This is just a suggestion for discussion. I am not advocating CCP should change this, nor attempting to help helpless carebears, nor trying to ruin anyone's play. Just an idea that popped into the old head and decided to mention it here.

What if the maximum applied damage to any ship was equal to that ship's total amount per shield, armor, or hull per strike?

Example: a ship can alpha for a combined total damage of 6000 points.

The target has 2000 shield, 3000 armor, and 1000 hull. Normally, the first ship will shoot the ship and down it goes. But what if the first alpha strike took out just the shield even though there would be 4000 damage left. Then the next alpha strike would take out the whole 3000 armor, and again with 3000 damage left. Then the last alpha strike would take out the ship since the 1000 hull would be destroyed. Thus the aggressor released 18,000 damage but due to the layering effect, the targeted ship was not instantly destroyed in one volley.

Comments or thoughts?

then why would i ever train tactical shield manipulation to 5

I don't really think anyone's taking issue with alpha damage. The calibration is in keeping with the parts...the whole doesn't exceed the sum of the total parts. In fleet actions it would seem appropriate to be able to take down a tackler before it gets within range of its primary. There's a bit of drama involved with that, too. Though I can see the visual prospects of your idea. It'd make for good video.

Even ganking Hulks, which seems to be the major issue, if you work the numbers - line up the correct amount of dessies, fire on three...(Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch style) the alpha damage should obliterate the appropriate amount of "figures" (with the ensuing loss of ships to CONCORD being proportionate.)

The issue is twofold:

A. The criminal penalty isn't commesurate with the act involved.

B. The risk/loss/gain ratio is skewed, encouraging one activity in the game over all the others.
(MMO poison - a chokepoint).

The result of this is the mentally challenged n00bs circumventing the depth and diversity of the game for a single yuk yuk career in what they call "ganking", then claiming it's a form of PvP, then of course claiming EVE is "all about" PvP, so they're the only ones doing it right, and anyone who thinks it's ridiculous is a crying carebear.

Adjusting alpha damage calibration would affect too much of the rest of the game the gankers don't have a clue exists, which most of us would rather see untouched. And, the issues stated above don't even involve gankers. They involve CCP's willingness to acknowledge and adjust an obvious distortion of this game.

You shouldn't do that anyway, since it's actually detrimental to your tanking ability except in very rare, very specific, and highly implausible circumstances.

Tippia would you please so nice and explain that. Thanks