Have you heard someone say or write EWAR in Eve Online? Did you wonder what they’re referring to?

Electronic warfare, or EWAR, refers to a type of module that doesn’t directly damage a ship. However, it can perform actions such as preventing an enemy ship from warping away or causing it to lose all of its locked targets.

In this article, we’ll cover the different types of EWAR, highlight the ships that specialize in it, and explain how players use electronic warfare in the game.

What is EWAR in Eve Online?

Electronic Warfare or EWAR in Eve Online refers to the use of specialized modules to disrupt and impair enemy ships in combat (PVP and some PVE).

EWAR encompasses a range of modules designed to interfere with target locking, tracking, weapon systems, navigation and overall ship performance. Effective use of EWAR can turn the tide of battles, allowing smaller fleets to overcome larger or more powerful adversaries.

4 Types of Electronic Warfare

There are 4 types of Electronic Warfare in Eve Online:

1. Electronic Countermeasures (ECM)
2. Target Painting
3. Remote Sensor Damping
4. Weapon Disruption

If you’re wondering why Stasis Webifiers (webs), Warp Disruptors (points), and Scramblers (scrams) aren’t on the list, it’s because they fall under “propulsion jamming.” Furthermore, along with Energy Neutralizers, these modules still count when FCs call for “EWAR only” on a target as they do no damage.

Electronic Countermeasures (ECM)

Electronic Countermeasures, or ECM, disrupt the locking capability of enemies as a type of EWAR

When ECM successfully applies, the jammed ship loses all target locks except for the ship that applied the jam in the first place.

Target Painting

Target Painting, or Paint, allows you to help your friends in fleet by blowing up a target’s signature radius. This is especially useful when fighting small, speedy frigates.

Remote Sensor Damping

Remote Sensor Dampening, or Damps, reduces an enemy ship’s target range and sensor resolution. This makes it harder and slower to lock onto targets.

Using either Targeting Range Dampening Scripts or Scan Resolution Dampening Scripts increases the strength of the damp. However, only one script can be used at a time.

Weapon Disruption

Weapon Disruption hampers enemy weapon range and accuracy, making it harder for them to hit moving targets. This allows pilots to dodge fire that might have otherwise caused damage. There’s 2 primary forms of Disrupt.

1. Track Disrupt
2. Guidance Disrupt

Tracking Disruption affects turret based weapons while Guidance Disrupt deals with missile systems.

Countering EWAR

Although Electronic Warfare is powerful, effective counters exist for some of the different types of EWAR found on the grid.

1. ECM counters: Sensor Boosters (including remote) and Signal Amplifiers directly counter ECM.
2. Weapon disruption: Tracking Computers and Tracking Enhancers counter Tracking Disruptors, while Missile Guidance Computers and Missile Guidance Enhancers counter Guidance Disruptors.
3. Remote sensor dampening: Also countered by Sensor Boosters and Signal Amplifiers.

If you notice that Target Paining isn’t mentioned, it’s because it doesn’t have any counters. Unfortunately, here’s nothing within New Eden that makes a ship smaller.

Electronic Warfare Ships

As mentioned in the introduction, some ships specialize in electronic warfare. They get bonuses to increase the strength of the particular EWAR or maybe get a bigger range. The different EWAR ships are listed below.

EWAR Frigs

• Crucifier – T1 (Warp Disruption)
• Crucifier Navy Issue – Faction (Warp Disruption)
• Griffin – T1 (ECM)
• Griffin Navy Issue – Faction (ECM)
• Hyena – Electronic Attack (Target Paint)
• Keres – Electronic Attack (Sensor Damp)
• Kitsune – Electronic Attack (ECM)
• Maulus – T1 (Sensor Damp)
• Sentinel – Electronic Attack (Warp Disruption)
• Vigil – T1 (Target Paint)

EWAR Cruisers

• Arazu – Force Recon (Sensor Damp)
• Arbitrator – T1 (Warp Disruption)
• Bellicose – T1 (Target Paint)
• Blackbird – T1 (ECM)
• Celestis – T1 (Sensor Damp)
• Curse – Combat Recon (Warp Disruption)
• Falcon – Force Recon (ECM)
• Huginn – Combat Recon (Target Paint)
• Lachesis – Combat Recon (Sensor Damp)
• Pilgrim – Force Recon (Warp Disruption)
• Rapier – Force Recon (Target Paint)
• Rook – Combat Recon (ECM)

EWAR Battleships

• Scorpion – T1 (ECM)
• Widow – Black Ops (ECM)

Electronic Warfare is as Important as DPS

In conclusion, electronic warfare is just as important as the DPS when playing Eve Online. There are fleet doctrines that rely heavily on having enough damps, disrupts and paints on grid to even the odds against a bigger fleet. And of course, Force Recon ships are often the unsung heroes of some rather impressive kill mails.

Don’t think that when the FC asks you to fly a non-DPS ship, you’re being punished. On the contrary, you’re providing essential utility to the fleet and actively contributing to kill mails or the successful completion of missions.

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