Interceptors

Interceptors (often called "inties" or "'ceptors") are a class of Tech 2 frigate. They are Eve's fastest ships, and they have attributes and bonuses which make them supremely effective tacklers, or dangerous high-speed damage-dealers. Inties are often one of the first classes of T2 ships that pilots train, and they're often helpful in Eve University's fleets where they are normally used to do basic tackle well.

This page won't make you a good interceptor pilot -- only practice can do that -- but it does cover a lot of information that's useful for new interceptor pilots.

Terminology note: "Point" and "Long Point" usually mean a Warp Disruptor, while "Scram" (and sometimes "Short Point") refers to a Warp Scrambler.

Overview

There are two types of interceptor: interceptors designed purely for tackling ("tackle" or "fleet" inties), and interceptors designed for combat ("gank", "damage", "damage-dealing" or "combat" inties). Each of the four races has one interceptor of each type. For simplicity's sake this guide will refer to the two types as fleet and combat interceptors, but different players will use different terminology. Due to Eve University's general "Combined Arms" large fleet style, fleet inties are more useful in a normal E-Uni fleet.

All interceptors, of both kinds, share certain characteristics:

• They all have an "80% reduction in Propulsion Jamming systems activation cost" role bonus, letting inty pilots permanently run warp disruptors/scramblers and webifires much more easily.
• They all have a "15% reduction in MicroWarpdrive signature radius penalty" for each level their pilot has in the Spaceship Command Interceptors skill, dramatically reducing the signature bloom effect caused by having a MWD on.
  • Most ships have to use MWDs in short bursts only, because the bloom makes them much more vulnerable to large guns and missiles. This crucial bonus lets interceptors run their MWDs permanently but still keep (relatively) small sig radii.
• They all have very high base velocities.
• They all have very high base scan resolution, letting them lock on to targets rapidly.

Fleet Inties

Fleet inties are so called because they are a great help to a fleet (especially in high- and lowsec where bubbles can't be used to pin the enemy down) but, being more or less pure tacklers, they aren't so good solo.

• Fleet inties are tied with the covops frigates for Eve's fastest base warp speed in Eve, 13.5 AU/s
• Their defining feature is a 5% bonus to warp scrambler and warp disruptor range per level in the Interceptor skill

Fleet inties move fast, catch people quickly and can hold a point on someone while orbiting them at high speed and beyond 20km range -- for example, with Interceptor trained to level IV the range of a T2 disruptor on a fleet inty will be over 28km (and over 34km if you overheat). The rest of the fleet inty's bonuses, tied to the racial frigate skill (which will have been trained to 5), are weapon- or tank-related.

The four races' fleet inties, together with their racial frigate skill bonuses, are:

• The Amarr Malediction: 5% bonuses to rocket damage and armor resistances per level
• The Caldari Raptor: 5% bonus to hybrid damage and 10% bonus to hybrid range per level
• The Gallente Ares: 5% bonus to hybrid damage and 7.5% bonus to hybrid tracking per level
• The Minmatar Stiletto: 5% bonus to projectile damage and 7.5% bonus to projectile tracking per level; notable for being the only inty with 4 midslots

All four of these are useful, though the Stiletto's fourth midslot gives it a bit of an edge.

Combat Inties

Although the name implies so, combat interceptors are not that well suited to actual fighting as in being general damage dealers. While they can be popular solo ships, usually going toe-to-toe with other frigates, or can actually contribute some DPS in/to frigate-only fleets, their overall damage output is not comparable to anything beyond the frigate size class, nor do they tank much better than the default T1 frigates. In fleet environments, they are more useful to land fast scrams on target or take on single other frigates, although dedicated anti-frig cruisers can often be better suited for that role. For applying tackle via Warp Disruptors, Fleet Interceptors are usually better suited.

