<- Back to Ship Loadouts for 4.1
This Gladius loadout offers the best stealth possible by sacrificing the competition shields for a stealth shields.
To accomplish this we’ll run:
- Competition shields
- Stealth Power Plant
- Stealth Cooler
- Stealth Quantum Drive
This combination should give the ship complete combat capabilities you’d expect out of a full combat build but drastically reduced IR and EM signatures while out of combat affording a low detection range.
The Stealth Quantum Drive can be swapped to any other drive at the cost of drastically increased EM signature while in NAV mode. The Stealth Quantum Drives offer a really worthwhile trade off of speed and cooldown time making them an ideal quantum drive for pursuit and response times in planetary systems where you may make several jumps in a matter of minutes.
Store-purchasable
You’ll be able to find all of these components for sale in a shop somewhere. No looting required.
PvE only
Erkul Link: https://www.erkul.games/loadout/eNkx8OmK
PvP or PvE
Erkul Link: https://www.erkul.games/loadout/HbpCrN78
Grade A components
These loadouts contain components which are not purchasable in an NPC store. You will need to acquire these through other means such as looting them from a Contested Zone executive hangar.
PvE only
Erkul Link: https://www.erkul.games/loadout/wi6EaraQ
PvP or PvE
Erkul Link: https://www.erkul.games/loadout/gMEtem3j
Ace PvP*
Erkul Link: https://www.erkul.games/loadout/1FdC3wpX
Note: The “Ace” PvP pilot is one that knows how to control range against an opponent as the weapons have a slightly lower projectile speed which requires the pilot to really know how to control the fight. The lower projectile weapons require you to get closer and stay closer to apply damage. Remember: The best damage is applied damage.
FAQ
Why a PvE only and a PvP or PvE loadout
- In PvE your targets do not dodge your shots. In PvP they do dodge your shots. In PvE you can take advantage of this by using weapons with lower projectile speed but higher damage, such as the Attritions. In PvP, this gives your dodging opponent almost twice the amount of time to effectively dodge your shots.
- A note: If you absolutely know you are going to be engaging ships that cannot divert their trajectory more than ~40 meters in 2-3 seconds in response to an incoming salvo of fire then consider the slower and higher damage weapons.
Why not ballistics?
- Ballistics lose 50% of their damage in the current damage model when passing through shields.
- There is no easy way to replenish ballistics ammo without returning to a station. Most ships carry 2-3 engagements worth of ballistic ammo right now.
Why TaskForce I’s for missiles?
- In PvP missiles should primarily be used to force an opponent who has entered NAV mode to make a decision to exit NAV mode so they can decoy/shield the missile or just eat the missle damage.
- The TaskForce I’s have the fastest lock time possible (0.1 seconds) and highest locking angle possible (60 degrees) and can lock up to 10 km away which affords the best chance at forcing such a decision on an opponent.
Why only one cooler?
- You don’t currently need more than one cooler to keep the ship cool. A second cooler just increases your EM signature (by having it powered) and consumes an additional power pip.
You don’t need to cool your ship, why have a cooler at all?
- Not having a cooler (or powering it off) causes your ships IR signature to slowly rise. Given enough time your Hornet will show up on radar at 50 KM or more.