
Really thoguh, depending on where you rat I'd have to say that the smallest ship class you can effective rat in is the frigate class with the ishkur being perhaps one of the absolute most effective. In terms of "smallest" of combat power I'd say a stealth bomber is probably as low as you want to go and then only because of the range of cruise launchers giving you an advantage over the rats. I can't fly an interceptor so I wouldn't know how well they work but I'd have my doubts.
The smallest optimal ship for ratting, however, would likely be a heavy assault ship. They've got the firepower, speed, and agility to kill or run as the situation warrants. A recon ship like the curse would probably run a very close second since the ship can manage very good combat power as well, though I'm not terribly sure I'd suggest using a force recon, however, though if you do the pilgrim might be about the best choice.
Of course the biggest problems with most heavy assault ships is the low to lack of ability to salvage when you're done killing stuff. If this is a serious problem you should examine the ishtar or, if the fitting capacity of the ishtar is entirely too limiting for you, look at using a myrmidon or even, if you don't mind the risk/cost of it, an eos.
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Minmatar in Fantasy or Duct Tape Goes Medieval. |