Topic: Should battlecruisers be used for solo LV 4 Missions?

[adamantine]

Going directly to BS presents a few issues. 
ISK, you will need to have the isk to be able to buy and fit the BS which is hard to do for a new player if he does not get into running lvl III missions which normaly requires a BC. 
player skill, yes you can get into a BS very quickly but you need to understand how to fly it effectively or you will probably end up losing it due to player error and that is a big loss for a new low skill pilot.
Can it be done yes,  Would i recomend it no.  You can effectively work your way through cruiser, then bc then BS and still get into lvl IV missions effectively in about 3 or 4 months if you focus your skills on tanking and the minimal needed for DPS.   tanking is the key to PVE so as long as you can tank it, then the rest will come as your skills grow.

[unipeter]

i would do level 3's with  a battlecruiser if for no other reason than they are faster.

level 3's are pushovers compared to lvl 4's, which will be done considerably faster with a battleship due to dps, despite their lack of speed.

a lot of the battlecruisers are great passive tankers, too. 
the myrm, drake, hurricane all have awesome passive shield tanks, you can tank most all the level 4's out there, but its a matter of lower dps slowing your progress

[Doma]

5x T2 Heavies

 Hoborack Moon (BS in last room of The Assault I think) has a tank that exceeds any tanking BC's damage output post Trinity. It's somewhere north of 500 DPS. And without all 5x Ogre II + Guns it's just not possible.

For Moon switch to minmatar drones and ex ammo and he goes down pretty fast.

[Swift Voyager]

I don't think anyone would argue that the Raven (caldari battleship) is by far the most efficient ship for solo level 4 missions (of course, improved versions of Raven, like Caldari Navy Raven and Golem are better, but they are just improved Ravens). There's no other battleship or battlecruiser that even comes close to the Raven for level 4 missions.
 
If you are strictly talking about level 4 missions, then go straight for the Raven. You can easily get the Drake along the way, since the skills cross over. Use the Drake for level 3 missions till you get skills/money for a Raven.
 
When you get your first Raven and start to solo level 4 missions: Save up all your initial ISK from the missions. Buy and completely fit a backup Raven at your mission headquarters. When you lose your first Raven, the backup will allow you to go back out and complete the mission then loot your own wreck. Never leave yourself in a situation where you don't have a backup mission ship prepared, no matter what level mission you are running. Everyone in Eve loses ships. Also, never forget to fully insure your mission-running ships.
 
The information on the following site will tell you all you ever wanted to know about missions, and more: http://eve-survival.org/
 
Most of the site even works on the in-game browser, maybe all of it.

[delindsay]

For Moon switch to minmatar drones and ex ammo and he goes down pretty fast

I do use Minnie Drones but alas Gallente (Myrmidon with Hybrids) cannot use EXP ammo