An Elite Dangerous ship build aimed at players in the middle game, who want to laser mine for profit or community goals but have not unlocked the Imperial Cutter or a fleet carrier.

Goals

Create a ship to:

1. Laser mine Platinum, Painite and bulk community goal minerals in planetary rings for long periods.
2. Be cheaper than and not require the Imperial rank unlock of the Imperial Cutter.
3. Operate without a fleet carrier or nearby station.
4. Avoid unlockable modules.

Build

Links: EDSY and Coriolis (have your preferred one open as you read the guide for easy reference)

While a Type-9 Heavy is a cheap and effective bulk laser miner. However, it requires engineering to be usable, particularly on its Power Distributor, to avoid copious waiting for the weapon capacitor to recharge, and its Thrusters, to make moving from one asteroid to the next less painful.

A minor point, but the Type-9 Heavy’s open canopy gives a wonderful view of asteroid belts and Elite Dangerous‘s screenshot-worthy sunsets and sunrises.

The laser mining aspects of this build are similar to the Imperial Cutter and Python Mining builds I described previously.

Laser Mining:

1. Fewer hardpoints and smaller Power Distributor: Most of the details for laser mining are identical to the Imperial Cutter build linked above. The fewer hardpoints and smaller Power Distributor means it will take longer to melt fragments off each asteroid.
2. Wonderful size 7 slot: The size 7 slot provides wonderful opportunities. Ideally, this is either a 7A Collector Limpet Controller or a 7E Cargo Rack. Using the Lightweight blueprint on the Collector Limpet Controller reduces its weight by almost 100 T.
3. Too many collector limpets: This build has slightly more concurrent active collector limpets than necessary, eleven when nine are required, but this helps offset the Type-9 Heavy’s poor handling.
4. Slow and clumsy: The Type-9 Heavy is slow and hard to manoeuvre, even with engineered thrusters. Remember that its pitch and raw rates are identical, unlike most ships in Elite Dangerous, and its lateral and vertical thrusters are relatively strong.
5. Refinery: A 2A Refinery is sufficient for most mining tasks, as you are usually looking for one or two minerals only.
6. Fuel Scoop: Equipping a 4A Fuel Scoop allows this ship to reach remote mining spots or distant stations with the best prices. Its fully laden jump range is low but still more than sufficient to travel across the bubble or further. The Type-9 Heavy also has a large fuel tank, meaning it needs to refuel or fuel scoop rarely. If you jump frequently and do not mind weaker shields, consider swapping the Fuel Scoop and Shield Generator.

Defence:

1. Shields and armour: The Type-9 Heavy is not known for heavy shields and armour. Its shields are there to give you time to jump out if pirates attack or prevent hull damage from asteroid impacts. Impact or “physics” damage is absolute so use the Heavy Duty blueprint on both the bulkheads and Shield Boosters and Reinforced with Lo-Draw on the Shield Generator. Use a Bi-Weave Shield Generator if you bump into asteroids frequently but, otherwise, a normal Shield Generator is fine. If you cannot fully engineer the Power Plant, remove or downgrade Shield Boosters.
2. No additional weapons: This build leaves the Type-9 Heavy’s two small hardpoints empty. Its Power Distributor is not strong enough to mount additional mining lasers and a Type-9’s sluggishness means it is ineffective in combat against all but the lightest opponents.
3. Point Defence: Equip one Point Defence in a utility mount on the lower side of the ship, closest to the cargo hatch. This will target hatch breaker limpets, preventing pirates from forcefully stealing your cargo. Disable this when mining with friends. Otherwise, it may target friendly limpets.

Variations

1. Stronger defence: Consider a Prismatic Shield Generator and replacing a Shield Booster with a Chaff Launcher if operating in a pirate-heavy area or player interdictions are likely. Chaff then high-wake out when interdicted. However, the extra power demands of the Prismatic Shield will likely require an Overcharged Power Plant, which increases heat generation when fuel scooping or mining at a low power capacitor.

Tactics

1. Run: Identical to the Imperial Cutter build discussed previously, but avoid Resource Extraction Sites and run from pirates.

An Elite Dangerous ship build for end-game laser mining.

Goals

Create a ship to:

1. Laser mine Platinum, Painite and bulk community goal minerals in planetary rings for long periods.
2. Be fast and agile enough to escape pirates or manoeuvre around asteroids easily. Surviving in Low- or Medium-Intensity Resource Extraction sites is a bonus.
3. Operate close to a fleet carrier or friendly station, and so does not require a fuel scoop.

