User talk:Kelduum Revaan/SOP

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During war-time, EVE University and Ivy League uses a set of guidelines known as 'Standard Operating Procedures' (SOP), typically referred to as "the War SOP".

These are part of a carefully crafted war doctrine based on years of experience, which is intended to keep members safe and impart the knowledge neccecary to survive, while bringing the war to a quick close by denying the war's entertainment or profit value to the enemy, frustrating or even boring the enemy at every chance we get. To that end, the SOP is intended to:

  • Deny the enemy easy kills of helpless non-combat ships.
  • Deny the enemy easy kills of poorly-fitted ships.
  • Deny the enemy any kills of high-value ships.
  • Deny the enemy any chance to banter or smack talk with us.
  • Deny the enemy any enjoyment from the conflict.

Below are the guidelines and individual details, however you may simply read the contents if you do not require detailed information. References[x] link to the bottom of this page where, if you wish, you can find the reasoning behind each of them.


Contents

During War

The SOP applies to all members when the DEFCON level listed in the Chat.E-UNI channel is set as DEFCON 1. While this is typically during wartime, it may also be applied during peacetime under extreme circumstances.

The below rules are as clear as they can be made, but if you require clarification, then please speak to a Director. There are no hidden meanings, and anything not listed here is not part of the SOP.

In the event you make a mistake, then you should admit it and accept the consequences, rather than attempting to avoid the repercussions, as you will typically find leniency. At most, issues tend to result in the person involved being temporarily removed from E-UNI for their own safety.


You must not be undocked unless you are...

...in a fleet

Fleets are counted as one or more people. If alone, you must still create your own fleet [1], which allows other E-UNI members to join you at your location rapidly in the event of a problem.

...logged into Mumble

You don't have to be able to speak, just to listen. If something happens, you need to be able to communicate it quickly, or at least receive instruction quickly.[2]


You must not fly any...

There are a number of restrictions on what ships you are allowed to fly during wars[3]. If you want to fly one of these ships, then you must receive written permission from an ILN Flag Officer or Director.

...'Covert Ops' combat ships

These are ships which can fit a Covert Ops Cloak and designed for combat, such as:

The Tech 2 'Covert Ops Frigates' are not built for combat so are allowed, but should only be flown once you have had some fleet experience and practice moving cloaked.

...Tech 2 BattleCruisers or Battleships

...Tech 3 ships

...Mining Ships

This includes the specialized mining ships, such as:

If you really must mine, you may do so in a T2 tanked Battleship while in a fleet, but make sure you watch local.

...Haulers

This is any ship which is designed to move large amounts of cargo around[13], such as:

If you need to move items, you should instead use an 'out-of-corp' Alt Hauler or issue a public courier contract.

...faction ships

  • Any ship with 'Issue'[19] in the Name.[20]
  • Any 'Pirate' faction ship.[21]
  • Any other ship listed in the 'Faction' subsection on the Market, barring 'Police' frigates.[22]

Note that navy/police frigates are allowed, which means the Slicer, Comet, Hookbill and Firetail, however these should be flown with caution.

...rare or unique ships

This is any ship which has been seeded by CCP[23]for which the blueprints are not publicly available for, such as:


You should fit...

While these are not direct rules, they are very strong suggestions.

...your ship for PvP

This depends greatly on the ship and what you plan to do, but usually means no Mining lasers, cargo expanders or exploration (Codebreaker, Analyser, etc) modules, along with a Buffer tank where appropriate. For relevant fittings, see the forum.[25]

...your guns and launchers efficiently

This means using faction ammo where you can[26]. Remember you don't need to fill your cargo, no matter what the ammo - you need only take one or two reloads on most fleets.

...no faction, officer or deadspace modules

This is any module with a Meta Level above 5 - in other words no Storyline, Faction, Deadspace, or Officer modules.[27]

...a Tech 2 tank on BattleCruisers and Battleships

This means your tanking modules are mainly Tech 2, such as Hardeners, Extenders, and so on.[28]

...your ship for its role

This should go without saying, but it means the modules on your ship should not typically cost massively more than the value of the hull. Tackle frigates are fit cheaply and disposably[29], and module cost scales with the cost of the hull[30].

...appropriate rigs


You should always...

