How to Rat in a Marauder
Marauder ratting is the first step up to making serious ISK by ratting. You will easily be able to double the ticks from an Ishtar. The down side is that semi-AFK ratting will be a thing of the past. You will need to be actively piloting your ship while ratting in a Marauder.
You will also be facing larger up-front costs and be taking a bigger risk. The plus side is that since you'll be flying a 1-2 billion ISK ship, you'll get a better response from standing fleet when you yell for help. (You are in standing fleet, right?)
Disclaimer: This page mainly focuses on ratting in Pure Blind space against Guristas rats. For other locations, you will need to refit different ammo and drones based upon the damage type you want to apply.
Golem
Caldari Marauder
Kronos
Gallente Marauder
Vargur
Minmatar Marauder
The Ratting Progression Chain
The Vexor Newbro Edition
Gallente T1 Cruiser
Free From The Dojo! Low Skills
The Ratting Myrmidon
Gallente T1 Battlecruiser
~80 Million ISK Low Skills
The Ratting Gila
Guristas Faction Cruiser
~390 Million ISK Low Skills
The Isktar
Gallente Heavy Assault Cruiser
~225 Million ISK Medium Skills
Ratting Marauders
Caldari / Gallente Marauders
1 - 2 Billion ISK High Skills
Ratting Carriers
Minmatar Carrier
3 - 4 Billion ISK Capital Skills
Ratting Supers
Minmatar Supercarrier
38 - 42 Billion ISK Capital Skills
Fitting
The following Golem fittings come in two flavors. The torpedo fit will maximize your ticks while raising your danger level a bit. The cruise missile fit has additional survivability if tackled by adding neuts. The downside is that the cruise missiles won't apply or hit as hard and your ticks will be lower.
The Kronos fit will fall somewhere in between. Due to the tracking issues with the hybrid turrets vs. the missiles, your ticks won't be as high as the Torpedo Golem, but it should be better than the Cruise Missile Golem. You can fit in a Dread Guristas Graviton Smartbomb if you desire. It will help a bit when the frigates get close.
Golem Torpedo
[Golem, Ratting Golem (Torp)] Ballistic Control System II Ballistic Control System II Ballistic Control System II Damage Control II Missile Guidance Computer II Republic Fleet Target Painter Missile Guidance Computer II Multispectrum Shield Hardener II Multispectrum Shield Hardener II Shield Boost Amplifier II X-Large Shield Booster II Torpedo Launcher II Torpedo Launcher II Torpedo Launcher II Torpedo Launcher II [Empty High slot] [Empty High slot] [Empty High slot] Bastion Module I Large Core Defense Field Extender II Large Bay Loading Accelerator II Hornet II x4 Hornet EC-300 x5 Vespa II x3 Scourge Rage Torpedo x7320 Missile Range Script x2 Missile Precision Script x2 Agency 'Hardshell' TB5 Dose II x1 Standard Blue Pill Booster x1
Golem Cruise
[Golem, Ratting Golem (Cruise)] Missile Guidance Enhancer II Ballistic Control System II Ballistic Control System II Damage Control II Multispectrum Shield Hardener II Multispectrum Shield Hardener II Shield Boost Amplifier II Target Painter II X-Large Shield Booster II Large Micro Jump Drive Large Cap Battery II Bastion Module I Cruise Missile Launcher II Medium Energy Neutralizer II Cruise Missile Launcher II Medium Energy Neutralizer II Cruise Missile Launcher II Medium Gremlin Compact Energy Neutralizer Cruise Missile Launcher II Large Capacitor Control Circuit I Large Warhead Calefaction Catalyst II Hornet II x10 Hornet EC-300 x5 Scourge Fury Cruise Missile x14216 Standard Blue Pill Booster x1
Kronos Ratter
[Kronos, Ratting Kronos] Magnetic Field Stabilizer II Magnetic Field Stabilizer II Magnetic Field Stabilizer II Tracking Enhancer II Damage Control II Large Armor Repairer II Reactive Armor Hardener Large Cap Battery II Target Painter II Large Cap Battery II Tracking Computer II Neutron Blaster Cannon II Neutron Blaster Cannon II Neutron Blaster Cannon II Neutron Blaster Cannon II Bastion Module I Large Trimark Armor Pump II Large Hybrid Burst Aerator II Hornet II x4 Hornet EC-300 x5 Wasp II x2 Vespa II x3 Void L x10320 Tracking Speed Script x1 Null L x10000 Optimal Range Script x1
Ratting Vargur
