So You Want To FC, Eh? Part 3 - What Should I Fly?

So I was reading a post on my Corps forums today about HICs ( Heavy Interdictor Cruisers) and saw our CEO likes to FC in them.  This made me think about what ships I prefer to fly when I FC(I admit my skills do not give  me a giant range of options yet).

Now there isn't a set rule for this, nor should there be.  For new FCs though the question remains on what to fly.  I am going to go over many of the ships types and the pros and cons of each one.  As an FC survivability is #1 priority.

T1 Frigates

Ahh the "lowly" frigate.  I think Frigates actually make excellent FCing ships.  In T2 frig gangs or even cruiser and bc gangs, the T1 frigate will rarely if ever be primaried and will probably be the last one to go(unless you get to close to something). This gives you free range of movement on grid to be able to call targets and keep a close eye on what is happening around you.  Here comes the surprise. The Tristan, Rifter and Merlin, although excellent ships, do real good dps(for a frig) and can be tanked well, thus making them targets.  Not to say that they will get targeted over say an ishkur, jag, or taranis, but the risk is there. 

Assault Ships

AFs are amazing all around combat ships.  They can fit a respectable tank, put out excellent dps, and can all be fit a myriad of ways.  This makes them a real good choice as a command platform. You will start to notice a pattern here: The ships with the highest dps will probably be primaried in a T2 Frig gang (you may luck out in ther gang types) so the Wolf, Ishkur, Enyo, Hawk, and Harpy wouldn't make the best...even though they certainly are doable!.  I, however, recommend the Vengeance and Jaguar.  The vengeance can fit a ridiculous tank as can the jag, thus making you more likely to survive if primaried.

Covert Ops

You cannot go wrong with FCing in a ship that cannot be seen, but don't expect too many killmails!(well maybe...more on that in a bit).  Covops give you the freedom to move around the battlefield or sit at a distance, thus giving you more focus then a more conventional combat ship.  For the newer FC these are excellent for focusing more on the fight then dealing dmg or dying.  For the KMwhore type, you can either use a stealth bomber or battle fit your covops.  A battle fit covops, so long as there is a covops cloak, wont hinder you at all since you are not scouting..  Definitely one of my fav picks.

Interceptors

Inties are a gray area.  They are fast and agile, but lack tank.  Also due to their unique roles are often popped first. I will leave this one up to Pilot discretion as it will be heavily reliant on pilot skill

Cruisers

I am going to go ahead and throw all cruisers into this category.  Cruisers make excellent ships to FC from with three exceptions: The High DPS output ships, Logistics, and the EWAR Platforms(some not all).

However, there are several Cruisers that can stay at range or fit a ridiculous tank.  Both the Maller and the Vexor can fit ridiculous armor buffer tanks, the Maller more so. This gives you the staying power you need to stay on the field.

The Caracal, Moa, Cerberus, Eagle, Ishtar, Muninn, and Zealot can all hang out at super long ranges if sniper fit.  They can also chill at medium range to keep a better eye on the field.  Just be cautious...some of them have high dps outputs or shiny prices so can easily be called primary.

HICs-All of the Heavy Interdictors can fit substantial tanks.  That combined with their mobile nature gives you free reign of the battlefield.  That and you don't have to worry about calling bubble up, as you are the bubble! This makes them excellent, and popular, FC vessels.

Recons- This one is iffy.  They do not fit substantial tanks, that and their utility that you have to juggle can make it complicated.  Once again I would say this one be left up to pilot skill in FCing and multitasking.

Strategic Cruisers-  My only beef is that they are bling...and therefore highly sought after KMs.  However, all of the T3 cruisers can fit MASSIVE tanks.  This coupled with decent dps output and modest utility make them excellent , albeit, highly expensive Command ships.

Battlecruisers

Ahhh here we are, the battlecruiser.  This is one of my personal favorites for FCing.  They all can fit good tanks, they have excellent dps output, and can fit Warfare Links to provided added utility.  Almost all of the T1 BCs make good choices.  The handful of exceptions would be the new Tier 3 BCs and the Brutix.  The former have paper tanks and extreme dps output. The are best used as snipers or alpha ships, and thus will find themselves warping off of the field alot if chased. The Brutix's reputation as an extreme dps ship usually gets it primaried first( I know as it is one of my favorite ships :P).

Command Ships- The T2 BCs are the creme de la creme of FC boats.  Massive tanks and boosts on the Fleet variants, and good tanks and high dps on the Field variants.  Other than their price, you cannot really go wrong here.

Battleships

The Battleship is an iffy subject.  They are only optimal in a fleet of BS or higher(capitals and what not).  I do not recommend them for any smaller gang comp, as you will probably be the first to go down.

So.......

In closing it really comes down to flying what you are comfortable  in, sizing the ship appropriately to the fleet type (don't bring a BS or BC to an all frig gang for example), and survivability(yeah other people can pick up when you go down, but it helps to try and have as much staying power as possible).  So go out and have some fun.  Do not be afraid to experiment to find out what works best for you. Above all else, I reiterate, fly what you are most comfortable in, and only what you can afford to lose!

Until next time have fun, fly dangerously, and see you out in New Eden!