Navigation 101
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Contents |
Preface
There are many things that a capsuleer must know as a ship pilot. However, one of the most important things to learn is something that most pilots do unconsciously; steering a ship, warping between systems and locations, and orbiting a target. Such a simple task may seem simple and pointless...but just a simple task can be the only thing saving you from life or death...a successful tackle or not. Mastering this class will enable the capsuleer to get the most out of their ships.
Class Information
This syllabi contains the standard information of this class pertaining to ship movement, ship warping, bookmarks, tactical and fleet warping, and adjusting to combat conditions. 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://img841.imageshack.us/img841/7908/midway.jpg
Describe the general purpose and objectives of the class, and the intended audience.
- Duration: 2 to 3 hours [and an additional 1 to 2 hours for the optional practical exercise.
- Location: Docked up safely in a station [in Aldrat]. Practical, meet outside the Pator Tech School in Aldrat.
Student requirements:
- Mumble registration and access - make sure you have Mumble sorted out and operational well before the class begins. Use this guide for set-up: Mumble
- Access to the Class.E-UNI in-game chat channel.
- A Condor, Executioner, Atron or Slasher T1 frigate, for the optional practical exercise.
Additional information: This class is primarily lecture delivered in the Class.E-UNI channel in Mumble, as well as a number of practical excercises. If the practical cannot be done, other options must be looked into.
Notes for the Teacher
Required materials:
- Class.E-UNI chat channel, to receive questions and post relevant links.
- Ships on hand should all carry a warp scrambler and a warp disruptor, and no other modules or armament.
Class preparation:
- Being a part of Eve University is important, due to friendly fire rules.
- DANGER: Due to friendly fire rules, if a student is not part of the uni, anything practical segment that would require aggressing a target must be handled very carefully!
- Prepare a chain of 20 anchored containers set up at different headings to make a navigation course of sorts; each container should be labeled "Nav 1", "Nav 2", and so on, and should all be about 20km apart from the preceeding container. This is for a maneuvering excercise, and the names are important as the students are supposed to scramble these. The name of the pilot and the name of the can will appear on the Log with a timestamp to track times.
- Prepare a battleship with four smartbombs; one faction large, one large, one medium, one small. This smartbomb should be set to single cycle. This is for practicing orbiting a smartbomb-equipped ship.
- Prepare two Orcas if possible, for a demonstration of webifying techniques for warping. One ship should be fit with a 100mn Microwarpdrive I, set for a single cycle. If Orcas are not available, two Freighters will suffice.
- Set up a grid of 6 bookmarks with at least 150km distance from each other, to describe tactical warping.
Class Contents
- Basic Ship Movement
- Tactical maneuvering a ship using the overview
- Tactical maneuvering a ship via double-clicking
- Warping - How it works
- Webifier-assisted warp entry
- Tactical Warping
- Countering Tactical Warping
- Basic bookmarking while in warp
- Bumping
- Undocking from a station while at war
- Pod saving after ship loss
- Stargate entry and exit
- Automatic jumps through stargates
- Ranges for jumping, looting, docking, etc.
- Maneuvering in combat - Moving between targets
- Avoiding smartbombs while pointing
- Taking point
- Escaping tackle
Introduction
Welcome to my class on Navigation!
This course is designed for all pilots, new and old, that want to learn how to get the most out of your ship when traveling from point A to point B, from maneuvering to get closer to an asteroid to mine it, to circling a ship to lock it down, to even knowing distances when undocking from stations. This is a very comprehensive course that should greatly assist you in many things in Eve Online.
Over the next two hours or so, we shall cover many different subjects including the following: knowing how to maneuver a ship using the overview during combat; know how to maneuver a ship via double-clicking a heading in combat; knowing the distances when you enter and leave a stargate; learn how to have your ship automatic jump through stargates on contact; learn how webifiers can be used to shorten warp-entry time; learning the distances for how close one must be to dock, loot, and other operations one must do while flying their ship; learn how to undock safely during war, or at trade hubs or low-security space; learn how to maneuver in combat, and how to move between targets; learn the distances of smartbombs, and how to avoid them while pointing a target; learn how avoid getting podded after a ship loss; learn how to create a safespot in emergency situations; learn about tactical warping and how to counter it; tackling a target; learn about bumping a ship; and learning some tricks to escape tackling devices such as warp scramblers and webifiers.
