hydraSlav
Synergy Evolved
Serenity Fallen
   |
Posted - 2006.10.23 16:22:00 -
[1]
No no no.
The problem with ECM is not jammer strength. It's the fact that a single non-EW frigate has a random chance to jam the BS, rendering it completely useless for 20 seconds (imagine what happens in a fleet battle in 20 seconds). It completely negates the use for any modules increasing the sensor strength, cause that chance is absolutely random and no matter what your sensor strength is, after the jamming succeeds, you are sitting duck.
Why not make jammers have the same penalty as firing larger missiles at faster/smaller ships, but in reverse?
Right now, if you fire larger missiles at smaller ships, the smaller ship takes a reduced damage. The rationale is: "if you want to hit smaller ships, fit smaller launchers or field a smaller ship"
Have the same in reverse for jammers: if you want to render a bigger ship useless through jamming, field a bigger ship.
How to make it work? Leave the jamming chance as is, but change the duration of being jammed to depend on the sensor strength of the jammer and the ship being jammed.
So
- If a frigate jams a frigate, the jammed duration is 20 seconds (no change)
- If a frigate jams a cruiser, the jammed duration is 10 seconds (because the cruiser has higher sensor strength than the frigate)
- If a frigate jams a battleship, the jammed duration is only 5 seconds (cause the battleship has a high sensor strength)
- If a BS jams a frigate, the jammed duration is 20 seconds (no change, cause the BS has overpowering sensor strength)
- If a cruiser jams a frigate, the jammed duraction is 20 seconds (no change again, cause the cruiser has overpowering sensor strength).
Now dont forget that the above will be offset by the relocking times.
In a Frigate vs Battleship, even though the BS is only jammed for 5 seconds, it will have a high penalty cause it will take it long time (5-15 seconds) to relock the frigate. However in a fleet situation, if the above Battleship gets jammed by a small frigate, it can quickly recover (5 seconds) and continue fleet fighting within 2-3 seconds it would take to lock other fleet battleships.
This way, small ships can still hinder bigger ship's electronics. But considering that bigger ships have more powerful electronics, they recover quicker. So if you want to efficiently jam an enemy BS, you need to bring your own EW-dedicated BS.
Similarly, EW-dedicated smaller ships can have a bonus to the jamming duration (upto the maximum of 20 seconds).
This does not change the ECM's defensive role. Whether you are a hauler, frigate or a BS, you still have the same chance to break the enemy's lock and get away.
This will however stop the absurd of small frigates rendering bigger ships (with more powerful and sophisticated electronics) useless for too long in fleet encounters
p.s. the number above are only for example. If this is to be implemented, it will be by comparing the sensor strengths between ships
===================================
Above comments are my personal views, and do not represent my corporation or alliance, unless otherwise indicated |