The Little Frigates That Could

The Atron, Condor, Slasher and Executioner.

Apart from a couple of very rare exceptions, a set of frigates that were often discarded to the role of throwaway cyno ship or disposable fast travel ship. Cheap and nasty, tacky, sneered at by their bigger brothers.


But the wind of change blows cold and spiky through the tunnels of New Eden.


A new breed of ship class is born, breaking out of its cocoon and challenging the very existence of the tech one frigate pvp field as we know it today. A champion in the making perhaps not. But these new reconfigured frigates are little firecrackers, a delight to fly, cheap and fun and no longer nasty. Could this set of lite-interceptors be the training wheels of future champions?


After some brief testing the Atron is the stand out option for me at this moment. But here are a few examples of what you can do. The beauty of these ships is that there are so many fitting options out there, making for a wide variety of fits and a colourful licence for the imagination of the fitting connoisseur.



[WE FORM ATRON, Atron]

Damage Control II
Small Armor Repairer II
Magnetic Field Stabilizer II

J5b Phased Prototype Warp Scrambler I
Stasis Webifier II
Experimental 1MN Afterburner I

Light Neutron Blaster II
Light Neutron Blaster II
Light Neutron Blaster II
-empty high slot-


Small Anti-Explosive Pump I
Small Trimark Armor Pump I
Small Trimark Armor Pump I



So what can these things do? This is very much a do or die class of ship, I'd recommend buying a nice stock of them as I don't envisage them lasting that long on the field. But you will learn so much from blasting around lowsec belts in these cheap ships and losing them than you would from buying two or three more expensive interceptors, losing them horribly and becoming disheartened. You should pick up some killmails along the way too.

My first test in the Atron wasn't really much of a test at all. A simple Merlin with no guns that was going round in circles in a faction warfare site. Then a mining Vexor that I found. With this Vexor kill I scooped ten strange 'Harvester' drones that I was pleased to notice are worth approximately 150 million ISK each to someone. God knows who but at least those little drones will pay for a good number of these new tech one ships at my next shop.

My real pvp test came against a Rifter. I was hesitant to engage at first. It's a Rifter! My champion frigate, could I kill a Rifter with an Atron? You betcha. A great fight that really got the heart pumping.

Next up I spotted a Thrasher acting suspiciously in Gusandall. Now this would be a test, could I kill a Thrasher in my Atron? I'm all for throwing away ships in the quest for finding an answer so I jumped right in and snatched victory from the claws of defeat with 12% structure points remaining. Another great fight!



The Slasher looks like it could be fun too.


[Slasher, Slash n Burn]

Damage Control II
Micro Auxiliary Power Core I

J5b Phased Prototype Warp Scrambler I
Experimental 1MN Afterburner I
X5 Prototype Engine Enervator
Medium Shield Extender II

150mm Light AutoCannon II, Republic Fleet Phased Plasma S
150mm Light AutoCannon II, Republic Fleet Phased Plasma S
150mm Light AutoCannon II, Republic Fleet Phased Plasma S
Small Unstable Power Fluctuator I

Small Projectile Burst Aerator I
Small Projectile Ambit Extension I
Small Projectile Ambit Extension I



I have not flown the above fit yet but it stands out as one with potential. I wanted to try an artillery fit but not having access to highsec I decided to raid my hangar for looted items and general junk. I came up with this monstrosity.


[Slasher, JunkBoxMonster]

F85 Peripheral Damage System I
Micro Auxiliary Power Core II

X5 Prototype Engine Enervator
X5 Prototype Engine Enervator
Experimental 1MN Afterburner
J5b Phased Prototype Warp Scrambler I

Small Unstable Power Fluctuator
280mm Howitzer Artillery II
280mm Howitzer Artillery II
280mm Howitzer Artillery II

Small Low Friction Nozzle Joints I
Small Low Friction Nozzle Joints I
Small Auxiliary Thrusters I


A paper thin arty boat that I wouldn't expect to last very long but one that could perhaps generate some killmails if underestimated. Maybe? I undocked and spotted a Catalyst in one of the belts. I decided to roll the dice and as luck would have it I came up against what can only be described as a terrible fit. Still, I was happy I had scored a killmail in it.


The Condor looks like it will see some great fights. It will become an annoying little wasp of a frigate that can kite you into oblivion and sting you hard.



[Condor, Horn of Condor]

Micro Auxiliary Power Core I
Ballistic Control System II

1MN Afterburner II
Fleeting Propulsion Inhibitor I
Faint Epsilon Warp Scrambler I
Medium Shield Extender II

Rocket Launcher II
Rocket Launcher II
Rocket Launcher II
Small Unstable Power Fluctuator I

Small Anti-EM Screen Reinforcer I
Small Core Defense Field Extender I
Small Core Defense Field Extender I


I am hoping to get a batch of these soon. But in the meantime it looks like my corpies are having a blast flying these hulls. This Federation Navy Comet kill standing out from the crowd thus far.


The Executioner is a ship that I will likely not fly as my laser skills suck. But this should not put you off. It looks like it could be a good Slicer trainer amongst other things and already there is a wide selection of fits out there.



[Executioner, Lazor Burn]

Damage Control II
Adaptive Nano Plating II
Micro Auxiliary Power Core II

Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I
Faint Warp Disruptor I
Optical Tracking Computer I

Medium Pulse Laser II
Medium Pulse Laser II
Medium Pulse Laser II

Small Energy Collision Accelerator I
Small Energy Locus Coordinator I
Small Energy Locus Coordinator I




[Executioner, AxeMan]

Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II
Damage Control II
Small Armor Repairer II

1MN Afterburner II
Faint Epsilon Warp Scrambler I
Fleeting Propulsion Inhibitor I

Small Diminishing Power System Drain I
Dual Light Pulse Laser II
Dual Light Pulse Laser II
Dual Light Pulse Laser II


Small Energy Collision Accelerator I
Small Energy Metastasis Adjuster I
Small Energy Metastasis Adjuster I



All four of these ships will bring great appeal and a new dimension to tech one frigate combat. Perhaps you'd like to share your fits and experiences of these hulls so far?



MB.