The Rookie's Guide to Fleet Ops: Difference between revisions

[[File:Warfleet.jpg|thumb]]

* Teach basics of fleet movement

* Reduce mistakes or blunders common to rookies

* Serve as a reference to new pilots in operations

* FC: Fleet Commander

* WC: Wing Commander

* SC: Squad Commander

* POS: Player Owned Structure

* WT: War Targets

* DD: Damage Dealer

* EW: Electronic Warfare

* T: Tackler

* LOGI: Logistics

=== Mechanics ===

* PVP: Player vs Player

* PVE: Player vs Environment

* AB: Afterburner

* MWD: MicroWarpdrive

* MJD: Micro Jump Drive

== Pre-fleet checklists ==

# '''Check overview setup.''' If you are new to the game, see the [[Overview Guide]].

# '''Disable Auto Lock.''' If you are very new to the game, this setting must be tweaked. Press the {{button|Escape}} key to go into the game's configuration panel. Select General Settings tab > Inflight section > auto target back: select 0 target.

# '''Fix Auto-reject Invitations.''' If you are auto-rejecting "chat" invitations, you cannot be invited to a fleet. Press {{button|Escape}}, click on the chat tab, and be sure the CHAT Auto Reject Invitations is not selected. It is also a good idea to turn on auto-reject for Dueling, so that you are not interrupted during combat or fleets with a chat box asking for a duel.

# '''Prepare for potential pod loss.''' If you have [[implants]], either make sure you can afford to lose them or get into a clean [[Jump clones|jump clone]]. Some players like to keep combat jump clones with no implants at all If you have access to a player-owned Upwell structure, you can switch between jump clones in the same structure regardless of cooldown, so it is possible to jump into a clean clone for combat, then return and switch back after the fleet operation is over. You may be able to rejoin some fleets after being podded. Set your [[Home Station]] to a nearby station or structure to make this easier. Make sure you know [[Pod saving|how to try to save your pod]] after a ship loss.

# '''Decide which role(s) you can fill.''' The four primary roles in a typical fleet are Damage Dealer (DD), [[Tackling|Tackle/Scout]], [[Logistics]] and [[EWAR]]. The exact fleet makeup depends on its [[doctrine]], so check the fleet announcement to see what doctrine the FC expects to fly. (See Auth for [https://auth.eveuniversity.org/fittings/ the University's doctrine repository].) In a typical EVE University fleet, there are roles suitable for very new players; if you're not sure what you're doing, let people know in fleet chat and they will try to help. In a typical EVE University fleet, ships will be available from corporation contracts or will be bought directly from the market if the fleet starts in Jita. For strategic operations you will be given a free ship. The FC might need to decide roles before you commit to flying a particular ship. If you're starting out, the [[E-Uni CORE Skill Plans|CORE 30 Skill Plan]] is a great starting point for getting yourself ready to fly basic combat ships. You can simulate a fit in-game or in [[PYFA]] to see whether or not you can fly it.

# '''Secure a role.''' The FC will typically call on Discord for "[[EVE Lexicon#X|x-ups]]" for different roles in turn, usually beginning with those roles most crucial to the fleet (e.g. scouts, logi). When the FC calls for x-ups for a role you would like to fly, type an "x" into fleet chat. Some FCs like to have the ship type you expect to fly listed too: "x Inquisitor". Once you know what ship you'll be flying, get into the ship.

# '''Check your fit.''' Link the guns, load scripts and ammo, check that you have drones if you have a dronebay. Load nanite paste into any ancillary armour repairers, and cap booster charges into any ancillary shield boosters. Check for the presence of any combat drugs if relevant to your fit. If the fit worked in simulation but is over on powergrid or CPU in practice, check whether the rigs are mounted. If they are not mounted, they will be in the cargo hold; put them on. If you have used this particular hull before, check that it is repaired and that you still have enough ammo.

# '''Insure your ship.''' Tech 1 hulls have good insurance payouts which cushion you from serious loss. Tech 2 ships often don't yield much in insurance, but it is at least some repayment for the loss.