In addition to the comprehensive list, we will be also doing a number of practical excercises to help sharpen your reflexes and actions.
(Instructor should then introduce himself or herself - covering relevant experience level and background.)
We have a few ground rules for this class:
- Please put your Mumble settings on "Push to Talk" if you have not already done so.
- Feel free to type any questions in the Class.E-UNI chat channel as we proceed - I will try to answer your questions as they come during the class. [At the end of my lecture, we'll open Mumble for any further questions or general discussion.]
- You should be docked up safely in a station in Aldrat if you intend to participate in the practical exercise. If not, please make your way here so you can participate.
Everyone ready? OK, then - let's begin....
Ship Maneuvering 101
This section explains the basics of controlling a ship, using both the overview and double-clicking. This section will use the 20 anchored containers for the practical excercise.
Basic Ship Movement
Theory:
- Explain how movement works, via overview or by double-clicking.
- Explain how a ship's mass, propulsion modules, maximum speed, inertia and other factors adjusts a ship's ability to maneuver.
- Explain how to look up a ship's mass and speed statistics.
Practical:
- Have each student do a "Show Info" on their ship to look up their mass, speed, and inertia attribues, and to look up mass on armor modules and such.
Tactical maneuvering a ship using the overview
Theory:
- Break down how ranges in the overview can affect a player, both in movement from point A to Point B, and for combat.
- Explain the Orbit, Keep At Range and Approach commands.
- Explain speeds and percentages of maximum throttle.
Practical:
- Have each pilot move their fast frigate (A Condor, Executioner, Slasher or Atron) through each navigation point in order by using the overview, activating their warp scrambler each time they reach a navigation point.
- Monitor whether or not they stop at each waypoint, or fluidly move through each point without stopping.
- Explain that the pilot should keep moving, and suggest that they have the next waypoint targeted before reaching it to allow them to turn prior to arrival.
- Non-Eve University members must NOT use any module on the containers while participating in this exercise, or they may be destroyed by CONCORD.
Tactical maneuvering a ship via double-clicking
Theory:
- Explain how doubleclicking works, and how it can be used to strategically maneuver one's ship around each point.
Practical:
- Have each pilot move their fast frigate (A Condor, Executioner, Slasher or Atron) through each navigation point in order using the overview as reference only, and doubleclicking to navigate;
- Have each pilot activate their warp scrambler each time they reach a navigation point.
- Monitor whether or not they stop at each waypoint, or fluidly move through each point without stopping.
- Explain that the pilot should keep moving, and suggest that they have the next waypoint targeted before reaching it to allow them to turn prior to arrival.
- Non-Eve University members must NOT use any module on the containers while participating in this exercise, or they may be destroyed by CONCORD.
This section explains the theories on warping, how a pilot can initiate warp faster, how one can save himself after losing their ship, and how one can use warping tactically. This section will require the use of disposable shuttles, the use of two Orcas or two freighters, and the use of a series of bookmarks which are all 150km away from each other. One of the Orcas should have a Microwarpdrive, and the other a webifier.
Warping - How it works
Theory:
- Explain how warping works, and how ships can warp at different speeds.
- Explain what an Astronautical Unit is. (150,000,000 KM)
- Explain how to look up a ship's warp speed statistic.
- Explain how fleeted ships match the slowest ship's speed while at warp.
- Explain align times and what modules assist in such.
- Explain how ships enter warp at 75% speed, and the lines shown on the throttle control.
- Explain how planets use different points for aligning and for warping, and why customs station may be a better choice for aligning.
- Explain how aligning works, and how it can save one's life.
