Missiles

It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Fitting Missile Launchers . ( Discuss )

This article covers the basic operation of launcher based weapons systems. It explains how launchers work and describes the types and varieties of the missiles that they launch. It does not go into the specifics of how missile explosions do damage, nor does it cover launcher systems in the detail needed to fit a ship. For those see: Missile Damage and also Fitting Missile Launchers. For a complete list of ships that have bonuses for launcher weapons see Missile Ships.

Introduction: Doing Damage

The two most widely used types of weapon systems are Turrets and Launchers. Turrets fire a stream of damage bundles (projectiles, charges, laser beams) that travels in a straight line out from the turret as the turret moves to track the target. Launchers fire self-propelled bundles of damage (rocket, missile, torpedo) that chase down the target. (There are exceptions, drones, for example, but most weapons follow one of these patterns.)

Turret Tracks the Target

In each case, the actual damage done to the target depends on a number of factors. You can read the details in these two articles: Turret Damage / Missile Damage - but for now it is enough to recognize that the two weapons systems do damage in different ways. Given that the target is within range of the weapon, then the final damage to the target depends on the base damage of the weapon, the signature radius of the target and:

Missile Chases the Target

• Turret: transversal speed of target, turret tracking, turret signature resolution, turret optimal range, turret range falloff

• Launcher: velocity of target, explosion radius of missile, explosion velocity of missile, damage reduction factor

The difference, in simple terms, is that launchers will always "hit", but the damage done will vary depending on the size of the target and the speed of the explosion. On the other hand, turrets may miss the target, but a hit will always do at least a basic minimum amount of damage.

It may seem that a 100% chance to hit any target within range is a significant advantage, however this is balanced by other factors, including especially the firing speed of the weapon and the travel time of the damage bundle. In general, launched weapons fire more slowly and take more time to strike their targets, thus leaving their ships more open to retaliation. In any case, you can rest assured that neither type of weapons system has an advantage over the other in and of itself. The advantages arise from the ship bonuses, ship fittings, and pilot skills and experience.

The remainder of this article will deal with the mechanics and characteristics of launcher based weapons systems. These will be compared in general terms that do not provide the details required for fitting. For information about specific missiles and launchers, please refer to the article on Fitting Missile Launchers.

Note that launcher based damage bundles are often called "missiles", and that this term can refer to any of rockets, missiles, torpedoes and bombs (even though bombs have an entirely different physical mechanics).

Missile Range and Launcher Firing Rate

A missile does not so much hit a ship as explode near it. When a missile crosses the signature radius of its target, it blows up. The speed at which this explosion grows and the maximum size of the explosion determine the amount of damage done to the target.

File:Qsm missile sigrad.gif

Missile Explodes at Signature Radius

EVE uses a mathematical equation to compute the precise amount of damage that the explosion does to the ship, thus the details of what happens when a missile hits are somewhat complicated — and these are explained in Missile Damage.

Range

When fired, a missile will leave the launcher, quickly accelerate, and then proceed at its best speed directly at the target until it runs out of fuel. If it encounters the target during that time, it will explode - otherwise it will vanish. The approximate maximum distance that a missile will travel can be found by multiplying the speed of the missile by the number of seconds that its fuel will last. (The approximation is due to the slightly slower speed as the missile accelerates at launch. Also, missile travel time is expressed in whole seconds - this can matter when targeting at extreme range.)

Maximum Distance ≈ Speed x Seconds of Fuel

Missile Launcher On-Screen Pop-Up

For example:

• A Light Missile has a flight time of 5 seconds at a speed of 3750 m/s. The maximum distance it can travel is 5 x 3750 ≈ 18,750 m.
• A torpedo has a flight time of 6 seconds at a speed of 1500 m/s. The maximum distance it can travel is 6 x 1500 ≈ 9,000 m.

This information, along with dps and type of damage, is shown when you move your mouse over the icon for a missile launcher while in space.

Although the terms "range" and "distance" are often used interchangeably, technically, the range answers the question of whether the missile can reach its target: is it "in" or "out" of range? If the target is stationary, then the maximum distance will be the missile's range. Normally, however, the target is moving, and the range depends on this motion.

