Difference between revisions of "Bubbles and Warping"

Revision as of 19:17, 11 August 2008

PendingCategory:PVP UniversityPendingCategory:PVP University/BASIC Copyright Sanfrey Statolomy & Agony Unleashed

Introduction

The purpose of this article is to explain the basics of warping, warp core stabilizers (WCS) and warp disruption fields (Bubbles) for new players or students that have not ventured into 0.0 space. This article is intended to be a primer, rather than a definitive guide to all warp disruption mechanics, providing enough information to demystify the subject.

Warping Basics

In order to warp to an object your ship needs to be moving towards the intended destination within 5 degrees and traveling at least 75% of its maximum velocity. On the ship's speedometer (beneath the capacitor display) there are three small notches indicating 25%, 50% and 75% of maximum speed. For the purposes of warping, 'maximum speed' includes the bonus provided by Microwarp Drives and Afterburners - therefore there's no advantage to using these modules when trying to enter warp. Once the ship's velocity meets the 75% mark and is facing in the direction of the destination the ship will enter warp.

The time it takes to enter warp is determined by the time it takes to turn to a heading within 5 degrees of the destination plus the time it takes to accelerate to 75% of sub-warp speed.

Note: If your ship is not moving at all, the time to turn towards the destination is nil. Your ship will accelerate in the direction you attempt to warp in and turn towards the destination simultaneously. In this situation the time to enter warp is simply the time it takes to accelerate to 75% of max velocity.

Disruptors, Scramblers and Warp Core Stabilizers

In order to warp while disrupted, a ship must to have one WCS fitted for every 'point' of warp disruption that an enemy has placed on it. For example, a Myrmidon could be locked down on an asteroid belt by a lone interceptor with a warp disruptor which emits one ‘point’ of warp disruption. If the Myrmidon was fitted with a single WCS, which would negate the 'one point of warp disruption' from the interceptor, the Myrmidon would be free to warp away. If second interceptor arrived to help stop the Myrmidon, adding a second point of warp disruption, the Myrmidon would be trapped unless it had two WCS fitted.

The warp scrambler modules serve an identical function to the warp disruptor but has twice the disruption strength and a reduced effective range. Since each scrambler carries two points of warp disruption, two WCS would have to be fitted for the victim to escape.

Note: The blockade runner transport ships, such as the Viator, have an innate ability to resist up to two points of warp disruption without the fitting of WCS modules.

Heavy Interdictors

Heavy Interdictors, the scourge (or hero - depending on your perspective!) of low-sec, are commonly referred to as HICs. Aside from their ability to carry a bubble about with them (see below), the HICs can be fitted with an 'infinite point' warp disruptor, rendering any number of WCS useless. Combined with cruiser-spec fast locking times, a HIC is capable of stopping any ship from entering warp (typically so the HIC's friends can kill the victim.)

Bubbles

Bubbles are a cornerstone element of 0.0 warfare. A bubble is the common name for a warp disruption field, which is seen as a large shiny sphere from 4km to 54km in radius. There are several devices and ships that can create bubbles, but the bubbles themselves have mostly identical attributes regardless of the type. Bubbles perform two functions: First, ships cannot initiate warp if they are inside the bubble. Second, ships warping to objects near bubbles can be 'sucked' away from their intended destination (a gate for example) and into the bubble. These attributes are used to cause confusion and delay a victims ability to escape by warping away, allowing the aggressor the time required to destroy the trapped ships.

In order for a bubble to catch a ship by pulling it out of warp, the following criteria must be met:

• The bubble must have been deployed before the ship entered warp.
• The bubble must be aligned with the point the ship is warping to. For example, if a ship is warping from one gate to another, in order to get caught by a bubble at the destination gate, that bubble needs to be lined up so a straight line drawn between the two gates would also pass through the bubble.
• The bubble needs to be within 150km of where the ship is warping to. If the bubble is 100km behind a gate, and someone warps to the gate from a point that the bubble is aligned with, the bubble will pull them past the gate and catch the ship. However if the ship warps to the gate at 100km, they will arrive safely 100km in front of the gate, and won't be pulled into the bubble 100km on the other side of the gate.

For these reasons, a common trap is to locate a bubble around 50km behind a gate - ensuring that anyone who warps to the gate at any distance up to 100km will be pulled into the bubble. The victim will then need to 'drive' the whole 50km back to the gate to escape. (See picture below.)

Types of Bubble

Mobile Warp Disruptors

Mobile warp disruptors need to be anchored in space in order to activate. They can be carried in any ship's hold (assuming there's space - they are quite large) to the deployment location and recovered again for later use. They require varying levels of "Anchoring" and "Propulsion Jamming" skills to operate. They are quite hardy and take some significant effort to kill - but can be shot down by an enemy with time and willpower.

The effective range of small mobile warp disrupters is too short to be placed directly on a gate and capture pilots entering a system. For this reason they are typically placed in front of or behind gates to catch ships warping in.

Uh… something more descriptive about medium mobile warp disrupters….

Large mobile warp disrupters are often deployed centered on a jump gate so when a victim arrives in the system through the bubbled gate it must decloak inside the bubble. The ship won't be able to warp away until it has powered out of the bubble in the direction of a suitable warp destination, allowing time for the hostile forces to get warp disruptors and webs locked and activated. This is a classic form of gate camp.

File:Pvpbasic-bubble1.jpg

Heavy Interdictors & Warp Disruption Field Generators

Heavy Interdictors (Onyx, Phobos, Broadsword and Devoter) can equip a Warp Disruption Field Generator I. This clever device is a high-slot module which generates a warp disruption field around the ship without having to anchor anything. The bubble has a base radius of 16km which increases by 5% with each level of the Heavy Interdictor skill trained. Like other bubbles, it cannot be deployed in Empire space. Activating the warp disruption field has some unusual effects on the HIC. It reduces the ship's mass making it very agile, drastically reduces the Microwarp Drive and Afterburner speed bonus and prevents the Heavy Interdictor from receiving any remote support from his gang mates.

Interdictors & Warp Disruption Probes

The 'regular' interdictor is a tech 2 destroyer capable of fitting an Interdiction Sphere Launcher, which is a device used to deploy Warp Disruption Probes. When fired, these probes immediately create a warp disruption field with a 20km radius. The probes have a life of only two minutes, after which they explode with a distinctive pop. Training the Interdictor skill to higher levels allows the pilot to deploy probes in rapid succession, known as 'rolling bubbles', to continuously catch vitcims. The probe remains wherever it was deployed, as opposed to the Heavy Interdictor's warp field that is generated by a module on the ship itself. Regular interdictors have significant points of differentiation to heavy interdictors and both have distinctive useful roles on the battlefield.

Basic Evasion Techniques

Uh… something about basic evasion…

Terminology

Bubble: Friendly name for less than friendly warp disruption field.
Bubble Up: Usually used by HICs, means the bubble's activated. Bubble down means deactivated.
Bubblecamp: Gate camp, or station camp, or any bunch of ships using a bubble to catch prey.
Bubbletrap: A bubble set up to trap people, usually by pulling them away from their intended warp destination.
Caught in a Bubble: Oops, I didn't scout this gate out first, now I'm about to get killed.
Dictor: Interdictor (Sabre, Flycatcher, Heretic, Eris)
Hictor, HIC: Heavy Interdictor (Onyx, Broadsword, Phobos, Devoter)
Pop a bubble: (Usually from an Interdictor) - Fire a warp disruption probe to create a bubble.
Holy [CENSORED] I'm [CENSORED] [CENSORED] by a [CENSORED]ing bubble!!!: Typical victim's reaction.