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Military Tactics
From EVEWiki
Dasfry's guide to Military Tactics & Military Strategy
Overview
Military tactics.
In the scope of Eve Online, tactics are what a single commander has to execute during the course of a single battle, with perhaps only a few dozen ships, across a single solar system. Strategies are what alliances, using multiple commanders have to plan over the course of an entire war, may span control over a few hundred ships, and across multiple solar systems, constellations, and or regions.
Military tactics, concerns the level of war at which battles and engagements are planned and executed to accomplish military objectives. These objectives are commonly assigned to tactical units or task forces. Activities at this level focus on the ordered arrangement and maneuvering of combat elements in relation to friendlies and hostiles to achieve combat objectives.
The terms tactics and strategy are often confused; tactics is the actual means used to gain an objective, while strategy is the overall campaign plan, usually involving complex operational patterns, activities, and decision-making that lead to tactical execution.
Military theorist Carl Von Clausewitz put it another way: "Tactics is the art of using troops in battle; strategy is the art of using battles to win the war." [1]
Purpose
The purpose of this documentation is to provide commanders, staffs, and unit leaders with a key reference for planning and conducting military operations. It addresses concepts, principles, and fundamentals for military considerations. It also serves as a key source document for developing training exercises. The information furnished provides data that can be used to support military planning and operations based on intelligence preparation of the battle space.
Introduction
This is an open document and I invite anyone to add to it.
For example when you read about a particular corporation's history. You often read a point where it is stated the type of tactics they might have engaged in, such as "Hit and Run Tactics". However it is rarely explained how that particular tactic, might be achieved, instead they assume you know.
This page is intended to clarify & keep a list of all the known strategies and tactics with basic descriptions to them, even if they seem obvious.
Each style could potentially have its own wiki-page describing that particular strategy or tactic in further detail.
What are the main tactical considerations?
According to Eve Online, Frequently Asked Questions:
"Players should equip their ships in keeping with their selected combat strategies, choosing the weapons best suited to their ships and characters’ skills. It is important to find a balance between offensive and defensive measures, discovering effective combinations of weapons and combat-related equipment.
A wide freedom of choice exists when selecting combat tactics, offering a range of options including brute force, firepower, superior speed and range, defense and evasion or stealth and cunning. Most importantly, players need to be able to respond to the tactics employed by their adversaries. Flexibility and wise power usage are always key elements of an encounter and can mean the difference between victory and defeat."
Principles of Military Strategy & Tactics
- Main article: Principles of Military Strategy & Tactics
- Concentration of effort Principle
- Deception Principle
- Destruction of enemy forces Principle
- Economy of force Principle
- Exploiting prevailing weather Principle
- Exploiting night Principle
- False flag Principle
- Force dispersal Principle
- Force protection Principle
- Initiative Principle
- Maintenance of reserves Principle
- Maintenance of Morale Principle
- Maneuver Principle
- Mass Principle
- Military Camouflage Principle
- Objectives Principle
- Perfidy Principle
- Relentless pursuit of foes Principle
- Reconnaissance Principle
- Surprise Principle
- Security Principle
- Unity of command Principle
Organizational Tactics
- Main article: Organizational Tactics
Organizational Tactics, are basically how a Fleet Commander choses to setup his group. After he sets up his group he or she can than use the group to go on to objectives the Commander might have in mind. Hopefully choosing the optimum Organizational tactic to match his or her goals.
Blob Tactics
- Main article: Blob Tactics
Blob Tactics consist of the direct route. That is simply overwhelming your opponents with numbers in a single wave. Blob tactics often do little else.
Blob tactics are similar to both Swarm Tactics and Zerg Tactics. The Blob does not require the organization of Swarm tactics, and does not emphasize the replacability of Zerg tactics.
Swarm Tactics
- Main article: Swarm Tactics
Swarm Tactics, is a tactic where numbers are used to overwhelm an enemy. Often times far more organized then simple Blob Tactics, or even better equipped then Zerg tactics.
Swarm tactics are often used against forces whose individual units are more powerful, counting on training and discipline to enhance the force's effectiveness. The greater numbers allow the force to absorb losses with less reduction in ability than would be the case with fewer, more powerful units.
Turtling Tactics
- Main article: Turtling Tactics
Turtling is the continuous reinforcement of a military until it has reached its full strength, then an attack with the now superior force.
Turtling Tactics should not be confused with Spider Tanking Tactics.
Wolfpack Tactics
- Main article: Wolfpack Tactics
Wolfpack Tactics, is a tactic of small gang warfare. A usual Wolfpack numbers between 5 to 15 members, piloting Frigates or Destroyers.