Build

Links: EDSY and Coriolis (have your preferred one open as you read the guide for easy reference)

While a Type-9 Heavy is a cheap and effective bulk laser miner, the Imperial Cutter is faster, more agile, has a better Power Distributor and is in a different class regarding weapons, shields and armour. Unfortunately, the Imperial Cutter requires a mountainous rank unlock and comes with an eye-watering price tag.

Other contenders include the Federal Corvette, which has a better Power Distributor and better manoeuvrability but lacks the Imperial Cutter’s cargo space. The Anaconda is similarly light on cargo space.

The laser mining aspects of this build are similar to the Python Mining Build I described previously.

Laser Mining:

1. Mining Lasers and Power Distributor: This build has four 2D Mining Lasers and uses a Weapon Focused blueprint on the Power Distributor. This means it can comfortably deplete an asteroid without exhausting its weapon capacitor. Equip the mining lasers in the top and bottom hardpoints and not the nacelle hardpoints to make mining smaller asteroids easier.
2. Collector Limpet Controllers: Three collector limpets per 2D mining laser is a good guide for efficient fragment collection. A-rated Collector Limpet Controllers have a longer lifetime while B-rated have a longer range. A longer lifetime means fewer limpets are required. Most laser mining occurs at close range, so A-rated Collector Limpet Controllers are preferred. Use the Lightweight blueprint for a small boost to speed and agility.
3. Prospector Limpet Controller: These tell you an asteroid’s composition and increase the number of fragments mining lasers can burn off. A-rated Prospector Limpet controllers provide more fragments than B-rated, B-rated more than C-rated and so on. Once again, use the Lightweight blueprint for a small boost to speed and agility.
4. Avoid Mining Multi-Limpet Controllers: Multi-limpet controllers are great for multi-purpose builds or ships with constrained slots. However, dedicated limpet controllers are less effective for mining. Their lower rating means prospector limpets produce fewer fragments and their collector limpets have shorter lifetimes.
5. Cargo space: Use the larger slots for Cargo Racks and the smaller slots for limpet controllers and a refinery. The 512 T cargo space should be ample. Fill it with between 25% to 75% capacity with limpets before heading out, with lower values if you are using a mining map or are otherwise familiar with the area.
6. Refinery: A 4A Refinery is more than large enough for most mining tasks, particularly if you have to wait for the occasional “Refinery Full” bug to clear.
7. Detailed Surface Scanner: A Detailed Surface Scanner probes rings for hotspots or to see hotspots revealed previously.

Defence:

1. Shields and armour to taste: Mining does not require particularly strong shields. The eight utility slots coupled with a size six shield generator, the smallest an Imperial Cutter can practically fit, are overkill for mining. Impact or “physics” damage is absolute so resistances are not important. This build uses Bi-Weaves due to the lower power requirements and faster regeneration speeds when fighting in lower-intensity resource extraction zones.
2. Military slots: Use Guardian Shield Reinforcement Packages to bolster shields. Hull and Module reinforcements are good substitutes if you have not unlocked those modules. The two military slots can be left empty if cost or mass are tight.
3. Point Defence: Equip a Point Defence on the lower hull near the cargo hatch to protect against hatch breaker limpets. However, deactivate it if mining in a wing or with friends. Otherwise, it may target others’ collector and prospector limpets.
4. Weapons to taste: The three remaining hardpoints can be left empty or filled with your preferred weapons. Medium Lasers and a Huge Multicannon are an effective pairing.

Variations

1. Resource Extraction Site Mining: This build can handle itself against most pirates and in Low- and Medium-Intensity Resource Extraction zones. To improve the build’s effectiveness, consider replacing one of the 5A Collector Limpet Controllers with a fighter bay. Swap the sensors to Long Range A-rated Sensors to see what is coming. Wingmates are ideal. Flee if your shields drop.
2. Fuel Scoop: If you want to operate without a carrier or in remote locations, swap one of the 5A Collector Limpet Controllers for a 5A Fuel Scoop.

