As a first topic I have chosen the Caldari Osprey and my own views and experiences with it. I have started piloting an Osprey no more than two days ago and after careful consideration I have come to the conclusion that this is the ship for me. While I like combat, don't get me wrong I do not have a very aggressive nature thus support was an obvious choice.
Now you will ask "So what's the deal with the Caldari Osprey? What can it do for me and helping my small fleet/gang?"
Let us take a look first at the Caldari Osprey, it's statistics in game terms which I will explain. The Osprey is described by EVE Developers as seen below:
"The Osprey offers excellent versatility and power for its low price. Designed from the top down as a cheap but complete cruiser, the Osprey utilizes the best the Caldari have to offer in state-of-the-art armor alloys, sensor technology and weaponry - all mass manufactured to ensure low price. In the constant struggle to stay ahead of the Gallente, new technology has been implemented in the field of mining laser calibration. A notable improvement in ore yields has been made, especially in the hands of a well trained pilot.
- Caldari Cruiser Skill Bonus: 20% bonus to mining laser yield and 10% bonus to capacitor use of shield transporters per level.
- Role Bonus: 500% bonus to range of shield transporters."
At a first glance it seems to a ship exploiting Mining lasers very well but also the more "arcane" Shield Transporters. While many people use it as a mining ship let's look below at the following words:
- 10% bonus to capacitor use of shield transporters per level.
- Role Bonus: 500% bonus to range of shield transporters.
Basics
CPU : 275
Powergrid : 475
Calibration : 400
Low slots : 3
Med slots : 4
High slots : 4
Launcher hardpoints : 2
Turret hardpoints : 3
Upgrade hardpoints : 3
- The first item you will see listed there is the CPU, or Central Processing Unit. This represents the power of your ship's computer core and it is measured in Teraflops. The number associated indicates just how much CPU power will the modules fitted on the ship will be able to consume. Go beyond and some modules will not work.
- The Second entry is the Powergrid. This represents how much energy your ship's reactor produces which is stored in a component called a Capacitor. In equivalence to other games this is your "mana". As is the case with the CPU your items will only be able to use as much power as your Powergrid has. It is measured in Megawatts.
- Third comes the Calibration entry which shows you how much space you have for Rigs or makeshift modifications you can install on your ship. Each of these rigs has a Calibration value. You will need the Jury Rigging and related Rigging skills to fit these.
- Fourth come the "Low Slots". These slots are generally occupied by modules which put a small strain on both Capacitor and CPU. Here as an example I would use Damage Control Units, Co-Processors and others.
- Fifth are the "Med Slots". These items are generally used for Shield Modules, Electronic warfare Modules, Propulsion Modules and some other model types.
- Sixth come the High Power Slots. These will be essential to any ship as here you will fit weapons, Link modules such as Drone Link Augmentors and the items you will be using most as Support: Shield Transporters, Remote Armor Repairers and Energy Transfer Arrays.
So where is my HP? How much damage can I take?
In terms of Hitpoints all EVE Online ships have three layers: Shield, Armor and Structure. Only when all of these three reach 0 your ship will be destrouyed. A regular Osprey has the following: 1094 HP Structure, 976 HP Armor and 1173 HP shield. As is the case with all Caldari ships your main defense is the Shield.
So how fast can I go?
The Osprey and Basilisk are not very very fast ships. The normal speed for an Osprey is 153 meters per second. Of course this can be increased with Afterburners or Microwarp Drives.
Am I able to use Drones?
The Osprey has a Drone bay indeed, albeit a small one compared to other Cruisers. Only twenty cubic meters worth of space whih can take two Medium or four Light Drones.
So what must I do to fly an Osprey in a support role?
To be able to make use of the Osprey I would recommend training the following:
Caldari Frigate IV
Spaceship Command III
Engineering III
Science II
Shield Emission Systems I
Caldari Cruiser I
These however are the most basic skills you will need to "pilot" it with support in mind as you will be able to fit Shield Transporters and operate the Cruiser itself at a basic level. In order to make much more out of the Osprey I recommend the following:
Engineering skills
Engineering IV
Energy Management III
Energy Grid Upgrades III
Shield Emission Systems III
Shield Operation III
Shield Upgrades III
Electronics skills:
Electronics IV
Electronics Upgrades III/IV
Targeting II/III
Science skills:
Science II
Spaceship Command skills:
Caldari Frigate IV
Spaceship Command III
Caldari Cruiser III
This skillset above will allow you to increase your ship's capabilities. First we'll discuss Engineering and why do you need it.
