Dust 514: Orbital Bombardment

This article is a stub. You can help the UniWiki by expanding it.

Orbital Strike

File:Soundwave.jpg

CCP Soundwave demonstrates orbital bombardment, March 2012.

Demonstrated for the first time at Fanfest 2012, Orbital Bombardment is the first of the more obvious gameplay links between Dust 514 and Eve Online.

Initiated by a Squad Leader in Dust 514 when certain criteria are met, a targeted area of a map is shown in the overview of a Capsuleer playing Eve Online in orbit above the planetary district where the Dust battle is taking place.

Once in his/her overview, this targeted area can be locked and fired upon, from orbit, by the Eve pilot using a special version of ammo designed for the task.

The effect on the battlefield on the ground is highly destructive. Very little survives a direct hit from an Orbital Bombardment.

There are currently in the Open Beta, two versions of OB. A computer controlled version used in the quick match style Ambush and Skirmish game modes of Dust 514 and the more grandiose and satisfying 'Live', version, performed by a player of Eve Online on their PC or Macintosh as part of Factional Warfare.

Faction Warfare

Sortable list of DUST 514 systems [1]

Region	Const	System
Domain	Maseend	Ana
Tash-Murkon	Ajah	Marthia
Kador	Trigentia	Kothe
The Forge	Otsabaira	Soshin
The Citadel	Nagaslaiken	Saikanen
Lonetrek	Kainokai	Autama
Sinq Laison	Algintal	Jolia
Placid	Beyt	Adacyne
Everyshore	Osnins	Halle
Metropolis	Stadakorn	Egbonbet
Heimatar	Urtfer	Javrendei
Derelik	Kalangin	Kasrasi
Essence	Thoulde	Mesokel
Domain	Chardu	Etav
Domain	Hoosa	Gosalav
Domain	Kekah	Charra
Domain	Kehina	Sahdil
Tash-Murkon	Anidaza	Paye
Tash-Murkon	Rifenda	Iro
Tash-Murkon	Mimishia	Mimen
Derelik	Orshed	Tidacha
Devoid	Ryra	Dihra
The Forge	Orpana	Mastakomon
The Forge	Etsala	Vouskiaho
The Forge	Okkelen	Vahunomi
The Forge	Ihatalo	Purjola
The Citadel	Ieyama	Usi
The Citadel	Imurukka	Inoue
The Citadel	Otawasa	Oshaima
Lonetrek	Mito	Vuorrassi
Lonetrek	Pietanen	Atai
Sinq Laison	Wyllequet	Croleur
Sinq Laison	Spaen	Ney
Sinq Laison	Lolbrerie	Dodenvale
Sinq Laison	Jonenor	Estene
Everyshore	Giatole	Uphene
Everyshore	Elalan	Odixie
Everyshore	Chasnaye	Torvi
Essence	Eustron	Ommare
Metropolis	Argeir	Klaevik
Metropolis	Rollera	Eldjaerin
Metropolis	Brazinget	Geffur
Metropolis	Panorad	Dantbeinn
Metropolis	Tiat	Amo
Metropolis	Jonar	Freatlidur
Heimatar	Osta	Sist
Heimatar	Wiedadur	Rokofur
Heimatar	Akimamur	Offugen

The use of Orbital Strike in New Eden is currently limited to Factional Warfare. This Dev Blog and the links within offers a clearer explanation of the mechanic. By limiting the use of OB to Factional Warfare, CCP are using a live testing facility on the main Eve Server, Tranquility, while being able to tweak and alter the finer points of OB both in terms of balancing and from a technical standpoint. While doing so, they give Dust Merc's in the Open Beta, the opportunity to have a meaningful impact in New Eden, further cementing the principle of a single shared game universe.

While in orbit around the planet, the Eve pilot can be attacked by members of an opposing faction and destroyed. Meaning that the OB that a group of Dust Merc's have called in and are in need of, may never come.

In December 2013, CCP announced changes to Orbital Strike that impacted Factional Warfare. The first change in EVE was to rename Orbital Bombardment Ammo to Orbital Strike Ammo to match DUST terminology. DUST players no longer earn orbital strikes through accumulating war points. EVE capsuleers control the strikes. Pilots fit their ship with one of the orbital strike weapon charges, Tactical Laser S, Tactical Hybrid S or Tactical EMP S. They warp to planetary districts where DUST fights are occurring, then wait 3 minutes near the beacon while their ship obtains a lock on the ground target. During this time, the district satellite beacon appears on everyone's overview providing another opportunity for PvP to occur.

Since there is now more risk in performing an orbital strike, CCP added a variable LP reward starting at 3,000 LP at tier 1 and increasing based on tier. The reward is divided amongst up to 10 fellow militia members connected to the district during the strike. A killmail is also generated for the capsuleer's efforts if there are ground casualties.

Communications is set to improve and allow better comms between EVE and Dust players. When an EVE pilot connects to a district, they are added to the DUST team text chat for their militia and can join in voice comms as well.

• See Devblog - Orbital Strike changes coming December 10th for more information.