A Prowler Crossing The Rubicon

With Rubicon launching tomorrow I should discuss a little bit how the changes will affect one of my favorite ships, the Prowler.

All The Ships I Have Mastery V For

Up until now, the lesser cargo capacity of the Prowler didn't matter too much compared to the other blockade runners when thinking about distribution missions.  After looking at the math I decided to fit Medium Cargohold Optimization rigs and have used them for the past 5 months.  I made a lot of ISK with the agents I found that would give me destinations an average of two stations away.  But with Rubicon the big thing is warp speed.  That makes the Prorater the king of distribution running blockade runners as it can fit two Medium Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizer Is and still carry over 8000m³ of cargo.  The Prowler, by comparison, can fit none in order to carry the maximum cargo required for a distribution mission.

How big of a difference is that?  In my pre-Rubicon testing, I first compared my Prowler with 2 Medium Cargohold Optimization rigs, 2 Extended Cargohold IIs, and no skill hardwiring in my clone making the Olin-Keri run.  I used that as my baseline because that was the farthest distance the Sisters of EVE level 4 distribution agent has sent me while I've ground SoE loyalty points.  The entire run is 7 jumps traveling 205.1 AU in low security space.  Using the Odyssey ruleset on Tranquility the trip took 7:48 one-way.  The same run on Singularity using the Rubicon warp speed changes only took 5:49, a time savings of 25.4%.  I then replaced the cargo rigs with the warp speed rigs to simulate how fast a Prorater will make the trip in Rubicon.  I made the Olin-Keri run in 4:39, which means the Prorater can do the distribution missions requiring 7200m³ and 8000m³ of cargo 20% faster than my Prowler.

So why don't I retire my Prowler and go Amarr?  Go Amarr?  Ugh!  But my decision of sticking with the Prowler isn't just based on racial pride.  Those familiar with New Eden's spaceways may have noticed that the Olin-Keri run is completely in low security space.  The Prowler still gives me some advantages useful in surviving in that lawless area.  First, align times.  The Prowler is generally faster to align than the other blockade runners.  Also, the Prowler has the smallest signature radius.  At 110m, the Prowler's signature radius is 15m less than the Caldari Crane's and 5m less than the Gallente Viator and Amarrian Prorater.  As fast or faster to align plus taking longer to lock.  And if I settle for only having a maximum cargo capacity of 6604m³ my warp speed is just as fast.  Perhaps just as important, the Prowler is the fastest blockade runner out of warp as well.  Having the ability to slow boat out of an area faster, like out of a bubble, while cloaked is definitely a plus.  Less time for someone to find me.

One other benefit to the Prowler I haven't mentioned yet is the second high slot.  Put a Sisters Probe Launcher in the second slot and if the situation gets sticky I can try to probe down a wormhole and escape.  Or if I ever team up with some black ops types, light a covert cyno. 

I have one final reason for not flying a Prorater or another blockade runner: I can't fly the others and I don't want to take the time to learn.  Due to the SOMERblink scandal, instead of researching Rubicon while on vacation I spent my time tracking down one of the biggest illicit RMT stories of the year.  While covering the story was important, I really wish I had spent the time digging around the expansion on Singularity.  I see a lot of potential for this expansion and for the expansions to come.  I even have a few ideas I need to flesh out and make sure they are not totally crazy and unworkable.  If what I'm thinking is viable, then I'll probably need the sneakiest blockade runner I can find.  In my book, that's the Prowler.