Player Features and Ideas Discussion

Okay, let's face it, I come up with some weird ideas, particularly in the wee hours of the morning (see sig for details ).

Well, here's another one for your enjoyment: the Electronic Support Vessel.

Storytime:

I've noticed that despite having a large number of remotely applied counter EWAR modules out there, there has never once been a ship class designed to utilize them, unlike their more offensive counterparts. I think it would be great for the game if a new class could be introduced that could use these items to not only counteract hostile EWAR, but to bolster their fleetmates to higher capabilities than normal, without said ships having to pack their own counters, allowing them to pack more utility and adding to the fleet's flexibility. Think of this as the counter to the recon (specifically the combat recon), a sort of "EWAR logi" that has the bonus capability of boosting the fleet's performance. Just as the logi is EVE's "healer", this ship would be EVE's "buffer mage". Now quit griping and cast some "Bless".

Main Points:

1. Cruiser class ship with bonuses toward electronic support (ESUPPT as opposed to EWAR) modules: Projected ECCM, Remote Sensor Boosters, Tracking Links, etc.

2. Intended to counter recon ships by countering their EWAR effects, can also be used to bolster the fleet's capabilities beyond the norm

3. Lightly armed, moderate tank, speed, and sig, a la combat recons

4. Strong enough cap to run multiple modules of their intended ESUPPT without giving them too much of an advantage

5. ESUPPT decided by the EWAR of the ship's race's main enemy, i.e. tracking links for Minmatar to counter Amarr tracking disruptors, remote sebos for Caldari to counter Gallente damps, etc.

6. Can manage several targets, similar to a logistics ship

7. Requires and will get bonuses from the racial cruiser skill and a new t2 skill

8. Racial skill split between scan resolution and primary ESUPPT effectiveness

9. T2 skill bonus to primary ESUPPT effectiveness, potentially to a secondary EWAR counter as well (Maybe cap xfers for the Minmatar version as a neut/vamp counter?)

10. There is presently no role bonus as combat recons do not have one, and the ability to boost the fleet when no EWAR is on the field is enough of an advantage already

11. Would require a remote counter module to Target Painters for the Amarrian variant


I am now adding another ship class to this: the Engineering Assistance Frigate

1. A lightly armed, lightly tanked t2 frig that is capable of fitting a Warp Field Augmentor (WFA) (see next post); New skill for this ship, too

2. Would have a Role bonus and a ship skill bonus to aforementioned WFA

3. Racial frig skill would provide speed and ESUPPT bonuses

4. Middling sig and PG; high speed, capacitor, and CPU

UPDATES

It has been noted that some of the Logis already have a bonus to a few of the support modules intended here, so in order for this to work, the logis will need that ability removed in exchange for something else (better repair abilities, stronger personal tank, etc.). This class will assume responsibility for protecting and boosting our electronics, at the same time expanding the options for countering EWAR, while the logis focus entirely on protecting our physical integrity.

To solve the little Covops question earlier, I'm suggesting a T3 electronics subsystem for ESUPPT to be included as well, this way people can use their "T3ngus" (heh....heh......see what I did there......heh....) for their cloaky ESUPPT needs without sacrificing the original purpose of the Electronic Support ships.

Nice Idea, although I think that some logistic ships already have this... So, to balance things up Logistics would have to be be split into a second group of ships, that would focus on electronic support ships.

Strangely I like it, just as long as there is a covops cloaky one with jump harmonics 2 I'm +1ing this.

Could be in the form of an additional subsystem for the Strategic Cruisers, then we all get what we want :)

nvm, misread the op.

Hmm.....Not so sure about the frigate part, as I intended these to be a counterpoint to recons and a partner to logis. As a result, I believe a cruiser would be best for the dedicated electronic support t2.

That said, I could see about a frigate that has bonuses in this area, maybe not a full blown t2 equivalent, but maybe as a bonus to, say, the t1 electronics frigs, which could also fit in in the fluff department as well, without making a swarm of various sized, indentically roled t2 ships (who would do such a thing after all ).

As for the remote warp stab, I was avoiding prop jam counters because I couldn't think of a remote anti-web setup, and because, once again, these are for countering recons, not dictors/hictors/ceptors. Once again, I'm willing to compromise, if someone can come up with a lore-friendly way of reversing the webby effect on a friendly ship, in which case I can probably come up with something.

(Maybe like a t2 SAR frig that counters prop jamming, plus a small bonus to ESUPPT, though nowhere near a primary role, as an overall compromise, once again if the lore-friendly web counter appears. )

I'm not sure exactly how they compare. ECM modules reduce sensor strength by a set number, but Projected ECCMs increase by a percentage. So it all depends on how strong the target vessels sensors are to begin with, to figure how effective the PECCMs are. I'll have to look into it, but it could be that the PECCMs would have to be switched to a set number to make it more universally effective instead of biased towards bigger ships (since they tend to have better sensor strength).



Somewhere, subconciously, I was hoping to come up with that myself. You, sir, are a genius.



Food for thought. If I can do this right, I'd like to have one module that can do both of these, and can be scripted to be more effective, for example, one webs worth of speed boost and one point warp stab by default (cancels a web and a point, but not a scram), stab script brings it to 3 points with no speed(cancels a scram, but no webs), speed script brings dual web speed boost but no stab (cancels dual webs, but neither point nor scram). Need to work out the fluff details for the webby side still, but I think this could limit the OP value a little bit. Check top.

Alright, reviving this idea. Anyone with fresh ideas?

And it is a fair argument, at least as long as you're quicker on the draw. But sometimes I want someone else to handle the incoming EWAR so my Widow/Scorp/Falcon/etc. can jam that pesky Hurricane over there.

This handles such a situation.

Yes indeed, but wouldn't it make more sense to leave those Falcon pilots for their intended purpose, reducing damage and reps, rather than having them wasting everyone's time jamming each other and leaving the fighters to fend for themselves?

It always seemed to me that gang/fleet fights with EWAR involved tend to split into two seperate battles, the EWAR, and everyone else, with occasional collateral damage. What's the point in jamming the other guys' jammers if they're just going to jam you back, and maybe one other ship?

This gets around that, adding a little more depth and complexity and making sure everyone's interested in everyone, not just the guys who fly the same ship as them.