For the average upstart PvP group, doctrines are hard. It can be extremely demoralizing going up against an equally matched fight and just getting slaughtered due to composition issues- especially when you’re pilots are just focused on improving their mechanics. Let’s fix that.
In this series of articles, we’re going to be ironing out effective EVE Online doctrines for groups of novice to intermediate skill levels. These compositions will be targeted for the groups who can field around 8-25 characters, acting as stepping stones for your group as you grow and improve.
In this particular armor composition, we’ll be presenting you the fundamentals of armor brawling- as well as a budget composition that will get you out there and having fun.
Composition Overview
This fleet composition is going to focus on being a cheap, effective brawling force that you can throw at pretty much any situation for reasonable content. When crafting this fleet, we had new fleet commanders and first time brawlers in mind, with a progression to more favorable wormhole compositions like HAM legions.
- All fittings are under 300m. This puts the cost of an entire fleet at 1-2 hours of group ratting.
- HAMs. This weapon type is very punishing towards enemy mistakes, and easy to FC.
- Multi-role DPS. Sacrileges have 2 EWAR mids, allowing a skilled pilot to perform.
Role | Ship |
Command Bursts | Prophecy |
DPS | Sacrilege |
EWAR | Scorpion |
Logistics | Guardian |
Chaos | Pontifex |
Understanding Armor
Before we dive into the ships, we need to first understand the purpose of an armor composition, and what your overall goal is. Luckily, this can be boiled down in a few key steps…
1. Reach a stalemate. “Hold the Grid”
2. Add disruption.
3. Apply pressure. “Win the Grid”
Hold the Grid
The first step to any armor engagement is staying on grid. If your logistics aren’t able to hold you at the start of the fight, than you were better off bringing high DPS shield ships to burn through targets.
Every good armor fight should start with a stalemate. Otherwise, you didn’t do your homework.
Add Disruption
When you’re fighting a 15v15, the only way to gain an edge is force multipliers- which will be your Scorpions in this composition. If your logistics aren’t holding, jam some DPS. If you can’t break them, jam some logistics.
Adding disruption will add panic and chaos to the enemy fleet, so that they’re more prone to making mistakes.
Apply Pressure
This is where you punish the enemy fleet. Are Guardians jammed? Overheat your HAMs and burn through weak targets. Is somebody out of position? Pick them off.
In an even fight, every enemy loss helps you get further to your objective- winning the grid.
The Fittings
Let’s get to the part you were looking for- the fittings. We’ll include potential modules to look out for, and certain ones that you can bling for a beefier fleet.
Prophecy
Command bursts are a requirement for every armor fleet- otherwise you’re seriously reducing your tank and logistics effectiveness.
The role here is simple,
- Command burst your fleet
- Remote ECCM your Guardian pilots
- Paint the primary
While you’re flying the Prophecy, train up for a Damnation.
[Prophecy, Budget Armor - Prophecy] 1600mm Steel Plates II Imperial Navy Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane Imperial Navy Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane Corelum C-Type Energized Explosive Membrane Corelum C-Type Energized Kinetic Membrane Corelum C-Type Energized Thermal Membrane Damage Control II 50MN Quad LiF Restrained Microwarpdrive Remote Sensor Booster II, ECCM Script Remote Sensor Booster II, ECCM Script Peripheral Compact Target Painter Armor Command Burst II, Armor Reinforcement Charge Armor Command Burst II, Armor Energizing Charge Armor Command Burst II, Rapid Repair Charge [Empty High slot] [Empty High slot] Medium Command Processor I Medium Command Processor I Medium Trimark Armor Pump II Hammerhead II x5 Hornet EC-300 x5 Hornet EC-300 x5 Praetor II x3 Warrior II x5 Warrior II x5 Armor Energizing Charge x1000 Armor Reinforcement Charge x1000 Rapid Repair Charge x1000
Sacrilege
The meat of the fleet, you’ll typically want 5 of these in a 10 man composition.
Empty Mid Slots
Filling out your mid slots correctly is the key to winning fights in this doctrine, and will reward pilots who put the extra effort in. In order, you should focus on,
- Application support.
- Disruption
- Grid support (sometimes #2, depending on fight)
Application support is in the form of target painters and webifiers. If you don’t have 2 TPs and 2 webs on the primary target, you’re losing DPS.
Disruption is ECM, dampeners, and other forms of EWAR. This will shut down enemy DPS, or win fights by shutting down logistics.
Grid support is for the dicier grids- maybe something like a remote sensor booster to help your logistics. Realistically other ships should be performing this role.