Unlike Blob, Swarm, and Zerg tactics it is intended to utilize a small, highly organized (and inexpensive) pack, tasked with hunting down and destroying lone targets of opportunity.
Often times these targets are far more valuable than each ship in the Wolfpack. Common targets include expensive mining ships and lone Battleships.
Wolfpack Tactics take a good amount of teamwork and planning to become effective. The composition of roles varies according to the abilities of the pilots and the needs of the Wolfpack Leader. Commonly used Wolfpack roles are scouts, drone killers, damage dealers, tacklers, and electronic warfare specialists. Pilots often equip their ships to overlap a number of the above roles, so that the loss of a few ships doesn't cripple the Wolfpack's damage dealing, EW, or tackling ability.
Outrider Tactics
- Main article: Outrider Tactics
Outrider Tactics, or Outrider harassment Squad Tactics, or a baited Van Guard Tactics.
Outrider tactics are similar to Wolfpack Tactics, but in a more advanced form and come attached to a larger fleet. As well as using more advanced ships, such as fast, nimble with high damage AFs, HACs, Cruisers, etc. The size of the outrider squad will usually be in the 5 to 10 range, numbers are relative to the size of the enemy fleet, however always smaller than the enemy fleet in essence to act as bait. Think of it as an advanced bait tactic or a mobile bait if you will. However the bait in this case has teeth, claws, and armored skin. By using a squad to confuse and seperate the confrontation can be done on your terms thus maximizing force. Most FCs already do this instinctively by using interceptors in packs while they double as scouts.
The Outrider fleet (group a) often works well in conjunction with a larger fleet (group b) using Blob tactics. By luring in an opponent fleet (group c) which may also be using blob tactics yet decide to avoid the main feet (group b).
If a large opponent fleet (group c) refuses to engage your large fleet (group b), because perhaps they perceive your fleet in some way to be superior, outrider tactics might be a good idea to imploy.
The outrider fleet (group a) focuses on harassment of the opponent fleet (group c) by attacking their weaker members, who might be separated from the group. There by gaining attention from the opponent FC (group c), who's often response is to attempt to attack and to overwhelm the outrider fleet (group a). The Objective is to overload the enemy FC with calls for help and intel so that he makes a mistake and opens himslef up for the main gang to attack.
However in doing so the F.C. of (group c) has now inadvertantly changed their stance from attackers (Offensive) to the attacked (Defensive). As now the main fleet (group b) jumps into the system and right on top of and into the fight vs. the opponent fleet (group c) thereby crushing them. The enemy receives a nice and rude surprise.
I originally heard about the details of 'Outrider harasent squad' in game from 'Veshta Yoshida'. Veshta Yoshida is actively apart of Faction warfare, and is on the 'top ten killer' list according to http://fwstats.eve-ic.net/ as of July 2009. According to Veshta Yoshida the name Outrider comes from quote "old Earth legends of horsemen that would ride in front of what they were protecting to intercept potential threats before they reached the 'cargo' ".
Zerg Tactics
- Main article: Zerg Tactics
Zerg Tactics, are the use of many low-cost and weak units to overwhelm an enemy. Losses are considered irrelevant, and where possible, a steady replacements are secured to sustain the offensive. 'Zerg' has its origins in the Star craft Real-time strategy game, with a cheap unit called a Zergling that could be massed produced cheaply and quickly, to overwhelm the enemy.
The emphasis on easily replaceable losses define the primary difference between Zerg Tactics, and Blob or Swarm tactics.
Offensive Tactics
- Main article: Offensive Tactics
Offensive Tactics, where attackers are generally considered to have high degrees of initiative. They can determine when and where forces clash.
Alpha Rush Tactics
- Main article: Alpha Rush Tactics
Alpha Rush Tactics, is a tactic where your team and you head directly toward the enemy position as quickly as possible.
See Volley damage.
Ambush Tactics
- Main article: Ambush Tactics
Ambush Tactics, is a long established military tactic in which an ambushing force uses concealment to attack an enemy that passes its position.
- An ambush may consist of having a military group 'logged off' and waiting for the call to 'log on' once the enemy has been identified as in the target zone. (The advantage of this over cloaking is the attackers do not appear on local chat and also do not need to use up a high slot, however they do require high team coordination)
- Also while a cloaked ship, employing a Cloaking device can ambush another ship, the game is balanced to limit this. The sensor recalibration time limits the speed of the ambush. While Covert Ops and Black Ops ships do not have the sensor recalibration time, they are not very powerful. They can be used to warp scramble the targets until the rest of group can recalibrate their sensors, assuming they can tank long enough.