Tactics

1. Fire groups: Have one fire group for laser mining. Put the Prospector Limpet Controller on one button and both the Collector Limpet Controller and Mining Lasers on the other. Putting both collector limpets and mining lasers together means collector limpets are released when you fire the mining lasers.
2. Laser Mining: Laser mining is covered by guides from elsewhere. To summarize, fly close to an asteroid then fire a prospector limpet at it. When it hits the asteroid, select the prospector limpet to see the asteroid’s composition in the info panel. If it contains sufficient minerals, move close to the asteroid near the pole of its rotation Fire mining lasers at it to melt off fragments, which the collector limpets will pick up. Open your cargo hatch for the limpets to drop the fragments into your refinery. When the asteroid is depleted, move to another asteroid and repeat. Ignore minerals you are not interested in. Abandon limpets in groups of 10 to 20 if your cargo racks are full.
3. Pip management: Mining is best with four pips to weapons and two in engines. Unless you want to lazily boost into each asteroid instead of breaking, shields should only be needed for accidental bumps or pirates. Avoid boosting unless you are running from pirates or jumping out because an Imperial Cutter requires kilometers to slow down.
4. Pirates: Waiting for the initial pirate to spawn, scan you and move on is the easiest plan. It may spawn outside sensor range so be patient. However, This build’s copious shields and huge hardpoint give the option of defeating most pirates if you are impatient.
5. Resource Extraction Zones: Choose a resource extraction site within a hotspot if you want to mine a particular mineral. Start about 20 km away from the centre of the zone to avoid most of the traffic. Have the fighter deployed and set to “Defensive”.

An Elite Dangerous ship build for beginner players. See PvE Combat Vulture Build for an end-game version.

Goals

The goals are:

1. Create a build that excels at early PvE combat, such as Low- and Medium-Intensity Resource Extraction Sites and Low-Intensity Conflict Zones.
2. The build must be accessible to early-game commanders. It should be cheap and require no engineering, rank, reputation or unlockable ships or modules.

Build

Links: EDSY and Coriolis (have your preferred one open as you read the guide for easy reference)

When only considering combat, the Vulture is a giant among small ships. An unengineered Vulture is faster, more agile, has better shields, harder and thicker armour and more firepower than any other similarly outfitted and unengineered small ship, including the Viper Mk III. 

Unfortunately, this build costs around 20 million credits. This cost might seem high for a beginner build. You can outfit a combat Viper Mk III for 2.5 million credits, a figure much easier to attain for an early-game player. This Vulture build’s rebuy is also high at about 1 million credits. 

However, you want the best odds when you are new to combat. A Viper Mk III will struggle against all but the weakest enemies. Its smaller hardpoints have lower Armour Piercing. It has fewer utility points, so you have to sacrifice shield boosters for chaff.

You also want to be established enough to afford rebuys. The Viper mentioned above is cheap but, at that stage, a new commander may not have the experience or ships to quickly earn it back. In this build, you can earn the Vulture’s rebuy cost in under an hour of fighting in a Low-Intensity Resource Extraction Zone.

If cost is a limiting factor, B-rating the Frame Shift Drive, Thrusters and Power Distributor saves 5 million credits. You can sell the B-rated modules with no loss and upgrade when you have the credits.

Finding a station that sells everything can be a challenge. Early- to mid-game players will not have access to Jameson Memorial station in Shinrarta Dezhra. Thankfully, both EDSY and Coriolis can locate nearby stations selling this build’s ship and modules in Inara. 

This build is far from original. Unengineered Vulture builds go as far back as 2015. However, the discussion below should help new pilots understand why this build works and useful variations.

Offence:

1. Gimballed weapons: Gimballed weapons auto-aim, but chaff confuses them. They are a good compromise between the more difficult aiming with fixed weapons versus the lower damage output of turreted weapons.
2. Burst Lasers: Burst Lasers compromise between the low power, damage and heat Pulse Lasers and the high power, damage and heat beam lasers. They do not require ammunition, so you can focus on flying and combat instead of watching ammunition counts. 
3. Heat management: With four pips to weapons, these Burst Lasers can fire for 18 seconds. This time is usually more than long enough for the enemy to pass by. The weapons’ heat build-up is slow, making them quite forgiving. It is difficult to self-inflict heat damage with this build.
4. FSD Interdictor: An FSD Interdictor is useful for interdicting assassination mission targets, wanted ships for bounty vouchers or even powerplay ships for merits.
5. Kill Warrant Scanner: A Kill Warrant Scanner gives about 25% bonus credits for each kill. It generates additional, needed cash early on. Assign it to the same fire group as your Burst Lasers. The scan takes ten seconds, and the range of the 0E version is only 2000 m. However, this build fights best when up close, so that range is acceptable.

