Signature radius
The signature radius of your ship represents how large your ship is and, therefore, how difficult it is to hit with a weapon and to lock on to. You can find the signature radius of your ship under Show Info > Attributes > Targeting. Basically, a smaller signature radius makes you more difficult to hit and lock on to.
Targeting Time
To determine how quickly a ship with a scanning resolution of X can lock a ship of signature radius Y, use the formula
Some sources say that the number should be 10000, not 40000, but you can easily undock in a frigate and check that 40000 is indeed the correct number. The "arcsinh" function in the inverse of hyperbolic sine. If you wish to put this formula into a spreadsheet program, it might be the function "asinh" instead.
Turret and Missile Damage
A smaller signature radius reduces incoming damage. From turrets, the damage is reduced because they have a smaller chance of hitting you. If you show info on any turret, you will notice a signature resolution. This number will be 40 for small turrets, 125 for medium turrets, and 400 for large turrets. When a turret shoots you, the ratio of your signature radius and the turret's signature resolution is factored in to the chance to hit. See Turret Damage for the exact numbers. Similarly, when a missile strikes you, the missile's explosion radius is compared to your signature radius to determine the damage dealt.
Skills and Modules
There are no skills that alter the signature radius of your ship. However, there are several modules that will increase either your or your opponent's signature radius:
- Microwarpdrives: These propulsion modules increase your signature radius by 500% while active (less for faction modules) in exchange for a 500% increase in speed. Note that while you have this active, all turret-based ships have a much greater chance to hit you. This can be offset by your increased speed, as long as you do not fly directly at the target. Against missiles, the increase in signature radius has no real effect on incoming damage, as the increase in velocity counters it.
- Target Painters: These EWAR modules increase the target's signature radius by 25-30%. This increase in signature radius can greatly boost damage if the target is smaller than the missile/turret type used against it, or if it's moving too quickly for the explosion radius of the missile/tracking of the turret. If your turrets hit often or the missile's explosion velocity is much larger than the target's velocity, target painters will have very little effect.
- Shield Extenders: The small, medium, large, and x-large shield extenders add a flat 1, 2, 7, and 25 m to the ship's signature radius, respectively.
- Shield Rigs: Each increases the ship's signature radius by 10%. Note this penalty can be reduced to 5% with the shield rigging skill.
- Inertial Stabilizers: These increase your signature radius by 10-11%.
Halo implants, Skirmish Warfare Link - Evasive Maneuvers, and X-Instinct Boosters can all reduce the signature radius of your ship.
Signature Radii of Ships, by Hull Type
| Ship Type | Signature Radius (m) |
|---|---|
| Pod | 25 |
| Interceptors | 30-36 |
| Frigates | 30-50 |
| Assault Ships | 33-39 |
| Covert Ops | 35-50 |
| Electronic Attack Frigates | 51-58 |
| Destroyers | 75-90 |
| Interdictors | 75-90 |
| Cruisers | 100-150 |
| Heavy Assault Ships | 115-160 |
| Recon Ships | 127-180 |
| Heavy Interdictors | 130-160 |
| Strategic Cruisers | 150 |
| Battlecruisers | 240-300 |
| Command Ships | 240-300 |
| Black Ops | 288-432 |
| Marauders | 425-500 |
| Battleships | 320-500 |
| Dreadnoughts | 2860-3100 |
| Carriers | 2865-3065 |
| Supercarriers | 11640-12470 |
| Titans | 15430-16590 |
