Oh let me count the ways I love thee GA Sentinel...

I am now running multiple fits to test some theories, that should be viable. Don't yell at me for protostomping, I love using the things I have earned and I play very suicidally, basically drop wherever I see a red dot and try to kill it. Yesterday I singlehandedly tried to win a domination game with 3 equally suiciadal randoms, and 9 snipers/redline hiders.

Yes I went 3-12, but I rejoiced in every kill because they were what you consider elite players.

all proto
lows
1) Full plates
2) Full reactives
3) Full reps
4) Full ferros

high
*) extender

Then I have 3 of every fit, assault scrambler, assault plasma rifle, assault combat rifle (can't deal with the rail delay)

and then my benchmark take all comers fit,

4 plates, rep, dmg mod and GA assault plasma rifle

To no surprise to anyone I guess (nor mine, I have known since they came out from experience), reactives and ferros are underwhelming at best. I am usually able to get a similar or better result by combining plates and reps, for less cpu/pg. Something that has been pointed out and is already on my list.

I am having a ton of fun with 5 reps. It's pretty badass to duck and hide, and the reload is only a couple of seconds less than a solid refill of armor. Try it out, it may not be viable or isk efficient in the long run but fun.

Now, I reluctantly tried the combat rifle because I don't do FOTM, I like using my bonuses. But even with most level 5 GAR skills, and hybrid bonuses etc, from my experience, I was doing at least 1 KDR better with it over my GAR. The scrambler I only take out if I notice multiple callogis.

I also have HMG fits, but as it is pretty FOTM I don't do them right now, unless situation calls for it.