First of all, the new Stealthbomber models are schweet. Nicely done CCP. Although I will miss the RoboTech Tristan. The re-design of the Tristan actually invalidates one of my 1v1 Comics. Oh well, the wheel keeps turning.
There is only one ship class in Eve that I have more losses than kills in and that is Stealthbombers. I am currently 19 wins against 23 losses when it comes to these glass cannons. It is a statistical aberration that pokes me in the eye every time I happen to glance at meaningless statistics.
Why the imbalance when it comes to SBs? The answer is inherent in history, so put on your way-back machines and follow me back to Old Providence and a young, wet-behind-the-ears PvP machine called Rixx Javix. Young Rixx is desperately climbing the Skill Training Ladder, jumping into any ship he can get his hands on and undocking in things he shouldn't be undocking in. And then picking fights in them. Sigh.
Those were good days, but they were also stupid days. A vast majority of my losses happened in those days, but that's water under the bridge now. You can't go back and bitch slap yourself.
The not-so-mighty SB was one of the rungs on that ladder. A ship that can turn invisible?!? Sign me up. As a single race pilot back then the Manticore would be my chosen sword. Lobbing bombs, blowing up transports, sneaking around in enemy territory... sounded like a blast. And it was. It was also dangerous as Hell. I probably lost seven SBs before I figured out how to properly bomb a enemy fleet on a Gate. A bunch more attacking Battleships solo, lol. A few here and there getting caught in enemy drag bubbles. The learning curve was pretty damn curvy. I suspect a few AOE Titans also popped a few of my bombers.
Eventually I moved on to other ships and the SB was relegated to its proper role of tactical DPS madness and structure bashing. But not before I'd lost 23 of the damn things.
Thing is, I doubt I'll get the chance to make up the difference anytime soon. You just don't run into a lot of SBs in Low Sec. Although maybe more people will be running around in them with the new models popping up next week? Who knows.
In the end, if I was going to be stuck with only one ship class imbalance, SBs would be the one I'd choose. Despite the stupidity of flying 75 jumps thru enemy territory in a glass cannon, I wouldn't trade those days for anything.
My Manticore and I had some really good times together. I snuck right up to a -A- Titan once, I solo'd a couple of sweet transports up in somewhere or other against the Russians, had some good times playing on station and bombing people as they undocked, spied on various enemies and generally learned an incredible amount about avoiding bubbles and whatnots. Plus a huge collection of spots in places I never go anymore.
I need to kill 7 SBs at some point.
PS: I love Stealthbombers. The ship class stat, like many stats, is a bit of a lie. Goodness knows how many ships, structures, warp bubbles and other things I've killed with a SB. Way more than 23 I can tell you that. Can't lose what you don't use.