User:Qwer Stoneghost/Old user page
Sentry Drones
Sentries are immobile drones that serve as stationary gun platforms. They are carried in a ship's drone bay and launched as needed. However, they cannot move and must be picked up physically at the conclusion of an engagement.
At the same size (25m³) and bandwidth (25Mbit/sec) as heavy drones, sentry drones are powerful, long range damage dealers. Their immobility and somewhat low tracking speeds makes them most effective against slower, larger targets, and generally they are deployed from battleships or similar combat vessels.
Although each type of sentry drone does the damage typical of its racial affiliation, the choice of drone to use often has to do with relative damage, range and tracking. These are summarized here, with the detailed numerical data shown next.
| Name | Race | Range | Tracking | Damage (type) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bouncer | Minmatar | + | - | - exp |
| Curator | Amarr | - | + | + em |
| Garde | Gallente | -- | ++ | ++ th |
| Warden | Caldari | ++ | -- | -- kin |
- The Warden has the longest range. Targets are generally drawn straight towards it from far away, which offsets its slow tracking and smaller damage factor.
- The short-ranged Garde has the fastest tracking and damage factor. This makes it more effective than the others as a close defense.
- The Bouncer and Curator are in the middle and somewhat comparable; the Curator having a higher tracking speed and slightly higher damage factor, while the Bouncer has a longer range.
| Name Damage Type |
Race | Optimal (km) +TII | Falloff (km) +TII | Tracking (rad) +TII | Damage (hp) | Damage Modifier (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Bouncer exp |
Minmatar | 35 +7 | 40 +8 | .016 +003 | 64 | 1.5 |
 Curatorem |
Amarr | 35 +7 | 10 +2 | .023 +.005 | 64 | 1.6 |
 Gardether |
Gallente | 20 +4 | 15 +3 | .030 +.006 | 64 | 1.7 |
 Wardenkin |
Caldari | 50 +10 | 35 +7 | .010 +002 | 64 | 1.4 |
T2 drones do the same damage as do T1s. However, they have longer range and faster tracking.
Skills and Fittings
Sentry drones are affected by all general drone skills and ship and equipment bonuses. However, note that bonuses that improve drone movement will not help sentries at all, and those that apply to drone control range will probably not help much either.
Skills that are particularly useful to sentry drone operations include:
- Drone Sharpshooting - 5% increase in optimal range per level
- Drone Interfacing - 10% bonus to drone damage per level
- Sentry Drone Interfacing - 5% bonus to sentry drone damage per level
The mid-slot Omnidirectional Tracking Link improves the optimal range and tracking of all drones, and is especially useful for sentries. It uses scripts and draws capacitor power. The low slot Omnidirectional Tracking Enhancer is similar. It provides more range with slower tracking and uses neither scripts nor capacitor power.
The low slot Drone Damage Amplifier provides a damage bonus to all combat drones.
The Sentry Damage Augmentor rig applies specifically to sentry drones. It increases sentry drone damage at the expense of ship CPU capacity.
Strategy and Tactics
Most players recommend treating sentry drones as if they were a second set of guns. Deploy a full set within range of your targets and turn them on - and then then use your ship to defend the drones, shooting the smaller, faster ships that will be the first to arrive.
Given the power of the drones, the larger, slower ships will likely be killed before they can arrive. If they do arrive, however, and if any drones are damaged, pick them up and replace them. (Remember that you cannot call sentry drones back to the drones bay ... you must physically go and get them.)
If things get too hot, pick up all your drones, run out to range, drop the drones again, and continue the fight. This approach is somewhat boring, but it is effective and relatively safe.
Pros and Cons
Relative to other combat drones, Sentry Drones trade mobility for dps. Their damage is somewhat lower than that of heavy combat drones, but the heavy drones waste considerable time flying from enemy to enemy ... whereas the sentry drones can retarget new enemies very quickly. Most players seem to agree that sentry drones, when used properly, are superior to heavy drones in PvE combat.
Pro
- High damage at long range extremely useful in certain situations
- No travel time; re-targeting is fast as long as targets are in range
- Can be picked up if damaged, not as often destroyed
- Easy to pick up and redeploy if different damage type needed
- Only drone type that has a beneficial rig
Con
- Immobility means that targets must be brought to the drones
- Effectiveness drops off if targets get too close
- Cannot travel; must be picked up
- Your ship must stay near the drones
- All damage types not available at all ranges
- Require extra skills for best use
defcon
DEFCON 5 Peace
Keep an eye out for gankers, but there are no War Targets today.
DEFCON 4 At War: Decreasing Danger
We are still at War, but one or more enemies have recently dropped out. Please check the Alliance chat and update your information.
DEFCON 3 Normal War Ongoing
One or more wars from small groups are in progress. Significant hostile actions are unlikely, however you can be fired upon anywhere in space; so please be cautious, especially around HQ and trade hubs.
DEFCON 2 At War: Increasing Danger
Additional wars have recently been declared but have not yet taken effect. Please check the Alliance chat, update your information base to include the new War Targets, and increase your vigilance.
DEFCON 1 Major War in Progress
A widespread War with an active and powerful enemy is live. Military action is under way right now, and you should watch for War Targets at all times.