Practical:
- Have each student warp to a predetermined destination.
- Have each student do a "Show Info" on their ship to look up their warp speed attribute.
- Have all ships join a fleet, and have each student align to a specific destination, and have them set their ships to move at 75% throttle manually.
Webifier-assisted warp entry
Theory:
- Expand on the previous section on how ships enter warp at 75%.
- Explain how a pilot can either increase his speed to force a warp, or to slow it down to force a warp.
- Explain how to use single-cycle Microwarpdrives or Afterburners on the ship they are piloting.
- Explain how to use a webifier to cause someone to enter warp immediately.
Practical:
- Bring out two Orcas, and do a visual demonstration of accelerated warp using speed modules.
- Bring out an Orca and do a visual demonstration of decelerated warp using webifiers.
- (Optional) Have the class practice webifying techniques.
- Non-Eve University members must loot a container in order to be able to participate in this exercise.
Tactical Warping
Theory:
- Explain how a pilot can do a tactical warp, let it be in a mission area, or in PVP.
- Explain how to set up a warp-in spot in space.
- Explain how this method can be used to protect themselves when undocking, especially during war.
- Explain how this can be used to break all locks against you, and to evade enemy missile fire.
Practical:
- Have the students fly away from the station at least 150km away, have them bookmark, warp back to the station, then back to the bookmark.
Countering Tactical Warping
Theory:
- Explain how each bookmark is static, and that pilots who have set them up had done so prior to the engagement.
- Explain that, if the pilot is in a fleet, specific fleetmembers can fly in the general heading of the ship, prior to its warp. Eventually, the ship will have nowhere to warp to without being tackled.
Practical:
- The instructor should get into a battleship-type ship, and have it warp between four points.
- Have the students attempt to catch the instructor using a warp scrambler or disruptor prior to it entering warp.
- Non-Eve University members must loot a container in order to be able to participate in this exercise.
Basic bookmarking while in warp
Theory:
- Explain how bookmarking works through People & Places.
- Explain how to set up an emergency safespot bookmark while in warp.
- Explain how to set up a proper safespot while in warp.
Practical:
- Have all of the students warp from one planet to another. Then, have them warp to their safespots.
- Warp to each student to verify the safespots were formed correctly.
Bumping
Theory:
- Explain on how bumping can be used to push a pilot away from a gate, away from a station, or away from a target.
- Explain how mass can be a factor to this.
Practical:
- The instructor should be flying an Orca or freighter.
- Have the students try to bump the Orca away from the station as a demonstration.
Undocking from a station while at war
Theory:
- Explain how each station type has a different behavior when it comes to undocking.
- Explain how some stations have different distance boxes, and how some stations will throw you outside of docking range before the screen stops fading from black, where others will protect you for dozens of kilometers.
- Explain how some stations are 'smartbomb proof' due to the minimum distances when undocking.
Practical:
- Have the class undock from two different station types, and observe how far the station is behind them. Primary Caldari stations have the largest bubbles, while some Gallente ones are very tiny.
Pod saving after ship loss
Theory:
- Explain that when a ship is destroyed PVP, that it is imperative that the capsuleer must attempt to escape or risk death.
- Explain that there is lag once the ship is destroyed, and that the pilot should 'spam' the warp button in order to escape.
Practical:
- All students should be in shuttles. These shuttles are fully intended to be destroyed.
- Non-Eve University members must loot a container in order to be able to participate in this exercise.
- The instructor should be inside a fast locking ship, such as an assault frigate, or an interceptor.
- The instructor must attempt to warp scramble the pod prior to it escaping. If the student is unable to escape in time, then the pod will get scrambled, and the teacher will give the student another chance to escape.
- DO NOT SHOOT THE POD - Set the guns to fire only by mouse click to prevent accidents.
This section explains the basics of stargate navigation; how far one must be to jump, how far one appears on the other side, and tricks to get through a gate quicker. This section will require the use of a Stargate for the practical exercise.