• Combat inties have more combat-orientated slot layouts, usually more lowslots at the expense of midslots
• Combat inties have more powergrid than the fleet inties, making it easier to fit weapons
• Combat inties have an extra combat-related bonus tied to the Interceptors skill, instead of the fleet inties' tackling range bonus

The four combat inties, together with their racial frigate skill bonuses, are:

• The Amarr Crusader: 10% less laser cap use, 5% bonus to laser damage, 7.5% bonus to laser tracking per level
• The Caldari Crow: 10% bonus to kinetic missile damage, 10% bonus to missile speed per level
• The Gallente Taranis: 10% bonus to hybrid damage, 7.5% bonus to hybrid tracking per level
• The Minmatar Claw: 10% bonus to projectile damage, 7.5% bonus to projectile tracking per level

The Taranis's hefty damage bonus -- applied to the already face-meltingly high DPS potential of blasters -- has made it a very popular dogfighter. The other three all have their proponents, however, and they're all deadly in the right hands.

Skills

Necessary Skills

Training to fly the Interceptor hull will probably take the most amount of time, particularly Evasive Maneuvering 5 and Racial Frigate 5.

• Spaceship Command Interceptors Level 1 is required to fly interceptors, although having at least level 4 is strongly recommended for the interceptor skill bonuses.

Most of these modules are relatively quick to train for. T2 modules often (not always) give a significant advantage over T1 and so are recommended in most cases.

• [[Skills:Electronics Propulsion Jamming]] Level 2 is necessary for Tech 2 points, and level 4 allows T2 webs.
• Navigation High Speed Maneuvering Helps your cap life tremendously. Level 4 is recommended, a T2 MWD is usually not a good idea on an interceptor.
• [[Skills:Mechanic Hull Upgrades]] Level 2 is required for T2 Nanofibre Internal Structures and Overdrive Injectors.
• Science Thermodynamics Allows overheating of modules: vital in tight situations to give an extra boost of speed or point range. [[Skills:Mechanic Nanite Operation]] is required for Nanite Paste, used to repair heat damage.

Support Skills

• Basic fitting skills like [[Skills:Mechanic Hull Upgrades]], [[Skills:Electronics Electronics Upgrades]], [[Skills:Engineering Energy Grid Upgrades]], and [[Skills:Engineering Power Grid Management]] should be at level 5.

• Navigation Navigation 5% bonus to sub-warp speed per level. Level 5 is recommended.
• Navigation Acceleration Control 5% bonus to afterburner and MWD speed per level. Level 4 is recommended.
• Spaceship Command Spaceship Command 2% to ship agility per level. Level 5 is recommended.

• [[Skills:Electronics Signature Analysis]] 5% scan resolution per level; getting this to level 5 will greatly boost your target locking speed.
• [[Skills:Electronics Long Range Targeting]] Level 5 will help make sure you can actually target out to the same range that you can point. A signal amplifier module or ionic field projector rig is still often required to match overheated point range.

• [[Skills:Engineering Capacitor Management]] and [[Skills:Engineering Capacitor Systems Operation]] Level 4/5 in these skills will help cap stability greatly, although you can fit a capacitor power relay module or capacitor control rig to cope with low cap skills.

• [[Skills:Mechanic Astronautics Rigging]] for navigation rigs.
• [[Skills:Mechanic Electronic Superiority Rigging]] for rigs that improve targeting speed and range.

• [[Skills:Engineering Shield Upgrades]] Level 4+ - will allow Medium Shield Extender IIs to be fitted, a common midslot module.

T2 small weapon skills will be useful for combat inties, as Tech 2 ammo generally allows much more range control and damage.

Fitting

Fitting Fleet Interceptors

As for most support ships, the basic rule for fitting interceptors is: Fit for your role. Basically you want to have a fast (MWD+speed/agility), yet resilient (tank) platform for your long range point. Mods/rigs to adapt your locking range to overheated point range will also be used.

While one could also use fleet inties for close range scram role, often there would be better ships for that role, and you better know what you're doing. This part of the guide focuses on long range point inties.

Priority considerations

• Long range point (T2)

  The meta 4 points still only have a 20km range, so we need T2 (which gives 24km pointing range). Don't fit a scram unless you have a slot to spare on your Stiletto.

• MWD

  For combat interceptors, the Afterburner could be an option, but not so for the fleet inty. We want to orbit at range and keep a point. AB is just too slow for that job. Go for the best meta version of the 1MN MWD (currently the meta 2 "Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I"), as you will keep it running most of the time and thus the higher cap usage of the T2 module would neutralize its lower overall cap penalty. Also, meta MWD will overheat slightly longer.

