Brave Hole Divers
If you've been on a fleet with the Brave Hole Divers, or just heard that there's an opportunity to make dank isk in wormhole space by working with fleets, this guide is intended to be your next step. The information contained herein should be enough to get you out and running your own fleets. IF you're just joining, not everything here will be essential, but it's all useful for you to know. The wormhole krabbing fleets are generally one of the more laid back and casual fleet experiences, so you should feel free to get as involved in fleet command activities as you want.
At a very high level, these fleets are just small groups of pilots who run the combat sites in C5 wormhole space. The rats in those sites (called sleepers) drop loot that can be sold to NPCs for significant value. An efficient and well run C5 fleet can generate over 150mil isk/hr per participating player.
In a Nutshell, the gameplay loop is:
- Find an eligible C5 WormHole
- Run the combat sites
- Collect the loot and optionally salvage the wrecks
- Sell the loot at an NPC station with the appropriate buy orders (details for that at the bottom of the page)
If that sounds interesting to you join #brave-hole-divers channel on Slack, as this is where we hang out, theorycraft, spam pings and ping out fleets
Finding an Eligible Wormhole
If there is no wormhole to krab in, this guide is worth less than the power you use to display it, so obviously the first step is finding an eligible wormhole. While experienced FCs can krab wherever, to minimize chances of dying and maximize isk per hour, a wormhole should be Convenient, Safe and Lucrative If you are not already familiar with wormhole characteristics, review https://wiki.eveuniversity.org/Wormholes for a primer to help with understanding the below.
Convenient
Time is money, even more so in eve, so a convenient wormhole will not include an epic escapade through 20 systems, while being constantly dropped on. We are looking for a wormhole that is fairly close by, usually meaning any Brave-owned system in Catch. Due to wormhole mechanics, the hole should also be Large or Very Large, as Dominixes will not fit into smaller holes. In addition, the hole should not be “end of life” (EoL), as it means that the time it will stay open is at most 4 hours, so unless one can get a fairly precise timer on hole lifetime, it’s usually discouraged to rat in EoL wormhole
Safe
There is a saying among wormhole groups saying, that you should consider any asset taken into J-Space to be considered forfeit, we, however, try to minimize the risks, to maximize the profits. There are several criteria for that: are there any structures anchored? if so, who owns them? is there anyone inside? is the zkillboard of the system full of recent kills? And this is just considering the in-system threats, we also have to know about the temporary neighbors. We want to ask all the questions for the connecting wormholes as well. All of this is however up to the FC to decide, are the risks involved worth it? The higher the risk, the more vigilance is advised, while the d-scan should be checked fairly often, regardless of danger level, a good FC will post alts on connection wormholes, called pickets, to get an early warning that trouble is brewing.
Lucrative
All of the above is irrelevant, however, if the hole has no or very few combat sites, a good hole will contain multiple Core Garrisons, or in case of a strong fleet, Core Strongholds, other sites can be run as well, but will most likely result in worse isk per hour
The Doctrine
You could have a perfect wormhole, but it would be useless if you had no ships to run the sites and bring home the sweet, sweet loot. The basic fleet composition consists of Nestors, Dominixes, Armageddons, Praxises for logistics responsible to keep everybody alive. They depend on capchain for capacitor stability even under heavy neut pressure to sustain remote armor repairers. These ships bring good dps with drones as well along with providing considerable staying power to the fleet. You can run the sites with only logi battleships -with web/scram refits- but once you have enough repping power additional dps ships speed up the site completion time considerably. Optimal ships for DPS are Leshaks, which have the most dps among battleships once they are spooled and they also provide some repping power. Other options for DPS are Vindicator or Bhaalgorn providing better webs improving the fleet's damage application, or rattlesnakes which can single handedly hold down the RBS.
