Difference between revisions of "Targeting"

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Targeting in EVE can be the difference in a Win Vs Loss. I have found a few things useful that maybe can help others. Understanding the targeting portion of my ship, its limits and capabilities. Things you can do boosting your targeting for range or lock time. I will not be covering every thing that targeting can lead to (Sniper, Tackle, Electronic Warfare, etc.) just the act of a lock its self and things that boost this.  
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In EVE, you need to target something in order to affect it (repair it, mine it, or attack it). This page discusses how targeting works, and what affects it, and what you can do to improve it.
  
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== Targeting through the UI ==
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[[File:Target_overview.png|thumb|Target using the overview]]
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[[File:Multiple-targets.png|thumb|Multiple targets locked]]
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[[File:hud2.png|thumb|HUD with combat icon. CTRL-click the combat icon to target the ship which is using a warp scrambler on you.]]
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[[File:Target_radial_menu.png|thumb|Target using the radial menu]]
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[[File:Fitting_screen.png|thumb|The ship fitting screen]]
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You can target something by:
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* Select the object (either in space or via the overview), and click the "Target" button on the [[overview]]. 
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* Click and hold the left mouse button on the object in space to activate the radial menu, then move your cursor to the "Target" section (bottom segment) and release.
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* Using [[Keyboard controls|keyboard shortcuts]]: the default is {{button|CTRL}} to target (note that you can either select an object and then press {{button|CTRL}} to target it, or hold down {{button|CTRL}} and then click on the object) and the default to un-target is {{button|SHIFT}}+{{button|CTRL}}. An alternate method is to bind a key to the "toggle lock target" command, which allows you to use the same key for both locking and un-locking.
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** This methods works for clicking on ships in the overview, ships in space, or the combat icons above the HUD (which indicate, for example, if a ship is using a warp scrambler on you). It also works on the fleet list (and you can click the "History" tab in the fleet window to target the FC broadcast ship).
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Use whichever method most suits your play style, however, many experienced EVE players find that using the third method is the quickest. When you have begun targeting something, you will hear a beeping sound, and a countdown timer around the object in space. Once the countdown timer has reached 0, the target has been locked, and you can fire on it, mine it, etc.
  
'''Win Vs. Lose'''
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When you have locked a target, it will appear as a circular icon, by default just to the top-left of your overview. You can move the target icons anywhere on the screen by dragging the "target list anchor" icon (to the upper-right of the rightmost locked target icon).  
  
The faster you target the faster you can do any thing else in EVE that deals with being fitted to your ship so the advantages of a quick or long range lock is endless.  
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=== Multiple targets ===
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You can lock several targets at once (up to the [[#Number_of_targets_locked|maximum defined by your skills and the ship you're flying]]), which will appear as a series of circles. Each target icon shows:
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* The target's shields, armor, and structure hit points (as a percentage; it's not possible to see the actual hit points in game)
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* The current distance between your ship and the target
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* If you have activated modules (e.g. weapons or [[electronic warfare]] modules), these will show up as icons below the target. You can click these icons to deactivate the module active on that particular target.  
  
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If you have several targets, one will have rotating triangular icons around it. This is the "active target"; any modules you activate will be activated on that target. To change the active target, click on one of the other targets you have locked.
  
==='''Targeting info found on your ship'''===
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== Targeting parameters ==
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There are three parameters of interest when targeting:
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# How many targets you can have locked at any one time.
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# How long it takes to lock a target.
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# At what range you can target an object.
  
So some times as a new player just opening the fitting window can make your head spin. Here is some easy things to look for.  
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=== Number of targets locked ===
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The number of targets you can have locked at any one time is primarily determined by the ship you're flying and your skills. Each ship has a maximum number of targets they can have locked at any one time, and you can find this information on the "Show Info" screen for a ship. For instance, a [[Merlin]] can only lock five targets at once, whilst a [[Golem]] can lock up to ten targets. For [[Strategic Cruisers]] (T3 ships), the maximum number of locked targets depends on the ship's installed sub-systems.
  
