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This Tactical Overview is designed to give a brief synopsis of the uses of each ship class in PvP. It is intended to give an overall overview by ship class, not ship type. Learning what every ship type can do becomes necessary as you advance in your PVP career. However, as a starting point, just learning general rules about ship classes is enough.  
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This page gives a ''brief'' overview of the abilities of each ship class, with a particular focus on PvP. It is intended to give an overall overview by ship class, not ship type. Learning what every ship type can do becomes necessary as you advance in your PVP career, but as a starting point it is good to have a general sense of each ship class's capacities.  
  
 
For more in-depth ship information, look at some of the other pages in the  [[:Category:Ships|Ships Category]], or click the "More Details" link at the end of each section.
 
For more in-depth ship information, look at some of the other pages in the  [[:Category:Ships|Ships Category]], or click the "More Details" link at the end of each section.
  
==Frigate Class Ships==
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== Frigates ==
  
=== T1 Frigates ===  
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=== T1 Frigates ===
These will generally just be tacklers. Point, web, speed mod, overdrives etc in lows & mids, irrelevant DPS or [[NOS]] etc in highs. Notable exceptions: The Rifter is one of the best T1 combat frigs, and by most people even considered THE best. In a dogfighting fit with autocannons, afterburner, web and scram, it can take on most other frigs, and even some larger targets, and win (watch out for the Taranis (Gallente combat interceptor) and all the [[Frigate#Assault Frigates|assault frigates]] though). The Merlin comes a close second (or beats the Rifter depending on fit and engagement scenario), either using blasters as a close range brawler or rails and kiteing on the edge of web range. The Punisher and Incursus are the Amarr and Gallente equivalents, but they don't quite reach the level of the Rifter. Additionally, a well-fitted Kestrel, taking advantage of four rocket launchers, can come as an extremely unpleasant surprise to the unwary.  
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These will often just be [[Tackling|tacklers]]. Point, web, speed mod, overdrives etc in lows & mids, irrelevant DPS or [[NOS]] etc in highs. The Minmatar [[Slasher]] can achieve very impressive speeds for a basic tackling hull. T1 frigates can also use [[EWAR]]; the [[Griffin]], [[Maulus]], and [[Crucifier]], in particular, can have a significant battlefield impact.
[[Frigate#T1_Frigates|(More Details)]]
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A group of T1 frigates, or one motivated pilot with time to work in, can take down a larger ship, though. The Caldari [[Merlin]] is tough and can put out surprising hybrid turret DPS. The Gallente [[Tristan]] can field a full flight of (potentially T2) drones.
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Some pirate frigates are very powerful opponents. The [[Worm]] is extremely tough and puts out good DPS; the [[Dramiel]] is very fast indeed; the [[Garmur]] points and kites at irritatingly long ranges.
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[[Frigate#Tech 1 Frigates|(More details)]]
  
 
=== T2 Frigates ===
 
=== T2 Frigates ===
====Interceptors (Inty / 'ceptor) ====
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==== Interceptors (Inty / 'ceptor) ====
These are the primary tacklers in anything but 0.0 (where dictors and hics take over, and even then have uses for pinning down kiters). They have the highest scan resolution of any class, and only Vigils (Minmatar electronic warfare frig) can match their speed. Their main purpose is tackling, and that's what they do best, but many interceptors can also be refit to be effective combat ships in an interceptor-only gang. Their firepower and tank will be low compared to other types of ships, but they have the advantage of very high speed (even when tank & gank fitted) and awesome agility. [[Frigate#Interceptors|(More Details)]]
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{{Main|Interceptors}}
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These are often primary tacklers. They have the highest [[scan resolution]] of any class, and only [[Vigil]]s) can match their speed.
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Their main purpose is tackling, and that's what they do best, but many interceptors can also be refit to be effective combat ships in an interceptor-only gang. Their firepower and tank will be low compared to other types of ships, but they have the advantage of very high speed (even when tank & gank are fitted) and awesome agility.
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A typical tackling interceptor will hold point at you from a long distance. If the pilot wants to turn off your MWD or MJD, they will spiral in for a "scram-pass", in which they slide past you, briefly warp scramble you, and then coast out of your own scram/web range using their high starting speed.
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==== Covert Ops ====
 
==== Covert Ops ====
They can warp cloaked, and are used as scouts and for probing stuff down. Can also be used for tackling stuff it has scouted/probed out, but that's only for experienced people that know what they can and can't hold long enough for help to arrive, and which targets are worth the risk. [[Frigate#Covert_Ops|(More Details)]]
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These can warp cloaked, and are used as scouts and for probing stuff down. Can also be used for tackling stuff it has scouted/probed out, but that's only for experienced people that know what they can and can't hold long enough for help to arrive, and which targets are worth the risk. [[Frigate#Covert_Ops|(More details)]]
  
 
==== Stealth Bombers (SB) ====  
 
==== Stealth Bombers (SB) ====  
Super high DPS/[[Alpha Strike|alpha]] frigates that can warp cloaked and doesn't have a sensor recalibration delay after decloaking. In 0.0, they can also launch bombs (basically a large, ranged, higher damage smartbomb). They have trouble hitting small targets with their torpedoes though. [[Frigate#Stealth_Bombers|(More Details)]]
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Super high DPS/[[Alpha Strike|alpha]] frigates that can warp cloaked and doesn't have a sensor recalibration delay after decloaking. In 0.0, they can also launch bombs (basically a large, ranged, higher damage smartbomb). They have trouble hitting small targets with their torpedoes, though. [[Frigate#Stealth Bombers|(More Details)]]
  
 
==== Electronic Attack Ships (EAS) ====  
 
==== Electronic Attack Ships (EAS) ====  
These vary a lot from race to race. Basically, they are frigate-sized versions of the combat recons that will be described below. [[Frigate#Electronic_Attack_Ships|(More Details)]]
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These vary a lot from race to race. Basically, they are frigate-sized versions of the combat recons that will be described below. [[Frigate#Electronic Attack_Ships|(More details)]] Of particular note are the [[Kitsune]], which can provide powerful ECM jamming, and the [[Keres]], which can point from long ranges and delete an opponent's targeting range.
  
