Signature radius
The signature radius of your ship represents how large the electronic footprint of your ship is. While the signature radius does not describe how big the ship appears visually, most other aspects are governed by the signature size of the ship.
General Information
The signature radius is, all intents and purposes how "big" on somebody else sensors. While ship size and signature radius general correspond (a frigate is smaller and has a smaller signature radius then a battleship), this is not necessarily true for all situations. In particular Tech II ships can have a very different signature size, even if they use the same hull size as their Tech I counterpart.
Example: Tech I, Osprey, size: 348m, signature radius: 125 Tech II, Basilisk, size: 348m, signature radius 90
Important effects of the signature radius are:
- How fast your ship can be targeted
- How much damage is taken from missiles, turrets and bombs (in oppose to smartbombs, which are not affected).
- How easy your ship can be detected with combat probes.
Targeting Time
One of the central effects of the signature radius is the profound effect it has on the time it takes to target a ship. This is easy to remember once you consider the signature radius is the size your ship has on the sensors.
Targeting Time Equation
Here is the equation for missile damage:
Here are the terms in the equation:
| X | Effective scan resolution of your ship | Note: The bigger the faster |
| Y | Signature radius of the target | Note: The bigger the faster |
Scan resolution
The scan resolution of the targeting ship is affected by various aspects.
The ship itself has a base scan resolution (which can be modified only on Tech 3 Cruisers through different submodules).
The base scan resolution can be altered by skills, modules and rigs.
Modules and Rigs
- Cloaking devices
Fitting a cloaking device in high slot of your ship will reduce the signature resolution even when the module is offline significantly (Prototype Cloak, -50% scan resolution) The covert ops cloak, that can only be fitted on specific ships does not have this penalty.
- Sensor Booster
This medium modules increases the scan resolution as well as the targeting range (Sensor Booster I, 25%). The module can be loaded with a script that disables one of the affect to benefit the other. If it is loaded with a scan resolution script the effect is 50% increase in scan resolution, but the targeting range does not increase anymore.
- Warp Core Stabilizer
This low slot module decreases the scan resolution (as well as targeting range) significantly (Warp Core Stabilizer I, -50% scan resolution)
- Signal Amplifier
This low slot module increases your scan resolution by (as well as targeting range) a little (Signal Amplifier I, 10 % scan resolution)
- Targeting System Subcontroller I
This rig increases the scan resolution by 20%.
Skills and Implants
- Signature Analysis
This skill will increase the scan resolution by 5% per level.
- Leadership
This skill will increase the targeting speed directly by 2% per level. The skill requires a fleet to work. You can find more information in the article about Fleet Leadership
- Slot 7: Hardwiring - Zainou 'Gypsy' KNB-25 (also available as KNB-50 and KNB-75)
This implant for slot 7 increases your scan resolution by 1% (respectively KNB-50, 3%, KNB-75, 5%)
Turret and Missile Damage
A smaller signature radius can help to reduce incoming damage from turrets and missiles.
You can find more information about this effect and the equations in the dedicated articles about Turret Damage and Missile Damage
Modules and Rigs
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 |
