Combat Battlecruisers

There are already a lot of posts talking about the forum post CCP Fozzie (Fix the Rokh's Drone Bay!) made and normally chiming in is not my thing, but I have strong enough opinions on some subjects in this area that I am going to post anyways. As always, your mileage may vary.

So here we go.

As with all the tiericide efforts, we are aiming for these ships to have roughly comparable power levels. To that end most of the former Tier 1 ships are getting slots and most of the former Tier 2 ships are losing slots. We gave them EHP closer to the averages of the old Tier 1s and damage closer to the averages of the old Tier 2s.
These ships are getting less dramatic changes than some of the smaller classes but we still expect the meta to change noticeably.

I was hoping for a more inventive approach here. While making the tiers equivalent I don't know if we really needed 8 combat battlecruisers. On the other hand, since every race has two overriding doctrines to their ship designs, this gives the opportunity to have each one equally represented in all four factions instead of one being the obvious superior choice over the other (e.g. Ferox versus Drake).

AS I go I'll be highlighting important parts for emphasis.

Amarr

Prophecy:
Battlecruiser skill bonuses:
5% bonus to all Armor Resistances
10% bonus to drone damage and hitpoints
Fixed Bonus:
99% reduction in the CPU need of Warfare Link modules
Slot layout: 5 H (-2), 4 M (+1), 7 L (+1), 4 turrets (-2), 4 Launchers (+3)
Fittings: 1100 PWG (-200), 415 CPU (+75)
Defense (shields / armor / hull) : 3000(-419) / 5500(+617) / 4250(-145)
Capacitor (amount / recharge rate / average cap per second): 2850(+37.5) / 750s / 3.8 (+0.05)
Mobility (max velocity / agility / mass / align time): 150 / 0.704 / 12900000 (-600,000) / 8.5s (-0.4)
Drones (bandwidth / bay): 75 (+50) / 225 (+200)
Targeting (max targeting range / Scan Resolution / Max Locked targets): 50km / 210 / 6
Sensor strength: 17 Radar (+1)
Signature radius: 270 (+5)
Cargo capacity: 400 (+50)

Harbinger:
Battlecruiser skill bonuses:
10% (+5%) bonus to Medium Energy Turret Damage
10% bonus Medium Energy Turret capacitor use
Fixed Bonus:
99% reduction in the CPU need of Warfare Link modules
Slot layout: 7 H (-1), 4 M, 6 L, 6 turrets (-1)
Fittings: 1325 PWG (-175), 350 CPU (-25)
Defense (shields / armor / hull) : 3000(-516) / 5000(-469) / 4500(-188)
Capacitor (amount / recharge rate / average cap per second): 3125 / 822s(+72s) / 3.8 (-0.366)
Mobility (max velocity / agility / mass / align time): 150 / 0.704 / 13800000 (+300,000) / 9.1s (+0.2)
Drones (bandwidth / bay): 50 / 75 (+25)
Targeting (max targeting range / Scan Resolution / Max Locked targets): 55km (+5) / 210 / 6
Sensor strength: 17 Radar (+1)
Signature radius: 270 (+5)
Cargo capacity: 375 (+25)

These ships I have the least experience with over all eight of them, but I like that Amarr are getting a full line of real drone boats from top to bottom. Thus the Prophecy looks like an interesting ship although my reservations about split weapon systems remains. At least there is not a weapon bonus making the other weapon system a handicapped choice.

The Harbinger, on the other hand, has moved laterally. The removal of one turret is offset by the addition of a larger damage bonus. How much? Well, 7 turrets with 25% bonus acts like 8.75 turrets while 6 turrets with a 50% bonus acts like 9 turrets (assuming Battlecruisers level V). Plus your cap use has gone down by 14% and you still have a utility high slot. Unfortunately it was not a popular choice before and I don't see anything screaming "Use Me!" now either. This might be a ship with a small dedicated following post changes.