* Range - This is how far out your ship can lock a target. ( if it says 22.5 km you need to get that close to do any thing) so if you have guns that are sniper fit to your ship doing damage out to 35 km that is cool but please make sure you can lock a target out that far.
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In order to take full advantage of your ship's targeting capabilities you need to train the skills '''Target Management''' and '''Advanced Target Management'''.
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* {{sk|Target Management|mult=yes|price=yes}}: +1 extra target per skill level, up to the ship's maximum allowed number of targets locked.
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* {{sk|Advanced Target Management|mult=yes|price=yes}}: +1 extra target per skill level, up to the ship's maximum allowed number of targets locked.  
  
* Maximum Target Count - How many targets your ship can have at once. if it says 2 you can not lock more then 2 targets. ( Note skills can + how many targets that YOU can lock but your ship still needs to be able to lock that many for your skills to matter.)
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A pilot without any skills can lock up to 2 targets simultaneously, so if you train both Target Management and Advanced Target Management to level V, you will be able to lock 12 targets at once (assuming your ships can support that many).
  
* Scan Resolution - One of the most important in my opinion. This is what the game uses to figure out how fast your ship can lock another ship. Using some crazy math formula they say that based on your scan resolution and the other guys ships signature radius this is how fast you lock them. So look at it this way Bigger scan resolution faster lock, and bigger signature radius is also a faster lock. (ill come back to this)
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Having a large number of simultaneous targets locked is particularly useful for [[EWAR]] and [[Logistics]] pilots (who need to keep track of many targets at once); combat, mining or hauling pilots will generally not need to train high levels of targeting skills. You can check how many ships you can lock at once on the ship fitting screen, or through an external program like [[PYFA]].  
  
* Ship Sensor Strength - This is a number that is used for EW math. Your sensor strength divided by their jam strength = jam chance. The higher your sensor strength, the less likely you are to be jammed.
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==== Increasing a ship's maximum number of locked targets ====
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A ship's innate targeting limit (see above) can be increased by installing '''Auto Targeting System''' or '''Signal Amplifier''' modules. As above, you need the necessary targeting skills to take advantage of this higher target limit.
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* '''Auto Targeting System''' (high slot): Targets any hostile ship within range on activation. Grants +2 (Auto Targeting System I) or +3 (Auto Targeting System II) bonus to ship's maximum targets.
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* '''Signal Amplifier ''' (low slot): Increases scan resolution, targeting range, and maximum number of locked targets by +1 (Signal Amplifier I) or +2 (Signal Amplifier II).
  
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=== Targeting time ===
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How long it takes for you to lock a target depends on the '''signature radius''' of the ship you're targeting, and on your own ship's '''scan resolution'''. To calculate the locking time (in seconds):
  
===='''Boosting Targeting - Skills, Mechanical, Implants'''====
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:<math> \displaystyle \text{Targeting time} = \frac{40,000 \,\text{m} }{ \text{Scan resolution} \times \operatorname{arcsinh}^2(\text{Signature radius}) } </math>
  
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Where:
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* Scan resolution of your ship in mm
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* Signature radius of the target in m
  
'''Skills'''
 
*Targeting - +1 extra target per skill level, up to the ship's maximum allowed number of targets locked.
 
*Long Range Targeting - 5% Bonus to targeting range per skill level.
 
*Signature Analysis - 5% improved targeting speed per skill level.
 
*Multitasking - +1 extra target per skill level, up to the ship's maximum allowed number of targets locked.
 
  
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Smaller ships tend to have high scan resolutions and low signature radii, whereas large ships have the opposite. The higher your scan resolution, and the higher the signature radius of your target, the faster you can lock on - in practice, this means that a small ship will be usually able to lock on to a large ship very quickly, whereas a large ship will take a long time to lock on to a small ship.
  
