ALGOS


The Algos is arguably the best destroyer in the game, hands down.  It has 5 turret slots, with a sixth utility.  It has a large drone  bay with 35 Mbit/s of drone bandwidth, so medium-sized drones can come to the party.  And it can fit a massive tank.  Brawling is what it does best.

With all these variables to juggle, there’s hundreds of different fits possible but in my view there is a single ‘best’ reference fit that gives substantial tank and decent DPS split evenly between guns and drones.  The other fits are variations on this theme.  First up, The Sentinel…


[THE SENTINEL – SOLO / FLEET BRAWLER]

Light Electron Blaster II / Federation Navy Antimatter S
Light Electron Blaster II / Federation Navy Antimatter S
Light Electron Blaster II / Federation Navy Antimatter S
Light Electron Blaster II / Federation Navy Antimatter S
Light Electron Blaster II / Federation Navy Antimatter S

X5 Prototype Engine Enervator
J5b Phased Prototype Warp Scrambler I
1MN Afterburner II or Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive

Damage Control II
Drone Damage Amplifier II
400mm Reinforced Rolled Tungsten Plates I

Small Anti-Explosive Pump I
Small Trimark Armor Pump I
Small Trimark Armor Pump I

The optimal drone combination for damage is:

Hammerhead II x 2
Hobgoblin II x 3
Plus Warrior II x 5 to throw at fast frigates


All skills at 5: 

EHP: 10.6k
DPS: 394/ 419 with heat
Speed:  567m/s with AB / 1369m/s with MWD
Capacitor: stable at 66.7% with AB / lasts 4m 9s with MWD
Optimal range:  750m
Cost:  13m ISK approx.

Huge tank, great DPS, range options with the drones - which are doing the rump of your damage, by the way.  It’s a quintessential brawler. The optimum drone combination for damage is 2 x Hammerhead IIs and 3 Hobgoblin IIs, although you may want to pack some Warrior IIs in case you get kited.

It’s an adaptable fit – you can just swap out the Afterburner for a Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive if you prefer.

Where it is weak is range and speed – it’s not the quickest kid in the class, especially with the AB fitted and it needs to be right up close and personal to do optimal damage with the Electrons.  Just as well it has that massive tank.

If range is a problem, then try this quicker, rangier, fleet-oriented fit with Gatling IIs – and added neut…


[GATNEUT SENTINEL – FLEET BRAWLER]

75mm Gatling Rail II / Federation Navy Antimatter S
75mm Gatling Rail II / Federation Navy Antimatter S
75mm Gatling Rail II / Federation Navy Antimatter S
75mm Gatling Rail II / Federation Navy Antimatter S
75mm Gatling Rail II / Federation Navy Antimatter S
Small Energy Neutralizer II

X5 Prototype Engine Enervator
J5b Phased Prototype Warp Scrambler I
Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive

Damage Control II
Drone Damage Amplifier II
400mm Reinforced Rolled Tungsten Plates I

Small Anti-Explosive Pump I
Small Trimark Armor Pump I
Small Trimark Armor Pump I

The optimal drone combination for damage is:

Hammerhead II x 2
Hobgoblin II x 3
Plus Warrior II x 5 to throw at fast frigates

All skills at 5: 

EHP: 10.6k
DPS: 342 / 362 with heat
Speed:  1369m/s
Capacitor: lasts 1m
Optimal range:  4.5km
Cost:  14.2m ISK approx.

Then there's this value-for-money drone boat....


[SNIPEGOS – CHEAP FLEET DRONE SNIPER]

Drone Link Augmentator II

Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I
Alumnel-Wired Sensor Augmentation / Targeting Range Script
Alumnel-Wired Sensor Augmentation / Targeting Range Script

Damage Control II
Drone Damage Amplifier II
Drone Damage Amplifier II

Small Processor Overclocking Unit I
Small Drone Control Range Augmentator I
Small Drone Control Range Augmentator I

The optimal drone combination for damage is:

Hammerhead II x 2
Hobgoblin II x 3

Although I prefer most of the time to use five Hobgoblin IIs plus a flight of Warrior IIs in reserve to throw at fast frigates.


All skills at 5: 

EHP: 6397.0
DPS:  272 with the 2 x HHI + 3 x HGII combo, 219 with HGIIs or 178 with Warrior IIs
Speed:  1673m/s
Capacitor: stable at 31.6%
Optimal range:  Targetting to 124.2km, drone range is 114km, although 100km is ideal.
Cost:  11m ISK approx.

If you have decent drone skills, this urinates completely all over the FOTM sniper destroyer - the sniper Cormorant - and sends the typically over-confident pilots of 'oooh - aren't I a rangy little hardman' long-range Talwars for an early station bath in their pods.  Compared to the Sniper Corm, the Snipegos has way better EHP, a much longer range, is cap stable, is slightly faster and does WAY more DPS.  Way more.  

Once drones get on their target, in practice they utterly out-DPS a tracking-challenged long-range railgun sniper. This delivers the rump of its on-paper 272 DPS, more than enough to see off frigates and destroyers without you getting even a scratch.  A few of these in a fleet with the FC calling targets can cause absolute havoc from 100km out.  

I also recommend packing Warrior IIs as well for anything fast, or to get to the action quickly. Whilst the HGIIs are no slouches at 4,200ms or so, the Warrior IIs rocket to their target at a mindblowing 7,875m/s - perfect for catching up with anything snaked / linked / annoying / cocky that wants to play games.

It's true that you don't get quite the 'instant alpha' of a Sniper Corm with this setup, but in a big, mixed fleet it works best if you assign your drones to the brawling hardmen down the front.  Only assign to gunships, mind - drone assist doesn't work with drone-only boats.

The Snipegos is also about 4m ISK cheaper than a comparable Sniper Corm.  Best of all, it means you don't have to train into Caldari destroyers to have the best destroyer sniper on the field.


[BASHGOS – I-HUB BASHER]

Light Neutron Blaster II / Void S
Light Neutron Blaster II / Void S
Light Neutron Blaster II / Void S
Light Neutron Blaster II / Void S
Light Neutron Blaster II / Void S

1MN Afterburner II
Medium F-S9 Regolith Shield Induction

Damage Control II
Magnetic Field Stabilizer II
Magnetic Field Stabilizer II

Small Core Defense Field Extender I
Small Core Defense Field Extender I
Small Ancillary Current Router I

Hammerhead II x 2
Hobgoblin II x 3

All skills at 5: 

EHP: 9250.7
DPS: 497
Speed:  675 m/s
Capacitor: stable at 65.3% even with the AB running
Optimal range: 1.6km.  Get close
Cost:  20.9m


This is a solid, cheap, high DPS destroyer fit for I-Hub bashing.  Does nearly 500DPS with the optimum combination of drones, plus a half-decent shield tank.  Not cheap, mind, but for the cost does bring some credible DPS to a bash.

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