Technically AHAC stands for "Armored Heavy Assault Cruiser", but implementation wise it actually means a few additional things that go along with that...
Second, is a solid armor buffer, to absorb what damage does get through while your logistics ships are scrambling to lock you and you are waiting for the first cycle of reps to land.
Thus the third obvious essential element of an AHAC fleet is that they are backed by logistics ships like Guardians or even triage.
Finally and perhaps most-importantly, AHAC's should have a T2 resists profile that also has any leaks plugged. While you definitely can 'get by' with a solid T1 fit, you really need those T2 resists when the shit hits the fan, again taking the stress off your already stressed logistics bros.
"But Feyd, I can't fly a HAC yet...can I bring an armor frigate?". Well, only if you want your frigate to insta-melt before reps land because of lack of a buffer. You might get away with a well tanked T1 cruiser like the Omen or Omen Navy, but the logi's better be on the ball.
"Feyd, can I bring an armor battlecruiser or battleship, that's got a lot of tank right?". Sure, if you want to watch that tank melt under withering priming when you logistics can't outrep the damage your fat signature-radius ass soaks up like the event horizon of a black hole...
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| When the big DPS rain fell the large-sig dino's got plastered. The small caveman survived. Be like the caveman. |
What are the best AHAC's?
Well, it can take some time to train Heavy Assault Cruisers, so lets start with a progression, beginning with T1 cruisers that you can actually get a solid armor buffer out of, while getting its resistances as close to 80% as possible.
Ships like the Omen and Omen Navy are examples of good initial hulls.
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| Tank trumps gank on a T1 AHAC, get resists as close to 80%+ as possible with a good buffer or you will melt. |
Next, your goal should be training into a solid T2 AHAC like the Zealot.
Zealot
For the lazor connoisseur who perhaps previously flew Amarr cruisers or battlecruisers...
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| Swap the web for an ECCM, or mix with damps or tracking disruptors when going up really competitive fleets. Note the sig-tanking AB. |
I prefer passive tank modules to active, to keep me more cap stable. Also, look at the resists, the goal of an AHAC being to get to 80% resists or above, with a signature radius below 140. That sig of 83.8 is awesome, and key to keeping you alive.
The absolute end-game AHAC's however are the T3 Legion and Proteus, if you can bring enough of them to scale the DPS up. The extra buffer a T3 AHAC can bring is also very nice. These aren't cheap however, and cost skill points when lost -- so consider using those when up against other serious or large fleets and that extra buffer will make the difference. In the meantime, the T2 Zealot remains a very powerful, high-DPS and cost effective hull.
(Many), to keep it all alive...
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| A cost effective way to get 100k+ EHP and 80%+ resists. Consider swapping Warriors for EC-300's for enemy ECM or Logi. |
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