Logistics Ships 101

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Contents

Class Information

This chapter contains the standard information of this class pertaining to scheduling and class contents. The General Information should be sufficient to create a proper class topic for scheduling on the Eve University forum. Additional information relevant to the teacher is listed under Notes for the Teacher.

General Information

Illustration link for class description on the Eve University forum: http://eve.wikia.com/wiki/File:Guardian512.jpg

Describe the general purpose and objectives of the class, and the intended audience.

Class contents:

[* Practical exercise]

Student requirements:

[* A suitable ship, of the logistics type and fitted for remote repair or energy transfer, for the optional practical exercise]

Additional information: This class is primarily lecture delivered in the Class.E-UNI channel in Mumble, followed by Q&A. [An optional practical exercise follows.]

Notes for the Teacher

Required materials:

Class Contents

Introduction

Welcome to this class on Logistics Ships 101!

This course is designed primarily for pilots who would like a general introduction to logistics ships, why you should consider flying one, and what you will need to train to fly one effectively.

(Instructor should then introduce himself or herself - covering relevant experience level and background.)

We have a few ground rules for this class:

Everyone ready? OK, then - let's begin....

What is a logistics ship?

These powerful, yet cruiser-sized ships are staples in many top corporations fleets and can extend the life of your fleetmates with remote shield, armor and energy tranfers, as well as tracking links. They require a fairly high level of support skills as well as at least Logistics 4 to fly effectively (logistics 5 is better) which requires Racial Cruiser 5. This guide will be written with the understanding you have an idea of eve terminology, a basic idea of fleets, as well as familiarity with the modules mentioned.

Logistics pilots are well loved by their corpmates, but very specialized and almost helpless on their own. Even one or two of these ships can turn the tide of a battle, but take a dedicated pilot to devote themselves to them, as you don't end up on the killboards much. Parallels can be drawn between logistics ships and the "Healer" or "Priest" class in other MMOs - you keep your friends alive so the DPS can do their thing and blow stuff up.

T2 logistic ships have small signature radius, decent speed, and high resists. Even though they are the healer, they are tougher than a lot of other ships and will either be attempted to taken down first, jammed, or left to last if they are too tough a nut to crack, leaving your other more fragile, but high dps ships to deal the pain while you are being concentrated on. I would advise against flying a logistics ship if you do not like to be primary.

Each race has one T1 and one T2 variant of logistics ships. The T1 versions can be good to learn the ropes, but are not widely used. Each of the T2 ships specialize in two areas of either Armor, Shield, Tracking Links, or Energy Transfers, where the T1 version only gets a bonus to one, making the T2 far more common and some T1 logistic ships practically unused. In addition to this, the T2 varients come with drone bays suitable for 5 lights (Guardian and Basilisk, 25m3) up to 45m3 for the Scimitar and 50m3 for the Oneiros. Ecm drones, Warrior II's or Shield/Armor maintenance bots are common.

In addition, the T2 ships also receive fitting bonuses for either shield, armor, or energy transfers. These make it possible for the ships to fit 4 large reps each, as well as two energy transfers on top of this for the Amarr and Caldari variants, as they get 6 high slots to the Oneiros and Scimitars 4.

There is a divide between the Amarr/Caldari and the Gallente/Minmtar T2 logistic ships in the way the ships are used. Both the Caldari and Amarr ships are flown in pairs or small groups. With their 6 high slots, typically fit with 4 large remote reps and 2 large energy transfers, Caldari and Amarr logistics ships will target each other and each activate their remote energy transfers on each other. With the logistic ships energy transfer efficiency bonuses, this allows the ships to transfer substantially more cap than it takes to run the energy transfer, effectively creating cap out of thin air, enough to run the 4 large reps indefinately. Two Guardians or Basilisks, if left alone, can stay on 100% cap for the entire fight, while constantly running reps that would suck any other ship dry of capacitor in moments.

The Scimitar and the Oneiros are designed with more of a solo role in mind. With only 4 high slots for their reps, they still work better in pairs or small groups, but lack the ability to transfer energy. Some say this makes the Guardian and Basilisk better, but the Scimitar is still widely used for its speed in battlecruiser and below gangs. The Oneiros sees less use, but is still a fine ship. These ships require cap mods to be fit to keep them from capping out.

Caldari:

Amarr:

Gallente:

Minmatar:

Why fly a logistics ship?

Logistics are the ultimate "team play" ships - ships that are useless on their own but multiply the effectiveness of the gang exponentially. Its extremely rare a FC will say "I don't want another logi." In addition to this, logistics pilots are highly sought after for by both PVP and PVE corps. Wormhole corps in particular love logistics pilots for running C4-C6s.

