User:Max Tsero/Sandbox/A Guide to Logistics for the EVE University Incursion Community

The information presented here represents how we do things in the EVE University Incursion Community. It does not represent the best or only way to run Incursions. We make some compromises when it comes to efficiency for the sake of additional safety to create an environment where anyone can step up and learn a new role.

This guide assumes that all pilots have read and are aware of the information found in the EVE University Incursions Community pages on the Wiki, especially the Incursions Checklist and serves as an additional resource focused on Logistics. Most commonly Eve University will run in High-Sec incursions as a preference, with the majority of Logi pilots flying the Scimitar for which this guide is most suited. Where possible differences between the needs of different Logistics Cruisers and Low-Sec running will be mentioned, but do ask for advice within the fleet chat at any time if there are questions.

Pre-Undock

1. Coordination: It’s important to know who you’re flying with, which ships they are piloting to get a sense of their needs, and to ensure that you’re ready to go when the Fleet Commander (FC) calls for the fleet to undock. In Vanguard fleets the level of coordination required is relatively low however its important to know who if filling which roles within the fleet. The FC will often post this in the Fleet Chat as part of the Message of the Day or you can ask in voice comms..


2. Add fleet members to watchlist:University Vanguard fleets are relatively small, usually consisting of between 10-12 pilots which can easily be managed within your watch list. You can do this from the fleet window quickly by right clicking a wing and “add to watchlist”. Make sure to confirm numbers before you undock in case the FC has added anyone without you realising. Confirmation on voice comms of the “number on watchlist” will generally be given – or feel free to ask for confirmation yourself on the undock. When flying, you’ll use the watchlist as you land in site to lock up your fleet mates, and having priority roles higher in the list will save you a few seconds. It’s also good practice to colour code your watchlist, just to help you recognize who is who and what you’re giving them.

Priority	Who	Colour (suggested)	Reasoning
1	Logi Buddies	Blue (Shield Fleets) Green (Armor Fleets) Generally try to set to match broadcast settings.	Fleet safety is paramount. Getting other Logi locked in case they get aggro given their relatively fragile hulls is critical.
2	Link partners	Orange	You want to get links up quickly to help damage application, and get priority targets off the field as soon as possible.
3	Drone Bunny/OGB	Red	Flying in a Battlecruiser hull is inherently squishier than a battleship – and they often get on grid and draw aggro (and harder hitting damage) faster than others.
4	Aggro Magnets	No Colour	Some pilots (especially those with T2 guns) will just naturally get aggro more than others and having them earlier in the watchlist helps switching.
5	Everyone Else	Nil.	There is a randomized element to aggro switching so everyone is likely to be targeted at some point in fleet. It’s preferable to have ships which have lower overall tanks and newer incursion pilots higher in the list also.

3. Sort out the cap chain: Whilst not an issue if flying a Scimitar, a Basilisk or Augoror (in Low-Sec fleets) requires additional capacitor to be provided via linked remote capacitor transmitters from other fleet members to operate for extended periods. The chain will vary depending on fleet composition so its best to inform the FC in advance of your cap needs, and ensure a plan is in place. The FC will generally test the chain on undock to iron out any kinks.


4. Organize Tracking Links: Links are a valuable utility that logi pilots provide other fleet members to help them apply damage to enemies. It is best practice to ask the pilots of your linked ships what they would like to receive to complement their existing fit and skills. The below table focuses on pirate hulls, which due to their inherent bonuses and higher SP requirements are often going to be outputting higher damage than most other ships, but the principles listed apply equally to T1 hulls with the same weapon type. Pre-load your scripts as needed.

Hull	Link	Reason
Vindicator (Blasters)	Optimal Range	Blasters are bonused on the Vindicator hull and provide massive short range damage output. Increasing optimal range provides more utility, and allows for the use of higher damage ammunition within a wider engagement profile.
Nightmare (Beam/Tach)	Tracking Speed	Beams have superb range, and in general will snipe targets whilst they are closing with low/no transversal velocity to mitigate their lower tracking rates. Extra tracking helps ensure beams land more often on closer range targets who are orbiting with higher transversals.
Nightmare (Pulses)	Tracking Speed and/or Optimal Range	“Short Range” Pulses still have excellent range and damage application out to ~60km with the right crystals in them which is generally sufficient to cover Vanguard site spawns. Ensuring that the lasers have sufficient tracking to hit closer range targets orbiting the fleet is the priority, but some pilots may appreciate additional range to increase the optimal window of their shorter range ammo in some sites.
Machariel (Autocannon)	Optimal Range and/or Tracking Speed	Autocannons are short/medium range weapons systems and benefit from both script types. Standard Machariel fits will have two tracking application mods already fitted, which should enable them to hit most targets at close range – but checking with the pilot is advised here.

