High Sec Wardecs (The Victim)
So what better topic for the time I wrote this article than to talk about wardecs. My corps is currently fighting two wardecs [against the Vikings Reborn and Cold Fury Fusion], both declared on us by much larger corporations with very old players. In my few years in Eve, I have been wardecced by many corps and have wardecced many other victims. So, for all those who are new to being wardecced in highsec, are looking for advanced tactics to take on the “David vs. Goliath” type deal, this is a good read for you!
Types of Highsec Wardecs
Before we can get into the actual tactics and strategies for dealing with wardecs in high sec, we must analyze the main reasons in which your corps has been targeted. When the shit hits the fan 50km from that stargate right before the jump into your home system, the “reason” will be far from your mind, as you will be focusing on neuting that damn ECM Scorpion. However, for planning and informative purposes to support your fellow corps mates, this is very important.
- “The Griefer Dec” – This is by far the most common highsec wardec. A corps will declare war on you, usually at random, because your corps looks like a soft target. Their entire goal is to gain big isk kills on easy targets. Thus, if your corps is known/named for industry, mining, newbie training, missioning, POS management, etc., you are a prime target for the griefer corps. They will attempt to catch you off guard with surprise attacks at first, trying to catch that hulk, tech II hauler, unguarded POS, faction fitted to the teeth mission battleship, or that group of three month old cruiser pilots attempting a roam in lowsec. The griefer will often talk massive amounts of smack in local or will message/evemail you to get a reaction. These can be nasty, but further in the article I will give some tips on how to handle such people.
- “The Mercs” – If you find yourself targeted by a known merc corporation, WATCH OUT. You or someone in your corps has pissed someone off, and these guys were hired to put you in your place, usually with large sums of isk. The average mercenary hiring price in Eve to wardec one corps can be anywhere from 100mill to a billion, but the average is usually about 400-500 mill. Sometimes they are paid based upon how many kills of your corps they can muster. These guys usually don’t mess around and can be very serious and experienced PvP elites. However, from my experience, you have two polar opposites of mercs. Note: Most often, they will only wardec you for one week unless you REALLY pissed someone off. (paid per kill)
i. “All Business Mercs” – these are the guys who, when hired, will run to the edges of Eve to catch you. They don’t mess around, do not believe in fair fights, travel in uniquely fitted ships to complement the fleet, and will relentlessly be present in your home system until the one week dec is over.
ii. “The Scamming Mercs” – these are the guys, who in actuality, have “won” the war for you. They are paid by someone to wardec you, but either a) don’t actually come to fight you or b) send only a few small gangs to get a kill or two to keep their client happy. They basically scam their client, keeping the massive isk payment. These guys are not serious merc corps – once their client spreads the word that they were scammed, not many will hire them again.
c. “The PvP Corps” – Sadly, you were simply wardecced by a corps that wants some PvP action in highsec because they are unwilling to go to low/null sec to fight. These corps can range from the scary serious merc corps to the “we’ll fight if we see you” types. They may hold high the concept of “e-honor,” and will only engage you if they believe the odds to be even, or they may only attack when the odds are heavily in their favor. However, odds are if you show them a good fight, they will continue the wardec to keep gaining that PvP action. These decs usually do not last past a week or two.
d. “The Power Move” – This is, at its core, the most simple and primitive dec of them all. Your corps is being targeted because you keep mining all the roids in someone’s home system, are consistently ninja salvaging mission runners in a specific area, are crashing someone’s market prices in Rens, etc. These are meant to “teach you a lesson.” Often, the aggressor will offer a truce if you agree to move your operations elsewhere. These wardecs do not happen very often – mining/industrial corps usually just hire mercs to do the dirty work, but it can happen.
e. “Vengeance Dec” – This is perhaps the most exhausting, isk and morale destroying type of wardec (for at least the loser). You will know without a doubt why this wardec came along. Either you recruited a corps theif from the corps he/she sucked dry, suicide ganked the wrong hulk, intervened in a fight, or fell through with old corps buddies, you are in for the long haul. This dec may last weeks to months, mimicking the great wars of nullsec alliances but on a much smaller scale. These can spiral out of control rapidly, with both sides hiring webs of mercenary corps in an attempt to tip the scales. In the end, the war will end by either 1) destroying the morale of the aggressor 2) forcing enough losses to suck their wallets dry 3) they cause enough damage on you to their satisfaction or 4) a diplomatic agreement.
Overall Strategies
Now that we know the four most common types of wardecs in highsec, we are to delve into the overarching strategies and policies you can take during the war. Afterwards, actual tactics will be discussed.
