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Introduction: Doing Damage

The two most widely used types of weapon systems are Turrets and Launchers. Turrets fire a stream of damage bundles (projectiles, charges, laser beams) that travels in a straight line out from the turret as the turret moves to track the target. Launchers fire self-propelled bundles of damage (rocket, missile, torpedo) that chase down the target. (There are exceptions, drones, for example, but most weapons follow one of these patterns.)

In each case, the actual damage done to the target depends on a number of factors. You can read the details in these two articles: Turret Damage / Missile Damage - but for now it is enough to recognize that the two weapons systems do damage in different ways. Given that the target is within range of the weapon, then the final damage to the target depends on:

Launcher: base damage amount, signature radius of target, velocity of target, explosion radius of missile, explosion velocity of missile, damage reduction factor

Turret: base damage amount, transversal speed, turret tracking, turret signature resolution, target signature radius, turret optimal range, turret range falloff

The difference, in simple terms, is that launchers will always "hit", but the damage done will vary depending on the size of the target and the speed of the explosion. On the other hand, turrets may miss the target, but a hit will always do at least a basic minimum amount of damage.

It may seem that a 100% chance to hit any target within range is a significant advantage, however this is balanced by other factors, including especially the firing speed of the weapon and the travel time of the damage bundle. In general, launched weapons fire more slowly and take more time to strike their targets, thus leaving their ships more open to retaliation. In any case, you can rest assured that neither type of weapons system has an advantage over the other in and of itself. The advantages arise from the ship bonuses, ship fittings, and pilot skills and experience.

The remainder of this article will deal with the mechanics and characteristics of launcher based weapons systems. These will be compared in general terms that do not provide the details required for fitting. For information about specific missiles and launchers, please refer to the article on Fitting Missile Launchers.

Note that launcher based damage bundles are often called "missiles", and that this term can refer to any of rockets, missiles, torpedoes and bombs (even though bombs have an entirely different physical mechanics).

Missile Range and Launcher Firing Rate

A missile does not so much hit a ship as explode near it. When a missile crosses the signature radius of its target, it blows up. The speed at which this explosion grows and the maximum size of the explosion determine the amount of damage done to the target.

File:Qsm missile sigrad.gif

Missile Explodes at Signature Radius

EVE uses a mathematical equation to compute the precise amount of damage that the explosion does to the ship. The details of what happens when a missile hits are somewhat complicated and are explained in Missile Damage.

Range

When fired, a missile will leave the launcher, quickly accelerate, and then proceed at its best speed directly at the target until it runs out of fuel. If it encounters the target during that time, it will explode - otherwise it will vanish. The approximate maximum distance that a missile will travel can be found by multiplying the speed of the missile by the number of seconds that its fuel will last. (The approximation is due to the slightly slower speed as the missile accelerates at launch. Also, missile travel time is expressed in whole seconds - this can matter when targeting at extreme range.^[1])

Maximum Distance ≈ Speed x Seconds of Fuel

For example:

A Light Missile has a flight time of 5 seconds at a speed of 3750 m/s. The maximum distance it can travel is 5 x 3750 ≈ 18,750 m.
A torpedo has a flight time of 6 seconds at a speed of 1500 m/s. The maximum distance it can travel is 6 x 1500 ≈ 9,000 m.

Although the terms "range" and "distance" are often used interchangeably, technically, the range answers the question of whether the missile can reach its target: is it "in" or "out" of range? If the target is stationary, then the maximum distance will be the missile's range. Normally, however, the target is moving, and the range depends on this motion.

Missile Catches Fleeing Target

Missile Does Not Catch Fleeing Target

If the target is moving directly away from the missile, then it will take the missile longer to reach the target than it would a stationary one. In fact, if the target is moving fast enough, the missile may not be able to reach it at all - in this case, the target would be considered "out of range." Note that the target does not have to be moving faster than the missile ... just fast enough to stay ahead of the missile until it runs out of fuel.

If the target is moving directly at the missile, then the missile will reach it much faster than it would reach a stationary target. In this case, the target may be "in range" even when it seems too far away to hit.

Missile at Orbiting Target

In most cases, however, the target will be moving in a curve with regard to the missile ship - possibly in an orbit, possibly curving towards or away from the launch. It is hard to specify the range, exactly, in these cases, but as always, the missile will head directly for the target, and it will continue as long as it has fuel. It's path is likely to be some sort of a spiral.

There is no way to control the path of a missile once it has been launched. It will point itself at its target and follow the target until it hits or runs out of fuel.

