Difference between revisions of "Capital ships"

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{{update|Changes to capital ships after the Citadel expansion, introduction of Force Auxiliaries.}}{{ShipTypes}}{{related class|Capital Ships 101}}
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{{ShipTypes}}
'''Capital ships''' (Dreadnoughts, Carriers, Force Auxiliaries, Supercarriers ("Motherships"), Titans and Rorquals) are the largest player-piloted ships in EVE. Capitals can only operate outside of [[high-sec]] space. While they can use stargates to travel (except to high-sec), they can also jump between star systems using built-in [[Jump Drives and Cynosural Fields#Jump Drives|jump drives]], although this needs another ship to light a "cynosural beacon" in the target star system.  
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'''Capital ships''' are the largest player-piloted ships in EVE. True capitals can only operate outside of [[high-sec]] space. While they can use stargates to travel (except to high-sec), they can also jump between star systems using built-in [[jump drives]].
  
The largest capital ships (Supercarriers and Titans, collectively known as "supercapitals") are so large that they can only dock at the largest (XL) [[citadels]] and are too large to pass through any [[wormholes]]. Additionally, they can only be built in nullsec system where your alliance has [[sovereignty]].  
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Most defensive and utility modules designed for subcapital ships can also be used on capital ships. However, certain capital-ship-sized modules can only be used on capital ships and some modules whose functions are unique to capital ships. The [[Capital Ship Modules]] page details these unique modules.
  
{{expansion past|It was once possible to build capital ships in highsec, so there are still a few that never jumped out of the system they were built in. If they ever do jump out, they will never be able to return, and while they're in highsec they are not allowed to be used for anything that gives the owner any kind of advantage compared to someone that does not own a high sec capital ship; during wars, they're not even allowed to undock. If the pilot breaks these rules, he or she will receive a temporary ban, and the capital ship will be moved to a station in a nearby low sec system.
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Capital ships are constructed from capital ship components, instead of materials.
  
Additionally, capital ships were considerably rebalanced in the Citadel expansion (Spring 2016), in particular introducing Force Auxiliary capital ships.}}
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All capital ships are immune to the [[Micro Jump Field Generator]] of [[Command Destroyer]]s.
  
== Dreadnoughts ==
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{{expansion past
Dreadnoughts ("dreads") are DPS machines, only surpassed as damage-dealers by Supercarriers and Titans. Their weapons track very slowly, however, so usually they can only apply their DPS to other capital ships and to POSs and outposts. Only dreads can fit a siege module, which has the following effects when activated:
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|It was once possible to build capital ships in highsec, so there are still a few that never jumped out of the system they were built in. If they ever do jump out, they will never be able to return, and while they're in highsec they are not allowed to be used for anything that gives the owner any kind of advantage compared to someone who does not own a high sec capital ship; during wars, they're not even allowed to undock. If the pilot breaks these rules, they will receive a temporary ban, and the capital ship will be moved to a station in a nearby low sec system.
 +
 
 +
Additionally, capital ships were considerably re-balanced in the Citadel expansion (Spring 2016), in particular introducing Force Auxiliary capital ships.
 +
}}
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 +
== Capital categories ==
 +
There are three major categories of capital ships.
 +
 
 +
=== Capital size ships ===
 +
Capital size ships are ships that cannot fit any capital size modules. They use the capital ship hangar in stations and structures. They can enter high-sec and dock without a problem. Freighters don't have a built in jump drive. They are constructed from capital ship components like true capital ships. Like other capital ships, they are valid targets of Doomsdays.
 +
 
 +
Capital size ships are:
 +
* [[Freighters]]
 +
* [[Jump Freighters]]
 +
 
 +
=== Capital ships ===
 +
Capital ships are true capitals that can fit capital size modules. They cannot enter high-sec, and cannot dock at many structures.
 +
 
 +
Capital ships are:
 +
* [[Dreadnoughts]]
 +
* [[Carriers]]
 +
* [[Force Auxiliaries]]
 +
* [[Rorqual|Capital Industrial Ships]]
 +
 
 +
=== Supercapital ships ===
 +
Supercapital ships are extremely large capital ships. They can only dock at XL size citadels, [[Keepstar]]s.
 +
 
