Skirmishing

Scanning & Skirmishing Scout 101 By Killa Bee ©2007 Edited by Admiral Phobos

Introduction

This is a document to explain the basics of scanning and how to be an effective skirmishing Scout, the FC's extra set of eyes in next system.

Scanning should be done fast, in 30 to 45 seconds max and by that time you should be in warp towards your target. I can only explain what seems to be working fine for me, practice is key since that is the only way to become fast and effective.

As Skirmishing Scout you need to think on your own and anticipate your FC (this is something that grows over time when flying regular with the FC), do NOT wait for the FC's command before you make your next move like jumping into next system or scanning out a possible target. But as always the FC has the final say, he is the BOSS and may decide otherwise.

The skirmishing Scout role is often underestimated in my opinion, a gang with an outstanding FC and XO is merely a patrolling gang if they have a Scout that isn't able to scan out a target and lock it down.

Scanning

This document takes into account that you have all completed PVP-Basic so I am not going to explain how the scanner works !

All Ships, Towers and Wrecks should be visible on the overview to make scanning easier.

When entering a System and you do your initial 360 scan you can pick up a crap load of Wrecks, which is a good indication that someone is ratting. I usually right click a Wreck on my scan result window and select remove Wrecks from Overview since it fills up my scan results window and we already know we have ourselves a ratter.

Keys you will be using whilst scanning:

F11, this will open the System Overview, focus only on the bottom most box the System Display ALT, press and hold this key, it will give you a sort of Cross Hair square in the middle of your ship which represents the scanning centre of you ship. It will also show the Moons in space.

Scout Scanning vs. Probe Scanning:

Pros

- can be a lot faster then using scan probes, which has a fixed time based on the skills you have - players can't see that you are scanning them out, a scan probe can been seen and they usually either safe spot, bounce between spots or cloak - everyone can do it where scan probes need skills and takes up a high slot

Cons

- you can't find players when they are in a safe spot while a scan probe could - less accurate, you can't warp in a 0 or 10km

How To

Example 1; Oke i jump into a new System, local has 2 including myself so i start with my report by saying; "Scout, 1 in LTS" (while saying that open his 'Show Info'), "Youwhat" (you scan 360) "Raven on scan" By the time i have said this i have hit with my other hand the F11 key to open the System Overview and focus on the bottom most box, the System Display. It will show you where the Planets, Belts and Gates are located, USE this tool .... it will save time when you get used to it. After looking on the System Display, in combination with the Gate distances shown on your overview, you have seen that all Planets, Belts and Gates are way out of scan range except 3 Belts and a Planet right next to the Gate. A quick look around your ship showed you that the Belts are nicely spaced out so you immediately drop to a 15 degree scan angle, press and hold the ALT key so that a sort of Cross Hair square shows up in the middle of your ship, align this square close to the Triangle which represents a Belt and scan again. Nothing shows up on the 1st scan, proceed and scan the next Belt .... BINGO Raven, right click this Belt and select "Warp to 0", report back to the FC by saying: "Scout, Raven on 15 degrees toward belt moving in" (I personally use 5 degrees because i have done it so many times i can get the scan square on the Belt, Moon etc fast and pretty accurate)

Now this was a lucky situation that he was close to a Gate with just a few Belts near it, but i have had this luck and locked the target within matter of seconds from entering a system.

Example 2; Oke again i jump into a new System, local has 2 including myself so i start with my report by saying; "Scout, 1 in LTS" (while saying that open his 'Show Info'), "Youwhat" (you scan 360) "nothing on scan moving to a planet" By the time i have said this i have hit with my other hand the F11 key to open the System Overview and focus on the bottom most box, the System Display. Hover you mouse over the different clusters in the System Display, it will give you a list of Planets, Moons, Belts and Gates ... select a Planet that has several Belts around it. Right click in space select the Planet you want to go to and warp to it at between 50 and 100km, in flight keep scanning at 180 degrees towards the cluster you are going to. Sometimes when you fly towards a cluster you see Planets, Belts and Gates pass you left and right. What you should do is scan both sides repeatedly on 90 (or 180 for ease) degrees by looking to the left or right of your ships, somewhere in between the front side of your ship and your wing so to speak (45 degrees |/ where you wing is at 90 degrees |_). If one of the sides gives you a target try to keep a focus on that point and move your view accordingly while you fly by, keep scanning and adjust view if needed. Once out of warp try to pin point him out as described before. Drop to a 15 degree scan angle, press and hold the ALT key so that a sort of Cross Hair square shows up in the middle of your ship, align this square close to the Triangle which represents a Belt and scan again. Nothing shows up on the 1st scan, proceed and scan the next Belt .... BINGO Raven, right click this Belt and select "Warp to 0", report back to the FC by saying: "Scout, Raven on 15 degrees toward belt moving in"

Every system is different from another, comming in a same System from another Gate and it could well be that scanning from that point is a lot harder since the alignments are different. Main thing is keep it simple and efficient, start scanning at a higher number of degrees and when you gain experience you will notice that you go down fast, i usually start off at 360, then 90, 30 or 15 and end up at 5 or sometime not even bother with 5 degrees. It all depends on the system layout and the space in between Belts etc etc.