'''Mechanical''' - ( Took this from Tackling 101)
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Targets other than ships, such as wrecks, asteroids, hackable containers etc usually have large signature radii (regardless of actual physical size) and can be locked on very quickly even at poor scan resolutions.
  
Sensor Booster + Scan Resolution Script
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[[File:Lock_speed_graph.png]]
  
To be effective as a tackler you first need to get a lock on the target you want to tackle. Every ship has a certain scan resolution, visible in the fitting window, which, together with your target's signature radius, determines the time it takes to lock a target. With a sensor booster you can increase that scan resolution which enables you to decrease the lock-time and so point or scram the target faster.
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The lines on the graph represent a few different ships, and the horizontal axis the signature radius of the target ship. As an example (using the ships' base values, without changes due to modules, skills, or implants), a [[Kestrel]] (attack frigate)  can lock on to a [[Typhoon]] (battleship) in 1.5 seconds, whereas the same Typhoon will take 19 seconds to lock on to the Kestrel. [[Interceptor]]s have some of the highest scan resolutions; the [[Stiletto]] on the graph above can lock onto almost anything in under two seconds. Conversely, ships with very small signature radii (such as the [[shuttle]] on the graph above) have more time before an enemy locks on to them (9 seconds when being targeted by an [[Omen]], 23 seconds when being targeted by a Typhoon).  
  
The tech 1 version of the sensor booster boosts your scan resolution by 25%, while the tech 2 version boosts it by 30%. Sensor Boosters also increase your maximum targeting range, but that's less relevant to tackling. If you put a scan resolution script in the sensor booster the scan resolution bonus doubles and the bonus to targeting range disappears. So you can get a 50% scan resolution bonus from the tech 1 booster and a 60% from the tech 2 version.
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==== Improving your scan resolution and targeting speed ====
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In order to be able to lock on to your targets faster, you need to increase your ship's scan resolution; this can be done by:
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* Modules:
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** '''[[Sensor Booster]]''' (medium slot): Increases your ship's targeting range and scan resolution. Can be loaded with [[scripts]] to give either a bonus to both, or a larger bonus to one (at the expense of no bonus to the other).
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** '''Signal Amplifier''' (low slot): Gives a 10% (Signal Amplifier I) or 15% (Signal Amplifier II) bonus to scan resolution, while also increasing your maximum targeting range and the maximum number of locked targets.
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* Skills
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** {{sk|Signature Analysis|mult=yes|price=yes}}: 5% bonus per level to your locking time.  
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* Rigs
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** '''Targeting System Subcontroller''': Increases your scan resolution at the expense of shield strength.
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* Implants
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** '''Zainou 'Gypsy' Signature Analysis''': Provides a 1%-6% bonus to scan resolution
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* Help from fleetmates (using [[Remote Sensor Booster]]s)
  
Skill Requirements: Electronics II
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You can also increase your target's signature radius with [[Target Painter]]s, although targeting is rarely the primary reason target painters are used. Note that there are a few modules which reduce your scan resolution, notably [[cloaking|cloaking devices]] (-50% scan resolution; ''covert ops'' cloaking devices don't have this drawback) and warp core stabilisers (-50% scan resolution).
Tech 1: Long Range Targeting I
 
Tech 2: Long Range Targeting IV ( the above was taken from Tackling 101)
 
  
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Fast locking times are particularly important for [[tackler]]s and [[interceptor]]s, who need to tackle a target before it has a chance to escape by warping away.
  
'''Implants''' - what else are you spending money on?
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==== Reducing your enemy's locking speed ====
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{{main|Signature radius}}
  
There are 2 implants that i have found that affect targeting. both are Hardwired Implants.
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Conversely, in PvP, you want to minimize your signature radius, so that your opponent takes a long time to lock on to you (giving you time to get a few shots off, or to escape). There are almost no direct ways of reducing your ship's signature radius (other than flying a different ship , some implants and [[Signature radius#Signature Radius Suppressor|Signature Radius Suppressor]] on battleships), so be mindful of the modules which increase it (for instance, turning on your microwarpdrive (MWD) increases your signature radius by 500%). For more discussion on what affects signature radius, see [[signature radius]], keeping in mind that a small signature radius also helps with reducing incoming damage (for more details, see [[missile mechanics]] and [[turret mechanics]]).  
  