 +
Supercapitals can only be built in systems with a ''Supercapital Construction Facilities'' in the Infrastructure Hub, thus building them is restricted to [[Sovereignty|Sovereign Nullsec]]. This combined with there being no [[Wormhole_attributes|wormhole types]] that are large enough for supercapitals means that supercapital ships cannot be encountered in wormhole space. (While there is one Wormhole class, K329 C4 -> Nullsec, which is large enough for a supercarrier to travel, wormholes of that class never generate.)
 +
 
 +
Supercapital ships are:
 +
* [[Supercarriers]]
 +
* [[Titans]]
 +
 
 +
== Docking ==
 +
 
 +
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;"
 +
|- style="background: #222222;"
 +
! rowspan="2" | Type
 +
! Station
 +
! colspan="3" | Citadel
 +
! colspan="3" | Engineering Complex
 +
! colspan="2" | Refinery
 +
|- style="background: #222222;"
 +
! NPC Station
 +
! Astrahus (M)
 +
! Fortizar (L)
 +
! Keepstar (XL)
 +
! Raitaru (M)
 +
! Azbel (L)
 +
! Sotiyo (XL)
 +
! Athanor (M)
 +
! Tatara (L)
 +
|-
 +
|Capital size ships
 +
|[[image:Tick.png|16px|link=]]
 +
|[[image:Tick.png|16px|link=]]
 +
|[[image:Tick.png|16px|link=]]
 +
|[[image:Tick.png|16px|link=]]
 +
|[[image:Tick.png|16px|link=]]
 +
|[[image:Tick.png|16px|link=]]
 +
|[[image:Tick.png|16px|link=]]
 +
|[[image:Tick.png|16px|link=]]
 +
|[[image:Tick.png|16px|link=]]
 +
|-
 +
|Capital ships
 +
|[[image:Tick.png|16px|link=]]
 +
|[[image:Cross.png|16px|link=]]
 +
|[[image:Tick.png|16px|link=]]
 +
|[[image:Tick.png|16px|link=]]
 +
|[[image:Cross.png|16px|link=]]
 +
|[[image:Cross.png|16px|link=]]<ref name= "BuildOnly" />
 +
|[[image:Tick.png|16px|link=]]
 +
|[[image:Cross.png|16px|link=]]
 +
|[[image:Cross.png|16px|link=]]<ref>Rorquals can dock.</ref>
 +
|-
 +
|Supercapital ships
 +
|[[image:Cross.png|16px|link=]]
 +
|[[image:Cross.png|16px|link=]]
 +
|[[image:Cross.png|16px|link=]]
 +
|[[image:Tick.png|16px|link=]]
 +
|[[image:Cross.png|16px|link=]]
 +
|[[image:Cross.png|16px|link=]]
 +
|[[image:Cross.png|16px|link=]]<ref name= "BuildOnly" />
 +
|[[image:Cross.png|16px|link=]]
 +
|[[image:Cross.png|16px|link=]]
 +
|}
  
* 150% Torpedo velocity bonus
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<small>
* 80% bonus to XL Launcher rate of fire
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<references>
* 165% missile damage bonus (<span style="color:yellow">Tech II: 200%</span>)
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<ref name="BuildOnly">Can be built here, but not dock again once undocked.</ref>
* 700% turret damage bonus (<span style="color:yellow">Tech II: 840%</span>)
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</references>
* -100% maximum velocity
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</small>
* 100% shield booster/armor repairer amount bonus
 
* -50% shield booster/armor repairer duration
 
* 60% sensor dampener resistance bonus (<span style="color:yellow">Tech II: 70%</span>)
 
* 80% remote assistance impedance
 
* 60% weapon disruption resistance bonus (<span style="color:yellow">Tech II: 70%</span>)
 
* 100% remote repair impedance
 
  
The siege module's cycle time is 5 minutes, and it requires 250 - (level of tactical weapon reconfiguration skill * 25) Strontium Clathrates ("stront"). While it's active the dread can't warp or jump or move in any way. With the siege module a dreadnought can reach almost five thousand DPS even in a long range fit.  
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== Freighters ==
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{{main|Freighters}}
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'''Freighters''' are cargo ships with vast cargo holds, they are unarmed ships and cannot fight others. Freighters can often be spotted on New Eden's major high-sec trade routes. They are the only capital class without a built in jump drive.
  
