BattleClinic Wormhole Guide v0309 PDF

BattleClinic Guide To Wormholes
BATTLECLINIC GUIDE TO WORMHOLES

Contents of this Guide
• Introduction
• The New Probing System
• Wormholes and the System Scanner
• Finding a Potential Result
• Let’s Go Hunting!
• Getting the Final Location
• Wormhole Mechanics
• The Other Side
• Tips on Probing
• About This Guide
Introduction
The new Apocrypha expansion for Eve brings with it a whole new method of probing. While not necessarily more
difficult or skill intensive, it is a different approach to that used pre-Apocrypha and will take a little getting used to
if changing from the old style probing system.
This Guide will concentrate specifically on probing for the new Wormholes (also introduced in Apocrypha) and will
give a few basic details on the mechanics and usage of wormholes. This guide does not cover aspects of scanning
for combat purposes.
The New Probing System
The old probing system used a single probe to find a scan result,
but this probe had a set range and could only scan for one
particular type of signature. It also contained an element of
chance which was frustrating as you could analyze the same
area a number of times and receive nothing for several scans,
even though the probe, your skills and the ship remains
unchanged.
The new system is based on the idea of triangulation but with

Apocrypha, you require 4 probes to find a result – a term CCP
call quadrilateration. The 4th probe is used to identify which is
the correct signal as only using 3 probes will find 2 results
equally spaced above and below the plane on which those
probes lie. The method is now based more on skills and judgement than on chance.
In addition to the new probing system, CCP have simplified the probes themselves. Whereas the old system
required a number of types of probes to track down all possible exploration sites, the new Core Scanner Probe
can scan for every Cosmic Signature and at multiple ranges. Scan times of probes are less important now as all
probes have a base scan time of 10s – no more waiting for minutes on end for a single result!
Wormholes and the System Scanner
For probing purposes, wormholes are a new type of Cosmic Signature. They exist as an Unknown group and
eventually will show as an Unstable Wormhole in the scan result type. This is what we will be concentrating on
looking for in this guide and if a scan produces the above, we should proceed to narrow down the scan until we
hit a warpable target.
BattleClinic Guide to Wormholes in EVE-Online by BattleClinic.com is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative
Works 3.0 United States License
Let’s open up the scanner as we will be seeing a lot of this

and a brief explanation of the sections will help. We will not
be using the Directional Scan or Moon Analysis tabs of the
scanner so we can disregard these.
The System Scanner is divided into 3 main sections:

• The toolbar containing probe functions
• The Probes in Space Window
• The Scan Results Window
These are very much self-explanatory but a key feature to

use while probing for wormholes is the Scan Result Filter.
This will allow us the scan results to be filtered so as to only
show relevant results. Create a new filter by clicking on the
menu arrow next to the drop-down filter and choosing Add
Filter. We want to add the Cosmic Signature for our
wormholes but let’s also add in the Cosmic Anomaly – this
will help us with our search for Sleeper sites at a later time.
Once these 2 are selected, type a name for the filter and
Save. Next, go ahead and select your newly created filter from the drop-down list of available scan result filters.
If we have any success in finding a Cosmic Signature, this whereabouts of the signature will be listed in the Scan
Results window. Don’t worry if the scan result says just Cosmic Signature with the remaining columns blank. This
is because our signal from the site isn’t strong enough yet to sufficiently identify the type of signature. As we
reduce the probe’s range (and therefore increase the scan strength of the probe), we will get a stronger signal
and a better idea of whether we are heading in the right direction.
Finding a Potential Result
The first step is to determine if a cosmic signature is present in

a particular solar system. If there is not such signature, there is
little point in continuing the search!
There are 2 possible ways of quickly finding any matching

results - with a Core Scanner Probe or a Deep Space Probe.
The Deep Space Probe method is the quickest and easiest if you
have the skills and equipment for it (it requires Astrometrics 5
and an Expanded Probe Launcher which isn’t as kind to your
ship’s CPU load as the Core Probe Launcher). Load your DSP
into the Expanded Probe Launcher and fire a probe. In the
scanner window, the probe will now show up in the Probes in
Space window. Right-click the probe and change the scan range
to 256AU – this should be sufficient to cover the whole system
from where you are. In the scanner toolbar, click the Analyze
button. This will position your probe and then initiate a scan.
After the scan is complete, you will see the results in the Scan
Results window. If there are no matching results (as explained
previously) we can move onto different solar systems and
repeat the process until we find one.
If you don’t have the skills for the Deep Space Probes, you can always use a standard Core Scanner Probe. These
will do the same job but as they have a much more limited range (maximum of 32AU), you may need to
reposition the probes several times around the system to get full coverage.
The next job is to open the map in system view mode so we can start to work with the probe.
Next, load up the probes and fire one.

