Warfare & Tactics

What would happen if it only took an hour of plexing to make an IHUB vulnerable?

Would there be more PVP? Would there be less farming? Would it be more FUN?

Why not?

Because there would be no guarantee that when they log in they could redock.

Some people like to fight over systems rather than farm them while they are quiet. If they are taken so quick that people dont get an option to defend them, fw would be perfectly broken.

As it stands, current fw mechanics are superior to any other conflict driver in eve. Sustained activity over time encourages a sustained responce over time. Defence of a system can be undertaken at anytime until a system falls. Though the later you leave it the more work it becomes.

Elsewhere in eve you have to live with timer fights that just encourage people to bring everything they canfor a single server breaking clusterfolk.

If anything it's too easy to flip a system and it should take significantly longer to get a system to 100%. Systems are flip flopping too fast.

- Less % from novice, small and medium plexes, same % as it is now from large plexes. Give people an incentive to actually run the large ones, as broken as they are.
- New plexes only spawn when all sizes have been finished. No more systems creeping up just from farmer pigs running novice plexes
- Maybe even make it so systems have to be connected. I.e. you need Huola, Lamaa, Auga or Kamela before you can go and take Kourmonen. Although that might create heavy frontlines and make solo/small gang pvp a lot harder.

Ok.

The connected systems really is just an idea.

But please explain how less % from smaller plexes would render them completely useless. They still count. Just a little less which means systems will flip slower. Which in my opinion is a good thing.

And then explain why timing down a system (as a defender) is bad because essentially you're just defending it. If you can't chase one guy out of a plex be prepared to spend a lot more time in there to get new plexes to spawn.

Although that might even slow it down too much. Maybe couple it with automatically resetting timers in empty plexes to keep people from preemptively putting extra time on plexes. That could work.

Most of my ideas really hurt farmers the most. If you actively attack/defend a system, none of the changes really matter much, it'll just slow you down on the way to 100%.

Just sayin'.

As a general rule, I feel that changes to reduce the impact of "farmers" are essentially ways to reduce the need to patrol the areas you control. By reducing the impact folks in small / cheap ships can have on system control, you reduce the need to actively deplex a system to keep it under control.

Moreover, since you can deplex in anything, by having larger plexes count for more you're increasing the power of deplexing alts relative to everything else - including dedicated offensive plexers.

My personal opinion is that the system right now is about good enough - offensive plexing is non-trivial, but still can be done in low level ships to great effect. Cumulative effort over time makes systems vulnerable if they're not cared for. Those systems that are neglected get flipped. This is working as intended.

There's a natural limit to the area you can actively patrol and keep low on the contested scale. This is the natural "area of influence" that an occupancy based sov system promotes by design. Whether a system has a Caldari or Gallente flag on it, you only get to keep it if you put effort into keeping it safe. Neglect it and lose it - as intended.

The real topic is "Who has the power to flip a system? Farmers, or PvPers?

Current mechanics require both.

You have a PvP only corp? Good luck flipping a system, you can't even get started.

Want to farm your way to flipping a system? Can't be done, you'll need a fleet FC and PvPers to finsh the job.


I would suggest that instead of trying to modify the existing conditions to better fit your preferred style of play, that you adapt your plans to better fit the existing conditions.

For instance, have you considered what the best balance between PvPers and LP Farmers would be if your corp/alliance wanted to become efficient in flipping systems?

RDRAW, would like to invite you to Oto to explain why you are wrong.

A full scale system control battle is a rather different beast in which the plexes become terrain and victory locations for a system wide rolling fleet fight rather than just points to be farmed. In these battles most plexes get contested by full fleets on both sides, so PvP and plexing merge into one another. You don't really 'run' or 'farm' plexes in these fights so much as take and hold them. PvP pilots like plexing under these conditions as plexes bring guaranteed fights. It's unopposed plexing that PvP pilots find boring.

If you want to take a look at one, head up to Hasmijala today (and bring friends). Something like 500 kills there in the last 24 hours and it's probably just getting started. They are the most exciting and rewarding PvP experience to be had in the warzone if you like constant fights for days at a time.

Edit - I should add that this type of fight normally only happens when either a home system for a FW corp or another strategically important objective is attacked. Most outlying systems flip after much uncontested plexing, a bit of skirmishing, and maybe a fight on the iHub. Taking systems in this way is often considered a chore by PvP focussed pilots as it involves lots of plexing without many fights.