 
==== Assault Frigates (AS / AF) ====  
 
==== Assault Frigates (AS / AF) ====  
High tank, usually high DPS frigates. If you get tackled by one of these, you're generally not going anywhere: they're a pain to get rid of when properly fitted. Their disadvantage compared to interceptors is that they're slower, and often sacrifice their MWD and fit an AB instead to be able to survive longer after getting the target tackled. [[Frigate#Assault_Ships|(More Details)]]
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High tank, usually high DPS frigates. If you get tackled by one of these, you're generally not going anywhere: they're a pain to get rid of when properly fitted. Their disadvantage compared to interceptors is that they're slower.
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The [[Jaguar]] is a particularly popular tackling AF. The [[Wolf]], [[Retribution]] and [[Enyo]] can muster particularly high DPS, and sometimes a gang can be just armor-tanked examples of these ships backed up by T2 logistics frigates.
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Assault Frigates can fit the Assault Damage Control, which lets them bump their damage resistances up to nearly 100% for a brief moment.
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[[Frigate#Assault Frigates|(More details)]]
  
== Destroyer Class Ships ==
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== Destroyers ==
  
 
=== T1 Destroyers ===  
 
=== T1 Destroyers ===  
Anti-frigate ships. Very good tracking, lots of small guns, however their tank is frigate-level, while they're almost as big as a cruiser. They therefore die extremely fast, and are considered useless by many, though they remain much more efficient than most frigates for running Level 1 missions, and can handle Level 2 missions with some training and personal skill.
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Anti-frigate ships. Very good tracking, lots of small guns, but a frigate-level tank with a near-cruiser-sized footprint on enemy targeting sensors.
Some missioners use them as a cheap salvaging vessels. Due to its many high slots many salvagers and tractor beams can be fitted on a low cost ship where no other qualities are required. Of additional note is that most Destroyers feature enough CPU to mount multiple mining lasers, turning the Destroyer into a small mining vessel that can easily rival the Procurer for mining efficiency, if not for cargo capacity.
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[[Destroyer#T1_Destroyers|(More Details)]]
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Destroyers can chew quickly through most L1 missions. Some mission-runnerss use them as cheap salvaging vessels. Due to its many high slots many salvagers and tractor beams can be fitted on a low cost ship where no other qualities are required. Most Destroyers feature enough CPU to mount multiple mining lasers, turning the destroyer into a small mining vessel that can easily rival the Procurer for mining efficiency, if not for cargo capacity.
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In PvP T1 destroyers are used in situations which call for cheap, expendable, mobile DPS. 
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[[Destroyer#Tech 1 Destroyers|(More details)]]
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=== T2 Destroyers ===
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==== Interdictors ('Dictors) ====
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These ships are of greatly reduced value in high and low sec, becoming mere gunboats or missile ships in most cases; however, in nullsec they become one of the most important ships available. Their role is launching warp disruption probes, usually called bubbles. Inside a bubble, nothing can warp, no matter how many [[Tackling|stabilizers]] they fit. Anyone trying to warp to a spot within or close to the bubble will be pulled to the edge of it, although only if the bubble is in line between the two objects that the ship warps between. Interdictors and HICs ([[Cruiser#Heavy Interdiction Cruisers|heavy interdiction cruisers]]) are the only ships that can tackle Titans and Supercarriers. [[Destroyer#Interdictors|(More details)]]
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==== Command Destroyers ====
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Like their bigger siblings, the [[Command Ships]], these are tough ships with the ability to grant bonuses to their fleetmates. They also have the unique ability to use Micro Jump Field Generators, which let them grab every ship in a 6 km radius and blink all of those ships 100 km away. This ability, commonly called "booshing", is used to cut key vulnerable ships, such as logistics ships or EWAR ships, out of their accompanying fleet.
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[[Command Destroyer|(More details)]]
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=== T3 Tactical Destroyers ===
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Like T3 Strategic Cruisers, tactical destroyers are unpredictable and flexible. Unlike T3Cs, though, they can only switch between three predetermined modes, Defense, Propulsion, and Sharpshooter, rather than a wider range of possible configurations. The Amarr [[Confessor]] is tough to destroy, the Minmatar [[Svipul]] has tracking bonuses which let it gobble up small ships, the Caldari [[Jackdaw]] can achieve absurdly long ranges, and the Gallente [[Hecate]] is fast, damaging, but fragile.
  
=== T2 Destroyers: Interdictors (Dictor) ===
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[[Tactical Destroyers|(More details)]]
These ships are of greatly reduced value in high and low sec, becoming mere gunboats or missile ships in most cases; however, when they get into 0.0, they become one of the most important ships available. Their role is launching warp disruption probes, usually called bubbles. Those probes create a warp disruption field in a 20km radius from the probe: inside that field, nothing can warp, no matter how many [[WCS|stabs]] they fit. Anyone trying to warp to a spot within 150 (iirc) km of the edge of the bubble will be pulled to the edge of it, although only if the bubble is in line between the 2 objects that the ship is warping between. Interdictors and HICs ([[Cruiser#Heavy Interdiction Cruisers|heavy interdiction cruisers]]) are the only ships that can tackle titans and motherships. [[Destroyer#Interdictors|(More Details)]]
 
  
== Cruiser Class Ships ==  
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== Cruisers ==  
  
 
=== T1 Cruisers ===
 
=== T1 Cruisers ===
Can have many roles, from mining and logistics (Osprey, Augoror, Scythe, Exequror) and electronic warfare (Blackbird, Bellicose, Arbitrator, Celestis) to pure DPS (basically, the rest of them). [[Cruiser#T1_Cruisers|(More Details)]]
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T1 cruisers have many roles, from mining and logistics (Osprey, Augoror, Scythe, Exequror) and electronic warfare (Blackbird, Bellicose, Arbitrator, Celestis) to pure DPS (basically, the rest of them). Cruiser hulls are cheap and effective, and commonly seen in PvE and PvP. [[Cruiser#T1 Cruisers|(More details)]]
  