Engineering
Engineering skills generally are related to your ship's Power Grid and Capacitor.
- Engineering itself if you check it increases your ship's energy output by 5% per level. Thus with level IV you will have an additional 20% power in addition to that of your basic ship.
- Energy Management increases the amount of power your capacitor itself can hold, adding a 5% per level thus increasing your available energy to use for systems.
- Energy Grid Upgrades - if you plan to install power boosting modules such as Reactor Control Units this skill reduces their CPU need by 5%/level thus allowing you to fit other more CPU intensive modules.
- Shield Emission Systems - This is THE skill your Osprey will rely on to use Shield Transporters of any size. With each level of Shield Emission systems you have the Capacitor requirements for these modules will be decreased by 5%.
- Shield Operation - This skill allows you to install Shield Boosters on the ship which are used to give short bursts of shield recharge rate, improving your defenses. It also reduces your shield recharge time by 5% per level.
- Shield Upgrades- allow you to install low CPU intensive shield Extenders which may be your way to a longer life in the current ship. Shield Extenders increase your overall Shield HP
Electronics skills are generally associated to your CPU and sensor systems.
- Electronics - This skill increases your ship's overall Central processing Unit output per level by 5%. It is extremely beneficial to a ship like the Osprey as Shield Transfer Arrays are very CPU intensive modules
- Electronics Upgrades - This skill allows you to install Electronic backups to your primary system such as sensor boosters and co-processors. Installing co-processors boosts up your overall CPU capacity thus allowing you to fit the required modules
- Targeting - Increases the number of targets you can lock on to by 1. Very useful when you are required to transfer Shields to multiple ships.
The Science skill opens up the whole scientific related skills but is required for Shield Operation.
Spaceship Command skills:
- Caldari Cruiser - This is the most important skill you need to look at. The more Caldari Cruiser levels you have the less Capacitor your Shield Transfer Arrays will use. With Caldari Cruiser at level III you will have a 30% reduction in Capacitor needs.
The Osprey unveiled - in depth approach.
1. Shield Transporter Systems
As I explained above Shield Transport Systems are your "weapon". They are specially engineered modules allowing you, the Osprey Pilot to boost the shields of allied ships from range. Here below are their most notable properties:
a) Size
All Shield Transporter Modules come in four sizes: Small, Medium, Large and Capital. Each size generally corresponds to a size of ship thus we have Small Shield Transporters for Frigates, Medium Shield Transporters for Cruisers and Battlecruisers, Large for Battleships and Capital for Capital Ships.
b) Technical properties
When you look at a Shield Transporter system you will have to look at the following: Powergrid usage, CPU usage, Shield Boost Bonus, Shield Transfer Range, Activation Cost, Activation time/duration. As an example I'll use the Small Shield Transporter I device. It has the following properties:
Powergrid usage - 5 MW - how much Capacitor does this module use
CPU usage - 70tf (teraflops) - how much processing power does the module require
Shield bonus - 80 HP - the amount it boosts the target's shield / cycle
Shield Transfer Range - 4000m - the module's transfer range
Activation cost - 55 GJ - the power consumed each cycle
Activation time/duration - 5.00 seconds - the time needed for the module to complete a shield boosting cycle.
2. The Osprey and the Shield Transporter
Taking the paragraph above into consideration and the Osprey's bonuses for Shield Transporter systems we will be able to see the following:
a) The small Shield transporter device presented above will benefit for am 500% increased range, thus operating at a safe 20.000 meters
b) It will use 30% less Power Grid than it normally would so it's Power Grid use would be only a simple 3.5 Megawatts.
Based on the ship's bonuses the same apply to any Shield transfer system you wish to use, be it medium or large. Capital Transport Systems are beyond the topic of this introductory entry.
I hope I was able to shed a revealing light upon the inner workings of the Osprey and give you a helpful hand in your career as a support Cruiser Pilot. It is an exciting job, you will be the primary target countless times but your presence will make a difference to your corp or gang mates. The longer you stay alive, the longer they live as well. Until my next entry, fly safe and see you in game.