# '''Rename your ship.''' The default ship name are "<Player's Name> <Ship Name>". This makes it much easier for enemies to identify and locate you when scanning, so you should rename it to something that will not be able to associate the ship to your name. Some specific University campuses have set naming conventions, and some FCs will issue orders for fleet-specific conventions.

# '''Final pre-undock checks.''' Your FC might well remember to run through these, but whether or not they do, think "RRAPPIDD": Rigs, Repairs, Ammo, Paste, Pod (clean clone), Insurance, Drones, Drugs.

==Voice Comms==

You must be on [[Discord]] voice comms for fleet operations. The FC does not have time to type everything out in chat so we use voice comms for that. You do not need to have a microphone for some fleet roles, but you must be able to listen. Almost all of out fleet comms are in English. Once you are in a fleet, make sure you are in the correct Discord voice comms channel for the fleet.

Identify the comms context of your fleet:

* In small gangs (up to 15 pilots give or take) voice chat is often relatively open, and we enter "combat comms" state restricted to vital information only during combat itself. During combat comms, try to speak in the third person, and be precise: "I am being attacked" tells the gang almost nothing, but "An [[Atron]] has tackled Uryence at the Juliet Hotel gate in [[NSC|Papa Charlie Nine]], grid otherwise clear so far" tells the gang quite a lot. You don't have to be this collected if you're new, but it's something to aim for!

* Fleets of any larger size almost always default to combat comms throughout, with line members remaining relatively silent so that the FC, scouts etc can pass vital information. If you're unsure, ask about this in fleet text chat channel. Even in fleets with restricted comms, it is usually fine to talk textually in fleet chat, and we do try to relax comms where we can

* not discuss fleet movements anywhere other than in fleet chat or other chat channels set up by leadership in the fleet for the purposes of the fleet itself. This includes discussing the current or future location of a fleet, and asking for information about an active fleet. Do not ask in Alliance or Corporation chat about current fleets.

* not join fleet channels in Discord unless you are a current member of that fleet.

* Scheduled fleets will have a notice posted in the appropriate Discord ping channel.

* '''You should keep the Fleet channel window separate so you can watch it without tabbing.''' You can separate them by clicking the tab and dragging it off.

 

=== Fleet hierarchy view ===

The fleet roster should be changed to" hierarchy view". This can be done by opening the Fleet section in the [[NeoCom]]. Click the arrow at the top left of the window, and select "view as hierarchy". If there is only the "view as flat list" option available, the roster is already displayed as a hierarchy.

The squad number displayed in the fleet window title bar is sometimes wrong, due to a persistent bug. Make sure that you always check the fleet hierarchy to make sure you know which squad you are in.

Keep this window open on the History tab. There may be broadcasts that appear here that you will need to follow.

=== Watchlist ===

* Don't attack unless the FC orders it. If you attack when you shouldn't, you could get stuck with a [[Timers#Weapon Timer|weapon timer]] on the wrong side of a gate while the fleet tries to move elsewhere.

'''Align'''<br> The FC will tell the fleet to align to celestials (e.g. stargates or stations) or other fleet members, and once everyone is aligned, will warp the whole fleet. The align button is right next to the 'Warp To 0' button in the Selected Item window. Make sure you don't confuse the two. [[File:Lemmings.gif|thumb|upright=2]]

Select the stargate with a name beginning "ALD" on your overview and click the "Warp to" icon on the overview. Your ship will warp to the stargate. At any time in mid-warp, press {{button|CTRL}} + {{button|Space}} a few times to register a stop command, to stop your ship at the end of its warp, at the stargate: this cancels a jump if you accidentally clicked on the "Jump through" button instead, preventing your ship from accidentally jumping into the next system, and scaring off the target. By default, warp to the exit gate and hold.

Select the stargate in your overview and click the "Jump" icon at the top. Your ship will jump into the next system and your ship will be automatically cloaked for 1 minute. Do nothing at this point and stay cloaked, following the FC orders. If another ship or object is within 2000m of your ship, your cloak expires and your ship becomes visible. If you are accidentally or purposefully uncloaked, execute an emergency warp to any celestial on your pod saver-click open the Warpout tab and warp to anything on that list as fast as you can. Note your ship's alignment time (2sec, 3sec, 7sec) and be ready for emergencies.

