Thursday, August 2, 2007

EVE Online Ships - Names and Classifications

With a manegerie of ships flying across the galaxies of EVE, one can get confused easily with the various names that each faction/class/race has for their own vessels( given the fact that each of them own ALOT of vessels at the same time). For better identification, here is a list of names of ship types with their race specific names:

Tech Level I
Rookie ships
Basically the ship for beginners, with basic weaponry and mining tools, most commonly used for tutorial missions.
Amarr - Impairor
Caldari - Ibis
Gallente - Velator
Minmatar - Reaper

Frigates
Light, fast but fragile. Based on quick combat maneuvers, and highly effective in large numbers. Best used to 'disable' large ship classes by using the correct equipment[i.e. draining, scrambling warp engines and tackling(webbing)].
Amarr - Tormentor, Executioner, Crucifier, Punisher, Inquisitor
Caldari - Bantam, Condor, Griffin, Heron, Merlin, Kestrel
Gallente - Navitas, Atron, Maulus, Imicus, Incursus, Tristan
Minmatar - Burst, Slasher, Vigil, Probe, Rifter, Breacher

Destroyers
Designed specifically for Anti-frigate warfare, the destroyer has high number of turret slots but low rate of fire. With mediocre armor and fire power, destroyers are able to take out frigates easily but are ineffective against larget ship classes.
Amarr - Coercer
Caldari - Comorant
Gallente - Catalyst
Minmatar - Thrasher

Cruisers
Multi-functional vessels, larger and slower, but with a more durable armor. Able to mount more damaging weapons that a destroyer, can be used for combat or even cargo shipping and mining.
Amarr - Arbitrator, Augoror, Maller, Omen
Caldari - Blackbird, Osprey, Moa, Caracal
Gallente - Celestis, Exequror, Thorax, Vexor
Minmatar - Bellicose, Scythe, Rupture, Stabber

Industrial ships
Designed for cargo transport( comparatively large cargo hold). Mostly require armed escorts but the module slot layouts provide for sneaky ambush tactics.
Amarr - Sigil, Bestower
Caldari - Badger, Badger Mark II
Gallente - Iteron, Iteron Mark II, Iteron Mark III, Iteron Mark IV, Iteron Mark V
Minmatar - Wreathe, Hoarder, Mammoth

Battlecruisers
Battlecruisers serve as fleet command in small scale battles, with gang assist modules, boosting the offensive and defensive capabilities of the fleet. With a larger damage output than Cruisers, and defence, they are more favored than the Destroyers. The disadvantage will be the decreased maneuverability.
Amarr - Prophecy, Harbinger
Caldari - Ferox, Drake
Gallente - Brutix. Myrmidon
Minmatar - Cyclone, Hurricane

Battleships
Battleships are staple to every fleet, although slower, they are more durable with the ability to mount impressive firepower with large sized weaponry.
Amarr - Armageddon, Apocalypse, Abaddon
Caldari - Scorpion, Raven, Rokh
Gallente - Dominix, Megathron, Hyperion
Minmatar - Typhoon, Tempest, Maelstrom

Tech Level II
Tech Level II ships are modified versions of the Tech Level I ships, adopting the original outlook but with improved modules, engines, and colour. With improved capabilities, they are usually modified to fit a specialized role in a team, thus limiting their userbility only to that specific field of use.

Covert Operations
Modified versions of the frigates, with mounted cloaking systems, enables them to vanish when thretenend and warp while being cloaked. Usually equipped with Electric Warfare, they are effective in larger groups as scouts and other tactical use. Stealth bombers are able to mount on battleship class missile launchers, allowing to to surprise the enemy with masssive damage.
Amarr - Anathema(Crucifier - Covert Ops), Purifier(Inquisitor - Steatlh Bomber)
Caldari - Buzzard(Heron - Covert Ops), Manticore(Kestrel - Steath Bomber)
Gallente - Helios(Maulus - Covert Ops), Nemesis(Tristan - Stealth Bomber)
Minmatar - Cheetah(Vigil - Covert Ops), Hound(Breacher - Stealth Bomber)

Assault Ships
Frigates modified with heavy firepower and higher durability, with decreased speed.
Amarr - Retribution(Punisher), Vengeance(Punisher)
Caldari - Harpy(Merlin), Hawk(Merlin)
Gallente - Enyo(Incursus), Ishkur(Incursus)
Minmatar - Wolf(Rifter), Jaguar(Rifter)

Interceptors
Modified frigates designed for high speed dogfights, perfect for swarming larger classes and pinning them down, providing ample time for reinforcements to arrive.
Amarr - Crusader(Executioner - Damage), Malediction(Executioner - Tackling)
Caldari - Crow(Condor - Damage), Raptor(Condor - Tackling)
Gallente - Taranis(Atron - Damage), Ares(Atron - Tackling)
Minmatar - Claw(Slasher - Damage), Stiletto(Slasher - Tackling)

