Introduction
In this guide, I’ve gathered 10 Hidden Tips, the most valuable lessons and insights I’ve learned over the past season. While there’s much more that a regular player might overlook, these ten tips and tricks stand out as the most hidden gems. They shed light on aspects where official guides or game mechanics have fallen short, making these not-so-obvious features easier to understand and apply.
Table of Contents
Action Points and Pirate Farming
You can cancel your sent fleet at any time without any penalty—the action point is only consumed once combat begins. Unlike grid defenders or regular deployments, where stamina is deducted upfront, action points for pirates are only used when the fleet reaches the pirates and initiates combat.
This strategy becomes crucial when tackling level 9 and 10 pirates, as multiple fleets are often needed to clear them efficiently. For example, if the pirates are a few minutes away, sending fleets one by one can take a lot of time. Instead, you can dispatch all fleets simultaneously with a small time gap, monitor the battle logs, and cancel any unnecessary fleets to avoid wasting resources.
Keep in mind that pirates don’t have a small combat respawn timer; instead, they have a global relocation timer, which forces them to relocate once every six hours within a region. Additionally, pirates are open targets for all players, so be sure to check both the timer and the surroundings before engaging.
If stamina conservation isn’t a priority for you, consider trying my level 10 grid-capturing tactic of zero-deployment followed by one-by-one engagement for additional efficiency.
Commander Level Transfer
You can swap the levels of two commanders directly. This isn’t a partial transfer or a way to combine experience—it’s a straight one-to-one exchange of levels between the two commanders. The process is free, has no cooldown, and requires no additional resources. However, the only drawback is that any equipped implants will be unequipped, so you’ll need to reselect and assign them afterward!
To execute a level transfer, both commanders must be stationed in your home base. Simply open the profile of either commander, click the icon in the top corner near the EXP and Stamina bars, and select the second commander. Note that stamina levels will also adjust to match the lower value between the two commanders after the swap.
I’ve included this tip because it was a significant discovery for some of my corp mates, even at the end-game stage. It’s a crucial mechanic, especially as you unlock more commanders and ships and need to reorganize fleet compositions. For example, when refining my top 10 fleets in Eve Galaxy Conquest and testing all combinations, I made extensive use of this feature to optimize setups. You can check my comparing table, where I calculated all ships stats and pick right hull for a commanders set.
Combat Simulator: Your Shortcut to Commanders’ Leveling
The combat simulator is an incredibly efficient tool to jumpstart your commanders. Unlocked early in the game, it passively boosts the levels of replacement commanders—essential for intensive operations. You can queue up to five cycles for just 10k ISK (with each training cycle lasting 60 minutes), making it both cost-effective and time-efficient.
While it does consume stamina (you’ll see a red warning requiring 150 stamina), don’t worry. Commanders regenerate stamina during training at a rate of 1 stamina every 3 minutes. This means you only need at least 70 stamina to start the session; the remaining 80 will regenerate over the next 4 hours. Note that only 30 stamina is consumed at the start of each new cycle.
Here’s what you can expect:
- Level 1 Combat Simulator: Provides 40k experience per hour. After 5 hours, two level 1 commanders can be boosted to level 25.
- Level 5 Combat Simulator: Offers 100k experience per hour. In 5 hours, two level 1 commanders can reach level 30.
This makes the combat simulator an invaluable tool for quickly preparing a replacement fleet, allowing you to swap out main commanders and continue PvP battles or grid captures with a fresh shift on a same ship.
Never Transfer Directly to a Rally
Always relay to a rally point through a nearby station, gate, shipyard, or outpost. The rally points lack “transfer” attributes, meaning if your fleet is knocked out by an enemy, it will be sent all the way back to your home base—which could mean hours of travel. By first transferring to a nearby structure, you mitigate this risk. Typically, there’s always a station or outpost within a 10-15 minute range; simply open the map and locate one nearby.
Another benefit of transferring first is arriving at the rally point with a partially recharged capacitor. Docking at a station, gate, or outpost restores 100% capacitor, giving your fleet an edge. While this maneuver costs 15 stamina (equivalent to 45 minutes of regeneration), the trade-off is well worth it.
Here’s a practical rule of thumb:
- If the rally point is more than 30 minutes away, always relay via another structure.
- If the rally point is in enemy or neutral territory, always relay through a nearby structure, regardless of distance. Alternatively, send a strong combat fleet to establish a foothold by building outposts within 30 grids of the rally point.
Taking these precautions ensures you save time, stamina, and resources while maintaining operational flexibility.
Also, there’s no need to be physically present within the rally grid to enable the Rally commander’s automatic AI control over your fleets. Your fleet will be under their command and can engage in combat within a 10-grid radius of the rally point.