* {{icon|amarr2|22|Amarr}}[[Revelation]]
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* {{sh|Providence}}
* {{icon|caldari2|22|Caldari}}[[Phoenix]]
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* {{sh|Charon}}
* {{icon|gallente2|22|Gallente}}[[Moros]]
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* {{sh|Obelisk}}
* {{icon|minmatar2|22|Minmatar}}[[Naglfar]]
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* {{sh|Fenrir}}
* {{icon|isis serpentis|22}}[[Vehement]]
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* {{sh|Bowhead}}
  
== Carriers ==
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== Jump Freighters ==
Carriers can use Light and Support Fighters (frigate-sized [[drones]]).  
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{{main|Jump Freighters}}
<!--These are giant logistics platforms. They have the ability to store 1,000,000 m3 of '''assembled''' ships in their ship maintenance bay so that pilots who lose their ships can quickly pick up a new one. Other ships from the carrier pilot's corporation (or fleet, depending on the carrier's settings) can also use it to refit in space.
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'''Jump Freighters''' are [[Tech 2]] [[Freighters]] with jump drive, they use [[cynosural field]]s to move between systems, which allows ships to move around the universe in null-sec and low-sec without the use of [[stargates]]. Jump Freighters contribute notably to the availability of modules and items into the outreaches of the universe, and represent the way those items are primarily moved between empire space, nullsec, and player-staged systems.
  
A carrier has a 50% per level range bonus to two of the following, depending on which race's carrier it is: capital energy transferers, capital shield transporters and capital remote armor repairers. The Amarr Archon gets cap transfer and armor rep, the Gallente Thanathos and Minmatar Nidhoggur get shield and armor, and the Caldari Chimera gets cap transfer and shield. In addition to that, the Chimera and Archon get a resistances bonus (4% per level to armor for Archon, shield for Chimera), the Nidhoggur gets a capital remote rep amount bonus (7.5% per level to armor and shield repair amounts) and the Thanatos gets a fighter damage bonus (5% per level). All carriers get the ability to control one extra drone per level in addition to the normal five, and the ability to use fighters (but not fighter bombers). They can't fit any guns or launchers at all, so the high slots are usually used for energy neutralizers, smartbombs (for killing drones or small ships) and remote reps or energy transfer arrays.
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* {{sh|Ark}}
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* {{sh|Rhea}}
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* {{sh|Anshar}}
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* {{sh|Nomad}}
  
Just like dreadnoughts, carriers also get a special module that only they can fit: the triage module. Its effects are:
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== Dreadnoughts ==
* Immobilizes the carrier, including its jump drive.
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{{main|Dreadnoughts}}
* Disables its drones
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'''Dreadnoughts''' ("dreads") are DPS machines, only surpassed as damage-dealers by Supercarriers and Titans. This is achieved through the [[siege module]] which can only be fitted to dreadnoughts. A Sieged Dreadnought is immobilized, and cannot receive remote repairs or targeted assistance from allies, but in exchange is nearly immune to electronic warfare and gains significant bonuses to local repair modules. Dreadnoughts cannot deal meaningful damage without entering Siege.
* +900% scan res
 
* +4 max targets (+5 for Tech II)
 
* +100% shield boost/armor rep amount (both local and remote)
 
* -50% shield booster/armor repairer cycle time (both local and remote)
 
* +100% remote hull rep/cap transfer amount
 
* -50% remote hull rep/cap transfer cycle time
 
* Immune to enemy EWAR
 
* Unable to use EWAR modules
 
* Can't receive remote support
 
* +20% targeting range (Tech II only)
 
* -20% capacitor need for remote assistance modules (Tech II only)
 
  
As you can see, going into triage massively boosts a carrier's ability to repair itself and to repair its allies, but also makes it more vulnerable by holding it in place and stopping its allies from repairing it.
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* {{sh|Revelation}}
 +
* {{sh|Phoenix}}
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* {{sh|Moros}}
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* {{sh|Naglfar}}
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* {{sh|Vehement}}
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* {{sh|Chemosh}}
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* {{sh|Caiman}}
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* {{sh|Zirnitra}}
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* {{Sh|Revelation Navy Issue}}
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* {{Sh|Phoenix Navy Issue}}
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* {{Sh|Moros Navy Issue}}
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* {{Sh|Naglfar Fleet Issue}}
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* {{Sh|Bane}}
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* {{Sh|Karura}}
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* {{Sh|Hubris}}
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* {{Sh|Valravn}}
  
