EVE:AHACSskill
Overview
Armor HAC's are also commonly refered to as AHAC's. This Fleet Doctrine is more skill intensive than usual fleets, both in terms of pilot SP and pilot skill. These fleets will usually also be supported by bomber squads which are currently incredibly effective.
Using the combination of small signature radius with afterburner speed, AHACs are incredibly hard to hit and allow the fleet to avoid much of the damage that they would normally need to tank. Orbiting the Anchor allows them to maintain their transversal and provide a lot of damage.
Ship Classes
The majority of the fleet should be flying DPS, probably 65%, with a smattering of Logistics making up ~15%, 5-10% Firewalling T3s, and the rest in EWAR, with at least 1-2 Hictors, and armour dictors.
General Fitting Notes
- When we have any given Faction Armor Hardener plugged into a fit it's not important that you get that exact hardener but one of equivalent quality (note: it does have to protect against the given damage type!). For example a fit has a Shadow Serpentis Armor Kinetic Hardener - any other Faction Hardener (such as Dark Blood, Federation Navy, etc) is acceptable as well. Logic would dictate you go with the cheapest one.
DPS
DPS Ships shoot the primary. Spread your ECM by following the instructions in the EWAR section below. Fit one of the requested modules (preferably the one the FC wanted!) and receive killmails.
Zealot
Zealot
Zealots rock, you should all want to fly one. Anchor up, shoot the Primary, spread your ECM and receive killmails.
Logistics
Rep people who ask for it via Broadcasting.
Guardian
Reimbursement Fit: Guardian
Guardians are the vastly preferred Logistics ships in AHAC Fleets. Join the Logistics channel for the fleet and cap chain per instructions - usually 1 up 1 down or 2 down. Let other Guardians know if you're Jammed/ECM Bursted so they can take that into account. If the Fleet's tank is breaking the FC should be informed so he/she can tell the Fleet to GTFO or make adjustments. Near identical to the current Oracool fit and therefore refittable, logi 4&5 friendly.
Oneiros
Reimbursement Fit: Oneiros
The Oneiros fit is Logi V only and you should really only fly it until Amarr Cruiser V is trained. Do not join the cap channel because you can't cap chain (you'll just confuse people) - if you are in need of cap then speak up using your local key for some cap transfer. Use your remote ECCM on friendly logistics, in some cases you will need to instead ECCM a friendly Hictor. In certain situations you might ECCM Hictors instead, so have an overview that will show friendly HIC's.
Augoror - *Newbie Friendly*
Reimbursement Fit: Augoror
Easy for newbros to get in to, has a fast cycle time and is cap stable with no cap chain, this also allows for a much stronger cap chain.
EWAR
The EWAR element of TEST's AHAC fleets are new, we're the first ones to try an EWAR-Heavy AHAC fleet and I'm excited about the effectiveness of this new element.
The important thing about EWAR is to remember to spread it out! The correct way to do this is to focus on the ship types appropriate for your EWAR modules (for instance if you have Tracking Disruptors, don't put them on Drakes). Listen to the FC for what shiptypes to target with which scripts - it's important that if he wants enemy Logi Scan Res damped, you use the right scripts! Pair up your Damps, you'll almost always be putting two of them per target.
Celestis - *Newbie Friendly*
Reimbursement Fit: Celestis
Due to the nature of AHAC fleets, tackle is less needed but damping ships are very useful, this is just a couple days off the 104day plan and all our :shobon: newbros should consider this in their training.
Curse
For now the Curse will not be a primary doctrine ship and you are recommended to chose another ship.
Reimbursement Fit: Curse
The Curse is the most important EWAR ship in our new doctrine. It's even more effective than usual with a boosting Proteus and we'll make use of them as they're available. Your neuts are powerful, your Damps are powerful, and your Tracking Disruptors make anything with guns on it cry like a baby. TDs will (usually) be spread on a 1-per-ship basis, your Damps need to be paired to be effective. Neuts will just depend on what we're doing - you could be neuting out Tengus so they can't get away, you could be emptying enemy Logi's cap (only try to neut out Scimis and Oneiros - Basis and Guardians are nearly impossible to neut out due to their cap chains) so that we can break their reps, or you could be neuting out tackled enemy Supers so we can kill them when their hardeners shut off!
Heavy Interdictors
It's your job to keep things bubbled and/or superpointed. Always carry two scripts, cap boosters and LO for your cyno. Use your cap booster to keep everything running if you're neuted. Don't MWD while your bubble is up or while being primaried - just keep your normal speed as high as possible.