• Targeting range of over 36km

  You must ensure that you can target beyond your overheated point range, or there is very little use for your tackle mod. Note that most interceptors have a native targeting range below 36km even with all skills at V.

• Tank

  Yes, speed is not your only defense, rather a way to mitigate some of your incoming damage. Way too many interceptors die young to having no tank. Without a tank, all it takes is one volley from a hurricane and you're debris. With a DCII and a MSE, you can live (almost) forever, or at least have some time to GTFO. Highly recommended.

• Cap stability

  You want to be cap stable. If you cap out, you lose point or your speed, meaning you lose your target or die. Either is bad. If your skills aren't up to it, fit a cap mod in the lows or mids. Stiletto is the hardest to get cap stable.

• Speed

  Speed is life. You want to go fast, but remember the stacking penalty. Having more than three mods/rigs that affect your speed (overdrives, nanos, polycarbs and aux thrusters) gives very little benefit over having three.

• Defense against incoming fire

  When you tackle something, chances are it will try to kill you. Some guns will be able to track you (especially when accompanied by Tracking Enhancers), although many fits won't, and missiles and drones can hurt. With the nerf to Defender missiles a while ago (they used to fit into Rocket Launchers before, and also were able to one-shot enemy missiles - not like that anymore) you can't shoot down missiles any longer, so the only incoming fire you can reduce actively is drones. Autocannons with Barrage ammo or rocket launchers will do that job effectively (albeit slowly - you have anemic DPS), and will not use up your valuable cap. Against the remaining DPS, you will have to rely on the agility and tank mentioned above - they will mitigate a good chunk of the damage.

Mid slots

When fitting a tackle ship, fit the midslots first, they are most important.

• The first thing you fit is a T2 warp disruptor, no exceptions, no excuses. Read above.
• Secondly, you chuck in an MWD. See above, again - currently the best meta MWD is called "Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I".
• Medium Shield Extender

  This buffer module gives you some leeway to screw up and a little time to kill drones/catch some fire. Having a shield extender will also let you hold targets in more dangerous situations and it allows you to regen your tank without docking for repairs. Does not slow you down like an armor buffer would (even an active armor tank would slow you down as you could dedicate fewer slots to speed/agility, plus you would lack buffer against alpha damage, obviously).

• For the fourth midslot on the Stiletto, there's a few options, let's go over them here:
  • Sensor Booster

    Outside of catching frigates in empire, I recommend against fitting a Sensor Booster. It needs cap, and can often make you cap out, and there's many other options to pick from instead (yes, it has its occasional use, but as mentioned, there are modules you will profit from more often).

  • Cap booster/cap recharger

    If you find yourself getting into neut range of enemy BS often, you could fit a cap booster. If your skills aren’t sufficient to make you cap stable, consider a cap recharger. However, I would rather stay out of neut range and not use/need it at all. Especially against staggered neuts, you will often get only limited value from a cap booster.

  • Warp Scrambler/Stasis webifier (for the brave)

    Sometimes, you want to stop that hurricane or vaga from running, and the point just won't do it. Go for a scram (or a web if you want to catch 100MN AB beasts), but do it at your own peril. Remember that your primary job is to point the target, and the scram/web is completely optional, often best left to the fast assault frigates. If you fit a scram/web, really consider it an "emergency" measure and nothing you want to try using regularly.

  • Track/EWAR

    Some sort of ewar mod can help both you and your fleetmates survive longer against a dangerous opponent. Often a worthwhile consideration, but bear in mind that they need cap. They also often lose their value in "defense enhancement" when facing more than one opponent.

  • Medium Ancillary Shield Booster

    Even after the "nerf" that cut its effectiveness by 30%, the MASB can still be a valid choice for the 4th slot. It even offers more overall EHP than a Medium Shield Extender mod, but relying on a MASB without a MSE would give you no buffer against "that unlucky hit". It can still be a good tool to regenerate the EHP gained from your shield buffer module, thus adding some staying power on the field. Note: Always use Navy Cap Booster 50 charges!

Low slots

First of all, you must understand that speed is not everything. Far too many interceptors die young with nothing but nanofibers and overdrives in the lows. This is a common misunderstanding sadly carried over from before the nano-nerf. For your interceptor to do its job, it needs more than speed.

