Electronic warfare
Electronic Warfare 101 Guide
Electronic warfare is the ability to decrease the enemies effectiveness in battle using electronics based modules.
There basically are 4 types of electronic warfare
- Electronic Counter Measures (ECM)
- Tracking Disruption (TD)
- Remote Sensor Dampening (Damps)
- Target Painting (TP)
Electronic Counter Measures (ECM)
ECM is used to make the target loose all it's locks on the current targets and cannot target anyone for the duration of the cycle (20 seconds). If an ECM module jams is chance based. If your module has a strength of for example 4 and the ship you are trying to jam has a sensor strength of 20, then your chances are lower to jam him then a ship with a sensor strength of 10.
The Caldari race has ships that get bonuses for using ECM modules. The tech 1 ships that have bonuses for ECM are: Griffin, Blackbird and Scorpion
For ECM there are 5 types of jammers. 4 racial jammers and multispectral jammers. The racial jammers have a increased sensor strength against 1 specific race i.e. Caldari. The multispectral jammer has an equal (lower then the racial) strength against all races.
The 5 types are:
- Gravimetric (Caldari, Blue). Basic Tech 1 module: ECM - Spatial Destabilizer I
- Magnetometric (Gallente, Green). Basic Tech 1 module: ECM - Ion Field Projector I
- Radar (Amarr, Yellow). Basic Tech 1 module: ECM - White Noise Generator I
- Ladar (Minmatar, Red). Basic Tech 1 module: ECM - Phase Inverter I
- Multi Spectrum (Non-race). Basic Tech 1 module: ECM - Multispectral Jammer I
| Item | Optimal Range | Falloff | Racial jam strength | Non-racial jam strength |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T1 Racial jammer | 45km | 22.5km | 3 | 1 |
| T2 Racial jammer | 54km | 27km | 3.6 | 1.2 |
| T1 Multispectrum | 30km | 15km | 2 | 2 |
| T2 Multispectrum | 36km | 18km | 2.4 | 2.4 |
Required Skills:
- Electronics I
- Tech 1: Electronic Warfare I
- Tech 2: Electronic Warfare IV
Note: Using multispectrum jammers is a waste. They got way less range, Use more capacitor and got less jam strength is general. If there is some time and you know the race you are going to go up against, refit the jammers towards that race. If it's not sure, fit all racial types.
ECM Burst
The ECM burst module will try to jam everything in a certain radius. Just as the multi spectrum jammer, it has the same number for each race. The biggest downside of this module is that you hit everything. Enemies, friendlies, neutrals. If you hit a neutral using this module while being in high security space (0.5 - 1.0) you will lose your ship to CONCORD. The other 'counterpart' of the ECM burst is that it only breaks the lock. People will be able to directly lock you again afterwards.
Tech 1 ECM Burst: Range: 5km Falloff: 5km
Jam Strength: 6
Tech 2 ECM Burst: Range: 6km Falloff: 6km
Jam Strength: 7.2
Required skills: Electronics I Tech 1: Electronic Warfare I Tech 2: Electronic Warfare IV
General rule 1: DO NOT USE IT ... unless you know how to work with it General Rule 2: DO NOT USE IT IN HIGHSEC, scratch a neutral object and you will die.
Extra Module:
Signal Distortion Amplifier:
The signal distortion amplifier will increase the jam strength of your ECM modules with a percentage. Using these will give you a greater chance to jam the target's ship. These are passive modules, so you don't have to click them to activate them.
Signal Distortion Amplifier Tech 1: Scan Strenght increase: 16%
Signal Distortion Amplifier Tech 2: Scan strenght increase: 20%
Required skills: Electronics I Tech 1: Electronic Warfare III Tech 2; Electronic Warfare IV
Tracking Disruption (TD)
Tracking disruption is used to decrease either the optimal range and falloff and/or the tracking speed of gunnery weapon systems. The gunnery weapons systems are: Laser, Hybrid and Projectile. The decrease of the optimal range of a weapon makes it less effective at longer range and won't be able to hit targets at great range that it could hit perfectly before. The decrease of tracking speed(turning speed of the weapons) makes it for the weapons harder to follow a moving target and hit it properly. Additional you can use scripts for the tracking disruptors to focus on either decreasing targeting range and falloff or decreasing the tracking speed.
The Amarr race has ships that get bonuses for using tracking disruptors. The tech 1 ships that get bonuses for tracking disruption are: Crucifier and Arbitrator
Tech 1 Tracking Disruptor (No script) Optimal range: 40km Falloff: 20km
Optimal range: -17.9% Targets Falloff: -17.9% Tracking speed: -17.9%
Tech 1 Tracking Disruptor (Optimal range script) Optimal range: 40km Falloff: 20km
Optimal range: -35.8% Targets Falloff: -35.8% Tracking speed: -0%
Tech 1 Tracking Disruptor (Tracking script) Optimal range: 40km Falloff: 20km
Optimal range: -0% Targets Falloff: -0% Tracking speed: -35.8%
Tech 2 Tracking Disruptor (No script) Optimal range: 48km Falloff: 24km
Optimal range: -20.1% Targets Falloff: -20.1% Tracking speed: -20.1%
Tech 2 Tracking Disruptor (Optimal range script) Optimal range: 48km Falloff: 24km
Optimal range: -40.2% Targets Falloff: -40.2% Tracking speed: -0%
Tech 2 Tracking Disruptor (Tracking script) Optimal range: 48km Falloff: 24km
Optimal range: -0% Targets Falloff: -0% Tracking speed: -40.2%
Required skills: Electronics III Tech 1: Weapon disruption I Tech 2: Weapon disruption II
Note: Tracking disruption modules don't work against ships that use missiles.