Devoter
Reimbursement Fit: Devoter
Better in 0.0 space (heavier tank) but worse in Lowsec because it only gets one ECCM module.
Phobos
Reimbursement Fit: Phobos
Not as heavy of a tank, but gets 2x ECCM modules, which is great in Lowsec because it makes you very resistant to the Remote ECM Bursts of Supercarriers.
Interdictors
Standard Fleet Double Bubble Interdictors are welcome and encouraged on AHAC fleets. You're going to have to be more independent than you would in a normal Fleet. Staying alive is going to require anticipating when to keep up with the fleet and when to hang back and cloak up. You also shouldn't stay in the Brofist with the AHAC's for any amount of time because you're *way* too fragile - burn in, drop your bubbles and GTFO.
Reimbursement Fits: here.
Yes, they're shield tanked! Armor tanking Interdictors is dumb for lots of reasons, the two major ones being the hit to your speed/agility and the fact that if logis lock you up you can't cloak, which makes you nearly instantly dead regardless how much rep you're getting, because you'll be alpha'd.
Heavy Tackle
The FC will want to run things one of three ways - he'll either expect his webbers to essentially call targets for him by broadcasting what they have webbed, he'll call the targets he wants webbed/pointed and those will be what you'll go after, or you'll be told to sort by name/shiptype/distance and grab everything of a certain category. Make sure you have overviews available like Logistics and Battlecruiser/Battleship.
Stabber Fleet Issue - *Newbie Friendly*
Reimbursement Fit: Stabber Fleet Issue
You are heavy tackle. Burn at the enemy and keep him trapped so we can kill him! Turn off your MWD immediately if you're primaried. Preferred over Maller.
Maller - *Newbie Friendly*
Reimbursement Fit: Maller
You are heavy tackle, though slower than the Stabber Fleet Issue. Burn at the enemy and keep him trapped so we can kill him! Turn off your MWD immediately if you're primaried.
Loki
Reimbursement Fit: Loki
Stay Anchored up or near the AHAC blob. Web things and depending on the FC you'll be told to broadcast what you web. Also part of the invaluable Firewall!
Proteus
Reimbursement Fit: Proteus
Stay anchored up or near the AHAC blob. Point things that are webbed (you may want to sort enemies by velocity to see this easier) so they can't get away. This is also part of the firewall which reduces incoming DPS from missile boats through their use of smartbombs.
A few short words on firewalling
You will be anchored on a T3 Firewall Anchor and in a Sub Channel dedicated to your function. You will orbit on the anchor at called for ranges and activate your smartbombs WHEN your anchor calls for them. These ships are invaluable against missile boats.
Note: NEVER EVER EVER ACTIVATE SMARTBOMBS AS YOU LAND OR YOU WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MANY SAD RIFTER BROS. Wait for them to be called for. Don't be a Makalu.
Light Tackle
Interceptors and armor tanked Assault Frigates are welcome on AHAC Fleets but we're not going to reimburse them because they're fun to fly and cheap. If you're flying an Inty find a good time/way to let the FC know so he can have you burn around to assist with warpins.
Our usual light tackle element (Rifters and the like) are not very useful in AHAC fleets. Join bomber ops instead when possible or fly a T1 Maller/ECM ship. You can train into one in about two days on a brand new character.
The Basics
Be Prepared
- Every pilot must carry Nanite Repair Paste and boosters (X-Instinct) to reduce their sig radius.
- Every pilot must have the "need armor" key bound
- Every pilot must understand the concept of Anchoring
Anchoring refers to your orbiting of the anchor ship at a specified range - usually 5-10k for AHAC's - with your Afterburner on.
- Every pilot must understand the concept of Transversal and what we mean by "getting it"
Transversal velocity refers to the speed of your ship versus the tracking ability of the other guys guns. Put as simply as possible, gaining transversal means *not* flying directly towards or away from the enemy ships and instead flying perpendicular (or as close to as possible) to their optimal line of fire. You may unanchor at will while doing this, just don't get more than ~65k from the Anchor or you will be out of our logistics' repair range!
What do I do if I'm called primary?
- Broadcast for reps
- Get transversal up - do not MWD!
- Pop a booster
- Overheat your Hardeners
- Pray
- If you survive and they stop primarying you
- Don't forget to unheat your hardeners so you don't burn them out.
The Doctrine
You can pretty safely ignore this section if you're not interested in the mechanics of EVE that let us get away with this crazy setup and the history behind it.