Missile Catches Fleeing Target

Missile Does Not Catch Fleeing Target

If the target is moving directly away from the missile, then it will take the missile longer to reach the target than it would a stationary one. In fact, if the target is moving fast enough, the missile may not be able to reach it at all - in this case, the target would be considered "out of range." Note that the target does not have to be moving faster than the missile ... just fast enough to stay ahead of the missile until it runs out of fuel.

If the target is moving directly at the missile, then the missile will reach it much faster than it would reach a stationary target. In this case, the target may be "in range" even when it seems too far away to hit.

In most cases, however, the target will be moving in a curve with regard to the missile ship - possibly in an orbit, possibly curving towards or away from the launch. It is hard to specify the range, exactly, in these cases, but as always, the missile will head directly for the target, and it will continue as long as it has fuel. It's path is likely to be some sort of a spiral.

There is no way to control the path of a missile once it has been launched. It will point itself at its target and follow the target until it hits or runs out of fuel.

Firing Rate

After a launcher fires its missile, it must rest for a time before it fires again - this is called the "rate of fire". Turrets also have a firing rate, but launchers are much slower.

Weapon	Firing Rate (Seconds)	Average Base Damage (HP)
Cruise Missile Launcher	21	375
Light Missile Launcher	16	83
350 mm Railgun (Large)	7	34
Large Dual Heavy Beam Laser	7	34
Light Electron Blaster	2	9
Note that values are approximate; for comparison only.

There is a correlation between firing rate and the base weapon damage. In general, launchers fire more slowly, but their missiles do more damage; while turrets depend on a stream of quickly fired, but individually less potent damage bundles.

Launchers also have a "reload time". This is not the firing rate, but rather the time it takes to reload the launcher after all of its missiles have been fired. When the launcher is empty, it automatically checks the cargo bay and reloads the same missiles if any are available. If none are, it will sit empty. At any time, a pilot can stop the launcher from firing and reload from the cargo bay with the same or different missiles.

Summary

Launcher weapon systems do more damage per hit than turreted systems, but launchers fire slowly compared to turrets, and missiles take much longer to reach their targets. While damage, firing speed and travel time can be modified by means of skills and equipment, the relationships hold even with these improvements. This has tactical implications. With a low ranged, fast firing turret ship, the pilot wants to get in close and keep the target locked. With a long ranged, slowly firing missile ship, the pilot wants to stay beyond the target's range and go for a slower kill.

Launcher and Missile Classes and Types

Warning: The data shown here are for general discussions of weapons systems. Some details have been omitted. If you are fitting a ship, it is highly recommended that you use the in-game Compare Tool to evaluate the relative merits of the various launchers and missiles that you are considering. More detailed data are also listed in Fitting Missile Launchers.

Each launcher class can launch missiles of that class. E.g., Light Missile Launchers launch Light Missiles, as do Rapid Light Missile Launchers. Heavy Assault Missile Launchers launch Heavy Assault Missiles. Torpedo Launchers launch Torpedoes. And so on. Different types of launchers within the class vary the firing rate and other characteristics of the launchers. Typically the Tech 1 Arbalest, Limos and Malkuth launchers, as well as the Tech 2 launchers, use less CPU, have faster firing rates and are less prone to damage from overheating.

Each variety of EVE damage is available for each missile type. Inferno, Mjolnir, Nova and Scourge apply thermal, EM, explosive and kinetic damage, in that order. A given missile will apply only one variety of damage, and each missile category does the same number of hit points of damage.

Other missile types vary the flight time, base damage (hit points), and other characteristics of the missile.

• Guristas, Caldari Navy and Dread Guristas missiles are little different from standard missiles except that they have higher base damage; Guristas least, and Dread Guristas most.
• "Advanced" missile types come in sets:

1. Precision versus Fury: Precision missiles have a faster, smaller explosion and will do more damage to a small, fast target - while Fury missiles, with their larger, slower explosions do more damage against larger, slower targets.
2. Long Range versus Anti-ship: Javelin long range missiles travel considerably farther than their Rage counterparts; but the Rage missiles have a significantly larger base damage.

