Electronic warfare: Difference between revisions

with a jam strength of ~6, would have a 35% chance of jamming an opposing Tech I cruiser with each cycle of that one module. Given that a Griffin is typically fit with four ECM modules, each with its own chance to jam, it is easy to imagine a freshman Unista ECM pilot wreaking havoc upon even skilled enemies.

=== Burst Jammers ===

[[File:Icon target max.png|left]]Burst Jammers are non-targeted, multispectral ECM modules that jam all surrounding targets within an effect radius. Burst Jammers do not distinguish between enemy, friendly, and NPC ships; all nearby targets are jammed, including fleetmates and neutral pilots. Burst Jammers have much shorter range than targeted ECM modules, but higher jam strength, making them particularly effective against close-range frigates and drones.

=== ECM Bonuses ===

ECM is also unique in being the only type of EWAR with a low-slot assistance module, the Signal Distortion Amplifier. Signal distortion amplifiers are passive modules that provide a percentage increase to the jam strength and ECM range of your ECM modules.

=== Countering ECM: Electronic Counter-Counter Measures (ECCM) ===

ECM is directly countered by '''Sensor Boosters''', '''Remote Sensor Boosters''', and '''Signal Amplifiers'''. All of these modules provide a bonus to all four types (Gravimetric, Magnetometric, Radar and Ladar) of sensor strength, along with bonuses to targeting range and scan resolution (locking time). Sensor boosters and remote sensor boosters are active, mid-slot modules, and can be fitted with an ECCM Script that doubles the sensor strength effect at the expense of the targeting range and scan resolution effects. As their names suggest, a sensor booster affects the fitted ship, while remote sensor boosters are used to assist other ships. Signal amplifiers are passive, low-slot modules that affect the fitted ship. Signal amplifiers cannot be scripted. Ships that are frequently the target of enemy jamming, such as logistics and other EWAR ships, will often fit a sensor booster or signal amplifier to counter enemy ECM.

== Weapon Disruption ==

Weapon disruption is used to interfere with the range of enemy weapons and their ability to hit moving targets. As a result, weapon disruption can allow pilots to evade being hit by weapons that might otherwise damage them. There are two types of weapon disruption:

* Tracking Disruption (TD) which specifically affects the range and tracking of enemy [[turrets]]

* Guidance Disruption, which affects the travel and explosion characteristics of enemy [[missiles]].

Weapon disruption is the EWAR specialty of the Amarr. Amarr ships that are bonused for weapon disruption include:

=== Tracking Disruptors ===

[[File:Icon track disruptor 64.png|left]]Tracking disruptors are used to decrease the optimal range and falloff, and decrease the tracking speed, of [[turrets]]. Range disruption is most effective against opponents at long range, because it can keep you beyond the range of enemy guns. Tracking speed disruption, by contrast, is most effective at short range, because it makes it difficult for your opponents to hit ships moving at high transversal (and the highest transversal speeds occur at short range). Unscripted, tracking disruptors do both range disruption and tracking speed disruption. But tracking disruptors can be fitted with scripts (the Optimal Range Disruption Script and the Tracking Speed Disruption Script) that double their effectiveness in one area at the expense of the other. In general, all disruptor-fitted ships should carry as many copies of each script as they have fitted disruptors. (The scripts are very inexpensive.)

=== Guidance Disruptors ===

[[File:Icon missile guidance computer i.png|left]]Guidance disruptors reduce the range and precision of enemy [[missiles]]. Missile range disruption reduces both missile speed and flight time; by making enemy missiles fly slower, and for a shorter period of time, missile range disruption dramatically reduces missile range. In this way, missile range disruption is analogous to the optimal range disruption offered by Tracking Disruptors. Missile precision disruption, by contrast, is unique. By decreasing the explosion velocity of enemy missiles, precision disruption makes it harder for a missile's explosion to keep up with small, fast-moving targets. (It makes it easier for a small ship to speed away from the explosion.) And by increasing explosion radius, precision disruption makes the missile explosion more diffuse, decreasing the amount of damage dealt. Unlike tracking speed disruption, missile precision disruption is not affected by range or flight vector. But like tracking disruption, it does favor small, speedy ships. Unscripted, guidance disruptors affect both range and precision, but they can be fitted with scripts (either the Missile Range Disruption Script or Missile Precision Disruption Script) to double one effect at the expense of the other.