Stargate entry and exit
Theory:
- Explain how stargates work, and how far one must be in order to jump.
- Explain how far one is from the gate after jumping through.
- Explain the complimentary 60 second cloak.
- Explain autopilot's 20km warp-in point.
Practical:
- Take the class to the nearest stargate, and have them approach it, and jump.
- Have them hold cloak, then reapproach the gate. Explain the distance.
Automatic jumps through stargates
Theory:
- Explain how the autopilot can be manipulated to a "Jump on Contact behavior".
- Explain the "Add as First Waypoint" feature.
Practical:
- Have the class do a fleet warp to a stargate with their autopilots set up correctly, and jumping on contact.
Ranges
This section explains how distance can be the deciding factor on whether or not a ship operation - or survival - is successful. This section will require the use of jettisoned containers, a station, and a stargate for the practical exercise.
Ranges for jumping, looting, docking, etc.
Theory:
- Explain about all of the distances that normally would apply for some basic actions:
- 2,500m to access a container or wreck.
- 500m to dock at a station.
- 2,500m to jump through a stargate.
- 10,000m (10km) when arriving from a stargate.
- 20,000m (20km) when arriving via autopilot.
- 150,000m (150km) to be able to warp to a point in space within the same grid.
Practical:
- (Optional) Have the class test out each of these ranges.
Combat Maneuvers
This section explains on how to gain tactical advantage by doing specific maneuvers. This section will require the use of frigates with warp disruptors (not scramblers), the use of a small, medium, large and faction large sized smartbomb-fitted battleship, and the use of the 20 anchored containers for this practical exercise.
Maneuvering in combat - Moving between targets
Theory:
- Explain how the distance of a ship's orbit, the angle that you approach the target, and the speed of the maneuver can affect turret and missile effectiveness.
- Explain the "spiral out" maneuver to put distance from the target; using double-click to move straight, then to reset the orbit, in order to prevent exposing one's self.
- Explain how a pilot's ship should never stop, and why they shouldn't stop.
- Explain how to, if a target is behind them, to safely do two or three manual turns to avoid receiving a lucky shot.
- This 12-minute video from Agony Unleashed is a great intro for basic PvP maneuvering, especially spiral approaches: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WT8VqVcLDqc
Practical:
- Have the pilots practice orbiting around a target.
- Have the pilots practice the spiral-out maneuver.
Avoiding smartbombs while pointing
Theory:
- Explain the ranges of the smartbombs - default 3,000m, 4,000m and 5,000m for non-faction ones.
- Explain how to take point against a smartbomb battleship.
Practical:
- The instructor should position the battleship far away from any station or any other non-participant.
- Non-Eve University members must loot a container in order to be able to participate in this exercise.
- The class should, one at a time, attempt to tackle the battleship without taking damage.
- The instructor should only do one smartbomb blast, escalating in scale per blast
Taking point
Theory:
- Explain how a pilot approaches a ship for the tackle can be just as important as orbiting it.
- Explain why a pilot should never approach head on to a target when moving in a fast ship.
Practical:
- With the 20 navigation points used prior, call out a particular navigation point for the entire class to attempt to tackle. Call out different random targets until the instructor is satisfied.
- Make sure that no one approaches the can from a head-on angle.
- Non-Eve University members must NOT use any module on the containers while participating in this exercise, or they may be destroyed by CONCORD.
Escaping tackle
Theory:
- Explain that in most situations, escaping tackle is impossible, unless a target gets jammed, energy neutralized or the pointing ship gets bumped far enough away.
- Explain that once a ship escapes the scrambling device, that they should be able to escape.
Practical:
- The instructor should be in a battleship, while each class participant is in a frigate.
- Those not being scrambled should try to bump the battleship out of range, to allow the frigate to escape.
- Non-Eve University members must loot a container in order to be able to participate in this exercise.
Class Wrap-up
- Thanks for attending this class!
- I would appreciate any feedback from people on how to improve the class
- Questions ?
