Mission Maelstrom (+ Vargur)

For a bunch of reasons there is a lot out Caldari and their Raven battleships seem to be the favorite for Level 4 missions. I however believe that the Maelstrom is in fact a superior boat. The Maelstrom combines a slot layout enabling both a full active shield tank and enough low-slots to provide massive damage. The active shield tank is further boosted by a bonus to shield boosting and a cap-less primary weapon usage. The primary weapon is further boosted by being able to select damage types and good to excellent range due to massive falloff. The Maelstrom is built for missions.

Let's start by looking at a basic T2 setup:

[Maelstrom, T2]
Damage Control II
Gyrostabilizer II
Gyrostabilizer II
Tracking Enhancer II
Tracking Enhancer II

100MN Afterburner II
Large Shield Booster II
Shield Boost Amplifier II
Shield Boost Amplifier II
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II

800mm Repeating Artillery II, EMP L
800mm Repeating Artillery II, EMP L
800mm Repeating Artillery II, EMP L
800mm Repeating Artillery II, EMP L
800mm Repeating Artillery II, EMP L
800mm Repeating Artillery II, EMP L
800mm Repeating Artillery II, EMP L
800mm Repeating Artillery II, EMP L

Large Capacitor Control Circuit I
Large Capacitor Control Circuit I
Large Capacitor Control Circuit I


Warrior II x5
Hobgoblin II x10
Warrior II x5

While cap stability isn't great, with the afterburner off, it can run everything else for over 7 minutes, more than long enough to bring most rooms down to a controllable level. It also should be known that if you need extra range, switching to Barrage L extends fall-off to 59 km, giving this ship the ability to project damage across the entire grid.

Typically when I engage I take out the web/scramble frigates first. Often this means burning in the opposite direction to increase range and minimize transversal.  If the guns can't hit them then I send in the drones. Although the ship has the bandwidth and drone bay to handle medium and heavy drones, I just fit enough lights to easily replace losses. There is nothing worse than loosing all your light drones and having no way to destroy a scrambling frigate.

As good as the T2 fittings are, this ship can really benefit from one of the most powerful relative to the T2 version faction modules in the game, the pithum medium shield boosters. Couple these with some low-grade Crystal implants 1-5 and you get a perma-tank that can handle most rooms handily.

[Maelstrom, small faction]
Damage Control II
Republic Fleet Gyrostabilizer
Republic Fleet Gyrostabilizer
Tracking Enhancer II
Tracking Enhancer II

Republic Fleet 100MN Afterburner
Pithum C-Type Medium Shield Booster
Shield Boost Amplifier II
Shield Boost Amplifier II
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II

800mm Repeating Artillery II, EMP L
800mm Repeating Artillery II, EMP L
800mm Repeating Artillery II, EMP L
800mm Repeating Artillery II, EMP L
800mm Repeating Artillery II, EMP L
800mm Repeating Artillery II, EMP L
800mm Repeating Artillery II, EMP L
800mm Repeating Artillery II, EMP L

Large Capacitor Control Circuit I
Large Core Defense Operational Solidifier I
Large Capacitor Control Circuit I


Warrior II x5
Hobgoblin II x10
Warrior II x5

Although not cap stable with the afterburner, it is once it is turned off. Use the AB to move around in position but be mindful not to let the capacity drop below peak recharge at around 33%. With mission specific hardeners only the very hardest rooms can make a dent in the tank, allowing getting in close range with the target battleships.

Of course there is an easy step above this fit. But it requires going with a Vargur, the ultimate mission ship. While a Macharial is more popular, the Vargur's invincible tanks, superior tracking, low ammo usage allowing the cost use of RF ammo and the ability to fit tractor beams and salvagers results in more isk/hour IMHO. Compared to the Maelstrom, it provides a better tank against EM/Therm, about 50% more speed. Here is how I fit my Vargur complete with recommended implants.

[Vargur, Vargur Dream]
Damage Control II
Republic Fleet Gyrostabilizer
Republic Fleet Gyrostabilizer
Tracking Enhancer II
Tracking Enhancer II

Republic Fleet 100MN Afterburner
Pithum B-Type Medium Shield Booster
Shield Boost Amplifier II
Shield Boost Amplifier II
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II

800mm Repeating Artillery II, Republic Fleet EMP L
800mm Repeating Artillery II, Republic Fleet EMP L
800mm Repeating Artillery II, Republic Fleet EMP L
800mm Repeating Artillery II, Republic Fleet EMP L
Small Tractor Beam II
Small Tractor Beam II
Salvager II

Large Projectile Collision Accelerator II
Large Projectile Metastasis Adjuster I


Hobgoblin II x5
Hobgoblin II x3
Warrior II x7

With a fit like this I was able to fully complete Worlds Collide Sansha / Angel looting and salvaging all large wrecks in under 50 minutes for about 60-70 million isk/hour. Most missions can be run much faster.

The result of all this is that minmattar pilots should not feel compelled to switch to the Caldari mission boats. The Maelstrom and Vargur represent IMHO an actually superior mission platform.

P.S. It should be noted that the current vision from CCP Fozzie is to somewhat nerf the Tracking enhancers. They will give a 20% boost instead of 30% to falloff. This will somewhat lower the range of these ships, but not enough to significantly change the tactics.