• Fit a Damage Control

  A Damage Control II is the most effective tanking mod for a frigate in the game, and for the Gallente interceptors, with their added structural integrity, it's vital. On an Ares, a DCII will double your EHP and survivability.

• Fitting mod

  If you're shield tanked, you'll often need a Micro Auxiliary Power Core (MAPC) to fit your shield mod.

• Cap stability

  If your skills don't make you cap stable, fit a cap power relay, but that really should be something you need to work on skills wise.

• Speed/agility mods

  Go for a balance between mods that enhance both agility/speed and pure speed bonus - that mainly means using Nanofiber Internal Structure/Overdrive Injectors in the low slots. Balance with Polycarbon Engine Housings/Auxiliary Thrusters in the rig slots.

  Beware of the stacking penalty of having more than three speed/agility mods and rigs.

• Signal Amplifier

  You can fit one of those to increase your locking range up to the desired distance instead of the Ionic Field Projector rig - it is a matter of preference and priority if you satisfy that locking range requirement from your low slots or your rig slots.

Rig slots

• Locking range

  It's very common to fit a targeting range mod, namely the Ionic Field Projector I. This increases your targeting range, on most inties enough to ensure you can target beyond 36km.

• Speed/agility

  Go for a balance between mods that enhance your agility and pure speed bonus - that mainly means using Polycarbon Engine Housings/Auxiliary Thrusters. Balance with Nanofiber Internal Structure/Overdrive Injectors in the low slots.

• Tank

  Some people use shield resist rigs to enhance their tank. Kinetic and explosive damage would be two very common damage types against interceptors (Barrage, Warrior drones, Drake missiles).

High slots

Your job is not killing the enemy, but finding hostiles/keeping them in place. Thus, your guns do not need to be able to kill the enemy at the range you are keeping a point on him. So the only thing you would need guns for is for shooting down drones. Bear in mind that you don’t want your guns to cap you out.

• Armament

  Auto Cannons and Rockets work well, and don't use cap either. ACs also have the advantage of pretty low fitting requirements. Don't worry too much about "bonussed weapon systems", DPSing is not your job.

  As drones cycle their MWD and move in and out of range, you want an effective range of at least 5km. You'll need decent tracking to be able to hit them (T2 ACs with Barrage perform that job well).

• Nosferatu

  A NOS is recommended against most of the time, as in order to use it you will have to move in very close, which often means death for an interceptor. If you go the "scram in the Stiletto's 4th slot" route, it might be a viable option, but operating in 5km range to an enemy is still pretty dangerous.

• Core Probe Launcher

  This can be a good idea when hunting in sov space. A core probe lets you scan down those sites that the ship scanner can not 100% detect on its own. Works surprisingly well, but is far from being a priority module.

Fitting Combat Interceptors

Update pending

Flying Interceptors

Generally, inty pilots want to keep speed and angular velocity high as these are the main form of tank.

Fleet Interceptors

Fleet interceptors are generally flown as a special tackler, often staying a couple of jumps ahead or behind the main fleet to hold enemies in place until the fleet arrives, or providing mini-warpin* points and mobile safespots during a battle. Depending on the fleet style, they can 'scout and skirmish', roaming around to find targets, often holding them in place for 10 or 15 minutes while the rest of the fleet arrives; sit at gatecamps and a put a fast point on anything flashy coming through; or get initial tackle and then hold valuable non-primary targets during a longer engagement until the fleet is ready to DD them.

Inties should approach targets at an angle to maximize traversal while spiraling in. Once in place, the inty should orbit at around 15-25km in order to stay out of web/scram/neut range while keeping angular velocity up. Battleships can fit large neuts that can reach out to 25.2km, so these should be kept at a distance, while faster cruisers should be orbited at a smaller range so they don't escape. Orbit speed should be around 4-5km/s, so if the target launches drones, they will generally end up getting kited by the inty and be fairly easy to track and pick off. Note that, depending on skills and ships, the range at which the inty orbits will not necessarily be what the pilot has set in the UI. Pilots should check their actual orbit distances so they know what to choose in order to orbit at the correct range.

