When it comes to high-value, small-volume haulers capsuleers have various ships to pick from. The most obvious choice is of course a Blockade Runner (BR). Solid capacity, cloaky, fast. You can’t go wrong with such a ship – at first glance. But the fact it can not be scanned and its dedicated use case also make it a preferred target for gankers. Its defensive options are there, but limited.
If you do not need the cargo capacity offered by Blockade Runners, then it may be worth having a look at other options like the Proteus or also the Luxury Yacht.
Why the Proteus and no other T3 Cruiser? Because the Proteus has a unique bonus to one of its sub-systems that gives it extra warp speed.
| Proteus T3C | Blockade Runner | Luxury Yacht | Sunesis | Hecate T3D | |
| Warp Speed | 6 – 10 AU/s | 7 – 10 AU/s | 8 -13 AU/s | 4.5 – 8 AU/s | 4.5 – 8 AU/s |
| Agility (estimated) | < 3s | < 3s | < 2s | < 2s | < 2s |
| Maximum Cargo (estimated) | 470 m³ | 9.000 m³ | 30 m³ | 1.200 m³ | 900 m³ |
| Nullification available y/n | yes | yes | yes | no | no |
| WCS available y/n | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| EHP (estimated buffer) | 36.000 | 14.000 | 20.000 | 8.000 | 11.000 |
| Signature Radius (estimate) | 258 m | 157 m | 197 m | 512 m | 97 m |
| Skill Requirements | pretty high | high | very low | very low | medium |
| Bridgeable by BLOPS | yes | yes | yes | no | no |
| Warping Cloaked y/n | yes | yes | yes | no | no |
| ISK-Price (estimate) | 350 – 500 million | 150 – 300 million | 300 – 400 million | 15 – 30 million | 60 – 100 million |
Fittings
Proteus
[Proteus, Postman <3s 470m³ 36k ehp]
Inertial Stabilizers II
Inertial Stabilizers II
Inertial Stabilizers II
Damage Control II
Multispectrum Energized Membrane II
1600mm Crystalline Carbonide Restrained Plates
10MN Afterburner II
Large Cap Battery II
50MN Quad LiF Restrained Microwarpdrive
Covert Ops Cloaking Device II
Expanded Probe Launcher II
Interdiction Nullifier I
Medium Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizer II
Medium Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizer II
Medium Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizer II
Proteus Core - Friction Extension Processor
Proteus Defensive - Covert Reconfiguration
Proteus Offensive - Hybrid Encoding Platform
Proteus Propulsion - Hyperspatial Optimization
Blockade Runner
[Prorator, Postman <3s 3.635m³ 14k ehp]
Inertial Stabilizers II
Inertial Stabilizers II
Inertial Stabilizers II
Inertial Stabilizers II
50MN Cold-Gas Enduring Microwarpdrive
Medium Shield Extender II
Covert Ops Cloaking Device II
Interdiction Nullifier I
Medium Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizer II
Medium Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizer II
Luxury Yacht
[Victorieux Luxury Yacht, Postman <2s 30m³ 20k ehp]
Shadow Serpentis Inertial Stabilizers
Shadow Serpentis Inertial Stabilizers
Shadow Serpentis Inertial Stabilizers
Inertial Stabilizers II
50MN Microwarpdrive II
Covert Ops Cloaking Device II
Interdiction Nullifier II
Medium Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizer II
Medium Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizer II
Medium Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizer II
Keep in mind that neither Suneis nor Hecate can be nullified nor warp cloaked or be bridged by a Black Ops Battleships.
Sunesis
[Sunesis, Postman <2s 1.243m³ 8k ehp]
Inertial Stabilizers II
Expanded Cargohold II
Expanded Cargohold II
Expanded Cargohold II
5MN Y-T8 Compact Microwarpdrive
Medium Azeotropic Restrained Shield Extender
Medium Azeotropic Restrained Shield Extender
Medium Azeotropic Restrained Shield Extender
Prototype Cloaking Device I
Small Low Friction Nozzle Joints II
Small Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizer II
Small Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizer II
Hecate
[Hecate, Postman <2s 932m³ 11k-13k ehp]
Damage Control II
Expanded Cargohold II
Expanded Cargohold II
Expanded Cargohold II
5MN Quad LiF Restrained Microwarpdrive
Medium Shield Extender II
Medium Shield Extender II
EM Shield Amplifier II
Prototype Cloaking Device I
Expanded Probe Launcher II
Small Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizer II
Small Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizer II
Small Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizer II
Even Safer
If you think your cargo justifies the effort, bridging a BR to a Covert Cyno with a Black Ops is the most secure way to haul things: No gates – no camps. The same applies to Jump Freighters, of course – but be aware their industiral Cynos are visible to everyone in system.
Keep in mind Black Ops Battleships can also get solidly sized cargo holds if you fit them for it.
the greybill 