Something I posted on the CSA forums but also thought would be useful to the people here:
Greetings, everyone!
At Paul's request, I'm here to discuss one of the greatest dangers in EVE and what to do about it: jamming. A goodly number of people have experienced this first-hand; they know the helpless feeling engendered by having to sit around and watch their ship get destroyed without being able to do anything to stop it. I'm here to give everyone a run-down on how jamming works and what they can do to counter it.
First and foremost, let me start by saying that you can't effectively counter jamming. Period. There are so many different jamming setups that it's a crap-shoot as to whether or not your countering equipment will work; most times, it will not.
One thing to keep in mind is that most jammer-whore ships will have at least five jamming units and one warp scrambling unit equpped.
There are four types of jamming systems; three of them commonly used, the last rarely used:
Sensor Dampers
The first type of jamming unit we'll be talking about is the Sensor Damper. The items take up medium slots (as do all jamming units) and require activation. They last, IIRC, about 30 seconds each and use 50 energy. What Sensor Dampers do is decrease your max targeting range and scan resolution by 50% each. (Side note: it may say that using more than one of these results in decreased effect, but I haven't seen it.)
Here is an example of the effects of a typical five-unit sensor damper suite against a typhoon, which, IIRC, has a normal max targeting range of 65km:
Sensor Damper one cuts targeting range to 32km.
Sensor Damper two cuts targeting range to 16km.
Sensor Damper three cuts targeting range to 8km.
Four cuts it to 4km.
And five cuts it to 2km.
This means that, unless you've got a microwarpdrive and weapons that are effective at ranges below 2km, you're out of luck.
Countering Sensor Dampers
Countering Sensor Dampers is difficult to the point of being worthless. There are two equipment types that can be used for this; the first (and most effective) is the Sensor Booster.
Sensor Boosters increase max targeting range and scan resolution by 50% each when activated. This means that they are the EXACT counter to Sensor Dampers. The problem here lies in the fact that, unless you have 5 medium slots to spare, you can't overcome this type of jamming entirely; however, you CAN reduce it partially if you're willing to spare the medium slots to negate part of the jamming.
The second equipment type used to counter Sensor Dampers is the Signal Amplifier; these units increase max targeting range by 15% and scan resolution by 10%. These units take a low slot and are constantly active.
Unfortunately, with their low numbers, Signal Amplifiers aren't effective in countering Sensor Dampers unless couple with Sensor Boosters. Even so, the number of equipment slots needed is prohibitive.
Equipment Summary
Sensor Dampers
-50% targeting range
-50% scan resolution
Sensor Boosters
+50% targeting range
+50% scan resolution
Signal Amplifiers
+15% targeting range
+15 scan resolution
Jammers
The most popular type of jamming unit, actual Jammers compare jamming strength against the target ship's sensor strength. If the jamming strength is equal to or higher than the sensor strength, the target is jammed and cannot lock at any range while the jamming is active. The advantage of Jammers over Sensor Dampers is that Jamming is an all-or-nothing proposition; even if the target uses equipment to increase their sensor strength, unless they can beat your jamming strength they cannot lock.
Using Jammers is not an exact science; each race has a different type of sensor associated with it, and each ship has a different sensor strength. The object of a Jammer setup is to have a broad spectrum of jamming capability that will utterly jam most oponents. To start, here is a rundown of each race's sensor type:
Amarr ships use Radar sensors.
Caldari ships use Gravimetric sensors.
Gallente ships use Magnetronic sensors.
Minmatar ships use Ladar sensors.
Here's where it gets complicated: unlike Sensor Dampers, Jammers come in several varieties.
The first variety is the Multispectral Sensor Jammer. This unit provides 4 points of jamming to ALL sensor types; however, it costs 40 energy to use and only lasts for five seconds, so running five of these would kill your capacitor quickly.
Following the Multispectral, there are four additional types of Jammer. All of these types provide 6 points of jamming to their primary sensor type and 2 points of jamming to all others. Also, while they use the same amount of energy, these Jamming units last for 30 seconds each. Here are the types each of these Jammers are strongest for:
Ion Field Disruptors are strong against Magnetronic (Gallente).
Phase Inverters are strong against Ladar (Minmatar).
Spatial Destabilizers are strong against Gravimetric (Caldari).
White Noise Generators are strong against Radar (Amarr).
Countering Jammers
There are several units that counter Jammers:
The first is the ECCM ____ Array. There are four types of these units, one for each sensor type. They take up medium slots and require activation. Each provides 3 points of sensor strength to the primary type and 1 point of sensor strength to all others.
The second type is the ____ Backup Array. Again, there are four versions corresponding to the different sensor types. Each of these uses a low slot, is constantly active, and provides 2 points of sensor strength to the primary type only.
