Merlin
From Goonwiki
| 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 | ||
Contents |
[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.