5. Check Fitting: One Vanguard Site (Nation Mining Colony) requires a stack of 255 Lyavite ore to be dropped in a container ~75km from the fleet anchor point. Whilst some fleets run with a dedicated ore dropper as an off-grid role, usually one of the logi pilots will be expected to make the run due to the speed of the cruiser hull. As such only one ship needs to have an afterburner fitted to reduce the waiting time to drop the ore. In general, even if you have a dedicated ore dropper it’s good practice for one logi to have a prop mod fitted anyway just in case the dropper needs to leave, when not using it for ore the afterburner increases you speed when orbiting and helps reduce the hit chance of any incoming fire so it definitely doesn’t hurt to have it. You should also ensure you have alternate scripts in your hold, and nanite paste in case of emergency.

In-Space

1. Hardeners: If they aren’t powered, hardeners don’t do anything; so get them spinning as soon as possible on the undock lest you forget. Remember each time you dock or jump system they will power down, so ensure you get them spinning ASAP – especially if you’re transiting through low-sec on the way into a focus.


2. Gate Protocol: Logi is life. Jumping into a site and realising that one or more of the logi have disconnected in game or are taking a sneaky bio on a long warp between sites can mean fleet losses which we want to avoid. Similarly, if the logi is the only one in a site – things can get hairy with the amount of damage coming your way. Gate Protocols exist to reduce the risk entering a site:


1. Logi L’s: Your Fleet Commander will want to check that nothing untoward has happened mid-warp and that the Logi are paying attention. As such, when at the end of a warp, once the Acceleration Gate to the site loads in your local instance you should type “L” into the fleet chat. You may hear the FC ask for “Logi L’s” if you’re slow to the mark, which is the prompt to type them in if you’re not paying attention!


2. Boosts: At the same time the FC will likely check that the On Grid Booster (OGB) is awake and boosting the fleet. You may hear on comms “Boosts are good” referring to the fact that they’ve been triggered. Sometimes if the logi is late to warp (for instance you weren’t aligned to the broadcast in the previous site perfectly) it’s possible for their boosts to miss you. Boosts provide a meaningful increase to the amount of shield repping power you can throw at a fleet mate – so if you don’t have the boost, it’s harder to stabilise your fleet mates. If you don’t have boosts, and are the only logi on grid at the time, it can get hairy fast. If you’re missing the boost – notify your FC on comms and let them make the call.


3. Align to the gate: When called by the FC, aligning to the gate is simply a case of doubly clicking in space along the axis of the gate you want to take (aiming for the thinner, pointy end of the gate). This gets all the fleet ships moving in the right direction, and gets velocities to the point that when the gate is activated, warp drives engage almost instantly. As a logi you need to be aware that you will align and travel faster than all the other ships on grid – and as such there are a few risks involved:


1. You can easily travel outside of the range of the gate if there are delays in the fleet being ready to jump or if the fleet has landed awkwardly at the edges of the gate range. Warp mechanics require you to be at 75% speed to engage a jump – so you can manually set your speed lower or even stop entirely by clicking in the velocity indicator below your cap readout to give you a little more time. Keep in range of the gate at all costs.


2. You can bump the gate if your current trajectory is aiming directly at or near to the gate graphic. Be aware that the hitbox around the gate can be pretty large and awkward so it’s best to avoid getting anywhere near it. Bumping the gate will throw you off course, potentially tangle you, and reduce your speed to nil – all of which means you won’t be on grid with your fleet to give them reps when they need them. Avoiding bumping is always best – so if you think there is any risk, give your course a few degrees of deflection rather than aiming directly down the line of travel. It won’t make any meaningful difference to your transit time as you will align quickly anyway due to the cruiser agility.


3. Jump the gate a few seconds after the call to do so. Usually the FC will call “Battleships take gate”, this doesn’t mean you. Cruisers will jump, and warp faster than most battleships and you don’t want to be on grid first. Wait until you see the first ships engage warp before you activate the gate yourself to increase the chances that the aggro in the site will have already consolidated onto a fleet mate with a larger EHP!


4. If you bump the gate on activation immediately deactivate the jump by hitting <CTRL> + <SPACE>. This puts you back in control of your ship. Inform the FC on comms that you were late on the gate, so that they are aware and can manage the situation in site as needed. Target a spot in space away from the gate perpendicular to the direction of travel, and engage your prop mod if you have it. Once you’re well clear of the gate, disengage your prop, align down the gate again, and activate the gate. If done right, you’re only going to be a handful of seconds late into the site which should be no big deal. Uni fleets are inherently cautious and will usually have additional shield bots and remote reppers in their fits to manage the situation should something go wrong. It’s best to not panic, and resolve the issue as quickly as you can.


