EVE New Citizens Q&A

Because under that brusque, curmudgeonny demeanor Ralph... you have a soft spot for new players and get off from the warm fuzzies like the rest of us.

But shhhhhhhhhhhh... I will not tell.

Actually, I tried the "keep at range" and It helped. Also just approaching seemed to help too.
thanks!

Oh well. Since I feel like helping ya out, I'll tell you some more about those guns.

First off, yes the tracking enhancers definitely help (for reasons stated in this thread earlier). If you cannot spare the lowslot however, you can achieve the same with a rig.

Secondly, no tracking enhancer nor tracking computer nor rig should be required to hit with a blaster at point-blank range. I strongly suspect you are trying to shoot something that is smaller than you are. This is where signature radius comes in: the smaller a target is, the harder it is to hit. Also the faster it is moving relative to your position (perpendicular), the harder it is to hit.

Both are multiplied, as represented by the Accuracy Score rating on your gun. A small blaster, intended to shoot frigates and destroyers, will have a MUCH higher rating than a medium gun intended to blast cruisers and battlecruisers.

Now, you can compare the accuracy of the blaster with your favourite autocannon (a wise choice I might add LOL) BUT it won't tell you the whole story: the blaster will indeed hit (apply) better than an autocannon ... at the same range. Since the optimal range is so much smaller, however, you'd need to get closer to the target and any transversal movement you and your enemy perform will negatively affect accuracy. (the movement is measures in angle/second -- the close you get, the higher the angular velocity)

This is why keeping at range or approaching helps: it takes YOUR movement out of the equation and only leaves your enemy's perpendicular movement. Which would be negligible because you mentioned scram+web -- he'll be doing like a 150 m/sec at most right?

There are some measures you can take to improve your ability to hit stuff:
(1) use a DUAL web. Your target won't be going past 70 m/sec, sometimes even less; so tracking will be no problem no matter what.
(2) improve your tracking/optimal by fitting rigs or tracking enhancers (you figured this one out already)
(3) increase the target's signature radius by applying a Target Painter. I wouldn't combine long-range paint with short-range armament however, so this is a moot point for you.
(4) use smaller guns. Just like autocannons come in 425 / 220 / 180 mms, so too are there three kinds of blasters. The one with the highest accuracy applies damage best to small targets. The one with the lowest accuracy applies worse to small targets but makes bigger holes in large targets where sigradius is a non-issue.

Keep me posted on your progress, and good luck!

Nah. dualwebs on a stabber will hit anything. Go for 425s (if powergrid permits)

if A = differences in Sigradius vs. what your guns can deliver
and B = difference in angular velocity vs. what your guns can deliver,
then chance to hit is A x B.

(A x B happens to be your weapon's accuracy score).

Meaning that if you solve B (by applying dual webs the target will barely move), the A factor won't matter. Large guns for example can and will blap very small frigates IF THOSE FRIGS AREN'T MOVING.

You only need to take care of one of those two to start hitting things: either get rid of the angular velocity, or get rid of the tiny sig (by using smaller guns or targetpainting).

Does that make sense?


Basically, you only want to use less than the biggest guns if (a) tracking is really an issue, as would be the case on a battleship trying to shoot cruisers, or (b) you need too many engineering mods to make it all fit.

Everything that has been advised here has been pretty much spot on. I'm only going to chime in some experiences I've run across shooting PvE Rails now Blasters ON THE SAME SHIP.

When you are 'at the edge' of optimum, you get better to hit chances for the reasons stated but you need to consider the actual DPS you are cranking out at that range. It might be lower than Rails firing close in ammo like antimatter or Void. If you find that to be the case then you might get better results with rails at the same range, however Rails kind of go from short medium to really long.

Most of my blaster fit ships speed/sig tank. Even my ENI speed/sig tanks larger NPC ships. My Comet can speed/sig tank anything above a Frigate and below a Battleship (it still does the battleship but it can't do enough DPS If the ship has a high passive tank or active tank). I orbit my ENI at 1000 -2500m depending on the target (the smaller the closer the orbit) and my Comet at 500 - 1000m. So that's WAAAAY below rail capability.

In the end, it's really about a balance of offense and defense. If you are at the edge of optimum and getting plastered, move in a little closer and see if they miss more. You might miss more, but if they aren't hitting you then hitting at all above what they can tank means you will win eventually.

You can also improve your blasters with RIG fitting. You can use a tracking enhancer with a script to really boost your tracking ability if you have the fit slots to handle a dedicated unit like that. Dual web also works but sucks more power. Don't forget, you can be webbed too so a couple of ships tying each other down is a slugfest and if you aren't in optimal and your target is, guess who likely wins close fights?

It seems like Scram kiters with dual webs and DPS can challenge bigger sized ships and be pretty effective? say a comet, arty firetail, inskur.. ? because you are slowing the targets down with webs and dictating range. So it's not always biggest ship and guns that dominate.