The triage module has a 5 minute cycle time and, like the siege module, also uses stront. The amount used per cycle is 250 - 25 * (level of Tactical Logistics Reconfiguration), or 75 units for Tech II.
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== Carriers ==
 +
{{main|Carriers}}
 +
'''Carriers''' are capital ships with the ability to control Light and Support Fighters (frigate-sized [[drones]]). They also can store 1,000,000 m3 of '''assembled''' ships in their ship maintenance bay so pilots who lose their ships can quickly pick up a new one. Other ships from the carrier pilot's corporation (or fleet, depending on the carrier's settings) can also use it to refit in space.
  
Carriers and supercarriers can also use warfare links, but they don't get a ship bonus to strength. -->
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Carriers (and their supercapital counterparts, [[supercarriers]]) generally serve as anti-subcapital ships. To facilitate this role, they have access to the powerful [[Capital Ship Modules#Networked Sensor Array|Networked Sensor Array]], which increases their scan resolution but removes their ability to use electronic warfare modules and disables their warp drive while it is active.
  
* {{icon|amarr2|22|Amarr}}[[Archon]]
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Carriers are also able to equip [[Command Bursts]].
* {{icon|caldari2|22|Caldari}}[[Chimera]]
 
* {{icon|gallente2|22|Gallente}}[[Thanatos]]
 
* {{icon|minmatar2|22|Minmatar}}[[Nidhoggur]]
 
  
<!--'''Notes'''
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* {{sh|Archon}}
* For combat triage the Archon is the best pick by a large margin, though it can only service armor fleets. This is primarily due to its enormous tank, buffed by its 4% armor resistances per level, its generous capacitor and fitting, and the fact that when a carrier is in triage it won't have its fighters out anyway, so any damage bonus to fighter damage is wasted.
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* {{sh|Chimera}}
* For shield combat triage the Chimera is the best, but it lacks both the capacitor and CPU to get as strong a fit as an Archon.
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* {{sh|Thanatos}}
* For structure repping duties the Nidhoggur is best, but its weak tank makes it inferior at the role of combat triage than the Archon and Chimera, despite its rep bonus.
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* {{sh|Nidhoggur}}
* The Thanatos' damage bonus only applies to fighters, so it gives no advantage when using sentries or other types of drones, which is common for carriers.-->
 
  
 
== Force Auxiliaries ==
 
== Force Auxiliaries ==
Force Auxiliary capital ships (sometimes abbreviated as "FAX") are capital-sized logistics and fleet boosting ships. They can fit Triage modules, which immobilizes the ship but massively increases its ability to repair both itself and its fleetmates. Also, Force Auxiliaries can field large numbers of (subcapital) drones.
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{{main|Force Auxiliaries}}
 +
'''Force Auxiliaries''' (singular: "'''Force Auxiliary'''", sometimes abbreviated as "FAX") are capital-sized logistics and fleet boosting ships. Force Auxiliaries receive bonuses to logistics drones. Most of the Force Auxiliaries' remote repair power is caused by the [[triage module]] which can only be fitted to them. The triage module works similarly to the dreadnought's siege module: when active, the FAX is immobilized, and cannot receive remote repairs, but is resistant to electronic warfare and gains massively improved local and outgoing remote repair power. However, the triage module does not reduce the capacitor cost of these repair modules, making FAXes extremely cap-hungry.
  
