Warfare & Tactics

Application of good strategies and tactics will enable a small corporation to successfully defeat a much larger one in a war. Here are several important things you might want to consider:


The principle of battlespace:
The battlespace is the area in which a commander of a fleet is able to detect the presence and form of hostiles, and track their movements effectively. A favourable battlespace will benefit a fleet hugely, and can be obtained in several ways:
Prior intelligence: Knowing exactly who your enemies are, where they are, and their strength before commiting your fleet.
Advance scouts: Having stealthy, fast ships which can detect enemy movements, while remaining hidden.
Fleet division: Instead of having one concentrated and slow core, dividing your fleet into several faster, lighter, more fluid squadrons.

Commander:
Often inexperienced corps will just warp into a battle and let their pilots choose what to do with their own discretion. To command a fleet effectively, be decisive, and issue orders. Once you give them, stick to them, and don't keep changing you mind. However, this does NOT mean 'be inflexible'- adapt to the battle situation.

Regarding concentration of firepower:
If you have a large fleet, concentration of firepower is almost always used as a tactic. Although this does help, be wary of over-concentration of firepower. A lot of damage is wasted this way.

Specialisation:
Before you create your fleet, assign all of your members a role in the fleet, be it anti-air platform or battleship-killer, and make sure they stick to it in the heat of battle. (I know this sounds obvious, but make sure they have the right ship and skills before giving them the role).

Pre-emptive strike:
If you believe someone may be about to declare war, strike first and strike hard while they're still preparing. This can be a fatal blow to the enemy, ensuring a quick victory over a strong opponent. Example: Six Day War

Hidden threat:
A cautious enemy is a slower one. Disrupting enemy operations by making them believe that there is a large hostile presence nearby (When there isn't) can greatly confuse and dis-organise an enemy force. This can be achieved by various means, from letting a lone enemy see a few of your ships, then warping out to putting fleet chat in local, while actually docked.

Raiding:
The enemy needs ISK to fund a war. Stop them from getting it in any way you can. Maintain a constant threat near them, don't let any single place be 'safe'. Randomise your movements in and near their territories and don't become predictable. Most importantly, disrupt EVERYTHING that you can, from combat patrols and mining ops to the local market. Don't make anything easy for them.

Dis-information:
Let the enemy think you're broken. Hide your fleets for a while, and make them think they're safe. Then strike back with everything you've got, and sweep what resistance there is aside.

Enemy of my enemy:
Make negotiations with a third corporation. Convince them to fight agaisnt your enemy. Co-ordinate their first attack with one of yours. Let chaos ensue.

Can you post with a char not in NPC corp so we can help you put these tactics at work ? Also, no Sun Tzu, left dissapointed. The "overconcentration of firepower" partially made up for it though, same with the link to a real war.

I would like to say that this was not meant to be a comprehensive guide by a military genius, but rather a personal brainstorm put out for public use. I apologise if I sounded arrogant or too sure of myself.
Secondly, I would say that my use of the terms ‘tactics’ and ‘strategy’ were rather misleading, and incorrect. I think the things I have listed, some of which by no means are proven to be effective at all in EVE (and some of which are blindingly obvious), would be better referred to as ‘actions’.
So yeah, sorry about that. As I said, I’m no strategist or anything.

please play the game before you write about how to play it