The third type is the tech II versions of the ____ Backup Arrays. The only difference is that, instead of providing 2 points of sensor strength, they provide 4.
Putting It All Together
Okay, here's where it gets murky: there are a number of different setups to use to jam your opponent and for your opponent to counter. Let me start by saying that the most effective way to counter jamming (of ANY type) is to jam your opponent first so he can't target you. Following that, when using Jammers, Gravimetric is going to be your primary target for the most part. From what I've seen, more people fly Caldari ships than any other types, and the Raven battleship has, perhaps, the highest damage output capability of all ship types (assuming the victim isn't using defenders). Also, the only two truly effective jammers are BOTH Caldari ships: the Blackbird (cruiser) and Scorpion (Battleship). So, again, Gravimetric sensors are the primary target of most jammer setups, but not while neglecting the other races.
Most Scorpions set up for jamming will have five or so Jammers and one warp disruptor (more on the latter in the next section). The object is to get a very high Gravimetric jamming strength while still having enough of the other types to jam other race's battleships as well.
To start, Scorpions have 16 base Gravimetric sensor strength (Ravens have 14). That means, right off, you have to be able to jam 16 gravimetric sensor strength. In addition, since tech II backup arrays are available, you'd want at least 20 Gravimetric jamming if not 24 (since, if you can't jam that enemy Scorpion, it WILL be jamming YOU). With 24 points, you'll have exactly enough jamming strength to stop not only one tech II backup array, but two. You will have exactly enough at that point.
To get there, the minimum setup, assuming five medium slots are used for this and also assuring that you can provide at least 14 points of jamming to the other races' types (the maximum base jamming strength of the other races ship types varies, but is never higher than 14), is:
3 Mulstipectral Jammers (12 points to all)
2 Spatial Destabilizers (12 points of Gravimetric and 4 points to all others)
Totals: 24 poitnts of Gravimetric and 16 points to all others
Other options include:
4 Multispectral Jammers (16 points to all)
1 Spatial Destablizer (6 points Gravimetric, 2 points all others)
Totals: 22 Gravimetric, 18 all others.
NOTE: This is EXTREMELY energy-intensive.
OR:
5 Multispectral Jammers (20 points all)
Totals: 20 to all.
NOTE: ALL YOUR CAPACITOR ARE BELONG TO US!
OR:
2 Multispectral Jammers (8 points to all)
2 Spatial Destablizers (12 points Gravimetric, 4 points all others)
1 _________ (Any of the other types, providing 2 points Grav, 6 points to its specific type, and 2 points to the other two).
Totals: 22 Gravimetric, 18 points for one other type, 14 points for all others.
NOTE: This may be the best overall setup as long as your opponent isn't running two Backup Array II's, since it will stop at least one Backup Array II for both Caldari and one other race, no matter what ship type within that race.
OR:
2 Multispectral Jammers (8 points all)
3 Spatial Destablizers (18 points Gravimetric, 6 points all others)
Totals: 26 points Gravimetric, 14 points all others.
NOTE: For those who HATE Caldari...
There are many more variants, but the bottom line is that it's a crap-shoot as to whether you can overcome jamming. If you're Caldari, it's jam-or-be-jammed, but if you're one of the other races, if (yes, "if") you've got the slots to equip 2 Backup Array II's, you'll probably be okay...assuming your opponent isn't using Sensor Dampers instead.
Equipment Summary
Jammers:
-Multispectral Jammers: 4 points of jamming to all.
-Ion Field Disruptors: 6 points of Magnetronic jamming, 2 points to all others.
-Phase Inverters: 6 opints of Ladar jamming, 2 points to all others.
-Spatial Destabilizers: 6 points of Gravimetric jamming, 2 points to all others.
-White Noise Generators: 6 points Radar jamming, 2 points to all others.
ECCM:
-ECCM Gravimetric: 3 points additional Gravimetric strength, 1 point all others. Requires activation. Med slot.
-ECCM Ladar: 3 points additional Ladar strength, 1 point all others. Requires activation. Med slot.
-ECCM Magnetronic: 3 points additional Magnectronic strength, 1 point all others. Requires activation. Med slot.
-ECCM Radar: 3 points additional Radar strength, 1 point all others. Requires activation. Med slot.
Backup Arrays:
-Gravimetric Backup Array: 2 points additional Gravimetric strength. Constantly active. Low slot.
-Ladar Backup Array: 2 points additional Ladar strength. Constantly active. Low slot.
-Magnetronic Backup Array: 2 points additional Magnetronic strength. Constantly active. Low slot.
-Radar Backup Array: 2 points additional Radar strength. Constantly active. Low slot.
