I originally posted this on Reddit but it's appropriate here:
First of all, I want to frame this conversation by saying that I am aware of how balance issues affect gameplay differently depending on gameplay style and area of space. With this in mind, I am writing this piece from the perspective of a member of an active small high SP alliance which holds sov that is being utilized in all its aspects to a reasonably high degree.
I'm not going to speculate on the future iterations or structure releases except to say the general trend and trajectory seems to indicate that CCP wants to give sov holders more control over the utilization and defense of their space. I think the community generally agrees that buffing if not the benefits of sov but the quality of life for sov holders who live in and utilize their space is a universal good for the game. Aegis sov took away the benefits and necessity for huge coalitions to own vast swaths of fallow space; the new mechanics enable small alliances to make some temporary friends and actually take space. Future releases seem to be aimed at helping those alliances keep that space and capitalize on the promise of their new homes.
These are all very positive directions! But all is not well.
The Fall release is going to see major changes to the way industry is done in nullsec. It's no secret that the miners of nullsec, mining the best ores with the best boosts offered by Rorquals, fuel the economy of New Eden. Unless you've lived out in nullsec either as a member of a militarized sov holding alliance or an industrialist, it can be difficult to understand the flow of life when nothing else is going on: log in, mine or rat, keep eyes on intel and reap the rewards of owning space you live in. When neutrals come in, assess the threats and usually get safe. When roaming gangs come in, usually they are on their prime time and in well comped doctrines. The locals on the other hand, may be just a handful of people in their off time, or simply without enough available to form a reasonable response.
The roamers find a few stragglers or not, and move on, the locals undock and go about their business again. All's fair. Right? Not for long!
Well, the teams responsible for capital balance and industry are going to be making a just massive change to this formula by forcing the Rorqual boosts to be on grid. Not a big deal you say if you don't want to risk it? Well you've never gotten Rorqual boosts! Mining in nullsec without boosts is a non-starter for a serious industrial operation. Full Stop.
This change will be balanced by the increased yield from "mining fighters" deployed from the Rorqual and the invulnerability shield the Rorqual can put up to defend industrial ships on grid in its fleet. The purpose of this mechanic is to give a response fleet a chance to get to the Rorqual.
Team Five-O, what response fleet do you envision coming to the aid of this mining fleet in a typical sov holding alliance pocket? Usually, the people on hand who have useful ships will be carrier ratting. The easiest answer to having a mining fleet locked down by a roaming gang would be to cyno available carriers to the Rorqual, the same answer a well prepared alliance has to having a ratting carrier locked down.
This is precisely why carriers have to be good against the things that are likely to conduct strikes into sov. Weakening carriers nerfs Sov and industry. Strengthening carriers buffs Sov and industry.
TL;DR Before releasing sweeping changes to industry, please consider the roles that carriers play to a sov holding alliance in defending its space. Carriers are the balancing tool that allow sov holding alliances to reasonably defend their space against incursions aimed at disrupting sov utilization.
A nerf or buff to carriers is a nerf or buff to Sov.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Eve/comments/4rde59/open_letter_to_team_fiveo_regarding_carrier/