Interdictors
An upgraded Destroyer, with no penalties on rate of fire, and increased speed. Their main purpose is launching a Warp Interdiction sphere, prevent warping in a radius for a time period. A 'staple' for fleet combat, as they fcan pin down entire fleets for extended periods of time.
Amarr - Heretic(Coercer)
Caldari - Flycatcher(Comorant)
Gallente - Eric(Catalyst)
Minmatar - Sabre(Thrasher)

Heavy Assault Ships
A.k.a. Heavy Assault Cruisers(HAC), are the best solo combat ships available. Equiped with heavy fire power, strong defences with vastly increased damage resistances, and add in the element of speed.
Amarr - Sacrilege(Maller), Zealot(Omen)
Caldari - Cerberus(Caracal), Eagle(Moa)
Gallente - Deimos(Thorax), Ishtar(Vexor)
Minmatar - Muninn(Rupture), Vagabond(Stabber)

Logistic Cruisers
Designed exclusively to aid teammates in combat, these cruisers have bonuses to remote repairing and boosting.
Amarr - Guardian(Auguror)
Caldari - Basilisk(Osprey)
Gallente - Oneiros(Exequror)
Minmatar - Scimitar(Scythe)

Reconnaissance Ships
Divided into 2 sub-classes : Combat Recon and Force Recon. Force Recon ships can be equiped with cloaking modules and strong Electronic Warfare bonuses. Combat Recons are more offensive, similiar to the Force recon but with added bonuses for weapon systems.
Amarr - Curse(Arbitartor - Combat), Pilgrim(Arbitrator - Force)
Caldari - Rook(Blackbird - Combat), Falcon(Blackbird - Force)
Gallente - Lachesis(Celestis - Combat), Arazu(Celestis - Force)
Minmatar - Huginn(Bellicose - Combat), Rapier(Bellicose - Force)

Command Ships
Modified versions of the battlecruiser designed to command and assist operations with 2 sub-classes: Field and Fleet Command. Field Command Ships may use one 'gang assistance' module, and have strong defences and offensive capabilities. Fleet Commands are more limited in offence but have increased defensive capabilities, and are able to use 3 'gang assistance' modules.
Amarr - Absolution(Prophecy - Field), Damnation(Prophecy - Fleet)
Caldari - Nighthawk(Ferox - Field), Vulture(Ferox - Fleet)
Gallente - Astarte(Brutix - Field), Eos(Brutix - Fleet)
Minmatar - Sleipnir(Cyclone - Field), Claymore(Cyclone - Fleet)

Transport Ships
Modifed versions of the Industrial class, designed to haul cargo through low-security systems. With high defences its increases the survivability of ship. Divided into 2 sub-classes: The Blockade Runner - very fast with resistance to warp disruption; and the Deep Space Transport - slower with enlarged cargo space and high defence.
Amarr - Impel(Bestower - Deep Space), Prorator(Sigil - Blockade)
Caldari - Bustard(Badger Mark II - Deep Space), Crane(Badger - Blockade)
Gallente - Occator(Iteron Mark III - Deep Space), Viator(Iteron Mark I - Blockade)
Minmatar - Mastodon(Mammoth - Deep Space), Prowler(Wreathe - Blockade)

Capital Ships
Designed for major operations and usually found in medium or large player owned corporations due to the expensive price. Best used in fleet operations due to many vulnerabilities.

Freighters
Largest cargo ships available, with 40 times more holding space than the best Industrial classes. This makes them a valuable asset to corporations for large scale transporations as they can even transport packaged ships.
Amarr - Providence
Caldari - Charon
Gallente - Obelisk
Minmatar - Fenrir

Dreadnoughts
Capable of mounting capital sized weaponry and with high defensive capababilities, Dreadnoughts are designed for extended sieges and static installations, i.e. starbases or spacestations. Dreadnoughts require fleet support due to limited capabilities against large number of smaller class ships. They also come with the siege mode ability, sacrificing mobility for 4 times their original offensive and defensive capabilities.
Amarr - Revelation
Caldari - Phoenix
Gallente - Moros
Minmatar - Naglfar

Carriers
Main offensive capabilities revolve around the deployment of super-heavy combat drones called fighters. They also come with bonuses to remote repairing. Carrier are able to operate fighters remotely, allowing them to provide support away from the frontline. Also capable of carrying frigates, and comes with a small corporate hangar.
Amarr - Archon
Caldari - Chimera
Gallente - Thanatos
Minmatar - Nidhoggur

