Ships Revisiting small fighter PvP combat ship.

[Na'Qan]

With much success using the stealth Diamondback Scout for PvP combat, I wanted to experiment with something even smaller and cheaper but with similar hard points. I also wanted something smaller in size that is harder to hit with fixed weapons, especially when engaging silent running.

Applying everything I knew about silent running in combat, I figured, the Viper was the best candidate. The position of its Class 1 hard-point, enables the use of turret with a very wide firing arc. While the Class 2 below it was best to install two Class 2 torpedo Pylons. The position of these torpedo pylons made it safer to launch and prevent it from hitting your own ship.

I installed the smallest class shield, D Rated for weight reduction, for quick recharge if they go down, 24 seconds once the process begins.

Hull reinforcements and mirrored bulkheads reduces incoming thermal damage, if they're running kinetics, I just need to maintain silent running more and fire only when they cant fire back.

Since there are only 2 utility mounts, I had to go with the chaffs and heat sinks, therefore, only countermeasure against enemy torpedo and missiles is silent running. It takes roughly 7 seconds for the enemy to get a missile lock, so by going silent for a moment, breaks up their timing. It takes 4 seconds for the silent running vents to shut, so timing how long you're being targeted is critical to evade a lock-on. However, once the missile has been fired, you can remain in silent running and immediately drop a heat sink. The viper's speed can also help delay the missile impact if you take immediate evasive action away.


Here's the build:
http://coriolis.io/outfit/viper/32A...mQ.CwBhwZjEEYYJntWwg===?bn=Velite U-Boat Mk I

Here are the results:

Against a Clipper:
[video=youtube;wQOsj3cLBU8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQOsj3cLBU8[/video]

Against a Vulture:
[video=youtube_share;X09d5Puu1X8]https://youtu.be/X09d5Puu1X8[/video]

 

[paganpenguin]

Was wondering how you set up the Viper after seeing the videos on your YouTube channel, so thanks for posting.

I have various theoretical "stealth" builds knocking about but unfortunately have never manage to engage in any meaningful PvP, although to be honest I've been too chicken to just do it at times. This is changing as my attitude to playing no longs relies on getting as rich in as quicker time...

 

[Morbad]

Interesting experiment.

I've used beam turrets on the Viper, but never in conjunction with a stealth setup. Always felt they'd be too warm and too obvious, but they evidently work against some CMDRs in some situations.

However, that's a very heavy setup for a Viper and would be hard pressed to outrun anything, or pursue the faster ships, if it became necessary to do so.


On another tangent, one of the individuals you are winged with in the second video was in an encounter the other day where he appeared to have combat logged, even according to members of his own wing. If you are grouped with these individuals often, would you happen to have seen such behavior? I'm still trying to decide if it was just a suspiciously timed coincidence (which do happen), or deliberate (in which case I will avoid any and all interaction with this CMDR).

 

[Na'Qan]

Interesting experiment.

I've used beam turrets on the Viper, but never in conjunction with a stealth setup. Always felt they'd be too warm and too obvious, but they evidently work against some CMDRs in some situations.

However, that's a very heavy setup for a Viper and would be hard pressed to outrun anything, or pursue the faster ships, if it became necessary to do so.


On another tangent, one of the individuals you are winged with in the second video was in an encounter the other day where he appeared to have combat logged, even according to members of his own wing. If you are grouped with these individuals often, would you happen to have seen such behavior? I'm still trying to decide if it was just a suspiciously timed coincidence (which do happen), or deliberate (in which case I will avoid any and all interaction with this CMDR).

I'm not aware of any of the 3 cmdrs in that wing combat logging, nor have I ever seen anyone in my wing ever combat logged, I know the Legion doesn't tolerate it but its also never been a problem since I've joined. Unless its reported directly to one of our senior officers, but to the best of my knowledge, we all hate combat loggers, so I dont see why any of them will becoming hypocrite, but thanks for letting me know, Ill definitely ask...

But regarding the build, I think the trade off for the extra armor is better than speed, the drives fail so quickly, I think the extra hull reinforcements gives it some extra durability. I very much like the base speed of 320m/s with boost at 400m/s, I dont think this build is really meant to stand on its own, but as a simple torpedo boat that can also provide some harassing.

- - - Updated - - -

Was wondering how you set up the Viper after seeing the videos on your YouTube channel, so thanks for posting.

I have various theoretical "stealth" builds knocking about but unfortunately have never manage to engage in any meaningful PvP, although to be honest I've been too chicken to just do it at times. This is changing as my attitude to playing no longs relies on getting as rich in as quicker time...

The build and rebuy is fairly cheap so you can experiment as much as you want. I recommend going with DBS first to get accustomed to silent running mechanics. The DBS runs cooler so its more forgiving, the Viper needs more attention to heat management, especially since the drives tend to go down first, you dont want to contribute to that due to over heating.

 

[paganpenguin]

The build and rebuy is fairly cheap so you can experiment as much as you want. I recommend going with DBS first to get accustomed to silent running mechanics. The DBS runs cooler so its more forgiving, the Viper needs more attention to heat management, especially since the drives tend to go down first, you dont want to contribute to that due to over heating.

Well the DBS is my favourite ship at the moment so learning all the stealth ropes is going to be such a task I was actually waiting to move onto stealth after I had got a grip with using fixed hardpoints - I've become far too accustom to gimballed mounts so it has been such a culture shock that words really cannot describe it (unless you enjoy eating a thesaurus as one of your five a day).