 
=== T2 Cruisers ===
 
=== T2 Cruisers ===
 
==== Recon Ships ====  
 
==== Recon Ships ====  
These come in two categories, combat recons and force recons. Force recons can fit a covert ops cloak and therefore warp cloaked, while the combat recon is generally better suited for the actual combat part, either through stronger tank, higher DPS or simply better range for their electronic warfare (EW) type.  
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These come in two categories, combat recons and force recons. Force recons can fit a covert ops cloak and therefore warp cloaked, while the combat recon is generally better suited for the actual combat part, either through stronger tank, higher DPS or simply better range for their electronic warfare (EW) type.
Their main purpose is EW, but what they use varies from race to race. [[Cruiser#Recon Ships|(More Details)]]
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Force recons can light a [[Jump drives#Normal Cynosural Fields|hard cyno]] and the presence of one or more on the field implicitly threatens a capital ship escalation.
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Combat recons are invisible to the directional scanner.
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[[Cruiser#Recon Ships|(More details)]]
  
 
==== Heavy Assault Cruisers (HAC) ====  
 
==== Heavy Assault Cruisers (HAC) ====  
Extremely versatile and powerful ships. They combine high speed and agility with either close range fits for high DPS and decent tanks, or very long range fits -- only outranged by sniper ships using BS guns-- which still offer good DPS and a decent [[Buffer|buffer]] tank. [[Cruiser#Heavy_Assault_Cruisers|(More Details)]]
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Extremely versatile and powerful damage-dealing ships. They combine high speed and agility with either close range fits for high DPS and decent tanks, or very long range fits -- only outranged by sniper ships using battleship guns-- which still offer good DPS and a decent [[buffer]] tank. Like Assault Frigates, HACs can mount the Assault Damage Control, letting them bump their damage resistance up to nearly 100% for brief periods. [[Cruiser#Heavy Assault Cruisers|(More details)]]
  
 
==== Heavy Interdiction Cruisers (HIC) ====  
 
==== Heavy Interdiction Cruisers (HIC) ====  
With the exception of some T3 cruiser setups, these will have better tank than any other cruiser, and match that of most battleships. Their DPS is extremely low, but their role is tackling.  
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With the exception of some T3 cruiser fits these will have better tank than any other cruiser, and match that of most battleships. Their DPS is extremely low, but their role is tackling.
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In 0.0 they can create a 12-20 km radius warp disruption field similar to what the light interdictors create. However, while the light interdictor can launch its bubble and then get out, and the bubble will stay there for 2 minutes anyway, the HIC has to stay where it wants its bubble to be. While the bubble is up (30 second cycle time), it can not receive any type of remote support. Its normal speed remains the same, and afterburners and MWDs will have reduced effect. In return, the HIC's mass gets reduced, so they can get up to speed and change direction extremely fast.
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In high and low sec, the bubble can't be used, but a script allows it to work as a normal disruptor with infinite strength and 50% more range.
  
In 0.0 they can create a 12-20 km radius warp disruption field similar to what the light interdictors create, however, while the light interdictor can launch its bubble and then get out, and the bubble will stay there for 2 minutes anyway, the HIC has to stay where it want its bubble to be. While the bubble is up (30 second cycle time), it can not recieve any type of remote support. Its normal speed remains the same, afterburners and microwarpdrives will have reduced effect. In return, the HIC's mass gets reduced, so they can get up to speed and change direction etc extremely fast. In high and low sec, the bubble can't be used, but a script allows it to work as a normal disruptor with infinite strength and 50% more range.[[Cruiser#Heavy_Interdiction Cruisers|(More Details)]]
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[[Cruiser#Heavy Interdiction Cruisers|(More details)]]
  
 
==== Logistics ====  
 
==== Logistics ====  
 
Each race does it a bit differently here, but overall, these ships are supposed to increase the survivability of the fleet in one way or another.  
 
Each race does it a bit differently here, but overall, these ships are supposed to increase the survivability of the fleet in one way or another.  
  
Gallente and Amarr repair armor, Caldari and Minmatar repair shields. In addition, Gallente and Minmatar can boost fleet members' tracking, and Amarr and Caldari can add extra energy to fleet members' capacitors (which is an extremely powerful utility when two Amarr or Caldari logistics ships are used in tandem with one another). [[Cruiser#Logistics|(More Details)]]
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Gallente and Amarr repair armor, Caldari and Minmatar repair shields. In addition, Gallente and Minmatar can boost fleet members' tracking, and Amarr and Caldari can add extra energy to fleet members' capacitors (which is an extremely powerful utility when two Amarr or Caldari logistics ships are used in tandem with one another). Amarr and Caldari logistics ships can form a "cap chain" in which each logi ship boosts other logi ships' capacitors; this is excellent for large gangs or fleets. The Gallente and Minmatar logistics ships function well on their own, and are meant for smaller gangs with only a few logi pilots, or even only one logi pilot.
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[[Cruiser#Logistics|(More details)]]
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=== T3 Strategic Cruisers ===
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[[CCP]] deliberately designed Strategic Cruisers to be highly flexible and able to take on many roles. Depending on their fits, they can
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* mount outsized tanks
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* travel while cloaked
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* use EWAR
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* deal high DPS
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* repair other ships
  
=== T3 Cruisers: Strategic Cruisers ===
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[[Strategic Cruisers|(More details)]]
You can't get more versatile than this. Depending on what subsystems you put on it, it can basically do anything except for bubbling. With the right sub system, you can even become immune to bubbles -- a unique ability that no other ship has -- although you can still be tackled by HICs with the script in and by normal disruptors/scrams. T3 cruisers can be fitted to use their racial warfare links with an even stronger bonus than fleet command ships (described below), but it can only fit one link by default. However, by fitting two command processors, that can be increased to three links. [[Strategic_Cruiser|(More Details)]]
 
  
== Battlecruiser Class Ships ==
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== Battlecruisers ==
  
 
=== T1 Battlecruiser (BC) ===
 
=== T1 Battlecruiser (BC) ===
Very good mix between gank, tank, agility, speed and cost. Usually short range, although long range guns do appear on some specific fits (drake and "instacane" to mention two), they are the dps workhorses of many fleets. A notable exception to this is the tier 3 battlecruisers, which are capable of mounting BS sized guns, but have substantialy reduced tank, so are often fit out as snipers to mitigate their weaknesses.
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Standard battlecruisers mount medium-sized weapon systems, like cruisers, but with bonuses extending their reach. These battlecruisers represent a good balance of speed, tank, damage potential, SP requirements, and cost, making them popular for PvP and for Level 3 missions. They can mount [[Command Bursts]] with bonuses for their use, making them popular additions to small PvP gangs.
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Attack battlecruisers can fit large-sized weapon systems, but have fragile tanks. They are often used as snipers. The [[Tornado]] is often used for suicide ganking because it can mount a battleship-sized artillery alpha strike on a cheaper hull.
  