Initial Steps for Any Wardec within First 24 Hours
1) Communication to Hostiles- The first step you should take when wardecced is to contact the aggressor corp’s CEO or assigned diplomat. They will usually evemail you first with their rants/reasons/demands first anyways. Evemailing your aggressor is always a solid first step to get any information you can. You will find out (usually) why they are after you, and by using the above categories, you can get an idea of what you are in for. Sometimes, you may even be able to get the wardec canceled if you so desire before the fighting starts if it is worked out. However, if you desire the war or there is no hope of canceling, some PvP corps specifically may offer a gentlemen’s agreement for engagement regulations. For example, our current wardec against a PvP corps agreed to having both sides use strictly T1 ships and modules, no ECM, and to only engage when the odds appeared even. You never know what results may come from a few evemails and chats!
2) Communicate to the Corps – Once a wardec is announced, the CEO should immediately send a corps wide email detailing all initial known information including: why this is happening, what to expect, where the aggressor’s home system is located, and what the plan of action/rules of engagement are.
3) Intel – Immediately look up the corporation’s information to see how many people they have. Go to battleclinic.com (the most popular) or other killboard recording sites. Look up the aggressor corporation. From here you can find out dumpster loads of free intel. These sites will list all members of that corps who have reported kills (as well as people reporting killing them). From here you can 1) gain a list of many members of the corporation 2) for their losses, you can view common fittings and investigate whether they use neuts, ecm, etc.
4) Contact List – Email the corps a list of the contacts gained from the intel. Have every member in the corps add them to their contacts under “terrible” standing and to the watch list. This will allow all members to view when war targets come online to ensure no one is caught with their pants down in a mission/mining etc.
5) Locator Agents – Go to a locator agent (search locator agent in google and you will find the list). Ask the agent to locate a member of the enemy corps, and you shall find out if their home system listed on the corps info is actually where they are operating.
6) Logistics – Before the wardec starts, it is imperative to “move” any necessary items depending upon your arching strategy in handling the war. If you need members to regroup near the home system to put up a fight, move out to near the enemy’s location for a surprise ‘on their turf’ fight, or to consolidate last minute materials/items/ore to sell, make sure this happens before fighting is allowed to begin.
7) Ship Fittings –if you are willing to engage the enemy corps, make sure the fleet commanders know the capabilities of their pilots and the fittings they are able to fit. Forming up a rag tag fleet of “whatever” anyone wants to bring will cost you the fight, even if the numbers are heavily stacked in your favor. Many PvP and merc corps know great fleet combinations with spider web repairing etc.
8) Rules of Engagement – prepare a detailed list on when and how your corps members are to engage hostiles. Is it shoot on sight? Only engage if you are in groups of 4? Engage only if they are younger pilots, flying specific types of ships, in specific areas (gates or stations?) etc.
NOTE: No matter whether or not you are planning to engage the aggressors, these 7 steps are a must in case your corps is forced into an engagement.
Non-PvP Strategies/Tactics
1. “The Killjoy” – Basically, your corps will do nothing. Your members will dock up in stations and stay docked as long as wartargets are online or in/near your systems, and even just log off and come back on later. No one will actually engage the hostiles for any reason, denying them any PvP whatsoever.
a. Staying docked will immediately lower the morale of the enemy corps. Denying them any action or potential for kills the fun/vengeance/merc payment factors of the wardec. In essence, you are utterly wasting their time. If you want to play this up real nasty, have all of your people dock up and stay online. This will force the aggressors to camp that station or surrounding gates in the hope they might snag a kill. NEVER undock or tell the enemy if you are following this strategy, it makes it ever more effective.
b. After a few days of being denied kills/action all together, the enemy corps may cancel the wardec or simply not renew the dec after the week is over.
c. DO NOT harass the war targets in local chat if you are wanting the war to end. If you pull that middle school bull of “you can’t get me” they will want dec even longer to get back at you. However, harass them all you want with the blades of text if you wish to frustrate them even more.
d. This tactic may cause the hostiles to rant for hours in local about how they screwed your mom or think you’re all pussies. However, they’re just frustrated that you are ruining their fun! Just don’t reply to them to make it even better.