If you want to help your corp, want your fellow corpmates to love you, and want to be wanted, perhaps logistics is the right path for you.

Logistics can also be a quite skill intensive role. Listening to a FC call primaries and activating your guns on them one after another is nothing compared to juggling reps on a 40 man fleet, trying to keep everyone (and yourself!) alive for as long as possible and turninga losing battle into a win, often beating fleets twice or three time the size of you purely through the power of your ship and skill.

What to do in a logistics ship?

Rep your fleetmates! Ok, to be a fair, it's a bit more complicated than that. Lets start with a hypothetical situation.

You are a basilisk pilot in a 30 person gang, mostly frigates and a cruisers, a handful of battlecruisers and battleships (a typical e-uni fleet), and another basilisk pilot. Your scout discovers a 20 person fleet gate-camping in a nearby lowsec system.

The FC can choose to send the two logistics pilots in as well as a handful of the tougher ships as bait. Engage the enemy, point as many as you can, wait until they engage, and bring the rest of the fleet in. The logistics pilots will keep everyone alive against the superior odds long enough for you to engage them. Or, you can simply warp in at optimal with the rest of the fleet and begin the combat. A typical engagement will go something like this.

FC orders a warp to optimal ranges to engage the gatecamp.

1) If the fight on the gate is at 0, warp to 50-70, wherever you feel comfortable. Make sure your energy transfer buddy warps at a similar range. Large transfers have a 71km range.

2) Target any ships used as bait and activate reps on them. Target your Basilisk partner and start the cap transfer chain. Activate afterburner (if you are using one) and get angular velocity to the enemy fleet. Ideally you want your fleet between you and the enemy.

3) Use the watch list as well as people announcing in the fleet window that they need shields to judging who needs remote reps. If you have multiple logistics you may wish to look after a squad each, or simply lock when people call for shields. The "fleet announce" button is great for this. Have your fleetmates hit the "need shield" button if they require reps. Logistics can handle 10 targets, so pre-locking is a vital tactic if you know who is likely to be primed.

4) Watch out in particular for your fellow Basilisk. Together you have the power of 8-10 reps. When he is under attack only 4-5 are available. If one gets too low, either both basis should bounce out, rep to full, then warp back in, or you need to let your partner know you will need reps soon as you re-hit the grid.

5) Keep an eye out for Ewar ships in particular - remote sensor damps can increase your lock time and decrease your lock range, you will need to move closer, or even better warp in closer to your fleet if these are present. Jamming ships can break your energy transfer chain and keep your reps from being effective. Logistics ships have naturally high sensor strength and usually fit ECCM, but you aren't invincible to jams, and it only takes one or two to really mess your fleet up if they are relying on you. the FC should know to target these ships first if possible.

6) Keep an eye out for energy neutralizers. The occasional nos or neut is ok, but a dedicated neut ship like a curse or a domi with multiple large neuts is going to cap you out. Inform the FC you are becoming cap unstable and have them jam or direct primaries on these ships.

7) Use your drones as needed. Shield maintenance bots are usually put on the other Basilisk. Warrior II's are launched to attack enemy drones or small ships (frigates/inteceptors etc) harassing you. ECM drones can be used to break an enemy tacklers lock or placed on an enemy jam ship or logistics.

8) Keep your FC informed if something is going wrong. The FC will have a plan in mind that takes into account the power of your reps. If you are jammed, thats vital information. If people are breaking, or the basilisks are breaking, they need to know to plan accordingly.

9) Your job isn't over once your fleet is victorious or you scatter. Stick with the regrouping fleet and continue to rep people so re-engagement is possible asap. You never know when reinforcements might come, you get hit again, or your FC decides to re-engage the enemy fleet.

Recommended logistics ship skills

Not all of these are essential, but these skills you should have before hopping in a T2 logistics hull.

Also, a full T2 tank (required during UNI wartime)

Logistics implants

Slot Name 1% 2% 3% 4% 5% 6% Effect
7 Hardwiring - Inherent Implants 'Noble' ZET20 ZET22 ZET200 ZET220 ZET2000 ZET2200 reduced capacitor need for remote armor repair system modules
7 Hardwiring - Inherent Implants 'Squire' EE2 EE3 EE4 EE6 EE8 EE10 reduced capacitor need for energy emission systems
8 Hardwiring - Zainou ‘Gnome’ KXA500 KXA750 KXA1000 KXA1500 KXA2000 KXA3000 reduces capacitor need for shield emission system modules

Logistics for Incursion fleets

Extra Credit Section

Class Wrap-up

[* Practical exercise: ....]

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