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Maelstrom
Alpha Mael, Wat Do ?
Congratulations you've trained yourself up to a proper Maelstrom ( Hopefully with Minnie BS IV and Large Projectile Turrets IV )and you're ready to fly it into glorious combat. I'm going to give you a few tips on how to fly your ship effectively.
Splitting guns: in the old days people would tell you to ungroup your guns and fire them manually ( auto repeat and auto reload off ) to avoid lag. Well if you do that in alpha fleet you are stupid. The entire point of the alpha fleet is to take a bunch of Maelstroms , point their 1400mm arties at the same target and fire at the same time. One cycle, one kill is the goal, you're not going to get that if you have to press f1 through f8 each time giving the enemy logistics a chance to land reps in and save the target.
If you insist on splitting guns at least do it into 2 groups of 4, this is not a horrible idea because sometimes you can't uncycle your guns in heavy lag unless you drop other mods into their space or double click the gun icon next to the target. This also still provides you with a decent amount of alpha, if he's still alive after firing one set of four, fire the other.
The most important thing to remember about alpha fleet is to not shoot until the FC says fire. If everyone fires out of order the enemy gets a chance to broadcast for reps and the reps have time to land before everyone applies full damage. You're then stuck waiting 20 seconds to to try again. Don't try to be a killmail whore, wait for the FC to either count down or say fire.
That just about covers the offensive side of flying a Maelstrom, now let's talk about defense. If your computer can handle it, play with brackets turned on ( set your overview so you only show enemy brackets ) at some point in the battle you'll notice that all the bad guys have little yellow boxes around them. This means you've probably been called primary or secondary, either way it's a good time to broadcast for reps. I hope you have thermodynamics trained too because when you have 50 zealots firing at you you're going to wish you could get those few extra percents to help save your ass.
If you're lucky enough to not be bubbled or tackled, feel free to warp off to whatever you may be aligned to, just don't warp to 0 or 100 or you might find a nasty surprise at the celestial you just warped to. ALWAYS stay aligned to something for easy fleeing unless told otherwise by the FC. Generally, the FC should handle alignment, but sometimes they'll make you orbit an anchor. Though anchoring is not ideal, always listen to the FC.
This should pretty much cover it, just remember to bring the proper ammo and follow the FC's orders and you should be fine. Have fun shooting shit.
(See also this [http://i.imgur.com/COVx8.jpg awesum howto])
Reimbursement
Fittings - PVP
Traditional Alphafleet Maelstrom
Projectiles got overhauled in Dominion, Incursion, and most recently Crucible. There are now effectively 3 “classes” of T1 ammo which vary in damage type and with varying tracking bonuses.
The ability of projectile weapons to vary their damage type makes them the most versatile of the three turret types. For the purposes of the Alphafleet doctrine, it is this versatility and massive damage alpha that has made them attractive. This is a guide on which ammunition you should use at which ranges and against which targets.
[Maelstrom, Alphafleet] Damage Control II Gyrostabilizer II Gyrostabilizer II Tracking Enhancer II Power Diagnostic System II Prototype 100MN Microwarpdrive I Large Shield Extender II Multispectrum Shield Hardener II Kinetic Shield Hardener II EM Shield Hardener II Thermal Shield Hardener II 1400mm Howitzer Artillery II, Quake L 1400mm Howitzer Artillery II, Quake L 1400mm Howitzer Artillery II, Quake L 1400mm Howitzer Artillery II, Quake L 1400mm Howitzer Artillery II, Quake L 1400mm Howitzer Artillery II, Quake L 1400mm Howitzer Artillery II, Quake L 1400mm Howitzer Artillery II, Quake L Large Core Defense Field Extender I Large Core Defense Field Extender I Large Core Defense Field Extender I Vespa EC-600 x5 Hornet EC-300 x5 Warrior II x5
Zax's Bang For Buck Battleships - 1k DPS
[Maelstrom, 1k DPS] Gyrostabilizer II Gyrostabilizer II 1600mm Rolled Tungsten Compact Plates Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II Damage Control II 100MN Microwarpdrive II Tracking Computer II Sensor Booster II Sensor Booster II Warp Disruptor II ECCM - Ladar II 800mm Repeating Cannon II, Domination EMP L 800mm Repeating Cannon II, Domination EMP L 800mm Repeating Cannon II, Domination EMP L 800mm Repeating Cannon II, Domination EMP L 800mm Repeating Cannon II, Domination EMP L 800mm Repeating Cannon II, Domination EMP L 800mm Repeating Cannon II, Domination EMP L 800mm Repeating Cannon II, Domination EMP L Large Projectile Collision Accelerator I Large Explosive Armor Plate I Large Trimark Armor Pump I Garde II x5
Station Gaming Maelstrom
Station gaming Maelstrom. 1000+dps omni tank for ~3minutes with cap boosters. 1000dps. No points so you'll need tackle.
