Kestrel

Importable Fit

[Kestrel, Kestrel Alpha]

Light Missile Launcher I
Light Missile Launcher I
Light Missile Launcher I
Light Missile Launcher I

Small Shield Booster I
Small Capacitor Booster I
Stasis Webifier I
1MN Afterburner I

Ballistic Control System I
Damage Control I

Small EM Shield Reinforcer I
Small EM Shield Reinforcer I
Small Thermal Shield Reinforcer I

Scourge Light Missile x660
Cap Booster 200 x11

This is a missile ship. You will need to train at least Missile Launcher Operation Level II and Light Missiles Level I before you will be able to use its weapons.

Weapons

The Kestrel uses 4 Light Missile Launcher I launchers. Light Missiles are the “long-ranged” missile system, reaching to a much longer range than Rockets and dealing more damage per strike, but firing much more slowly, requiring more fitting space, and dealing less overall damage over time with poorer application to small targets.

The launchers are loaded with Scourge Light Missile ammunition. Its Kinetic damage is well-suited to defeating the Guristas pirates most commonly encountered in Caldari space. You should keep about 500 spare missiles in your cargohold.

Additionally, this fit uses a Ballistic Control System I in a low slot. This passively increases the damage output and rate of fire of its missiles.

Defenses

This ship uses a Small Shield Booster I in one of the mid slots to repair incoming damage.

It also fits a Damage Control I to increase its resistance to damage.

Utility

The 1MN Afterburner I provides your ship with additional speed. This both makes it easier to catch enemy ships and also makes your ship harder to hit.

The Small Capacitor Booster I can provide your ship with an instant injection of Capacitor. This module must be fueled by charges, which act as consumable batteries. Load it with Cap Booster 200 bought from the market, and bring along as many spares as you can carry (about 10).

The Stasis Webifier I helps your missiles apply their damage better to the slower targets. It also allows you to hold an enemy at bay while you stay at range.

Rigs

Rigs are passive modifications to a ship, trading off one attribute against another. Unlike modules, rigs cannot be removed without being destroyed. As a starter fit, this fit makes limited use of rigging, since many “optimal” rigs are often relatively expensive and may be difficult to find near your starter station.

This ship is fit with two Small EM Shield Reinforcer I rigs and one Small Thermal Shield Reinforcer I rig, to improve the shields' resistance to damage.

How To Fly

This is designed as a long-range sniping fit. Stay at range from your targets, ideally about 15-20km, and lob missiles at them from out of range of their return fire. The fit is rather fragile, and is not designed to tank incoming fire for extended periods; if you are being overwhelmed, retreat to range and pick off pursuers one by one.

This ship has a Capacitor Booster. As the charges for it are quite bulky, you can carry only a limited number. Try to save the Booster charges for emergencies when you need the extra capacitor to run your repair module continuously. Under normal circumstances, use your repper sparingly, off your ship’s base capacitor. Keep an eye on your capacitor, and try not to let it go below about 25%.

As always, if the incoming damage is proving too much for your ship and you’re beginning to take structure damage, warp out.

Future Improvements

The above fit should be usable with starting skills unless otherwise noted, and it uses relatively cheap and widely-available modules.

As you accumulate skill points and ISK, you will be able to fit more potent modules to your ship, increasing its effectiveness. These modules may not be readily available outside of trade hubs, but it can be worth the trip.

We recommend working towards the following improved fit:

[Kestrel, Kestrel Alpha+]

Arbalest Compact Light Missile Launcher
Arbalest Compact Light Missile Launcher
Arbalest Compact Light Missile Launcher
Arbalest Compact Light Missile Launcher

Small Shield Booster II
Cap Recharger II
Missile Guidance Computer II
5MN Quad LiF Restrained Microwarpdrive

Ballistic Control System II
Damage Control II

Small Capacitor Control Circuit I
Small EM Shield Reinforcer I
Small Processor Overclocking Unit I

Missile Range Script x1
Scourge Light Missile x660

The improved fit will require the training of the following skills to use all installed equipment:

  • Weapon Upgrades Level IV
  • Hull Upgrades Level IV
  • Energy Grid Upgrades Level III
  • Missile Bombardment Level IV

Your character starts with very low missile skills. If you intend to continue using missile ships, we recommend focusing your training on some missile support skills.

The improved fit uses a 5MN Quad LiF Restrained Microwarpdrive rather than an Afterburner. An MWD takes a large amount of capacitor to run, and causes a large increase to your ship’s signature radius, meaning that unlike the Afterburner, it is not useful for evading enemy fire. However, it provides a massively increased speed bonus.

You should activate the MWD only when moving to a new position or enemy, and disable it once you have arrived.

The improved fit removes the Capacitor Booster, so that pilots are not required to restock on bulky Cap Booster charges or spend as much manual effort on managing their capacitor.

To compensate for the loss of the Capacitor Booster, the ship replaces one anti-EM rig with a Small Capacitor Control Circuit I rig, and adds a Cap Recharger II, enhancing its passive capacitor recharge. Remember that this fit is designed to outrange its enemies, and should use its shield booster sparingly. Keep an eye on your capacitor, and try not to let it dip below 25%.

The improved fit removes the Stasis Webifier, as the web is unable to reach out to maximum missile range. It is replaced with a Missile Guidance Computer II, improving the range and precision of its missiles. This module should be activated before beginning combat, and left on indefinitely.

The Missile Guidance Computer is loaded with a Missile Range Script, to double the range bonus at the expense of losing the precision bonus. This script is not consumed by use, so you only need one. It can be swapped for a Missile Precision Script for better damage application against small targets at closer range if desired.

The increased range from the MGC, combined with the Missile Bombardment skill required to equip it, will greatly increase your maximum range. Once you are flying the full Improved fit, you should increase your fighting range to about 30-35km.

To compensate for the increased CPU strain of the Microwarpdrive and Missile Guidance Computer, the improved fit replaces the Anti-Thermal rig with a Small Processor Overclocking Unit I. Without this rig, it cannot bring all modules simultaneously online.

Nearly every module has been improved to a “meta” version, requiring less fitting space and granting improved effectiveness, but costing more ISK and/or being less widely available, or a t2 version, which costs more ISK, requires more skillpoints, and is harder to fit:

  • Guns: 4x Arbalest Compact Light Missile Launcher
  • Shield Booster: Small Shield Booster II
  • Damage Control: Damage Control II
  • Damage Mod: Ballistic Control System II