4. Landing on grid: Your role on grid should be clear; you’re responsible for identifying fleet members who have aggro from Sansha targets, and keeping them alive. At the same time, keeping yourself alive and well is just as, if not more important overall. Losing a Damage Dealer (DD) in the fleet is a tragedy for that pilot as they see millions of ISK get turned to slag, but losing logi can cause a chain of failures and many more DDs doom. As such, it’s good practice to increase your own relative safety quickly upon entering sites.


1. Orbit the beacon: Near your landing position there will be a beacon in space. If you’ve setup your overview correctly this will be listed and can be clicked on directly. In comparison to the battleships in the fleet, logistics cruisers have a much smaller signature radius, are significantly faster, but have a fraction of the EHP on paper. As such you want to play to these strengths, get some velocity up and orbit to increase transversal and make it less likely that the Sansha will be able to apply full damage to you. To maximise the effectiveness of your prop mod when turning, an orbit distance of 4500m from the beacon is ideal. You can set this as a default by having the beacon selected in your overview, and right clicking the “orbit” button in the target focus window. Type in the range, set it as default, and then just click to orbit every time you enter sites.


2. Lock your fleet: As you should be landing on grid after the bulk of your DD fleetmates, check for any broadcast you already have and prioritize locking them and getting a rep or two running. After that, using your watchlist it’s easy to lock up your fleet by simply holding <CTRL> and clicking them in the list. Starting from top to bottom click anyone showing the three shield/armor/hull bars against them indicating that they are on grid with you. If they are still in warp and not actively doing anything, you’ll be unable to lock them, just come back later and lock them up. Prioritize Logi and any remaining Link targets for the second pass of locking - everyone else can wait a while.


3. Get cap chain up: If you need it, get the cap chain in place. Most fits can run a couple of reps stable, but you need it up ASAP to be safe and sure.


4. Get links out: Getting early targets off the field fast is a priority – so make sure you’re dishing out the links quickly and efficiently to those that need them. If one of your links is an aggro magnet, you can also apply a single rep as needed.


5. Establish the initial aggro target: Watch lists will show red as and when people start taking damage, the pilot may well broadcast for reps if they remember to, but also keep an eye on the combat log and messages in the centre of the screen which should give you an early indication as to who Sansha loves most in the site. Usually you’ll see warp scramble or ECM attempts (from the initial Niarja frigates which have a full rack of EWAR gear) pop up indicating who has the aggro – enabling you to lock them and get a single rep down on them early.


6. Lock the remainder: Pick up any stragglers.


7. Bots out and engage: Depending on the site, and whether it has been pre-loaded (super scouts who jump into the site early to spawn up the enemy frigates to ensure everyone is there before you land) you may be able to get your bots out earlier than this – but in reality the risk is very low and you can leave it to the end. In high-sec standard practice is to target your bots on your logi buddy. This is usually more than enough repping power to handle any Eysturs which may make their way to your logi-buddy and free up your main reps to apply to more pressing needs. In low-sec incursions, armor bots can be applied as required to any fleet mates given the relatively higher tanking capability present there.



Safe operation as a Logi pilot

The main goal of a logi pilot is to provide the minimal amount of reps necessary to stabilise and repair friendly pilots ships. Any reps over and above the minimum makes it more likely that the logi themselves may pull aggro when the Sansha switch targets. Whilst Uni fleets are overprovisioned with logi to make this less risky, when a logi pilot pulls aggro we reduce our safety margin considerably. To counter this it’s important to follow the general rules below:

1. Ramp reps up and down on targets as needed. In a Vanguard site, all ships will have sufficient EHP to survive multiple volleys prior to getting into difficulty. Your goal should be to start applying reps early, stabilise the damage to a point where your combined reps recover at least as much damage as the Sansha inflict, and then reduce the number of reps as soon as possible as the inbound damage drops due to the targets dying off.
   
   
2. Stagger reps. Reps can only fix the damage which is present on the target ship at the time that they begin a cycle. They also draw down all capacitor at the start of that cycle. By staggering the start of the cycle by 1-2 seconds from the last you’re applying more consistent reps over the course of the complete cycle time, mitigating any risk that an alpha strike can hit your target a moment after a rep cycles having done very little. In an emergency you can mash a few reps on at once, just replace them with a cycled rep at the earliest convenience.
   
