[Merlin, Merlin alpha]
Light Electron Blaster I
Light Electron Blaster I
Light Electron Blaster I
Medium Shield Booster I
Stasis Webifier I
Small Capacitor Booster I
1MN Afterburner I
Magnetic Field Stabilizer I
Magnetic Field Stabilizer I
Damage Control I
Small EM Shield Reinforcer I
Small EM Shield Reinforcer I
Small Thermal Shield Reinforcer I
Cap Booster 200 x11
Antimatter Charge S x2600
The Merlin uses 3 Light Electron Blaster I turrets.
Blasters are the “short-ranged” hybrid system, with some of the highest damage output
and best tracking against small targets in the game. In exchange, they are the shortest-ranged
weapon system in the game, being all but useless outside of point-blank range.
The blasters are loaded with Antimatter Charge S ammunition.
Antimatter is the shortest-ranged basic hybrid charge, but does the most damage.
As blasters require you to be in knife-fighting range anyway,
losing a few more meters will hardly be noticed,
and the extra damage will be appreciated once you come to grips with your foe.
You should keep about 2000 spare rounds in your cargohold.
Additionally, this fit uses two Magnetic Field Stabilizer I in its low slots.
This passively increases the damage output and rate of fire of its blasters.
This ship uses a Medium Shield Booster I in one of the mid slots to repair incoming damage.
The capacitor consumption of this module is very high, so it should be used sparingly.
It also fits a Damage Control I in a low slot to increase its resistance to damage.
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 Stasis Webifier I helps your projectiles apply their damage better, because it’s easier to hit
the slower targets. (It also makes it easier to stay in range of the slower enemies.)
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).
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 fit uses two Small EM Shield Reinforcer I and one Small Thermal Shield Reinforcer I
to increase its shields' damage resistance.
This is designed as a brawling fit. Fly in close to your targets and begin orbiting them at about 500m, applying your web to slow them down. If having difficulty hitting small targets, you can try turning off your Afterburner, or using the Keep At Range command rather than orbiting, though the damage you take will increase as well.
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.
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:
[Merlin, Merlin Alpha+]
Modal Light Ion Particle Accelerator I
Modal Light Ion Particle Accelerator I
Modal Light Ion Particle Accelerator I
Medium Shield Booster II
1MN Y-S8 Compact Afterburner
Fleeting Compact Stasis Webifier
Eutectic Compact Cap Recharger
Magnetic Field Stabilizer II
Magnetic Field Stabilizer II
Damage Control II
Small EM Shield Reinforcer I
Small Capacitor Control Circuit I
Small Capacitor Control Circuit I
Antimatter Charge S x2360
The improved fit will require the training of the following skills to use all installed equipment:
Energy Grid Upgrades Level IIHull Upgrades Level IVWeapon Upgrades Level IVThe largest change to the improved fit is the loss of 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 mounts a Eutectic Compact Cap Recharger,
and replaces the Anti-Thermal and one of the Anti-EM rigs with two Small Capacitor Control Circuit I, enhancing its passive capacitor recharge. Keep an eye on your capacitor, and try
not to let it dip below 25%.
Using some of the Powergrid freed up by the removal of the Capacitor Booster, the guns have been upgraded to Ion blasters, giving them better range and damage output.
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:
Modal Light Ion Particle Accelerator I1MN Y-S8 Compact AfterburnerFleeting Compact Stasis WebifierDamage Control IIMedium Shield Booster IIMagnetic Field Stabilizer II