Refits
Refits in cargo
Sisters Core Scanner Probe x16 Standard Mindflood Booster x3 Warp Scrambler II x1 Heavy Stasis Grappler II x1 Prototype Cloaking Device I x1 500MN Y-T8 Compact Microwarpdrive x1 Stasis Webifier II x1 Cap Recharger II x2 Core Probe Launcher I x1 Target Painter II x1 Large Micro Jump Drive x1 Mobile Depot x1
Praxis
The praxises are meant to be run along other praxises, geddons, domis, nestors and other high DPS ships. This is the perfect starter doctrine as it is the cheapest and easiest to skill into among the BHD doctrines -since they do not rely on battleship skills- and do not require a lot of input from the pilot except for switching reps. They can hold down the DRB with refits due to a lot of midslots and cap stable under the strongest neuts. You will need all capacitor (including remote armor repair systems too), armor compensation and drone skills to at least level IV and preferably all capacitor skills to lvl V, if your cap skills are lower than V you may need to use mindflood. You can always use navy drones instead of T2s.
Praxis, BHD Praxis
[Praxis, BHD Praxis] Multispectrum Energized Membrane II Multispectrum Energized Membrane II 1600mm Steel Plates II Damage Control II Drone Damage Amplifier II Drone Damage Amplifier II Drone Damage Amplifier II Large Cap Battery II Large Cap Battery II Cap Recharger II Warp Scrambler II Heavy Stasis Grappler II Omnidirectional Tracking Link II Drone Navigation Computer II Large Remote Capacitor Transmitter II Large Remote Capacitor Transmitter II Large Remote Capacitor Transmitter II Drone Link Augmentor II Large I-ax Enduring Remote Armor Repairer Large I-ax Enduring Remote Armor Repairer Large I-ax Enduring Remote Armor Repairer Large Processor Overclocking Unit I Large Egress Port Maximizer I Large Egress Port Maximizer I Hammerhead II x5 Hornet EC-300 x5 Praetor II x4 Infiltrator II x5 Tracking Speed Script x1 Nanite Repair Paste x200 Optimal Range Script x1
Armageddon
The geddons are meant to be run along other geddons, domis, praxises, nestors and other high DPS ships. They are cheap, can hold down the DRB with refitting, and cap stable under the strongest neuts. You will need all capacitor (including remote armor repair systems too), amarr battleship, armor compensation and drone skills to at least level IV and preferably all capacitor skills to lvl V, if your cap skills are lower than V you may need to use mindflood. You can always use navy drones instead of T2s. This is a good starter doctrine as it is cheap and easy to skill into, and doesn't require a lot of input from the pilot except for switching reps.
Armageddon, BHD Arma
[Armageddon, BHD Arma] Drone Damage Amplifier II Drone Damage Amplifier II Drone Damage Amplifier II 1600mm Rolled Tungsten Compact Plates Multispectrum Energized Membrane II Multispectrum Energized Membrane II Damage Control II Large Compact Pb-Acid Cap Battery Large Compact Pb-Acid Cap Battery Omnidirectional Tracking Link II Drone Navigation Computer II Large I-ax Enduring Remote Armor Repairer Large I-ax Enduring Remote Armor Repairer Large I-ax Enduring Remote Armor Repairer Large Remote Capacitor Transmitter II Large Remote Capacitor Transmitter II Large Remote Capacitor Transmitter II Drone Link Augmentor I Large Egress Port Maximizer I Large Egress Port Maximizer I Large Explosive Armor Reinforcer I Hammerhead II x5 Praetor II x5 Hornet EC-300 x5 Ogre II x5 Infiltrator II x5 Tracking Speed Script x1 Nanite Repair Paste x200 Optimal Range Script x1
Dominix
The dominixes are meant to be run along other domis, geddons, praxises, nestors and other high DPS ships. They are cheap, can hold down the DRB with refitting, and cap stable under the strongest neuts. You will need all capacitor (including remote armor repair systems too), gallente battleship, armor compensation and drone skills to at least level IV and preferably all capacitor skills to lvl V, if your cap skills are lower than V you may need to use mindflood. You can always use navy drones instead of T2s. This is a good starter doctrine as it is cheap and easy to skill into, and doesn't require a lot of input from the pilot except for switching reps.