=== Weapon Disruption Bonuses ===

There is just one Electronics Superiority rig set that specifically enhances weapon disruption:

* Tracking Diagnostic Subroutines: increases the effectiveness of weapons disruption modules. (Tech I: +5%; Tech II: +7.5%)

=== Countering Weapon Disruption ===

Tracking Disruption is countered by Tracking Computers and Tracking Enhancers, both of which provide bonuses to turret range and tracking speed. Tracking computers are active, mid-slot modules, and can be fitted with scripts (Optimal Range Script and Tracking Speed Script) which double one bonus at the expense of the other. Tracking enhancers are passive, low-slot modules that cannot be scripted.

== Remote Sensor Dampening ==

[[File:Icon remote sensor dampening.png|left]]Remote sensor dampening (or "damps") is used to reduce the targeting range and scan resolution (which is related to the locking time) of an opponent's ship. Multiple range damps can be concentrated onto one target, to reduce its targeting range to nearly zero; or they can be spread across multiple attackers, to strategically create a mismatch between opponents' weapons range and targeting range. Scan resolution damps are less common, but can make it such that a battleship requires minutes to lock smaller ships. Unscripted, remote sensor dampeners apply both range damps and scan resolution damps. But sensor dampeners can be fitted with scripts (the Targeting Range Dampening Script and the Scan Resolution Dampening Script) that double their effectiveness in one area at the expense of the other. Damps pilots usually carry both.

=== Remote Sensor Dampening Bonuses ===

There is just one Electronics Superiority rig set that specifically enhances remote sensor dampening:

* Inverted Signal Field Projector: increases the effectiveness of damps modules. (Tech I: +5%; Tech II: +7.5%)

=== Countering Remote Sensor Dampening ===

Like ECM, remote sensor dampening is countered by Sensor Boosters, Remote Sensor Boosters, and Signal Amplifiers. All of these modules provide a bonus to targeting range and scan resolution, along with the bonuses described above to sensor strength. Sensor boosters and remote sensor boosters—active, mid-slot modules—can be fitted with either a Targeting Range Script or a Scan Resolution Script that doubles either of those stats at the expense of the other (and also at the expense of the sensor strength effect). Signal amplifiers are passive, low-slot modules that cannot be scripted.

== Target Painting ==

[[File:Icon target painter i.png|left]]Target painting increases the signature radius of a target, making it easier for tracking turrets and missiles to hit. Target painting is especially effective against small, speedy targets that would otherwise evade turret tracking and missile and bomb explosion velocities. Target painting improves '''everyone's''' chance of hitting the targeted foe, not just the painting pilot, and so a single target painting ship can be a great complement to a fleet of damage dealers. All of this makes target painting unique, relative to the other three types of EWAR, in that it helps your friends rather than hindering your foes.

=== Target Painting Bonuses ===

There are no rigs specific to target painting. Only the one generig EWAR rig has an effect:

* Particle Dispersion Projector rigs: increases the optimal range of all targeted EWAR modules. (Tech I: 20%; Tech II: 25%)

=== Countering Target Painting ===

There are no modules or rigs that decrease signature radius, so there is no direct counter to the effects of a target painter module.

== EWAR drones ==

All four types of EWAR can be applied by electronic warfare drones.

== EWAR Tactics ==

EWAR is an important element of fleet combat, and Unista EWAR pilots are nearly always welcome in UNI fleets, even if EWAR isn't explicitly called for in the fleet announcement. Make sure you check the announcement, or check with the FC, to find out whether one particular type of EWAR is preferred or excluded in the fleet. In most cases, Unista EWAR pilots will be expected to fly a Tech I EWAR frigate (a [[Griffin]], [[Maulus]], [[Crucifier]] or [[Vigil]]) or Tech I EWAR cruiser ([[Blackbird]], [[Celestis]], [[Arbitrator]] or [[Bellicose]]). If you are flying Caldari or Amarr, you may want to fit a "rainbow" of EWAR types—different racial ECM modules, or a mix of tracking and guidance disruptors—and also carry copies of all necessary scripts.

* Spread out! If there is more than one EWAR pilot in your fleet, try not to stay together. It will be much harder for your opponents to target all of the EWAR in your fleet if you are far away from each other.

* Create bookmarks as you fly. If you aren't overwhelmed by all of this, create bookmarks at the edge of combat. You can use these bookmarks as different warp-ins when you return to the battle. Just make sure not to warp back to the same place you warped out of—that interceptor you were running away from might still be there.

== See also ==