The data here is from Rockets and Light Missiles, but the ratios hold for all the missile types.

Missile	Flight Time	Velocity	Explosion Radius	Explosion Velocity	Base Damage
Standard Missile	5.0	3,750	40	170	83
Precision Missile	2.5	3,750	25	204	83
Fury Missile	3.75	3,750	69	143	116
Standard Rocket	2.0	2,250	20	150	33
Javelin Rocket	2.0	3,275	20	150	29.7
Rage Rocket	2.0	1,875	30	129	44.6

A launcher class and its associated missiles can be thought of as a weapons system, each of which fits best in a particular group of ships. Launchers require high power slots as well as launcher hardpoints. The power drain generally puts a lower bound on the ship size for each launcher class. Typically:

• light and rocket launchers go in frigates and destroyers
• rapid light, heavy and heavy assault launchers go in cruisers and battlecruisers
• rapid heavy, torpedo and cruise launchers go in battleships
• citadel launchers go in capital ships
• torpedo launchers also go in T2 frigate Stealth Bombers, which have specialized attributes to accommodate them.

(Note that while bombs are fired from bomb launchers, they are unguided, area-of-effect weapons whose mechanics are not really comparable to missiles and turreted weapons.)

SUMMARY

SHIP fits LAUNCHER which fits MISSILE that comes in TYPES (Guristas, Rage, Precision, etc.) that comes in DAMAGE VARIETIES (EM, thermal, kinetic, explosive)

The following tables list launcher systems in terms of the ships into which they are usually fitted. Note that some details are missing - for a complete listing of the characteristics of a launcher or missile, use the in-game Show Info window. See Fitting Missile Launchers for more details on specific launcher types. T1 ships with bonuses for launchers and/or missiles are also listed. For information on T2 and T3 ships, please read Missile Ships.

Frigate and Destroyer Based

T1 bonused ships

• Frigates: Condor, Kestrel, Breacher
• Destroyers: Corax, Talwar

Based on T1, Level I equipment ... for comparison only. Use in-game data for fitting.

Launcher	Power (MW)	Firing Rate (s)	Reload Time (s)	Missile Type	Flight Time (s)	Velocity (m/s)	Explosion Radius (m)	Explosion Velocity (m/s)	Base Damage (hp)
Rocket	4	5	10	Rocket	2	2,250	20	150	33
Light Missile	6	16	10	Light	5	3,750	40	150	83

Cruiser and Battlecruiser Based

T1 Bonused Ships

• Cruisers: Caracal, Bellicose, Sacrilege
• Battlecruisers: Drake, Cyclone

Based on T1, Level I equipment ... for comparison only. Use in-game data for fitting.

Launcher	Power (MW)	Firing Rate (s)	Reload Time (s)	Missile Type	Flight Time (s)	Velocity (m/s)	Explosion Radius (m)	Explosion Velocity (m/s)	Base Damage (hp)
Rapid Light Missile	73	7.8	35	Light	5	3,750	40	150	83
Heavy Assault Missile	108	8	10	Heavy Assault	4	2,250	125	101	100
Heavy Missile	100	15	10	Heavy	6.5	4,300	140	81	142

Note: Rapid Light Launchers have an unusually long reload time.

Battleship Based

T1 Bonused Ships

• Battleships: Raven, Typhoon

Based on T1, Level I equipment ... for comparison only. Use in-game data for fitting.

Launcher	Power (MW)	Firing Rate (s)	Reload Time (s)	Missile Type	Flight Time (s)	Velocity (m/s)	Explosion Radius (m)	Explosion Velocity (m/s)	Base Damage (hp)
Rapid Heavy Missile	960	6.48	35	Heavy	6.5	4,300	140	81	142
Cruise Missile	1,450	20.68	10	Cruise	14	4,700	330	69	375
Torpedo	1,750	18	10	Torpedo	6	1,500	450	71	450

Notes:

• Rapid Heavy Launchers have an unusually long reload time.
• Each race has a T2 Frigate class Stealth Bomber (Manticore, Hound, Purifier, Nemesis) that has a 99.65% reduction in Torpedo Launcher powergrid requirements. These ships are also bonused for torpedo damage and stealth.