BCs also have the ability to fit a single warfare link, which can give extra bonuses to your gang. [[Battlecruiser#T1_Battlecruisers|(More Details)]]
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[[Battlecruisers#Tech 1 Battlecruisers|(More details)]]
  
 
=== T2 Battlecruisers ===
 
=== T2 Battlecruisers ===
 
==== Command Ships (CS) ====  
 
==== Command Ships (CS) ====  
These come in two classes, field command ships, which are basically just a stronger version of the T1 BC with a bit more DPS and tank and better resists, and fleet command ships. Fleet command ships get a bonus to their racial warfare links, and in general have extremely good tanks with great resists. The racial links are: Armor for Amarr, Shield for Caldari, Skirmish for Minmatar and Information for Gallente, and there are three types of links in each class. If the command ship is in a leadership position in the fleet, everyone below him in the command chain (including normal members) get the following bonus, assuming the command chain is complete (for example, if the CS is wing commander, and there are no squad commanders, or more squads than the CS can handle with its current wing commander level, no bonuses will be applied). [[Battlecruiser#Command_Ships|(More Details)]]
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These come in two classes, field command ships, which are basically just a stronger version of the T1 BC with a bit more DPS and tank and better resists, and fleet command ships. Fleet command ships get a bonus to their racial Command Bursts, can mount at least 2 bursts, and in general have extremely good tanks with great resists. They are excellent, but SP-intensive, force multipliers.
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[[Battlecruiser#Tech 2 BBattlecruisers: Command_Ships|(More details)]]
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== Battleships (BSs, BBs) ==
  
== Battleship Class Ships ==
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=== T1 Battleship ===
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The heaviest subcapitals, with great potential buffer tanks and very high DPS when close-range fitted. Long range fits have the best range in the game, while still maintaining good DPS. Some notably unusual battleships are the Caldari [[Scorpion]], which is the only T1 electronic warfare BS, and uses ECM; the Gallente [[Dominix]] and Amarr [[Armageddon]], which are bonused for drones (and in the 'geddon's case, neutralizers); and the Minmatar [[Typhoon]], which can go surprisingly fast.
  
=== T1 Battleship (BS) ===
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Battleships' weaknesses are low speed and agility combined with slow locking speed (low scan resolution) and trouble applying their high DPS potential to smaller targets. Battleships are also currently (fall 2021) expensive to build, limiting their deployment in PvP.  
You can't get heavier than this and still stay in sub-capital ships, although there are of course variations. Great buffer tanks; very high DPS when close range fitted; long range fits have the best range in the game, while still maintaining good DPS (usually Apoc, Mega, Maelstrom/Tempest and Rokh, though the Mega and Mael/Tempest can also be close range fitted and still perform better than/as well as the other BS of their race). One notable exception here: the Caldari Scorpion, which is the only T1 electronic warfare BS, and use ECM.  
 
  
The battleships' weakness is low speed and agility combined with slow locking speed (low scan resolution) and bad gun tracking, so it's hard to force an opponent in smaller ships to engage if the odds are in your favor, or to actually kill them since you'll be missing a lot if you do get a fight. [[Battleship#T1_Battleships|(More Details)]]
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[[Battleship#Tech 1 Battleships|(More details)]]
  
 
=== T2 Battleships ===
 
=== T2 Battleships ===
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Both types of T2 battleship effectively squeeze one capital ship function into a subcapital hull. Marauders are stable-point damage-dealers like dreadnoughts, and Black Ops battleships can create cyno bridges.
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==== Marauders ====
 
==== Marauders ====
These are basically PvE only ships. Decent DPS and good local tank, but in PvP you generally want a buffer tank instead, and marauders have very low sensor strength, making them easy to jam. The Paladin and Kronos have 50% web strength bonuses which can be situationally useful if you really need a target webbed down as much as possible, and don't mind using a ship that costs over half a billion and gets tiny insurance payouts. But Blood Raider and Serpentis ships also get a 10% bonus/level of Minmatar Frigate/Cruiser/Battleship, which also adds up to a total of 50% bonus at level 5. [[Battleship#Marauders|(More Details)]]
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All four [[Marauder]]s are very tough, high-damage platforms popular for high-level PvE combat. They have bonuses which let them fit fewer weapons, and more utility high slot modules. They can enter Bastion Mode, which immobilizes them but hardens their defenses and boosts their damage.
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Although the Marauders are most commonly seen in PvE, they are sometimes encountered in PvP. The Minmatar [[Vargur]], in particular, can be a difficult PvP opponent.
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[[Battleship#Marauders|(More details)]]
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==== Black Ops (BO, Blops) ====
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These are the big brothers of the force recon ships but, while they do get bonus to how fast they move while cloaked (which actually means that they'll move faster when cloaked than when not cloaked with the BO skill at a decent level), they can't fit a covert ops cloak and warp while cloaked. They cost about 700m or so before fittings, so they aren't casually risked in combat.
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However, they do have a very useful role to play in PvP: the covert jump bridge. Covert cyno fields can be lit even in cyno jammed 0.0 systems and don't appear as a beacon in the entire system like a normal cyno. A BO battleship  can then lock onto a covert cyno and create a bridge to it, which then allows other covert ops ships (any ship that get a bonus to cloaking, including T3 cruisers with the cloaking sub) to jump.
  
==== Black Ops (BO) ====
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A common tactic is to have a T3C or Force Recon tackle a juicy target, and then light a covert ops cyno so a Blops battleship can bridge in a force of stealth bombers to atomise the enemy.
These are the big brothers of the force recon ships but, while they do get bonus to how fast they move while cloaked (which actually means that they'll move faster when cloaked than when not cloaked with the BO skill at a decent level), they can't fit a covert ops cloak and warp while cloaked. They cost about 700m or so before fittings, so it's rarely worth risking them in combat.
 
