The Venture Mining Frigate was released to New Eden with the Retribution Expansion (2012 winter expansion). It changes the entry level dynamics and the way new players have been used to mining. We first found out about the upcoming mining frigate prior to an interview we brought here.
History of entry level mining
In the “old days”, you would start with a frigate with a mining bonus and advance to a cruiser with a mining bonus and that would be your platform for the yield itself. This could then be boosted by using higher tiers of mining equipment, implants and certain fleet bonuses.
Due to the size of these ships cargo hold though (usually a few hundred m3), you would have to do frequent trips to a station to unload. This decreased turnaround time and yield itself as you would spend more time travelling back and forth than using the mining equipment. Logistics was a challenge, so then enters Jet-can mining.
Jet can mining would be based on the launching of a container into space. This container (called a jet-can) would then hold more m3 than your cargo hold, but since no combat ship could ever hold everything in the jet-can you would then need at least an entry level cargo ship to haul it to a station.
Since this increased mining yield it was the preferred method, but this requires multiple persons for highest effeciency.
The jet-cans do have a downside though, and that is that everyone can take from it and those that do trigger agression mechanics. Often the “ore thieves” would do so to gain attention and trigger attacks from the miners, and they would then return with a bigger combat ship and retaliate. This would for obvious reasons mean the end for most miners to take their revenge out on the “Ore Thieves” without ever realizing that this isn’t their purpose of getting the miners to attack them.
Their prize would be the following killmail of the mining ship, even in high-security space.
Then you would save up to a mining barge, and depending on your experience with “Ore Thieves”, it would be a bigger loss – or a bigger gain and you knew how to avoid the situation.
Frigate sized industrial
The old frigates with mining bonuses have been done away with and this is their replacement. It replaces the “mining frigates” and gives you a mini industrial in addition to the rebalanced mining yield. With more M3 in the Ore Hold, you avoid jet-can mining techniques and the following risk.
Now, you can train straight into the Ore Frigate, retain the yield while doing away with the frustrations of agression mechanics due to the increased ore hold. And because its a frigate, this is a matter of training time less than a week to get into, from any level.
At ~600,000 ISK the price is very affordable, but is a good price for what you actually get. Seeded price for the skillbook is 35,000 ISK.
Role Bonus
+100% mining yield.
+100% gas harvesting yield.
+2 warp core strenght
Ship Bonuses
+5% mining yield per level (+25% max)
+5% gas harvesting yield per level (+25% max)
Slot Layout
High: 3 (2 x turrets)
Mid: 3
Low: 1
Looking at traditional combat ships, the usual tank would likely be a shield buffer tank with appropriate nano due to the mass (compared to other frigates, its definately slower and more sluggish).
Its actually a challenge to turn and escape compared to other frigates so it does help that it has a +2 warp strenght to avoid tackle (and ship destruction).
Drone Bay
The Venture also has enough bandwith to fit and launch 2 light drones. For those unaware of the potential, this means you can lauch 2 ECM drones to attempt to counter tackle attempts. In areas of lesser security, thats actually a valid approach. For high-sec, you can increase mining yield with mining drones, or fit warrior drones to deal with lesser hostile NPC ships.
Mining Yields
With the focus on mining with 2 turrets there is a limit to yield, but it also gives some other options:
At Mining Skill IV + Mining Frigate Skill I – V, the yield looks as follows (per turret).
| Module | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV | Level V |
| Miner I (Base Ore yield: 40) | 126 | 132 | 138 | 144 | 156 |
| EP-S Gaugasian Excavation Pulse (Base Ore yield: 42) | 132 | 139 | 145 | 151 | 157 |
| Dual Diode Mining Laser I (Base Ore Yield: 44) | 139 | 145 | 152 | 158 | 172 |
| XeCi Drilling Beam I (Base Ore Yield: 47) | 148 | 155 | 162 | 169 | 184 |
| Cu Vapor Particle Bore Stream I (Base Ore Yield: 49) | 154 | 161 | 169 | 176 | 191 |
| Miner II / Ore Miner (Base Ore Yield: 60) | 189 | 198 | 207 | 216 | 234 |
| Modulated Deep Core Miner II (Base Ore yield: 120 + T2 Crystals) | 689 | 721 | 754 | 787 | 820 |
| Gas Cloud Harvester II (Base Ore yield: 40) | 126 | 132 | 138 | 144 | 156 |
With 3 high slots and 2 dedicated turret slots it opens up for a utility slot to help survive the dangers of lower security space.
Of course, then you have to take into account that boosters can increase these numbers but a substantial amount.
Ship Fits
For the budding high-sec miners, you’ll propably be looking at the following fit:
[Venture, Ore Yield Focus]
Aoede Mining Laser Upgrade
‘Prospector EM Ward Amplifier
Residual Survey Scanner I
Medium F-S9 Regolith Shield Induction
Miner II
Miner II
[empty high slot]
Small Drone Mining Augmentor II
Small Drone Mining Augmentor II
Small Drone Mining Augmentor I
Mining Drone II x2
Ore yield: 940 (with an all V character). With a booster V character in the right ship with the right implants, you’ll increase that number to 1,298 (+38%) and with personal implants (+5% implant) you can get to 1,341.
Be advised that the fit is very tight, so you’ll propably want to either shuffle modules around a bit in the beginning, starting with clearing out the EM ward amplifier and leaving it empty altogether. But if youre focused on mining its a very high yield fit.
PL apparently use these Venture fits as well in null-sec.
[Venture, DasherKat]
250mm Light Artillery Cannon II, Republic Fleet Phased Plasma S
250mm Light Artillery Cannon II, Republic Fleet Phased Plasma S
Small Energy Neutralizer II
Small Shield Extender II
Upgraded 1MN Microwarpdrive I
J5b Phased Prototype Warp Scrambler I
Damage Control II
Small Anti-EM Screen Reinforcer I
Small Anti-EM Screen Reinforcer I
Small Anti-Thermal Screen Reinforcer I
Hobgoblin II x2
Finally we have a gas fit for low/null/wh space.
[Venture, Ninja Gas]
‘Halcyon’ Core Equalizer I
Prototype ECCM Magnetometric Sensor Cluster
Prototype ECCM Magnetometric Sensor Cluster
Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I
Gas Cloud Harvester II
Gas Cloud Harvester II
Prototype Cloaking Device I
Small Low Friction Nozzle Joints I
Small Low Friction Nozzle Joints I
Small Low Friction Nozzle Joints I
ECM Drones
… More fits to follow as test are conducted.
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