[Vargur, Ratting Vargur James Tal] Gyrostabilizer II Gyrostabilizer II Gyrostabilizer II Tracking Enhancer II Damage Control II Large Cap Battery II Kinetic Shield Hardener II Heavy Stasis Grappler II X-Large Shield Booster II Tracking Computer II Multispectrum Shield Hardener II 800mm Repeating Cannon II Heavy Gremlin Compact Energy Neutralizer 800mm Repeating Cannon II Bastion Module I 800mm Repeating Cannon II [Empty High slot] 800mm Repeating Cannon II Large 'Vehemence' Shockwave Charge Large Projectile Burst Aerator I Large EM Shield Reinforcer I Hornet II x5 Hornet EC-300 x10 Barrage L x5000 Tracking Speed Script x1 Hail L x5480 Optimal Range Script x1 Agency 'Hardshell' TB5 Dose II x2 Standard Blue Pill Booster x2
How to Run Sites
If You're New to Ratting in a Marauder
Give the Introduction to Ratting page a read to avoid common mistakes and get some background knowledge.
Marauders uniquely utilize the Bastion Module, which similar to a Siege Module massively improves a ship's damage and active tanking with the downside of immobility. It increased from a 30- to a 60-second cycle time in June 2023, making the Bastion module more risky to use.
Make sure you have what you in need in cargo with you before undocking (ammo, scripts, MTUs, etc.).
Running Each Site
Your Hardeners and Tracking Computers (select the proper script depending on the situation) should always be active while you're in a site.
Make sure you are always firing at all times. Any second not firing is "lost" isk. Make sure to always reload when moving from one site to another.
- Warp to a site at zero. Cruise Golem can jump at 70km.
- For the Cruise Golem, align away from the site, activate your MJD, and jump away.
- Activate your bastion module. Keep it active while you are on the site and actively killing rats.
- As you become more comfortable with the spawns, you will learn when to cycle it off so you can warp to the next site right away.
- Use your shield booster or armor repper as necessary.
- Kill them dirty rats! I prefer to focus on the battleships first as it keeps the number of times I have to cycle the rep smaller. If you're in the Cruise Golem, you should focus on the closest ships first.
- For the torpedo Golem fit, you will only need your target painter for cruisers and below.
Standard Kill Order: Battleships → Others
Cruise Golem Kill Order: Closest → Farthest
Site-Specific Information
Some sites require special attention due to a particularly nasty wave or unusual mechanics.
Havens and Sanctums
- The final wave of these sites may spawn NPC Capitals. You won't be able to solo these ships, and should warp off.
If You Get Tackled
As a note: If at any point during the site an enemy ship lands on grid you should immediately red-cycle your bastion (Unless your staying to fight).
For Light Resistance
"Light" resistance is any combination of up to 5 subcaps that does NOT include:
- Triglavian Ships
- Heavy Interdiction Cruisers
- Logistics Cruisers
- Battleships
- Mention on comms that you're tackled and may require support.
- Make sure you get to as much capacitor you can.
- Only cycle shield booster/armor repper as necessary to save cap.
- Target all the enemies
- Begin killing the the weakest tackle ships on grid. Afterburner destroyer or frigates will be hard to hit. You may need to switch your scripts to tracking scripts. You may need to take some drugs.
- If you're in the cruise missile Golem, hit the tackle ship with all 3 neuts and hope their cap drains before your ship dies.
- If you find yourself unable to kill the tackle or your tank is breaking, continue to the below section.
- If you kill the ships before help lands and you de-cycle bastion, warp off.
For Heavy Resistance
Anything that's stronger than "Light" resistance is "Heavy" resistance.
- Make sure you're in bastion.
- Heat your hardeners and reps.
- Start screaming on comms and in fleet for support.
- Get someone else to FC the organization of caps and subcaps, doing so yourself can overwhelm you.
- Put 'xxx <system>' in fleet, and kill any tackle you're capable of killing.
- Use your shield booster/armor repper as necessary to maintain tank. Heat if required.
- Follow FC directions from this point on. Good luck.