Capital Ship Based

Based on T1, Level I equipment ... for comparison only. Use in-game data for fitting.

Launcher	Power (MW)	Firing Rate (s)	Reload Time (s)	Missile Type	Flight Time (s)	Velocity (m/s)	Explosion Radius (m)	Explosion Velocity (m/s)	Base Damage (hp)
Citadel Cruise	100,000	35.20	10	Citadel Cruise	15	5,700	2,000	40	1,500
Citadel Torpedo	100,000	25.50	10	Citadel Torpedo	7.5	3,500	3,000	35	2,000

Specialized

Based on T1, Level I equipment ... for comparison only. Use in-game data for fitting.

Launcher	Power (MW)	Firing Rate (s)	Reload Time (s)	Missile Type	Flight Time (s)	Velocity (m/s)	Explosion Radius (m)	Explosion Velocity (m/s)	Base Damage (hp)
Light Missile	6	16	10	Light Defender	10	8000	-	-	60
Heavy Missile	100	15	10	Heavy Defender	10	7,500	-	-	74
Light Missile	6	16	10	Auto-Targeting Light	5	3,750	40	170	62
Heavy Missile	100	15	10	Auto-Targeting Heavy	6.5	4,300	81	140	107
Cruise Missile	1,450	20.68	10	Auto-Targeting Cruise	14	4,700	69	330	281
Bomb	10	10	160	Bomb	12	2,500	-	-	6,400

Notes

• When fired, a Defender Missile will target an enemy missile that has been launched at your ship. Defenders kill one missile at a time and are more likely to hit missiles fired at you from long range. Defenders are generally considered to be of less value than offensive missiles fitted into the same launcher.
• When fired, an Auto-Targeting Missile will locate and target the nearest enemy ship or drone which has previously fired on you. Since they cannot be aimed, auto-targeting missiles are usually passed over in favor of regular missiles.
• Bombs are included here for reference. Although they are launched, bombs are unguided, area of effect weapons. They do not follow the mechanics of missiles and have their own wiki page.

Related Skills and Equipment

Skills

The standard fitting skills, and the general targeting skills — especially Signature Analysis, Target Management, and Long Range Targeting — are essential to the use of missile launchers. Navigation skills that improve the velocity or maneuverability of your ship will also be useful: Navigation, Evasive Maneuvering, Fuel Conservation, and High Speed Maneuvering. Since most missile ships depend on shield tanks, you might also want to beef up your basic shield skills: Shield Compensation, Shield Management, and Shield Operation.

In addition, Eve offers pilots a number of skills specific to launched weapons systems. If you are new to missiles, train these at least to Level 3, and train higher in the ones that seem most useful to you.

Primary Missile Skills

There are eight specific missile skills, one for each class of missile. Each of the basic skills will let you load and fire that class of missile. In addition, each level of the skill will improve your damage by 5% when using that particular class of missile. These are somewhat cumulative - that is, you need LIght Missiles III to train Heavy Missiles, and Heavy Missiles III to train Cruise Missiles ... and other dependencies apply.

Various levels of Missile Launcher Operation are needed to train these primary skills, and since Missile Launcher Operation gives a bonus to firing rate (which is essentially a DPS bonus), it makes sense to train it quickly to Level III and eventually to Level V.

Example: The Primary Skill For Light Missiles

Light Missiles

Attributes: Perception, Willpower

Multiplier: 2x

Price: 20k ISK

Prerequisites: Missile Launcher Operation II

I required for: T1 and Faction charges

III required for: Heavy Assault Missiles I; Heavy Missiles I

V required for: T2 charges; Light Missile Specialization I

• Note the prerequisite items near the bottom. You cannot, for example, train Light Missiles until you have trained Missile Launcher Operation to Level 2. You cannot use T1 or Faction missiles until you train Light Missiles to Level 1, and you cannot use T2 missiles until you train Light Missiles to Level 5.
• Most pilots train the primary skills for Rockets and Light Missiles at least to Level III first, and then move on to larger missiles and launchers as they move to larger ships.

