EVE Online's Equinox expansion, set to launch on 11 June 2024, is the game's fourth full expansion since the return of the content format in November 2022. The patch notes are fairly extensive and dense. I find reading lengthy patch notes rather boring, so I also like to go to other sources for information. For both the Viridian and Havoc expansions I wrote a series of posts based on the patch notes with other information added to hopefully make absorbing all the information less painful. This sixth post in the series for Equinox will cover the carrier balance changes.
The carrier changes in Equinox were not widely advertised, if they were spoken of at all. The developers did explain the changes in the patch notes.
Carriers have been struggling to find a healthy spot in the ecosystem for quite a while now. They were incredibly powerful in the past when they had godlike application that made them the best option to always bring even over other sub-capital counters, and it was often better to bring a Carrier to counter a group of a frigates rather than destroyers or rapid light cruisers etc. After the application nerf, and adjustments to the cost of capital ships they’ve struggled because they don’t have a well-defined role. Revamped Marauders and Dreadnoughts have made those the superior PVE options for CRAB beacons and Haven/Sanctum ratting and the better choice for PVP when it comes to fighting both sub-capitals and capitals, pushing carriers out of the meta.
Our aim here is to give them a more defined role as a platform that specializes in fleet/troop transport and shaping the battlefield through powerful positioning tools.
The first buff for carriers is the addition of the ability to conduct conduit jumps.
Carrier Conduit Jump
- Carriers will now have the capability of using a Conduit jump to take 5-30 players in the jump tunnel with them. The Number of players which are passengers for the jump is increased by a new skill, Capital Jump Portal Generation, which increases the limit by 5 per level. This is built into Carriers and does not require a module to be fitted.
- Prerequisite will be Jump Portal Generation V, with a training multiplier of 14x. Purchase location will be in the standard empire schools for the price of 250m.
- Ships which can be passengers for a conduit jump include all variations (Including Faction, T2, T3 etc.) of Corvettes, Frigates, Destroyers, Cruisers, Battlecruisers and Battleships.
Previous to Equinox, the only ships capable of conducting conduit jumps were black ops battleships and the Rorqual. The ship limit for conduit jumps is still 30 ships with maximum skills. But unlike the other conduit jump capable ships, carriers can jump all sub-capital class ships. Black Ops Battleships are limited to other Black Ops Battleships and ships fitting Covert Ops Cloaking Devices while Rorquals are limited to Exhumers, Barges, and Mining Frigates (Venture, Prospect, and Endurance).
The developers are also giving carriers greater tactical mobility on grid with the introduction of Capital Micro Jump Drives and Capital Micro Jump Field Generators. Carriers can only fit one of these modules at a time.
Capital Micro Jump Drives and Capital Micro Jump Field Generators
- Carriers will gain the ability to fit new capital sized versions of the Micro Jump Drive and the Micro Jump Drive Field Generator, both of these modules will require a new skill, Capital Micro Jump Drive Operation.
- The Capital Micro Jump Drive jumps a Carrier 250km in whatever direction it is facing.
Previous to Equinox, the only ships capable of fitting micro jump drives were Battlecruisers, Battleships, Command Ships, Marauders, Black Ops Battleships, and Deep Space Transports. The jump distance of the smaller micro jump drives is 100 km.
- The Capital Micro Jump Field Generator will jump a Carrier, 50 extra sub-capitals, and up to 4 capitals around it (Capitals are counted separately to sub-capitals) 250km in whatever direction it is facing.
- This can move ships which are in siege! Such as Sieged Dreads, Triage mode FAX and Rorquals with cores active!
- After the jump completes, all ships moved by the jump are scrammed for 5 seconds and unable to be moved again by MJD / MJFG until the effect expires.
- Both modules can be stopped by warp scramblers and scripted Heavy Interdictor Warp Disruption Field Generators.
- The Networked Sensor Array will block the activation of a CMJD / CMJFG module by the ship it is activated on. A carrier may still be moved by another ship activating a CMJFG while its NSA is active.
Prior to Equinox, only command destroyers could use micro jump field generators. The jump range for the tech 3 ships is 100 km and limited to 25 ships. Also, command destroyers cannot "boosh" away capital ships, freighters (including jump freighters) and industrial command ships.
With the new modules comes new skills to train.
- The skill books are located in all empire school stations and can be purchased from the character sheet directly.
- Cost: 250 million ISK from an empire school stations, or 325 million ISK from the character sheet.
- Blueprints for both new modules will be found in Data sites.
Not only are the ship hulls themselves receiving changes. Equinox will also see the introduction of 12 new types of faction fighters.
12 New Faction Light and Support Fighters have been added to the game. Navy Faction fighters feature significantly higher hitpoints than Tech 1 and Tech II fighters, but have slightly lower firepower and ewar strength than tech II fighters. Blueprint copies for the fighters can be found exclusively in empire Factional Warfare militia LP stores.
- Imperial Navy Templar Blueprint (10x runs), 150,000 LP, 150,000,000 ISK / 24th Imperial Crusade
- Caldari Navy Dragonfly Blueprint (10x runs), 150,000 LP, 150,000,000 ISK / State Protectorate
- Federation Navy Firbolg Blueprint (10x runs), 150,000 LP, 150,000,000 ISK / Federation Defense Union
- Republic Fleet Einherji Blueprint (10x runs), 150,000 LP, 150,000,000 ISK / Tribal Liberation Force
- Imperial Navy Equite Blueprint (15x runs), 180,000 LP, 180,000,000 ISK / 24th Imperial Crusade
- Caldari Navy Locust Blueprint (15x runs), 180,000 LP, 180,000,000 ISK / State Protectorate
- Federation Navy Satyr Blueprint (15x runs), 180,000 LP, 180,000,000 ISK / Federation Defense Union
- Republic Fleet Gram Blueprint (15x runs),180,000 LP, 180,000,000 ISK / Tribal Liberation Force
- Imperial Navy Cenobite Blueprint (5x runs), 100,000 LP, 100,000,000 ISK / 24th Imperial Crusade
- Caldari Navy Scarab Blueprint (5x runs), 100,000 LP, 100,000,000 ISK / State Protectorate
- Federation Navy Siren Blueprint (5x runs), 100,000 LP, 100,000,000 ISK / Federation Defense Union
- Republic Fleet Dromi Blueprint (5x runs), 100,000 LP, 100,000,000 ISK / Tribal Liberation Force
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