Player Features and Ideas Discussion

So Black Ops weren't mentioned in the ship balancing presentation as on the radar to rebalance soon, which is surprising because they were listed last fanfest (i think the last 2 fanfests if i remember correctly) as on the radar.

Not that the ships slated for upcoming rebalances don't deserve it, but we've been waiting quite a while for the full black ops rebalance and I would rank them higher than bombers and recons as needing it more.

I can anticipate the "we're still going to do them" answer of course, but would be cool if Fozzie or Rise could explain why they seemingly keep sliding down the priority list and maybe when we might expect them to get their turn.

Thanks

My guess is that they will be included in or around the time of a balance pass for capitals as that will deal directly with power projection via jump drives.

Why change a ship when it's main draw could be altered by a future rebalance forcing you to look at it all over again?

I think they want to cover cloaky ships as a whole before they work on the black ops boats, so they can fine-tune all the issues of them AROUND that. Generally blops lead cloaky fleets, so rebalancing the other cloaky ships, including possibly t3s, would be ideal if they're going to such a significant change. Assuming they get covops cloaks, I'd like to think they're saving the best for last. :)

they will probably be done at the same time they do the bombers and recons.

I have to agree, black ops are fine as is. Sure they don't have the best EHP, and I think bringing them on par with a T1 BS would be NICE, but their role is not tanking. The role of a blops BS is either bridging a covert fleet and then hiding (which they do well) or dropping a mass of blops and cover fleet onto a target and going balls in. For the latter, I've been in many fleets with my redeemer, and I must say it's working pretty much as intended. You only loose them when you make a big fuckup/mistake,and otherwise they are near uncatchable. I can't tell how many downsies in vindicators, machariels, nightmares, etc I've caught in a hunting bomber and blopsed on. Blopsing is psychological warfare at it's finest, and is truly near the peak of EVE's complex gameplay hierarchy maybe under high level spy infiltration and alliance disbanding.

TL;DR

Blops are designed to be well coordinated by a competent FC. If controlled right, they can bridge a fleet or even drop balls to the walls on a target to kill them. They are in spirit, psychological warfare ships and can be used effectively to majorly fudge with the minds of renters, and PVP alliance ratters alike.