EVE:Recon

DRAFT

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What is Recon?

Recon is the first layer of intelligence gathering. We scout systems and enemy troop movements. We mark structures, scan moons, light cynos, and more. We are the keepers of the knowledge that FCs drool over. We help to determine the direction of wars and find targets for our boys and girls to blow up. If you've ever wanted to scare locals into docking up and prevent them from earning their "carebear" ISK without ever firing a shot then Recon is for you.

What you need to know

For Recon work your most important skills are going to be under the scanning folder. However, it is recommended that you train into the Covert Ops frigate to make your space life much easier and longer lived.

For the New Bro who wants to try out Recon this is the basic skill pack needed to train.

Racial Frigate I (16 minutes, 40 seconds)
Hull Upgrades I (16 minutes, 40 seconds)
Afterburner I (8 minutes, 20 seconds)
Afterburner II (38 minutes, 50 seconds)
Afterburner III (3 hours, 39 minutes, 30 seconds)
High Speed Maneuvering I (41 minutes, 40 seconds)
Astrometrics I (25 minutes)
Astrometrics II (1 hour, 56 minutes, 26 seconds)
Astrometrics III (10 hours, 58 minutes, 34 seconds)
Survey I (8 minutes, 20 seconds)
Survey II (38 minutes, 50 seconds)
Survey III (3 hours, 39 minutes, 30 seconds)
CPU Management IV (20 hours, 41 minutes, 50 seconds)
Cloaking I (50 minutes)
Mechanics III (3 hours, 39 minutes, 30 seconds)
Jury Rigging I (16 minutes, 40 seconds)


10 unique skills, 16 skill levels; Total time: 2 days, 56 minutes, 20 seconds

This will get you into a decent T1 probing frigate with a prototype cloak as that you can cloak up in space while probing, but you won't be able to warp cloaked. (The Covert Ops Cloak has this ability and is limited to use on certain ships.)

Example of a T1 probing frigate:

[Probe, Newbro Recon]
Nanofiber Internal Structure I
Nanofiber Internal Structure I
Overdrive Injector System I

1MN Microwarpdrive I
[empty med slot]
[empty med slot]
[empty med slot]

Expanded Probe Launcher I, Core Scanner Probe I
Prototype Cloaking Device I
[empty high slot]

Small Gravity Capacitor Upgrade I
Small Gravity Capacitor Upgrade I
[empty rig slot]

Due to CPU and Powergrid restraints on the T1 frigates in order to do anything Moon scanning or Cynoing you will have to leave the expanded probe launcher behind, which means that for each different task you will need to reship.

For the more capsuleer who wishes to become more involved in Recon work they will won't to do a bit more intensive training:

