| There are lots of ships in EVE Online, and lots of | | | | most effective damage to use against them. |
| places to go. The high security systems are | | | | Once you come across a target (one of those |
| generally pretty safe, as there are many security | | | | red crosses), select it and lock on. If they are too |
| patrols and gun emplacements to protect you | | | | far out of range, select the target, approach it, |
| from pirates or attacks by other players. But if | | | | and once you are in range, lock on. Select the |
| you want to make money, you don't want safe. | | | | target again and choose 'orbit'. Select one of the |
| You want danger. From danger comes the | | | | ranges in the list (15km is usually safe) and then |
| possibility of pirate attacks, and it will be your job | | | | wait until the target is in range of your weapons |
| to kill those scurvy devils. Argh! | | | | before you fire. You can also determine the |
| PIRATE HUNTING - BASIC STRATEGY | | | | optimal range of your guns by right-clicking them |
| In order to hunt pirates, you must go to them. | | | | while in space, choosing 'info' and finding the |
| Pirates lurk in asteroid belts that can be found in | | | | 'Optimal' value. You don't need to be at the exact |
| virtually every solar system out there. The only | | | | given range as it's actually 'maximum optimal'. |
| place you won't find them are 1.0 security | | | | Above it you'll hit for less (if you can hit your |
| systems. The general rule is: the lower sec status | | | | target at all) but below that distance your guns |
| a system has, the more powerful pirates inhabit | | | | will work best. |
| its belts. | | | | After you have opened fire, select any other |
| 1. Go to a system with lots of asteroid belts. 2. | | | | targets and lock onto them. Once your current |
| Warp to an asteroid belt. Right-click in space for | | | | target is destroyed, wait until your weapons have |
| quick access to the list of celestial bodies. 3. Look | | | | stopped firing (you will know they have stopped |
| for pirates. 4. If no pirates are there, warp to the | | | | firing when the weapon icon isn't lit in green), and |
| next belts. 5. If pirates are there, kill them. 6. | | | | fire your weapons at the new target. Repeat this |
| Take their loot. Salvage wrecks if you can. 7. | | | | for as many enemies are present until they are |
| Repeat until you run out of ammo, need repairs, | | | | destroyed. |
| or fill your cargo hold. 8. Go to a station, re-equip, | | | | Taking Damage |
| drop off your loot, and go out and do it again. | | | | You are bound to take hits, and there are several |
| Seems simple, right? It is. You can do this as | | | | ways to cope with that. Caldari ships should focus |
| much as you want, and as long as you don't get | | | | on maintaining their shields. Fit a Shield Booster |
| in over your head by attacking pirates that are | | | | module to redirect capacitor energy into shield |
| too powerful, you will be able to make some | | | | recharge. Missile launchers work best coupled with |
| fairly easy ISKs. | | | | shield boosters because they don't need energy |
| Start in a high security system and experiment | | | | to fire. Amarr and Gallente can tank much more |
| with various types of pirates. Once you're | | | | effectively using their armor. That means they |
| confident of your ability to fight through anything | | | | need at least one Small Armor Repairer in their |
| the system's belts have in store, move to a | | | | low fitting slot. Minmatar frigates are fast and |
| lower security one. Just remember not to stray | | | | agile. They should use an afterburner to maintain |
| below 0.5 or you'll find yourself in an entirely | | | | high speed making themselves difficult to hit. This |
| different reality. | | | | method is called speed-tanking and works with all |
| PIRATE HUNTING - COMBAT TACTICS | | | | races' ships to some extent. Minmatar pilots can |
| The basics of NPC hunting do not vary too much | | | | also employ armor repairers. Just keep the golden |
| from the mock fight in the game tutorial. We'll | | | | rule of tanking in mind: never, EVER mix armor |
| cover the most important aspects to help you | | | | and shield tank together. |
| avoid the most common mistakes. You'll finish the | | | | Reloading |