Caldari

Ferox:
Battlecruiser skill bonuses:
5% bonus to all Shield Resistances
10% bonus to Medium Hybrid Turret optimal range
Fixed Bonus:
99% reduction in the CPU need of Warfare Link modules
Slot layout: 7 H, 5 M, 5 L (+1), 7 turrets (+1)
Fittings: 1100 PWG (+25), 510 CPU (+35)
Defense (shields / armor / hull) : 5000(+117) / 3500(+81) / 4250(+344)
Capacitor (amount / recharge rate / average cap per second): 2750(+250) / 723s(+56.33s) / 3.8 (+0.05)
Mobility (max velocity / agility / mass / align time): 140 / 0.65(+0.05) / 13510000 (-500,000) / 8.2s (+0.3)
Drones (bandwidth / bay): 25 / 25
Targeting (max targeting range / Scan Resolution / Max Locked targets): 65km (+5)/ 195 / 8
Sensor strength: 19 Gravimetric
Signature radius: 295 (+10)
Cargo capacity: 475 (+130)

Drake:
Battlecruiser skill bonuses:
5% bonus to all Shield Resistances
5% bonus to heavy and heavy assault missile kinetic damage
Fixed Bonus:
99% reduction in the CPU need of Warfare Link modules
Slot layout: 7 H (-1), 6 M, 4 L , 7 Launchers
Fittings: 840 PWG (-10), 515 CPU (-10)
Defense (shields / armor / hull) : 5250(-219) / 3250(-658) / 4000(+94)
Capacitor (amount / recharge rate / average cap per second): 2500(-312.5) / 658s(-92s) / 3.8 (+0.05)
Mobility (max velocity / agility / mass / align time): 140 / 0.64(+0.012) / 14810000 (+800,000) / 8.9s (+0.7)
Drones (bandwidth / bay): 25 / 25
Targeting (max targeting range / Scan Resolution / Max Locked targets): 60km / 195 / 8
Sensor strength: 19 Gravimetric
Signature radius: 295 (+10)
Cargo capacity: 450 (+105)

For the Caldari ships, I am disappointed. 

The Ferox still has an optimal range bonus which I feel is a double edged sword. Yeah, you get blasters with null range out to nearly 15 klicks but still on a slow boat Caldari hull. The extra turret is a nice 16% increase in damage but takes away the utility slot. The extra low will be handy I'm sure but I never felt the ship lacked low slots whereas 5 mids made a close range brawler harder when shield tanking. Overall, it feels like a less effective Brutix.

The Drake, still stinging from its heavy missiles getting their wings clipped, is pretty much the same with more mass to hinder nano Drakes and losing the utility high slot. I'm hoping the Kinetic damage bonus is an overlooked change.

Gallente

Brutix:
Battlecruiser skill bonuses:
5% bonus to Medium Hybrid Turret damage
7.5% bonus to Armor Repairer effectiveness
Fixed Bonus:
99% reduction in the CPU need of Warfare Link modules
Slot layout: 7 H, 4 M, 6 L (+1), 7 turrets
Fittings: 1200 PWG (+50), 435 CPU (+10)
Defense (shields / armor / hull) : 3500(-406) / 4500(+135) / 5000(+117)
Capacitor (amount / recharge rate / average cap per second): 3000(+656.25) / 789s(+164s) / 3.8 (+0.05)
Mobility (max velocity / agility / mass / align time): 155 / 0.704(+0.0352) / 12250000 (-1,000,000) / 8.1s (-0.2)
Drones (bandwidth / bay): 50 / 50
Targeting (max targeting range / Scan Resolution / Max Locked targets): 55km / 200 / 7
Sensor strength: 18 Magnetometric
Signature radius: 305 (+5)
Cargo capacity: 475 (+75)

Myrmidon:
Battlecruiser skill bonuses:
7.5% bonus to Armor Repairer effectiveness
10% bonus to drone damage and hitpoints
Fixed Bonus:
99% reduction in the CPU need of Warfare Link modules
Slot layout: 5 H (-1), 5 M, 6 L, 5 turrets (-1)
Fittings: 1050 PWG (-125), 400 CPU
Defense (shields / armor / hull) : 3500(-406) / 4500(-188) / 4750(+453)
Capacitor (amount / recharge rate / average cap per second): 2850(+37.5) / 750s(+108.75s) / 3.8 (+0.05)
Mobility (max velocity / agility / mass / align time): 145 / 0.704 / 13100000 / 8.6s (-0.1)
Drones (bandwidth / bay): 100 (+25) / 175 (+25)
Targeting (max targeting range / Scan Resolution / Max Locked targets): 55km / 200 / 7
Sensor strength: 18 Magnetometric
Signature radius: 305 (+5)
Cargo capacity: 400