Minmatar Frigate I (16 minutes, 40 seconds)
Minmatar Frigate II (1 hour, 17 minutes, 38 seconds)
Minmatar Frigate III (7 hours, 19 minutes, 2 seconds)
Minmatar Frigate IV (1 day, 17 hours, 23 minutes, 40 seconds)
Minmatar Frigate V (9 days, 18 hours, 9 minutes, 40 seconds)
Mechanics III (3 hours, 39 minutes, 30 seconds)
Jury Rigging I (16 minutes, 40 seconds)
Survey I (8 minutes, 20 seconds)
Survey II (38 minutes, 50 seconds)
Survey III (3 hours, 39 minutes, 30 seconds)
Target Management I (8 minutes, 20 seconds)
Target Management II (38 minutes, 50 seconds)
Afterburner I (8 minutes, 20 seconds)
Afterburner II (38 minutes, 50 seconds)
Afterburner III (3 hours, 39 minutes, 30 seconds)
High Speed Maneuvering I (41 minutes, 40 seconds)
Capacitor Management I (25 minutes)
Capacitor Management II (1 hour, 56 minutes, 26 seconds)
Hull Upgrades I (16 minutes, 40 seconds)
Hull Upgrades II (1 hour, 17 minutes, 38 seconds)
Electronics Upgrades I (16 minutes, 40 seconds)
Electronics Upgrades II (1 hour, 17 minutes, 38 seconds)
Electronics Upgrades III (7 hours, 19 minutes, 2 seconds)
Electronics Upgrades IV (1 day, 17 hours, 23 minutes, 40 seconds)
Electronics Upgrades V (9 days, 18 hours, 9 minutes, 40 seconds)
CPU Management IV (20 hours, 41 minutes, 50 seconds)
CPU Management V (4 days, 21 hours, 4 minutes, 50 seconds)
Covert Ops I (33 minutes, 20 seconds)
Cynosural Field Theory I (41 minutes, 40 seconds)
Cynosural Field Theory II (3 hours, 14 minutes, 4 seconds)
Cynosural Field Theory III (18 hours, 17 minutes, 36 seconds)
Cynosural Field Theory IV (4 days, 7 hours, 29 minutes, 10 seconds)
Cloaking I (50 minutes)
Cloaking II (3 hours, 52 minutes, 52 seconds)
Cloaking III (21 hours, 57 minutes, 8 seconds)
Cloaking IV (5 days, 4 hours, 11 minutes)
Astrometrics I (25 minutes)
Astrometrics II (1 hour, 56 minutes, 26 seconds)
Astrometrics III (10 hours, 58 minutes, 34 seconds)
Astrometrics IV (2 days, 14 hours, 5 minutes, 30 seconds)
Astrometric Acquisition I (41 minutes, 40 seconds)
Astrometric Acquisition II (3 hours, 14 minutes, 4 seconds)
Astrometric Acquisition III (18 hours, 17 minutes, 36 seconds)
Astrometric Acquisition IV (4 days, 7 hours, 29 minutes, 10 seconds)
Astrometric Rangefinding I (1 hour, 6 minutes, 40 seconds)
Astrometric Rangefinding II (5 hours, 10 minutes, 28 seconds)
Astrometric Rangefinding III (1 day, 5 hours, 16 minutes, 12 seconds)
Astrometric Rangefinding IV (6 days, 21 hours, 34 minutes, 38 seconds)
Astrometric Pinpointing I (41 minutes, 40 seconds)
Astrometric Pinpointing II (3 hours, 14 minutes, 4 seconds)
Astrometric Pinpointing III (18 hours, 17 minutes, 36 seconds)
Astrometric Pinpointing IV (4 days, 7 hours, 29 minutes, 10 seconds)


18 unique skills, 52 skill levels; Total time: 63 days, 17 hours, 59 minutes, 22 seconds

This will allow you to operate in the T2 Covert Ops Frigates, and get you on your way to some good skills at piloting it. It is recommended that you increase the level of all these skills to at least IV as soon as you can and BLOPs (Black Ops) pilots will love you forever if you train Cynosural Field Theory to V as this will allow you to light Covert Cynos for them.

What do you need?

Recon work is done almost exclusively in a Tech 2 Covert Ops Frigate (preferably not the Helios as it only has 2 high slots, which limits it's capabilities) with a Covert Ops Cloak and an Expanded Probe Launcher using Combat Scanner Probes. Depending upon what type of recon work you are doing you will also fit a Cyno or Survey Probe Launcher.

So fit up your favorite Cov Ops Frigate to the following standards:

[Cheetah, Recon]
[empty low slot]
[empty low slot]
[empty low slot]

Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I
[empty med slot]
[empty med slot]
[empty med slot]

Covert Ops Cloaking Device II
Expanded Probe Launcher I, Sisters Combat Scanner Probe
[empty high slot]

Small Gravity Capacitor Upgrade I
Small Gravity Capacitor Upgrade I

[Buzzard, Recon]
[empty low slot]
[empty low slot]

Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I
[empty med slot]
[empty med slot]
[empty med slot]
[empty med slot]

Covert Ops Cloaking Device II
Expanded Probe Launcher I, Sisters Combat Scanner Probe
[empty high slot]

Small Gravity Capacitor Upgrade I
Small Gravity Capacitor Upgrade I

[Anathema, Recon]
[empty low slot]
[empty low slot]
[empty low slot]

Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I
[empty med slot]
[empty med slot]
[empty med slot]

Covert Ops Cloaking Device II
Expanded Probe Launcher I, Sisters Combat Scanner Probe
[empty high slot]

