TRS - Fitting Discussion: Incursus Rail Scramkiter

The common fitting meta for Gallente ships tends to focus on blaster fit brawlers. One of the exceptions to that rule is exemplified by this fit:

[Incursus, RailScramkiter]
Damage Control II
Adaptive Nano Plating II
Magnetic Field Stabilizer II
Small Ancillary Armor Repairer, Nanite Repair Paste

Faint Epsilon Warp Scrambler I
Fleeting Propulsion Inhibitor I
1MN Afterburner II

125mm Railgun II, Federation Navy Antimatter Charge S
125mm Railgun II, Federation Navy Antimatter Charge S
125mm Railgun II, Federation Navy Antimatter Charge S

Small Auxiliary Nano Pump I
Small Transverse Bulkhead I
Small Hybrid Collision Accelerator I

Hobgoblin II x1

Fitting the ship like that is actually pretty easy and can be achieved even with average fitting skills. The main bottleneck is CPU and if you should run out of it, you could use a low-cost CPU implant or downgrade one of the midslot modules to something with lower CPU requirements. I would however not recommend doing that because the range of your tackling modules and the speed increase of the afterburner are instrumental for that ship to function in its intended way.

Another fitting particularity which has to do with the purpose of the ship is the Transverse Bulkhead rig. Like with many Gallente ships, hull hitpoints are the highest buffer you have and this rig increases it further. Fitting the ship with an armour plate and/or resist rig would result in somewhat higher effective hitpoints, but it would decrease the ship's speed which would again be self-defeating.

I have hinted at the intended purpose of the ship a few times now, so let me explain how it works. The most important thing to do at the beginning of a fight is to apply the web and scram. Those two modules should initially be overheated for maximum range. Once you are close enough, do not forget to turn the heat off again because you depend highly on the availability of both. The range you want to stay at is between 7000 and 8000 km. Further away, you risk getting out of scram range, and moving closer means that an opponent can potentially get under the tracking of your guns. You would also run the additional risk of being within range of small energy neutralizers which would put you under a lot of pressure.

At that range you are only slightly above the optimal of your guns, so you will be very good at applying damage. Only artillery cannons, missiles or pulse lasers with Scorch crystals would be able to compete with your damage projection but all three weapon systems would lose out in the DPS race. With 140 DPS at maximum skills, you would even outperform a Retribution or Wolf Assault Frigate. Short range weapons like autocannons or blasters will not even be able to hit you in most cases if you manage to control range effectively. Since you are fit for relatively high speed, you should be able to outmaneuver an opponent even if you are webbed yourself. If your opponent has no web, you are at a definitive advantage.

The main thing that needs a lot of attention is the Ancillary Armor Repairer. It is important to anticipate when you want to run it, and only do so for one cycle, two at most. You need to save capacitor and make sure you do not burn through your charges too quickly. If necessary, overheat the module to gain extra repairs and to accelerate the cycle time. Always remember that armor repairs become effective at the end of their cycle and act accordingly. Your structure buffer should provide you with some margin for error there.

If you need to get out of a fight, move away from the enemy, keep web and scram active and overheat them, overheat your afterburner as well and the armor repairer if necessary. Pay attention to your capacitor though, make sure you always retain enough to run the afterburner and the tackling modules. Eventually you should be able to escape from the point range of your opponent except if they are in a fast afterburner ship themselves.

Alltogether, this ship is cheap, easy to fit and easy to fly.You should avoid confrontations with more than one ship because your DPS tend to be insufficient to deal with several opponents quickly enough, but In frigate duels or in a small gang this is a very effective fighting ship for beginners and experts in frigate PVP.

TRS - Fitting Discussion: Shield Coercer

I like fits that are out-of-the-box designs, and while there are quite a few people who would shield-tank some Gallente ships, it is very uncommon to do the same with Amarr ships.

During research for a community feature piece, I went on a public roam with Redemption Road. There I saw an exception to the armor tanking rule for Amarr. Considering that we flew around in nullsec and fought people with considerably heavier ships, this destroyer fit performed surprisingly well in a fleet of just under 20 people:

[Coercer, Shield Tank]
Heat Sink II
Heat Sink II
Fourier Transform Tracking Program

Medium F-S9 Regolith Shield Induction
Experimental 1MN Afterburner I

Small Focused Pulse Laser II, Scorch S
Small Focused Pulse Laser II, Scorch S
Small Focused Pulse Laser II, Scorch S
Small Focused Pulse Laser II, Scorch S
Small Focused Pulse Laser II, Scorch S
Small Focused Pulse Laser II, Scorch S
Small Focused Pulse Laser II, Scorch S
Small Focused Pulse Laser II, Scorch S

Small Ancillary Current Router I
Small Anti-EM Screen Reinforcer I
Small Anti-Thermal Screen Reinforcer I

Let's look at the good things first.