Remote Sensor Dampening (Damp)
Sensor dampening is the counterpart of sensor boosting. The remote sensor dampener can be used to decrease the targeting range and/or the targeting speed (measured in scan resolution) of your targets ship. With this decrease the target can either lock a smaller range and/or lock slower due to the locking time decrease. Additional you can use scripts for the remote sensor dampener to focus on either increasing targeting range or the targeting speed penalty. With the specific script loaded the other penalty is taken away.
The Gallente race has ships that get bonuses for using remote sensor dampeners The tech 1 ships that get bonuses for remote sensor dampening are: Maulus and Celestis
Tech 1 Remote Sensor Dampener (No script)
Optimal range: 25km
Falloff: 50km
Targeting range: -15.2% Scan resolution: -15.2%
Tech 1 Remote Sensor Dampener (Scan resultion script) Optimal range: 30km Falloff: 60km
Targeting range: -0% Scan resolution: -30.4%
Tech 1 Remote Sensor Dampener (Targeting range script) Optimal range: 30km Falloff: 60km
Targeting range: -30.4% Scan resolution: -0%
Tech 2 Remote Sensor Dampener (No script) Optimal range: 30km Falloff: 60km
Targeting range: -17% Scan resolution: -17%
Tech 2 Remote Sensor Dampener (Scan resultion script) Optimal range: 30km Falloff: 60km
Targeting range: -0% Scan resolution: -34%
Tech 2 Remote Sensor Dampener (Targeting range script) Optimal range: 30km Falloff: 60km Targeting range: -34% Scan resolution: -0%
Skill requirements: Electronics III Tech 1: Sensor Linking I Tech 2: sensor Linking IV
Target Painting (TP)
Target painting is used to increase the targets signature radius to increase the effectiveness of weapons against the target. This modules mainly comes in handy if you need a large ship hitting a smaller ship. Normally for example a battleship has a hard time hitting a frigate or only does minimal damage. Using the target painter on the frigate will makes it much easier for the battleship to hit the frigate.
The Minmatar race has ships that get bonuses for using target painters. The tech 1 ships that get bonuses for using target painters are: Vigil and Bellicose
Tech 1 Target Painter: Optimal Range: 25km Falloff: 50km Target Signature Increase: 25%
Tech 2 Target Painter: Optimal Range: 30km Falloff: 60km Target Signature Increase: 30%
Required skills: Electronics III Tech 1: Target Painting I Tech 2: Target Painting IV
Extra module(s) General:
- Sensor Booster
Sensor Booster
The Sensor booster can be used to increase the targeting range and/or the targeting speed (measured in scan resolution) of your ship. With this increase you can either lock the target at a greater range and/or lock him faster due to the locking time decrease. Additional you can use scripts for the sensor booster to focus on either increasing the targeting range bonus or the targeting speed bonus. With the specific script loaded the other bonus is taken away.
Tech 1 Sensor Booster (No script) Targeting range: +25% Scan resolution: +25%
Tech 1 Sensor Booster (Scan resultion script) Targeting range: +0% Scan resolution: +50%
Tech 1 Sensor Booster (Targeting range script) Targeting range: +50% Scan resolution: +0%
Tech 2 Sensor Booster (No script) Targeting range: +30% Scan resolution: +30%
Tech 2 Sensor Booster (Scan resultion script) Targeting range: +0% Scan resolution: +60%
Tech 2 Sensor Booster (Targeting range script) Targeting range: +60% Scan resolution: +0%
Skill Requirements:
Electronics II
Tech 1: Long Range Targeting I
Tech 2: Long Range Targeting IV
How to use EWAR
Now the basics of Electronic warfare use:
If the target is in range:
- 1. Turn Sensor Booster on (If you have one. If you are in a gatecamp, this should be on already).
- 2. Lock target.
- This step depends on the FC's orders and your location.
- 3a. If you orders are to orbit a gate, Keep orbiting. If you get targeted you can jump trough. (Unless you activated an Ewar module on someone or want to die a "Hero's" death)
- 3b. If you are at your optimal range. Align to a planet. If you are targeted you can warp away and warp back in. (Unless you want to die a "Hero's" death)
- 4. Turn the Electronic warfare module on on the to you designated target. ECM, TD and damps should be spread out on the opponents. TP's should all be on the primary. (the designated targets should match the EW modules you have equipped.... so don't put a TD on a missileboat Wink .... And it might be a good thing to open up a separate chat channel for all the EW people... to keep everything well spread)
- 5. If the hit on the designated target is succesfull put a second electronic warfare module (if you have it) on the another target in the opponents fleet.
- 6. There is no 6, Let's jam it.
- 7. If you 'miss' a cycle (this is mainly for ECM) be ready to warp away if you get targeted.
If the target is outside range there are two possibilities:
- 1a. You messed up. You are in the wrong place
- 1b. The target warped to a bookmark where only the huge range electronic warfare can reach.
Note: Remember, always be either aligned to a celestial (preferably a planet) to warp to or be in range of a gate to jump trough.
