Previous Chapters: Condor / Sac
In this installment we shall take a look at another denizen of the space lanes, the Federation Navy Comet. I wil mention up-front the usual disclaimer, my fits are constantly evolving and changing things based on actual in-space combat. I do not use EFT or other fitting tools, I fly my ships into danger until they explode.
The Comet is an exciting and dangerous little ship. Despite having lost its distinctive "police" light recently it remains a demanding and potentially lethal addition to your arsenal. There are many schools of thought on fitting a Comet, from Null sec dual prop versions, to blaster brawlers, but in my experience there is only one major theme for successfully fitting the ship for low sec combat.
Let's take a look at some recent Comet kills:
Comet vs Jaguar
Comet vs Corax
Comet vs Hookbill
Comet vs Merlin
Comet vs Drake
Comet vs Kestrel
Even those few examples give you an idea of the variety of targets the Comet is more than capable of dealing with in today's New Eden environment.
Example Fitting
RJ's Railgun 'O Death Comet
High Slots
2x 150mm Railgun II
Medium Slots
AB - Fit to flavor, I often use a Faction AB, but anything is fine here tbh.
Scram - Use a T2 or high Meta
Web - X5 works fine, unless you want to spring for the Faction Web
Low Slots
200mm Tungsten Plate - I sometimes fly without the plate, but tbh I die more in those ships
Magnetic Field Stab II
Damage Control - One of the meta ones because of the tight fit
Small Ancillary Armor Rep - Oh yeah, this is the magic
(Regular Rep works as well, but not as well)
Rigs - This varies, but here is a standard version
Small Aux Nano Pump
Small Hybrid Burst Aerator
Small Trimark Armor Pump
Drones - Usually 3 Warriors
The important thing to remember is that nothing is set in stone. These are tight fits and you'll need to test them out with T2 and Meta versions of the mods listed to find the fit that works for you and your skills.
Know Your Ship
This fit is what's known as a Scram Kiting Fit. With Caldari Navy Antimater loaded in your guns you can expect to hit targets right at Disrupter range, with the optimal slightly under that. You should also carry the various other versions of Rail ammo, for both short and longer range targets. But tbh, I almost always end up using CNA in the guns.
On most targets you will be attacking slightly within overheated Scram range. You will be using your own Scram and Web to hold the target down and kill it with overheated damage from your guns and drones. You will be overheating ALOT in this ship and I must warn you ahead of time, almost all good fights come down to you in structure! So do not panic when this happens! It is normal. So make sure your Thermodynamic skills are up to par before undocking in this thing.
The blaster fit Comet is dead. In today's Eve, with the wide variety of Rocket/Light Missile and drone based kitting targets, the blaster Comet is too easily murdered from a distance. The rail fit however is a rather nasty surprise for any little frigate that wants to try and kite it. With Iron loaded you can hit way past your own lock range! So, for all intents and purposes, the Comet is impossible to kite.
( And yes, the blaster Comet still has a place. I have one fitted in my hanger and it pretty much just sits there. I am, as always, talking generalities.)
If you run into a target that you are not sure of, start high and use the spiral engagement process I told you about in the Condor post linked above. You won't have point, but it is amazing how often your target won't even realize it.
Targets
I tend to stay away from targets with heavier than normal tanks and lots and lots of drones. I have killed drone boats in it, just be relatively certain they are alone as they can take time to destroy. In the case of drones, keep your speed high and web/shoot until the drones are dead. Make sure to keep scram on the target.
Most Destroyers are fair game, except for the Dragoon. I learned that one the hard way, with its rocket/neut/drone combination it is a formidable target to bring down. As always the situation and age of the target should also be considered. My Dragoon was an experienced pilot.
Reality
The Comet is perfectly constructed for today's Low Sec environment. Plunging into Plex, bushwacking unsuspecting belt ratters, it is a great little small gang, tackle or solo ship. It is also not cheap. It is also a white knuckle death machine for you and your enemy. People will blob you, ECM you and generally try to kill you anyway they can.
I love it.