Launcher Support Skills

These skills apply to missile launchers. They increase firing rate and damage, and they improve the accuracy of missiles against smaller, faster targets.

• Missile Launcher Operation 2% Bonus to missile launcher rate of fire per skill level. This gives a bonus to DPS — and it is a prerequisite for many other missile skills. Train this one first.
• Missile Bombardment 10% more flight time for all missiles per level. If you are planning to use a long range or "kiting" strategy, train this higher.
• Guided Missile Precision 5% decreased factor of signature radius for all missile explosions per level of skill. Proficiency at this skill increases the accuracy of a fired missile's exact point of impact, resulting in greater damage to small targets.
• Missile Projection 10% bonus to all missiles' maximum velocity per level. Another range increase that is especially useful for "kiting".
• Rapid Launch 3% bonus to missile launcher rate of fire per level. Essentially, a DPS increase. Train this one to Level V.
• Target Navigation Prediction 10% decrease per level in factor of target's velocity for all missiles. As with Guided Missile Precision, this makes missiles more effective against small targets.
• Warhead Upgrades 2% bonus to all missile damage per skill level. Another DPS increase, smaller than Rapid Launch, but still worth training.

Missile Specialization Skills

Some missile classes also have a "Specialization" skill. This gives you access to T2 launchers and missiles, and it provides a 2% bonus per level to the rate of fire of modules that require the specialization.

• Rockets and Light Missiles
• Heavy Missiles
• Cruise Missiles and Torpedoes

Equipment

Widely used equipment is listed here. See Fitting Missile Launchers for the full list.

Ballistic Control Systems are passive, low slot modules which increase missile damage and rate of fire. Stacking penalties apply, but many larger ships still fit three of them. Target Painters increase the signature radius of a target and make it easier to hit.

Missile Launcher Rigs come in four sizes, one for each sized launcher. All of the rigs have an increase in cpu use as their penalty. The Bay Loading Accelerator increases the rate of fire, the Hydraulic Bay Thrusters increase missile velocity, and the Warhead Calefaction Catalyst increases missile damage. Also of potential use are the Targeting Rigs, especially the Small Ionic Field Projector, which increases targeting range.

Tactics and Strategy

Turrets versus Launchers

It is difficult to compare qualitatively different weapons systems based on technical specifications. For example, here are two close range systems that are often mounted on Frigates.

Based on T1, Level I equipment ... for comparison only. Use in-game data for fitting.

Launcher	Power (MW)	Firing Rate (s)	Reload Time (s)	Missile Type	Flight Time (s)	Velocity (m/s)	Explosion Radius (m)	Explosion Velocity (m/s)	Base Damage (hp)
Rocket	4	5	10	Rocket	2	2,250	20	150	33

Turret	Power (MW)	Firing Rate (s)	Reload Time (s)	Optimal Range (m)	Falloff (m)	Tracking Speed (rad/s)	Damage Modifier	Charge	Base Damage (hp)
Ion Blaster	4	2	5	1,000	1,500	0.438	1.8	Lead	8

The first problem is that although both systems function by delivering damage at a distance, the turret's primary effectiveness is based in the blaster, while the launcher's primary effectiveness is based in the rocket. And it is very hard to compare the tracking speed, optimal range and falloff of the one with the flight time, explosion radius and explosion speed of the other. <br\><br\>In addition, the chart cannot take into account the ability of the pilot to keep the blaster within tracking range on the one hand, nor the ability of the pilot to evade damage while the rockets travel to the target on the other. <br\><br\>Consequently, the decision to use rockets over blasters or vice-versa should not depend on a comparison of the two weapons systems, but rather on a comparison of pilot and ship abilities. Does your ship have bonuses for one type of system or the other? Is it better suited for an armor tank (blasters) or shields (rockets)? And does the pilot have roughly the same skills in rockets as in blasters?<br\><br\> The bottom line: don't waste time debating over weapons systems. Improve your skills, find a ship that matches, and then find the right fit for that ship.

