In EVE Online, there have been issues with headshots for years. This is the targeted elimination of a fleet commander in the space MMORPG. For some, it is dishonorable, for others, it is completely normal. In any case, developer CCP wants to solve this now with a special ship.
Space battles in EVE Online are a matter of coordination. Attacks must be synchronized, targets must be established, and maneuvers must be executed. The orders come from the commander of a fleet. The best of them are well-known in the EVE universe and carry resonant names. This makes them a target for the opponents.
The tactic is called “headshot” – it is the targeted attacking and eliminating of the opposing commander: If the commander is downed, unrest arises in the opponent’s ranks, a window of chaos opens, and the fleet of the successful assassin can gain a tactical advantage.
As the US site Kotaku reports, players have long been discussing whether the “headshot” is okay or immoral in EVE Online. Some players say: Of course, in war, anything that brings an advantage is allowed. Others find the headshot somewhat dishonorable.
The fleets and commanders use different methods to counter the headshot:
- Some have several characters ready to log in when the main character dies
- Other fleets have complicated command chains, where someone else takes over
- And some commanders build their ships totally defensively to last longer
The new spaceship “The Monitor” aims to protect commanders
The developers at EVE are now addressing the problem in a special way. The new spaceship “Monitor” is the first in a new class of ships called “Flag Cruisers.” The idea here is to give the fleet commander a purely defensive ship, without offensive firepower, but with good defensive capabilities. CCP sees this as a ship for a few players with clearly defined requirements. It is a “total niche ship.”
But this ship is already sparking a debate among players.
The advantage of “The Monitor” is that the defensive commander is likely protected from the current artillery bombardment tactic. Ships with slow-firing cannons deliver massive damage perfectly coordinated at specific points, so that burst damage claims victims before the opponents’ support can react.
However, there are also concerns about “The Monitor”: Without any fire capability, defeated opponents do not appear in the logs. And experienced players read these practically as a photo book of past battles and remember the great hours of the past while flipping through the logs. Commanders would then not be properly involved in the battles they lead.
To address this, the EVE developers also have a solution: With a sort of “laser pointer,” the commander can then at least participate in battles from the ship by marking targets and having these victims appear in his kill log.
The new patch for EVE Online arrives on March 20
“The Monitor” is set to come with the March balance patch for EVE Online. It will be exciting to see how this ship will impact the “headshots” and future battles.
The balance patch is scheduled for March 20. You can find more about it here.
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