Skill Discussions

Hi,

I was reviewing CCP's proposed changes to the fleet boosting command system. As my character is currently training into the fleet command role, but, still at a low skill level. I have trained:

- Armoured Warfare III
- Skirmish Warfare III
- Information Warfare III
- and, Siege Warfare III

With the current method being to act as fleet booster, fighting on grid, in a small gang, while piloting a regular combat ship. I do not have the skills trained to pilot a command destroyer/ship - and considering the small fleet size it would not be advantageous to do so.

The problem with removing the bonuses for the above skills is that is it a big nerf to small gang warfare. Where the limited number of players does not allow to have one character "off-grid" or piloting a sub-optimal combat vessel. So if those tier one leadership skills do not provide any immediate benefits there is no longer any incentive to train them.

Another problem which I see with the system is that the range of the command bursts is extremely limited (considering the scale of the universe which we are operating in). Because the range is limited to a few mere kilometres (which is peanuts in astronomical terms) it encourages and reinforces "blob warfare". Where it is forcing all elements of a fleet to operate within a very confined area. This takes away all notion of manoeuvring warfare and IMO is far too drastic.

My recommendation for the command burst AoE would be anywhere within 1 or 2 AU. Possibly with the caveat being that such bursts generate a signature (anomaly) which is detectable on Probe Scanner, cannot function when cloaked, and can be locked onto quite easily with a combat probe scanner.... Or at the very least be extended to something like 50,000 km (and of course not function when cloaked).

But there definitely needs to be some benefit to the 4 tier 1 leadership skills. Otherwise there is no point training them.

The skills you have will let you fit a T1 burst module to a T1 battlecruiser. Each level of leadership will increase the range and each level of the warfare skill will increase duration. This is a dramatic reduction from the current requirements where you would need leadership 5 and the warfare specialist skill to fit a link module.

If you fly a battlecruiser fleet - every ship can be a booster.

There are also Command Destroyers, so you can bring command bursts into battle using destroyer-sized ships.

Though, having reviewed the Battlecruiser. I can only fit one booster module, and so will only be effective in that one aspect. If I chose armoured warfare (the most useful for my faction) then the skirmish, info, and siege training would be redundant.

The advantage of the current system is that when acting as squad booster, I'm boosting everyone a little bit in all 4 of those areas. I may as well specialise my training from this point.

Thanks Kelon,

That is helpful. I will need to experiment with this.