From Goonwiki

Current revision as of 03:00, 26 January 2010

Merlin
The Merlin is the most powerful all-out combat frigate of the Caldari. It is highly valued for its versatility in using both missiles and turrets, while its defenses are exceptionally strong for a Caldari vessel.
High slots	4
Medium slots	4
Low slots	2
Rig slots	3
Power output	35 MW
CPU output	175 tf
Turret slots	2
Launcher slots	2
Max targets	4
Shield capacity	469
Shield resists (EM/EXP/KIN/THERM)	0/60/40/20
Armor HP	351
Armor resists (EM/EXP/KIN/THERM)	60/10/25/45
Capacitor	350
Drones	0 m3
Drone Bandwidth
Cargo	130 m3
Max Speed	230 m/s
Insurance Cost	85,500.00
Insurance Payout	285,000.00
Updated for Trinity
Required Skills
Primary	Caldari Frigate	III
Secondary	N/A
Tertiary	N/A
View Ships by Type

[edit] Overview

The Merlin is a solid tackling frigate. With its four mid slots, it has a number of options available to it for tackling setups. It is significantly slower than the other typically used tackling frigates, but if you can manage to close the distance on your target you can keep him locked down pretty well. Bonus for not looking like a brick or half a ship. It also kind of looks like a B-Wing from Star Wars.

Please note that both the Rifter and the Vigil are significantly better tacklers than the Merlin, so you should only fly Merlins until you've finished training Minmatar Frigate III and Small Projectile Turret I (at least) - it doesn't take long at all and you'll be a much better tackler.

Since goons are jerks and don't explain why one thing is better than another: Merlins are tough and versatile but compared to other frigates are slow with a big signature radius. What this means is that you'll get hit more often and will take longer to pounce on your intended tackle than some others. Neither of these negatives is balanced out enough by its toughness to be all that great of a trade-off. If you don't want to cross-train into a Rifter, though, the Merlin is a good tackler; probably the best from what the Caldari offer.

[edit] Bonuses

• 5% bonus to shield resistances
• 10% bonus to Small Hybrid Turret optimal range per skill level.

[edit] Fittings

[edit] Low-Skill PvP Fittings

These fittings are usable by Caldari newbies right out of the box or with a small amount of training.

[edit] Newbie MWD Merlin

Hi

2x 125mm Railgun (Antimatter Charge S)

2x Rocket Launcher (foxfire rockets)

Mid

1x 1MN MicroWarp Drive

1x Stasis Webifier

1x Warp Disruptor

1x Cap Recharger

Low

2x Nanofiber Internal Structure

This will take you far. Use the Microwarpdrive to get within 10km, use the Warp Disruptor and Stasis Webifier to pin your target down, orbit at 5km, and turn off your Microwarpdrive. If you leave it on too long you will run out of power. The reason you orbit at 5km is that this will keep you out of Smartbomb range while still letting you use your Stasis Web. If you find your target is still able to hit you, you can risk the Smartbomb and try orbiting closer.

[edit] High-Skill PvP Fittings

[edit] Tracking Disruptor Merlin

Hi

2x 125mm Railgun II (Spike S)

1x 'Malkuth' Standard Missile Launcher I

Med

1x 1MN MicroWarp Drive I

1x Warp Disruptor

2x Tracking Disruptor II

Low

2x Capacitor Power Relay I

Lacks a web because in my opinion the Merlin has neither the speed nor the scan resolution to get those critical webs on anyway. Instead this fitting takes advantage of the Merlin's great capacitor and mid slots to mess up enemy gunboats. BoB seems to take a liking to Amarr and Minmatar HACs and Commandships which will lose 70% range and tracking when hit with two Tracking Disruptor II's.

Requires WU IV, Eng V, Elec V to fit. You could downgrade everything but the TD to Tech 1 without losing much effectiveness. <-- This is bullshit only way theres enough grid is if you downgrade the 125mms to 75mms.

[edit] Tanked Tackling Merlin

Hi

2x 200mm AutoCannon I

2x Rocket Launcher I

Med

1x 1MN MicroWarp Drive I

1x Stasis Webifier I

1x Warp Disruptor I

1x Medium Shield Extender I

Low

1x Micro Auxiliary Power Core I

1x Nanofiber Internal Structure I or Power Diagnostic System I depending on skills

This is a fairly tight fit even with good fitting skills, but it provides a good all around ship without any extreme compromises with regards to speed, survivability or endurance compared to other Merlin fits. With my skills, it does 50 DPS at point blank range with EMP ammo (more theoretical than practical), and can permarun the MWD if it isn't using the point or web. The oversized shield extender gives nearly as many shield HP as a cruiser, making this ship much more survivable than most other T1 frigates, and if it doesn't survive you can rest assured that in the time it took to kill you, they could have taken out 2-3 other tacklers.

[edit] Hauler Tackler(Bobcats)

Hi

2x Rocket Launcher I

2x Light Ion Blaster I

Mid

1mn MicroWarpdrive I

1x Stasis Webifier I

2x Warp Scrambler I

Low

2x Nanofiber Internal Structure

Use this to catch faggot haulers in Empire. You are fast enough to follow them through a gate, then mwd right on top of them. Many haulers don't even have four lows for WCS, and even the ones that do often get greedy and fit expanders instead.