Camp Busting Tactics
- Main article: Camp Busting Tactics
Camp Busting Tactics, is a tactic where the objective is to break an enemy hold on a gate. Through the use of various Counter-Attack tactics.
Such as the use of
- Doomsday weapons
- As the enemy has a large force camping a gate, a Titan ship's strength is in using a doomsday weapon to obliterate a large concentration of forces. The more doomsday weapons fired here, the larger losses for the enemy fleet. Although it does some with high expense, and the risk of the potential Titan ship loss.
- Feint Tactics
- Feint Tactics, are a deception tactic to make you opponent believe you are doing something when in reality your objective is something else.
- Turtling Tactics
- Another tactic is to turtle all your units together and gather strength. And continue to do so until your group is larger then the enemy fleet, then attack up.
- Blob Tactics
- Simply to out blob the enemy camp. This tactic is rather straight forward is the most common used and is the most expected.
- Distraction Tactics
- There are many different types of distractions. The most effective is to hit the enemy where it hurts. If the enemy is camping a gate, and you are aware of a POS nearby that they own, send a small gang there to attack it. The goal isn't to destroy the POS, rather to make the enemy believe you are trying to. So that their gate camping gang moves to defend the POS. Thereby allowing you to take over the gate they where once camping. Once you have taken over the gate, you can call off your distraction gang.
- Sniper Tactics
- Maneuvering around the blockade entering from a different system, and then positioning yourself out of range of their weapons while placing them in range of your weapons.
- Alternate Route
- Making the camp vs. you completely wasted as you simply maneuver around the blockade.
Concentrating firepower Tactics
- Main article: Concentrating firepower Tactics
Concentration of firepower tactics, allows a military force to overwhelm and destroy single targets in mere moments. Thus shifting the favor to the attacker, as the target now has 1 less member, meaning a weaker counter-attack ability.
In Eve online, due to the way the targeting works. The ability to 'call out' an individual target, allows a commander to call a single target and concentrate fire. This is often referred to as "Calling a Primary" [target]
Where as in a real war, a commander would not be able to call out a single target based on the targets base name of John Doe. Rather they would have to call out to attack in a certain direction, or target a certain group. Targeting a single target would have to be based on direction, distance, coordinate or type of target it might be.
Yet, if the target happens to be a truck, and there happens to be dozens of trucks at said coordinates, this might be difficult to pick a specific one. Eve online solves this issue by allowing you to target something not based on the type of target it is, but rather by the pod pilots name, which could be sorted alphabetically and called out fire at 'John Doe'
This effect lacks realism and has the secondary effect of creating battles of focused fire where it is the main oftentimes only method used in battle, thus placing eve fleet battles in favor of this style of war fair.
Fighter Bombing Tactics
- Main article: Fighter Bombing Tactics
Fighter Bombing Tactics, is considered an Offensive tactic where a Carrier assigns 1 to 5 fighter drones to a friendly ship.
This tactic uses carriers that remain at a safe location, usually a POS. They deploy and assign fighter to light, fast ships usually frigate class, these ships dive into enemy fleet targeting and attacking and then take range while fighter drones engage target fleet.
The amount of fighter drones that can be assigned to a friendly ship is based on that friendly pilot's drones skill. The Carrier is never in danger and damage is applied fast due to low lock times, assuming the carrier is in a safe location. Another limitation to this tactic is the carrier must be online and in the same system.
This can be used against pos modules as well to great effect, without risking the carrier directly.
Targeting range of the small ships is biggest hurdle.
Gate Camping Tactics (Offensive)
- Main article: Gate Camping Tactics
Gate Camping Tactics is the act of holding a stargate entrance to system and denying the enemy the ability to safely enter.
In EVE Online, all star gates act as artificial pinch points.
Camping a gate most often associated with pirate activities in low security space, as they attempt to catch players entering low security from high security space, utterly crushing them and taking their expensive loot. The downside to a pirates life is, the more effective they are at wiping out their targets the less often good targets appear.
Camping a gate can also be to keep an enemy from leaving a closed constellation, or blockading them from receiving new supplies, or from exporting / selling mined materials.
Your forces could, if strong enough, be split into two groups: one to camp the exit gate in a closed system, and another force to go inside and flush the enemy out. The enemy would then be either lured or herded into the first force's position.
Another downside to camping a gate is the hours of utter boredom for only a few moment of action. There is often little to no actual challenge in the fight.
See Gate Camping Tactics (Defensive)
Guerrilla Warfare Tactics
- Main article: Guerrilla Warfare Tactics
Guerrilla Warfare Tactics, is the unconventional warfare and combat with which a small group of combatants use mobile tactics (ambushes, raids, etc.) to combat a larger and less mobile formal navy. The guerrillas use ambush's and mobility (advantage and surprise) in attacking vulnerable targets.
