Warfare & Tactics

http://www.eveonline.com/updates/patchnotes.asp



...what does that mean, exactly? Does that mean if you have 24 hour coverage in a system, you can just cap plexes every 30 minutes, and the system is yours?

Given the continuing imbalance of FW NPCs...I don't even want to think of the implications of this lol. Why was there no devblog?

EDIT: Does this fix the issue that if the Gallente have only one occupied system in Caldari space, plexes only spawn there after DT, and never again for the rest of the day? Current system is plexes respawns in same sov and same occupancy when one closes elsewhere (but never cross-occupancy or cross-sov)

Inb4 gallente getting their own version of distinguished blade





In all seriousness though this change means there's actually a means for people who want to participate in FW plexing at a point other than just downtime to be able to do so. It also might change the map a little. It's been far too stagnant for far too long. NPC balance issues aside, I'm sure gallente will be able to start taking systems left and right given their number (i.e. pvper population) superiority for the majority of the day. 30 plexes to make a system vulnerable, two per hour, meaning 15 hours of unopposed plexing makes a bunker vulnerable. More systems going vulnerable means more fleets shooting bunkers meaning more potential fights and that's what FW needs.



(Or FC's could pull a Super Chair, dock and pod home when faced with a superior fleet in terms of number or composition after taking the bunker. I don't think you guys will have to worry about that too much now though )

HAI SUPER! SAY HI TO THE KIDS!

Now on to serious space business. I was writing a whole diatribe about how owning a system means nothing and how one fleet would just hide and out-wait the other blah blah blah, CalMil shouldn't be able to dock in Federal Defense Station etc. etc. etc. but then I realized it was all pointless.

Good luck Plexers!

I flew around for 40 mins last night in Caldari space and the only offensive plexes I could find were systems at the edge of the FW map that were not contested. They would have 5 or 6 plexes in each. The "central" systems had no plexes at all. I figured what was the point, so I docked up and watched PvP videos.

This will be interesting.

I guess if you occupy a system, you have a better chance at gaining occupancy.

Imagine that.

I have observed new mechanism and here is my neutral observation:

- Flipping systems will be faster now.

- One man and his alt doing defending is now essentially pointless because of the constant respawns.

- If one wants to defend and/or occupy a system, you better live in it.

All in all this is my summary of the thing: I for one wont bother with defending systems that much because it's impossible for one man. Casually yes but if someone wants to take a system, he will do it by sitting in system for 24h straight. In optimal cases, corps will spread out and FW map will become a sort of "Bantustan" with dots on map indicating "Here lives corp x of Y militia". This is not bad thing.

Depending on size of your corp, you can occupy one system and maybe adjancent ones if you have people willing to run down uncontested plexes throughout most of the day (assuming you have opposition). Of course CCP does did not seem to chance the "occupying hostile solar system" problem which means all dt you get lots of plexes there. This is further aggravated by fact you get more every 30 minutes. So I assume that currently systems occupied by caldari can be taken within 24-48h. Of course same can happen to Gallente occupied systems.

However, this is somewhat migitated by the fact that unless you move into said system, occupancy is likely to be short lived due to above reasons. If we do get the "bantustan" option, then I can foresee FW becoming more about small gangs than about big blobs. Maintaining occupancy also requires corp members to constantly run down uncontested plexes. This of course requires drastic change of mindset from most players and it's possible it simply wont happen.

And of course there is always the likely risk of people simply not jumping into possibility of plex fights and focusing on usual. Which is missions and wait for a big fleet to form. Meanwhile couple of guys go about and turn systems vulnerable

So, game on I quess. Lets see if people move to opponents low-sec and plant the flag so to speak. Occupancy is dead, long live the plex fights I quess. On personal level though, I find the "new plexes in systems every 30 minutes" slightly drastic. It would probably be better to be expanded to be constellation wide as it would mean the action would be spread around a bit without plexing becoming about sitting in one system and undocking to scan for plexes every half an hour

Anyone else like to comment about the new mechanism?

P.S: repeating Caldari feat of occupying whole FW area is more or less impossible now. Simply because there will always be a system out there, which has enough plexes to turn it vulnerable in one go. Unless CCP has implemented some sort of maximum limit of plexes per system (I doubt)

Also, Amarr/Matar probably get the short end of the stick here due to their geography being essentially one long-pipe which is million jumps long. Caldari/Gallente have it much better in this regard.

Amount of plexes is not really an issue.

Now it is possibel to attack on any time, and enemy has to be prepared to counter that 24/7.

So it is not dependable anymore on plex spawning, all that matters is who will get plexes done.

So if you can kill enemy every time they wont get plexes, so now pvp is the main point, not who has will to orbit button.

So basically you can go and try to take system, you take some plexes and systems starts to shine on map, then some hardcore patriots will come to defend and you will get pvp in plexes because there is plexes.

Defending uncontested systems with alts is now mainly over, all you have to do is kill enemy plexers 24/7. So side who can organise most pvp guys roaming, possibly will get most systems and hold them.

1 or 2 guys can not do it, you will need lot of people.

Hopefully this will refresh plex pvp, sad part is that ccp did not change plex ship limitations so we will see lot of pirate faction ships around.

Also, can we agree to put moratorium on "system x taken by militia y" because I seriously assume such threads would pop up more frequently than some people change their socks?...

No, none whatsoever. Which of course is the most likely outcome of the whole thing. One side cares enough to mobilise bulk of their people, others dont. End result is that both are probably bored because they go look for fights and none are coming (because other sides hardcore dudes wont go to be roflstomped by blob). As said earlier, this would require different kind of mindset for most players.

This is true, but it's getting closer. IMO, there was a Trifecta of things required to make plexing viable

1) Fix the DT spawning issue
2) Balance the rats (please don't buff the amarr or gallente rats, make all rats equally useless so it's about pvp)
3) Give some monetary incentive so when no-one comes to your plex, you don't wish you'd instead run missions with your pve time. IMO, FW missions should be removed so that all ISK/LP are made by these plexes, and all plexes can be captured by the enemy. (Right now missions can't be failed by an enemy except for the get an item missions which pay dirt poor anyways, so the Pve'r can just outlast the pvper in patience).

#1 is done, once #2 and #3 come in then things will get interesting.