Defence:

1. Power management: The biggest challenge with outfitting a Vulture is its small Power Plant. It is a class too low given the power demands of its other modules. Without the Overcharged engineering blueprint, you need to make tradeoffs with your outfitting. This build moves the Frame Shift Drive and Cargo Hatch to a low power priority. They are unpowered when deploying hardpoints, meaning you have to stow them before scooping engineering materials or jumping out. The Fast Boot engineering blueprint on the Frame Shift Drive would also help with fast get-a-ways.
2. Shields: Bi-weave shields are generally weak when unengineered. However, they are sufficient given this build’s power constraints and the likely weak enemies. Two D-rated shield boosters give the best shield increase considering the remaining available power.
3. Chaff: A Chaff Launcher is the best choice for the remaining utility slot. It requires minimal power and works against all gimballed weapons. 

Variations

1. Laser and Multi-cannons: Burst Lasers are sufficient for weaker enemies. However, Expert and better NPC pilots have noticeably better armour. This build’s pure thermal damage from lasers is less effective against them. Replace one Burst Laser with a 3C Multi-Cannon to swap some thermal for kinetic damage. Keep everything on the same fire button for simplicity or use separate fire buttons to micromanage ammunition.
2. Fixed weapons: If you back your flying skills, replace the gimballed weapons with fixed versions. It can be frustrating at first, particularly against smaller or agile craft, but you will improve with practice.
3. More hull: Replace the FSD Interdictor with a 1D Hull Reinforcement Package if you do not plan to use it. However, it is worth experimenting on a few wanted targets at supercruise, if not just to familiarise yourself with how interdictors work.
4. Fighting without life support: Equip a 3A Life Support, then give it a low power priority. Deploying hardpoints means fighting without oxygen. However, A-rated life support gives you 25 minutes of oxygen, which is more than long enough for an engagement. It means you have more power for better Shield Boosters or whatever you prefer. This change is an interesting take on power management, but I find no life support’s altered soundscape distracting.

Solo Tactics

1. Finding targets: The short sensor range required more flying around to locate targets than builds with better sensors. Look for telltale distant laser fire or explosions or follow system authority ships. Scan potential targets first to ensure you only fire on wanted ships.
2. Point and shoot: Flying this build is pretty basic. Speed up to get close to the target, throttle down to 50% when they get within one km, and then fire. Pulse lasers are most effective within 800 m. Turn as they fly past, then repeat the process. Experiment with thrusters and pre-turning to increase time on target.
3. Power (pip) management: This build works fine with the default two pips in every category. However, it comes alive when you actively manage your pips, moving points into what you need at the time.
4. Shield management: Start every fight with shields at 50% or better integrity. Put four pips in systems to maximize the shield protection and rebuild/regeneration rate between fights or when not firing. Putting pips in systems is faster than doing a reboot/repair when shields are down for this build.
5. Chaffing: Chaff when shields get low, multiple targets engage you, or you need to escape. 
6. Fun: Once I reset my expectations for an unengineered ship, I found flying this Vulture surprisingly fun. It can almost continually kill Novice-piloted or easier ships. The multi-cannon variant can take down wings of Expert- or Master-piloted NPC ships without too much hassle.
7. Upgrade path: Consider the Alliance Chieftain or, reputation willing, the Federal Assault Ship or Imperial Clipper as the logical next step in combat ships. See PvE Combat Vulture Build for an end-game version of this build.

Team or Wing Tactics

1. Unchanged: Fly in a wing or team as you would in solo. Whether you tank depends on your teammate’s ships and builds.

An Elite Dangerous ship build aimed at beginner players.

Goals

The goals are:

1. Create a ship specialized for evacuating survivors from burning stations. The game loop is described below. These missions efficiently increase reputation with the Federation or Empire, useful for unlocking ships or system permits. Evacuation missions are usually offered the first week after stations are attacked.
2. The build should be accessible by an early-game player. This means a cheap ship with no engineering, unlockable ships or modules.

The high-level game loop for burning station passenger missions is:

1. Dock at the burning station. Manoeuvring can be tricky. You cannot use a docking computer and the station’s interior is dimly lit and full of debris. Heat increases quickly inside the station, so use heat sinks to prevent heat damage.
2. Accept passenger missions. This is pretty standard if not for the atmospheric flakey holographic display and the station interior’s fiery glow.
3. Undock and leave the station. The same challenges with docking apply to undocking.
4. Supercruise to the nearby rescue ship, usually a few megameters away.
5. Hand in the passenger missions, disembarking your passengers.
6. Rearm heat sinks and repair any damage.
7. Travel back to the burning station and repeat.