Slot 7
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You can also handicap an opponent by decreasing their scan resolution using [[Remote Sensor Dampener|remote sensor dampening]] (making them take longer to lock on to you) or use [[ECM]] to make them lose lock on you / your fleet members completely. These topics (including possible countermeasures) are covered in much greater detail at [[Electronic warfare]] and [[Electronic Countermeasures]].
Electronics - Increase Scan Resolution
 
  
Slot 8
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=== Targeting range ===
Electronics - Increase Targeting Range
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The range at which you can target another object is primarily dependent on the ship you're flying; you can find its base targeting range on the "Show Info" screen. You can improve this through the '''Long Range Targeting''' skill, for up to a 25% bonus at level V:
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* {{sk|Long Range Targeting|mult=yes|price=yes}}: 5% bonus to targeting range per skill level.
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Additionally, there are certain modules which you can use to increase your targeting range:
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* '''Signal Amplifier''' (low slot): Increases targeting range by 25% (Signal Amplifier I) or 30% (Signal Amplifier II), as well as the maximum number of locked targets and your ship's scan resolution.
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* '''Sensor Booster''' (medium slot): Increases targeting range and scan resolution. Can be loaded with scripts to give either a bonus to both, or a larger bonus to one (at the expense of no bonus to the other); for more details, see [[Sensor Booster]].
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Lastly, rigs (e.g. Ionic Field Projector) and implants (e.g. Zainou 'Gypsy' Long Range Targeting) can boost targeting range even further, as can help from a fleetmate (using a [[Remote Sensor Booster]]).
  
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Very long targeting ranges are the foundation of ships fitted for sniping, but targeting at longer ranges than your weapons' effective range is a waste, not to mention that the targeting modules are taking up space which would otherwise be used for, for instance, tanking modules - so increasing targeting range is always a trade-off. Certain modules (such as warp core stabilisers) greatly decrease your targeting range. Lastly, you can use [[Remote Sensor Dampener]]s to greatly reduce your enemy's targeting range.
  
====='''Data to go Huh...'''=====
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You can find out your ship's current targeting range on the fitting screen, or through an external tool like [[PYFA]].
  
I have looked through the Frigates to point out the Best of Rage, Best of Lock Time and the Middle Man.
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== Automatic and passive targeters ==
(Lock time based on targeting another Frigate. All data used with NO skills so far and ships that have 3 or more mid slots.)
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Besides targeting speed, range, and number, two other modules can affect targeting in a significant way: '''Auto Targeting Systems''' and '''Passive Targeters'''.  
  
*Best Range - Caldari - Griffin @ 60 km
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* '''Auto Targeting System''' (high slot): Targets any hostile ship within range on activation and grants a bonus to ship's maximum targets.
*Best Lock Time - Minmatar - Rifter @ 660 mm or 3.2 sec
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* '''Passive Targeter''' (medium slot): Allows target lock without alerting the ship to a possible threat.  
*Middle Man - Amarr - Crucifier - @ 47.5 km and 440 mm or 4.7 sec
 
  
So now a quick comparison using EFT so every one can see what the numbers look like.
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Auto Targeting Systems are rarely used, as they take up a valuable high slot and stop you from prioritizing targets - although some pilots use them merely for their +2 target bonus (provided they have a spare high slot) or to reduce the workload on E-War ships. Passive Targeters have a niche use, as they allow you to use non-aggressive modules (eg cargo or ship scanners) on a target without alerting the target - for instance, in order to check what cargo a ship is carrying and whether it's worth [[suicide ganking]]. To use a passive targeter, activate the module, then click on the target you would like to lock.
  
