In addition to my escort idea separately posted, here is a way to allow carriers to defend themselves in PVP Play.
Add an additional fighter wing to carriers/super carriers, named Combat Air Patrol.
If this fighter wing is launched it will orbit the carrier automatically. It cannot be sent to attack.
If the Combat Air Patrol has been launched, and the carrier is fired on by nonfleet drones or fighters, the Combat Air Patrol will automatically begin attacking the offending drones/fighters.
OPTION - Alternatively (as in the carrier pilot can fit one or the other) or additionally (the pilot can fit both), a carrier can be given a Torpedo Bomber FIghter Squadron which can only be used to attack enemy capital ships. If possible, make it so its not useful in PVE.
This would give a carrier some additional firepower and defensive ability in a fleet action, making their use in fleets more likely.
If a single defensive fighter squad is what could make carriers viable, why donât carriers already use one of their fighter squads defensively?
I donât think this is what will help carriers.
Also please donât ask for more âautomatedâ defences. EVE combat often already is hands-off enough that some people use a ridiculous amount of clients simultaneously, the game doesnât need more of that.
Exactly this. The entire reason I like rating with a carrier is that itâs actually high apm active gameplay unlike marauder and especially vni or other drone boats.
Nothing automated would be helpful on the carrier. But something kinda cool thinking about how to stop the ai from eating fighters⌠what if for that support tube they gave us they added a âlogiâ fighter that could only rep your combat fighters? That could even add some cool pvp aspects as well and add more complexity to be used effectively.