Fleets are the mechanic of EVE Online that enable players to group up with each other. It expands possibilities in masses, up to 256 players a fleet. Being in a fleet provides many advantages, such as:
- The ability to warp to your fleet members.
- The ability to directly and easily communicate with your fleet members
- The ability to warp fleet members, all at once, anywhere.
- The ability to segregate your enemies and friendlies from your overview.
- The ability to receive Command Bursts, which temporarily award your ship specific bonuses.
And many more!
Finding Fleets
Fleets are a must when it comes to teaming up with people to reach a goal or a scope. Even if you don’t have a corporation, or friends, there are many fleeting services out there. Let’s go over the options you have.
Corporation
Usually, corporations run some form of content a couple of times of week. These can range from mining fleets to hunting other players, and are generally the most enjoyable and valuable.
Ask your corporation members if there is any corporation content, if not, lead some yourself!
Alliance
If your corporation is in an alliance, usually there are home defense fleets or war campaigns. Generally these are communicated in the form of pings on third-party programs like Discord, Slack, or Jabber.
Ask your CEO for help if you’re stuck.
NPSI
NPSI stands for Not Purple, Shoot It. These fleets are offered by groups like Bomber’s Bar and Spectre Fleet, and involve hundreds of people from hundreds of corporations and alliances banding together to have some fun. These are some of the most enjoyable fleets in EVE Online, you should definitely participate.
To participate, join any of the following in-game channels:
- SF Spectre Fleet, or visit their website.
- Bombers Bar
On the Spectre Fleet discord, you can find many other NPSI fleets like Bjorn Bee, RvB, and Zarvox.
Chat Programs
If you want to participate in fleet content, it’s important to have the range of tools that players use.
To be quite honest, you should just download them all, because you never know when you’re going to need to hop into a third-party voice server.
- Teamspeak 3
- Mumble
- Discord
Make sure to set up push-to-talk, nobody wants to hear your cat meowing!
Fleet Terminology
Standing Fleet: A fleet that occupies a pocket, or a section of space, with the scope of protecting it of threats. Helps ratters and miners in distress.
Response Fleet: A fleet that usually upgrades from a Standing Fleet once a big threat is detected in the surrounding space. It forms in order to eliminate the enemy fleet and restore harmony.
Anchor: Keep your anchor (generally the FC) at range, orbit, or approach.
Generally, a range will be provided.Whelp (a fleet): The FC makes a decision that ends up killing every member of the fleet, by a long shot of success.
FC: Fleet Commander. The leader of your fleet.
X up: Type “x” in chat if you fall under a specific category.
Applies for other letters as well.WWW: Warp, repeated three times. In fleet chat, it represents a pilot in distress, which other fleet members should warp to.
AAA: Align, repeated three times. Generally commandeered after jumping a gate, it signifies aligning to a point in space, usually precised after the command.
JJJ: Jump, repeated three times. It emphasizes that the fleet jumps the gate immediately.
RRR: Rats, repeated three times. In fleet chat, it represents a pilot is under overwhelming NPC attack, and he requires assistance.
Used in Standing Fleets.In gate: The gate you use to enter a system, belonging to a destination.
Out gate: The gate you use to exit a system, belonging to a destination.Hold gate: Stay still on the gate, without jumping it or moving away from it.
Gate is red is also used to eliminate any confusion from “do not jump“, as some people could perceive it as “jump“.Hold cloak: After jumping, do not align or move. Keep your gate cloak active.
Jump on contact: Once you land on grid, spam the jump button in order to jump as soon as you are able to.
Shotgun: Once you jump a system, pick a cosmic anomaly and warp to it.
This technique is used in slightly larger fleets, to spread across all over a system and tackle ratters/miners.Tackle: Disabling a ship’s warp drive.
Point: Disabling a ship’s warp drive by using a Warp Disruptor.
Scram: Disabling a ship’s warp drive by using a Warp Scrambler.
The difference is important, thus bolded. Warp Disruptors disable one point of stability, whereas Scramblersdisable two by default. Warp Scramblers can also disable the activation of a Microwarpdrive. Don’t get them mixed up together!
Web: Slowing down a ship by using a Stasis Webifier.
Never web a ship without establishing at least a point. Ships need to reach 75% of their maximum velocity to warp. By webbing a ship without a point, you are making it get away faster by lowering its maximum velocity.Don’t be bummed out if a ship gets away when you’ve pointed him. People can have warp stabilizers fitted, and that’s completely fine. At least you tried!
Starburst: Spread out by manual piloting in random directions, or warp out (if told to do so).
Check-check: Clear communications for intel that is vital for the fleet.
Break-break is also used.Battle communications: The FC transmits that no one that isn’t fulfilling a specialized role (such as hunting, tackling, or probing) is to keep silent and keep the communications clear for important information. That means that onomatopoeia, coughing, sniffing, laughing, or other comments are to not be present.
Inty or ceptor: Short for interceptor.
Dictor: Short for interdictor.
Logistics: Ships that have the ability to repair other ships.
Primary: The target everyone should be attacking.
Secondary: The target everyone should attack instantly after primary dies.
Tertiary: The target everyone should attack instantly after secondary dies.
The chain usually ends at “tertiary“.+1: A pilot, generally in an interceptor or a fast ship, which will always be one system ahead of the fleet over the course of a destination.
This is done to make sure the way is clear, without any threats ahead.-1: A pilot, usually an interdictor, which remains one system behind the fleet, laying down bubbles or verifying the way. This term is very rarely used.
The same term is used when referring to a fleet member loss.
Broadcasts
Broadcasting is the most important tool for fleets, they tell you which gates to go to, which targets to shoot, and who needs remote repairs. If you haven’t set up your broadcast keybinds, check out this guide.
Viewing Broadcasts
Whenever you’re in a fleet, you need to have your broadcast window open.
From here, you’ll be able to see targets that your commander and fleet members broadcast, and anything else that is sent.
Keep in mind, not all broadcasts are useful. If you’re not a logistics pilot, you shouldn’t flood your broadcast history with people broadcasting for repairs. Thus, it’s best to change your broadcast settings.
Sending Broadcasts
The best way to send broadcasts is through shortcuts, which we set up in this guide.
Please do not reply on clicking on the broadcast buttons, it’s bad and you’re going to die.
Some Advice
Fleets are the most enjoyable aspect of EVE Online, whether you’re shooting space rocks with your friends, or are involved in a huge 5000 player fight.
Have fun.
These are space pixels, people forget that far too often. I’ve led plenty of fleets and attended even more, don’t get let rude FCs, spaceship losses, and digital diplomacy ruin your experience.
- Never doubt your FC, die with glory.
- Always thank the enemy for the content.
- If you consistently aren’t having fun, make a change.
Fly dangerous!