Guerrilla warfare is similar to hit and run tactics but more focus is on staying power and camouflage. Instead of leaving an area the group engaging in Guerrilla Warfare blends in, perhaps using cloaking or staying behind a POS shield or simply being logged off in the area, and on with their neutral alt searching for easy prey for them. All while being just out of reach of the enemy's defenses.
Hit and Run Tactics
- Main article: Hit and Run Tactics Tactics
Hit and Run tactics, where the purpose of the combat involved is not to seize control of territory, but to inflict damage on a target and immediately exit the area to avoid the enemy's defense and/or retaliation.
Hit and Run tactics are most effective versus weak targets, such as small to medium ships, including ships ingaged in industrial operations such as mining ships. They are also strong in areas where the defenders are slow to react, or where morale is broken.
These tactics are focused on speed and surprise. Their weakness is staying power, unable to hold against heavy attackers.
They focus on search and destroy of small to medium targets and use evasive tactics versus experienced pilots and heavy defenders.
This tactic is a great first step before sending in a full fleet to attack an area of enemy space. This also gives a good impression of enemy reaction times, defensive size and active timezones they use. Allowing you to make a better judgment of how effective your full fleet would be if they assaulted.
Hot Dropping Tactics
- Main article: Hot Dropping Tactics Tactics
Hot Dropping Tactics are offensive tactics. It is the act of dropping a Cynosural field into an enemy fleet, where upon your Capital ship fleet cyno jumps on top of. If timed and positioned properly it can decimate an enemy fleet in mere moments.
They have shifted from being something done to decide the fate of a war to becoming a blood sport that major alliances play with each other, with dozens of capital wrecks littering the battlefield after such engagements. Factional Warfare even sees regular use of Carriers and Dreadnaughts.
With the current number of active capital ships on Tranquility, they can no longer be looked upon as tools of the elite. This evolution of warfare has made it apparent that capital engagements are not some random occurrence anymore but simply another level of combat in EVE.
Ibis wave attack Tactics
- Main article: Ibis wave attack Tactics
Ibis wave attack Tactics, is a tactic where Ibis's are used to attack in cheap continuous waves, most notably used as Tacklers. Often fitted with Stasis Webifier's or Warp jammer's. Some of the advantages of this tactic are the small or short skill training time to acquire, allowing massive numbers of noob players to participate in wars under a specific yet very important role.
While this can be considered a variant on Zerg tactics, the emphasis is on including participants who would otherwise be excluded due to low character skill.
Kiting Tactics
Kiting Tactics, is a tactic where you string out your opponents like a kite string. Mainly used for missing running, it can be used in PVP although will mostly NOT succeed. Kiting tactic is where, you move away from your targets rather than toward them. It works best with long range weapons like missles and a fast ship. However, even with a slow ship, it has advantages. By moving in one direction your opponents tend to follow in a straight line and are easier to hit. You pick a target like a warp gate or a station that is very far away and move towards it. Once you have killed everything, you turn around and your salvage targets are lined up in a chain.
Log off Tactics, (Offensive)
- Main article: Log off Tactics
Log off Tactics, although these tactics are commonly associated with cowardice, they can be used in the opposite method with the goal and objective of a surprise offensive or ambush.
See Ambush Tactics
Maximum Damage Tactics, (Offensive)
- Main article: Maximum Damage Tactics
Maximum Damage, abbreviated as MAX, or known as the Max Campaign. Is not a tactic and is actually a Strategy.
Offensive Spread Tactics
- Main article: Offensive Spread Tactics
Offensive Spread Tactics, is an offensive tactic.
It is where you and your fleet approach a target in a spread formation in order to avoid area of effect weapons, such as bombs, ECM bursts, smartbombs, Etc. While still working as a single group, toward the target objective.
Pressure Tactics
- Main article: Pressure Tactics
Pressure Tactics Pressure tactics are in actuality a strategy, or known as Pressure strategy.
please see: Political Strategy
Probing Tactics
- Main article: Probing Tactics
Probing Tactics or probing is an offensive tactic that uses a Scan Probe Launcher and scan probes. The goal of using Probing is to hunt down an enemy target that is inside the same solar system.
Pros:
- It can be a great surprise attack tool.
- This type of attack is most effective vs. weakly tanked units such as snipers. As using the probing tactic will allow you to warp in on top of your target whom most often will have a weak tank. It will also allow you to warp in at your own optimal range, of your choosing. If you are able to get a cloaked scout to warp in first while still under the protective cloaking effect. You can basicly get the advantage of knowning the type of weapons your enemy has and reacting accordingly.