Backup Array II's:
-Gravimetric Backup Array II: 4 points additional Gravimetric strength. Constantly active. Low slot.
-Ladar Backup Array II: 4 points additional Ladar strength. Constantly active. Low slot.
-Magnetronic Backup Array II: 4 points additional Magnetronic strength. Constantly active. Low slot.
-Radar Backup Array II: 4 points additional Radar strength. Constantly active. Low slot.
Propulsion Jamming
Jamming and warp scrambling go hand-in-hand. Jam your opponent up so he can't target you and scramble him so he can't get away while you pound him into dust.
There are two types of warp scrambling devices: Warp Scramblers and Warp Disruptors. There is also another type of propulsion jammer, the Stasis Webifier.
Warp Scramblers provide 2 points of warp scramble strength with a 6km range.
Warp Disruptors provide 1 point of warp scramble strength with a 20km range.
Stasis Webifiers reduce the target's maximum velocity by 75% and have a 10km range.
Small, fast ships (such as interceptors) that get in close and orbit at speed while pounding you with missiles will use Warp Scramblers, since they provide higher warp scrambling strength while only using one medium slot. Larger ships generally use Warp Disruptors, since it keeps them out of Web and Smartbomb range.
Large ships will use Webifiers to slow fast targets enough for their weapons to hit, as well as slowing larger targets enough to allow the person using the web to determine the range at which he attacks.
NOTE: Contrary to popular myth, a Warp Scrambler or Disruptor will not affect a microwarpdrive.
Countering Propulsion Jamming
Warp Core Stabilizers counter Warp Scramblers and Disruptors, negating 1 point of warp scramble. This means that to counter a Warp Scrambler, it would require two Warp Core Stabilizers. Warp Disruptors only require one Warp Core Stabilizer, unless the attacker is using more than one. The latter is a common pirate trick: use two Warp Disruptors from 15km out to ensure that, even if the target has a Warp Core Stabilizer, he won't get away (unless he has two or more).
The only way to counter a Stasis Webifier is with a microwarpdrive.
Equipment Summary
Propulsion Jammers:
-Warp Scrambler: 2 points warp scramble strength, 6km range.
-Warp Disruptor: 1 point warp scramble strength, 20km range.
-Stasis Webifier: -75% to target velocity, 10km range.
Counters:
-Warp Core Stabilizer: counters 1 point of warp scrambling.
-Microwarpdrive: +500% velocity, -25% capacitor and shield max, +25% signature radius.
Weapon Disruption
Weapon disruptors lower the range and tracking speed of the turrets. The latter is important because tracking speed is compared to the size (signature radius) of the opposing ship to determine if a hit is made.
I have not had much experience with these myself, but, if I recall correctly, Targeting Disruptors impose a -50% max range and -50% tracking speed penalty to all of the victim's turrets.
Countering Weapon Disruption
Again, my limited knowledge in this area (since I don't use turrets much) limits the amount of information I can provide, but what I can tell you is that there is a type of unit for each turret type that increases max range and tracking speed. These fill medium slots and require activation.
Other Information
To successfully run a ship set up as a jammer-whore, you must have the ability to regenerate your capacitor quickly, since all of your medium slots will be filled with items requiring activation. There are three ways to accomplish this: use equipment that increases your capacitor recharge rate, use capacitor booster charges (very cargo-hold intensive, but also very effective), and use the biggest Nosferatus you can fit on your ship, thereby stealing your opponent's energy to keep your jamming going, also negating the energy your opponent needs to run shield boosters, armor repairers, hardeners, and the like.
Jammer-Ship Vulnerabilities
A jammer set-up's vulnerabilities are his reliance on the capacitor, relative lack of offensive power, and poor defensive setup. Always remember, however, that the most effective way to stop a jammer is to jam him before he jams you.
For the first, if you can suck a jammer-ship's capacitor dry before he jams you, then the advantage is to you. This requires nosferatus or energy neutralizers.
The second means that it will take that jammer ship a long time to kill you if he's alone, allowing you time to call in aid while you armor- or shield-tank.
The lack of defenses is where the fun really happens. If you have drones, jammers are extremely vulnerable to attack by them. Also, Friend-or-Foe missiles can be fired even while jammed, though, like drones, you can't choose the target if you can't lock them.
Just remember: when all else fails, retreat. If you can, keep Warp Core Stabilizers equipped for this. Those have saved my Raven on several occasions.
Anyway, that's it for Jamming 101. I hope this is a help. If I forgot anything, please feel free to point it out.
_________________
-Wrayeth
Fleet Marshal, Rebel Knights
"Whoa, pillage the village/trash the scene, but/better not take it out on me, cause/ghost town/is found/where your city used to be..." -Pantera, "Cowboys From Hell"