This ship can reach a very nice 290 DPS and close to 600 volley damage. The Scorch crystals give the ship an optimal range of up to 18km at maximum skills. That range can be surpassed by long-range destroyers like artillery Thrashers or railgun Cormorants, but those ships will have significant disadvantages in tracking. A Thrasher with 280mm artillery will have less optimal as well. That makes the Coercer much better at actually applying its full damage.It comes close to the DPS of a blaster Catalyst but with much longer range.

If you switch to short-range Conflagration crystals, you can even outperform a Catalyst using Neutron Blasters loaded with Null ammunition. Except if it's a full-out gank fit.

Even at level 2 of the Destroyer skill, the tracking bonus of the ship together with the meta level Tracking Enhancer already compensates for the drawback from Scorch. Everything else is an extra bonus. With maximum skills the Pulse Lasers will not reach the tracking of a blaster Catalyst, but it will be better than any other alternative.

It has somewhat decent buffer and resists, and its signature is still very low for a shield-tanked ship. It can also perma-run the Afterburner and maintain a comfortable speed. Together that gives the ship average defensive abilities. There are more flimsy destroyer fits than this one.

Now, let's look at the negative things.

The most glaring problem is, that this ship does not have a point. If you want targets held down, you need to bring tacklers. An opposing FC who pays attention can just wipe the frigates off the field and escape without problems.

The second problematic thing is fitting. The available amount of CPU forces you to use a meta level Tracking Enhancer and Shield Extender. T2 lasers are practically a must, otherwise you wont be able to get the range and DPS out of the ship that makes it work well. Alltogether you will need pretty good fitting and weapon skills for that, so it's not suitable for the really new players.

Last but not least, this ship is not exactly fast. Positioning on the grid is best done by getting warp-ins from the tacklers which you need to have with you anyway.

For comparison, let's have a look at a more standard armor fit Coercer.

[Coercer, Wolfpack Coercer]
Damage Control II
400mm Reinforced Rolled Tungsten Plates I
Tracking Enhancer II

Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I
Warp Disruptor II

Dual Light Pulse Laser II, Scorch S
Dual Light Pulse Laser II, Scorch S
Dual Light Pulse Laser II, Scorch S
Dual Light Pulse Laser II, Scorch S
Dual Light Pulse Laser II, Scorch S
Dual Light Pulse Laser II, Scorch S
Dual Light Pulse Laser II, Scorch S
Dual Light Pulse Laser II, Scorch S

Small Anti-Explosive Pump I
Small Energy Locus Coordinator I
Small Energy Locus Coordinator I

As expected, this ship has a much better tank. About 8500 EHP compared to the 6000 of the shield fit. It is also a lot faster of course, but that speed can only be maintained for short bursts. It has slightly better range and tracking, and it has it's own point.

The one thing where the shield fit excels is damage. With 120 less in DPS and 270 less volley damage, the armor version is not really impressive.

In Conclusion

Would I fly such a shield Coercer in my day-to-day fleets? Most likely not. It is, however a workable and creative fit that doesn't do too bad considering that it goes against common fitting philosophy. As a mid-range DPS platform it performs exceptionally well, and even more so as a short range damage dealer. With its good tracking and damage projection, it is an excellent fit for gatecamps and ganks while still maintaining an average level of survivability.

It is also a cheap ship, so losing one for the sake of flying an experimental gimmick fit is not such a bad tradeoff.

TRS - Fitting Discussion: Shield Logi Frigates

In my previous fitting discussion post, I said that I will feature shield logi frigates, and so here we are.

To begin with I have to admit that this is pure theorycrafting. I prefer to write about ships I have some experience with but I have never actually flown a shield logi frigate. I have flown shield logi (Scimitar mostly), but that was in a time before there were frigates available for that role.

I have, however, applied much of the same fitting logic I would apply to the armor versions. That is: Keep your signature low, keep your speed up, maximize buffer and keep your capacitor stable.