*'''Time Comparison''' - all boosts that can be will be for scan resolution-
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[[Category:Game mechanics]]
Using a Rifter with NO skills vs Rifter its a 3.2 sec lock Range 22.5 km Battle Cruiser 1.5 sec lock.
 
 
 
Now ill max our Skills to 5 add max level implants and all slots full with Scan boosters tech2 in my Fit (I know none of this would really ever happen but lets see what it does).
 
 
 
Rifter vs Rifter = Target Lock of 0.7 sec and Range of 29.53 km
 
Rifter vs Battle Cruiser = Target Lock of 0.4 sec no range difference
 
 
 
*'''Distance Comparison''' - the winner for that class the Griffin
 
Griffin with no skills vs Griffin locked 5.2 sec at 60 km and a Battle Cruiser lock is 2.5 sec
 
 
 
With max skills and implants. Note all the scripts will now be for range boost to see how far we can get this frigate to target someone. The griffin has 4 mid slots and after 3 scripts for range I find there is no bonus so we will add one as a target lock boost.
 
 
 
Griffin vs Griffin = Range 249 km Target Lock 2.5 sec
 
Griffin vs Battle Cruiser = no Range change but lock time 1.2 sec
 
 
 
 
 
Well I hope that this helps someone out there and that you all can target those bad guys!
 
Fly Safe Pew Pew
 

Latest revision as of 20:06, 28 May 2024

In EVE, you need to target something in order to affect it (repair it, mine it, or attack it). This page discusses how targeting works, and what affects it, and what you can do to improve it.

Targeting through the UI

Target using the overview
Multiple targets locked
HUD with combat icon. CTRL-click the combat icon to target the ship which is using a warp scrambler on you.
Target using the radial menu
The ship fitting screen

You can target something by:

  • Select the object (either in space or via the overview), and click the "Target" button on the overview.
  • Click and hold the left mouse button on the object in space to activate the radial menu, then move your cursor to the "Target" section (bottom segment) and release.
  • Using keyboard shortcuts: the default is CTRL to target (note that you can either select an object and then press CTRL to target it, or hold down CTRL and then click on the object) and the default to un-target is SHIFT+CTRL. An alternate method is to bind a key to the "toggle lock target" command, which allows you to use the same key for both locking and un-locking.
    • This methods works for clicking on ships in the overview, ships in space, or the combat icons above the HUD (which indicate, for example, if a ship is using a warp scrambler on you). It also works on the fleet list (and you can click the "History" tab in the fleet window to target the FC broadcast ship).

Use whichever method most suits your play style, however, many experienced EVE players find that using the third method is the quickest. When you have begun targeting something, you will hear a beeping sound, and a countdown timer around the object in space. Once the countdown timer has reached 0, the target has been locked, and you can fire on it, mine it, etc.

When you have locked a target, it will appear as a circular icon, by default just to the top-left of your overview. You can move the target icons anywhere on the screen by dragging the "target list anchor" icon (to the upper-right of the rightmost locked target icon).

Multiple targets

You can lock several targets at once (up to the maximum defined by your skills and the ship you're flying), which will appear as a series of circles. Each target icon shows:

  • The target's shields, armor, and structure hit points (as a percentage; it's not possible to see the actual hit points in game)
  • The current distance between your ship and the target
  • If you have activated modules (e.g. weapons or electronic warfare modules), these will show up as icons below the target. You can click these icons to deactivate the module active on that particular target.

If you have several targets, one will have rotating triangular icons around it. This is the "active target"; any modules you activate will be activated on that target. To change the active target, click on one of the other targets you have locked.

Targeting parameters

There are three parameters of interest when targeting:

  1. How many targets you can have locked at any one time.
  2. How long it takes to lock a target.
  3. At what range you can target an object.

