<b>Minmatar Cruiser bonuses (per skill level):</b><br>
5% bonus to Rapid Light Missile, Heavy Missile and Heavy Assault Missile Launcher rate of fire<br>
7.5% bonus to Target Painter effectiveness<br>7.5% bonus to Heavy Missile and Heavy Assault Missile explosion velocity
1200
315
Cruiser
400
50
Minmatar Republic
Standard Cruisers
4
Bellicose Class
0.51
Being a highly versatile class of Minmatar ships, the Bellicose has been used as a combat juggernaut as well as a support ship for wings of frigates. While not quite in the league of newer navy cruisers, the Bellicose is still a very solid ship for most purposes, especially in terms of long range combat.
The Bellicose is the Minmatar electronic warfare cruiser: it has a bonus to the effectiveness of target painters.
Target painting is more situational in its usefulness than the other types of EWAR, and the Vigil's target painters have a longer range than those of the Bellicose. However, the Bellicose is tougher and, like the Amarr Arbitrator, the Bellicose has a secondary bonus for combat, in this case for the rate of fire of Light, Heavy and Heavy Assault Missile Launchers. In fact, the Bellicose is the only EWAR cruiser which can use its electronic warfare directly to assist its own bonused weapons, as well as its allies.
Skills
The Bellicose is an affordable and fairly forgiving ship, with relatively few specifically important skills; general support skills and fitting skills will help it. Missile skills will help its bonused damage, while Target Painting and Signature Focusing directly benefit target painters.
Tactics
Target painters assist all weapon systems, but are especially useful for missiles, and the Bellicose can particularly help fleets or gangs using lots of missiles. The Bellicose can be shield- or armour-tanked.
Notes
Bellicose is an adjective meaning "warlike" or "fierce".