In the scanner window, the probe will
now show up in the Probes in Space
window. Right-click the probe and
change the scan range to 32AU.
Using the directional arrows on the

probe, start by placing the probe in the
centre of the solar system. Don’t forget
that the system is 3D so align the probe
in all 3 dimensions with the centre!
Once positioned, click the Analyze
button on the toolbar. If you weren’t
already in the centre of the system, the
probe will warp to the intended spot
and then commence the scan.
If you don’t get any results here that can be followed up, you may need to perform a scan at any planets that fall
outside the 32AU range of the probe. Move the probe to those planets one at a time and repeat the scan. If no
results are found at any of the planets, it’s time to move on! Luckily, our example scan has picked up 2 Cosmic
Signatures which could potentially be wormholes (see image). Unfortunately at this point, the signal strength of
the sites is too weak to make a more detailed analysis so we need to refine the probing to get a more accurate
result.
Let’s Go Hunting!
From the scan results, we know that the Cosmic Signatures both fall within 8 AU of the probe. One advantage of
the new probes is that they can be configured to operate at shorter ranges, which in turn increases the scan
strength. This leads to higher signal strengths from anything within its range than if we had used a longer range
probe. Higher signal strengths also mean greater accuracy and we need to have a signal strength of 100% in
order to warp to the target.
We will reduce the probe range to 8 AU and see if this improves our results. And it does! From the results, we
cannot reduce the probe range any further without losing one of the signals so at this point, we need to find a
good approximation of where the signal is before we can decrease the probe range.
Start by launching 2 more Core Scanner Probes. Using the

directional arrows on each probe, place the first new probe on
the boundary of the original probe. With the second new probe,
place this at an intersection of the boundaries of the other 2
probes. What you should have is something resembling the
image below. It’s easier for this part of the probing to rotate
the map view so you are looking at it from top down. But don’t
forget to check that all 3 probes are on the same plane before
scanning!
Once positioned, hit the Analyze button. Our example scan

results show a more accurate scan result and higher signal
strength which means we are getting closer. Notice the red
circle within the probe’s ranges - This indicates that the result is
Side view of probe layout—all on the same plane. somewhere between these 2 probes. To improve this result
further, we need to move the 3rd probe to the opposite
intersection of the other 2 probe boundaries as shown in the images on the next page. Once positioned, hit the
Analyze button once more and hopefully we should get an even better result.
The scan did not find a definite location but the circle indicates where it is likely to be...
...so we try with the probe positioned at the other intersection.
The resulting scan has put 2 red dots on our system map which correspond to the 2 results in the Scan Results
window that have equal signal strength. These are actually the same site but the probes do not know which of
these is the actual site. To determine this, we need to use a 4th probe so launch another probe.
Side view showing the results above and below the plane.
Launch a new probe and place it in the centre of the 3

existing probes on the same plane. Then move the probe
directly above the plane so it covers one of the results.
Initial placement of the 4th probe.
Perform another scan and if you still have 2 results, move the
probe to below the plane and repeat the scan. Hopefully by now, you receive a single result on which to focus
your efforts.
Initial Scan with 4 probes doesn’t produce a result... ...so we move the probe to below the plane.
A rescan of the new probe layout pinpoints a single result that we can now concentrate our efforts.
Getting the Final Location
Now you know the approximate location of the site, you can decrease the probe scan range of all 4 probes
gradually and that will provide a more accurate result and give more details as to the exact signature type. Keep
the probes in the same formation as before but move them so that all 4 probes intersect the result.
As you do this, you should notice that more information is starting to fill the Scan Results window as to the group
and type of the signature. If at any point the scan says it is not an Unknown then abort the probing of that
signal. Similarly, abort the scans if the type is not an Unstable Wormhole.
Eventually, you will get to a point where your

probes have picked up a single 100% signal.
This is your target wormhole site –
Congratulations! But what are you waiting for,
engage that warp drive! All that’s left to do is
recover your probes (using the option on the
toolbar), then right-click on the wormhole and
select Enter Wormhole.
Wormhole Mechanics
Before you dive head first into the wormhole with pure disregard for the welfare of your crew, it’s worth
explaining a few things about how these things work.
The key thing to remember is that

wormholes are unstable. They appear.
They collapse. What was there 5 minutes
ago may not be there now. They are
sensitive to both time and mass
constraints and neither are given to you in
precise values. While the description of
the wormhole contains dynamic
information as to its status, you still don’t
know exactly when it will collapse. The
point is, be prepared!
There is always an exit wormhole out of

an existing wormhole system. As
wormholes are 2-way, your initial exit is
the same way you came in. If that exit
collapses, another will open for you but
you’ll have to scan it down using the
probing methods explained previously.
With this in mind, it’s always important to
have someone with probing capabilities in the wormhole system at all times. They should be the first to enter and
the last to leave. If the original wormhole collapses and they get stranded, they can at least find an alternative
exit given some time.
This brings us to another point about wormholes and their entrance and exit points. There are 3 scenarios where
wormholes exist:
• Between known space and known space
• Between known space and wormhole space
• Between wormhole space and wormhole space
This means that it’s possible a wormhole can open up in a known