2. “The Tease” – Similar to the Killjoy and very complementary thereof, the Tease does not usually involve any PvP whatsoever. This is merely a tactic to further frustrate the enemy corps, and can often be even worse than just sitting in station.
a. Ensure there are wartargets in your local system. Make sure you and your corps mates (if they are on) are all in extremely cheap, agile, fast-aligning frigates (or just merely shuttles). Undock or attempt to find the hostiles. Once they see you, fly to a jump gate. Get the enemy fleet to follow you and just keep jumping farther and farther from your original system. I suggest forming a route in the map so you don’t accidentally jump into an unwanted or dangerous system. Ensure that before you jump to the next gate, the enemy see you warp to the direction of whatever gate you are going to next. Once you have jumped 8-10 jumps out, either a) immediately dock at a station or b) don’t let them see you warp to your next gates and just gtfo. Once they’ve lost you or know you are docked up, just stay docked or go hide in another system. Now, they’ve flown all the way out here for nothing and must go back the 8-10 jumps to where your corps usually operates.
b. You can also continuously undock and dock in a heavily tanked ship (like a drake) when they are station camping. They will get shots on you, but just keep immediately docking.
Note: BE CAREFUL. The aggressors may have a frigate (like an interceptor) which may instalock your ship and warp disrupt you, so there may be a small chance of failure.
3. Draining the Bank – Have your corps join an alliance if the CEO has the skills – the hostiles will have to up their wardeccing fee to 100mill!
PvP Strategies
1. “The Guerilla” – basically guerilla warfare, you give permission for your corps to engage the enemy but only when you know for a fact the odds are in your favor for a clean kill – finding those targets of opportunity. You may often catch targets traveling to muster points, scouting, or even missioning and mining (yes I caught quite a few noobs mining in retrievers 10 jumps from our home system before). This tactic works specifically in the opening days of the wardec when not all of the enemy corp’s members have set up shop in your system. Venturing out into their turf, you can find lone targets or small groups of targets who work logistics or just haven’t moved out yet. If we take anything away from the history of guerilla warfare, this tactic will gradually crack the will of the enemy corps to keep fighting.
2. “Balls Out” – The only other viable PvP strategy – basically going bare knuckles brawling against the enemy corps. This is where fleet vs. fleet engagements will happen, and the group with superior planning, piloting, ships, modules, logistics, skills and tactics will prevail.
PvP Tactics/Tips
You have given our corps permission to engage the aggressors and have laid out the types of engagements you are willing to commit. The following tactics are not limited to the above strategies, and can be used in endless combinations under different circumstances. One thing to remember is rarely do your intended tactics or plans go completely according to plan. High Sec PvP in Eve has endless variables all encompassed into that one five minute bout, where minor adjustments before the engagement will save ships. However, the PvPer can always attempt specific tactics and strategies, increasing the chance of victories, large and small. The following list of tactics offers the capsuleer a small grasp at a few methods of action, and if executed properly by taking into account the dynamics of each engagement, you may gain a slight edge.
Actual Combat Tips
1) Range – Arguably, this is the most important factor in any fleet engagement. Every module and weapon has optimal damage dealing range, and two accuracy falloff ranges (far and up close). Each member of the fleet needs to know their current ship’s fitting in and out, knowing the ranges required for optimal combat efficiency. For example, that 420mm autocannon on fleet jagoff #2 is a close range weapon (optimal ~5-7km), but get in too close, and you will miss your target every time. That vampire fitted neutboat rokh needs to be within so many km of that apocalypse to nearly neut out its entire capacitor. Always keep this in mind!
a. Optimal Ranges – When warping onto a known fleet, ensure members warp together in a “fleet warp” simultaneously if all have close range weapons. If you have sniper fits, ensure those members warp in after the fight has begun at their optimal range. Even though fleet warping looks awesome, it’s not awesome when that sniper tempest gets tackled and face stomped without getting to its optimal range.
b. Kiting – During the actual engagement, some ships (specifically cruisers) are used most effectively when under heavy fire if they kite the enemy ships. (Kiting is flying right out of a player’s optimal range, whether it be to avoid a warp scram, web, or max dps range). Many players in today’s wardeccing use warp scramblers rather than warp disruptors due to the microwarpdrive cancellation. Usual warp scrams can only work at about 7200km, so if the cruisers can kite other larger ships above that range and web the faster frigates, they will have a much better chance to survive. Maneuverability is key!
c. “Shadowing”- This is a very efficient, little used tactic in small gang fights. If you are using short range weapons and the fight is basically a blob (happens very often, especially in station camps) keep picking away at your target. However, if you are being hit by another ship fairly hard (especially battleships) fly right up on top of that other target you are not firing at. Thus, you are negating his DPS while you handle the other.