...check the Local channel for War-Targets

Check it before you undock, and keep checking it whenever you are in space. Hostiles may appear at any moment.[34]

...dock up if there are War-Targets

If not in a combat fleet[35] and you see a War-Target in space or the local channel, then dock immediately, no waiting.

...avoid Trade Hubs when travelling

You should avoid Trade hubs when traveling[36], and go around them when you can. Remember, you can use Trade skills for station trading remotely without having to be docked in the station.


You should never...

...use the Autopilot to fly your ship

Apart from using it to plot a course and highlight gates, it must never be used to actually fly your ship. All manoeuvres[37] must be done manually.[38]

...go AFK in space

Never leave your ship unattended for long periods when in space[39]. Always dock up if you have to leave. If you are a scout or picket and need to take a short break, warp to a safe-spot and cloak up until you get back.


Combat Fleets...

...must have at least two E-UNI members

These are individual people who are current EVE University members, so people running multiple accounts or alts don't count toward this.[40]

...should have a covert scout if possible

At least one scout in a Covert Ops frigate is encouraged but is not a requirement[41]. If a scout isn't available, then you can use Picket frigates instead[42]. Remember that the scout does not have to be in E-UNI.[43]

...must be on Mumble with the FC able to talk

Fleets must use the University Mumble server for voice communications, and the Fleet Commander must be able to talk.[44]

...must consist only of Uni members

As per the normal E-UNI rules on Combat Fleets, all fleets planning combat must be comprised of only E-UNI/IVY members. The only exception to this is an out of corp scout, however this should still be an alt of an E-UNI member.

...members must not be impaired

This means in PvP, you have one active account logged in, not multiple accounts you are splitting your focus across (for example an out of corp scout with another member in space with the fleet). Similarly, fleet members must not be tired and/or intoxicated.[45]

...must hand all loot from war-targets over to the Uni

Loot from E-UNI wrecks should be collected and given back to the owner where possible, with any war-target loot placed into the "Ivy League Navy" Hangar at the PTS or CBT stations in Aldrat[46]. Fleets during peacetime and other pirate fleets may set their own loot policy or donate it to the ILN, and donations during peacetime are not required.


You can...

There are a number of things which you can do during wars apart from hunting War Targets. These are some of them.

...travel around EVE

Travelling is defined as moving with no cargo (opposed to hauling) and should be done in a 'Fast Frigate'[47], Shuttle or Starter Frigate[48].

...set-up and spar at the E-UNI POS

Setting up overviews, practising scanning and sparring[49] should be done at the POS, as it will engage any hostile targets on grid with you[50].

...run fleets in LoSec and NullSec

Just because there are no war targets around doesn't mean there is nobody to fight. Take a fleet out to losec or nullsec, and see what you find[51]. Remember to follow the normal E-UNI Rules of Engagement.

...run Wormhole Operations

You may run combat sites in wormholes during wartime[52]. All the other guidelines still apply however, so fleets should be combat fitted and have at least two E-UNI members. A cloaked scout (either certified or picket) should stay at the exit to known-space[53].

If you have a significant sized fleet (eight or more members), a salvage Destroyer, BattleCruiser or Noctis may be used in wormhole fleets, complete with Salvaging Rigs[54]. These ships MUST fit a cloaking device and full tank, and sit cloaked at a safe spot until time to salvage and then be guarded while salvaging.

...run Incursions with an E-UNI fleet

Incursions are allowed, but fleets must only be comprised of E-UNI members[55]. Joining a public Incursion fleet is therefore prohibited in wartime, as it risks our status with the Incursion fleet organizers, and failure to follow this will likely see you Departed[56].

...run Security missions in a fleet

As these tend to involve high-value ships, so you should ensure you are some distance away from HQ in either a quiet (or very busy) system, have at least three E-UNI members in your fleet to avoid anyone being engaged solo and stay together at all times. Remember that Faction ships and Modules are still prohibited.

...mine in a group

This is best done with four or more members, with at least one of them in a combat ship. Ideally, all mining should be done in an exploration pocket located in a quiet system or wormhole as far away from HQ and known operating areas of any war-targets as possible. Ensure you all keep a lookout in local for any hostiles, and nobody goes AFK without docking first. Don't forget to use an out of corp hauler to pick up any minerals.

