King Rat

        So lately I've not really had any particularly exciting feats to talk to all you wonderful people about and due to this my blog has been gathering a few cobwebs. I have fallen in and out of love with about every frigate on the planet because none are the Dramiel that has been gathering cobwebs in my hangar, much akin to this blog, until my skills finally tick over to the point were I am ready to fly it.

        Why have I been so hungry for the Dramiel and so lack-lustre in my appreciation for all the other frigates I have access to? Well I'm going to pin this one on my buddy Kirith and his killing spree in his new toy, so let's all point and make mean faces at him for making Kishin sad... I didn't think you would, but it was worth a shot regardless. As of an hour ago I officially keyed it into my brain on how to tell Tech II drones to 'kill that' and 'assist this', which before was a mystery. I can comment though that I could command a fleet of Tech I drones as if a orchestra conductor leading the way to musical brilliance. I swear there is some irony in there somewhere.

        The biggest punching bag for my frigate anger would be the legendary Rifter as I've consistently died in every one I've undocked from Hevrice V and I'll admit it was beginning to get old. Now Valgore is going to do some sort of victory dance over this which in my mind will look something similar to...



        ... But I have fallen smitten to the shield tanked Rifter. Yes. No web, just a scram, and some other mods to pad the thing out. the fit is as thus:

King Rat
H: 125mm Gatling Autocannon II x 3
H: OE-5200 Rocket Launcher

M: 1mn Afterburner II
M: J5B Prototype Warp Scrambler
M: Medium Shield Extender II

L: Damage Control II
L: Nanofiber Internal Structure II
L: Gyrostabilizer II

R: Projectile Burst Aerator I
R: Small Anti-EM Screen Reinforcer I
R: Small Anti-Explosive Screen Reinforcer I

Pros
This thing is fast. It kicks at 1263m/s with max skills, mine hits just over 1300m/s which is great. Bear in mind this is without heat.
Cap stable at 86%.
Very fast align time due to lack of armour plate.
128 dps (would be improved with Tech II Rocket Launcher)
5470 ehp.

Cons
No web to dictate range as easily.
Large signature radius for a frigate.
Susceptible to neuting.

        I've been loving this fit and the cheeky explosive rig I threw on there really helps with those Warrior swarms us frigate pilots have learned to fear and also plays well against common conception of the Rifter using armour tanking.

        This is by far the genuine way I think CCP designed the Rifter to be fit up like, it just performs better than the many armour tanked Rifters that I used to swear by. I'm a torn man with both my classic 200mm plate Rifter sat in hangar and the other floating in space. I'll let you know which one is the victor in the end.