When it comes to shield fits, there are two challenges with those goals: Shield ships tend to have pretty high signatures and they tend to have lower hitpoint buffers when compared to armor. Those negative aspects are balanced out by two pretty nice advantages: Shield ships are generally faster and shield transfers become effective at the beginning of the cycle. The latter factor makes it easier to apply your repair cycles correctly.

When it comes to fitting a ship that I am not experienced with, I usually have a look at the EVE University Wiki to check whether they have some example fits there. Unfortunately their suggested shield logi frigate fits are not what I would call optimal. They have a higher signature and lower EHP than the fits I came up with. A rather bad combination, because the higher signature makes it easier to hit you for full damage.

I would still recommend to take a look at their Microwarpdrive fits. They may have their uses despite me being prejudiced against using an MWD for such a ship because of the signature bloom. If your fleet tactics involve crossing some distance and moving fast on the grid, MWD fits might be necessary.
The ship that clearly has the speed advantage is the Minmatar Burst:

[Burst, AB Logi]
Damage Control II
Capacitor Power Relay II
Capacitor Power Relay II

Medium Shield Extender II
1MN Afterburner II
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II

Small S95a Remote Shield Booster
Small S95a Remote Shield Booster
Small S95a Remote Shield Booster

Small Anti-EM Screen Reinforcer I
Small Capacitor Control Circuit I
Small Capacitor Control Circuit I

With the Burst setup above you will have a lower buffer than any of the armor logi frigates, but you will be significantly faster. The ship is also easier to fit than any armor counterpart because of the lower powergrid needs of shield tank and shield transporters. With good skills you can fit a T2 Afterburner for some extra speed advantage.

Other than armor, there is no rig for shield that reduces the amount of capacitor you need for remote repair. That means you need to use Capacitor Control Circuits to achieve cap stability. Still, with the Burst you can get just as comfortably stable as with the armor repair frigates.

Another thing that sets the shield frigates apart from the armor versions is their better scan resolution. The Burst stands out the most in that respect. It gets noticeably faster locks, and it is important to lock fast if you are a logistics pilot.

So how does the Caldari version - the Bantam - compare to this?

[Bantam, AB Logi]
Damage Control II
Capacitor Power Relay II

1MN Afterburner II
Medium Shield Extender II
Cap Recharger II
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II

Small S95a Remote Shield Booster
Small S95a Remote Shield Booster
Small S95a Remote Shield Booster

Small Anti-EM Screen Reinforcer I
Small Capacitor Control Circuit I
Small Capacitor Control Circuit I

Almost all Caldari ships are natural shield tankers and this one is no exception. Its hitpoint buffer comes close to that of the Inquisitor and its EHP is superiour to the Navitas. Interestingly enough, its buffer is lower than that of the Navitas and it's EHP are worse than the Inquisitor's because of lower resists. Quite nicely balanced.

This ship is just as easy to fit as the Burst. You have slightly lower powergrid but better CPU, but even if you run out of powergrid, you can still downgrade your Shield Extender or Afterburner to a meta 4 version.

The Bantam has the highest signature of all the logi frigates and it is slower than the Burst. That puts it at a disadvantage for avoiding incoming damage. It still manages to outrun any armor logi frigate easily. Do not forget to keep moving within range to the friendlies you want to support. As I wrote in my last post: Always make sure you stay away from the thick of the fighting and always keep your radial speed as high as you can.

Shield fleets tend to be less popular these days, but there are still quite a number of frigate doctrines which use shield fits and take advantage of their high damage and speed. With the Bantam being a very well-rounded ship, and the Burst being the quickest and fastest locking of all logi frigates, those ships are definitely a good addition to any frigate based fleet doctrine.

Too bad that the Bantam was built by the State Bureau for Ridiculous Ship Design.

P.S. As with the other logi frigates, bring a scout drone to get on killmails.

TRS - Fitting Discussion: Armour Loki Part 2

On this second installment of my Armour Loki discussion I want to start out with a fit that is more of a backbone for a combat fleet rather than support.