...station trade

Remember that moving cargo (items not for your current ship) is prohibited while using an E-UNI character, and the Daytrading, Marketing and Procurement skills allow you to trade remotely. 'Shopping trips' (i.e. hauling items you bought) are still a bad idea, and mustn't be done in an industrial.

...use an out of corp character

You can use an out-of-corp character or alt for Missions, Mining and Hauling alone. Many missions may be accepted on your E-UNI character but performed with an alt.

...leave E-UNI until the war ends

If you want to, you may leave the Uni until the war ends without any penalties. You will retain access to the vast majority of forum content, channels, classes, the Wiki and even Mumble, and will be fast-tracked through recruitment when returning.


Travel Advisories

Travel Advisorys may be declared by an ILN Officer or member of Management, and are typically limited to a specific system or region likely to contain hostile activity.

An advisory means that any non-combat activity is prohibited and all pilots must be docked unless they are in a combat fleet and under orders to be undocked by their Fleet Commander. Travel into or out of the advisory area should be done by Fast Frigate, Shuttle, Starter Frigate or clone jump.

Once the threat has passed, the Travel Advisory may only be lifted by an ILN Officer or Management.


Practice and Patrols

All EVE University members are encouraged to practice the SOP during wars, even when there are no war-targets immediately available.

This can include (but is not limited to) sparring in space, patrolling high-traffic areas for other E-UNI members, as well as practising fleet command and movement skills.

Members are also encouraged to keep a look-out for any other members who may not be following the SOP, and are authorised to tackle any they encounter travelling alone, as safe travel procedures will make this very difficult for both an E-UNI member or a war-target to tackle someone.

ILN Staff Officers are authorised to order a single shot to be fired to 'wake up' a member who appears to be AFK or inattentive, followed by the potential destruction of their ship rather than have it fall to an enemy.

Appropriate time must be given before any actions are taken, however in the event an inattentive members ship is destroyed, the wreck should be looted and salvaged if possible, and the remains contracted back to them.


Why?

For new players, its not immediately obvious why the rules are as they are. Below are answers to some of the more common questions.

