Command ships

**DJ Ms. White** · 06-02-09, 01:38 AM

I'm considering training up for one and can have the Gallente ones, with the support skills I think I would need, by late december (guns, cap, leadership, armor, etc.). Is it worth it or should I perhaps continue with the support skills and branch out to other T2 ships? With my current plan, I'm already going for heavy assault though.

**Ranger10** · 06-02-09, 06:58 PM

That depends on a great many things. Are you the primary FC in your corp? Are you leadership skills perfect?

CMD ships are pretty nice, but they are not meant to fight. Your job is to stay alive so that you can continue to provide bonuses to all you fleet mates. Most CMD ships are cloaked 99% of the time, and directing the battle that way. They hardly ever de-cloak and fight because they'd be the primary target.

**DJ Ms. White** · 06-02-09, 08:02 PM

I thought that cloaking disabled any bonuses now?

As for primary FC, no I'm not. I guess that answers whether or not I should get one though.

I was pretty much intending to slap the three command links and a nice tank on an Eos. Even if I'm not going for command ships, Is it worth it to have Hull Upgrades to V? With that, I would be able to use any T2 armor related equipment that works on myself only (remote armor repping is at III, and repair drones at I). I have the Armor hardening skills at II right now, although after beefing up my leadership skills, I was intending to get those up to IV.

Also, while I won't be primary FC, would it good to train up BC to IV (currently at III) for wing/squad commanding anyway to use at least the one command link?

**Ranger10** · 06-02-09, 08:32 PM

Odd... we ran them all the time. Oh well. Yet another example of CCP changing the rules ad nauseum.

Well, if the new patch prevents cloaked CMD ships from running their gang mods, then it's even less valuable. Think about it... if you're flying a CMD ship that gives armor bonuses to every single fleet member, you'll be the primary target 90% of the time unless there is a logistics ship running about. Especially if you're flying the Fleet CMD ship instead of the Field CMD ship.

You might as well just hang out 200km off the gate and warp out if a ship starts moving toward you. Don't get me wrong, CMD ships are excellent ships. I solo level 4 mission in my Nighthawk (cruiser class), but the high cost and likelihood you'll get popped are not odds I'd want in my favor.

**DJ Ms. White** · 06-02-09, 10:56 PM

Well, this is the line in the patch notes:

If a ship cloaks, all active modules that modify attributes, such as ECM, will stop immediately and the icons showing the effect will disappear.

It only directly mentions ECM, but when it says attributes, it sounds far reaching. I don't have cloaking right now, so I can't test it.

This was a few builds back so if y'all have been running cloaks and getting the leadership bonuses recently then I guess it's just affecting ECM?

**Ranger10** · 06-02-09, 11:12 PM

Then it's not talking about Gang Assist modules. It's concerning things like warp disruptor, tracking disruptor, energy neut, etc. None of those things work if you cloak while using them.

You can (and it's often done) be in a command ship, fleet a group sitting on the gate so they get bonuses, then go sit in a POS and man the guns. Anyone in the fleet, who is also in the solar system, gets the bonuses. Cloaking doesn't stop that.

**DJ Ms. White** · 06-02-09, 11:18 PM

Hmm, although for me, since I won't be primary FC, Command Ships aren't worth it? Now, I need to figure out where to head instead.

**Ranger10** · 06-02-09, 11:19 PM

Just remember, command ships are highly specialized ships.

What race are you?

When in doubt, head for the HIC. It's a ganker's dream.

**Ranger10** · 06-02-09, 11:20 PM

Originally Posted by GM Mr. White

Hmm, although for me, since I won't be primary FC, Command Ships aren't worth it? Now, I need to figure out where to head instead.

Bear in mind, you don't have to be the FC to be the fleet booster. Most aren't in point of fact. But you do have to have prodigious skill in leadership to be effective.

**DJ Ms. White** · 06-02-09, 11:31 PM

I'm primarily Gallente (I've dabbled a little in Amarr, but not much).

As far as leadership skills, I'll be able to command a few wings at the beginning of next week. I was planning on heading towards Information Warfare in to Capitalize on the Eos. Everything basic, other than Leadership, is at II right now.

I have considered the HIC. It does look lovely.