User:Enta en bauldry/Tanking

Tanking is the soaking up or evasion of damage through the use of repair, speed, distance or sheer hitpoints. There are different ways a ship is tanked and each ship can do certain types better. The methods listed below can't be used on every ship, common sense and experience are crucial to decide what type of tank to use.

Base Mechanics & Jargon

The objective of tanking a ship is to extend it's survivability in combat, ultimately not getting destroyed. There many situations that require fitting defensive modules to your ship. Ranging from PvE to PvP, even during non-combat activities like hauling and mining.

Resistances: The amount of incoming damage can be lowered by increasing the resistances of your ship. There are four types of damage you can receive(generally a combination of some):

• EM
• Thermal
• Kinetic
• Explosive

EHP(Effective HP): The amount of damage a ship can take after fitting and resistances are calculated. Resistances lower the amount of incoming damage but don't increase your raw hitpoints.

HP(Hitpoints): Raw hitpoints before resistances.

Armor Tanking

Armor tanks are used on ships that are more inclined to fit one. A ship might have a specialized slot layout, more armor hitpoints, bonuses to armor repair or buffer amount. Armor tank modules are always fitted in low slots, freeing up mid slots for modules that provide utility. However, passive modules that go into low slots will be constrained, such damage increasing modules. Rigs can be used to increase the effectiveness of an armor tank.

Active Armor Tank

By fitting armor repairers to your ship, you acquire the ability to repair your armor during combat. An active armor tank is a great choice if your intention is to solo PvE, solo or small gang PvP. The strength of your tank is defined by the amount of hitpoints you can repair over time, multiplied by your resistances which decrease incoming damage. You can use energized nano membranes or armor hardeners to boost your resistances. Certain rigs will boost the effectiveness of your repairer.

As a quick example a ship that can repair 100HP/s and has 75% resistances across the board will be able to survive incoming damage upwards of 400DMG/s.

This type of fitting comes with it's disadvantages though. Running repairers will cost you capacitor and might require modules to counter this cap-hungry nature. You will be susceptible to neuting and your low hitpoints might get you killed in high alpha strike situations where your repairer won't be able to finish it's cycle before the initial shot from enemies.

Some ships that can active armor tank well are(but not limited to): Dominix, Myrmidon, Paladin, Legion with the appropriate subsystem.

Useful Modules: Armor Repairer, Auxiliary Armor Repairer, Energized <adaptive or resistance type> Nano Membrane, Armor <resistance type> Hardener, <adaptive or resistance type> Nano Plating, Reactive Armor Hardener, Capacitor Power Relay, Cap Recharger, Capacitor Booster, Auxiliary Nano Pump(rig), Nanobot Accelerator(rig), Capacitor Control Circuit(rig)

Required Skills: <resistance type> Armor Compensation, Repair Systems, Hull Upgrades, Capacitor Management, Capacitor Systems Operation, Armor Rigging

Buffer Armor Tank

Extending your ship's hitpoints allows you stay under heavy fire longer and if available receive repairs from logistics ships such as the Guardian. This method of tanking will give you a higher level of survivability in larger engagements where the combined damage of an enemy fleet would overwhelm any active tank. Instead, specialized logistics ships are tasked with repairs while the bulk of the fleet focuses on dealing damage or electronic warfare. Most modules required are passive or need low amounts of capacitor.

However, armor plates and trimark rigs increase your mass and lower your speed. Plates also require lots of powergrid, potentially creating issues for your fitting. Much like an active armor tank, most modules for it are fitted in low slots so other useful low slot modules may be missed.

Many ships are suitable buffer armor tanking, however the Amarr and Gallente line excel at this. Certain Minmatar ships can be armor tanked as well, but the Caldari have very few ships suitable for this type of defense.

Useful Modules: <Thickness>mm Steel Armor Plate, Energized <adaptive or resistance type> Nano Membrane, Armor <resistance type> Hardener, <adaptive or resistance type> Nano Plating, Reactive Armor Hardener, Trimark Armor Pump(rig), Anti-<resistance type> Pump(rig)

Required Skills: <resistance type> Armor Compensation, Hull Upgrades, Armor Rigging