Fleet interceptors should generally avoid faster targets like frigates and speedfit cruisers: these have a good chance of breaking the inty's orbit and applying a scram or web. Some enemies, like the Privateers, specialize in kiting and picking off smaller tacklers and running before the fleet arrives: these should just be avoided unless a warpin for the whole fleet can be generated.

In some circumstances, such as a planned long gatecamp, ships will be asked to fit remote sensor boosters to assist inties in grabbing targets quickly. This will generally be up to the fleet commander to organize, although you should know how many boosters can be assigned to you and still be useful (ie, before lag and reaction time become the dominant factor in how fast you can lock a target). An interceptor should also be the first to de-agress and jump back through a gate if the targets seem to be trying to jump back, chase after targets that break through the camp, or picket the other side of a gate during a fight- giving intel on what is coming through.

* Providing mini-warp points ("tactical miniwarps"): An inty may be sent 150km+ from the rest of the fleet so that other ships can warp out to it if necessary -- to reduce incoming damage or break target locks without having to bounce all the way to a planet or station.

Combat Interceptors

A combat interceptor's job is to establish dominance of the frigates on the battlefield, including the enemy's tackle/interceptors, by counter-tackling and killing them. Combat interceptors are also better at tackling MWD-fit cruisers and battlecruisers than fleet interceptors - they have a scram to shut off the MWD so the fleet can catch up; and a bit more tank so that they can survive while the fleet finishes it off. Combat interceptors fly like assault frigates in many ways. They will often have their own important targets independent of the fleet's primary.

Ships and Fitting

This section will list some standard fits for different interceptors. As mentioned above, these can be modified depending on personal preference.

Standard Fleet Interceptor Fittings

[Malediction, Standard]

Damage Control II
Overdrive Injector System II
Overdrive Injector System II

Warp Disruptor II
Medium Shield Extender II
Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I

125mm Gatling AutoCannon II,Barrage S
125mm Gatling AutoCannon II,Barrage S
125mm Gatling AutoCannon II,Barrage S

Small Ionic Field Projector I
Small Ionic Field Projector I

[Raptor, Standard]

Damage Control II
Overdrive Injector System II
Micro Auxiliary Power Core I

Warp Disruptor II
Medium Shield Extender II
Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I

125mm Gatling AutoCannon II,Barrage S
125mm Gatling AutoCannon II,Barrage S
125mm Gatling AutoCannon II,Barrage S
Auto Targeting System I

Small Ionic Field Projector I
Small Polycarbon Engine Housing I

[Ares, Standard]

Damage Control II
Overdrive Injector System II
Overdrive Injector System II
Micro Auxiliary Power Core I

Warp Disruptor II
Medium Shield Extender II
Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I

200mm AutoCannon II,Barrage S
200mm AutoCannon II,Barrage S
Auto Targeting System I

Small Polycarbon Engine Housing I
Small Ionic Field Projector I

[Stiletto, Standard]

Pseudoelectron Containment Field I
Overdrive Injector System II
Micro Auxiliary Power Core II

Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I
Medium Azeotropic Ward Salubrity I
Medium Ancillary Shield Booster,Navy Cap Booster 50
Warp Disruptor II

125mm Gatling AutoCannon II,Barrage S
125mm Gatling AutoCannon II,Barrage S

Small Polycarbon Engine Housing I
Small Ionic Field Projector I

Note: This is the tankiest fleet Inty fit, but the 4th slot offers some more options stated above.

[Stiletto, Utility mid]

Damage Control II
Micro Auxiliary Power Core II
Overdrive Injector System II

Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I
Medium Shield Extender II
Warp Disruptor II
xx utility xx

125mm Gatling AutoCannon II, Barrage S
125mm Gatling AutoCannon II, Barrage S

Small Polycarbon Engine Housing I
Small Ionic Field Projector I

If you decide to go for an ("emergency") scram in the 4th slot, seriously consider adding a NOS to the high slots to retain some cap in case of neuting.

Standard Combat Interceptor Fittings

Update Pending

Some discussion of these above fits, and variations, is available at glepp's class thread.

Audio recording of glepp's practical class is available at Tackling 201: Fleet Interceptors.