Dominix, BHD Domi
[Dominix, BHD Domi] 1600mm Steel Plates II Damage Control II Multispectrum Energized Membrane II Multispectrum Energized Membrane II Drone Damage Amplifier II Drone Damage Amplifier II Drone Damage Amplifier II Large Cap Battery II Drone Navigation Computer II Large Cap Battery II Omnidirectional Tracking Link II Cap Recharger II Large I-ax Enduring Remote Armor Repairer Large I-ax Enduring Remote Armor Repairer Large I-ax Enduring Remote Armor Repairer Large Remote Capacitor Transmitter II Large Remote Capacitor Transmitter II Large Remote Capacitor Transmitter II Large Explosive Armor Reinforcer I Large Egress Port Maximizer I Large Egress Port Maximizer I Hammerhead II x5 Praetor II x5 Hornet EC-300 x5 Ogre II x5 Infiltrator II x5 Tracking Speed Script x1 Nanite Repair Paste x200 Optimal Range Script x1
Nestor
One of the best looking ships in EVE, Nestor is the core backbone of the Brave Hole Divers Fleet, as they have the strongest remote reps among supcaps and they can use 4 T2 remote reps cap stable in cap chain. They are meant to be run along other nestors, geddons, domis, praxises and other high DPS ships. You will need all capacitor (including remote armor repair systems too), racial battleships, armor compensation and drone skills to at least level IV and preferably all capacitor skills to lvl V, if your cap skills are lower than V you may need to use mindflood. You can always use navy drones instead of T2s. If you are considering bringing a nestor skill requirement should not be an issue, but do what you want, I’m just a wiki page and not your dad.
Nestor, BHD Nestor
[Nestor, BHD Nestor] Explosive Armor Hardener II Drone Damage Amplifier II Multispectrum Energized Membrane II Drone Damage Amplifier II Multispectrum Energized Membrane II Drone Damage Amplifier II Large Micro Jump Drive Large Cap Battery II Cap Recharger II Large Cap Battery II Cap Recharger II Cap Recharger II Large Remote Armor Repairer II Large Remote Armor Repairer II Large Remote Armor Repairer II Large Remote Armor Repairer II Large Remote Capacitor Transmitter II Large Remote Capacitor Transmitter II Large Remote Capacitor Transmitter II Large Remote Repair Augmentor I Large Remote Repair Augmentor I Large Remote Repair Augmentor I Federation Navy Ogre x5 Imperial Navy Praetor x5 Nanite Repair Paste x400 Sisters Core Scanner Probe x8 Mobile Depot x1 Mobile Tractor Unit x2 Prototype Cloaking Device I x1 Core Probe Launcher I x1
Leshak
Leshak, a triglavian battleship, capable of the highest subcapital damage in the game, while expensive to train, build and fly and by no means a neccessity they make the sites quite faster. They are meant to be run along praxises, geddons, domis, nestors, other leshaks and high DPS ships. They can rely on cap chain for cap stability, but they are stable without the chain if not repping others. Since they only use 2 remote capacitor transmitters, while other ships in the doctrine use 3, you need at least 2 leshaks to form a separate chain or you have to make an assymetric chain. (For example 2 nestors give 1 to the leshak and give 2 to each other and the leshak gives each nestor 1 cap transfer.) Cap stability for leshak is essential becouse running out of capacitor breaks the spool. They should prioritize keeping their gun running on the same target until it dies otherwise they are wasting their main advantage. They provide some remote repping power as well, but considerably less then other logistic battleships in the doctrine. They are god at killing the DRB.