Motherships
Having similiar functions, Motherships are set apart by the increased capacity and as well as complete immunity to Electronic Warfare. Equiped with a items hanger to store combat equipment, they also cotnain a ship within. Besides that, they have cloning vats, allowing rebirth for allied pilots.
Amarr - Aeon
Caldari - Wyvern
Gallente - Nyx
Minmatar - Hel

Titans
Able to perform the same fleet functions and support roles as the Mothership, and being the only capital ship to cteate jump portals which enables escort and support ships to move from system to system without a stargate. Although they come with weaker offence and defence, the Titan has a capital sized Superweapon capable of destroying entire fleets of battleships with one shot - at the disadvantage of a one hour recharge time and 10 minutes restriction for jumping.
Amarr - Avatar
Caldari - Leviathan
Gallente - Erebus
Minmatar - Ragnarok

Monday, July 30, 2007

EVE Online Ships - Racial Traits

What attracts me most for EVE Online are the diversity of ships available for players to utilize throughout the game. Being a Sci-Fi fan, EVE Online is like truly nirvana for a sci-fi junkie like myself. Growing up watching various Sci-Fi shows like Star Trek, Babylon 5, and of course Star Wars! Federations, coporations, governments going against each other in political warfares on a galactic scale. Wtih Rebels running about, chaos and order divided by a thread's width, it is truly amazing that an online game like EVE can integrate so much realism( as fictitious as it can be) into it's system. What more being able to pilot a battleship to cruise to galaxies, being the next Jean Luc Picard? (oh Joy!)

To highlight on the ships for EVE, each four playable races have their own individual categories for each ship class and names for each different version of them. Mining barges are the common ones available for all.

Caldari
Caldari ships have powerful defensive shielding, and a diversity of missile launchers with railguns. They are also noted for dedication to Electric Warfare vessels (the Griffin frigate, the Blackbird cruiser, the Rook and Falcon recon ships, and the Scorpion battleship). With asymmetrical geometric, they tend to name their ships after animals, mainly Avians and some also go by the name of mythological creatures, such as the Phoenix-class dreadnought, or the Leviathan Titan.

Caldari vessels rely highly on their energy shields on defence, resulting in weak armor and hulls.

Gallente
Gallente ships have the strongest structures, sturdy with defensive armor plates, adept at powerful short-range attacks and usage of combat drones. They are designed to charge head-on, deal massive damage and survive their initial assault so that they can do so repeatedly during battle. Many of their ships are specialized to drone carriage, and adding bonuses to drones' capabilities, such as the Ishkur assault ship, the Vexor-class cruiser, the Ishtar heavy assault ship, the Myrmidon battlecruiser and the Dominix battleship. Gallente ships are mostly named after figures from cultural mythologies(Ishkur, Ishtar, Enyo), or Latin(Thorax, Navitas, Incursus).

Being the second most advanced of the four empires, just below the Caldari, the Gallente are highly specialised in combat drones, speed, structural integrity and hybrid weaponry. Ships such as the hard-charging Megathron battleship and the majestic Thanatos-class carrier are the mainstay of the Gallente fleet.

Amarr
With almost impenetrable armor and massive array of destructive lasers, Ammar vessels are the juggesnauts of the EVE universe. Their trends on vessels are constant, straightforward and practical/effective killing force. Having 2 categories: Damage-oriented and Armor-oriented ships. The Retribution assault ship, the Omen cruiser, the Zealot heavy assault ship, and the Armageddon battleship all have one or more damage or rate of fire bonuses and focus on raw laser damage. The Punisher frigate, Maller cruiser, Sacrilege heavy assault ship, and Apocalypse and Abaddon battleships focus on the ability to tank damage. Amarr vessels are often associated with religious terms and names, such as the Armageddon and Apocalypse battleships, and the Avatar Titan.

Amarr battle strategies are based on overwhelming the enemy with vast numbers, overpowering them with brute force, similiar to the term 'nuking'.

Minmatar
Minmatar vessels are often viewed as flying junkyards, due to their crude appearance of looking like a patchwork of scaffolding and junk stuck together. But their outlooks betray their prowess in battle. Geared to 'hit-and-run' maneuvers, they are practicall the fastest in the game. Adept at pin-point long range attacks, and other flexibilities(i.e, usage of drones, turrets, missile launchers), provides players with effective adaption to different battle situations. Ship names include animals (the Jaguar and Wolf assault ships), blade weapons (the Stiletto interceptor, the Scythe cruiser), names for winds (the Tempest and Typhoon battleships, the Cyclone and Hurricane battlecruiser), names of Norse mythological origin (the Hel mothership, the Ragnarok titan with its Gjallarhorn Doomsday device, the Huginn and Muninn elite cruisers, and the Naglfar Dreadnought) and names one would associate with violence and destruction (the Rupture and Stabber cruisers).