2) Targeting – FC discussion are in a separate article (due to the plethora of information regarding the FC) but primaries and secondaries must be called. Do you take the dps dealer out first, or that cruiser which is ECM’ing your own DPS machine? Primaries need to be switched on the spot if remote repping is keeping a ship alive, so don’t be afraid to switch targets. Note: ECM boats, logistics vessels, or any other ship which uses non-combat weapons to sway tides of combat are usually primaried first, and for a good reason.
a. NEVER use the main game screen for targeting ships. Always hold the CTRL button and click new targets in the overview. This is the fastest and most efficient method
b. If you become jammed and lose your targeting, do not lose your cool. Announce who is using the ECM on you, and attempt to kite incoming damage.
c. DPS/Module Stacking- when engaged, it is usually wise to stack the focus of all fleet member’s DPS on a single target to get that target out of commission asap. However, sometimes multiple targets may need to be attacked simultaneously by different members of the fleet for different reasons. Examples:
i. Enemy ECM frigate. Perhaps only your own frigates are able to hit the other frigate, therefore those frigate pilots need to break way from the primary to handle him.
ii. Two heavily DPS fitted targets. Say you are taking down an enemy megathron BS, but an enemy rokh BS warps in or is lagging behind at 12 KM. You notice the rokh has blasters fitted, so therefore he needs to be closer to get optimal DPS. In order to prevent this rokh from effectively joining the fight, double webbing him will add an extra 7 minutes to his flight time until optimal range, while adding a warp disruptor will keep him there until you are ready to deal while you are focusing down the megathron. (ECM uses the same ideal but with target jamming).
3) Modules – If I know I’m about to warp on top of an enemy fleet, I will activate all my lower power modules (such as invulnerability fields, damage control II’s, etc) to already have a small buffer in case of lock/attack lag. Getting caught without those on from just one well aimed volley can trash your shields in a heartbeat.
4) “The Last Stand” – If you know your ship is about to crack and you are unable to warp out, do not “throw the controller” down and give up. Keep alert, maintain maximum DPS/webbing/neuting etc. on your target, and get every last isk worth of your ship to aid the rest of the fleet. As soon as your structure goes to 50%, begin spamming the warp to button to an object or safespot in your overview.
Tactics
1) Face Smashing – simple – warping in a fleet on top of another fleet and going toe to toe with the enemy. Using the above tips will greatly increase your chance of survival.
2) Trappings – a tactic, sometimes difficult to pull off against intelligent and experienced PvPers, this can be used to trick hostiles into an area or gate full of your own corps mates ready to pounce.
a. Gate Camps – Having all of your fleet (except for scouts and bait) waiting at a predicted entry gate of the enemy. Have the members span roughly 15km in a bubble around the gate in order to have every possible chance of being within scram range of decloaking enemies. Hold position and have all pilots keep their eyes glued to the overview and local chat to watch for incoming hostiles.
i. Scouts- ideally, at least two cloaked scouts will get the job done. Have one scout sitting at the reciprocating end of the gate camp to watch for hostiles about to jump. Have a second scout warping around the hostile infested system gathering intel on enemy ship types.
ii. Bait-This is a third person (or the scout can act as the bait) – have this player obtain the hostile attention and proceed to warp to the gate, jumping in as soon as they jump in.
iii. “Reverse Psychology”- follow the same practice as above, but have the scout run away to a different gate, or even have the scout leave local unnoticed. This will cause the enemy fleet to hopefully, if they are amateur, to split all their members to scout out all surrounding gates.
iv. “Ghost Fleet” – This is perhaps by far the most exciting gate camp of all. The Ghost Fleet is where all members jump through a gate and create the gate camp, jumping into the next system simultaneously. For better “wtf” results, have all members congregate at a safespot. Then, have the fleet, either solo or in groups of two, warp to a chosen gate and jump through every 2-3 minutes. This will give the appearance that your fleet is breaking apart due to players having to leave, go afk, bored etc. Ensure all fleet members are aligned to the gate prior to commencing the group warps in case the group warps get into trouble.
b. Belts/Planets – Much like the gate camp, a single bait ship relaxes at a random belt, planet, or star. This lone gunman waits for the enemy fleet to warp (and immediately starts evasion/tackle tactics), delaying long enough for your own fleet to warp to you. If baiting small gang fleets with the goal of tackling, ensure the bait ship warps to 20-50km from the belt and holds position there – warping in 20km from the belt gives 24km (warp disruptor II) in the other direction, where often enemies will warp in at varying distances than 0.