Leshak, BHD Leshak
[Leshak, BHD Leshak] Explosive Energized Membrane II 1600mm Steel Plates II Damage Control II Entropic Radiation Sink II Entropic Radiation Sink II Entropic Radiation Sink II Multispectrum Energized Membrane II Reactive Armor Hardener Large Cap Battery II Heavy Stasis Grappler II Tracking Computer II Tracking Computer II Large Remote Capacitor Transmitter II Large Remote Capacitor Transmitter II Large Coaxial Compact Remote Armor Repairer Large Coaxial Compact Remote Armor Repairer Veles Supratidal Entropic Disintegrator Large Thermal Armor Reinforcer I Large Kinetic Armor Reinforcer I Large Egress Port Maximizer I Praetor II x4 Ogre II x4 Vespa II x5 Optimal Range Script x2 Baryon Exotic Plasma L x1000 Tetryon Exotic Plasma L x1000 Tracking Speed Script x2 Nanite Repair Paste x400 Meson Exotic Plasma L x1000 Occult L x2000 Mystic L x1000
Vindicator
Vindicator is capable of dealing really high damage at close range and provide strong webs to the fleet improving application. Since most of the npcs come in close, range should not, but it can be an issue. While expensive to train, build and fly and by no means a neccessity it makes the sites quite faster. The main advantage of the vindi over the leshak as dps is the bonused webs and that it does not require time to spool up, so its capable of dealing the full potential damage right from the start and changing target does not mean a drop in dps. They are cap stable and have some resistance to neuts, but they can always refit to more capacitor if needed, but missing a couple of gun cycles is also not the end of the world. They are god at killing the DRB.
Vindicator, BHD Vindi
[Vindicator, BHD Vindi] Damage Control II Multispectrum Energized Membrane II Explosive Energized Membrane II Magnetic Field Stabilizer II Magnetic Field Stabilizer II Magnetic Field Stabilizer II 1600mm Steel Plates II Federation Navy Stasis Webifier Federation Navy Stasis Webifier Large Cap Battery II Tracking Computer II Tracking Computer II Neutron Blaster Cannon II Neutron Blaster Cannon II Neutron Blaster Cannon II Neutron Blaster Cannon II Neutron Blaster Cannon II Neutron Blaster Cannon II Neutron Blaster Cannon II Neutron Blaster Cannon II Large Explosive Armor Reinforcer I Large Kinetic Armor Reinforcer I Large Thermal Armor Reinforcer I Warrior II x5 Hornet EC-300 x5 Acolyte II x5 Infiltrator II x5 Tracking Speed Script x2 Optimal Range Script x2 Null L x10000 Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge L x10000 Void L x10000
Bhaalgorn
Bhaalgorn is capable of dealing decent damage with drones and lasers and it provides long range webs for the fleet improving application. Using lasers bhaals can switch ammo types instantly. They are cap stable by default, but they can steal capacitor from npcs or from the friendly capchain battleships if needed. While expensive to train, build and fly and by no means a neccesity, it makes the sites quite faster. It has smaller dps than the leshak or the vindi but it can instantly adapt to the engagement range, provides long range control, good utility and it is nigh impossible to completely neut out due to the nosferatus and their role bonus.
Bhaalgorn, BHD Bhaalgorn
[Bhaalgorn, BHD Bhaal] Damage Control II 1600mm Steel Plates II Heat Sink II Heat Sink II Heat Sink II Multispectrum Energized Membrane II Multispectrum Energized Membrane II True Sansha Stasis Webifier Large Cap Battery II True Sansha Stasis Webifier Large Cap Battery II Tracking Computer II Mega Pulse Laser II Heavy Energy Nosferatu II Mega Pulse Laser II Heavy Energy Nosferatu II Mega Pulse Laser II Heavy Energy Nosferatu II Mega Pulse Laser II Large Thermal Armor Reinforcer I Large Kinetic Armor Reinforcer I Large Explosive Armor Reinforcer I Praetor II x4 Infiltrator II x5 Imperial Navy Multifrequency L x4 Multifrequency L x4 Optimal Range Script x1 Imperial Navy Standard L x4 Imperial Navy Radio L x4 Conflagration L x4 Scorch L x4 Tracking Speed Script x1 Nanite Repair Paste x250
Rattlesnake
Rattlesnakes do as much damage, if not more with drones as the Nestors and Dominixes, but their Torpedos speed up the boss wave considerably, as they apply fully. With numerous mid slots, it’s also able to hold the DRB on its own, making it an excellent FC boat. Rattlenakes should carry a full load of EM and Thermal Torps.