  
However, they do have a very useful role to play in PvP: the covert jump bridge. Covert cyno fields can now be lit even in cyno jammed 0.0 systems and doesn't appear as a beacon in the entire system like a normal cyno, and a black ops can then lock on to that field and create a bridge to it, which then allows other covert ops ships (any ship that get a bonus to cloaking, including T3 cruisers with the cloaking sub) to jump to the system the bridge was set up to -- making the black ops ship basically a one-way stargate. Only BOs, recons and covops ships can fit and light covert cynos. [[Battleship#Black_Ops|(More Details)]]
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[[Battleship#Black_Ops|(More details)]]
  
 
== Capital Ships ==
 
== Capital Ships ==
 
Capital ships -- dreadnoughts, carriers, supercarriers ("motherships"), titans and Rorquals (the last one isn't a combat ship) -- can't use gates, and the supercarriers and titans can't even dock. Instead they use their own jump drive to travel around. In order to do that, they require fuel (racial isotopes, helium for Amarr, oxygen for Gallente and the rorqual, nitrogen for Caldari and hydrogen for Minmatar) and a cynosural field to jump to.
 
Capital ships -- dreadnoughts, carriers, supercarriers ("motherships"), titans and Rorquals (the last one isn't a combat ship) -- can't use gates, and the supercarriers and titans can't even dock. Instead they use their own jump drive to travel around. In order to do that, they require fuel (racial isotopes, helium for Amarr, oxygen for Gallente and the rorqual, nitrogen for Caldari and hydrogen for Minmatar) and a cynosural field to jump to.
  
Those cyno fields can be created in two ways. One can be created by anchoring and onlining a cyno generator POS mod. This will always be online and available for use for the corp/alliance the POS belongs to, but requires the corp/alliance to have the relevant upgrades installed in the system before it can be used, and cannot be online at the same time as a cyno jammer in the same system. Alternatively, a Cynosural Field Generator module can be mounted on a ship (usually a throwaway frigate) which can then 'light' a cyno in any system which doesn't have an online cyno jammer. [[Capital_Ship|(More Details)]]
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Those cyno fields can be created in two ways. One can be created by anchoring and onlining a cyno generator POS mod. This will always be online and available for use for the corp/alliance the POS belongs to, but requires the corp/alliance to have the relevant upgrades installed in the system before it can be used, and cannot be online at the same time as a cyno jammer in the same system. Alternatively, a Cynosural Field Generator module can be mounted on a ship (usually a throwaway frigate) which can then 'light' a cyno in any system which doesn't have an online cyno jammer. [[Capital Ship|(More details)]]
  
 
=== Dreadnoughts (Dread) ===
 
=== Dreadnoughts (Dread) ===
For pure DPS this used to be as good as it gets, though they have now been surpassed by supercarriers doing 8k DPS (10k for the Nyx), and Titans which can reach similar DPS numbers as dreads, but also get the doomsday device. Dreads can reach almost 5k dps when in siege mode even in a long range fit. When not sieged, though, they generally just match a BS. Their weapons' tracking is extremely bad, so they can basically only hit other caps and POSs/outposts, unless the target isn't moving at all. [[Capital_Ship#Dreadnoughts|(More Details)]]
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For pure DPS this used to be as good as it gets, though they have now been surpassed by supercarriers doing 8k DPS (10k for the Nyx), and Titans which can reach similar DPS numbers as dreads, but also get the doomsday device. Dreads can reach almost 5k DPS when in siege mode even in a long range fit. When not sieged, though, they generally just match a BS. Their weapons' tracking is extremely bad, so they can basically only hit other caps and POSs/outposts, unless the target isn't moving at all. [[Capital_Ship#Dreadnoughts|(More details)]]
  
 
=== Force Auxiliaries ("FAX") ===
 
=== Force Auxiliaries ("FAX") ===
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=== Carriers ===
 
=== Carriers ===
These are giant [[fighters|fighter]] DPS platforms. They have the ability to store 1.000.000 m3 of ''assembled'' ships in their ship maintenance bay so that people that lose their ship can quickly pick up a new one, and other ships from their corp (or fleet if the carrier's configured for that) can use them to refit in space.
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These are giant [[fighter]] DPS platforms. They have the ability to store 1.000.000 m3 of ''assembled'' ships in their ship maintenance bay so that people that lose their ship can quickly pick up a new one, and other ships from their corp (or fleet if the carrier's configured for that) can use them to refit in space.
  
 
In addition to that, all carriers get an additional 5%/level bonus to the following: Carriers can use fighters, and for every level of the racial carrier skill all carriers can control one extra drone or fighter in addition to the normal five. They can't fit any guns or launchers at all, so the high slots are usually used for neuts, smartbombs (drone/small ship defense).
 
In addition to that, all carriers get an additional 5%/level bonus to the following: Carriers can use fighters, and for every level of the racial carrier skill all carriers can control one extra drone or fighter in addition to the normal five. They can't fit any guns or launchers at all, so the high slots are usually used for neuts, smartbombs (drone/small ship defense).
  
Just like dreadnoughts' siege modules, carriers also get a special module that only they can fit: the networked sensor array.  [[Capital_Ship#Carriers|(More Details)]]
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Just like dreadnoughts' siege modules, carriers also get a special module that only they can fit: the networked sensor array.  [[Capital_Ship#Carriers|(More details)]]
  
 
=== Supercarriers ("Supers") ===
 
=== Supercarriers ("Supers") ===
A larger carrier with the ability to use fighter bombers, greatly increasing their DPS to roughly twice as much as a sieged dread with a full flight of bombers and max skills. These get +3 drones/carrier level instead of 1, but can't dock and have shorter jump range (equivalent to a dread/jump freighter). Supercarriers can't enter triage mode, but are permanently immune to electronic warfare anyway. They can only be tackled by [[Interdictor|interdictors]] and [[Heavy Interdictors|heavy interdictors]] (and anchorable bubbles, but that's not practical due to the anchoring time required before they activate combined with limited range). [[Capital_Ship#Supercarriers|(More Details)]]
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A larger carrier with the ability to use fighter bombers, greatly increasing their DPS to roughly twice as much as a sieged dread with a full flight of bombers and max skills. These get +3 drones/carrier level instead of 1, but can't dock and have shorter jump range (equivalent to a dread/jump freighter). Supercarriers can't enter triage mode, but are permanently immune to electronic warfare anyway. They can only be tackled by [[interdictor]]s and [[Heavy Interdictors|heavy interdictors]] (and anchorable bubbles, but that's not practical due to the anchoring time required before they activate combined with limited range). [[Capital_Ship#Supercarriers|(More details)]]
  
