User:William Lyon Mackenzie/Old user page

Instant alignment ("insta-align") is the ability to enter warp within 2 seconds ("instawarp") from a dead stop. Ships fitted for instant alignment are usually used to avoid being tackled when travelling through space, especially through gate camps

Align time

Align time is a measure of how long it takes your ship enter warp from a dead stop. It takes a minimum of 2 seconds (equivalent to 2 sever ticks) for an enemy pilot to be able to lock and tackle your ship. You can therefore escape to warp before the enemy could possibly catch you if your align time is less than 2 seconds .

The align time for a given fit is listed in the navigation tab of the fitting window. It is affected by multiple factors, including the ship, the modules fitted, the pilot's skills, and implants. Since align time is given for a ship at a dead stop. A ship in motion may align faster or slower depending on the course correction required.

Further reading

Since align times are rounded up to the nearest second, align times of 1.01s and 1.99s are, in effect, equivalent. Similarly, an align time of 2.01s is equivalent to an align time of 3s. In order to align instantly, you must have an align time of less than or equal to 2.00s. A detailed explanation can be found in this Eve-Guides.fr article.

The Microwarp Drive Cloak trick manipulates cloaking mechanics to mimic instant alignment for slow-aligning industrial ships.