"Farms and fields" is a long-lasting plan in EVE, shared by both (certain) players and developers. In short, it means that nullsec empires live on PvE done by the members (the peasants on the farms) and roaming marauder gangs plunder them for fun and profit. The only problem is that it doesn't seem to work. Yet another idea was published, but I'm sure it won't work either.
This post isn't the 1589th idea how to implement farms and fields. It's about why the idea can't be implemented and must be abandoned. The short version is: no PvE player will ever fight a roaming gang, because there is no profit in it, there is no chance to win such fight and he can't fight at the first place.
Let's start with "no profit" and compare it with the nullsec blob fights that actually happen. Why there is a profit in engaging a huge enemy fleet and no profit in engaging a small gang? The answer is that for the individual pilot there is no profit in huge fleet battles either, but the pilots are fighting not for profit, but for their "friends". Most social people don't want to be the one who abandoned their friends in the hours of need, even if they rationally know that fighting is a bad idea. On the other hand there is no such social pressure on fighting against a roaming gang. The decision to fight or not is made purely on financial basis and the answer is always "dock up, log highsec alt".
Secondly, you can win a blob fight. Structures are often saved, objectives denided from the attackers. Also the reimbursement of losses can overwhelm the enemy alliance wallet. Forming up and getting hammered can make line members not log in, slowly eating the enemy away. On the other hand, no one ever in the history of EVE defeated a roaming gang as their goal is "shoot stuff, explode and chat with bros". That goal cannot be defeated. Their ships have little value, they don't expect to keep them and they have nothing better to do with their time. You can destroy their fleet hundred times and they will still come back.
Finally a blob fight needs one to anchor up and press F1. It can be done by a miner. Engaging in small-gang PvP needs both skillpoints and game knowledge that the average "farms and fields peasant" do not have. So he cannot engage in combat even if he wants to.
No game mechanics change can force nullsec PvE players to defend their income from roaming gangs. If the changes allow roamers to make serious damage, it can make the PvE to stop and move to highsec, but nothing ever will make a miner or ratter undock a combat ship into a small-gang PvP situation.
Please note that I did not say that there can't be meaningful PvE in nullsec or an alliance can't base itself on farming members (or renters). I'm just saying that they will not provide any fights, they will either handle the PvP-er problem by using disposable ships (Retreivers, Ventures) or by docking up when any threat is present. This behavior makes roaming boring enough that only very bored people do it, therefore their threat is minimal.
This post isn't the 1589th idea how to implement farms and fields. It's about why the idea can't be implemented and must be abandoned. The short version is: no PvE player will ever fight a roaming gang, because there is no profit in it, there is no chance to win such fight and he can't fight at the first place.
Let's start with "no profit" and compare it with the nullsec blob fights that actually happen. Why there is a profit in engaging a huge enemy fleet and no profit in engaging a small gang? The answer is that for the individual pilot there is no profit in huge fleet battles either, but the pilots are fighting not for profit, but for their "friends". Most social people don't want to be the one who abandoned their friends in the hours of need, even if they rationally know that fighting is a bad idea. On the other hand there is no such social pressure on fighting against a roaming gang. The decision to fight or not is made purely on financial basis and the answer is always "dock up, log highsec alt".
Secondly, you can win a blob fight. Structures are often saved, objectives denided from the attackers. Also the reimbursement of losses can overwhelm the enemy alliance wallet. Forming up and getting hammered can make line members not log in, slowly eating the enemy away. On the other hand, no one ever in the history of EVE defeated a roaming gang as their goal is "shoot stuff, explode and chat with bros". That goal cannot be defeated. Their ships have little value, they don't expect to keep them and they have nothing better to do with their time. You can destroy their fleet hundred times and they will still come back.
Finally a blob fight needs one to anchor up and press F1. It can be done by a miner. Engaging in small-gang PvP needs both skillpoints and game knowledge that the average "farms and fields peasant" do not have. So he cannot engage in combat even if he wants to.
No game mechanics change can force nullsec PvE players to defend their income from roaming gangs. If the changes allow roamers to make serious damage, it can make the PvE to stop and move to highsec, but nothing ever will make a miner or ratter undock a combat ship into a small-gang PvP situation.
Please note that I did not say that there can't be meaningful PvE in nullsec or an alliance can't base itself on farming members (or renters). I'm just saying that they will not provide any fights, they will either handle the PvP-er problem by using disposable ships (Retreivers, Ventures) or by docking up when any threat is present. This behavior makes roaming boring enough that only very bored people do it, therefore their threat is minimal.
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