Quick-fire reward: explain these common PvP engagements!

Alex Sinclair · 2025-02-03T15:58:47.454Z

We're putting together an introduction to EVE PvP, and we realised there are some holes in our planning that we'd like you to plug. To win a prize in this short-duration reward, explain one or more of the following types of common PvP engagement in beginners' terms, using no more than two paragraphs of text for each: * Solo PvP * Smallgang PvP * Fleet warfare / roaming fleets * Coalition, alliance, and corporation warfare * Ganking and suicide ganking * Gatecamping and bubble camping * Home defence and siege warfare * Piracy and ransoms We're primarily looking for explanations of what they are, but we'd also happily receive a few pointers as to how best to find and engage in each type of PvP engagement.Ideally, we'll end up with an explanation of each of the engagement types above. So do have a quick look at what's already been covered in others' entries before submitting yours. If you're feeling the community spirit, you could give an explanation of all of them. We do, after all, have a top prize of $10 for the best entry. This reward is open for seven days only!...

FirestormGamingTeam 2/3/2025, 4:31:07 PM

Solo PvP

This option is to engage in PvP on your own terms by hunting as a solo pilot, this often requires the massive use of Dscan in-game. Often the best type of Solo PvP is found in low sec in faction Warfare areas, due to the extensive Frigate/Destroyer PvP that happens around these areas.
Smallgang PvP

This is an option where small groups of people tend to work together, this normally ranges from 2-10 pilots, often they are either high DPS or 7 DPS pilots with three Logistics pilots attached to the group to increase the chance of survival and the ability to take on larger groups.
Fleet warfare / roaming fleets

These are often fleets of 50+ pilots working together using what is called "Doctrine" ships which is a specific ship with a specific setup, this is done to ensure the FC (fleet commander) is fully aware of exactly what kind of fights he/she can take and can take part in, also what ranges the weapons have, what overheated damage is available. These fleets are often full dps or have at least 5 logistics pilots with them.
Coalition, alliance, and corporation warfare

Coalition - This is when groups of alliances who fly under the same banner such as Imperium/Panfam clash routinely and try to smash each other nonstop.

Alliance - This is when corporations who are all part of the same alliance take part in PvP operations as a group, this is often to specific goals or for the sheer fun of it.

Corporation - This is when corporations declare war on each other, which is actually a tiny majority as of this point to be declared war on, you need to have a structure somewhere, so if you don't, war is not really a thing and often this doesn't happen anymore.
Ganking and suicide ganking

Gank/Suicide - These are essentially the same thing, however, there are specific differences, you have in corp ganking which is called awoxing, this is where corporation members will kill one of their own for whatever reasons they have, the second i.e suicide ganking is where groups of pilots will get ships in high sec to attack specific targets to get LOTS of loot, numbering in the billions, of course, Concord kills them all (in-game police) but not before the target is destroyed and their haulers move in to scoop loot.
Gate camping and bubble camping

Gate camping - This is where pilots sit on a specific gate, usually one that leads from High Sec in Low/Null Sec - To catch players coming in and kill them quickly.
Bubble Camping - This is often done on what is called "pipes" i.e routes people have to take in null sec, a "bubble" is placed and what this does, is drag incoming ships either 50km behind the gate into the "bubble" or stop them 15km from the gate, these bubbles stop the ability to Warp away, thus ending the pilots life, effectively and quickly
Home defence and siege warfare

Home Defence - Home defence is CTA (call to arms) of alliances when their space is under attack or their stations/infrastructure is under attack. The pilots will come together to unleash hell on the invaders or try their hardest to defend their space from the attackers.
Siege Warfare - This is when pilots will effectively shut down a null/low/wh system, with the intent of taking the system, destroying all enemy infrastructure, sealing all gates with bubble camps and a flying response squad ready to jump anyone coming in.
Piracy and ransoms

This is a two-fold answer, Piracy in low sec is essentially pilots who often work as a corporation to kill anyone they find, but the result of this is the security status of said pilots drops rapidly resulting in them being -10.00 and able to be attacked anywhere.

Randoms are often where a pilot will attack another ship, exhaust its ammo/drones and hold the ship down or be able to tank any incoming damage and then initiate a conversation with said pilot and demand "ISK" i.e money to let them go, failure to pay, often results in the destruction of the ship being held down.

Alex SinclairMod2/3/2025, 4:36:04 PM

FirestormGamingTeam

Very useful, thank you!