  1. ^ Right click yourself, select 'Form Fleet with...', then create a fleet advert with only the 'My Corporation', 'Application Requires Approval' and 'Hide Details In Advert' boxes checked.
  2. ^ The few seconds it can take to type something and someone to read it back is often the difference between saving your ship and losing it.
  3. ^ When faced with a significant fleet, wartargets will typically go for the biggest or most expensive kill they can get to pad their killboard.
  4. ^ These are expensive, require high skills, and are only effective with a well coordinated team.
  5. ^ Like the Stealth Bomber, these are expensive and need practice to use well.
  6. ^ These are useful when you have very high or even maxed Leadership skills, but are not worth the Risk to ISK ratio.
  7. ^ These are PvE rather than PvP ships, built to take damage over a long period and loot missions.
  8. ^ These are useful in losec and nullsec, but expensive and require covert support and significant experience to fly well.
  9. ^ Like many others, these are very expensive and not worth the Risk to ISK ratio.
  10. ^ This should go without saying, but they have little to no offensive capability if the target is not an asteroid.
  11. ^ While they can fit a half-decent PvE tank, they are simply not suited to any PvP.
  12. ^ Big, slow, expensive and no means of defence? Not a PvP ship!
  13. ^ In short, if there's something worth moving, its worth money to someone, and is better not put in harms way at all.
  14. ^ While they can have a decent buffer tank to avoid some suicide ganks, they are slow and do not survive long in PvP.
  15. ^ These can warp cloaked, are fast and maneuverable, which is nice, but they are expensive and still don't last long, which is not nice.
  16. ^ These tend to have a half-decent tank, and built-in warp stabilisers, but are very slow, expensive and an easy target.
  17. ^ This should go without saying, but while freighters have a decent amount of HP, they huge, slow, can be outrun by a capsule and are incredibly expensive if/when they are lost, even without any cargo.
  18. ^ Even worse than a freighter, far more expensive and not even as big. Avoid!
  19. ^ Raven Navy Issue, Stabber Fleet Issue, etc.
  20. ^ While some of these may be good, they aren't worth the Risk to ISK.
  21. ^ Like any 'Issue' ships, they tend to be good, but very expensive, even against the T2 versions.
  22. ^ This should be self-evident, but if a ship is not listed as 'Standard' or 'Advanced', they probably aren't allowed.
  23. ^ While they may not have cost you anything originally, they are still worth something to someone, and therefore tend to make good prizes on a killboard.
  24. ^ Far too many to list here, including rewards from CCP for things like the Alliance Tournaments. If you aren't certain if they are allowed, check to see if they are listed on the market.
  25. ^ Hopefully this should be fairly self evident after playing a little EVE, but PvP fits tend to focus on 'buffer' tanks and are significantly different to PvE fits which focus on repairing over time.
  26. ^ The extra damage is usually worth the money, but if you cant afford it, thats ok.
  27. ^ These are massively expensive compared to Meta 0-5 modules, and we don't want to leave anything valuable behind if you get killed.
  28. ^ There are some exceptions to this where the Meta 4 module has better statistics, and is cheaper or easier to fit, but in all cases you must still have the skills to fit the modules individually.
  29. ^ Use Meta 0, 1 or 2 modules where you can as they are very cheap.
  30. ^ The bigger the ship, the less likely it is to die quickly in a fight, therefore it is worth fitting it well.
  31. ^ These ships abilities are greatly improved by fitting appropriate rigs.
  32. ^ For the extra ISK involved in the hull, it would be silly not to.
  33. ^ These are horrendously expensive and never provide bonuses worth the extra ISK for PvP.
  34. ^ The Local channel is the best tool any player has as to what is going on, and during war it should be made as tall as possible so you can see as many people as possible without scrolling.
  35. ^ Hopefully that should go without saying, but if you are in a combat fleet you should be killing them.
  36. ^ These are prime hunting grounds for most wartargets, and will often have hostiles or their alts present.
  37. ^ This includes setting the next system as a waypoint, and enabling autopilot while in warp, as it leaves a crucial few seconds before jumping.
  38. ^ The Autopilot is dangerous even in peacetime as it drops you around 15km from the gate, meaning that you need to either align and enter warp to escape or burn those 15km to the stargate to jump through. Not to mention that Autopilot promotes being AFK.
  39. ^ Being AFK, for an extended time, even cloaked at a safe-spot or sitting at the POS, simply isn't worth the risk.
  40. ^ You need to be able to defend yourself and potentially kill any hostiles in the event you encounter a hostile target, and not present a nice easy kill. If the situation is not well in their favour, most hostiles will avoid combat.
  41. ^ Knowing what is on the other side of a gate without letting the hostile know you are coming will always give you an advantage.
  42. ^ Even jumping through the gate then immediately cloaking is preferable to not knowing what is there.
  43. ^ The use of use out of corp scouts in EVE is commonplace, so there is no reason E-UNI members should not do so as well.
  44. ^ The few seconds needed to type out or otherwise pass a command are often the difference between a success and the loss of the whole fleet.
  45. ^ You really don't want to be known as the fleet commander who fell asleep in the middle of a warp.
  46. ^ Wartime loot is sold and pays for things such as the ship replacement program.
  47. ^ These are small, fast and can typically get through a camped gate if you encounter any hostiles. On top of this, they are also cheap, and will not typically make a significant ISK dent on the killboard.
  48. ^ Travelling in a Capsule, while possible, is generally a bad idea as they are so fragile. If flying a shuttle at least, you can survive at least one volley.
  49. ^ This does not have to be inside the shield, but for safety reasons you should stay within 50km of the tower where possible.
  50. ^ It will tend to take a few seconds for the POS to lock and kill a wartarget, so you should still be careful
  51. ^ This is a good way to practice, and there is usually someone to shoot and practice with, and you may run into wartargets.
  52. ^ Wormhole combat sites require fits very close to normal PvP, and are a good way to practice fleet command.
  53. ^ This is simply to watch for any one entering the system, to give you advance warning.
  54. ^ With appropriate precautions and support, they can be kept relatively safe
  55. ^ Anyone assisting will flag themselves to the hostiles
  56. ^ The membership has worked hard to build trust with these groups, so if you risk this, you will be treated as a hostile target.


Requests for Clarification

All requests for clarification must be made directly to the Directors. If in doubt, avoid the element which is unclear until clarified.


Further Reading