Budget Armor – Doctrine Depot

Budget Armor – Doctrine Depot 1920 1138 BearThatCares

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.

 

  1. All fittings are under 300m. This puts the cost of an entire fleet at 1-2 hours of group ratting.
  2. HAMs. This weapon type is very punishing towards enemy mistakes, and easy to FC.
  3. 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.

  • 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
    
  • 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,

    1. Application support.
    2. Disruption
    3. 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
    
  • 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
    
  • 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
    
  • 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.

 

BearThatCares

BearThatCares

EVE Online CEO, fleet commander, and multi-box PvPer. Wormholer btw.

All stories by : BearThatCares

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