 
=== Titans ===
 
=== Titans ===
 
Like supercarriers, these are immune to EW and can only be tackled by dictors and HICs. They're all able to fit and activate the largest and most lethal gun in the game: a doomsday device, which does 2-3m damage depending on skills, but can only be fired once every 10 minutes, costs 50k racial isotopes to activate, prevents the titan from moving at all for 30 seconds and from using its jump drive for 10 minutes. Activating a doomsday device takes 10 seconds, so targets have some time to get out before the damage is applied. Its  range is 250 km (the hard-coded max lock range -- nothing can do damage at longer range than that).
 
Like supercarriers, these are immune to EW and can only be tackled by dictors and HICs. They're all able to fit and activate the largest and most lethal gun in the game: a doomsday device, which does 2-3m damage depending on skills, but can only be fired once every 10 minutes, costs 50k racial isotopes to activate, prevents the titan from moving at all for 30 seconds and from using its jump drive for 10 minutes. Activating a doomsday device takes 10 seconds, so targets have some time to get out before the damage is applied. Its  range is 250 km (the hard-coded max lock range -- nothing can do damage at longer range than that).
  
Titans can also fit a jump bridge module, which works in a similar way to the cov ops jump bridge described above that the black ops use, but can bridge any type of ship, has longer range and can only lock on to normal cynos, not cov ops ones. [[Capital_Ship#Titans|(More Details)]]
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Titans can also fit a jump bridge module, which works in a similar way to the cov ops jump bridge described above that the black ops use, but can bridge any type of ship, has longer range and can only lock on to normal cynos, not cov ops ones. [[Capital_Ship#Titans|(More details)]]
  
 
=== Capital Industrial Ship: The Rorqual ===
 
=== Capital Industrial Ship: The Rorqual ===
This ship is primarily intended for mining support with its huge tractor beam range and speed, ability to fit bonused mining leadership links and ability to compress ore. However, it 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. [[Capital_Ship#Capital_Industrial_Ships:_Rorqual|(More Details)]]
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This ship is primarily intended for mining support with its huge tractor beam range and speed, ability to fit bonused mining leadership links and ability to compress ore. However, it 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. [[Capital_Ship#Capital_Industrial_Ships|(More details)]]
  
 
[[Category:Ships]]
 
[[Category:Ships]]

Latest revision as of 13:37, 6 July 2024

This page gives a brief overview of the abilities of each ship class, with a particular focus on PvP. It is intended to give an overall overview by ship class, not ship type. Learning what every ship type can do becomes necessary as you advance in your PVP career, but as a starting point it is good to have a general sense of each ship class's capacities.

For more in-depth ship information, look at some of the other pages in the Ships Category, or click the "More Details" link at the end of each section.

Frigates

T1 Frigates

These will often just be tacklers. Point, web, speed mod, overdrives etc in lows & mids, irrelevant DPS or NOS etc in highs. The Minmatar Slasher can achieve very impressive speeds for a basic tackling hull. T1 frigates can also use EWAR; the Griffin, Maulus, and Crucifier, in particular, can have a significant battlefield impact.

A group of T1 frigates, or one motivated pilot with time to work in, can take down a larger ship, though. The Caldari Merlin is tough and can put out surprising hybrid turret DPS. The Gallente Tristan can field a full flight of (potentially T2) drones.

Some pirate frigates are very powerful opponents. The Worm is extremely tough and puts out good DPS; the Dramiel is very fast indeed; the Garmur points and kites at irritatingly long ranges.

(More details)

T2 Frigates

Interceptors (Inty / 'ceptor)

Main article: Interceptors

These are often primary tacklers. They have the highest scan resolution of any class, and only Vigils) can match their speed.

Their main purpose is tackling, and that's what they do best, but many interceptors can also be refit to be effective combat ships in an interceptor-only gang. Their firepower and tank will be low compared to other types of ships, but they have the advantage of very high speed (even when tank & gank are fitted) and awesome agility.

A typical tackling interceptor will hold point at you from a long distance. If the pilot wants to turn off your MWD or MJD, they will spiral in for a "scram-pass", in which they slide past you, briefly warp scramble you, and then coast out of your own scram/web range using their high starting speed.


Covert Ops

These can warp cloaked, and are used as scouts and for probing stuff down. Can also be used for tackling stuff it has scouted/probed out, but that's only for experienced people that know what they can and can't hold long enough for help to arrive, and which targets are worth the risk. (More details)

Stealth Bombers (SB)

Super high DPS/alpha frigates that can warp cloaked and doesn't have a sensor recalibration delay after decloaking. In 0.0, they can also launch bombs (basically a large, ranged, higher damage smartbomb). They have trouble hitting small targets with their torpedoes, though. (More Details)

Electronic Attack Ships (EAS)

These vary a lot from race to race. Basically, they are frigate-sized versions of the combat recons that will be described below. (More details) Of particular note are the Kitsune, which can provide powerful ECM jamming, and the Keres, which can point from long ranges and delete an opponent's targeting range.

Assault Frigates (AS / AF)

High tank, usually high DPS frigates. If you get tackled by one of these, you're generally not going anywhere: they're a pain to get rid of when properly fitted. Their disadvantage compared to interceptors is that they're slower.

The Jaguar is a particularly popular tackling AF. The Wolf, Retribution and Enyo can muster particularly high DPS, and sometimes a gang can be just armor-tanked examples of these ships backed up by T2 logistics frigates.

Assault Frigates can fit the Assault Damage Control, which lets them bump their damage resistances up to nearly 100% for a brief moment.

