Warfare & Tactics

These are several ideas and questions I've been refining over the last year.

This thesis is more like my personal mental notebook, gathered in aforementioned conditions, which I would like to share with you and - I'd love to - hear some opinions or recommendations.

The following assumption should be kept in mind to get into my mindset: we are talking more or less direct confrontations, tho mindgames are included - and the ultimate dreamy outcome is direct whacking the opposing fleet down or making it fall back (at least, the first of the parties to arrive).


To make my idea understandable, I'd like to introduce some terms, which are currently my staple ways to analyze fleets (and, I suppose, any other FC looks at the scenery from such a viewpoint).

Due to the thing being more like thesis, not guide - I won't cover basics (like "What is a fleet/Target calling/Main damage dealer ship/Scout"). Sorry for that.


The first term I would like to introduce is the Fit. Hereby and onwards through the text, Fit is any single specific ship in an exact, complete modules and cargo set, from afterburner versions to the number of consumables taken.

Therefore, Fleet will be simply a set of Fits, most probably in (large) numbers of copies (Fleet = Fit(main damage dealer) x 20 + Fit(Logist) x 7 + ... + Fit(Scout) x three), something like this. Hereby I discuss only basic Fleet interaction calculations, so for the sake of simplicity the term Fleet will equal to "N main damage dealer ships", if not explicitly mentioned otherwise.


The following two terms I would like to introduce are Theoretical Outcoming/Incoming Fit DPS

Theoretical Outcoming Fit DPS is a raw (calculated by any fitting calculator software - like EFT) DPS of a Fit, which is corrected based on average skill set of your hypothetical (or actual) pilot who will wield the Fit.

Theoretical Incoming Fit DPS is a DPS which your opponent's Fit would theoretically receive, taking into account relative transversal speeds/target's signature/accuracy properties of weapons and suchlike - it is perfectly accountable, using decent fitting calculator.


Due to the fact that we are talking fleet ops, next terms we will need to get a grip of Theoretical Outcoming/Incoming Fleet DPS. I guess you've deduced it already =)

Theoretical Outcoming Fleet DPS is a DPS your Fleet would generate at the points of his guns according to your calculations; it's simply a Theoretical Outcoming Fit DPS multiplied by the number of Fit (main damage dealer) ships in the Fleet.

Theoretical Incoming Fleet DPS therefore is a DPS, that is crashing into the primary according to your fitting calculator - taking into account transversals/trackings/signatures and suchlike (AND adding up your EWAR Fit effects - webs/target painters). Basically you take Theoretical Incoming Fit DPS, apply all the EWAR you are planning to take with your Fleet to your opposing Fit, and multiply it by the number of Fit (main damage dealer) ships in the Fleet.


Last but not least significant term we will be using onwards is Theoretical Fit HPS. It is a sum of all remote repping which would target your Fit - based on the logistics Fits included in your Fleet.

Aand final term which I would need to formulate is a Theoretical Fleet Reaction Time (%action%). It is a time (in seconds) which your fleet will - based on your judgements - inquire in general to perform a certain %action%. In example, Theoretical Fleet Reaction Time (wreck Fit) would be a number of seconds from the moment FC would issue an order to Primary some enemy Fit for the first time - and up to the moment of turning the Primary into a fresh churning wreck (we assume there will be no target switching or enemy logistics action).


Whew. That wasn't that hard, isn't it?

Aaaannd an application example of using all this theory!



We want to calculate, how much of a power we need to bring on to be able to fight on equal ground with standart well-packed Arti-Cane shieldy Fleet. To spice up things a bit, we assume that they are fully packed and have adequate logistics support.

So,

1) Average all-arounder Arti-Cane has somewhat around 45k EHP (EFT calculator).
2) To be able to foot an equal ground with those pesky neat Canes with support and stuff, we will need to bring on a fleet that, under FC's wise command and appropriate EWAR, in accordance with Interesting Assumption №3, will be able to destroy Arti-Cane in 10-15 seconds.
3) Therefore, the Theoretical Incoming Fleet DPS of our Fleet against opposing Arti-Cane should be 45k EHP/10...15s. = 3...4.5k DPS.
4) If we bring 3...4.5k Theoretical Incoming Fleet DPS (vs. Arti-Cane) - we don't give a damn how many ships we have packed those DPS into (unless it's just 2 carriers), we don't give a damn how many logistics they have - we will be 1:1 ISK lossing anyway.


Therefore, I present you easy and formalizable way to calculate answer to the question "Can I roll such fleet out"?

Also, additional result of our analysis is the following viable strategy of dogfighting fleet formation: when you form up a fleet the first and foremost - gather the Damage Application EWAR (webs/painters) and enough Theoretical Outcoming DPS. Anything else, except scouts, should come after that - having enough DPS, Fleet size differences don't matter all that much.

Comments, discussion, further ideas welcome.

Well now universe has step-by-step thorough explanation. And don't forget the theoretical basis itself - which can be used to describe and calculate a multitude of other things, to make and test hypotheses.