Firing Rate

After a launcher fires its missile, it must rest for a time before it fires again - this is called the "rate of fire". Turrets also have a firing rate, but launchers are much slower.

Weapon	Firing Rate (Seconds)	Average Base Damage (HP)
Light Missile Launcher	16	83
Cruise Missile Launcher	20.6	375
Light Electron Blaster	2	9
350 mm Railgun (Large)	7.3	34
Large Dual Heavy Beam Laser	7.2	34
Note that values are approximate; for comparison only.

There is a correlation between firing rate and the base weapon damage. In general, launchers fire more slowly, but their missiles do more damage; while turrets depend on a stream of quickly fired, but individually less potent damage bundles.

Summary

In general launcher weapon systems do more damage per hit than turreted systems, but launchers fire slowly compared to turrets, and missiles take much longer to reach their targets.^[2] While damage, firing speed and travel time can be modified by means of skills and equipment, the relationships hold even with these improvements.

This has tactical implications. With a low ranged, fast firing turret ship, the pilot wants to get in close and keep the target locked. With a long ranged, slowly firing missile ship, the pilot wants to stay beyond the target's range and go for a slow kill.

Launcher and Missile Classes and Types

Warning: The data shown here are for general discussions of weapons systems. Some details have been omitted. If you are fitting a ship, it is highly recommended that you use the in-game Compare Tool to evaluate the relative merits of the various launchers and missiles that you are considering. Detailed data are also listed in Fitting Missile Launchers.

Each launcher class can launch missiles of that class. E.g., Light Missile Launchers launch Light Missiles, as do Rapid Light Missile Launchers. Heavy Assault Missile Launchers launch Heavy Assault Missiles. Torpedo Launchers launch torpedoes. And so on. Different types of launchers within the class vary the firing rate and other characteristics of the launchers. Typically the Tech I Arbalest, Limos and Malkuth launchers, as well as the Tech 2 launchers, use less CPU, have faster firing rates and are less prone to damage from overheating.

Similarly, there are multiple missile types within a class. Each variety of EVE damage is represented by a missile category. Inferno, Mjolnir, Nova and Scourge apply thermal, EM, explosive and kinetic damage, in that order. A given missile will apply only one variety of damage, and each missile category does the same number of hit points of damage. Other missile types vary the flight time, base damage (hit points), and other characteristics of the missile. Gurista, Caldari Navy and Dread Gurista missiles are little different from standard missiles except that they have higher base damage; Guristas least, and Dread Guristas most.

"Advanced" missiles come in sets:

Precision versus Fury: Precision missiles have a faster, smaller explosion and will do more damage to a small, fast target - while Fury missiles, with their larger, slower explosions do more damage against larger, slower targets.
Long Range versus Anti-ship: Javelin long range missiles travel considerably farther than their Rage counterparts; but the Rage missiles do considerably more damage.

*The data here is from Rockets and Light Missiles, but the ratios hold for all the missile types.*
Missile	Flight Time	Velocity	Explosion Radius	Explosion Velocity	Base Damage
Standard Missile	5.0	3,750	40	170	83
Precision Missile	2.5	3,750	25	204	83
Fury Missile	3.75	3,750	69	143	116
Standard Rocket	2.0	2,250	20	150	33
Javelin Rocket	2.0	3,275	20	150	29.7
Rage Rocket	2.0	1,875	30	129	44.6

A launcher class and its associated missiles can be thought of as a weapons system, each of which fits best in a particular group of ships. Launchers require high power slots as well as launcher hardpoints. The power drain generally puts a lower bound on the ship size for each launcher class. Typically:

light and rocket launchers go in frigates and destroyers
rapid light, heavy and heavy assault launchers go in cruisers and battlecruisers
rapid heavy, torpedo and cruise launchers go in battleships
and citadel launchers go in capital ships
torpedo launchers also go in T2 frigate "stealth bombers", which have specialized attributes to accommodate them.

(Note that while bombs are fired from bomb launchers, they are unguided, area-of-effect weapons whose mechanics are not really comparable to missiles and turreted weapons.)

The following tables list launcher systems in terms of the ships into which they are usually fitted. Note that some details are missing - for a complete listing of the characteristics of a launcher or missile, use the in-game Show Info window. T1 ships with bonuses for launchers and/or missiles are also listed. For information on T2 and T3 ships, please read Missile Ships.