system and take you to another known system elsewhere in the
galaxy. This could potentially be any system so it’s possible you
could find a back door into deep 0.0 from your hi-sec trade hub! On
a similar note, if you get trapped in a wormhole system and have to
scan for another exit, the chances that you will find it leads back to
the same system are small. You may have to go through yet more
wormhole space to get back to known space and even then, it may
dump you 50 jumps from your original location.
The Other Side
Wormhole space is populated by the Sleepers - a new race of NPC located entirely in these wormhole systems.
But these are not your average NPC race. They have enhanced ships, resists, damage and AI. They can target
multiple players and can switch targets in an instant, including your drones. Beware - these rats are not to be
taken lightly! Sleepers will defend their space with a lot more vigour than other NPCs and will use any means
necessary to preserve their own existence while trying to eradicate yours. You should expect to be webbed,
jammed, scrambled, NOS’d, dampened and disrupted, while at the same time, watch for the Sleepers remote
repairing themselves back to health to counter your damage. Teamwork and gang co-ordination are required to
overcome this new enemy and while the easier sites can be done in small groups, you should be looking into
bringing a whole fleet to take on the toughest of these new Sleeper locations.
Wormhole space is uncharted. Systems have no names, constellations or regions and are all designated as 0.0
systems. There are no dockable stations, no labelled asteroid belts and no ice belts. The Sleeper sites are all
within Cosmic Signatures or Cosmic Anomalies so you’ll need to scan for these. There are usually multiple sites
within each system so plenty to go at. There’s the usual range of Cosmic Signatures too so you could get
Unknowns (possibly being other wormholes), Gravimetric, Ladar, Magnetometric and Radar. The Cosmic
Anomalies can be found with just the basic ship scanner (with no probes) so you can get up and running while
someone locates the more rewarding Cosmic Signatures.
As if the new Sleeper abilities weren’t enough, a wormhole system can also be subject to environmental effects
(referred to as a Tactical Environment) that can produce unwanted and/or beneficial side effects to your ship.
Such effects can include changes in max velocity, targeting range, weapon range and damage, shield, armor,
hull, capacitor, resistances and signature radius (among probably others). You can usually find out if your ship is
likely to be affected by a tactical environment as you will get a notification on entering the wormhole system. If
you’re unsure, check the physical environment for spatial effects (binary star systems, strange spatial effects) and
also check your combat log for such a notification. You won’t be told precisely what is being affected so you’ll
need to double-check your ship attributes to find the changes, either good or bad.
Tips on Probing
Scan Strength
Under the new probing system, scan strength is king. It’s therefore important to try and get the scan strength of
probes as high as possible so as to obtain a warpable result in a quicker time. Scan times for probes have a base
duration of 10 seconds (and reduce with skills and implants) so duration is much less important now than it used
to be.
To increase scan strength, you have the following options:
1. Use Sisters Probes. These have a 10% higher base scan strength that the standard probes.
2. Use Sisters Probe Launchers. This will increase the scan strength of probes by 10%.
3. The Astrometric Triangulation skill (formerly Signal Acquisition) gives a per-level bonus to scan strength. Note
however that the Astrometric Acquisition skill (formerly Astrometric Triangulation) now gives a scan time bonus.
4. Use Gravity Capacitor Upgrade rigs. These now affect scan strength instead of scan time.
5. Use Prospector PPH-x series of implants. These now affect scan strength instead of scan time.
6. Use the Virtue series of implants. This low-grade faction implant set will give a nice boost to your scan strength
– if you can afford them!
Don’t Forget It’s 3D!
Obvious one really but sometimes when you’re concentrating on reducing the distance to a signal you stick to
moving in 2 dimensions. A signal can also be above or below the plane of the solar system so don’t forget to
check that too.
Probe Reuse
As probes can now be recalled back to the cargo bay once scanning is complete, it’s therefore no longer
necessary to carry large quantities of probes on exploration journeys, leaving more space in your cargo for other
uses. You shouldn’t need more than 4 Core Scanner Probes to find a single result but it’s often handy to keep a
few spare just in case.
About This Guide
Originally written by Vessper
Current Version: 1.0 (12 March 2009)

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BattleClinic Guide To Wormholes

BATTLECLINIC GUIDE TO WORMHOLES

The New Probing System

The new system is based on the idea of triangulation but with

Wormholes and the System Scanner

Let’s open up the scanner as we will be seeing a lot of this

The System Scanner is divided into 3 main sections:

These are very much self-explanatory but a key feature to

Finding a Potential Result

The first step is to determine if a cosmic signature is present in

There are 2 possible ways of quickly finding any matching

Next, load up the probes and fire one.

Using the directional arrows on the

Start by launching 2 more Core Scanner Probes. Using the

Once positioned, hit the Analyze button. Our example scan

...so we try with the probe positioned at the other intersection.

Launch a new probe and place it in the centre of the 3

Getting the Final Location

Eventually, you will get to a point where your

The key thing to remember is that

There is always an exit wormhole out of

This means that it’s possible a wormhole can open up in a known

The Other Side

To increase scan strength, you have the following options:

Don’t Forget It’s 3D!

About This Guide

Originally written by Vessper

Current Version: 1.0 (12 March 2009)

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