Countering Interceptors

Various modules and tactics can be used to kill interceptors or drive them away. When in a ship with speeds similar to the inty then some piloting techniques or maneuvers can be used to break the inty's orbit and bring them into web or scram range. Cruisers and destroyers fit for tracking and killing frigates can also be effective. While most guns will have tracking problems against inties, missile systems can still be effective even though the inty's speed and small sig radius will mitigate much of the damage. Missiles can slowly eat through an inty's buffer if they don't have any repair or recharge ability on their armor or shields.

Some ships, like combat interceptors and Dramiels have the speed and tracking to keep up with an interceptor, and should be avoided. Other frigate hulls and destroyers should be avoided by fleet interceptors as they are generally cheap, so not worthwhile to tackle, and have a decent chance of killing the interceptor. Afterburner-fit assault frigates may be worth chasing. Vagabonds and Cynabals are very dangerous to interceptors since they have heavy weaponry with good tracking but can move at around 4km/s, which severly cuts down on the amount of transversal that an interceptor can create.

Drones

Drones are a common defence against all small ships, interceptors included. The Minmatar Warrior II light drones are the nimblest and fastest drones, often matching interceptor speeds, and so are the most common choice.

However, interceptors go so very fast that even Warriors are likely to still spend time fruitlessly chasing them around. Furthermore, it is possible to tank an interceptor against drones so that it can soak up a lot of fire from Warriors.

Inty pilots can also fit weapons specifically to shoot drones. The smallest, fastest-tracking turrets, combined with the tracking bonuses that several fleet inties get, perform quite well against drones.

Ships with large dronebays and bonuses to drone hitpoints and damage, like the Arbitrator and Vexor have much more problematic drones (and if you do manage to kill them, they probably have more).

Counter-Tackle

Webs (especially two at once) to directly cut an inty's speed or a warp scrambler to shut down its MWD are both excellent ways to slow down an inty and make it vulnerable. The problem is of course that webs and scrams have short ranges, and good inty pilots stay beyond web/scram range at all times.

Apart from other inties, there are a few ships that are particularly effective at webbing. The Minmatar Huginn and Rapier recon ships both have bonuses to web range. They can push a normal T2 web out to 40km range before heat (overheating the web and/or fitting a faction web can produce considerably longer ranges). Both ships are consequently very dangerous to interceptors, and a good countermeasure.

A few other, rarer ships also have web bonuses but these are mostly to strength rather than range, so an inty that stays away from the range of normal webs shouldn't be troubled by them. Note, however, that the Blood Raider Bhaalgorn battleship has a web range bonus which can push the optimal of a T2 web out to 20km before heat.

The Gallente recons, the Lachesis and Arazu have bonuses to warp scrambler and warp disruptor range. They are most commonly fitted with disruptors, to point the enemy from a long way away, but they can be fitted with warp scramblers. This is less of a threat than the Minmatar recons' webs, but their bonuses can still put a T2 scram's range out to 18km before heat, so they should be treated with a bit of care.

The Caldari and Amarr recon also have range bonuses to ECM and neuts respectively, both of which can also heavily counter an interceptor, and should be avoided. Range damping a fleet inty can be an efficient use of a sensor damp; it will essentially nullify the fleet inty's bonus point range, forcing it to orbit much closer to hold tackle, making its job considerably more difficult and dangerous.

Energy Neutralizers

A few cycles from a medium energy neutralizer or just one cycle from a large neut can remove all of an interceptor's capacitor, shutting down its MWD and point and leaving it dead in the water.

Medium neuts have similar ranges to scrams and webs, and so are not dangerous to a competent inty pilot unless they're mounted on a ship which has range bonuses for them. The Amarr combat recon, the Curse, does have such a range bonus, and it can neut at nearly 40km if the pilot has good skills. (Being based on the Arbitrator hull, it also has drone bonuses, making it a nightmare target for an interceptor to tackle!)

T2 large neuts have 25km range. Fleet inties must therefore maintain a very careful orbit, further than 25km but near enough to be within warp disruptor range, when pointing a battleship which they know or suspect has one or more energy neutralisers fitted. Neuts are particularly common on the Dominix, the Scorpion, in solo/small gang fits for the Typhoon and Tempest, and on the previously mentioned Bhaalgorn (which has bonuses to neut strength, though not to their range).