Frigate and Destroyer Based

T1 bonused ships

Frigates: Condor, Kestrel, Breacher
Destroyers: Corax, Talwar

*Based on T1, Level I equipment ... for comparison only. Use in-game data for fitting.*
Launcher	Power (MW)	Firing Rate (s)	Reload Time (s)	Missile Type	Flight Time (s)	Velocity (m/s)	Explosion Radius (m)	Explosion Velocity (m/s)	Base Damage (hp)
Rocket	4	5	10	Rocket	2	2,250	20	150	33
Light Missile	6	16	10	Light	5	3,750	40	150	83

Cruiser and Battlecruiser Based

T1 Bonused Ships

Cruisers: Caracal, Bellicose, Sacrilege
Battlecruisers: Drake, Cyclone

*Based on T1, Level I equipment ... for comparison only. Use in-game data for fitting.*
Launcher	Power (MW)	Firing Rate (s)	Reload Time (s)	Missile Type	Flight Time (s)	Velocity (m/s)	Explosion Radius (m)	Explosion Velocity (m/s)	Base Damage (hp)
Rapid Light Missile	73	7.8	35	Light	5	3,750	40	150	83
Heavy Missile	100	15	10	Heavy	6.5	4,300	140	81	142
Heavy Assault Missile	108	8	10	Heavy Assault	4	2,250	125	101	100

Note: Rapid Light Launchers have an unusually long reload time.

Battleship Based

T1 Bonused Ships

Battleships: Raven, Typhoon

*Based on T1, Level I equipment ... for comparison only. Use in-game data for fitting.*
Launcher	Power (MW)	Firing Rate (s)	Reload Time (s)	Missile Type	Flight Time (s)	Velocity (m/s)	Explosion Radius (m)	Explosion Velocity (m/s)	Base Damage (hp)
Rapid Heavy Missile	960	6.48	35	Heavy	6.5	4,300	140	81	142
Cruise Missile	1,450	20.68	10	Cruise	14	4,700	330	69	375
Torpedo	1,750	18	10	Torpedo	6	1,500	450	71	450

Notes:

Rapid Heavy Launchers have an unusually long reload time.
Each race has a T2 Frigate class Stealth Bomber (Manticore, Hound, Purifier, Nemesis) that has a 99.65% reduction in Torpedo Launcher powergrid requirements. These ships are also bonused for torpedo damage and stealth.

Capital Ship Based

*Based on T1, Level I equipment ... for comparison only. Use in-game data for fitting.*
Launcher	Power (MW)	Firing Rate (s)	Reload Time (s)	Missile Type	Flight Time (s)	Velocity (m/s)	Explosion Radius (m)	Explosion Velocity (m/s)	Base Damage (hp)
Citadel Cruise	100,000	35.20	10	Citadel Cruise	15	5,700	2,000	40	1,500
Citadel Torpedo	100,000	25.50	10	Citadel Torpedo	7.5	3,500	3,000	35	2,000

Specialized

*Based on T1, Level I equipment ... for comparison only. Use in-game data for fitting.*
Launcher	Power (MW)	Firing Rate (s)	Reload Time (s)	Missile Type	Flight Time (s)	Velocity (m/s)	Explosion Radius (m)	Explosion Velocity (m/s)	Base Damage (hp)
Light Missile	6	16	10	Light Defender	10	8000	-	-	60
Heavy Missile	100	15	10	Heavy Defender	10	7,500	-	-	74
Light Missile	6	16	10	Auto-Targeting Light	5	3,750	40	170	62
Heavy Missile	100	15	10	Auto-Targeting Heavy	6.5	4,300	81	140	107
Cruise Missile	1,450	20.68	10	Auto-Targeting Cruise	14	4,700	69	330	281
Bomb	10	10	160	Bomb	12	2,500	-	-	6,400

Notes

When fired, a Defender Missile will target an enemy missile that has been launched at your ship. Defenders kill one missile at a time and are more likely to hit missiles fired at you from long range. Defenders are generally considered to be of less value than offensive missiles fitted into the same launcher.
When fired, an Auto-Targeting Missile will locate and target the nearest enemy ship or drone which has previously fired on you. Since they cannot be aimed, auto-targeting missiles are usually passed over in favor of regular missiles.
Bombs are included here for reference. Although they are launched, bombs are unguided, area of effect weapons. They do not follow the mechanics of missiles and have their own wiki page.

Related Skills and Equipment

As is usual in EVE, various skills and equipment can improve a pilot's use of launcher based weapons.