Number of targets locked

The number of targets you can have locked at any one time is primarily determined by the ship you're flying and your skills. Each ship has a maximum number of targets they can have locked at any one time, and you can find this information on the "Show Info" screen for a ship. For instance, a Merlin can only lock five targets at once, whilst a Golem can lock up to ten targets. For Strategic Cruisers (T3 ships), the maximum number of locked targets depends on the ship's installed sub-systems.

In order to take full advantage of your ship's targeting capabilities you need to train the skills Target Management and Advanced Target Management.

  • Target Management (1x, 150k ISK): +1 extra target per skill level, up to the ship's maximum allowed number of targets locked.
  • Advanced Target Management (3x, 500k ISK): +1 extra target per skill level, up to the ship's maximum allowed number of targets locked.

A pilot without any skills can lock up to 2 targets simultaneously, so if you train both Target Management and Advanced Target Management to level V, you will be able to lock 12 targets at once (assuming your ships can support that many).

Having a large number of simultaneous targets locked is particularly useful for EWAR and Logistics pilots (who need to keep track of many targets at once); combat, mining or hauling pilots will generally not need to train high levels of targeting skills. You can check how many ships you can lock at once on the ship fitting screen, or through an external program like PYFA.

Increasing a ship's maximum number of locked targets

A ship's innate targeting limit (see above) can be increased by installing Auto Targeting System or Signal Amplifier modules. As above, you need the necessary targeting skills to take advantage of this higher target limit.

  • Auto Targeting System (high slot): Targets any hostile ship within range on activation. Grants +2 (Auto Targeting System I) or +3 (Auto Targeting System II) bonus to ship's maximum targets.
  • Signal Amplifier (low slot): Increases scan resolution, targeting range, and maximum number of locked targets by +1 (Signal Amplifier I) or +2 (Signal Amplifier II).

Targeting time

How long it takes for you to lock a target depends on the signature radius of the ship you're targeting, and on your own ship's scan resolution. To calculate the locking time (in seconds):

[math] \displaystyle \text{Targeting time} = \frac{40,000 \,\text{m} }{ \text{Scan resolution} \times \operatorname{arcsinh}^2(\text{Signature radius}) } [/math]

Where:

  • Scan resolution of your ship in mm
  • Signature radius of the target in m


Smaller ships tend to have high scan resolutions and low signature radii, whereas large ships have the opposite. The higher your scan resolution, and the higher the signature radius of your target, the faster you can lock on - in practice, this means that a small ship will be usually able to lock on to a large ship very quickly, whereas a large ship will take a long time to lock on to a small ship.

Targets other than ships, such as wrecks, asteroids, hackable containers etc usually have large signature radii (regardless of actual physical size) and can be locked on very quickly even at poor scan resolutions.

Lock speed graph.png

The lines on the graph represent a few different ships, and the horizontal axis the signature radius of the target ship. As an example (using the ships' base values, without changes due to modules, skills, or implants), a Kestrel (attack frigate) can lock on to a Typhoon (battleship) in 1.5 seconds, whereas the same Typhoon will take 19 seconds to lock on to the Kestrel. Interceptors have some of the highest scan resolutions; the Stiletto on the graph above can lock onto almost anything in under two seconds. Conversely, ships with very small signature radii (such as the shuttle on the graph above) have more time before an enemy locks on to them (9 seconds when being targeted by an Omen, 23 seconds when being targeted by a Typhoon).