Select the stargate in your overview and click the "Jump" icon at the top. Once inside the system, select your scout pilot name on your watch list, or fleet list, then right-click "Warp to member | at 10 km". Your ship will align to and warp to your scout at his/her position in space at the moment you clicked "Warp to" and your ship will land within 10 km of your scout's last position in space. If your scout is at a site or inside a site, due to dead space mechanics, all ships warping to your scout will land at the acceleration gate outside the site. Warping to your scout at 10 km in this situation results in a safe distance from the acceleration gate. If your ship warped to your scout at 0km, there is a chance your ship could land inside the acceleration gate, get stuck, and cannot activate the gate, or escape, if bad guys are also at the acceleration gate.

That person's ship landed at the site acceleration gate, is within 2500m of the acceleration gate, activated the accleration gate, and is warping to the site's beacon at 0km inside the site. Fleet members outside the site will warp to the acceleration gate outside the site only due to dead space game mechanics. See the "warp to scout at 10." command.

When your ship lands at the acceleration gate (warp to the scout at 10km ideally), select the acceleration gate in your overview, then click "Activate Gate" icon at the top. Your ship will align and jump into the site for combat.

Lock on and target the flashy merlin in your overview, then click your ewar module(s) only (warp/guidance/tracking disruptors, warp scrambler, webifier, target painter-modules that hinder the target but do not cause damage to the target). The reason for "ewar only" is to buy time for the rest of the fleet to appear on grid with the target, allows all fleet members to lock and apply their ewar modules to the target, to become registered in the target's killmail after the target is destroyed.

Turn off all of your ship's offensive modules and recall your drones. Deaggressing allows your ship's 1-minute 'aggression timer' to decrease. Being deaggressed for a full minute allows a pilot to dock, jump through stargates, and escape while their attackers must wait a full minute before chasing. Every hit on a target resets your ship's aggression timer back to 1:00 minute. Aggression includes drones, tackle, and EWAR.

When your ship enters a new system via a stargate, "Burn back to the gate" means select the stargate your ship just entered system from, then click the "Align" icon, activate any propulsion module (afterburner, microwarp drive), and reapproach the gate you just came through. This action is used to bring the fleet back to the safety 2500m jump distance of the stargate for escape from attacking ships.

* Lock enemy targets by holding down {{Button|CTRL}} and left-clicking on the overview. Holding {{Button|CTRL}} down also has the advantage of locking the overview sorting display in its current order: new targets will appear at the bottom, existing targets no longer on grid will be greyed out.

== Rookie EW tips ==

* Your role is to make the primary target easier to lock, hit, and damage for your fleetmates

=== ECM ===

* ECM can be tricky to use. Make sure you listen to recorded classes and read guides to be better prepared.

* Fit racial jammers only. Multispectrals can be useful for high SP pilots, but for rookie pilots, racial jammers are better.

* Carrying spare racial jammers in the cargohold can be handy if the FC receives timely intel from scouts and there is enough time for the ECM pilots to dock and refit.

* The ECM modules should have their auto-cycle function turned off.

* Try to match racial jammers to the appropriate racial ships. You can do this easily by matching the color of the jammer to the color of the background of the small ship image in the locked target icon. For example, Minmatar ships always have a red background in their locked target icon, and the jammers with a red-colored button in your HUD work well against them.

* Never jam the primary target if it is within docking range of a station or jumping range of a stargate. Doing so can cause them to deaggress fully by pulling in their drones and waiting out their timer to dock or jump away from the fight.

Often, the FC will debrief on Discord after a fleet, reviewing what went well and what didn't. If things happened during the fleet which you didn't understand, feel welcome to ask for more details. If the fleet went well, you can discuss what worked. If the fleet went badly, resist the temptation to distribute blame, and restrain yourself from saying anything harsh if you feel yourself getting heated. In such situations it is sometimes best to take a break from comms and return to pick over what went wrong dispassionately later.

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[[Category:Guides]]

[[Category:PvP]]

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