EVE General Discussion

So, recently I've tried to get into incursion fleets. I was told straight away I would have to scrap the several mil SP I have invested into missiles and move to gunnery. The reason I was given was that missile DPS is delayed DPS and can occur after the target is destroyed. I've believed this for a long time, but recently I've noticed something.

The damage for my missiles actually reaches my PVE target before my missiles do. This is true for Cruise and Heavy missiles at least. What I mean that, at exactly 1/2 of the total cycle time, damage is applied to the target no matter the distance. Have any of you noticed a similar phenomenon? I don't run guns very often, but it seems that guns apply damage with the same timing, at exactly 1/2 the cycle time.

Please comment back if you have experienced a similar delay, or you have tested the delay for guns.

Please DO NOT comment if you want to complain about how missiles suck. (Get your SP up) Or if you want to tell me I am wrong without actually testing it. Also, I don't think that missile fleets will be a thing any time soon or care which you think is better for incursions and why. I'm only interested in the DPS delay of weapons.

That's it thanks. It had litterally been driving me insane, but yeah. It's definitely delayed when you get out there. Thanks. Sorry to waste time.

Using RLMLs near their maximum range, the damage of the first cycle hits well into the second cycle. I can be firing on the next target while still waiting for the final blow on the first.

Gun damage is instantaneous + an apparent delay for latency. The circling cycle indicator doesn't always start from the same position either, sometimes making it look like the damage happens further through the cycle.

It's true, although saying you can "apply DPS" after a target is destroyed is stupid.


Given a 5 second cycle time, and 10s flight time, this is what happens between missiles and guns

t0 = guns fire, hit. Missiles fire
t5 = guns fire, hit again. Missiles fire again.
t10 = guns fire, hit again. First volley of missiles hits.

(and so on ... Target destroyed, and 1-3 volleys of missiles are still in flight).

Your DPS, Damage per Volley, etc. might very well be the same, but since you're not applying the damage until 10s after the guns, they can get 3 volleys in by the time your first volley hits, so you end up doing lower overall damage to the target (which is the important factor in Incursions), not to mention wasting ammo, because you may still have volleys in flight when the killing blow is dealt.

Obviously these numbers are given for the purposes of an example, and do not necessarily equal real-world values.

RHML will be into their second cycle before the first volly hits at long range.

Even using missiles against stationary targets (I-hubs) I've watched missiles do stupid things in their flight before hitting their target.

Instead of flying in a straight line after leaving the launcher they seem to change direction just before hitting their target.

Yeah and I've noticed that at 47KM range the target at 43KM showed the missiles never actually hit.

Then it looked like my own ship was getting hit. It's a little buggy.

Discussed this the other day. It/s not necessarily a problem of clearing the sites with delayed DPS, its a problem when you have to contest another fleet. If you are not contesting missiles could work but unfortunately its dog eat dog in the incursions area so instant DPS is preferred. Maybe one day if only one fleet is allowed through the gate then missile ships would be welcome again.

it is a problem with delayed dps, as delayd dps = wasted volleys = wasted time = less money for everyone in fleet.

hell I hate flying the rattlesnake in pve now. as my volley damage is ~7k and my sentries will hit for 1k or so, and as soon as the target gets into low armor I need to either stop shooting cruise missiles, or switch my sentries to a new target. If I don't then I'm just wasting damage. the missile does either more overkill than it would have, I mean overkill happens and I'm not usually too worried about it, or I could have had the sentries on another target for few volleys.

Unless the turret misses. Which never happens for missiles