[Maelstrom, Active rep] Gyrostabilizer II Gyrostabilizer II Tracking Enhancer II Damage Control II Tracking Enhancer II X-Large C5-L Emergency Shield Overload I 'Copasetic' Particle Field Acceleration Heavy Electrochemical Capacitor Booster I, Cap Booster 800 EM Shield Hardener II Multispectrum Shield Hardener II Multispectrum Shield Hardener II 800mm Repeating Cannon II, Republic Fleet Fusion L 800mm Repeating Cannon II, Republic Fleet Fusion L 800mm Repeating Cannon II, Republic Fleet Fusion L 800mm Repeating Cannon II, Republic Fleet Fusion L 800mm Repeating Cannon II, Republic Fleet Fusion L 800mm Repeating Cannon II, Republic Fleet Fusion L 800mm Repeating Cannon II, Republic Fleet Fusion L 800mm Repeating Cannon II, Republic Fleet Fusion L Large Thermal Shield Reinforcer I Large Core Defense Operational Solidifier I Large Core Defense Operational Solidifier I Garde II x5
Fittings - PVE
Gurista Sanctum Raping Machine
[Maelstrom, Gurista Sanctum] Power Diagnostic System II Power Diagnostic System II Gyrostabilizer II Gyrostabilizer II Gyrostabilizer II Large Shield Booster II Kinetic Shield Hardener II Kinetic Shield Hardener II Thermal Shield Hardener II Multispectrum Shield Hardener II Cap Recharger II 1400mm Howitzer Artillery II, Phased Plasma L 1400mm Howitzer Artillery II, Phased Plasma L 1400mm Howitzer Artillery II, Phased Plasma L 1400mm Howitzer Artillery II, Phased Plasma L 1400mm Howitzer Artillery II, Phased Plasma L 1400mm Howitzer Artillery II, Phased Plasma L 1400mm Howitzer Artillery II, Phased Plasma L 1400mm Howitzer Artillery II, Phased Plasma L Large Capacitor Control Circuit I Large Capacitor Control Circuit I Large Capacitor Control Circuit I Vespa II x5 Hornet II x5
Warp in at 30-50 from the sanctum, rape everything. Tanks 600+ damage, dishes out 500+ with semi-mediocre skills.
Serpentis Haven Fit
[Maelstrom, Serpentis Haven] Tracking Enhancer II Tracking Enhancer II Gyrostabilizer II Gyrostabilizer II Gyrostabilizer II Large Shield Booster II Thermal Shield Hardener II Thermal Shield Hardener II Kinetic Shield Hardener II Kinetic Shield Hardener II Cap Recharger II 1400mm Prototype Siege Cannon, Phased Plasma L 1400mm Prototype Siege Cannon, Phased Plasma L 1400mm Prototype Siege Cannon, Phased Plasma L 1400mm Prototype Siege Cannon, Phased Plasma L 1400mm Prototype Siege Cannon, Phased Plasma L 1400mm Prototype Siege Cannon, Phased Plasma L 1400mm Prototype Siege Cannon, Phased Plasma L 1400mm Prototype Siege Cannon, Phased Plasma L Large Capacitor Control Circuit I Large Capacitor Control Circuit I Large Capacitor Control Circuit I Hobgoblin II x5 Hammerhead II x5
This is what I use to run havens. I warp in at 30-50 from the haven, align to a safe, and start picking off ships. With my skills I can pop the BS rats in 4-5 shots and can hit from 90km out. Drones are for anything that gets close. The only real problem is that some of the spawns have sensor dampening rats, and it's like being perma-jammed when you were running Gurista anoms. Not sure how rats can damp out to 90km and not hit me, but whatever. I haven't had a problem with this yet. Once in a while I will have to warp back to the Haven or a wreck within 50 to get back in range of the spawns, but that's it.
