Warfare & Tactics

This guide was written by Damar Rocarion and I have simply copied it from the old forums to the new.

Since the subject seems to pop-up frequently, i've re-written my plexing article from Caldari militia boards and posted it here as general guideline about plexing for all militias.

What is plexing?

Factional warfare complexes, aka plexes are things which affect system occupancy in faction warfare. Occupancy only affects whose sides NPCs are inside said plexes. Unless you have roleplaying reason or want bragging rights, plexes have zero effect on your game experience, so lets get that out of the way right away.

To conquer a system, you need to take about 30 plexes without enemy getting any. This turns bunker vulnerable and can then be shot and occupancy changes in next downtime. As expected changing system occupancy is usually a long-term project though some systems are prone to "pile-ups" of plexes and can turn vulnerable very rapidly.

1: Finding a plex

To locate a plex inside a system, you will have to scan it. You can use ship scanner for this and scan on planets, star, bunker, etc. Ship scanner has range of 5 A.U and takes 30 seconds. Scanning a single system takes minutes if done like this.

Better way is to use probes, namely core scanner probes (astrometrics 1 required) to scan down whole system down in approximately 20 seconds. Ships which have a "spare" high-slot like Griffin, Cormorant or Thrasher are good for this and of course, you can always fit probe launcher to any ship and just re-fit before entering plex.

If FW plex is within scan range, it's always 100% accurate hit and you can warp there. This will open it in overview for everyone in the system to see. However, systems dont necesserily have any plexes so if you come up with no scan hits, dont think you are doing something wrong.

If you wish to make sure your efforts help the general militia in regards where to defend/attack, you can set map to show "occupancy - defensive/offensive - my militia". Map is somewhat behind the real time events but is usually a good indication anyway.

2: How plexes function

Plexes are essentially isolated deadspace pockets (except that microwarp drives function) where entry is only gained by properly sized ships using the acceleration gate. For minor plexes (For example Caldari minor stronghold) you can only enter in t1 frigate or destroyer. Anything else will be stuck on gate.

Medium plex (Caldari stronghold for example) you can enter with t1 cruiser/t2 frigate and smaller ships. Major plexes are either "restricted" which have gates that allow t1 battlecruiser/t2 cruiser and smaller ships.

Unrestricted plexes (major stronghold and major compounds) are ones where you enter with any ship, including capitals. In case you are worried about loopholes to system, it is not possible to cyno inside a plex (nor warp to other member). Smartbombs dont function while in range of acceleration gate so it's not possible to camp them that way. Faction ships count as t1 ship of their type so navy caracal enters medium plex, succubus gets to minor plex and so on

When warping to plex, best range to warp to gate is 10km. You will still land close enough to activate the gate but wont risk bumping into gate. These days, once you activate gate you are invulnerable and enter safely. I've not tested this much in practice myself much but I have been able to dodge sensor boosted thrashers at acceleration gates with cruisers so I assume this is the case. This does not mean there is no chance to be tackled though.

To capture or defend a plex, you have to fly to the timer inside the plex and stay within capture range (10-30km depending on plex size) for designated time (10-20 minutes). If you leave the capture area or war target enters capture range, timer is stopped and wont be started until enemy is driven off. In friendly plex, you only have to wait for timer to run down, in hostile plexes you get shot by npcs.

(continued)

5: What do I get from plexing?

Right now, just standing with your militia. Once plex closes, everyone on the grid, no matter if there is 1 or 100 ships, receives standing. Every raw 1.0 standing gives you promotion which also boosts your factional standing*. First promotions require 3-4 plexes and from there on, the number keeps growing but 4.0 to 5.0 with militia is quite easy to acquire. You can turn standing to isk with indirect means as explained below. Also, hostile plexes do give tags which can be sold for isk or used in LP stores.

NOTE: You only get standing from friendly defensive plexes if you capture them in contested system. In perfect world your screen should read (Contested) next to occupancy text but this feature is notoriously buggy and it's better to rely on map.

I had a habit of using barely trained alts to run defensive plexes in condors. When they reached high-enough standing with Caldari State (6.0), I went to Otomainen solar system and did a COSMOS mission offered by agent Zabon Michi which gives storyline mining implant (mining bonus +5%) worth hundreds of millions (plus bounties, plus other goodies).

I could have also taken the alt to brief journey to Amarr militia for Amarr standing as Otomainen also offers Amarr agent named Akemon that also gives valuable implant (+8% armor hitpoints). The funny part is that with buddy program, this actually becomes self-fuelled money maker as you get free play time and you get enough isk to buy game time.

With FW mission boost, such alts could be used to take missions and then speed tank them for you main if you want to use the usual two-man mission team for mission without risking your mains standings in case missions dont succeed for some reason.

If any Amarr/Gallente/Matar can enlighten us on their COSMOS missions, feel free to reply to this thread.

* Also derivative standing to Amarr, Mordu, Thukker, etc. friendly factions of your militia.

6: Last word on unrestricted plexes

Unrestricted plexes have entry point where you land if you warp to 0. However, if you warp at range you will fall to the grid on place determined by your angle of arrival. As such it is possible to land right on top of the timer (and surprise whoever sits there) if you happen to have a good warp in location.

Damar Rocarion
Brigadier General

I dont like people posting my writings without permission but quess it's too late now to stop,.

Changes which have occurred since writing the original guide:

1; Ship scanner has become a core probe, you no longer need it to scan for plexes since ship scanner does the job in 10s and with it's range covers most systems in one go.

2: You are no longer invulnerable when you activate gate, hence camping gates has become a valid tactic again.

Plexing is one of the more entertaining ways to become acquainted with PVP.

credit was given to the original owner, but name was removed when he wasnt pleased about it. if he wants his name back on it, he knows how to get in touch

Sorted. The credit is back on for you.

Sigh.....

Please can this thread not descend into the typical QCATS vs PERVS flamewar?

Damar wrote a decent guide.

Leave it at that.

If someone had asked me in advance if copying it is ok, of course I would not have objected (and yes, public boards and all that, still common courtesy to ask).

However, since it is no longer up to date with aforementioned changes I would have asked person to copy/paste said addendum to it. Without those two important changes, it can lead to people losing ships needlessly or fitting redundant modules and original author getting the blame for it.

But of course you fail to take such things into consideration in your guest to have something to bash me with.

Don't forget the money making aspect of plexing. Collect tags and Meta 4 Items and you can easily make 5 to 10 Mio ISK from a cheap level 2 plex. And much more from the higher ones.

Bumping with an invite -

We welcome all players, young or old, PVP or PVE to try out faction warfare and see first hand what its all about.