Cons:
- You can waste time probing for AFK cloaked targets.
- You can warp in on top of an oppnet that is ready for you, or has a superior setup than you expect.
- You can warp into what you believe is to your advantage only to find out it was an ambush or that Ambush Tactis used against you.
Raiding Tactics
- Main article: Raiding Tactics
Raiding Tactics, or Raid tactics, are typically small fast moving groups of players that wreak havoc on an enemies supplies and cause confusion, paranoia, and general disruption. Raids have two very good uses, one they’re a good way to train corp members in a relatively safe way. And two, they really screw with an enemies’ head
According to "Attrezzo’s General Guide to Eve PvP" (By Attrezzo Pox)
Sniper Tactics
- Main article: Sniper Tactics
Sniper Tactics, are offensive Tactics.
Sniper Tactics is the act of focusing on attacking an enemy from as far away as possible. As the farther away you are from an enemy the less likely they can return fire, allowing you free reign to continue attacking.
Defensive Tactics
- Main article: Defensive Tactics
Defensive Tactics, a defensive tactic is usually reactive. It tries to anticipate the offensive agent’s intentions and respond in a manner that denies him success. A defensive strategy however might still entail “attacking” or “counter-attacking.”
The downside to being the defender
- Your enemy is often the one whom chooses the time and the place for the battle.
- You are attempting to anticipate an attacker whom you often know little to noting about.
- Your enemy will have the advantage of being able to bring in all necessary equipment ahead of time.
- You might not have the necessary manpower or equipment to defend yourself.
- Failure from the defender potentially means loss of territory.
- Failure from the attacker means they can simply try again.
Counter-Attack Tactics
Counter-Attack Tactics, is a military tactic used by defending forces when under attack by an enemy force. During their assault, the attackers may have become vulnerable through exhaustion, complacency, or placing themselves in unfavorable conditions. At the right moment, the defenders aggressively charge out of their fortifications, meeting and stunning their attackers directly, and gain the initiative. This can break a siege or change the tide of a battle. However, if the wrong moment is chosen, or a counterattack is poorly executed, a military disaster could result for the defending side, since the defenders are no longer protected by their fortifications.
Counter Strike Tactics
Counter Strike tactics, is the various tactics used by small, out numbered armies to retake lost ground and defeat the enemy.
Defensive Spread Tactics
Defensive spread Tactics, is a tactic that while assaulting it moves in a defensive formation. There are many types of potential Defensive formations. For example say you have 2 snipers, instead of moving in on the target together as a single unit. They come in from 2 different separate directions. Any attack upon 1 is NOT an attack upon both.
Elastic Defense Tactic
Elastic Defense tactic, is a military tactic seeks to delay rather than prevent the advance of an attacker, buying time and causing additional casualties by yielding space. Rather than defeating an attacker with a single, strong defensive line, defense in depth relies on the tendency of an attack to lose momentum over a period of time or as it covers a larger area. A defender can thus yield lightly-defended territory in an effort to stress an attacker's logistics or spread out a numerically superior attacking force. Once an attacker has lost momentum or is forced to spread out to pacify a large area, aggressive counter-attacks can be mounted on the attacker's weak points, causing attrition and hopefully driving the attacker back.
Evasive Tactics
Evasive Tactics, involves refusing to allow the enemy to attack you. Such practices can be beneficial to the defender, in that they are not unnecessarily exposing assets to an enemy force. While still allowing the defender to operate in hostile territory.
This has several effects. Frustrating the enemy into acting without thinking, seeking a quick victory at the expense of heavy losses. They may become frustrated to the point of resorting to name calling or trash talking. In a vain attempt to get the defender to change tactics or slip up.
Evasive tactics during a battle maybe as simple as warping out as soon as the you are fired upon. Forcing the enemy to choose to either pursue you or pick another target. The frustration may come from you repeating returning to the battle.
This is similar to guerrilla warfare tactics.
Gate Camping Tactics (Defensive)
- Main article: Gate Camping Tactics
Gate Camping Tactics is the act of holding a stargate entrance to system and denying the enemy the ability to safely enter.
In eve online, all star gates act as artificial pinch points.
From a defensive standpoint, camping star gates as pinch points to protect claimed space is a good way to keep your industry protected from raiders. This is also an easy way to protect vast constellations of space by protecting the only pinch point or jump gate entering said space. Allowing your corporation, alliance or gang to roam freely inside reaping the rewards within unhindered.
See Gate Camping Tactics (Offensive)
Log off Tactics (Defensive)
Log off Tactics, these tactics are commonly associated with cowardice. As the goal of this tactic in a defensive point of view is to simply deny your enemy the gratification of a kill, preservation of equipment, or survival. Via "loging-off" the moment the target realizes they are about to be overwhelmed by sheer numbers or firepower. In such a manner as to do it before they are hit at all by the enemy thus evading the PvP log off delay timer.