Update: Now that I can use T2 arty, this thing will blow up sanctums no problem. The real problem comes in finding a sanctum not filled with a carrier or Tengu. Warp in at 70, win everything. I can get 12-13M ticks doing Havens, but the real slowdown is the goddamn damping rats. They will really slow you down so train drone skills, deploy them, and set them as aggressive, and they will attack once they rats are in range.
Serpentis Kiting Fit
[Maelstrom, 42Hunter's Arty] Gyrostabilizer II Gyrostabilizer II Gyrostabilizer II Gyrostabilizer II Tracking Enhancer II Tracking Computer II, Optimal Range Script Tracking Computer II, Optimal Range Script Sensor Booster II, Targeting Range Script Thermal Shield Amplifier II 100MN Monopropellant Enduring Afterburner Large C5-L Emergency Shield Overload I 1400mm Howitzer Artillery II, Republic Fleet Phased Plasma L 1400mm Howitzer Artillery II, Republic Fleet Phased Plasma L 1400mm Howitzer Artillery II, Republic Fleet Phased Plasma L 1400mm Howitzer Artillery II, Republic Fleet Phased Plasma L 1400mm Howitzer Artillery II, Republic Fleet Phased Plasma L 1400mm Howitzer Artillery II, Republic Fleet Phased Plasma L 1400mm Howitzer Artillery II, Republic Fleet Phased Plasma L 1400mm Howitzer Artillery II, Republic Fleet Phased Plasma L Large Ancillary Current Router I Large Drone Control Range Augmentor I Large Drone Control Range Augmentor I Hammerhead II x5 Hornet EC-300 x3 Vespa EC-600 x2
This is the kiting fit i use to snipe sanctums and forsaken hubs. Warp-in is at 85km. Only things that can hit you at that distance are: Grand Admirals, Rear Admirals and Faction Spawns so always take em out before going in further. At 70km those three can deal some real damage which this fitting can't tank so use the MWD to get away further if that happens. After those and are killed go in to about 40-50kms for max damage on the Core Admirals. With E-war drones 3 your drones should be able to fight at 84km. The whole fit is made for damage at distance. Average ticks for me are around 19k-20k isk.
LVL 4 Maelstrom
[Maelstrom, LVL 4 Mealstrom] Gyrostabilizer II Gyrostabilizer II Gyrostabilizer II Damage Control II Beta Reactor Control: Diagnostic System I X-Large Shield Booster II Ionic Field Accelerator I EM Shield Hardener II Thermal Shield Hardener II Compact EM Shield Amplifier Cap Recharger II 1200mm Artillery Cannon II, Republic Fleet EMP L 1200mm Artillery Cannon II, Republic Fleet EMP L 1200mm Artillery Cannon II, Republic Fleet EMP L 1200mm Artillery Cannon II, Republic Fleet EMP L 1200mm Artillery Cannon II, Republic Fleet EMP L 1200mm Artillery Cannon II, Republic Fleet EMP L 1200mm Artillery Cannon II, Republic Fleet EMP L 1200mm Artillery Cannon II, Republic Fleet EMP L Large Capacitor Control Circuit I Large Capacitor Control Circuit I Large Capacitor Control Circuit I Hammerhead II x5 Hobgoblin II x5
It´s pretty tight on Cpu so if you can afford an 3% imp you could fit a T2 Shield-Amp. 800ish dps a enormous tank ability and a good 60k range.