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:''Note: this is a draft page on [[Factional Warfare strategy and tactics]]'' | :''Note: this is a draft page on [[Factional Warfare strategy and tactics]]'' | ||
= Factional Warfare strategy and tactics = | = Factional Warfare strategy and tactics = | ||
In '''Factional Warfare''' you can fight for one of the four empires against its enemies for control over areas of [[low-sec]]. This page gives tips on how to make the most of the PvE and PvP opportunities in Factional Warfare (FW); for a more detailled look at the FW mechanics see [[Factional Warfare]]. | In '''Factional Warfare''' you can fight for one of the four empires against its enemies for control over areas of [[low-sec]]. This page gives tips on how to make the most of the PvE and PvP opportunities in Factional Warfare (FW); for a more detailled look at the FW mechanics see [[Factional Warfare]]. Additionally, there detailed pages on [[Factional Warfare missions|running missions in Factional Warfare]] and [[Factional Warfare Standings|the impact of Factional Warfare on your standings]]. | ||
== Before joining == | == Before joining == | ||
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Before joining Factionalal Warfare, you should at be able to fly a [[frigate]] with the "holy trinity" of midslot PvP modules (a [[MWD|microwarpdrive]], a [[point|scram or warp disruptor]], and a [[web]]). This will allow you to start looking for and getting into fights. | Before joining Factionalal Warfare, you should at be able to fly a [[frigate]] with the "holy trinity" of midslot PvP modules (a [[MWD|microwarpdrive]], a [[point|scram or warp disruptor]], and a [[web]]). This will allow you to start looking for and getting into fights. | ||
A good knowledge of the [[#overview]] and | A good knowledge of the [[#Overview settings|overview]] and some practice with the [[Directional Scanner Guide|directional scanner (D-Scan)]] is also helpful. FW provides plenty of PvP opportunities for both solo players and fleets; if you want to try flying in fleets, then it may be worth refreshing your memory of basic fleet operations (see [[The Rookie's Guide To Fleet Ops]] or attend the classes [[Fleets 101]] and [[Fleets 102]]). | ||
=== Ships, items and ISK === | === Ships, items and ISK === | ||
While it's possible to make a decent income from FW, it's recommended that you stock up on a few ships (including fittings, ammunition), and have enough ISK (or other ways of making ISK) to cover your losses while you get your bearings. Also, it's a lot less frustrating to just jump into a new ship and keep flying if you lose a fight (rather than have to go back to a trade hub and first buy and then fit a new one). Start by bringing smaller ships (frigates and destroyers), and decide later if you want to start flying larger ships. | While it's possible to make a decent income from FW, it's recommended that you stock up on a few ships (including fittings, ammunition), and have enough ISK (or other ways of making ISK) to cover your losses while you get your bearings. Also, it's a lot less frustrating to just jump into a new ship and keep flying if you lose a fight (rather than have to go back to a trade hub and first buy and then fit a new one). Start by bringing smaller ships (frigates and destroyers), and decide later if you want to start flying larger ships. | ||
Keep in mind that, once you join FW, about half of [[empire]] space (including two of the four [[Trade | Keep in mind that, once you join FW, about half of [[empire]] space (including two of the four [[Trade Hubs|trade hub]]s) will be [[Factional Warfare#Permanent war|very difficult to get to]]; this means that you won't be able to run missions or trade in the "enemy" half of empire space, and that any ships or items you have stored in enemy empire stations will be hard to get to. Therefore, move all the ships and modules you think you want to use out of enemy empire space. Additionally, in the medium term, it may be worth having a [[trading]] or [[Creating an Alt Hauler|hauling]] alt to keep your FW character supplied. | ||
=== Choosing a militia === | === Choosing a militia === | ||
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Additionally, there is no limitation on which race' ships you can fly - you could fight for the Minmatar while flying a ship built by their hated enemies, the Amarr. Deciding which parts of empire space you would like to continue accessing can also be a factor - so don't enlist with the Gallente if you want to continue going to Jita (which is a Caldari system)! | Additionally, there is no limitation on which race' ships you can fly - you could fight for the Minmatar while flying a ship built by their hated enemies, the Amarr. Deciding which parts of empire space you would like to continue accessing can also be a factor - so don't enlist with the Gallente if you want to continue going to Jita (which is a Caldari system)! | ||