[Sacrilege, Budget Armor - Sacrilege] 1600mm Steel Plates II Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II Ballistic Control System II Assault Damage Control II 50MN Y-T8 Compact Microwarpdrive Faint Epsilon Scoped Warp Scrambler [Empty Med slot] [Empty Med slot] Heavy Assault Missile Launcher II, Scourge Rage Heavy Assault Missile Heavy Assault Missile Launcher II, Scourge Rage Heavy Assault Missile Heavy Assault Missile Launcher II, Scourge Rage Heavy Assault Missile Heavy Assault Missile Launcher II, Scourge Rage Heavy Assault Missile Heavy Assault Missile Launcher II, Scourge Rage Heavy Assault Missile Medium Gremlin Compact Energy Neutralizer Medium Thermal Armor Reinforcer II Medium Trimark Armor Pump II Hornet EC-300 x5 Infiltrator II x5 Warrior II x5 Zainou 'Snapshot' Heavy Assault Missiles AM-702 Zainou 'Deadeye' Guided Missile Precision GP-801 Zainou 'Deadeye' Target Navigation Prediction TN-901 Inherent Implants 'Noble' Hull Upgrades HG-1002 Inferno Javelin Heavy Assault Missile x2000 Inferno Rage Heavy Assault Missile x2000 Mjolnir Javelin Heavy Assault Missile x2000 Mjolnir Rage Heavy Assault Missile x2000 Nova Javelin Heavy Assault Missile x2000 Nova Rage Heavy Assault Missile x2000 Scourge Javelin Heavy Assault Missile x2000 Scourge Rage Heavy Assault Missile x2000 Scan Resolution Dampening Script x2 Targeting Range Dampening Script x2 Optimal Range Disruption Script x2 Tracking Speed Disruption Script x2 Agency 'Pyrolancea' DB3 Dose I x2 Aergia Compact Magnetometric ECM x2 CZ-4 Compact Gravimetric ECM x2 Halting Compact Ladar ECM x2 Induced Compact Multispectral ECM x2 Shade Compact Radar ECM x4 Medium Ghoul Compact Energy Nosferatu x1 Kapteyn Compact Sensor Dampener x2 X5 Enduring Stasis Webifier x1 Phased Scoped Target Painter x1 Initiated Compact Warp Disruptor x1 Balmer Series Compact Tracking Disruptor I x2
Guardian
Each Guardian will help your fleet tank ~2 Ikituras, or ~4 Sacrileges. These are your key to reaching a stable grid.
[Guardian, Budget Armor - Guardian] 1600mm Crystalline Carbonide Restrained Plates Coreli A-Type Thermal Plating Damage Control II True Sansha Adaptive Nano Plating True Sansha Adaptive Nano Plating 10MN Afterburner II Sensor Booster II, ECCM Script Large Inductive Compact Remote Capacitor Transmitter Large Inductive Compact Remote Capacitor Transmitter Large Remote Armor Repairer II Large Remote Armor Repairer II Large Remote Armor Repairer II Large Remote Armor Repairer II Medium Ancillary Current Router II Medium Ancillary Current Router II
Scorpion
These are your key to winning the stalemate, sadly they’re also the hardest ships to keep alive. T1 resist profiles make the Scorpion the squishiest target of your fleet, make sure you’re doing your best to keep it alive.
If you are less multi-box oriented, consider putting some well-skill pilots in Falcons or Kitsunes.
[Scorpion, Budget Armor - Scorpion] 1600mm Steel Plates II 1600mm Steel Plates II Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II Reactive Armor Hardener Radar ECM II Radar ECM II Large Micro Jump Drive Radar ECM II Large Cap Battery II Radar ECM II 500MN Quad LiF Restrained Microwarpdrive Radar ECM II Heavy Knave Scoped Energy Nosferatu Large Rudimentary Concussion Bomb I Heavy Knave Scoped Energy Nosferatu Large Rudimentary Concussion Bomb I Medium Knave Scoped Energy Nosferatu Large Explosive Armor Reinforcer I Large Kinetic Armor Reinforcer I Large Trimark Armor Pump I Hornet EC-300 x5 Hornet EC-300 x5 Warrior II x5
Pontifex
Command destroyers are disgusting, and shut down fights fairly quickly. A well placed boosh will end a 45 minute stalemate in under 5 seconds.
They also help fill gaps in your command bursts, having full information and skirmish links is a massive increase to your effectiveness.
[Pontifex, Fleet Multi-Burst] Centii C-Type Thermal Plating Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II Adaptive Nano Plating II Damage Control II 400mm Rolled Tungsten Compact Plates Initiated Compact Warp Scrambler Micro Jump Field Generator 5MN Quad LiF Restrained Microwarpdrive Information Command Burst II, Electronic Hardening Charge Information Command Burst II, Sensor Optimization Charge [Empty High slot] [Empty High slot] [Empty High slot] Small Trimark Armor Pump II Small Command Processor I Hobgoblin II x5 Hornet EC-300 x5 Warrior II x5 Barrage S x1000 Hail S x1000
Tactics
Waterboarding Logistics
A 10-man composition can boast up to 15 ECM modules, allowing you to wreak havoc on enemy logistics. Communicate your jams effectively and you can fight massively outnumbered.
Consider going for a heated pass if you’re just barely breaking enemy targets.
HAM Punishment
I will never forget when we raced after DSYN’s Sacrilege fleet to chase them after they retreated from a lost grid, just for them to turn immediately and burn through our Ikitursas because we left our logistics behind. A dinky little 2B fleet slapped a 10B blinged fleet in under 60 seconds.
HAMs are the most punishing weapon system in wormhole space, if the enemy makes a mistake- make them regret it.
Good Luck Spooling
TDs and utility ECM are great tools to punish Triglavian fleets. I’m just going to leave it there because we primarily fly Triglavian. 🙂
Going Further
Improving Fits
As you improve, you’ll want to bling out these fits further to give them more effectiveness.
- Upgrade your resist modules to Imperial Navy or C-Type
- Bling out your plates
- Consider upgrading rigs where necessary
If you’re reaching to the point where you’re blinging DPS modules and sinking 200m more in the fittings, it’s time to upgrade.
Upgrading
This is fairly meta dependent, but when you’re finding that Sacrileges aren’t cutting it anymore- it’s time to go up a ship class. Legions or Loki compositions would be the clear next step.