Role: Artillery Gang

This doctrine saw wide use among such noteworthy PVP crews as Black Legion, Shadow Cartel and Snuffbox. It is used for nullsec and lowsec mid-size fleets with fast tackle and logistics support. It looks like this:

[Loki, Arty Armor]
1600mm Reinforced Steel Plates II
Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II
Armor Thermic Hardener II
Armor Explosive Hardener II
Damage Control II
Co-Processor II

J5 Prototype Warp Disruptor I
Tracking Computer II, Optimal Range Script
X5 Prototype Engine Enervator
Experimental 10MN Afterburner I

650mm Artillery Cannon II, Republic Fleet EMP M
650mm Artillery Cannon II, Republic Fleet EMP M
650mm Artillery Cannon II, Republic Fleet EMP M
650mm Artillery Cannon II, Republic Fleet EMP M
650mm Artillery Cannon II, Republic Fleet EMP M
650mm Artillery Cannon II, Republic Fleet EMP M

Medium Trimark Armor Pump I
Medium Trimark Armor Pump I
Medium Trimark Armor Pump I

Loki Defensive - Adaptive Augmenter
Loki Electronics - Immobility Drivers
Loki Engineering - Power Core Multiplier
Loki Offensive - Turret Concurrence Registry
Loki Propulsion - Fuel Catalyst

Tactically, this ship works similarly to a Zealot AHAC in the way how it relies on low signature and heavy armour for defense. The major combat asset of this fit is it's high alpha strike capability at a respectable range. (Up to ~2100 at an optimal of 21km) The Turret Concurrence Registry subsystem helps maximizing that. It also provides a tracking and falloff bonus which are both very useful for artillery cannons. When taking falloff into account, you can achieve engagement ranges of almost 50km. You can even switch to Tremor T2 ammunition and turn this into something of a sniper ship with 78km optimal range, albeit with a significant damage tradeoff. You will lose a good 1000 volley damage.

With high damage ammunition, the optimal range of your artillery cannons is similar to your web range. A very useful trait when considering the horrible tracking of artillery. At closer ranges you should definitely switch to a tracking script for that TC, so always keep one in your cargo hold. Apart from that tracking drawback and lower DPS, the artillery Loki is superiour to the Zealot AHAC fit. It has a staggering advantage in volley damage, it's hitpoints are far above the Zealot too and it's even slightly faster thanks to the Fuel Catalyst.

Just like the other fits, this one is prone to run into CPU problems, but again, you can optimize your fit by using implants or faction modules. If you do so, you open up the possibility to fit heavier artillery like this: 

[Loki, Arty Armor Faction]
True Sansha Armor Kinetic Hardener
True Sansha Armor Thermic Hardener
True Sansha Armor Explosive Hardener
1600mm Reinforced Rolled Tungsten Plates I
Damage Control II
Gyrostabilizer II

Tracking Computer II, Optimal Range Script
Tracking Computer II, Optimal Range Script
X5 Prototype Engine Enervator
Experimental 10MN Afterburner I

720mm Howitzer Artillery II, Republic Fleet EMP M
720mm Howitzer Artillery II, Republic Fleet EMP M
720mm Howitzer Artillery II, Republic Fleet EMP M
720mm Howitzer Artillery II, Republic Fleet EMP M
720mm Howitzer Artillery II, Republic Fleet EMP M
720mm Howitzer Artillery II, Republic Fleet EMP M

Medium Trimark Armor Pump I
Medium Trimark Armor Pump I
Medium Trimark Armor Pump I

Loki Defensive - Adaptive Augmenter
Loki Electronics - Immobility Drivers
Loki Engineering - Power Core Multiplier
Loki Offensive - Turret Concurrence Registry
Loki Propulsion - Fuel Catalyst

Now you can get a pretty sick alpha strike in excess of 3900 and an optimal range of 28 with 36 falloff  added. Thanks to the better resists, you get virtually the same EHP as before even with downgrading the armor plate. Still, this fit needs a +2% powergrid implant to work. This fit also shows the alternative of completely leaving point and tackle to other fleet members and go for even better range or tracking. You keep the web, however, to slow down targets at close range.

The total package comes with a hefty pricetag, but when flown properly with good logi support and even command bonuses from links, a squadron or two of those Lokis will turn into a fighting force that can punch significantly above it's weight.

Special Forces

As the last part of this discussion I want to introduce two more specialized fits. Both are built around 100MN Afterburners instead of 10MN Microwarpdrives. That way you keep signature low during approach or escape and reach similar speeds thanks to the bonus of the Fuel Catalyst subsystem.