Pandemic Legion developed this doctrine not too long after the Titan AOE Doomsday nerf, when having Logistics and HAC's on the field in Fleet warfare in 0.0 first became really viable. The problem prior to the AOE DD nerf was that Logistics ships and HAC's did not have sufficient EHP to survive a Doomsday, much less multiple DD's. Post DD nerf someone had the wonderful idea of ARMORHACS!
These are also incredibly effective against bombers which have been a commonly used tactic by the various entities who are all sitting on our doorstep.
The basic idea behind an AHAC fleet is to tank the enemies DPS at short range using the small signatures and high armor resists while dealing lots of close-in DPS of your own to his ships. As this is not a long-range doctrine, it may require frequent warp-ins and -outs. The tanking ability of the Fleet is dependent on a few factors:
- Leadership Bonuses
- The signature radius of the Ships
- The speed and transversal of Ships
- The number of friendly Logistics
AHAC fleets are all about maxing out! You're never very far from being hittable and there are lots of EWAR options available to our enemies. We've carefully picked ships that max these survivability attributes and the generic Fleet behaviour explained below dictates other parts. AHAC Fleets can be run as a small-ish gang (15-20 people) but for TEST's purposes our smallest fleet element containing AHAC's will be a Wing formation with ~40 pilots. We're also introducing an EWAR element that no one ever really has before, so our AHAC fleet is going to be a much different animal than the usual Zealotswarm.
Videos of this fleet type in action can be seen here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qivteavCY9M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-kGGW0UlPA&feature=related
http://dl.eve-files.com/media/1007/brofist_720.mp4
http://dl.eve-files.com/media/corp/Nozomi/AdaptOrDie.mkv
(These are all quite out of date and will be updated once we have made use of this doctrine and got video, the basic premise remains the same)
Leadership
Leadership Skills and ships are essential to AHAC Fleets, they make everything about us more effective. There are 3 ships that can be fit to effectively provide bonuses to AHAC's.
The fleet must have at least one perfect mindlinked Damnation at a minimum. More Damnations is better, as they are a single point of failure. Armor bonuses from command ships literally double the effectiveness of your logistics, and skirmish bonuses push it even further. Skirmish Boosting Lokis are also welcome. In addition, the Damnation need to be in the Fleet Commander spot in game - mindlink bonuses do not transfer correctly. Info Warfare boosts from a Mindlinked Proteus can be a huge boost to your EWAR assets, if they're available be sure to throw them in Wind Command and put them to work for you!
Damnation
Reimbursement Fit: Damnation
Damnations are probably the most important ships in an AHAC fleet. They serve as the Anchor and the FC's extremely durable seat during the action. You need to maintain excellent situational awareness while flying AHAC's, so much so that I highly recommend having someone else call targets for the fleet while you watch the overall situation unfold and move the fleet around by changing the Anchor position.
The linked Reimbursement Fit is not an exact requirement, but something in that category is highly recommended. In my opinion, you should have at a minimum:
- Two Plates
- Dual Propped
- 3 Armored Warfare T2 links
- A Bitchen-Ass Tank
Loki
AN offgrid Loki in every wing.
How do I FC AHAC's?
This is a pretty complicated subject that I'm going to try to explain without typing too many pages of :words:.
If you're looking for a very simple explanation, here you go:
- Have a probing alt in system where you want to fight
- Warp to zero and anchor
- Kill all webbing ships first, long point ships second
- Spread your EWAR
- Move the Brofist around by repositioning the Anchor and :rape:
Fleet Operations
The basic premise of this fleet is the Brofist formation, where DPS and Logistics all orbit the Anchor, probably the Damnation, and he slowboats around telling everyone else what to kill with lazer beams. HIC’s may be ordered to orbit or keep at range depending on their current job. All ships should be running their Afterburner all the time (if they have one) unless they specifically have reason not to - for example SFI’s/Tackle being ordered to burn at a target to get it pointed.
This fleet type is highly dependent upon ewar against our current enemies. The Curses and Arazus are your primary survival tool, they’re essential to neutralizing the Tengu’s ability to rain down DPS from way beyond return fire range. The Curses Tracking Disruptors each take one Hellcat mostly out of the fight. The Rapiers/Lokis/Proteus are necessary to actually pin down those annoying ships, which are all faster than you, so you can actually kill them.
This fleet as theorycrafted can easily tank a 100 man Thundercat/Hellcat fleet with only 10 guardians. If you don’t believe me, check my #’s yourself. Titans can’t hit any of the AHAC’s and (probably) can’t punch through the Damnations combination of tank and reps.