Improving your scan resolution and targeting speed

In order to be able to lock on to your targets faster, you need to increase your ship's scan resolution; this can be done by:

  • Modules:
    • Sensor Booster (medium slot): Increases your ship's targeting range and scan resolution. Can be loaded with scripts to give either a bonus to both, or a larger bonus to one (at the expense of no bonus to the other).
    • Signal Amplifier (low slot): Gives a 10% (Signal Amplifier I) or 15% (Signal Amplifier II) bonus to scan resolution, while also increasing your maximum targeting range and the maximum number of locked targets.
  • Skills
  • Rigs
    • Targeting System Subcontroller: Increases your scan resolution at the expense of shield strength.
  • Implants
    • Zainou 'Gypsy' Signature Analysis: Provides a 1%-6% bonus to scan resolution
  • Help from fleetmates (using Remote Sensor Boosters)

You can also increase your target's signature radius with Target Painters, although targeting is rarely the primary reason target painters are used. Note that there are a few modules which reduce your scan resolution, notably cloaking devices (-50% scan resolution; covert ops cloaking devices don't have this drawback) and warp core stabilisers (-50% scan resolution).

Fast locking times are particularly important for tacklers and interceptors, who need to tackle a target before it has a chance to escape by warping away.

Reducing your enemy's locking speed

Main article: Signature radius

Conversely, in PvP, you want to minimize your signature radius, so that your opponent takes a long time to lock on to you (giving you time to get a few shots off, or to escape). There are almost no direct ways of reducing your ship's signature radius (other than flying a different ship , some implants and Signature Radius Suppressor on battleships), so be mindful of the modules which increase it (for instance, turning on your microwarpdrive (MWD) increases your signature radius by 500%). For more discussion on what affects signature radius, see signature radius, keeping in mind that a small signature radius also helps with reducing incoming damage (for more details, see missile mechanics and turret mechanics).

You can also handicap an opponent by decreasing their scan resolution using remote sensor dampening (making them take longer to lock on to you) or use ECM to make them lose lock on you / your fleet members completely. These topics (including possible countermeasures) are covered in much greater detail at Electronic warfare and Electronic Countermeasures.

Targeting range

The range at which you can target another object is primarily dependent on the ship you're flying; you can find its base targeting range on the "Show Info" screen. You can improve this through the Long Range Targeting skill, for up to a 25% bonus at level V:

Additionally, there are certain modules which you can use to increase your targeting range:

  • Signal Amplifier (low slot): Increases targeting range by 25% (Signal Amplifier I) or 30% (Signal Amplifier II), as well as the maximum number of locked targets and your ship's scan resolution.
  • Sensor Booster (medium slot): Increases targeting range and scan resolution. Can be loaded with scripts to give either a bonus to both, or a larger bonus to one (at the expense of no bonus to the other); for more details, see Sensor Booster.

Lastly, rigs (e.g. Ionic Field Projector) and implants (e.g. Zainou 'Gypsy' Long Range Targeting) can boost targeting range even further, as can help from a fleetmate (using a Remote Sensor Booster).

Very long targeting ranges are the foundation of ships fitted for sniping, but targeting at longer ranges than your weapons' effective range is a waste, not to mention that the targeting modules are taking up space which would otherwise be used for, for instance, tanking modules - so increasing targeting range is always a trade-off. Certain modules (such as warp core stabilisers) greatly decrease your targeting range. Lastly, you can use Remote Sensor Dampeners to greatly reduce your enemy's targeting range.

You can find out your ship's current targeting range on the fitting screen, or through an external tool like PYFA.

Automatic and passive targeters

Besides targeting speed, range, and number, two other modules can affect targeting in a significant way: Auto Targeting Systems and Passive Targeters.

  • Auto Targeting System (high slot): Targets any hostile ship within range on activation and grants a bonus to ship's maximum targets.
  • Passive Targeter (medium slot): Allows target lock without alerting the ship to a possible threat.

Auto Targeting Systems are rarely used, as they take up a valuable high slot and stop you from prioritizing targets - although some pilots use them merely for their +2 target bonus (provided they have a spare high slot) or to reduce the workload on E-War ships. Passive Targeters have a niche use, as they allow you to use non-aggressive modules (eg cargo or ship scanners) on a target without alerting the target - for instance, in order to check what cargo a ship is carrying and whether it's worth suicide ganking. To use a passive targeter, activate the module, then click on the target you would like to lock.