Fleet commanding in EVE Online is one of the most demanding—and rewarding—roles a player can take on. You’re not just flying your own ship; you’re managing dozens of others, reading the grid, making real-time decisions, and setting the tempo of the fight. It’s EVE at its most intense.
But everyone starts somewhere.
New FCs often fall into the same traps, missteps, and overextensions. That’s normal. It’s part of the learning curve. But if you can recognize these mistakes early—and correct them—you’ll grow faster, lead better, and start building the trust that turns a chaotic rabble into a deadly fleet.
Here are ten common mistakes every new FC makes, and how to fix them.
1. Talking Too Much (Or Too Little)
The Mistake: New FCs often monologue, over-explain, or ramble in comms—slowing reactions and confusing line members. Others fall silent at critical moments, leaving their fleet guessing.
The Fix: Develop concise, actionable comms. Every command should be short, direct, and unambiguous. Example:
- “Anchor on me. Prop mods on. Lock primary.”
- “Hold cloak. Wait for my warpin. Do not decloak.”
- “Align out to planet 5. Don’t warp.”
Use a calm, even tone. Practice thinking aloud while maintaining brevity. Your comms set the fleet’s rhythm—keep it crisp.
2. Chasing the Kill Instead of the Win
The Mistake: Tunnel-visioning on a juicy kill—ignoring incoming threats, reinforcements, or positional disadvantages.
The Fix: Shift your mindset. A good FC isn’t hunting killmails; they’re controlling the grid. Sometimes the smart play is to disengage, reposition, or deny content. Winning means:
- Preserving fleet cohesion
- Choosing engagements on your terms
- Bleeding the enemy over time—not blowing your whole fleet on a baited Leshak
Don’t let bloodlust get in the way of good judgment.
3. Not Delegating Roles
The Mistake: Trying to do everything yourself—scouting, anchoring, target calling, broadcasting, logistics management.
The Fix: Assign roles early and clearly. Every effective fleet has:
- A scout (or two)
- A target caller (if not the FC)
- Anchor for logi
- Broadcast manager (optional, but useful)
- Backseat FC (to catch mistakes and help)
You can do it all. But you shouldn’t. Delegation means more focus, faster reactions, and better morale.
4. Panicking Under Pressure
The Mistake: Losing your cool when things go wrong—overcalling, misclicking, screaming in comms.
The Fix: Expect chaos. Accept that losses will happen. The key is maintaining clarity under fire. Breathe. Slow your thinking. Speak slowly and deliberately.
A calm FC inspires confidence. Even if you’re losing, clear comms and composed decisions can minimize losses or flip the field entirely. Your demeanor is your leadership.
5. Ignoring Intel Tools
The Mistake: Warping your fleet into blind systems, ignoring Dotlan, skipping local checks or zKillboard profiles.
The Fix: Use the tools at your disposal:
- Dotlan: Track enemy movements, jump paths, and population spikes
- zKillboard: Check for baiters, suspect comps, or known fleets
- D-scan/local: Always scout ahead. Never move blind.
Even a basic awareness of recent kills, hostile presence, or system occupancy can prevent catastrophic mistakes.
6. Not Setting Clear Doctrines or Fits
The Mistake: Letting everyone bring “whatever works” and calling it a fleet.
The Fix: Define a doctrine. It doesn’t have to be complicated. A handful of coherent ships with consistent engagement profiles is enough. For example:
- Shield brawlers: Caracals, Scythes, Ospreys
- Armor brawlers: Deacons, Retributions, Harbingers
- Kiting: Orthrus, Muninns, Ospreys
Your fleet needs to move and fight as one. Mixed fits dilute strengths and create confusion.
7. Warping Onto Unscouted Grids
The Mistake: Warping to a gate, station, or anomaly with no idea what’s waiting.
The Fix: Always scout. Always. Even one cloaky alt, interceptor, or cheap frigate can save you dozens of ships. Standard best practices:
- Use bookmarks to avoid decloaking scouts
- Get eyes before giving warp commands
- Trust your scouts, but confirm when possible
Don’t put your fleet somewhere you wouldn’t go alone.
8. Tunneling on One Target
The Mistake: Focusing all DPS on a single tanky ship while smaller, more dangerous ships chew through your fleet.
The Fix: Learn to prioritize:
- First: Tackle, logistics, EWAR
- Then: High DPS ships, blingy targets
- Finally: Battlecruisers, battleships
Ask: What’s threatening my fleet’s survival right now? That’s what needs to die first. Don’t chase killmails—neutralize threats.
9. Failing to Disengage in Time
The Mistake: Staying in a fight too long, trying to salvage a bad grid, or refusing to give the “warp off” order.
The Fix: Know your break points. If you’re losing logi, being kited out, or taking rapid losses, call the disengage early. You can always regroup, re-ship, or counter-drop. But you can’t re-fleet if everyone dies trying to be a hero.
Never be afraid to cut your losses. Smart FCs know when to say “we’re out.”
10. Not Learning From the Fight
The Mistake: Ending the op, logging off, and moving on—without reviewing what went right or wrong.
The Fix: Always do a debrief:
- What worked? What didn’t?
- Were the comms clear?
- Did the comp function as intended?
- Did we scout properly?
- What did the enemy do well?
Encourage your fleet members to speak up—especially those with experience. Record your fights. Rewatch and reflect.
Every fleet is a lesson. Treat it that way.
Final Thoughts: Becoming the FC They Trust
Fleet commanding isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being accountable, composed, and willing to learn.
You’ll lose ships. You’ll get baited. You’ll warp your fleet into traps. But if you own your mistakes and improve, people will follow you. Every alliance in EVE needs more FCs—and good ones rise fast.
Start small. Practice. Listen to your vets. Trust your instincts.
And remember: it’s not the FC with the biggest fleet who wins. It’s the one who sees the fight before it happens—and takes it on their terms.