Once you have chosen a militia to fight for, move yourself and your ships to a staging system. You can ask in [[#militia chat]] what the common staging systems for your militia are, or, to start off, you can pick a [[high-sec]] system on your faction's border with the war zone (this keeps you reasonably safe from enemy militia, while still being only a jump or two away from the war zone). It may be helpful to pick a station owned by your militia's [[Factional Warfare#Finding.2C_accepting_and_rejecting_missions|NPC corporation]] (e.g. State Protectorate if fighting for the Caldari), as this gives you easy access to your militia's [[#LP store]] and agent(s) for running [[ | Once you have chosen a militia to fight for, move yourself and your ships to a staging system. You can ask in [[#Militias and fleets|militia chat]] what the common staging systems for your militia are, or, to start off, you can pick a [[high-sec]] system on your faction's border with the war zone (this keeps you reasonably safe from enemy militia, while still being only a jump or two away from the war zone). It may be helpful to pick a station owned by your militia's [[Factional Warfare#Finding.2C_accepting_and_rejecting_missions|NPC corporation]] (e.g. State Protectorate if fighting for the Caldari), as this gives you easy access to your militia's [[#Making money|LP store]] and agent(s) for running [[Factional Warfare missions|missions]]. | ||
== Navigation == | == Navigation == | ||
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* currently contested and active systems | * currently contested and active systems | ||
Both the in-game star map and out-of-game maps (such as [http://evemaps.dotlan.net/factionwarfare Dotlan] and [http://www.ombeve.co.uk/ Ombeve]) are very helpful in this regard. Expecially Dotlan and the in-game | Both the [[Star Map|in-game star map]] and out-of-game maps (such as [http://evemaps.dotlan.net/factionwarfare Dotlan] and [http://www.ombeve.co.uk/ Ombeve]) are very helpful in this regard. Expecially Dotlan and the in-game map can give you up-to-date information on what system is currently held by which faction, and where a lot of traffic and fighting is taking place (filter by "number of jumps" and "number of ships destroyed"). Additionally, your militia's [[#chat channel]] can be a useful source of intel. | ||
Factional Warfare takes place in [[low-sec]], so there will be the occasional [[gatecamps|gatecamp]] on well-travelled routes (although fast frigates should be able to escape these, as there are no [[bubble]]s in low-sec). Also, roaming gangs of ships are a fairly common sight. The Uni's [[Preparing for Low Sec]] class (or its [[Low-Sec Campus]]) may be helpful to new pilots who would like a more detailled introduction to the specifics of flying in low-sec. | Factional Warfare takes place in [[low-sec]], so there will be the occasional [[gatecamps|gatecamp]] on well-travelled routes (although fast frigates should be able to escape these, as there are no [[bubble]]s in low-sec). Also, roaming gangs of ships are a fairly common sight. The Uni's [[Preparing for Low Sec]] class (or its [[Low-Sec Campus]]) may be helpful to new pilots who would like a more detailled introduction to the specifics of flying in low-sec. | ||
The directional scanner is an invaluable tool to either scout for threats ahead of you (eg use it to scan a stargate before approaching it to see if there are ships camping it) or to look for PvP targets. | The directional scanner is an invaluable tool to either scout for threats ahead of you (eg use it to scan a stargate before approaching it to see if there are ships camping it) or to look for PvP targets. | ||
=== Neutral players === | |||
The war zones are not just populated with players enlisted in one of the FW militias, but also plenty of "neutral" players. Many of these are pirates who prey on members of both militias; therefore, as in other areas of low-sec, it's generally a good idea to treat neutral ships as potentially hostile. For a more thorough check, you can look up a pilot's combat history on killboards such as [http://eve-kill.net/ Eve-kill] or [https://zkillboard.com/ zKillboard] to see what ships (s)he normally flies and kills. Additionally, if a neutral pilot has a negative [[Security Status Details|security status]], it's a good indication that they are likely a pirate. | |||
== Plexing == | == Plexing == | ||
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After activating the acceleration gate, all ships entering the complex will land at its beacon. If you're defending a complex you can use this to your advantage - if you're flying a brawling ship (which fights best when close to the enemy), you can sit right on the beacon and blast incoming ships before they have a chance to pull out of your range. Conversely, kiting or sniping ships will want to stay far away from the beacon to hit incoming enemies with long-range fire. | After activating the acceleration gate, all ships entering the complex will land at its beacon. If you're defending a complex you can use this to your advantage - if you're flying a brawling ship (which fights best when close to the enemy), you can sit right on the beacon and blast incoming ships before they have a chance to pull out of your range. Conversely, kiting or sniping ships will want to stay far away from the beacon to hit incoming enemies with long-range fire. | ||
