I have some experience being a part of these Claw fleets, so I would like to discuss it some.
I feel that this sort of post implies that “right at the gate” is the only time/way/opportunity to shoot down interceptors. Or at least the only good way or something like that. The problem is many-fold - the entire reason combat 'ceptors exist is because it’s exceedingly difficult to catch anything in nullspace due to bubbles, intel networks, and defense fleets. You have to be very quick to catch stuff off-guard, and this holds true both for catching things in a region you’re roaming in, and when you’ve popped up in local.
Once your presence is known, pings go out, people dock up, defenses are reinforced, response fleets are dispatched. These are all reasons why slower fleets, and especially fleets that can be slowed down and halted by bubbles, absolutely cannot work in the same role. Bubbles do their job perfectly, but in doing so eliminate the ability for the majority of ships to operate in enemy space on a practical level. Thus the emergence of these quick-strike interceptors.
Now these interceptor swarms are basically “swarm of gnats”. None can do much on their own, but that’s why they operate as a large group. They also have nothing for defense except speed and agility. So, taking away nullification removes their ability to work in nullsec almost entirely, because it’ll take just one bubble to stop them and wipe the entire 'ceptor fleet with just a handful of ships. They can mostly get alpha’d by T1 destroyers, so it’s easy to shoot them down once caught in a bubble.
Indeed, that also results in losses. Typically when a target fights back, or a response fleet is pinging around your area chasing you, they can inflict losses with every stop you make. You can’t lose too many ships before your combat effectiveness just tanks and you’re forced to retreat to friendly territory anyway.
My point is that just basic defending is highly effective in both inflicting 'ceptor losses and preventing damage/losses to your own. While smartbombing probably is effective, I am here to say that merely defending your space and having the already-well-established tools at your disposal as an alliance, including and especially the intel networks, is already ample defense against the gnat swarm. I see no reason why combat 'ceptors need to be nerfed. Because if “hard to catch them, cause damage in enemy territory where bubbles can’t stop them” is a reason for this nerf, I don’t see why this won’t eventually make it’s way to cynos (both normal and covert) too, and I don’t think the game needs that nerf either.
To continue, what exactly will be the purpose of a combat 'ceptor after this nerf? They won’t be able to continue in the one role they currently have, so they have to have another role to continue to be used. Quick-burning through hostile lowsec space to catch a target, as was originally envisioned by the Devs? Well the tackle 'ceptor seems like it would still be better in that role. Quick striker in lowsec space? Maybe, but it seems like almost any other frig would do better due to better tankiness and damage.