As an example, consider the T2 Caldari Hawk Assault Frigate. Solo and Small Gang PvP Hawk Hawk: Solo and Small Gang PvP Hawk EFT [Hawk, Solo and Small Gang PvP Hawk] 150mm Light AutoCannon II Rocket Launcher II Rocket Launcher II Rocket Launcher II Rocket Launcher II 1MN Afterburner II X5 Prototype Engine Enervator J5b Phased Prototype Warp Scrambler I Medium Ancillary Shield Booster Medium Ancillary Shield Booster Nanofiber Internal Structure II Pseudoelectron Containment Field I Small Anti-EM Screen Reinforcer I Small Anti-EM Screen Reinforcer I Cap Booster 50 x1 EMP S x1 Scourge Rage Rocket x1 FITTING DIFFICULTY EVE VERSION ODY 1.0 ALPHA CAN USE UNSET EFT SKILLS NOTES RECOMMENDED SKILLS NOTES The Hawk is an excellent solo brawler, capable of taking on virtually any ship smaller than a cruiser at short range. You will usually want to activate one MASB at a time, as it will restore almost the entirety of your shield in one activation thanks to the Hawk's bonus. As fitted, with all skills at V and before boosts, this ship has 5.8 K EHP, flies at 924 m/s (1199 m/s with AB on overheat) and align in 5.1 s (3.6 s with AB off). The ship signature radius is 42.7 m Damage is 201 dps within 12.7 km, but the ship can repair 413 EHP/s indefinitely (or as long as it carries cap boosters) The ship does well at solo PvP. It has five mid slots, which favors shields, as does its bonus to shield boosters. However, the pilot will need high level skills in a number of areas to be able to fly this ship.

Damage and Range

Missile weapons are best at doing damage to larger, slower targets at longer range. This is not to say that a pilot cannot kill small, fast targets with the right missiles, or that there are no short range missile boats. Rather, the most common applications of launcher fitted ships tend to be as a longer range, heavy damage weapon.

Fleet Roles

As noted in the article on Missile Damage:

While a missile can apply up to 100% of the Base Damage to a ship in some situations, damage is often reduced by two factors:

• If the target ship is moving faster than the explosion velocity of the missile. Think of this as a fast ship being able to somewhat outrun the explosion.
• If the signature radius of the target ship is smaller than explosion radius of the missile. Think of this as a small ship flying through a large explosion and only being hit by a part of it.

Because of this missiles are usually most effective against bigger, slower targets. To this end, missile ships often find themselves in the "sniper" role, assigned to picking off specific targets (such as logistics vessels) in the enemy fleet. In small fleet encounters there may be few, if any, such targets, and the encounter may in fact be over before the missile ship's damage begins to matter. As a result, missile ships are most often found in larger fleets.

Kiting

As a strategy "kiting" is a plan to engage the enemy from a distance, always fleeing just fast enough to stay outside of the enemy's range while remaining inside your own range. Since kiting ships need speed and longer ranged weapons, shield tanked missile boats are good for this approach.

As a tactic, kiting requires a "hit and run" mentality. You want to approach your target until you are close enough to shoot, fire your missile, and watch. If the enemy flees, you want to pursue; if the enemy attacks, you want to flee ... at a speed approximately the same or a bit more than the enemy ... firing all the time. Because missiles will chase the target without any further guidance from your ship, you are not restricted to any particular flight path. You simply want to be sure that your missiles will have time to reach the target.

PvE enemies tend to be rather fanatical, locking on when they see you and never giving up. This makes kiting a popular strategy when running Missions. It takes longer to kill the NPCs, and the resulting loot can be scattered over a wide area, but your ship will take relatively little damage, and since you are already running, if you decide to break off, it is usually easy to get away.

PvP is much more difficult in this regard. Inexperienced pilots may chase you to their deaths, but experienced pilots will just let you run. PvP kiting is more likely to show up in gangs of fast ships that hit and run from multiple directions at once ... a kind of "wolfpack" attack that leaves their target unable to either run or close on a target.

Further Reading

• A flash-based interactive guide to missiles which lets you play around with different signature radii and explosion velocities. (Link not working)
• Missiles Damage/DPS Chart and calculator allows you to calculate all missile DPS with varying skills and target attributes
• Turrets and Drones for Eve's other main weapon systems.
• Bombs are the odd cousin to missiles.