The Amarr race is famous for making the toughest ships around. One of their toughest tech one ships is the Maller, a recently re-skinned cruiser with some of the hardest armor around.

Why Fly The Maller

The Maller is an often overlooked ship for both missions and PvP. When running missions it can easily handle most level two combat missions with the combination of armor repairing and armor resistances. In PvP, the Maller has several niche roles that include acting as bait or holding a very heavy tackle on a slower-moving ship.

The Maller's bonuses are to armor resistance and laser capacitor need, respectively. The armor resistance helps survive missions and getting ganked, and the lasers help with missions (less so, PvP, where the Maller shines for being tough, not deadly).

As part of the recent Incarna expansion, the Maller received a total art make-over that has made it one of the sexiest ships in EVE Online. Fly in style or not at all, I say!

In Combat Missions

The Maller has what it takes to soak up the punishment dished out by NPCs in level one and level two combat missions.

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style="font-style: italic;">The Maller is one tough nut to crack!

High Slots:

  • x5 Focused Medium Pulse Laser (Standard M)
  • x1 Salvager I or x1 Small Tractor Beam I

Medium Slots:

  • x1 10mn Afterburner I
  • x1 Stasis Webifier I
  • x1 Cap Recharger I

Low Slots:

  • x1 Medium Armor Repairer I
  • x2 Capacitor Power Relay I
  • x3 Armor Explosive Hardeners (see below)

Lasers are the Amarr thing, and the Maller does them well enough. A salvager is a good idea, or perhaps a tractor beam to make missions more profitable or faster, respectively.

The afterburner is slower than an microwarpdrive would be, but does not diminish your much-needed capacitor. The web is handy for catching small NPCs dead in your sights. Finally, the cap recharger gives you extra juice for your armor repairing and lasers.

The armor repairer will keep your armor solid, while the capacitor power relays will help you avoid running out of capacitor in the pursuit of said armor. The three hardeners should be customized to suit the mission: two EM and one thermal for Blood Raiders, two explosive and one kinetic for Angel Cartel, etc..

Strategy: Warp into your mission and orbit the biggest enemy, while shooting the smallest enemies until they are all dead. Repeat.

Options: Though it has a bonus to using lasers, that bonus can safely be ignored in favor of using projectiles. Though normally used on Minmatar ships, projectiles were recently buffed and now are an appetizing option for any ship that can use them. This is particularly good news for the Maller because the EM and thermal damage inflicted by its lasers cannot always break the tank of all NPCs. For these NPCs, switch to projectiles and choose an ammunition type that does a more suitable flavor of damage.

As always, upgrading your modules to tech two or a better-named version is a good idea, and not necessarily as expensive or skill-intensive as you might think. A 'medium capacitor control circuit' might not be a bad idea for additional capacitor, too.

Fair Warning: Your damage output is a bit anemic compared to the Omen or an Arbitrator flown by a skilled pilot. On some missions this may cause time to drag a bit as you chew through your target's hit points.

In PvP

Thought often overlooked in favor of the more popular Omen cruiser, the Maller can play a valuable role in PvP. The Maller can act as a "bait scout", staying one jump ahead of a fleet and hoping to trick people into starting a fight. It can also act as an extremely heavy tackler under conditions that preclude fast ships, like in low-security space. Finally, it can hang around with remote repair armor fleets and not be completely out of place, giving newer players the ability to tag along even if their main point is to use a warp disruptor. Think of the Maller as a slightly smaller version of the Drake.

High Slots:
x5 200mm Autocannon I (any ammo)
x1 Salvager I

Medium Slots:
x1 10mn Microwarpdrive I
x1 Warp Disruptor I
x1 Stasis Webifier I

Low Slots:
x2 1600mm Reinforced Nanofiber Plates I
x2 Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane I
x1 Capacitor Power Relay I
x1 Reactor Control Unit I

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style="font-style: italic;">The Maller's role in PvP is primarily that of bait.

Using projectiles is necessary to save enough power grid for the second large-sized plates. Those 1600mm plates are normally intended for battleships, but that won't stop the Maller from using them. The ammunition type can vary depending on what you expect. If you are just shooting drones, you may as well use EMP S.

The microwarpdrive is essential for getting within range of targets, while the tackling gear is standard issue. Pin your target down with the disruptor, and keep him from out-distancing you with the web.

Plating is generally a better strategy than armor repairers for PvP, because one so rarely has time for the long-term effects of repairing to kick in. When it comes to remote repairing, you have enough armor hit points to give any repairers time to help you, and your relatively high armor resistances mean that doing so is not a waste of their time.

Strategy: Sit somewhere conspicuous, where you think people might attack you. On a gate or station is a bit too obvious, and most players would probably choose not to attack out of a very legitimate fear of traps (and gate guns, if you are in low-security space). A more plausible location might be near a planetary customs office, since this is a place where less careful players might conceivably be spending time and perhaps even be away from their keyboard.

Once some sucker takes the bait, get a tackle on him and call for backup. Barring an entire fleet jumping you, your friends should have time to jump into system and warp to you, hopefully before your would-be attacker can escape. The hardest part for you will be keeping within tackling range of your target, which is why surprise is essential.

Note that much of the trouble you may experience while tackling will come from drones. Your autocannons are capable of shooting down even light drones, should you deem it necessary.

Options: The nanofiber plates have the lowest fitting requirements, making them ideal for players with lower skills. For those that have a bit more training under their belt, the 'rolled tungsten' variety of armor plates provides more hit points.

Fair Warning: The Maller's main point of existing is to continue existing. Put less like a koan, it excels at absorbing damage and nothing else. If your target is fast and careful, he will get away before your help arrives. In larger fights of the sort found in alliance warfare, you can often count on being ignored until you are right on top of someone, holding him down. In no case should you expect to out-damage anybody.


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Last Updated: Mar 13, 2016

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