Skills

The standard fitting skills, and the general targeting skills — especially Signature Analysis, Target Management, and Long Range Targeting — are essential to the use of missile launchers. In addtion, Eve offers pilots a number of skills specific to launched weapons systems. If you are new to missiles, train these at least to Level 3, and train higher in the ones that seem most useful to you.

Basic Missile Skills

Each type of missile has a basic skill that enables its use. As an example, the basic skill for Light Missiles is summarized next:

Light Missiles

Attributes: Perception, Willpower

Multiplier: 2x

Price: 20k ISK

Prerequisites: Missile Launcher Operation II

I required for: T1 and Faction charges

III required for: Heavy Assault Missiles I; Heavy Missiles I

V required for: T2 charges; Light Missile Specialization I

Note the "required for" items near the bottom. You cannot, for example, train Light Missiles until you have trained Missile Launcher Operation to Level 2. And you cannot use T2 missiles until you train Light Missiles to Level 5.

There are twenty-four basic skills, one for each type of missile: Basic Missile Skills

Launcher Support Skills

These skills apply to missile launchers. They increase firing rate and damage, and the improve the accuracy of missiles against smaller, faster targets.

Missile Launcher Operation 2% Bonus to missile launcher rate of fire per skill level. A bonus to DPS — a prerequisite for most other missile skills. Train this one first.
Missile Bombardment 10% more flight time for all missiles per level. If you are planning to use a long range or "kiting" strategy, train this higher.
Guided Missile Precision 5% decreased factor of signature radius for all missile explosions per level of skill. Proficiency at this skill increases the accuracy of a fired missile's exact point of impact, resulting in greater damage to small targets.
Missile Projection 10% bonus to all missiles' maximum velocity per level. Another range increase that is especially useful for "kiting".
Rapid Launch 3% bonus to missile launcher rate of fire per level. Essentially, a DPS increase. Train this one to Level Five if you can.
Target Navigation Prediction 10% decrease per level in factor of target's velocity for all missiles. As with Guided Missile Precision, this makes missiles more effective against small targets.
Warhead Upgrades 2% bonus to all missile damage per skill level. Another DPS increase, smaller than Rapid Launch, but still worth training to Level Five.

Missile Support Skills

Each type of missile also has a set of support skills. Each category contains two skills. The first increases damage by 5%; the second increases firing rate by 2%. Both of these have the effect of increasing DPS, and should be trained if you expect to make heavy use of a particular kind of missile.

Skills are also available for Citadel Missiles and Torpedoes, Auto-Targeting Missiles, Defender Missiles, and Bombs.

Equipment

Modules

Missile Guidance Computers – these are active, scriptable, mid slot modules that give bonuses to missile velocity, missile flight time, explosion radius of missiles, and explosion velocity of missiles. Using ‘Missile Precision Script’ or ‘Missile Range Script’ you can double the bonus to either range or application, sacrificing the other.
Ballistic Control Systems - these are passive, low slot modules which increase missile damage and rate of fire.
Missile Guidance Enhancers – these are passive, low slot modules that give bonuses to missile velocity, missile flight time, explosion radius of missiles, and explosion velocity of missiles.

Rigs

Bay Loading Accelerator - Increases missile launchers' rate of fire.
Hydraulic Bay Thrusters - Increases missile velocity.
Rocket Fuel Cache Partition - Increases missile flight time.
Warhead Calefaction Catalyst - Increases missile damage.
Warhead Flare Catalyst - Increases explosion velocity.
Warhead Rigor Catalyst - Decreases explosion radius.

Tactics and Strategy

Turrets versus Launchers

It is difficult to compare qualitatively different weapons systems based on technical specifications. For example, here are two close range systems that are typically mounted on Frigates or Destroyers.

*Based on T1, Level I equipment ... for comparison only. Use in-game data for fitting.*
Launcher	Power (MW)	Firing Rate (s)	Reload Time (s)	Missile Type	Flight Time (s)	Velocity (m/s)	Explosion Radius (m)	Explosion Velocity (m/s)	Base Damage (hp)
Rocket	4	5	10	Rocket	2	2,250	20	150	33

Turret	Power (MW)	Firing Rate (s)	Reload Time (s)	Optimal Range (m)	Falloff (m)	Tracking Speed (rad/s)	Damage Modifier	Charge	Base Damage (hp)
Ion Blaster	4	2	5	1,000	1,500	0.438	1.8	Lead	8

The first problem is that although both systems function by delivering damage at a distance, the turret's primary effectiveness is based in the blaster, while the launcher's primary effectiveness is based in the rocket. And it is very hard to compare the tracking speed, optimal range and falloff of the one with the flight time, explosion radius and explosion speed of the other. In addition, the chart cannot take into account the ability of the pilot to keep the blaster within range and tracking on the one had, and the ability of the pilot to evade damage while the rockets travel and the launcher reloads on the other.