The 100MN AB has two major drawbacks when compared with the MWD: First, it's rate of acceleration is a lot slower, so you will need two or more cycles to reach full speed. Second, once you achieve top speed, stopping or even maneuvering is extremely hard. You will have the inertia (and align time) of a freight train while the propulsion is active. Then again, when fighting inside scram range, that 100MN AB can make the difference between being unable to leave before the enemy tacklers are down and being able to pull range because scramblers do not shut down your propulsion module.

The first 100MN AB setup is a variation of the previously discussed heavy tackler:

[Loki, 100mn Armor Webloki]
Armor Explosive Hardener II
Armor Kinetic Hardener II
Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II
1600mm Reinforced Steel Plates II
Damage Control II
Nanofiber Internal Structure II

J5 Prototype Warp Disruptor I
X5 Prototype Engine Enervator
X5 Prototype Engine Enervator
Experimental 100MN Afterburner I

220mm Vulcan AutoCannon II, Republic Fleet EMP M
220mm Vulcan AutoCannon II, Republic Fleet EMP M
220mm Vulcan AutoCannon II, Republic Fleet EMP M
220mm Vulcan AutoCannon II, Republic Fleet EMP M
220mm Vulcan AutoCannon II, Republic Fleet EMP M
220mm Vulcan AutoCannon II, Republic Fleet EMP M

Medium Trimark Armor Pump I
Medium Trimark Armor Pump I
Medium Trimark Armor Pump I

Loki Defensive - Adaptive Augmenter
Loki Electronics - Immobility Drivers
Loki Engineering - Power Core Multiplier
Loki Offensive - Projectile Scoping Array
Loki Propulsion - Fuel Catalyst

As with all other setups you can optimize here by using faction modules. By now I am sure you can fill in the blanks. As for the rest, this works just like the standard heavy tackler with the considerations for 100MN AB added.

Finally, there is the possibility to use a similar setup as tackler and hunter-killer for black ops gangs by using the Covert Reconfiguration subsystem:

[Loki, BLOPS Webloki]
Armor Explosive Hardener II
Armor Kinetic Hardener II
Energized Adaptive Nano Membrane II
1600mm Reinforced Steel Plates II
Damage Control II
Co-Processor II

Warp Disruptor II
X5 Prototype Engine Enervator
X5 Prototype Engine Enervator
Experimental 100MN Afterburner I

220mm Vulcan AutoCannon II, Republic Fleet EMP M
220mm Vulcan AutoCannon II, Republic Fleet EMP M
220mm Vulcan AutoCannon II, Republic Fleet EMP M
220mm Vulcan AutoCannon II, Republic Fleet EMP M
Covert Cynosural Field Generator I
Covert Ops Cloaking Device II

Medium Trimark Armor Pump I
Medium Trimark Armor Pump I
Medium Trimark Armor Pump I

Loki Defensive - Adaptive Augmenter
Loki Electronics - Immobility Drivers
Loki Engineering - Power Core Multiplier
Loki Offensive - Covert Reconfiguration
Loki Propulsion - Fuel Catalyst

Because it lacks damage bonuses and a full rack of guns, this ship really is mainly a tackler. Yet again, some potential for optimization by means of faction modules exists here. One should go for better resists then. Because in it's role as hunter-killer this ship needs to move ahead of the Black-Ops gang and act as tempting bait for would-be attackers, so you need to be able to soak some damage while you light your cyno.


Wrapping up

So, this concludes my two part excursion into the realm of expensive "Elite PVP" fittings. If you are a new player, this can offer you an ambitious perspective for training. If you are more experienced, you might already be familiar with T3 gangs, but I hope I could still offer some insight. If you think of joining any of the small to medium gang PVP crews in the game, being able to fly something like this ship will make you a useful asset.

Of course, this was not an exhaustive discussion of Loki configurations. There are several more which are quite viable and widely flown, but this is one specific aspect I have personal experience with and which has been battle-tested. It remains a strong addition to T3 armor gangs or - in the case of the artillery fit - the main combat platform for roaming gangs.

That is until CCP Fozzie and Rise mess around with the T3 subsystems probably later this year. At that point I'll probably have to rewrite this whole thing.

Happy hunting!

TRS - A Newbie Guide to FC Commands

Like I said, I am currently engaged in Faction Warfare, and because of the relatively easy access to that playstyle really new pilots are regularly coming in. For them and newbies everywhere else I decided to write this short guide, so you don't have to ask embarrassing questions in the middle of a fleet op, or - even worse - get yourself killed or screw up a fleet operation because you did the wrong thing. In here, you'll find commonly used commands that are pretty universal all over the game. I will also explain for each command on how you properly follow it and which keyboard shortcuts you can use.

