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Starting A Patrol
When the new Bellicose stats were released, there was little doubt that the Bellicose had finally become something feared. The Tiercide program changed a ship with a mixed weapon system, poor defenses, lackluster Powergrid and CPU, not to mention not having nearly enough mids or low slots to build a decent tank.
Often referred to as “versatile” (i.e. a complete and utterly worthless ship) CCP Fozzie and CCP Ytterbium put their magical dev hands on the Bellicose and gave it life. And kinda like that nerdy kid in school who everyone makes fun of, only to come back at the school reunion as a Green Beret or Spetsnaz, this ship got turned around. While the Bellicose lost a high slot, its new bonuses/weapon system configuration were changed so that it could mount four missile launchers. In addition, though it lost a high slot, it gained a mid and a low, allowing it to field a decent shield OR armor tank.
So, how should you look at the renewed Bellicose? Oddly enough, however you want. However, it fits the heavy support role well. For example supporting the slower but more heavier armed Battlecruisers. While the best Bellicose fits do about 100 less dps than a well fit AC Rupture, the Bellicose is better suited to “less than ideal” combat circumstances. And with Tech 1 ships now more popular, after years of neglect, and coming back to the foreground of combat operations, the ability to deal with a variety of targets is a good trait.
The first configuration I will present will actually mimic the very first fitting I successfully debuted three years ago. The first fitting was an armor tanking Huginn. The fittings success hinged on changing the focus of the Huginn away from Statis Webifiers to Target Painters. While it never took on much popularity, most of the major coalitions did eventually adapt Rapiers and Huginns (and recently Bellicoses) to the paradigm.
The following two configurations are what I am going to be fielding in the near future, as Kraken. and its allies continue its fight.
[Armor Bellicose, War Configuration]
Damage Control II
800mm Reinforced Rolled Tungsten Plates I
Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II
Energized Explosive Membrane II
10MN Microwarpdrive II
Sensor Booster II, Scan Resolution Script
Sensor Booster II, Scan Resolution Script
Phased Weapon Navigation Array Generation Extron
Phased Weapon Navigation Array Generation Extron
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Nova Fury Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Nova Fury Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Nova Fury Heavy Missile
Heavy Missile Launcher II, Nova Fury Heavy Missile
Medium Ancillary Current Router I
Medium Trimark Armor Pump I
Medium Trimark Armor Pump I
Hornet EC-300 x5
Hornet EC-300 x3
This patrol configuration is designed to be in support of your combat fleet. The dual sensor boosters allow for you to light up the enemy quickly, thereby allowing the rest of your squad to fire at the target sooner, and perhaps before the enemy ship has enough time to use transverse angles to aid its defense. The Bellicose’s targeting range extends to almost 70km, allowing for a single ship to cover an entire regional gate. In this current, configuration, the defense is roughly 22k EHP, though if you downgrade the missiles to Meta 4, you can add another 2 to 3k EHP when changing out the ACR for another Trimark. This may not be a bad idea because this configuration only pushes about 162 DPS using Tech 2 Fury missiles. Downgrading to Meta 4 means a loss of about 40 DPS or 25%, but in this support configuration that is made up by improving your squad’s ability to land shots on target. If you choose to replace the ECM drones, you can gain another 99 DPS from a full set of light scouts or, if you think you’ll have larger targets, four medium drones will provide 127 additional DPS.
If, on the other hand, you need to bring some sizeable DPS to the field, then it might be better to use the following configuration instead:
[Shield Bellicose, Patrol Configuration]
Damage Control II
Ballistic Control System II
Ballistic Control System II
Overdrive Injector System II
10MN Microwarpdrive II
Faint Epsilon Warp Scrambler I
Large Shield Extender II
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II
Phased Weapon Navigation Array Generation Extron
Heavy Assault Missile Launcher II, Inferno Rage Heavy Assault Missile
Heavy Assault Missile Launcher II, Inferno Rage Heavy Assault Missile
Heavy Assault Missile Launcher II, Inferno Rage Heavy Assault Missile
Heavy Assault Missile Launcher II, Inferno Rage Heavy Assault Missile
Medium Anti-EM Screen Reinforcer I
Medium Core Defense Field Extender I
Medium Core Defense Field Extender I
Hobgoblin II x5
Hornet EC-300 x3
There isn’t any sense trying to couple short range/high damage weapon systems onto an armor boat if you can avoid it, which is entirely possible with the Bellicose. This configuration fields about 330 DPS with Rage Missiles (something you can do more effectively now that you have a target painter), coupled with about 90 DPS from light drones. The amount of damage is only within a few DPS of what a 220mm AC Rupture can do now. The advantage to the Bellicose is that a.) Missiles always hit, b.) Your configurations will always include a Target Painter which improves hit numbers and quality. If you want to retain a 24km Disruptor, all you’ll need to do is replace the Overdrive II with a Co-processor, and then you’ll have plenty of CPU for the Disruptor.
Replacing the Overdrive II with a Co-processor also gives you the option of using Tech 2 Heavy Missile Launchers. This may be a good idea because finding faction assault missiles or tech 2 assault missiles tends to be harder than finding Heavy versions. However, while you will gain 200% in range, you will lose about 80 DPS.
Well, I think that does it for me and we’ll see you on the battlefield, one way or the other.
2nd Anomaly From the Left 
When I was flying big fleet doctrines I did some maths on target painting. 5 Bellicoses with max skills supported by link Proteus pretty much removes signature as a factor of tank on anything for many fleet comps. Not an unreasonable setup in a 250 man fleet for the boost they give to damage.
(That was assuming Drakes etc are supported by decent pilot skills).
It’s very hard not to appreciate the work of Tiericide on the cruiser-class, when they can turn a ship like the Bellicose around in this manner.
Version two, as a close-in ship, you’re probably just as well with the 10km scrambler. That ability to shut off opposing MWDs is so strong, in combo with all the rest. The 24km disruptor only makes sense if you DO switch over the Heavy II launchers from the Assaults like you mentioned (and I can understand that desire, some). I’d be a bit curious if that switch of launchers allows the point to fit – Heavies are a little less burden IIRC than Assaults. But then, of course, it’s not quite the same close-in vessel, and you might be just as well going with version one anyway … 8-P
When comparing the bellicose with the caracal, I tend to find that they are very similar ships, and the bellicose does 9 out of 10 things better than the caracal.
Caracal gets +50% range though and damage projection is king. I’d prefer Caracals with a couple of TP Bellicoses or Vigils.
I would disagree only in that, Damage Projection with missiles, tends to not be as effective due to the delay. However, as of yet I have not had a chance to field Caracals.