For the new and the unknowing, battlecruisers are essentially a step between the flexible cruisers and the hard hitting battleships. A top end cruiser might set up back about 5-7 million ISK, a low end battleship costs around 50-60 million, but a battlecruiser splits the difference at around 20-30 million. Performance-wise the tier 2 battlecruisers provide better speed and agility than battleships and better tanking and damage than cruisers. Plus they are the only tech I combat class to be able to use warfare links, and often overlooked ability.
With good skills the tier 2 battlecruisers can take on some high end PvE content but still struggle compared to battleships. Its also worth noting that Tech II Heavy Assault Cruisers can match the tank and gank of a battlecruiser while maintaining cruiser agility and speed but cost two to three times more.
Battlecruisers require the Racial cruiser skill to III and the Battlecruiser skill to pilot. This means that it is very easy to step into another race's battlecruisers with minimal ship training (although the tanking and weapon skills may be very different). Every race has two battlecruisers, a tier 1 version and a superior tier 2 version.
(Click to embiggen)
The Ferox I pretty much abandoned since the need for a sniping battlecruiser is not very high when you have a Rokh and an Eagle sitting in the hanger. I have a couple Drakes for different purposes and they do me well (and will do better now with a couple more levels in Battlecruisers... I should have done that a long time ago). The Brutix has been a favourite for pure gank purposes but I don't have one going right now, and I have a Myrmidon serving as a remote sensor boosting platform although I did use one for 0.0 ratting in Fountain a while back.
Now I am looking at the Amarr battlecruisers and I'm tempted to give a Harbinger a try. It looks like it can pump out the DPS while maintaining a good solid tank.
Thoughts, comments, opinions from the readers?
Posts
The battlecruiser is pretty much the largest ship I feel truly comfortable flying; the lumbering slowness of battleships and the trouble they now have with much smaller targets makes those more useful in larger-gang situations.
ReplyDeleteI know Sard Caid has previously gone on a rampage through Molden Heath in Cyclones and his latest Larmidon experiment seems to be effective. Despite the heavy nerfing of its drone capabilities, the Myrmidon is my personal favourite followed by the Hurricane for a good balance of gank and tank. My boyfriend runs an effective mission-running Prophecy.
In the end, it's really more about the player's personal priorities when choosing ships.
I've never been fond of thee giant nose on the harbinger, and though I'm not so good at the whole eve number crunching thing, but it's bonuses to resists should make it a better tank than the harbi. I can't say for sure if it's better than a HAC though.
ReplyDeleteDue to my fairly mediocore missile skills, my Drake beats the Cerb in pure DPS (with drones) and tank, but as skills get better it's bound to switch around.
ReplyDeleteFerox = odd jobs (mining, gassing, blaster surprising)
Drake = always good for missions
Hurricane = fun, but please no no for salvaging!
Myrm = super support
IMHO BC's are the best hull!
Anyways, the T2 hulls of BC's rock! ;)
Harbingers are DPS heavy. As for what people fly in my part of 0.0 the harbinger is by far the favorite. Myrmidons can be a incredibly mean tank is setup right. Ferox IMO does not have a role at all. Hurricane can push the DPS when needed and can certainly tank a fair bit as well.
ReplyDeleteWhile I do like the BC's...cruisers are my personal favorite.
I set myself up with a Harbinger for WS duty. Crystals last a LOT longer than any other ammo store.
ReplyDeleteI've been happy with the DPS and the cap efficiency of it. Running T2 Heavy Pulses (x5) w/Amarr Navy MFs I manage to scrape out about 370 DPS/980 volley. Not the best in the world, but it also sports an improved cloak, core proble launcher and a salaver in the highs.
All around a relatively self-sufficient ship.
fat, sounds like an excellent wh ship
ReplyDelete