Build

Link: EDSY and Coriolis (have your preferred one open as you read the guide for easy reference)

The Type-6 Transporter sits at an optimal price point, carrying 52 economy class passengers with a shield generator. The build linked above costs just over one million credits before discounts, including outfitting. See the table below for a comparison.

The next highest economy passenger capacity ship is the Asp Explorer, carrying 56 passengers with a shield generator and costing over 6 million credits before outfitting. Some ships, like the Dolphin, carry fewer passengers but are more expensive.

Finding a station that sells everything for a build can be a challenge. Thankfully, both EDSY and Coriolis link to EDDB, locating nearby stations selling this build’s ship and modules.

Passengers:

1. Economy class passenger cabins: The survivors from burning stations are not fussy about their accommodation. Pack as many economy class passenger cabins as possible.
2. Smallest shields possible: Docking at a burning station is challenging. You cannot use a docking computer, the station’s inside is filled with debris, and the occasional dramatic explosion may slam your ship against a wall. Shields protect your ship.
3. Heat sinks: As its name suggests, the inside of a burning station is hot and will quickly cause heat damage to your ship. Fire off heat sinks to minimize such damage.
4. Docking computer: Passenger cabins do not come in a class one version. While not usable inside the burning station, a docking computer can help to dock with the rescue megaship.

Variations

1. Better core internals: This build intentionally skimps on core internal modules to save credits. However, a better Frame Shift Drive means fewer jumps to the burning station. Better Thrusters make manoeuvring easier. Improving these is strongly recommended if you have the credits. That said, an E-rated Type-6 handles surprisingly well.
2. Shieldless: Removing the Shield Generator squeezes in even more passengers at the risk of hull damage.
3. Gather materials and cargo: Swap out two passenger cabins for one Collector Limpet Controller and a Cargo Rack. Grab a few limpets then, once you enter the station interior, use the limpets to gather engineering materials and cargo inside the station. Such cargo can also be handed in to complete missions from the rescue ship or sold for a small profit. Passengers are easier and more time-efficient for reputation but this can be a fun diversion.

Tactics

1. Getting to the burning station: Burning stations are present in systems selected by Elite’s ongoing story. They have often been some distance from the bubble but always have a nearby rescue megaship. One way to get there is to take a ship with a longer jump range and then transfer this ship over. Another is temporarily equipping a fuel scoop, travelling there and then transferring over the replaced module. The rescue megaship sometimes has a shipyard, meaning you can transfer ships and modules to it. Otherwise, a nearby station may have a shipyard.
2. Game mode: Play in a private group or solo to minimize interruptions. Gankers congregate where lots of players will be, like burning stations. It gives them more targets. The rescue megaship has limited landing pads and you may wait on other players offloading their passengers.
3. Maximize reputation gain: Go for as many applicable missions as possible. Prioritize missions transporting the fewest passengers to maximize the number of missions accepted per round-trip. Prioritize missions from Federation- or Empire-aligned factions. Some minor factions may be independent. Select the highest reputation reward when completing the mission. The credit and other rewards are often small.

Goals

Create a ship to:

1. Use with Internal Impact pulse lasers. These shift the damage from 100% thermal to 50% thermal and kinetic. This shift equalizes the damage to shields and hull, meaning the ship can damage both with a single weapon. However, they have a 3% jitter, drastically reducing accuracy.
2. See whether a shieldless build is viable. You can direct the unused power for systems towards weapons and engines.
3. Try something a bit crazy. Suboptimal builds can be fun due to the increased challenge.

Build

Links: EDSY and Coriolis (have your preferred one open as you read the guide for easy reference)

Pilots love the Federal Assault Ship for two reasons. The first is its manoeuvrability which recaptures the joy of flight for many pilots used to flying larger, less agile ships. The second reason is ramming things. The Federal Assault Ship’s mass and manoeuvrability give it a lot of momentum. Both are useful here.

Another alternative for these goals is the Alliance Chieftain. It even has slightly higher Armour Hardness and is more agile. The Federal Assault Ship is marginally faster and has more Armour. More consequentially, the Alliance Chieftain substitutes one of the medium hardpoints for three smaller ones. Smaller weapons have lower Armour Piercing values, meaning lower overall damage to the intended targets. The Chieftain’s engines are also exposed, making them prone to damage-induced malfunction.