== | == Infrastructure hubs == | ||
[[File:Ihub-destroy-time.png|200px|thumb|right|Time to destroy an i-Hub.]] | [[File:Ihub-destroy-time.png|200px|thumb|right|Time to destroy an i-Hub.]] | ||
Attacking a system's [[Factional Warfare#Infrastructure_Hub|infrastructure hub]] ("i-Hub") is the final stage in capturing a star system for your faction. However, this is not something a solo player can do - the i-Hub has 25 million hit points (HP), and you need to do at least 1700 dps (damage per second) to break through its shield recharge rate. | Attacking a system's [[Factional Warfare#Infrastructure_Hub|infrastructure hub]] ("i-Hub") is the final stage in capturing a star system for your faction. However, this is not something a solo player can do - the i-Hub has 25 million hit points (HP), and you need to do at least 1700 dps (damage per second) to break through its shield recharge rate. | ||
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<!-- screenshot of an LP store in-game --> | <!-- screenshot of an LP store in-game --> | ||
If you want to buy something but don't have all the necessary items, you can of course [[trading|buy these from other players]] (through the regular Eve market). If you're purchasing items from the LP store to then sell them for ISK on the market, you would want to purchase items which sell for as much ISK as possible (relative to the amount of LP they cost), including the cost of any items you would need to buy them in the first place. The salient value is the amount of ISK you can expect to receive | If you want to buy something but don't have all the necessary items, you can of course [[trading|buy these from other players]] (through the regular Eve market). If you're purchasing items from the LP store to then sell them for ISK on the market, you would want to purchase items which sell for as much ISK as possible (relative to the amount of LP they cost), including the cost of any items you would need to buy them in the first place. The salient value is the amount of ISK you can expect to receive per LP spent; as a guide, you can expect to get around 1000 ISK per LP for most items. | ||
{{example|For the Federation Navy 1MN Microwarpdrive module in the example above, you would look at: | {{example|For the Federation Navy 1MN Microwarpdrive module in the example above, you would look at: | ||
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As you can see from the example above, this calculation can get complicated, especially as prices on the markets fluctuate constantly. Also keep in mind that less common items will sell only very slowly (or, if you need to buy them, they may not always be available), and that all transactions on the market cost [[Trading#Trading_Cost_Modifiers|sales tax and broker fees]]. Additionally, it can be quite a hassle to buy all the required items from the market and ship them to your FW base. | As you can see from the example above, this calculation can get complicated, especially as prices on the markets fluctuate constantly. Also keep in mind that less common items will sell only very slowly (or, if you need to buy them, they may not always be available), and that all transactions on the market cost [[Trading#Trading_Cost_Modifiers|sales tax and broker fees]]. Additionally, it can be quite a hassle to buy all the required items from the market and ship them to your FW base. | ||
A website like [https://www.fuzzwork.co.uk/lpstore/ Fuzzworks] can help you choose which items to buy from the LP store to get good return on your LP; when starting out, it's recommended that you buy items which trade in high volumes and which require a minimum number of inputs. Once you get the hang of it, you can diversify into more lucrative items which give you a higher ISK payout per LP, but which may also need more work. | A website like [https://www.fuzzwork.co.uk/lpstore/ Fuzzworks] can help you choose which items to buy from the LP store to get good return on your LP; when starting out, it's recommended that you buy items which trade in high volumes and which require a minimum number of inputs (even though they may not make you the absolutely highest amount of money). Once you get the hang of it, you can diversify into more lucrative items which give you a higher ISK payout per LP, but which may also need more work. | ||
At this point, it may be beneficial to have a [[Creating an Alt Hauler|trading and hauling alt]], who can access all the trade hubs in empire space and can fly without the danger of being attacked by enemy militia members. | |||
=== Upgrading and faction tier === | === Upgrading systems and faction tier === | ||