Rattlesnake, DAnk C5 Ticks
[Rattlesnake, [BHD] DAnk C5 Ticks] Drone Damage Amplifier II Drone Damage Amplifier II Imperial Navy Multispectrum Energized Membrane Imperial Navy Multispectrum Energized Membrane Drone Damage Amplifier II 1600mm Steel Plates II Drone Navigation Computer II Drone Navigation Computer II Omnidirectional Tracking Link II Omnidirectional Tracking Link II Missile Guidance Computer II Missile Guidance Computer II Large Micro Jump Drive Drone Link Augmentor II Torpedo Launcher II Torpedo Launcher II Torpedo Launcher II Torpedo Launcher II Torpedo Launcher II Large Kinetic Armor Reinforcer I Large Explosive Armor Reinforcer I Large Explosive Armor Reinforcer I Acolyte II x5 Gecko x1 Ogre II x2 Praetor II x2 Inferno Rage Torpedo x4000 Mjolnir Rage Torpedo x4000 Missile Precision Script x1 Missile Range Script x3 Nanite Repair Paste x500 Sisters Core Scanner Probe x8 Scan Resolution Script x1 Targeting Range Script x1 Optimal Range Script x1 Tracking Speed Script x3 Prototype Cloaking Device I x1 Sensor Booster II x1 Heavy Karelin Scoped Stasis Grappler x1 Stasis Webifier II x2 Target Painter II x2 Warp Scrambler II x3
Drekavac
The drekavacs are the smaller brother of the leshaks. They can still do a lot of dps for much cheaper. They provide some remote reps as well, but they depend on capacitor self regeneration for capacitor stability. Luckely the batteries provide decent resistance against neuts, but it might not be enough. They are ment to be run alongside spider logi battleships or other dreks.
Drekavac, BHD Drek
[Drekavac, BHD Drek] Damage Control II 800mm Steel Plates II Multispectrum Energized Membrane II Power Diagnostic System II Multispectrum Energized Membrane II Entropic Radiation Sink II Entropic Radiation Sink II Medium Cap Battery II Medium Cap Battery II Cap Recharger II Tracking Computer II Centum A-Type Medium Remote Armor Repairer Centum A-Type Medium Remote Armor Repairer Centum A-Type Medium Remote Armor Repairer Heavy Entropic Disintegrator II Medium Capacitor Control Circuit II Medium Capacitor Control Circuit II Medium Explosive Armor Reinforcer I Hornet EC-300 x5 Infiltrator II x5 Optimal Range Script x1 Tracking Speed Script x1 Tetryon Exotic Plasma M x1000 Baryon Exotic Plasma M x1000 Meson Exotic Plasma M x1000 Occult M x2000 Mystic M x1000 Nanite Repair Paste x200
Recommended Buy Order
Picketing
If there are outgoing wormholes from the C5 you are in you might want to consider watching the connections and that's where picketing comes into play. The picket is a dedicated alt that has all world sounds maxed out sitting near the wormhole, preferably cloaked. As soon as they hear the characteristic wub-wub-wub a wormhole does they should a. Alert the FC b. Switch to that account to try and gather the name and ship of the person coming through. There is no specific fitting, but since the picket alt is often salvaging alt as well, a normal salvage ship with a cloak will fill that role perfectly
It is important to have the camera centered at the wormhole, zoomed in as much as it is allowed, to be certain, that no enemy splash will go unnoticed
Corax, Picket
[Corax, Picket] Inertial Stabilizers II Inertial Stabilizers II Cap Recharger II Cap Recharger II 5MN Microwarpdrive II Cap Recharger II Prototype Cloaking Device I Salvager I Salvager I Salvager I Salvager I Salvager I Small Tractor Beam I Small Salvage Tackle I Small Salvage Tackle I Small Salvage Tackle I
But then again, there is a lot of freedom with the ship choice, any ship from a capital (my God, please don’t) to a rookie ship will do, even a capsule, if that’s all that you have on hand
Running the Site
And now begins the fun part. First I bestow upon thee the one the only, wormhole bible: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vSbMMEBlM5BAFXldnnX3GDGfUp02OAuMznRljKkbpH4Ff3SyNTrkyEjHSJGkNJsDPqypSZw3sQmQ1Ta/pubhtml# In it there is are all information needed to successfully run a fleet. At the basic level, just shoot whatever is marked red last and you should be good.