Practice practice and practice some more. I practiced while going into Cloud Ring, Tribute etc to make on and off grid BM's for myself, i would go in a system and when there are locals scan them out asap. Do that for about a minute or 2 then go make your BM's and move to the next system and start scanning again.

Skirmishing & Scouting

The Scouts main objectives are to find targets and keep the gang out of harms way.

Like i have said before the Scouts is the extra set of eyes of the FC and you need to anticipate his needs. Stay 1 system ahead, usually you jump into the next system when the jump command is given to the main force, report the FC into what system you are going.

Skirmishing Scout vs. CovOps:

Pros

- a Scout goes in to tackle the target himself, where a CovOps has to align the target so that it can be ganked by warping to the CovOps at a surten distance ... target has time to warp off to a safe when local spikes - with good scanning skills you can pin down a target fast, where the CovOps looses time to align properly

Cons

- you are visible on scan where a CovOps can move around unseen

When entering a system give a short report of local and if there are multiple players check their Corp / Alliance name (<5 check all, >5 check a few randomly), right click their avatars in local and select 'Show Info'. Do this immediately on entering a new system, your scanner won't work for a few seconds due to loading lag so use this time effectively but don't spend too much time on it since time is crucial for scanning out a target.

Scanning part starts which is explained in previous section.

Report and action examples

Reporting should be short but should also contain as much useful info as possible.

"Scout moving into LTS, friendly out" Report to make the gang aware that intel on next system is coming = hold comm. chatter

"Scout, LTS is clear moving to next gate" Obvious, the gang will move to the gate of that system and jump

"Scout, LTS has 2 in local" (while saying that open their 'Show Info'), "1 NPC and 1 Tri" (you scan 360) "nothing on scan" When there are more in local then just a few you change the order and priority of things and might say something like this: "Scout, LTS has 7 in local" (you scan 360) "Vaga and Domi on scan, checking Corp / Alliance" Now you do a randomly check of a few players by looking at their 'Show Info' and report that again: "Scout, local has 6 Tri and 1 unknown"

When a system has multiple players in local your priority is getting the gang in and through that system safely, go to a tactical of the gate (or warp to a planet and power away) and keep scanning, report changes. When the gang jumps in you go to the next gate and keep scanning while you warp off, report changes. At the tactical (or Planet) of the next gate you report if it is clear or camped. Depending on what is on the gate (no bubble or Dictor) you go to and through the gate and report it by saying: "Scout moving into LTS, friendly out" Once you and the gang are out of all imminent danger and have moved a few systems you can get back to the finding targets.

"Scout, Raven on 5 degrees toward belt moving in" Yay you found target, this report is to get the gang ready for action and we now have battlecomms

"Scout, point on target warp to Piwata Bee .... warp to Piwata Bee" YARR!! oke we got ourselves a victim, you are orbiting between 17 and 20 Km (if you have a 24km point) and started shooting (in my case Javelin Rockets for distance). Gang is informed you have a point on him and to whom they need to warp to, the FC orders the gang to jump and either warps the gang or let them warp on their own towards you. When the gang arrives you start orbiting closer to be able to engage you shorter range weapons, unless you have Arty's ofcourse.

Behavior examples

When entering a system where the clusters and gates are far away you warp towards a central Planet, in-flight you keep spamming the scan button and if a ship shows up while the clusters and gates are still out of scan range it usually means that this ship is warping towards the gate you just left. Report this immediately and make sure the gang gets ready to engage. It could also be a gang is warping in which forms a threat for the gang so always report numbers and composition of ships in that gang.

When the Agony gang is in combat go back to the gate where the gang is and power a few hundred Km out but stay on grid and keep an eye on the scanner and gate to make sure there is nothing coming to ambush them. NEVER EVER jump back into the system the gang is fighting in (unless you are in a dead end system which is empty), the scout doesn't bring that not much more DPS and having eyes in another system can be crucial ! I have had large forces move to the gate and go through in an effort to help the guy that was under Agony attack. By reporting that and telling them to disengage and warp off everyone stayed out of harms way.

When jumping into a gate camp take your time to zoom out and report what ships there are, if there is a bubble report type and its size. Next look at the best way to power out of the bubble but if there are Battleships they might NOS* you before you are able to warp off or are out of their range, in that case powering back to the gate might be your best option.

Ask the FC for a new destination if you are 2 to 3 jumps out of your final destination, this gives the FC plenty of time to set a new one.

• NOS is a joke right now so no danger at all, a NEUT on the other hand is still a danger !

Happy hunting, Killa Bee