Rixx Javix 2/4/2025, 2:15:45 PM

A Real Guide to Common PvP Scenarios

• Solo PvP - The purest form of combat in Eve Online - PvP means Player Versus Player after all. You are alone in your ship when another player who is also alone in their ship engages with you (or vice versa), suddenly you are engaged in solo PvP! It's easy, just undock and fly around the neighborhood. Sooner or later you'll find yourself fighting to save your ship. Warning: This can become extremely addictive.

• SmallGang PvP - But what if you have a few friends? Well then, small gang PvP might be for you. This is when 2-10 of your friends get together and fly in space looking to engage enemies of a like size (or slightly smaller if they're smart friends!). Often they will even talk to each other on comms! This can lead to a great time and an enjoyment of the game, plus it builds friendships. And who doesn't need that?

• Fleet Warfare/Roaming Gangs - You've made so many friends now that there might be dozens of them! Why not get them all together in a group of 10+ and really go to town? At this point you will probably have to consider bringing specialized ships along and plan your fleet composition. Things like interceptors, logistics, booshers, and other technical terms you can look up on Google might be needed. Comms are gonna be mandatory here.

• Coalition/Alliance/Corporation Warfare - Congratulations you now have hundreds of friends and you all need something to do in order to pass the time... I know! That other group of people in the system next door are weird, why not attack them? Together. Things have escalated to the point where you are probably going to need some infrastructure and support to keep the bling flowing - so industry, transportation, mining, and other non-PvP activities will be needed. Luckily there are people who enjoy those things too!!

• Ganking and Suicide Ganking - But what if, you know, you don't make friends easily? Or, even better, the friends you do make are kind of mean? Don't worry, there is a special kind of PvP just for you. Taking a superior ship and blowing up poor, innocent ships is called "ganking" and there are dozens of flavors involved, from blowing up your friends, to smashing Ventures, and much, much more. But that only gets you so far, so what if you'd also like to explode while doing this? Luckily for you, if you attack random people in High-Sec the po-po will also explode your ship! That's called suicide ganking. Try it sometime. It is hilarious.

• Gatecamping and Bubble Camping - Who doesn't like camping? The only thing wrong with PvP is all the traveling and warping about you have to do. If that seems like a drag you can just find a spot near a gate, sit there, and let players come to you! It's lazy PvP and it is all the rage. You can do it with just a few friends in insta-locking ships, or with more friends - it is totally up to you. And if you want to maximize the amount of fun you can deploy or bring a special ship along that projects a huge bubble that prevents other ships from escaping your camp. That is pro-level camping.

• Home Defence and Siege Warfare - You made so many friends doing all of the above that one day you realize an entire infrastructure has built up around your ships. And those weirdoes next door want what you have! Well that's not cool. Time to suit up and plan for defence. Build up your castles and get ready for the worst PvP grind in all of Eve Online - timers, cynos, gate guns, mobile jammers, dreadnaughts, and even city sized ships called Titans. Oh and local might get weird and time may start to dilate. But don't worry, it's only pixels.

• Piracy and Ransoms - Whew, that was a lot of stuff to learn. At some point you'll just get tired of all that and want to log-in and have some fun. Welcome to Piracy! Fly whatever you want, whenever you want, and just get out there and blow up other people's stuff - and then steal it! Why waste time building stuff, when you can just take it for yourself? Every once in awhile some poor stiff will have so much stuff they will pay you NOT to blow them up. That's called ransoming and it can be very profitable. As we like to say, YARRR!

Luka Zaharin 2/4/2025, 9:50:11 PM

Although much of what you need for this guide is already covered, I wanted to focus my submission on solo PvP.

Solo PvP can take place in basically every part of the game. Usually it refers to a single player using a single character to fight one ore more other players. Utility alts such as backpack links and logi (secondary chars providing buffs and heals) are sometimes still considered part of solo PvP. It can be pretty lonely, but highly rewarding if you win an intense fight that called upon all of your pilot skills.

Solo PvP can range anywhere from suspect baiting in highsec (stealing other peoples loot in the hope of being aggressed by them so you can shoot back), over FW roams (flying a small ship in factional warfare lowsec looking for 1v1s), to nullsec games (attacking medium sized fleets with a fast high-range ship) and wormhole ambushes (like a spider: hiding in a cloaked ship, waiting for prey to appear).