Garrison sites are split into two parts, the site, and the Drifter Escalation. The first part consists of multiple waves of sleepers, and the escalation is a single ship called Drifter Response Battleship (DRB). That terrifying killing machine will not rest until it dies, or… well, that’s basically it. For its shields, you should deal thermal damage (Ogres) and for armor and structure EM (Praetors). You will be reminded when it’s time to switch drones.
Drone Bunny - The one who herds the drones. Using a Target Painter, they will make all the drones in the fleet, assigned to the bunny, attack one target. Depending on the experience of the person doing it they can do it on their own or get help from the FC. The drone bunny role is probably the most labor intensive job when running sites, but even then is not very hard. And trust me, controlling a big purple ball of death and destruction makes you feel powerful.
While most of the know-how comes with experience, there are several tricks to running sites:
- In Core Garrisons the towers that spawn in the first wave never switch aggro, which can force splitting reps, try killing them first
- In Core Garrisons the second wave contains 6 logi frigates, that are also the trigger. It's up to the FC but it's recommended to kill 4 of them while leaving 2 alive not to trigger the next wave by accident while reducing the regeneration of sleepers
- To hold the DRB you need at least 5 points of warp disruption, meaning 3 warp scramblers or one Heavy Warp Scrambler as well as plenty of Stasis Webifiers and/or Grapplers
Site running details:
- Bookmark the central Tower in the Garrison and warp to it at 10, or prepare special warpin bookmarks, guide coming soon
- Drone Bunny is either a Dominix or a Rattlesnake.
- For Strongholds everyone refits a single DDA to a DCU II
FC stuff
If you are not interested in running fleets, feel free to skip this part.
This doctrine is designed with at least 3 nestors in mind. It is recommneded that the drone bunny not be a Nestor to keep the Nestor's reps free for damage switches and refitting the capacitor mids to a target painter might endanger the stability. This fleet setup is aimed to run Garrisons. If you wish to run strongholds then make sure all ships refit a Drone Damage Amplifier to a Damage Control Unit II, and do so at your own risk
Selling the blue loot
While running the sites, you must have noticed that you are not getting any bounty payouts, don’t worry, it’s perfectly normal, if you are getting bounty payments, you should report it to the nearest CONCORD representative. What sleepers do however is to drop “blue loot” when killed. You should gather in with and MTU and when the site is done, scoop it, as it’s your payout ticket, and there is no fury like a krab unpaid, so DON’T lose it.
If you manage to get is safely back to K-Space you might want to exchange it for ISK. There are buy orders all over New Eden, in NPC stations that is, with NPC buy orders for a set price, the closest to GE- being the J7A-UR system in Curse, the way you get it there is up to you, but the most common way is to get an interceptor and fly it there, preferably with someone else scouting for you.
If you have friends with the right tools or have the right tools, a setup with a Black Ops battleship bridging you to the target system is the foolproof way of getting the money safe.
Distributing the ISK
Seeing that billion isk tick in your wallet makes you want to keep it, but you have to pay your fellow krabs. The best way to manage payouts, especially if you have people joining or leaving in the middle of the fleet is a payout sheet. Message Manks Crendraven in Slack on in-game if you want to get one, that is actually working correctly. When you know how much money everyone should get, simply “Give Money” to them in game. A good idea is to put their names linked in your Notepad in-game for easy money transfers.