* {{icon|amarr2|22|Amarr}}[[Apostle]]
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* {{sh|Apostle}}
* {{icon|caldari2|22|Caldari}}[[Minokawa]]
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* {{sh|Minokawa}}
* {{icon|gallente2|22|Gallente}}[[Ninazu]]
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* {{sh|Ninazu}}
* {{icon|minmatar2|22|Minmatar}}[[Lif]]
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* {{sh|Lif}}
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* {{sh|Dagon}}
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* {{sh|Loggerhead}}
  
 
== Supercarriers ==
 
== Supercarriers ==
 
{{main|Supercarriers}}
 
{{main|Supercarriers}}
Supercarriers are souped-up carriers with the ability to use Heavy Fighters. <!-- which dramatically increases their DPS to be roughly equivalent to a sieged dreadnaught (if the supercarrier pilot has a full flight of fighter-bombers and max skills). Supercarriers get a 100% bonus to fighter and fighter bomber damage but can't dock and cannot use sub-capital drones (i.e. anything other than fighters or fighter-bombers). They are no longer able to go into triage mode, but are permanently immune to electronic warfare. They can only be tackled by [[Interdictor|interdictors]] and [[Cruiser#Heavy Interdiction Cruisers|HICs]] (and anchorable bubbles, but they're not practical due to the anchoring time required before they activate combined with their limited range). -->
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Supercarriers are a more powerful version of carriers with the additional ability to control Heavy Fighters, allowing them to effectively engage other capital and supercapital ships.
  
* {{icon|amarr2|22|Amarr}}[[Aeon]]
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Supercarriers are also able to equip Burst Projectors, fleet-scale area-of-effect electronic warfare systems.
* {{icon|caldari2|22|Caldari}}[[Wyvern]]
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* {{icon|gallente2|22|Gallente}}[[Nyx]]
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* {{sh|Aeon}}
* {{icon|minmatar2|22|Minmatar}}[[Hel]]
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* {{sh|Wyvern}}
* {{icon|isis sansha|22}}[[Revenant]]
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* {{sh|Nyx}}
* {{icon|isis serpentis|22}}[[Vendetta]]
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* {{sh|Hel}}
 +
* {{sh|Revenant}}
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* {{sh|Vendetta}}
  
 
== Titans ==
 
== Titans ==
<!--Titans, like supercarriers, are immune to electronic warfare, cannot dock and can only be tackled by interdictors and HICs.
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{{main|Titans}}
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'''Titans''' are the largest and most powerful ships in EVE, able to fit several unique modules such as Doomsday devices, Jump Portal Generators, and Phenomena Generators.
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 +
* {{sh|Avatar}}
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* {{sh|Leviathan}}
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* {{sh|Erebus}}
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* {{sh|Ragnarok}}
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* {{sh|Vanquisher}}
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* {{sh|Azariel}}
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* {{sh|Molok}}
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* {{sh|Komodo}}
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== Capital Industrial Ships ==
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{{main|Rorqual}}
 +
This ship is primarily intended for deep space mining support. It has a maintenance bay, corporate hangar, a huge ore hold, and the ability to fit bonused mining leadership links. The Rorqual can fit capital tractor beams and clone vat bays. In addition, the Rorqual has a jump drive and the ability to compress ore. The Rorqual does have a 50%/level range bonus to capital shield transfers and a 20%/level drone damage bonus, so while it's not intended as a PVP ship, some people have been known to use it for that. The Rorqual has a non-capital little sister, the Orca, that can be seen supporting many highsec mining fleets.
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 +
* {{sh|Rorqual}}
 +
 
 +
== Other ships ==
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 +
The [[Orca]] sits on the border between capital and subcapital, as while it can only equip battleship-sized modules and does not require capital skills, it is larger, slower, and more durable than any battleship. It is constructed from capital ship components, and like other capital ships, it is immune to the [[Micro Jump Field Generator]] of [[Command Destroyer]]s.
 +
 
 +
== History ==
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Since their initial introduction in 2005 with the Red Moon Rising expansion, all combat related capital ships have received major overhauls to stats, bonuses, and abilities.
  