Note: Many attackers are upset over this ability, as their target has escaped. However there is no concrete way to tell if a player has intentionally pulled the plug or if they where simply disconnected or lost connection to the game at that particular moment. The internet is inherently not 100% reliable. However this will not stop an attacker from automatically assuming the target has intentionally logged off.
See Ambush Tactics.
Maintaining reconnaissance Tactics
Maintaining reconnaissance Tactics, is a tactic where you keep an eye on your enemy. To see where they are amassing fleets, how large? what units? etc This will increase your chances at being able to effectively counter en enemies assault.
Mass Defense Tactics
Mass Defense tactics, is a tactic where all available resources are used toward the defense of assets, such as territory.
See Japanese Bee Gang Tactics vs. European Bee 1 on 1 Tactics
Stalling Tactics
Stalling Tactics, are tactics in terms of defense in which a defender's objective is not to defeat the enemy but rather to keep them busy as long as possible. The defender may intentionally take controlled losses in order to meet this objective.
Stalling, refers to obstructing the flow of play, in the hopes of maintaining or controlling the flow of play to the advantage of the defender.
Stalling cannot generally be pursued in games without a time limit. This time limit in eve could be how long it will take before reinforcements arrive or until less replaceable assets can be moved out of harms way.
Stay Home Tactics
Stay Home Tactics, is a tactic where the military is not actively seeking the enemy on any level, not offensively, nor defensively.
Doing nothing is an action.
This may seem like a silly tactic but it is a real tactic, some situations call for action, sometimes that action is nothing at all, and is the best course of action in relation to whats going on.
Scorched earth Tactics
Scorched earth Tactics, is a military tactic which involves destroying anything that might be useful to the enemy while advancing through or withdrawing from an area.
Deception Tactics
Deception Tactics, A wise commander takes measures to let his opponent only react to the wrong circumstances. Diversionary attacks, feints, decoys: There are thousands of tricks that have successfully used, and still have a role in the future.
Camouflage Tactics
Camouflage Tactics, Camouflage is a method of cryptic or concealing coloration that allows an otherwise visible organism or object to remain indiscernible from the surrounding environment through deception. see Cloaking Device
Decoy Tactics
Decoy tactics, is a tactic where you trick a target to be focused on something of non importance, which then allows you to move unrestrained. Either to attack them or avoid them all together.
Heres an excellent video by Family guy, [Electric man's use of a decoy | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IQ9mpFZz9c].
Diversionary Tactics
Diversionary Tactics, is a tactic where
Electronic Warfare Tactics
- Main article: Electronic warfare
Electronic warfare, or (EW) is the use of the electromagnetic spectrum to effectively deny the use of this medium by an adversary, while optimizing its use by friendly forces. Electronic warfare has three main components: electronic support, electronic attack, and electronic protection.
Feint Tactics
Feint Tactic, are maneuvers designed to distract or mislead, done by giving the impression that a certain maneuver will take place, while in fact another, or even none will.
- Feint Attack - is designed to draw defensive action towards the point under assault. It is usually used as a diversion to force the enemy to concentrate more manpower in a given area so that the opposing force in another area is weaker. Unlike a related diversionary maneuver, the demonstration, a feint involves actual contact with the enemy.
- Feint Retreat - is performed by briefly engaging the enemy, then retreating. It is intended to draw the enemy pursuit into a prepared ambush, or to cause disarray.
Misdirection Tactics
Misdirection Tactics, is a form of deception in which the attention of an audience is focused on one thing in order to distract its attention from another.
Mock Operation Tactics
Mock Operation Tactics, is a tactic of the imitation of an actual military operation. There could be several reasons for carrying out a mock operation including for the purpose of diversionary tactics, misdirecting an enemy, feinting an attack, etc.
Stealth Tactics
Stealth Tactics, goal is to operate without the knowledge of the enemy. A mission system employing stealth may well become detected at some point within a given mission, such as when the target is destroyed, but correct use of stealth systems should seek to minimize the possibility of detection. Attacking with surprise gives the attacker more time to perform its mission and exit before the defending force can counter-attack.
Situational Tactics
This is a list of whats common during a set type of engagement with the enemy.
Alliance Tactics
Alliance Tactics, are tactics that involve usually 100+ players with a common goal, usually "to kill obscene amounts of enemies". Often times, these tactics revolve around Anti-POS warfare, Fleet Tactics, and Political Strategy. These fleets usually include Capital ships and are supported by a large numbers of battleships.