(More details)

Destroyers

T1 Destroyers

Anti-frigate ships. Very good tracking, lots of small guns, but a frigate-level tank with a near-cruiser-sized footprint on enemy targeting sensors.

Destroyers can chew quickly through most L1 missions. Some mission-runnerss use them as cheap salvaging vessels. Due to its many high slots many salvagers and tractor beams can be fitted on a low cost ship where no other qualities are required. Most Destroyers feature enough CPU to mount multiple mining lasers, turning the destroyer into a small mining vessel that can easily rival the Procurer for mining efficiency, if not for cargo capacity.

In PvP T1 destroyers are used in situations which call for cheap, expendable, mobile DPS. (More details)

T2 Destroyers

Interdictors ('Dictors)

These ships are of greatly reduced value in high and low sec, becoming mere gunboats or missile ships in most cases; however, in nullsec they become one of the most important ships available. Their role is launching warp disruption probes, usually called bubbles. Inside a bubble, nothing can warp, no matter how many stabilizers they fit. Anyone trying to warp to a spot within or close to the bubble will be pulled to the edge of it, although only if the bubble is in line between the two objects that the ship warps between. Interdictors and HICs (heavy interdiction cruisers) are the only ships that can tackle Titans and Supercarriers. (More details)

Command Destroyers

Like their bigger siblings, the Command Ships, these are tough ships with the ability to grant bonuses to their fleetmates. They also have the unique ability to use Micro Jump Field Generators, which let them grab every ship in a 6 km radius and blink all of those ships 100 km away. This ability, commonly called "booshing", is used to cut key vulnerable ships, such as logistics ships or EWAR ships, out of their accompanying fleet.

(More details)

T3 Tactical Destroyers

Like T3 Strategic Cruisers, tactical destroyers are unpredictable and flexible. Unlike T3Cs, though, they can only switch between three predetermined modes, Defense, Propulsion, and Sharpshooter, rather than a wider range of possible configurations. The Amarr Confessor is tough to destroy, the Minmatar Svipul has tracking bonuses which let it gobble up small ships, the Caldari Jackdaw can achieve absurdly long ranges, and the Gallente Hecate is fast, damaging, but fragile.

(More details)

Cruisers

T1 Cruisers

T1 cruisers have many roles, from mining and logistics (Osprey, Augoror, Scythe, Exequror) and electronic warfare (Blackbird, Bellicose, Arbitrator, Celestis) to pure DPS (basically, the rest of them). Cruiser hulls are cheap and effective, and commonly seen in PvE and PvP. (More details)

T2 Cruisers

Recon Ships

These come in two categories, combat recons and force recons. Force recons can fit a covert ops cloak and therefore warp cloaked, while the combat recon is generally better suited for the actual combat part, either through stronger tank, higher DPS or simply better range for their electronic warfare (EW) type.

Force recons can light a hard cyno and the presence of one or more on the field implicitly threatens a capital ship escalation.

Combat recons are invisible to the directional scanner.

(More details)

Heavy Assault Cruisers (HAC)

Extremely versatile and powerful damage-dealing ships. They combine high speed and agility with either close range fits for high DPS and decent tanks, or very long range fits -- only outranged by sniper ships using battleship guns-- which still offer good DPS and a decent buffer tank. Like Assault Frigates, HACs can mount the Assault Damage Control, letting them bump their damage resistance up to nearly 100% for brief periods. (More details)

Heavy Interdiction Cruisers (HIC)

With the exception of some T3 cruiser fits these will have better tank than any other cruiser, and match that of most battleships. Their DPS is extremely low, but their role is tackling.

In 0.0 they can create a 12-20 km radius warp disruption field similar to what the light interdictors create. However, while the light interdictor can launch its bubble and then get out, and the bubble will stay there for 2 minutes anyway, the HIC has to stay where it wants its bubble to be. While the bubble is up (30 second cycle time), it can not receive any type of remote support. Its normal speed remains the same, and afterburners and MWDs will have reduced effect. In return, the HIC's mass gets reduced, so they can get up to speed and change direction extremely fast.

In high and low sec, the bubble can't be used, but a script allows it to work as a normal disruptor with infinite strength and 50% more range.

(More details)

Logistics

Each race does it a bit differently here, but overall, these ships are supposed to increase the survivability of the fleet in one way or another.

Gallente and Amarr repair armor, Caldari and Minmatar repair shields. In addition, Gallente and Minmatar can boost fleet members' tracking, and Amarr and Caldari can add extra energy to fleet members' capacitors (which is an extremely powerful utility when two Amarr or Caldari logistics ships are used in tandem with one another). Amarr and Caldari logistics ships can form a "cap chain" in which each logi ship boosts other logi ships' capacitors; this is excellent for large gangs or fleets. The Gallente and Minmatar logistics ships function well on their own, and are meant for smaller gangs with only a few logi pilots, or even only one logi pilot.

(More details)

T3 Strategic Cruisers

CCP deliberately designed Strategic Cruisers to be highly flexible and able to take on many roles. Depending on their fits, they can

  • mount outsized tanks
  • travel while cloaked
  • use EWAR
  • deal high DPS
  • repair other ships

(More details)

Battlecruisers

T1 Battlecruiser (BC)

Standard battlecruisers mount medium-sized weapon systems, like cruisers, but with bonuses extending their reach. These battlecruisers represent a good balance of speed, tank, damage potential, SP requirements, and cost, making them popular for PvP and for Level 3 missions. They can mount Command Bursts with bonuses for their use, making them popular additions to small PvP gangs.

Attack battlecruisers can fit large-sized weapon systems, but have fragile tanks. They are often used as snipers. The Tornado is often used for suicide ganking because it can mount a battleship-sized artillery alpha strike on a cheaper hull.

(More details)

T2 Battlecruisers

Command Ships (CS)

These come in two classes, field command ships, which are basically just a stronger version of the T1 BC with a bit more DPS and tank and better resists, and fleet command ships. Fleet command ships get a bonus to their racial Command Bursts, can mount at least 2 bursts, and in general have extremely good tanks with great resists. They are excellent, but SP-intensive, force multipliers.