Offence:

1. Sturdy Inertial Impact: At first glance, Short Range would be an ideal blueprint for the lasers. However, the hardpoints will be damaged quickly without shields. Instead, the Sturdy blueprint increases integrity. It also increases Armour Penetration, making this build more effective against its intended, highly armoured targets.
2. Weapon Focused Power Distributor: This build requires firing at enemies for as long as possible. The Weapon Focused blueprint means you can keep firing for 26 seconds with four pips in weapons.
3. Long Range Sensors: Using Long Range on A-rated sensors helps find ideal targets in expansive resource extraction sites, conflict zones and navigation beacons.

Defence:

1. Shieldless is impractical: Despite my efforts, any build that lacked a shield was worse than a minimally shielded one. Even a thin shield significantly increased combat longevity. It also makes landing with low hull integrity less stressful.
2. Shields: For this build’s frail shields, a Shield Generator’s regeneration (0% to 50%) time is more important than recharge (50% to 100%). Regular Shield Generators are ideal because bi-weaves’ faster recharge is not significant. Prismatic shields have a longer regeneration time. The Thermal Resistant blueprint also helps mitigate shields’ innate weakness to thermal weapons.
3. Shielded blueprint: Given this build’s lack of power-guzzling shield boosters and most modules and hardpoints need additional integrity, this build uses the Shielded blueprint frequently.
4. Strong armour and hull: Reactive Surface Composite bulkheads coupled with Hull Reinforcements, one with Thermal Resistant and the rest with Deep Plating, maximize integrity. The ratio of hull to module protection is a trade-off.
5. Advanced Field Maintenance Unit (AFMU): The AFMU is engineered to grade four to not overload the Power Plant.

Variations

1. Shieldless: Replace the 5A Shield Generator with another 5D Hull Reinforcement Package. The combat longevity shortens without a shield. However, you can place more pips in engines and weapons.
2. ECM: Swap two of the Chaff Launchers for ECMs for missile protection. ECMs require effort to time but can be effective. Remember, ECMs affect all nearby missiles and limpets, including your teammates’ ones. Change the blueprint on the Power Distributor from Weapon Focused to Charge Enhanced to help power the ECMs.

Solo Tactics

1. Point blank range: The Inertial Impact Pulse Laser’s massive jitter makes firing at anything over 500 m less effective. This build’s effectiveness is proportional to your ability to keep close to a target.
2. Ram: Do not be afraid to ram your target, even if your shields are down. All but the most formidable NPC enemies will come off second best.
3. Strobing shields: Your shields will go down and up frequently during the fight. The telltale ping of damage on weak shields and their subsequent falling evokes almost Pavlovian fear in many pilots. Fight that reflex. Your Power Distributor’s systems capacitor has just enough charge to regenerate your shields in thirty seconds with two pips to systems. 
4. Live with damage: Seeing your hull on 50% integrity causes panic in most pilots. However, modules willing, this build is still capable until about 15%. Your hardpoints and canopy are the most likely to be damaged. Use your AMFU between fights to keep them above 80% integrity to prevent malfunctions.
5. Fear missiles: All weapon and utility hardpoints are on the underside of the Federal Assault Ship except one large hardpoint. A ventral missile hit can affect all of them. Point Defense is ineffective due to the Federal Assault Ship’s hardpoints’ restricted fire arcs.
6. Chaff: With 40 chaff refills spread across four launchers, you should chaff whenever the shields are down. Unfortunately, it does not help against missiles.
7. Ideal targets: The ideal targets are large, less agile ships. You can get close and have a big target for the build’s inaccurate weapons, even if they chaff. Try to get above or below them because these are the most prominent profiles. Jitter makes targeting modules pointless. 
8. No ammunition: Ammunition constrains the combat longevity of most builds. Module damage usually curbs this build.
9. Power (pip) management: Put four pips in weapons and two pips in systems. However, the Weapon Focused Power Distributor means you will need to frequently shift pips from weapons into engines, particularly to boost frequently.

Team or Wing Tactics

1. Get someone else to tank: You do not have the shields to tank, particularly against teams or wings. Having someone else draw attention means you can get close to the target and above or below it, maximizing the target’s profile. If you are not taking damage, this build can fight for as long as you can.
2. Getting too close: Getting close to targets when fighting in a wing or team means you often get hit by friendly fire. It is an occupational hazard for this build.