Another thing to note that it is often hard to hold large number of players together for a prolonged period of time. As a group members may have to log off, to goto work, school, or do laundry, etc. Or members become board of sitting and waiting, and will break off to do something else. Thus challenging the Fleet Commander to keep the fleet moving and active.
See POS warfare.
Faction Warfare Tactics
- Main article: Factional Warfare
Faction Warfare Tactics, or FW for short was originally introduced June 10, 2008, during the Empyrean Age update and is similar to fleet tactics.
See: Faction Warfare, Empyrean Age
Fleet Tactics
Fleet Tactics, are tactics that involve usually 11 to 100, or more players with a common goal, usually "to kill lots of enemies". Often times, this fleet at some point winds up resorting to anti-POS warfare tactics. These fleets usually include either battleships, and/or capital ships as the meat of the Fleet.
Also another thing to note that it is often hard to hold large number of players together for a prolonged period of time. As a group members may have to log off, to goto work, school, or do laundry, etc. Or members become board of sitting and waiting, and will break off to do something else. Thus challenging the Fleet Commander to keep the fleet/group moving and active.
See Alliance Tactics
Gang Tactics
Gang Tactics, are tactics that involve usually 5 to 10, or more players with a common goal, usually "to kill the enemy". Often times, this group at some point winds up resorting to gate camping. These groups usually include battle cruisers, and do not include capital ships, although they could it is not a common sight.
Also another thing to note that it is often hard to hold large number of players together for a prolonged period of time. As a group members may have to log off, to goto work, school, or do laundry, etc. Or members become board of sitting and waiting, and will break off to do something else. Thus challenging the Fleet Commander to keep the fleet/group moving and active.
See Fleet Tactics
Gank Tactics
Gank Tactics, Not to be confused with a Gank setup or a Gank fitting.
Gank Tactics, are tactics that involve a group of players who's purpose is to fully take advantage of an opponent. To the point where the opponent, has perceived unfairness or perceived it to be impossible to defend against.
Often times Gank Tactics will involve sheer numbers, where the majority members within group are loaded out for attack. Focused on simply out gunning an opponent. They may also employ some secondary or reserve units that will use supporting modules to assist in the oppression of an opponent, such as the use of jamming ships that will further destroy an opponents ability to resist destruction.
Gank tactics as they are designed to destroy, NOT defend. Will also avoid what would be considered fair fights, in numbers or firepower. As the intent is to attack, cause as much damage as possible with out giving the enemy the satisfaction of a "fair fight".
Gank tactics will also involve the idea of not staying in one place to long. As opponents will begin to stage Counter-Gank tactics, such as counter attacks.
Gank tactics can be used in conjunction with gate camping tactics or roaming gang tacticss.
Group Tactics
Group Tactics, are tactics that involve usually 2 to 5, or more players with a common goal, usually "to kill stuff".
See Gang Tactics
Mission Running Tactics
Mission Running Tactics are pretty straight forward. You can solo the majority of missions on your own from level 1 to 4, assuming you can do the following.
- Have your rate of recovery higher then the combined DPS of All the NPC group of rats attacking you.
- Have your DPS output higher then the Recovery rate of the strongest single NPC rat for that given mission.
Each Level of mission and particular details of a mission varying the required Recovery rate and DPS needed to complete said mission as you progress.
One on One Tactics
One on One Tactics, is a tactic often but not always what is decisive in this type of fight is whom can destroy the other sooner.
That is not to say it is the only way. There are mixes to this ideal, such as E-warfare.
See Group Tactics
High Sec Tactics
High Sec Tactics, or Empire space High Sector Tactics. Are methods players may use to cause a fight between themselves and a normally neutral player.
Why would anyone do this?
Its really up to each individual's agenda. The reasons could vary from the 'I'm bored', political 'your alliance/corp is my enemy', or no reason other than simply the 'because I can'.
Casey's Prisoner exchange program
Casey's Prisoner exchange program, I first notice this tactic used while I was running a mission.
In this case a player by the name of Casey Wulf entered a mission area and went not for just any loot within the mission area. Casey showed up with an objective to ransom the mission objective itself. In essence if he succeeds in ninja stealing the mission objective he can than ransom the item back to the mission runner.
Not only is he stopping the mission runner from gaining the reward of completing the mission objective but, if the mission runner decides to not take the ransom and fails his mission objective he can lose standing as well. Which translates into a loss of mission running time.
In essence Casey created a prisoner exchange program.
