Clone soldier farming (with videos)

[Valdgir Munchausen]

Farming clone soldiers has been my main source of ISK for around 2 months now so I thought I'd write a short post about it. Maybe someone will find it somehow helpful.

Uni Wiki has an article about clone soldiers. I also found this guide very helpful.

Q: Why kill clone soldiers?
A: They drop valuable tags, yield bounties and give you a nice security status boost*:

• 0.1 system: 15.1mln tag + 1.75mln bounty + 0.5 security status boost
• 0.2 system: 14.8mln tag + 1.5mln bounty + 0.4 ssb
• 0.3 system: 2mln tag + 1.25mln bounty + 0.3 ssb
• 0.4 system: 1.5mln tag + 1mln bounty + 0.2 ssb

So for killing a single ship in 0.2 system in a 2-minute fight you get 16.3mln. That's more than for any C1 wormhole combat anomaly and even more than for some C2 ones. If you find a chain of 0.1/0.2 systems with many asteroid belts you can make 100mln+ in one evening. All in a T1 destroyer and even on alpha account (with relevant skills at max alpha level).

Use Eve Marketer to find best buy orders for the tags (usually 1-2mln below nominal value) or stations where you can put them on sale at a higher price.

Biggest drawbacks of this way of making isk:

• finding these rats can be a chore - they spawn relatively often but warping to every single belt in a few systems in a row and not finding any of them can be discouraging. Pvp opportunities make up for that a bit.
• risk of getting ganked, especially while engaging the warp disrupting one in 0.1 systems.
• the prices of 0.1/0.2 tags have dropped in the last weeks by around 1mln. I don't know how they are determined but I hope they don't drop below 10mln.

The fit
I think that AC Thrasher is one of the most efficient ships for the job. Technically, it's possible to kill them even in a t1 frigate but it takes too long (around 7mins). Many people also recommend interceptors, assault frigates and t3 destroyers but a t1 dessie is definitely the cheapest. I use an MWD for the webifying ones in 0.2 systems and an AB for the rest.

SPOILER WARNING!

[Thrasher, MSE AC]

Damage Control II
Gyrostabilizer II

1MN Monopropellant Enduring Afterburner
X5 Enduring Stasis Webifier
Medium Shield Extender II

200mm AutoCannon II
200mm AutoCannon II
200mm AutoCannon II
200mm AutoCannon II
200mm AutoCannon II
200mm AutoCannon II
200mm AutoCannon II
[Empty High slot]

Small Projectile Burst Aerator II
Small EM Shield Reinforcer I
Small Core Defense Field Extender I

The fight
(The fight is based on getting under the rat's guns so it only applies to Angel, Serpentis, Sansha and Blood clone soldiers. Guristas use missiles and require a different ship and method).

You land 65-10km from the rat, most often it's 40-20km. Approach it at an angle to reduce incoming damage (around 45°, spiral maneuver). Approaching in a straight line will get you killed in a few shots. As soon as you achieve a stable orbit within 1000m you should be safe, his guns will miss you. Just apply dps and watch out for gankers. And make sure you don't burn out your guns (as it happened to me with the warp disrupting one

Videos (warning: low-res and low graphics settings):

• 0.1 Angel in AB Thrasher
• 0.1 Serpentis in AB Thrasher
• 0.2 Angel in MWD Thrasher
• 0.2 Serpentis in MWD Thrasher

*tag prices as of 06.01.2021

[Virgilia Coriolanus]

This is great! Thanks for the writeup I can confirm it and I invite everybody to join the 0.2-0.1 chain in Placid near LSC! Just a short trip through Frarie and you'll find yourself near Vey, Intaki and Brarel which are awesome.

But beware. Lance Chance and his cohorts like to shoot you too and they bring big guns.

[Arin Mara]

An excellent guide:

• links prior research, the Wiki, blog and I'll add Kelon's Guide to Low Sec Ratting accessable to University member only
• data driven: ISK value, Bounty, Security Status numbers
• lists drawbacks
• has ship Fits, tactics and tips

I love the choice of music in the videos.

Do you mind updating the Wiki page with your newfound knowledge? I've already started, but can't complete it as I currently don't have the time to learn all the details about Clone Soldiers and how they interact with adjacent mechanics.

[Valdgir Munchausen]

Thanks Virgilia and Arin Placid and Solitude are pretty much the only regions in Gallente space with 0.1 systems.

Arin - feel free to use anything, I'd be happy to be able to contribute to Uni Wiki.