c. Stations – “Yeah, I undocked and re-docked your mom last night.” Ah yes…”station” warfare. You have either cornered your opponents or have been cornered yourself, and are continuing to spam local with dialogue unfit for humane ears. The battle, is in essence, a “stalemate” because no one is able to attack. No matter what the odds previously were, no victory or defeat is obtainable. You have a few options in this case:
i. The Camp – You camp the station, hoping the opposing FC or overeager grunt undocks, unable to bare the boredom. You engage and fight the good fight. HOWEVER, that enemy may not have attacked you and thus can immediately redock. Therefore, a few tips to ensure a kill:
1. Pulse ECM – If you are using ECM’s, pulse the ECM’s. Do not permajam (permanently jam) an undocked target. Ensure he fires on someone in the fleet first, then jam him for one or two rounds. Turn off your ECM’s, allow him to engage once more, then continue to jam. Docking after aggression takes 1minute and 30seconds, so use 1 minute spans of jamming and 20 second or so “rest” periods.
2. The Bump – When camping a station either by yourself or in a fleet and the enemy is playing dock games, have you or at least 2 members of the fleet (with microwardrives/or afterburners fitted) be hugging almost literally to the station. Have them align towards the direction of undocking pilots. Once an enemy has undocked, have these guys burn towards the enemy target. These pilots should approach RAMMING SPEED, bumping into the ship to propel it farther from the dock. If you have pilots able to orbit at 10km ranges (weapons permit), have these pilots periodically go in for a bump. I have pushed battlecruisers 20-30km from the gate by using this tactic, preventing any hope of undocking! (Web/Scram must be used on target to prevent them from burning back to gate. Without these, the bump will usually fail)
d. Unconventional Trappings – Much like baiting at a belt or gate camping, you can (if the size of your balls permit) to attempt baiting the enemy into wormholes, lowsec, nullsec, or cosmic anomalies (if they have a known scanner ship).
i. Stranger in the Bath – Jumping into a known hotspot with a security status other than .5 or higher can potentially take the heat off your own fleet (or perhaps fail miserably). Baiting an enemy fleet into owned and populated systems, faction warfare hotbeds, or known gate camps in nullsec/lowsec/wormholes has a possibility of having others kill the enemy for you.
1. The Setup – If you know any players of other corporations camping that gate/in faction warfare/populating that wormhole, contact them to setup a camp for your enemies. Then, lead the enemy into the camp! Since it is not highsec, anyone can fire on them (or you).
2. The Great Gamble –Jump into the unknown safety of non-highsec, oblivious of who or what could be on the other side, and hope for the best!
3) “The Secret Weapon” – I do not care what any blogger, eve guide, forum dweller, or couch analyst has to say on “traditional” vs. “nontraditional” gameplay. The concept of “e-honor” has no meaning when it comes to topping that golden mountain of wreckage within the wardec, with the exception of good “pewpewship” (i.e. sportsmanship). Using jammers, double webs, snipers, mass blobs of frigates, etc. can work and is thus a viable tactic. Players that claim there are no “game changers” in Eve are completely and utterly incorrect. There still are ‘surprise’ tactics to be used, things to catch your enemy momentarily off guard with.
a. The ECM – currently seen as the most “overpowered” module in Eve, using ECM to disrupt targeting is perhaps the most effective manner outside of weapons modifications to be used. Getting in a few brawls with the enemy fleets, then mixing it up on the third engagement by suddenly bringing down the ECM scorpion can sway the tides of battle quickly. I’ve had a few “oh shit” engagements when an enemy corps flew in with a fleet of 12 ships of varying types, each one with at least one ECM device. An ECM boat was not present during our initial scouting, so we were completely unprepared! If your corps is not known to use ECM’s, or you use them infrequently, the hostiles will most likely not fit ECCM modules to counter.
b. Differing Ship Compositions – The staple highsec fleet fights usually consist of battlecruisers with cruiser/frigate/logistics support, or battleships (more rare) with a mix of support. Yes, use whatever combination you/FC/your corps is most comfortable with. However, if the good fight seems to be sliding downhill into the sisters of eve’s ass, change your fleet composition to attempt a surprise. For example, if using a fleet of all battlecruisers is your staple, try going out in a blob of only extremely fast, high DPS frigates or all straight up cloaked torpedo firing frigates. Try adding in a few sniping tempests, a spider webbed armor repair fleet, etc.
i. The Bomber – A subcategory of explanation can be used for the stealth bomber. If you are able to lure the enemy into a wormhole or nullsec, using a stealth bomber to pummel targets on warp in can be a viable tactic.
I hope you enjoyed this somewhat in-depth guide to the many possibilities involving the running and operating of a wardec. Please leave comments requesting any extra content I’ve overlooked or not explained in enough detail etc.
theevewalk 