Jet Can Flipping Tactics
Jet can's are vulnerable to having the contents stolen, as they do not have a password and anyone can access it. However, if the contents are stolen then the thief is flagged red to the can's original owner and their Corporation for a limited period, during which their ship can be killed without interference from CONCORD. Some people use this against unknowing miners in high-sec space, generally with the primary intention not of taking the ore, but of getting their "victim" to aggress. Once this has occurred, the original thief is free to attack his victim with whatever weaponry he has without CONCORD interfering. This means that a frigate can be used for the initial flipping, but, once agressed, the frigate is withdrawn, and a heavier ship, say a battleship, brought onto the field to annihilate the miner.
Ninja Salvaging Tactics
Ninja Salvaging Tactics, or in this case Ninja Salvager's are Players that scan down a mission runner's mission area. They than enter it, approach the wrecks created by the mission runner, ignoring or avoiding the temptation to loot the wrecks.
The Ninja salvages the ship wrecks using a salvager module. Which allows the ninja to loot and avoid being 'blinky red', some of the newer players may not understand this dynamic of the game and foolishly open fire on the salvage looter. The mission runner than finds what a horrible mistake they made as they find themselves destroyed by concord.
Suicide Ganking Tactics
- See Ganking for more details.
Suicide ganking Tactics, are an EVE-specific form of ganking.
EVE is divided into areas of space, each with its own 'Security Level', which ranges typically from 0.0 to 1.0. Areas of space with Security Levels of 0.5 or higher are permanently guarded by the extremely powerful Concord, who intervene within seconds to destroy any player ship which has initiated unauthorised warfare.
Suicide Gankers use spotters to find a particularly juicy target, then fleet together in cheap, disposable ships often equipped with plasma bombs or other high-damage weapons. They then warp in and together attempt to destroy the target before Concord warps in to neutralise the attackers (which it always does).
Suicide ganking is popular in EVE as a player-invented "challenge" - to take down a high-value player ship in the few seconds the gankers have before Concord destroys the antagonists.
Obsolete Tactics
Obsolete Tactics, are tactics that where previously employed militarily in Eve online and are no longer possible to do. Possibly due to said feature of the game removed or no longer functioning.
Gate Camping, Smartbomb Tactics
- Main article: Smartbomb
Smartbomb Camping, was the practice of camping a Stargate at a range of 0km to 6km using Smartbombs to kill all small ships, including shuttles, Frigates, etc., the moment they came out of warp before they actually used a Stargate. Which gave a huge advantage to the campers, allowing them to destroy and pod unsuspecting travelers.
This was removed June 10, 2008, during the Empyrean Age update.
Lofty scam Tactics
- Main article: Lofty scam
Lofty scam Tactics, (named after its inventor) is a tactic used to trick a (usually new) player into joining a gang, while another player is at war with another player in the gang, making is possible for the victim to be engaged without CONCORD intervening.
This was removed June 10, 2008, during the Empyrean Age update.
POS Bowling Tactics
- Main article: POS Bowling
POS Bowling was the practice of using the Titan or Mother ship class capital ships to bump ships outside of the POS forcefield. Which would allow the attacker to steal or destroy ships, of a defender while said defender is logged off.
Political Strategy and Tactics
- Main article: Political Strategy
- 1 Political Strategy
- 1.1 Discredit Strategy
- 1.2 Disinformation Strategy
- 1.3 Economic power
- 1.4 Enemy of my Enemy Strategy
- 1.5 Entrapment Strategy
- 1.6 Hard Power Strategy
- 1.7 Heroism Strategy
- 1.8 Placating Strategy
- 1.9 Pressure Strategy
- 1.10 Thousand Cuts Strategy
- 1.11 Soft Power Strategy
Notes
Some items in this wiki page may repeat from Military Tactics or Military Strategy respectively however the intent is to concentrate on their set focus.
Tactical Limitations of Eve
Please refer to the discussions page, regarding Tactical Limitations of EVE Online
Internal Links
- Fleet Commander Guide
- PvP Guide
- Gatecamping
- Turtle tanking
- Gate Camping Tactics
- Military Logistics
- Military Tactics
- Military Strategy
- Military Incompetence
- Political Strategy
- Principles of Military Strategy & Tactics
- Runaway Leader Syndrome
- Victory disease
- Volley damage
External Links
- Complete list of active field manuals at army.mil
- Full listing of Unites States Army field manuals at enlisted.info (multiple pdf files)
- Field Manuals online at globalsecurity.org
Book References
- The Red Book by Mao Zedong
Videos
- Carebear sorrows - Video of the Lofty scam in action, being heavily abused vs. unsuspecting mission runners
Credits
People who have contributed to this page in some form or another Sorry if I missed adding you.
- Veshta Yoshida Outrider tactics
- Casey Wulf Casey's Prisoner exchange program
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