(More details)

Battleships (BSs, BBs)

T1 Battleship

The heaviest subcapitals, with great potential buffer tanks and very high DPS when close-range fitted. Long range fits have the best range in the game, while still maintaining good DPS. Some notably unusual battleships are the Caldari Scorpion, which is the only T1 electronic warfare BS, and uses ECM; the Gallente Dominix and Amarr Armageddon, which are bonused for drones (and in the 'geddon's case, neutralizers); and the Minmatar Typhoon, which can go surprisingly fast.

Battleships' weaknesses are low speed and agility combined with slow locking speed (low scan resolution) and trouble applying their high DPS potential to smaller targets. Battleships are also currently (fall 2021) expensive to build, limiting their deployment in PvP.

(More details)

T2 Battleships

Both types of T2 battleship effectively squeeze one capital ship function into a subcapital hull. Marauders are stable-point damage-dealers like dreadnoughts, and Black Ops battleships can create cyno bridges.

Marauders

All four Marauders are very tough, high-damage platforms popular for high-level PvE combat. They have bonuses which let them fit fewer weapons, and more utility high slot modules. They can enter Bastion Mode, which immobilizes them but hardens their defenses and boosts their damage.

Although the Marauders are most commonly seen in PvE, they are sometimes encountered in PvP. The Minmatar Vargur, in particular, can be a difficult PvP opponent.

(More details)

Black Ops (BO, Blops)

These are the big brothers of the force recon ships but, while they do get bonus to how fast they move while cloaked (which actually means that they'll move faster when cloaked than when not cloaked with the BO skill at a decent level), they can't fit a covert ops cloak and warp while cloaked. They cost about 700m or so before fittings, so they aren't casually risked in combat.

However, they do have a very useful role to play in PvP: the covert jump bridge. Covert cyno fields can be lit even in cyno jammed 0.0 systems and don't appear as a beacon in the entire system like a normal cyno. A BO battleship can then lock onto a covert cyno and create a bridge to it, which then allows other covert ops ships (any ship that get a bonus to cloaking, including T3 cruisers with the cloaking sub) to jump.

A common tactic is to have a T3C or Force Recon tackle a juicy target, and then light a covert ops cyno so a Blops battleship can bridge in a force of stealth bombers to atomise the enemy.

(More details)

Capital Ships

Capital ships -- dreadnoughts, carriers, supercarriers ("motherships"), titans and Rorquals (the last one isn't a combat ship) -- can't use gates, and the supercarriers and titans can't even dock. Instead they use their own jump drive to travel around. In order to do that, they require fuel (racial isotopes, helium for Amarr, oxygen for Gallente and the rorqual, nitrogen for Caldari and hydrogen for Minmatar) and a cynosural field to jump to.

Those cyno fields can be created in two ways. One can be created by anchoring and onlining a cyno generator POS mod. This will always be online and available for use for the corp/alliance the POS belongs to, but requires the corp/alliance to have the relevant upgrades installed in the system before it can be used, and cannot be online at the same time as a cyno jammer in the same system. Alternatively, a Cynosural Field Generator module can be mounted on a ship (usually a throwaway frigate) which can then 'light' a cyno in any system which doesn't have an online cyno jammer. (More details)

Dreadnoughts (Dread)

For pure DPS this used to be as good as it gets, though they have now been surpassed by supercarriers doing 8k DPS (10k for the Nyx), and Titans which can reach similar DPS numbers as dreads, but also get the doomsday device. Dreads can reach almost 5k DPS when in siege mode even in a long range fit. When not sieged, though, they generally just match a BS. Their weapons' tracking is extremely bad, so they can basically only hit other caps and POSs/outposts, unless the target isn't moving at all. (More details)

Force Auxiliaries ("FAX")

These are giant logistics platforms, with bonuses to either shield or armor repairs depending on race. The Amarrian Apostle and the Gallentean Ninazu are armor logistics platforms, while the Caldari Minokawa and the Minmatar Lif are shield logisitcs platforms. They can carry some drones, but unlike the triage-fit carriers they superseded, cannot carry and launch fighters. They are the only ships that can fit the Triage module, which enhances their remote repair ability and makes them immune to electronic warfare.

Carriers

These are giant fighter DPS platforms. They have the ability to store 1.000.000 m3 of assembled ships in their ship maintenance bay so that people that lose their ship can quickly pick up a new one, and other ships from their corp (or fleet if the carrier's configured for that) can use them to refit in space.

In addition to that, all carriers get an additional 5%/level bonus to the following: Carriers can use fighters, and for every level of the racial carrier skill all carriers can control one extra drone or fighter in addition to the normal five. They can't fit any guns or launchers at all, so the high slots are usually used for neuts, smartbombs (drone/small ship defense).

Just like dreadnoughts' siege modules, carriers also get a special module that only they can fit: the networked sensor array. (More details)

Supercarriers ("Supers")

A larger carrier with the ability to use fighter bombers, greatly increasing their DPS to roughly twice as much as a sieged dread with a full flight of bombers and max skills. These get +3 drones/carrier level instead of 1, but can't dock and have shorter jump range (equivalent to a dread/jump freighter). Supercarriers can't enter triage mode, but are permanently immune to electronic warfare anyway. They can only be tackled by interdictors and heavy interdictors (and anchorable bubbles, but that's not practical due to the anchoring time required before they activate combined with limited range). (More details)

Titans

Like supercarriers, these are immune to EW and can only be tackled by dictors and HICs. They're all able to fit and activate the largest and most lethal gun in the game: a doomsday device, which does 2-3m damage depending on skills, but can only be fired once every 10 minutes, costs 50k racial isotopes to activate, prevents the titan from moving at all for 30 seconds and from using its jump drive for 10 minutes. Activating a doomsday device takes 10 seconds, so targets have some time to get out before the damage is applied. Its range is 250 km (the hard-coded max lock range -- nothing can do damage at longer range than that).

Titans can also fit a jump bridge module, which works in a similar way to the cov ops jump bridge described above that the black ops use, but can bridge any type of ship, has longer range and can only lock on to normal cynos, not cov ops ones. (More details)

Capital Industrial Ship: The Rorqual

This ship is primarily intended for mining support with its huge tractor beam range and speed, ability to fit bonused mining leadership links and ability to compress ore. However, it 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. (More details)