   
3. Aim to have no reps on when new waves spawn. Wave mechanics vary from site to site, but for the most part, ignore Eystur frigates (which in some sites aren’t killed at all, and generally do a relatively minimal amount of damage overall) and focus on any other ship on grid. When the final enemy ship is killed – the next wave will spawn, and will aggro onto ships they perceive to be the biggest threat. When you have large numbers of reps and links (potentially cap chains also) cycling at a time when the DD ships aren’t shooting, it can lead to Sansha thinking Logis are a massive threat – and it’s probable that they may focus you. By reducing reps through the life of the wave, you’re less of a target and can reapply them as aggro becomes clear.
   
   
4. Overheat as needed. Sometimes certain ships are hit hard as the pilot has a weaker tank, or fewer skills to boost resistances. Keep an eye on people who are likely to be getting hit harder than others (e.g. newbros with entry level skills, Praxis pilots, etc) and give them a priority. Also be aware that some sites and spawns like the Nation Commanders Outposts (NCOs) are especially dangerous due to the close range you’ll be facing meaning more damage is applied sooner. Early in waves getting reps on to stabilize the inbound damage is important – if you don’t feel like the ship is stable after 2 cycles of full reps liberally overheat your reps to get to a stable place. Repair is always nearby, and carry some nanites to do field repairs as needed.
   
   
5. You’re more than capable to solo rep a Vanguard site. Sometimes bad things happen. Logis may disconnect, or be stuck on a gate longer than expected. The Uni fleet comps and fittings are designed to have fall-back support as needed. Most fleet mates will be carrying bots of their own, and can quickly abandon their standard drones and get bots engaged repping you as and when aggro switches to you. Many fits will also have a utility high slot with a shield rep in it ready to give you some love if required. Keep doing what you’re doing, and keep calm. The FC will manage the situation, usually holding damage on the wave spawn trigger to give time for your logi-buddy to reconnect or get into the site, or will manage the fleet accordingly to keep it safe.
   
   
6. Keep an eye out, and your FC informed of timers. These display as red circles in the top left of your screen; any 15min timer has the potential to risk fleet safety and may require a break to allow the timer to pass without incident. Logi inherit combat and other timers from the pilots which they rep. As such, with safeties green (as they should be at all times in high-sec fleets) you will not be able to rep any out of corp logi-bros at wartime with a timer as this would pass on the timer to them which would be prevented by their safety setting. Timers apply for multiple reasons – often when a DD accidentally shoots or webs a friendly pilot, or misapplies their drones. Where you have DD pilots cap chaining one another it’s unfortunately an inevitability that there will be slip ups every now and then should both of them be in the Uni. Eve University has friendly fire enabled to enable our teaching mission to be conducted in classes and such it’s relatively simple to shoot one another. In the incursion, slips ups will generate and pass on a timer to your logi. In peacetime the timer has little consequence, but should be avoided where possible as good practice. At wartime, it places any out of corp logi in danger, stops reps landing on the recipient, and can cascade into a terrible scenario. Inform your FC, and let them make the call as to action required at the time.
   
   
7. Broadcasts are helpful – but don’t rely on them. All fleet mates should be assisting you by correctly broadcasting for shield, armor, or capacitor in good time when they get yellow boxed by targets. These will show in your fleet history window, and are a useful guide which can identify aggro targets before damage hits. Often people will miss the initial aggro though, or take time to click the broadcast button, and can receive a couple of volleys before they actually broadcast. You can get an early indication of who is being targeted by keeping an eye on your combat log or the messages coming up in the middle of the screen telling you which fleet mate is being scrammed or jammed – this indicates that they’re pulling room aggro and will soon be taking damage. Equally to no broadcasts at all, some people jump the gun, and will broadcast when a single frigate locks them up, which can divert your attention from the real target. Keep an eye for other indicators that those people are taking a decent chunk of aggro, and cycle back on reps slightly to check the level of incoming damage overall. It’s always best to have at least one rep on standby for emergency situations when the aggro switches – you don’t ever want to be fully committed for long unless you’re absolutely sure it’s necessary. Don’t be afraid to ask on comms for more information, or to ask your fleet to clear their broadcasts by broadcasting “In Position” to make things easier for you. Broadcasts are a tool – nothing more.

In summary, logi piloting is a super rewarding role where you really make a difference in the incursion fleets. The skills required are also highly transferable into other fleet PVP activity where you will be highly prized by any FC, and even more of a target to your enemies (because of your value to fleet survival!) and yet you will never grace a killmail without cheezy drone shenanigans. If logi piloting in incursions is your thing, consider the skillplans available on the Uni Wiki, and do invest in Logistics Cruisers V if this is something you find yourself enjoying. It makes a massive difference to the viability of many fits, which will open up many more doors to you in the future to expand into other Incursion running groups.