They're able to fit and activate the largest and most lethal gun in the game: a doomsday device ("DD"), which does 2-3 million points of damage depending on the Titan pilot's skills. Doomsday devices can only be fired at capital ships, once every ten minutes, cost 75,000 racial isotopes to activate, prevent the titan from moving at all for 30 seconds and from using its jump drive for 10 minutes. Activating the doomsday device takes 10 seconds, so targets have some time to get out before the damage is applied. The device's range is 250 km (the hard coded maximum locking range). -->
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Initially, capital ships had very little impact on the events in EVE. Small groups scrambled to be the first to field dreadnought fleets to bring down player owned starbases (POSes) which previously only had been possible with large fleets. Carrier fleets were also developed to bulk up the damage output of corporations and alliances with many low skilled pilots by remotely assigning fighter drones. In lowsec, groups of pirates found a use for "hot dropping" carriers into ongoing engagements to turn the tide with the properly applied remote repair of a skilled pilot. In this phase of the game evolution, titans and supercarriers (also known as motherships) were regarded as nearly unbuildable, with the first one to officially be created costing the building alliance dozens of POSes, an outpost and their entire presence in nullsec. It took almost a full year for the first titan to be revealed, and for that entire time - and a few months after - they were regarded as completely useless ships.
  
Titans can also fit a jump bridge module, which creates a bridge between the titan and a destination cyno, and allows friendly subcapitals near the titan to jump to that cyno.
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However, with the continued expansion of the ranks of capital pilots, carriers began to be deployed on the front lines of battleship-class conflicts to great effect, while fleets of ten, twenty, or thirty dreadnoughts could wipe out a hardened tower in less than thirty minutes - a feat previously unheard of without at least 100-150 battleship pilots. The introduction of titans to nullsec combat meant the death of hundreds of enemy ships in the blink of an eye, and alliance warfare was changed forever - capital ships had made their presence felt, and they were here to stay.
<!--
 
While titans have bonuses for their racial capital weapons they are primarily used for their doomsday and jump bridging capabilities. The doomsday device is a very effective counter against people playing docking games with capitals, as the damage it does is often enough to kill capitals not specifically tanked against that damage type.
 
  
Titans also have the ability to give out great leadership bonuses, even if they don't have any warfare links fitted (they are able to fit one for every titan skill level). Titans gives out a 7.5% bonus per titan skill level to armor amount for Gallente, shield amount for Caldari, cap recharge for Amarr and signature radius for Minmatar.
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Capital ships as a whole were re-balanced upon the release of the April 2016 Citadel expansion. A large number of capital-size modules were added to the game, including armor plates, shield extenders, and capital electronic warfare modules, to facilitate more strategic capital ship fittings. The hitpoints of all capital shields, armor, and hull were reduced, and supercapitals were made vulnerable to electronic warfare, though they remained very resistant. Additionally, both a fleet hangar and ship maintenance bay were added to all dreadnoughts to make them more appealing for beginner capital pilots.
-->
 
* {{icon|amarr2|22|Amarr}}[[Avatar]]
 
* {{icon|caldari2|22|Caldari}}[[Leviathan]]
 
* {{icon|gallente2|22|Gallente}}[[Erebus]]
 
* {{icon|minmatar|22|Minmatar}}[[Ragnarok]]
 
* {{icon|isis serpentis|22}}[[Vanquisher]]
 
  
== Capital Industrial Ship: The Rorqual ==
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The Citadel expansion also introduced a new capital ship class: the force auxiliary. Force auxiliaries are capital logistics platforms, and inherited the role from carriers, which were converted to offensive ships. The triage module, previously unique to carriers, was reassigned to be unique to the new force auxiliaries, and any carrier equipped with a triage module upon Citadel's release was converted into a force auxiliary ship of the same race. Force auxiliaries cannot launch fighters, and instead have a very large drone bay and bonuses to logistics drone performance.
This ship is primarily intended for deep space mining support. It has a maintenance bay, corporate hangar, a huge ore hold, and the ability to fit bonused mining leadership links. The Rorqual can fit capital tractor beams and clone vat bays. In addition, the Rorqual has a jump drive and the ability to compress ore. The Rorqual does have a 50%/level range bonus to capital shield transfers, and a 20%/level drone damage bonus, so while it's not intended as a PVP ship, some people have been known to use it for that. The Rorqual has a non-capital little sister, the Orca, that can be seen supporting many highsec mining fleets.
 
  
* {{icon|ore|22|ORE}}[[Rorqual]]
+
== See also ==
 +
* [[Jump drives]]
  
 
[[Category:Ships]]
 
[[Category:Ships]]

Revision as of 09:06, 25 January 2024

Capital ships are the largest player-piloted ships in EVE. True capitals can only operate outside of high-sec space. While they can use stargates to travel (except to high-sec), they can also jump between star systems using built-in jump drives.

