Capacitor warfare: Difference between revisions

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Understanding capacitor warfare requires an understanding of capacitor mechanics. Capacitors are a self-recharging resource measured in gigajoules (GJ), with a [[capacitor recharge rate]] determined both by the specific ship and the percentage level of the capacitor, measured in gigajoules per second (GJ/sec). The 'peak' recharge rate occurs at 25% capacity, with the recharge rate sharply decreasing below this amount, and more gradually decreasing above it. Therefore, the rate of recharge is lowest when the capacitor is full (100%) or empty (0%). This is the same principle that governs the recharge rate of shields, though the values are slightly different.

The goal of capacitor warfare is to use enough neutralization to overcome the peak recharge rate of the target's capacitor, and while capacitors recharge continuously over time, Neutralizers remove capacitor in single large chunks with every module cycle. As a result, the effectiveness of Neutralizers is often expressed in effective GJ/sec to facilitate easier comparison to the target's recharge rate. Capacitor warfare will have the smallest relative effects at around peak recharge, as the amount of capacitor removed will be countered by the highest recharge rate the target's capacitor is capable of. As a result, it is much more difficult to "break" a target by bringing its capacitor below 25% than it is to keep it at 0% once it gets there. (I.e. it may take 3 Neutralizer modules to bring a target below 25%, but only one Neutralizer module to keep it at close to 0. As such, the common rule of thumb for Neutralizer-focused ships or fleets is to have ''much'' higher neutralization potential than the enemy's conceivable recharge rate.

The goal of capacitor warfare is to use enough neutralization to overcome the peak recharge rate of the target's capacitor, and while capacitors recharge continuously over time, Neutralizers remove capacitor in single large chunks with every module cycle. As a result, the effectiveness of Neutralizers is often expressed in effective GJ/sec to facilitate easier comparison to the target's recharge rate. Capacitor warfare will have the smallest relative effects at around peak recharge, as the amount of capacitor removed will be countered by the highest recharge rate the target's capacitor is capable of. As a result, it is much more difficult to "break" a target by bringing its capacitor below 25% than it is to keep it at 0% once it gets there. (i.e. it may take 3 Neutralizer modules to bring a target below 25%, but only one Neutralizer module to keep it at close to 0.) As such, the common rule of thumb for Neutralizer-focused ships or fleets is to have ''much'' higher neutralization potential than the enemy's conceivable recharge rate.

This being said, even without sufficient neutralizers to break a target, neutralizers can still have a meaningful effect on them. A pilot whose ship is hovering at around 30% capacitor needs to start making choices about which capacitor-consuming modules to use or not use, or may need to start using a Cap Booster to keep themselves up. Being forced to choose which modules not to run opens room for mistakes, and may force the target pilot to choose between not performing their role in the fleet, or dying; and Cap Booster charges will eventually run out in a longer fight and result in a slow death by attrition.

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 Understanding capacitor warfare requires an understanding of capacitor mechanics. Capacitors are a self-recharging resource measured in gigajoules (GJ), with a [[capacitor recharge rate]] determined both by the specific ship and the percentage level of the capacitor, measured in gigajoules per second (GJ/sec).  The 'peak' recharge rate occurs at 25% capacity, with the recharge rate sharply decreasing below this amount, and more gradually decreasing above it. Therefore, the rate of recharge is lowest when the capacitor is full (100%) or empty (0%). This is the same principle that governs the recharge rate of shields, though the values are slightly different.
-The goal of capacitor warfare is to use enough neutralization to overcome the peak recharge rate of the target's capacitor, and while capacitors recharge continuously over time, Neutralizers remove capacitor in single large chunks with every module cycle. As a result, the effectiveness of Neutralizers is often expressed in effective GJ/sec to facilitate easier comparison to the target's recharge rate. Capacitor warfare will have the smallest relative effects at around peak recharge, as the amount of capacitor removed will be countered by the highest recharge rate the target's capacitor is capable of. As a result, it is much more difficult to "break" a target by bringing its capacitor below 25% than it is to keep it at 0% once it gets there. (I.e. it may take 3 Neutralizer modules to bring a target below 25%, but only one Neutralizer module to keep it at close to 0. As such, the common rule of thumb for Neutralizer-focused ships or fleets is to have ''much'' higher neutralization potential than the enemy's conceivable recharge rate.
+The goal of capacitor warfare is to use enough neutralization to overcome the peak recharge rate of the target's capacitor, and while capacitors recharge continuously over time, Neutralizers remove capacitor in single large chunks with every module cycle. As a result, the effectiveness of Neutralizers is often expressed in effective GJ/sec to facilitate easier comparison to the target's recharge rate. Capacitor warfare will have the smallest relative effects at around peak recharge, as the amount of capacitor removed will be countered by the highest recharge rate the target's capacitor is capable of. As a result, it is much more difficult to "break" a target by bringing its capacitor below 25% than it is to keep it at 0% once it gets there. (i.e. it may take 3 Neutralizer modules to bring a target below 25%, but only one Neutralizer module to keep it at close to 0.) As such, the common rule of thumb for Neutralizer-focused ships or fleets is to have ''much'' higher neutralization potential than the enemy's conceivable recharge rate.
 This being said, even without sufficient neutralizers to break a target, neutralizers can still have a meaningful effect on them. A pilot whose ship is hovering at around 30% capacitor needs to start making choices about which capacitor-consuming modules to use or not use, or may need to start using a Cap Booster to keep themselves up. Being forced to choose which modules not to run opens room for mistakes, and may force the target pilot to choose between not performing their role in the fleet, or dying; and Cap Booster charges will eventually run out in a longer fight and result in a slow death by attrition.