The Brutix got a low slot and improved maneuverability  perhaps making it even more useful as a blaster boat than it was, but the moving of shields to armour/structure hitpoints will make the shield tanking Brutix less viable. The Myrmidon lost a turret but gained drone bad and bandwidth which is interesting. Max damage for drones from one of these is now three Ogres and two Hammerheads but I don't know if that is a good thing against similar sized and bigger targets or not. Drone experts?

Also interesting is that both ships have the 7.5% bonus per level to active armour reppers. With armour active repairing not very good right now that seems like a hinderance until we go down a couple posts and see:

So keep an eye on these ships.

Minmatar

Cyclone:
Battlecruiser skill bonuses:
5% bonus to Heavy Missile and Heavy Assault Missile rate of fire
7.5% bonus to shield boosting amount
Fixed Bonus:
99% reduction in the CPU need of Warfare Link modules
Slot layout: 7 H (-1), 5 M, 5 L (+1), 2 turrets, 5 Launchers
Fittings: 1200 PWG (-10), 525 CPU (+100)
Defense (shields / armor / hull) : 4750(+355) / 4000(+94) / 3500(+81)
Capacitor (amount / recharge rate / average cap per second): 2250(+62.5) / 592s(+8.67s) / 3.8 (+0.05)
Mobility (max velocity / agility / mass / align time): 165 / 0.704 / 12500000 / 8.2s
Drones (bandwidth / bay): 50 (+10) / 50 (+10)
Targeting (max targeting range / Scan Resolution / Max Locked targets): 45km / 220 / 6
Sensor strength: 16 Ladar
Signature radius: 250 (+10)
Cargo capacity: 450 (-25)

Hurricane:
Battlecruiser skill bonuses:
5% bonus to Medium Projectile Turret damage
5% bonus to Medium Projectile Turret rate of fire
Fixed Bonus:
99% reduction in the CPU need of Warfare Link modules
Slot layout: 7 H (-1), 4 M, 6 L, 6 turrets, 3 Launchers
Fittings: 1125 PWG, 400 CPU
Defense (shields / armor / hull) : 4250(-47) / 4500(+188) / 3500(-16)
Capacitor (amount / recharge rate / average cap per second): 2250(-562.5) / 592s(-158s) / 3.8 (+0.05)
Mobility (max velocity / agility / mass / align time): 165 / 0.704 / 12800000 (+300,000) / 8.4s (+0.2)
Drones (bandwidth / bay): 30 / 30
Targeting (max targeting range / Scan Resolution / Max Locked targets): 45km / 220 / 6
Sensor strength: 16 Ladar
Signature radius: 250 (+10)
Cargo capacity: 425 (-50)

Unsurprisingly, the split weapon system ships of the Minmatar continue to get pushed into missiles only. This is a good thing and gives Minnie pilots an alternate training path and some competition to Caldari for PvE missile ships. There are a lot of things to like about the Cyclone here: five bonuses launchers and two utility highs, the only tech 1 battlecruiser hull with active tanking bonus for shields, big drone bay for a full flight of mediums (basically allowing a pilot to upgrade two light drones to two mediums) on a fast and low mass platform. I think I might have gone with 6 launchers instead of 5 though, but maybe that made it too superior to the Drake.

The Hurricane, on the other hand, can't catch a break. It loses the second utility high meaning no one will ever again be able to figure out how to go with a rack of 425mms and two medium neuts. On the upside, as Bronya Boga pointed out to a disgruntled Tumbles Goodness, that leaves more fitting to use for tank and the Hurricane has suffered the least in terms of hitpoint downgrades for the tier II battlecruisers.

Conclusions

I'm sad the Ferox is still pretending to be a sniper boat when Nagas do it so much better at that size. I'm excited to see what the Brutix can do, and interested in how people use the new Prophecy and Cyclone. Overall good start.