You can also use this as an aspiring fleet commander to know how to issue commands to people in a way that is generally understood in EVE.

EVE Uni also have a nice guide on the subject but it is in many ways rather specific to their way of doing things. I would still recommend reading it.

A few things in general:

Once you are on fleet coms during forming up the fleet, be sure to identify the voice of the FC. If you are not sure who it is, then ask. That is the person you keep listening to for instructions, and nobody else. Always pay attention to every word the FC says.

If the FC issues an order and you didn't understand it, ask the FC to repeat it, but don't start a long explanation like "Sorry, I'm new here so I didn't quite get that last thing you said. Could you be so kind to tell me again what I am supposed to do." just keep it short and clear like "FC repeat last order." or "FC repeat destination."

If you are just a normal fleet member with no special role, then you wont have to say much yourself during an operation, so don't. Often enough you will end up in fleets where lots of people seem to talk about random stuff. Don't let yourself get dragged into this. Those people are either experienced enough to judge the situation and know when it's OK to relax, or they are just idiots who mess up coms. If you belong to the intended audience for this post, then you are most likely not experienced enough yet, and you certainly don't want to be one of the idiots either. 

Ok, with that out of the way let's get to the things you will hear the FC say and what they mean:

Moving Around:  

• Warp (to) ... This command is followed by a destination. That can be a gate, a station, a planet or anything else in system. It means that you warp to zero distance. Click on the destination on your overview (BTW most of the actions that follow here require you to click on your destination on the overview, so I wont repeat that for each command) Now hit the "Warp to" button on your selected object panel (or S on your keyboard). Most importnatly, if your destination is a gate do not jump through.
• Jump on contact This is the exception to the last sentence above. If you hear an FC say that after issuing a warp to gate order, you are supposed to jump. You can warp and jump on contact by hitting the D button on your keyboard after you selected a gate.
• Jump You will hear this order if you have been sitting at a gate and are now supposed to jump through. Do it immediately. Again, you can hit D for that. Just make sure you have the gate selected if you do.
• Hold/Gate is Red This command is usually issued after you have already been ordered to jump but things have changed due to new information. So you do not jump through the next gate. If you are already in warp, you hit Ctrl+Space to cancel the jump command that would follow your warp. Also FCs often use this command to emphasize that people should not jump, even if they were not ordered to and should actually stop at the gate anyway. Once you are free to jump the FC will declare the gate Green.
• Warp at range/Warp to optimal Here the FC will give you a destination and either tell you to which range you should warp, or assume that you just warp to the range that is best for you. If you are in a frigate with guns that can fire up to 5km optimal range, then you warp to 5km. If you are in an electronic attack frigate like a Griffin that jams targets from 30km optimal, then use that range as your reference point.You do that by right clicking on the destination and selecting the proper distance to warp to.
• Align ... This will also be followed by a destination. Your selected object panel has a button for that too, and hitting A is the keyboard shortcut for it. Some FCs will use the term Soft Align. That means you align, and once your ship has turned into that direction, you stop it's engines to hold position.
• Set Destination This command will be accompanied by a link in fleet chat. If it is not, request it. You can click on that link and set destination. It is important that you use the same autopilot settings as everyone else. If in doubt, ask. "Prefer Shorter" is usually the default. The autopilot settings can be found by clicking on the A next to the route that usually appears at the left top of your screen as a series of blocks.
• Best Speed/Free Burn ... Again, this command will be followed by a solar system destination. Like above, someone will link that system in fleet chat so you can click on it and set the destination. You are then supposed to just warp to and jump through all the stargates on the way there without detours or delays.
• Anchor on ... This command will be followed by the name of a fleet member. You can either orbit that fleet member at reasonably close range, or use the "Keep at range" function. Don't get so close that you can bump off eachother. Something like 5-10km is usually fine.
• Tac/Ping on ... This is the FC asking for someone to either warp to a previously existing tactical bookmark or otherwise create one at a destination gate or station. A tactical bookmark is one that is far enough from a gate or a station to be at minimum warp distance (+150km). If you have such a bookmark or want to create one (best done in a fast ship) then you can respond by announcing that.
• Go plus one This one will come with a qualifier that tells you whether the command is meant for you or not. Something like "Scout go plus one" or "Fast Tackle go plus one" If the role description fits your ship and role, you jump through the next gate on the way to the destination solar system. When everyone else is ordered to just warp to a gate, it means you jump through it. If everyone is jumping through, it means you go to the next system on the path to the destination.
• Hold Cloak This will be issued after a jump order. It means that you jump through a gate and do not move. Do not click anywhere in space. Just do nothing and take a few deep breaths because usually that command is given when you jump into an enemy gatecamp and things are going to turn exciting very soon. Also take a second to sort your overview by name. You will see in the next section why.

