Gallente Brawler 3.0 - the Thorax

Ship Overview

The Thorax is the Gallente T1 cruiser with bonuses to hybrid turret damage and tracking speed. Paired with a sizable drone bay, the Thorax offers reliable damage application both up close and from a distance. While it is currently overshadowed by the Exequror Navy Issue, it still offers a good entry point into cruiser-sized warfare.

The Thorax will reliably tackle medium-sized plex, and some low-sec belt ratting and thanks to its tracking bonus, should have no problem fighting both small and big PvP targets. Just keep in mind that you have no way to regenerate your capacitor, so you should aim to end your fights quickly.

The fit

T1 variant - click to see the fitting

T2 variant - click to see the fitting

Keep in mind that even the T1 variant uses the T2 guns - at this point in your career, you should be able to use those, as they make too much of a difference. Using T1 guns puts you at a severe disadvantage due to lower DPS and limited ammo options. The T2 variant is the 'optimal' setup for this ship, with all the modules upgraded to offer peak combat performance.

As you probably notice from the fitting screen, the ship does have a limited cap time. Make sure you consciously use your Microwarpdrive and don't leave it running unnecessarily. Additionally, you can offline the MWD in combat by right-clicking it and selecting "Put Offline". While it leaves you stranded, it increases your overall capacitor, giving you a few more cycles of the guns to finish the job.

The skill plan

As mentioned, having your Medium Hybrid Turrets trained for T2 guns is a priority. Next, focus your training on improving the tank, as you can't shoot people if your ship explodes.

Click to see the skill plan for the T1 variant

Conclusion

As usual, keep in mind that the proposed fit is only one out of the multiple options available. Similarly to its smaller Gallente brothers like the Tristan and the Comet, the Thorax can work as both an armor brawler and reliable shield kiter fitted with rails. Furthermore, it is an excellent stepping stone towards one of the best faction cruisers currently available, which is the ENI.