Most defensive and utility modules designed for subcapital ships can also be used on capital ships. However, certain capital-ship-sized modules can only be used on capital ships and some modules whose functions are unique to capital ships. The Capital Ship Modules page details these unique modules.

Capital ships are constructed from capital ship components, instead of materials.

All capital ships are immune to the Micro Jump Field Generator of Command Destroyers.

Capital categories

There are three major categories of capital ships.

Capital size ships

Capital size ships are ships that cannot fit any capital size modules. They use the capital ship hangar in stations and structures. They can enter high-sec and dock without a problem. Freighters don't have a built in jump drive. They are constructed from capital ship components like true capital ships. Like other capital ships, they are valid targets of Doomsdays.

Capital size ships are:

Capital ships

Capital ships are true capitals that can fit capital size modules. They cannot enter high-sec, and cannot dock at many structures.

Capital ships are:

Supercapital ships

Supercapital ships are extremely large capital ships. They can only dock at XL size citadels, Keepstars.

Supercapitals can only be built in systems with a Supercapital Construction Facilities in the Infrastructure Hub, thus building them is restricted to Sovereign Nullsec. This combined with there being no wormhole types that are large enough for supercapitals means that supercapital ships cannot be encountered in wormhole space. (While there is one Wormhole class, K329 C4 -> Nullsec, which is large enough for a supercarrier to travel, wormholes of that class never generate.)

Supercapital ships are:

Docking

Type Station Citadel Engineering Complex Refinery
NPC Station Astrahus (M) Fortizar (L) Keepstar (XL) Raitaru (M) Azbel (L) Sotiyo (XL) Athanor (M) Tatara (L)
Capital size ships Tick.png Tick.png Tick.png Tick.png Tick.png Tick.png Tick.png Tick.png Tick.png
Capital ships Tick.png Cross.png Tick.png Tick.png Cross.png Cross.png[1] Tick.png Cross.png Cross.png[2]
Supercapital ships Cross.png Cross.png Cross.png Tick.png Cross.png Cross.png Cross.png[1] Cross.png Cross.png

  1. ^ a b Can be built here, but not dock again once undocked.
  2. ^ Rorquals can dock.

Freighters

Main article: Freighters

Freighters are cargo ships with vast cargo holds, they are unarmed ships and cannot fight others. Freighters can often be spotted on New Eden's major high-sec trade routes. They are the only capital class without a built in jump drive.

Jump Freighters

Main article: Jump Freighters

Jump Freighters are Tech 2 Freighters with jump drive, they use cynosural fields to move between systems, which allows ships to move around the universe in null-sec and low-sec without the use of stargates. Jump Freighters contribute notably to the availability of modules and items into the outreaches of the universe, and represent the way those items are primarily moved between empire space, nullsec, and player-staged systems.

Dreadnoughts

Main article: Dreadnoughts

Dreadnoughts ("dreads") are DPS machines, only surpassed as damage-dealers by Supercarriers and Titans. This is achieved through the siege module which can only be fitted to dreadnoughts. A Sieged Dreadnought is immobilized, and cannot receive remote repairs or targeted assistance from allies, but in exchange is nearly immune to electronic warfare and gains significant bonuses to local repair modules. Dreadnoughts cannot deal meaningful damage without entering Siege.

Carriers

Main article: Carriers

Carriers are capital ships with the ability to control Light and Support Fighters (frigate-sized drones). They also can store 1,000,000 m3 of assembled ships in their ship maintenance bay so pilots who lose their ships can quickly pick up a new one. Other ships from the carrier pilot's corporation (or fleet, depending on the carrier's settings) can also use it to refit in space.

Carriers (and their supercapital counterparts, supercarriers) generally serve as anti-subcapital ships. To facilitate this role, they have access to the powerful Networked Sensor Array, which increases their scan resolution but removes their ability to use electronic warfare modules and disables their warp drive while it is active.

Carriers are also able to equip Command Bursts.