Instead of spending the LP you have earned at the LP store, you can [[Factional Warfare#System_upgrades|donate it the i-Hub]] of any system your faction controls in its war zone to "upgrade" that system. This offers direct benefits for that systems (lower fees for trading and medical clones and more slots for industry activities), however, unless your "home base" is in that system, these benefits are rarely worth it. | |||
System upgrades also contribute to the [[Factional Warfare#Faction_tier|overall "tier" of your faction]], which increases the amount of LP you get from participating in FW activities. This, on the other hand, is very much worth it, but raising your faction tier generally takes a concerted effort from a number of people in a militia. | |||
== Militias and fleets == | == Militias and fleets == | ||
All players enlisted with a particular militia (whether they joined as a solo player or as part of a corporation) can communicate via the in-game "Militia" chat channel (which works similarly to the "Alliance" chat channel). This channel is used as the most basic tool for coordinating FW activities within a militia, such as inviting for fleets or sharing intel on enemy pilots. As with most semi-open channels in the game, there are almost certainly spies for the opposing militia listening in, so it shouldn't be used for sensitive information (such as the location of a friendly fleet). | |||
All players who are members of the militia NPC corporation (ie all those who joined FW as solo players) also have a "Corporation" chat channel, although it's rarely used. | |||
Most militias also communicate via voice (particularly when in a fleet), be it through the in-game Eve Voice system, or through third-party services like [http://www.ventrilo.com Ventrilo] or [http://www.teamspeak.com/ TeamSpeak]. Ask in the Militia chat channel for details. | |||
== | == Overview settings == | ||
{{main|Overview Guide}} | |||
It's recommended that you create additional new overview settings for Factional Warfare, particularly one which show clearly enemy militia members (similarly to how the default Eve University overview settings highlight war targets), as well as showing FW structures (plexes and i-Hubs). It may be helpful to have an overview setting for showing neutral ships, as these can be pirates or out-of-militia spies. | |||
== | == Enemy high-sec and the faction navies == | ||
Once you enlist in Factional Warfare, you will be [[Factional Warfare#Permanent_war|at war with two of the four NPC empires]], and if you try to enter a [[high-sec]] system of an enemy empire, you will be attacked by their NPC faction navy ships. As you get some warning before being attacked, and as the NPCs will not use warp scramblers or warp disruptors on you, you can escape them easily. Once they engage you they do a moderate amount of damage (depending on the security rating of the system); whilst a frigate will not last long once attacked, larger ships can tank the damage they do for a while. However, even if you destroy the initial wave of NPC ships, more will warp in, and they will continue to chase you as long as you're in any of their high-sec systems, so at best you can speed through their systems with a ship that either aligns and enters warp quickly (before the faction navy attacks), or one with enough tank to survive until it can enter warp. Note that being at war with an NPC faction doesn't prevent you from docking at stations in their systems, and that the faction navies will not attack pods. | |||
what activities are most suitable to high and low tiers | what activities are most suitable to high and low tiers | ||
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As Patric also stated there is no functional command structure within these militias - although some corporation have gathered around some regulations - there is no ingame way to enforce any of these regulations, e.g. killboard loss posting is requested but can not be enforced, there is no shared standing or derived standing and individual player corporations within a militia can be war dec'ed by player corporations within their own militia as well as from corporations outside the militia, resulting in no way to support allied player corporations in the militia from within the alliance apart from re'deccing the aggressing player corporation with your own corporation. | As Patric also stated there is no functional command structure within these militias - although some corporation have gathered around some regulations - there is no ingame way to enforce any of these regulations, e.g. killboard loss posting is requested but can not be enforced, there is no shared standing or derived standing and individual player corporations within a militia can be war dec'ed by player corporations within their own militia as well as from corporations outside the militia, resulting in no way to support allied player corporations in the militia from within the alliance apart from re'deccing the aggressing player corporation with your own corporation. | ||
Joining as Unista | |||