| tutorial missions with a frigate. Stick to it for the | | | | You don't want to warp to a new asteroid belt, |
| time being. All the recommended character builds | | | | stumble upon 5 enemy frigates, and find that all |
| listed above give you racial frigate skill at level 4. | | | | your guns are down to 3 charges. Also, reloading |
| This allows you to train Destroyers or even your | | | | takes 10 seconds regardless of your skills and |
| race's cruisers right away. The latter possibility is | | | | weapon type. That's ten seconds of taking |
| only worth it if your corporation has access to 0.0 | | | | damage without the ability to shoot back so |
| space. Destroyers are perfectly capable of killing | | | | make sure it doesn't happen in combat. Get into |
| all high sec rats and their loss doesn't hurt you | | | | the habit of reloading all your weapons once you |
| nearly as much as losing a cruiser would. | | | | complete a fight and are collecting the loot. Also, |
| Frigate-class ships (destroyers included) can't tank | | | | keep an eye on the ammo supply in your cargo |
| damage very well. For that reason you should use | | | | hold. If you are getting low, go back to the |
| long-range weapons against NPCs. That means | | | | station and resupply. |
| missiles and railguns for Caldari, railguns and drones | | | | Jamming |
| (with range skills trained) for Gallente, artillery for | | | | Some pirates carry ECM equipment that will |
| Minmatar pilots and beam lasers for the Amarr. | | | | prevent you from locking onto them for about 20 |
| Frigates and destroyers mount 'small' guns and | | | | seconds. If you don't have the shields to stand up |
| 'standard' missile launchers (called light by some | | | | to 20 seconds of attacks, you will probably want |
| players) so make sure you fit the right type. | | | | to upgrade to a better ship (usually not necessary |
| The final step is picking the right ammo type. | | | | unless you don't have at least a destroyer) or |
| Look under 'Ammunition & Charges' in the | | | | just warp away and come back. Unfortunately |
| Market window. | | | | and contrary to the popular belief, NPC jammers, |
| Railguns consume Small Hybrid Charges. There are | | | | unlike player-operated ECM, cannot be countered |
| 8 different types of charges, varying between | | | | by ECCM modules. |
| high-power short-range Antimatter to low-power | | | | Chaining |
| long-range Iron. You can start with Lead, the type | | | | In Empire space you'll be jumping between |
| with balanced stats. You can always switch to a | | | | systems in search of targets to kill. In 0.0, |
| type more suited to your style. | | | | especially in a relatively safe system, it's better to |
| For artillery, look under Small Projectile Ammo. | | | | chain pirate spawns. You need to be able to kill |
| Once again you're presented with 8 types of | | | | battleship rats so this technique is not suited for |
| ammunition. EMP is the most powerful but shorter | | | | beginners. In a spawn where battleships are |
| ranged type and its opposite is Carbonized Lead. | | | | mixed with other NPCs, only kill the battleships. |
| Depleted Uranium is your middle of the road | | | | Wipe out any non-battleship groups. After an |
| starter. | | | | hour, you should be getting valuable battleships in |
| Beam Lasers utilize Frequency Crystals, from the | | | | every asteroid belt thanks to the game |
| shortest ranged Multifrequency, to long-range | | | | mechanics that generate each NPC group |
| Radio. For your first fights, try the Standard. | | | | randomly but replace ship losses once a group is |
| Crystals degrade over time. They aren't | | | | in game. |
| consumed with each shot like other charges, but | | | | Ratting can be a lucrative career if done correctly. |
| they need to be replaced occasionally. | | | | Knowing your enemy, knowing their powers and |
| Missiles also have their own unique properties. All | | | | limitations (as well as your own) and planning |
| four standard missile types have the same range | | | | beforehand are the keys to making the most of |
| potential and damage yield. They differ in the | | | | your time spent ratting. With a little thought and |
| type of damage dealt to targets. Check Appendix | | | | some basic preparations, you can start making |
| A for more information on NPC types and the | | | | significant ISK. |