Force Auxiliaries

Main article: Force Auxiliaries

Force Auxiliaries (singular: "Force Auxiliary", sometimes abbreviated as "FAX") are capital-sized logistics and fleet boosting ships. Force Auxiliaries receive bonuses to logistics drones. Most of the Force Auxiliaries' remote repair power is caused by the triage module which can only be fitted to them. The triage module works similarly to the dreadnought's siege module: when active, the FAX is immobilized, and cannot receive remote repairs, but is resistant to electronic warfare and gains massively improved local and outgoing remote repair power. However, the triage module does not reduce the capacitor cost of these repair modules, making FAXes extremely cap-hungry.

Supercarriers

Main article: Supercarriers

Supercarriers are a more powerful version of carriers with the additional ability to control Heavy Fighters, allowing them to effectively engage other capital and supercapital ships.

Supercarriers are also able to equip Burst Projectors, fleet-scale area-of-effect electronic warfare systems.

Titans

Main article: Titans

Titans are the largest and most powerful ships in EVE, able to fit several unique modules such as Doomsday devices, Jump Portal Generators, and Phenomena Generators.

Capital Industrial Ships

Main article: Rorqual

This ship is primarily intended for deep space mining support. It has a maintenance bay, corporate hangar, a huge ore hold, and the ability to fit bonused mining leadership links. The Rorqual can fit capital tractor beams and clone vat bays. In addition, the Rorqual has a jump drive and the ability to compress ore. The Rorqual does have a 50%/level range bonus to capital shield transfers and a 20%/level drone damage bonus, so while it's not intended as a PVP ship, some people have been known to use it for that. The Rorqual has a non-capital little sister, the Orca, that can be seen supporting many highsec mining fleets.

Other ships

The Orca sits on the border between capital and subcapital, as while it can only equip battleship-sized modules and does not require capital skills, it is larger, slower, and more durable than any battleship. It is constructed from capital ship components, and like other capital ships, it is immune to the Micro Jump Field Generator of Command Destroyers.

History

Since their initial introduction in 2005 with the Red Moon Rising expansion, all combat related capital ships have received major overhauls to stats, bonuses, and abilities.

Initially, capital ships had very little impact on the events in EVE. Small groups scrambled to be the first to field dreadnought fleets to bring down player owned starbases (POSes) which previously only had been possible with large fleets. Carrier fleets were also developed to bulk up the damage output of corporations and alliances with many low skilled pilots by remotely assigning fighter drones. In lowsec, groups of pirates found a use for "hot dropping" carriers into ongoing engagements to turn the tide with the properly applied remote repair of a skilled pilot. In this phase of the game evolution, titans and supercarriers (also known as motherships) were regarded as nearly unbuildable, with the first one to officially be created costing the building alliance dozens of POSes, an outpost and their entire presence in nullsec. It took almost a full year for the first titan to be revealed, and for that entire time - and a few months after - they were regarded as completely useless ships.

However, with the continued expansion of the ranks of capital pilots, carriers began to be deployed on the front lines of battleship-class conflicts to great effect, while fleets of ten, twenty, or thirty dreadnoughts could wipe out a hardened tower in less than thirty minutes - a feat previously unheard of without at least 100-150 battleship pilots. The introduction of titans to nullsec combat meant the death of hundreds of enemy ships in the blink of an eye, and alliance warfare was changed forever - capital ships had made their presence felt, and they were here to stay.

Capital ships as a whole were re-balanced upon the release of the April 2016 Citadel expansion. A large number of capital-size modules were added to the game, including armor plates, shield extenders, and capital electronic warfare modules, to facilitate more strategic capital ship fittings. The hitpoints of all capital shields, armor, and hull were reduced, and supercapitals were made vulnerable to electronic warfare, though they remained very resistant. Additionally, both a fleet hangar and ship maintenance bay were added to all dreadnoughts to make them more appealing for beginner capital pilots.

The Citadel expansion also introduced a new capital ship class: the force auxiliary. Force auxiliaries are capital logistics platforms, and inherited the role from carriers, which were converted to offensive ships. The triage module, previously unique to carriers, was reassigned to be unique to the new force auxiliaries, and any carrier equipped with a triage module upon Citadel's release was converted into a force auxiliary ship of the same race. Force auxiliaries cannot launch fighters, and instead have a very large drone bay and bonuses to logistics drone performance.

See also