 Fighting

• Primary is ... This command is followed by an enemy pilot's name. Hold Ctrl and click on the pilot's name on the overview to achieve a target lock, and then hit them with everything you have. If you are too far away from the primary, then fly closer until you can engage them. If you now have your overview sorted by name, then you will find your target much easier.
• Secondary is ... Again followed by an enemy pilot's name. You lock that pilot too, but you do not hit them yet. The exception is, if your position is such that you happen to be out of range with the primary, but right next to the secondary, and if the primary target is a ship that will go down really quickly anyway. If the primary is a battleship and you are a small gang, your DPS will definitely be needed. If the primary is a cruiser, shooting the secondary is acceptable. Some FCs will call tertiary targets ... the same applies to them.
• Spread Points ... If you have a warp disruptor or warp scrambler (and you probably should have in a PVP fleet), lock up the first hostile you see on your overview that is close enough to be affected and activate the module. A good way to select a target is to take someone whose name starts with the same letter as yours, or the next closest one. Once you have one pointed call "Point on [Pilot Name]. If someone already has called point on the one you were targeting, target and point someone else.
• Weapons free Just attack and shoot whatever you like that's in range. Usually, when you hear this, you can start feeling good about things. An FC will normally only issue this command when success is a certainty.
• Deaggress Means you stop shooting, locking, pointing, everything that you are doing to people from the hostile fleet. Also, if you have drones out, do not forget to recall them. Usually this command is issued with the intention to escape through a gate or dock at a station when your aggression timer has run out, so approach the closest gate or station until you are in jump- or dock range but do not stop moving. Best orbit the gate or orbit a fellow pilot close enough for jumping or docking.
• Overheat You need to have the Thermodynamics skill for that. In it's general form it means to overheat your weapons for maximum damage. Hold Shift and click on your weapon icon to do so. If you want to stop overheating, do the Shift+Click thing again. Sometimes you will be ordered to overheat your propulsion or something else. The Same Shift+Click action works for that too.
• [Role/Name] Down This is not something the FC tells you, but something you tell the FC. You inform the FC that the fleet has lost a ship with a special role if you get killed and you were assigned a special function that the fleet has in limited supply. If you fly in a fleet of thirty blaster fit Thoraxes, you don't call out "Thorax Down" when you get blown up, but if you were one of two jamming ships or a logistics cruiser that the fleet is depending on, it makes sense to announce your loss. If you are sure that the FC knows what you personally are flying, then you can also use your name.
• Scatter/Warp Out/Run When you hear that, it's all about saving yourself. The battle is lost and all you can do is to try and get out alive. Warp to the first faraway thing that you can find on your overview. Ideally a planet. If you can not warp, align your ship in the direction of an object away from the enemy and overheat your propulsion module if you can. You might be able to shake people tackling you or get out of a bubble and still make it, but be prepared to warp your pod instead.

Other stuff

• Clear Coms A family friendly way for an FC to say "Shut the fuck up you bunch of retards!"
• Break/Check Usually called by people other than the FC. Most of the time by a scout. This is meant to get everyone to stop talking and start listening because something important is going to come up. It could even be you who calls a Break because you might have noticed something nobody else did. Like for example if you are the last to jump through a gate and a whole fleet of hostiles landed behind you just before you jumped.
• Chill (or something to that effect) This is the FC telling you that you can drop your guard. Now you can talk about random stuff until you either hear a Break or a Clear Coms.
• X "tack" Y This is not so much a command but a jargon thing. You will hear that in nullsec space when an FC gives destination. Nullsec systems have alphanumeric names like F-YH5B. The hyphen in those names will generally be spoken as "tack" like eff-tack-why-age-five-bee in the given example.

This sums up all generally used FC commands that I can think of. Some corps and alliances might have special codes or commands that I did not list here, but the above should get you through almost any fleet operation without seeming completely clueless.


I wish you good luck out there, and good fights.