CELESTIS

The what?  The Celestis?  What does that do?

Exactly. 

No-one’s really heard of it or has much of an idea about this mysterious five-midslot dampening cruiser.  So here’s one fleet, one solo fit to surprise the enemy with.

[WATERBOARDER – LONG RANGE FLEET DAMP / DRONE BOAT]

Drone Link Augmentator II

Drone Link Augmentator II

Drone Link Augmentator II

Experimental 10MN Microwarpdrive I

Remote Sensor Dampener II / Target Range Dampening Script

Remote Sensor Dampener II / Target Range Dampening Script

Remote Sensor Dampener II / Target Range Dampening Script

Sensor Booster II / Targeting Range Script

Damage Control II

Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II

Drone Damage Amplifier II

Drone Damage Amplifier II

Drone Damage Amplifier II

Medium Processor Overclocking Unit I

Medium Processor Overclocking Unit I

Medium Processor Overclocking Unit I

Valkyrie II x 5 or Hammerhead II x 5

All skills at 5: 

EHP: 11.3k

DPS: 215

Speed:  1704m/s

Capacitor: lasts 1m 20s  / stationary without MWD on, stable at 42.0%

Optimal range:  132km!!!

Cost:  28m ISK approx

This is an astonishing piece of hardware for the money, particularly given that it’s pretty much all Tech II fitted and only costs 10m ISK more than a similarly fitted Maulus.

Speed notwithstanding (and it’s no slouch for a cruiser), this is the enormously successful ‘Dampaulus’ fleet / drone Maulus fit turned up to 11.  Drone DPS of 215 with the Valkyrie IIs.  More if you use Hammerheads, but I prefer the speed of Valks. 

There’s reasonable EHP on tap for a long-range boat, and a mouthwatering optimal range of 132km, limited only by drone range – it can lock and damp out to 150km if required.  With the MWD turned off, it is cap stable with all damps a dampin’ and the booster boostin’.

But the best thing about it is that pilots hardly ever see it, and have little idea of what it does.   Get it set up in a fleet, assist the drones to the brawlers or control them yourself, get dampening.  It’s a superb addition to any cruiser fleet and if you’re camping a medium plex it’s a godsend against sniper cruisers and destroyers.

Next up – a kite fit...

[PUPPET ON A STRING – DOUBLE-DAMP SOLO KITE]

200mm Railgun II / Federation Navy Uranium M

200mm Railgun II / Federation Navy Uranium M

200mm Railgun II / Federation Navy Uranium M

Experimental 10MN Microwarpdrive I

Remote Sensor Dampener II / Targeting Range Dampening Script

Remote Sensor Dampener II / Targeting Range Dampening Script

Warp Disruptor II

Medium Capacitor Booster II / Cap Booster 800s

Damage Control II

Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II

Drone Damage Amplifier II

Drone Damage Amplifier II

Tracking Enhancer II

Medium Hybrid Collision Accelerator I

Medium Ancillary Current Router I

Medium Ancillary Current Router I

Hammerhead II x 5

Spare mags of Federation Navy Antimatter M

All skills at 5: 

EHP: 11.5km

DPS: 356 / 378 with heat

Speed:  1704m/s

Capacitor: Stable 36.6% when using the Cap Booster 800s

Optimal range:  18.5km with the WDII

Cost:  45.7m

This is a pretty versatile solo fit and overcomes some of the key problems with taking cruisers into medium plexes - some cruisers are very tanky indeed, or do massive DPS, or both.  Plus all the stuff that gets into small and novice plexes can also enter the medium sized plex, and some of these ships are going to be a lot faster than you and be able to get you web / scrammed quite quickly.

Despite only having a fairly low EHP of 11.5km, this is one of the 'safest' solo cruisers to take into factional warfare.  You might even want to fit three Hammerhead IIs and fill the remaining drone bay with four Hobgoblins, just to be cautious.

On this fit, two damps are enough to whack down a typical cruiser’s targeting range to 14-15km, well within range to run a WDII kiting fit.  Against anything faster, this will struggle, but it’s more than capable of seeing off other cruisers and destroyers. It also does OK against frigates - AB fitted frigs will be quickly shredded by this, but kites will be able to outrun the Hammerheads and a nano frig can pull range and warp off if it wants to.

Always try to start at range and try not to get web / scrammed.  Overheat the MWD if required.

If you're web / scrammed by a frigate, or drones are fired at you, switch into Antimatter M and bully it off the field - you've enough tank to get the job done with the guns alone.  With your damps, to do any damage with weapons a frig has to get within about 7-8km of you to get a lock anyway.