Damage and Range

As noted in the article on Missile Damage

While a missile can apply up to 100% of the Base Damage to a ship in some situations, damage is often reduced by two factors:

If the target ship is moving faster than the explosion velocity of the missile. Think of this as a fast ship being able to somewhat outrun the explosion.
If the signature radius of the target ship is smaller than explosion radius of the missile. Think of this as a small ship flying through a large explosion and only being hit by a part of it.

Footnotes and References

^ If the flight time is a fraction, EVE rounds it up or down. At times, this produces considerable departures from the computed range. See Interesting fact about missile mechanics for details.
^ For example, with a firing time of around 40 seconds, 1400 mm artillery is slower than any launcher. This is a rarity, though.

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Fitting

The fits shown below can be accomplished with various levels of the given equipment. A light missile launcher, for example, may be Light Missile Launcher I, Arbalest Compact Light Missile Launcher, Light Missile Launcher II, or a number of others. The essence of fitting a ship is picking and choosing among the various possibilities, looking for a balance that maximizes offense and/or defense without overloading the powergrid or cpu.

How you do this depends a great deal on your skills.

Fitting Skills

Launcher and Missile Skills

Targeting Skills

Navigation Skills

You should regard the fits shown here as templates. They do not tell you exactly which items to put in your ship. Instead, they give you a set of items that other pilots have found useful, which you will have to juggle to fit your skills, strategy and experience.

Frigate and Destroyer Class

**Caldari Kestrel PVE Mission**
#	Equipment	Notes
4	Light Missile Launcher	Prefer T2 for higher rate of fire
1	Afterburner
1	Small Shield Booster	Expends energy to provide a quick boost in shield strength.
1	EM Ward Amplifier	This adjusts for the lack of base EM shield resistance
1	Medium Shield Extender
1	Damage Control	T2 is preferred
1	Power Diagnostic	+power, +shield and capacitor recharge rate
0	Drones	Kestrel has no drone capacity
1	Rig: Small Warhead Calefaction Catalyst	+missile damage, +cpu requirements for launchers
1	Rig: Small Bay Loading Accelerator	+rate of fire

Caldari Frigate bonuses (per skill level):

5% bonus to Light Missile and Rocket damage
10% bonus to Light Missile and Rocket max velocity

With its bonuses and four launchers, the Kestrel is an excellent ship for Level I Missions. The four mid slots allow for a solid shield tank. This configuration can be set up with lower level equipment to match lower level skills and upgraded as skills improve.

Focus on:

Missile Launcher Operation III - to get T2 Light Missile Launchers
Hull Upgrades IV - to get T2 Damage Control

**Minmatar Breacher PVP Solo**
#	Equipment	Notes
3	Rocket Launcher	Prefer T2 for higher rate of fire
1	Afterburner	Prefer T2 for PvP
1	Medium Shield Booster	Ancillary version preferred because it uses Cap Booster Charges
1	Stasis Webifier
1	Warp Scrambler
1	Damage Control	T2 is preferred
1	Nanofiber Internal Structure	T2 preferred, +velocity, +maneuverability, -hull strength
1	Ballistic Control System	T2 preferred, +rate of fire, +damage
2	Drones	T2 Preferred, Hobgoblins often used for PvP
1	Rig: Small Anti-EM Screen Reinforcer	+EM resistance, +signature radius
1	Rig: Small Anti-Thermal Screen Reinforcer	+Thermal resistance, +signature radius
1	Rig: Small Core Defense Operational Solidifier	Reduces the duration of shield booster cycles, +signature radius

Minmatar Frigate bonuses (per skill level):

5% bonus to Light Missile and Rocket rate of fire
7.5% bonus to Shield Booster amount

This fit builds on the bonus for Shield Booster. The two drones provide significant support for close-in PvP action with Rockets. Note that T2 drones require two level V drone skills ... a considerable investment. This fit is best for pilots who are thinking about using drones in larger ships later on.

The Ancillary Medium Shield Booster uses Cap Booster charges to power itself, thus reducing the draw on the ship's capacitor. This is an effective approach in PvP fights, which tend to be fairly short.