Small Gravity Capacitor Upgrade I
Small Gravity Capacitor Upgrade I

[Helios, Recon]
[empty low slot]
[empty low slot]
[empty low slot]

Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I
[empty med slot]
[empty med slot]
[empty med slot]
[empty med slot]

Covert Ops Cloaking Device II
Expanded Probe Launcher I, Sisters Combat Scanner Probe

Small Gravity Capacitor Upgrade I
Small Gravity Capacitor Upgrade I

Empty Mid and Low slots are all pilots choice. Add more tank in the mids or fit for doing a bit of exploration to make some ISK while you are working for the corp. In the lows, use fitting or cargo or speed mods. What ever you want. Just no offensive modules, because you really don't want to aggress in this thing. The extra high slot (in all but the Helios) is reserved for a Cyno (regular or covert depending upon what the FC is asking for) or a Survey Probe Launcher if you are scanning moons.

Given this, Recon work can be done in the T1 scanning frigates as well, but things are going to go slower and you have a higher likelihood of loosing your ship due to the inability to use a Covert Ops Cloaking device. Some people prefer to use the T1 frigates though due to there reduced costs and don't mind replacing their ships more often.

How to

Recon has multiple jobs to perform each with a different level of skill and attention needed. For all official recon duties you are asked to perform it is expected that you are setting up multiple gate perches and tier 3 (or deep) safes in each system you travel through.

POCO Scanning

POCO Scanning is the simplest of jobs for Recon to perform and typically is only done once when deploying to a new staging area, and POCO scanning can be done in any ship (even a pod).

• Enter the system you wish to scan
• Open your Overview to a tab that shows POCOs
• Right click on each POCO in your overview and collect the information

When scanning POCOs the following information needed is:

• Region, Constellation, System
• Planet Number
• Planet Type
• POCO Owner Ticker (Corp & Alliance)
• Tax Rate

If you are on an official POCO scanning operation then the corp will have a spreadsheet for you to fill out with the Region, Constellation, System, Planet Number, and Planet Type already filled in. This should allow most pilots to scan a system's POCOs and record the information in a matter of minutes.

Moon Scanning

• Fit Survey Probe Launcher into your extra high slot
• Fit Cargo Expanders in the lows
• Fill up your cargo hold with Survey Probes(Discovery Survey Probes I are the prefered.)
• Go scanning

The easiest way I've found to scan moons is to warp to the moon. Once you land align to the Moon and when you reach maximum velocity fire the Survey Probe Launcher. Like bombs, survey probes travel straight ahead form the ship so you must be sure that your ship is facing directly at the moon. Don't worry if there is POS there in a CovOps frigate you should have plenty of time to align, launch the probe, and warp to the next moon before it begins to target you.

I suggest you order your overview alphabetically by the Name column. This will keep the moons in order so that you don't have to worry about scanning the same moon twice if you ordered by distance.

If you have the ability to fly it the Prowler makes an awesome Moon scanning ship due to having 2 high slots (can fit Survey Probe launcher and Covert Ops Cloak) and a huge cargo bay compared to CovOps Frigates.

POS Scanning

For POS scanning you will be scanning down, taking screen shots, and getting Dingo scans of POSes. You will use this information to fill in the AIEU Recon POS Form.

Fleet Scouting

Often times this will go along with lighting a cyno, so never leave station with a fleet without a cyno and enough liquid ozone to light it. (If you want to be super pro train Cynosural Field Theory to V and carry enough liquid ozone to light 2 cynos.) You will many times be running +/-1 (or more) to the fleet to be cloaky eyes for the fleet and provide warp ins. You may also be called in to bring in the reinforcements (the reason for the cyno) and to combat scan for the fleet (to get those pro warp ins). Practice with a buddy (or two) to get better at grabbing combat warp ins. Good combat probing can allow a smaller and "weaker" force to decimate a more powerful foe.

Lighting Cyno

When in doubt of placement ask your FC. If you war lighting a cyno for a fleet battle then you will normally light it in a deep safe (though sometimes just off grid from a designated gate) in an empty system. If lighting for a structure shoot typically you will be lighting it 200-300 kms from the structure to give the fleet a short warp to the target.