If your opponent is known beforehand all Zealots should also tailor their jammer type to be as effective as possible, obviously spreading that ewar out. Hopefully you can tell the Fleet ahead of time what you're going to be up against and tailor your EWAR modules for it.
Other Points:
- When you commit AHAC's, you're stuck. This means you need a good enough warpin that when you land you have a solid opportunity to kill all the enemies Webbing ships in the first go. Their Huginn's, Rapiers and Loki's must die, and quickly. You're likely to lose some ships during this initial minute or so of combat - with the loss of their Webbers you should be able to more effectively tank. Right as you go in have all RSD's setup for scan rez damping and put them on the enemies Logistics ships in pairs (two per Logi). This will reduce their scan rez to the point that it takes ~20 seconds to lock up a cruiser-sized target, which will give you a lot more time to work through their webbers before they're locked up. If you get bogged down here by reps, switch targets to their Logi or DPS ships (whatever seems easiest) and rapidly switch targets for 20-30s to get their logi good and frustrated. Alternatively, give a "free fire" order on anything close so that our DPS is spread out over the enemy fleet and their Logi is swamped with rep requests and they can't tell who our primary is.
- Your secondary targets are long-point capable ships: Lachesis, Proteus and Arazus. These need to go too - they'll cause you to lose a couple of your ship every time you want to warp out and back in. Alternately, you can use RSD's to damp their targeting range immediately before warping out to break their locks.
- From this point, commence :rape:. Kill whatever is closest and work over anything you can catch. Ensure you pay attention to how spread out you're getting and don't leave your tail behind.
- When appropriate, reconsolidate your Fleet in one spot and warp out/back in to a new good warpin. It would probably be a good idea to have both safe spots and an on-grid perch if possible (if you know what objective you're going to be fighting around).
- Read each of the How To Fly sections of the Reimbursement pages for ships in this doctrine. You'll have a much better idea how to utilize your ships and what their limitations are if you spend the time to do this.
- Spread light tackle / Interceptors around the grid, 150+k from your anchor. They're perfect for providing warpins for you and there's usually a fair number of them.
- Use Scouts and Probers to your advantage. I don't recommend doing this yourself - it's distracting and takes your mind off what you're actually doing. As much as possible have other people do this.
- The same goes for calling targets - feel free to call the initial primaries for the Fleet (while you're still killing webbers) but designate a secondary target caller before you engage and have him take over so you can zoom out and get some situational awareness. Begin moving the Brofist around beyond your initial heading - move with the enemy fleet and overhaul as many as possible before breaking off.
Usage Scenarios
The Armor HAC concept does not work scaled down below Wing size, 40+ pilots. The leadership element is essential, if you don’t have the necessary leadership characters and ships available, fly something else.
AHAC Wing
The AHACWing is designed to operate inside an Alphafleet ingame, just packed into their own Wing. This limits your AHACWing in size to 51 pilots. The Damnation should obviously be the Wing Commander, other leadership assets taking squad leader positions as available. If you have full Skirmish bonuses from something like a leadership Loki, make sure the SFI’s and Rapiers end up in that squad.
The general theory of this squad is that they’re a supplement to Alphafleet. You're the heavy up-close tackle that keeps the enemy webbed/bubbled so they can be nuked by the Maelstroms at range. Will be especially effective against Tengus until they're out of range.
AHAC Fleet
This is a full-on AHAC fleet philosophy, you're going for 100+ zealots, 30+ guardians and as many Snowflakes, HIC’s and support as you can cram in. This fleet type is very durable but also has significant limitations. If your objective is to destroy enemy fleets, you're going to have a hard time. Almost every other fleet type is faster than you using propulsion mods, so good warpins are essential.
Should not be used on the offensive against non-strategic targets - you will need to use some kind of hook to get the enemy to engage this blob.
AHAC Super Tackle
The problem with lowsec is that tackling Supers there, most especially SuperCarriers with their Remote ECM Burst, is very difficult. If you know where they’re going to be deployed at, a Wing or greater formation, and specifically your HIC’s, can pretty reliably hold superpoints on ECM Bursting SuperCarriers. Don’t spread them out, single out 2-3 Supers to keep tackled (Titans > SC’s from an ISK standpoint). You’ll easily tank any dps that capitals can apply to your fleet while dealing significant dps yourself. Would work great for holding tackle for a Welpfleet/while a fleet forms up.