Always Send Your Strongest Fleets First
When dispatching multiple fleets to a rally point—or relaying to one as covered in Tip #4—always begin with your strongest combat fleets. These should be followed closely (<10 seconds) by your weaker fleets. This order is critical to safeguarding your forces from potential enemy gankers who might be camping along the route.
If an ambush occurs, the enemy will be forced to confront your strongest “SWAT” fleet first. Even if you lose one or two fleets in the encounter, the remaining three will have a much higher chance of reaching the operation point safely. This strategy not only protects your resources but also ensures that your mission can proceed without significant disruptions.
Use Turrets as Speedtraps for Ganking
Turrets are an incredible tool for gaining combat insights and executing effective guerrilla tactics. They were essential during my campaigns, where I dismantled dozens of fleets with a single combat fleet. This tip complements #4 and #5, as unaware commanders who skip this guide will fall victim to these strategies.
Here’s the tactic in detail:
- Scout the Enemy Rally Point: Start by predicting the enemy’s path to their rally point.
- Identify the Main Road: Enter the surrounding systems and locate the primary path most enemy fleets are following.
- Leverage the Fog of War: Choose a hidden location with no nearby enemy home bases or structures that could expose your position on the map. Ideally, pick a grid in the middle of nowhere.
- Build an Outpost (Optional): If you plan to stay in the area for an extended period or access is challenging, construct an outpost nearby to regenerate fleets.
- Deploy a Level 1 Turret: Place it approximately 6 grids before the grid where you intend to camp. Don’t build the turret directly on the road; instead, place it in an adjacent grid so it can fire twice and momentarily “freeze” each passing fleet. This helps split bulk movements into smaller, more manageable groups.
- Monitor and Strike: Use the combat log to assess incoming fleets. If a fleet is low on capacitor or poorly equipped, engage. If the fleet is strong and could cause heavy losses, stand down and let it pass.
Turrets are especially effective against autopiloting fleets, enabling a single player with the right setup to disrupt entire operations. By stalling and inflicting significant damage, you can cripple enemy efforts before their commanders even realize what’s happening—leaving them wondering why 80 siege fleets have gone missing after 6 hours of rallying.
Sentry Gun to Eliminate Support Fleets
Sentry guns can also be strategically placed near your home base to deal with support fleets that spawn three times daily and cycle around your base. These support fleets are a valuable resource, as a level 5 fleet provides 240,000 of various resources and 6,000 components daily—rewards you definitely don’t want to miss.
Typically, killing these fleets requires careful timing or spending 15 stamina to deploy, but your commanders are often busy fighting elsewhere, making it impossible to engage the support fleet manually. The simple solution? Deploy a level 2 turret near your base and let it handle the problem for you automatically.
A level 1 turret can also work if positioned correctly to land two hits, but it will take more cycles around your base to eliminate the fleet. Using a turret ensures you never miss out on these resources, even if your main fleets are far from home.
You need to be online to spawn the event!
Avoid Staying Inside a Sieged Structure
If an enemy launches a full-scale invasion on a station, gate, outpost, or shipyard, do not remain inside the structure. Staying put can result in devastating losses, leaving you locked in a losing cycle that grinds your fleets down to nothing.
Here’s how it works:
When you’re inside a structure during a siege, you’re automatically treated as a defender and are forced into combat during every enemy strike. If your fleet is defeated, you’ll enter a 300-second injury timer. Once the timer ends, you’re thrown back into combat, only to face the enemy again. This cycle repeats until the structure is captured, leaving you in a near-permanent “injury” state where you can’t even retreat to your home base.
Instead, if the battle seems unwinnable, it’s better to evacuate and regroup. Here are your options:
- Regroup at another structure: This allows you to organize a counterattack or ambush enemy reinforcements.
- Target weak enemy fleets: Use guerrilla tactics to gank their vulnerable forces and disrupt their momentum.
- Return to home base: In the worst-case scenario, focus on PvE activities to rebuild your resources and recover your strength.
Sometimes retreating strategically is the smartest choice to preserve your fleets and resources for future battles, do not feed enemies with free Military Exploits!
Captured Grids Housekeeping
Managing captured grids effectively is key to aligning your resource production with your current priorities and needs. The game’s resource demands evolve over time, so regular adjustments are essential for staying efficient.
- Early Game Priorities: Focus on alloy production for base development, especially for upgrading key structures like the headquarters, control tower, and assembly array.
- Mid-Game Focus: Shift your focus to generating ISK, as it becomes more crucial for operations and scaling your activities.
- Ore, Ice, and Gas Balance: Components production requires a 1:2 ratio of ore/ice to gas, meaning gas nodes should be prioritized—but not excessively. Ice and ore are still essential for base construction, so maintain a balanced approach.
While the trade center offers a quick fix with 60% trade efficiency, relying on it frequently can lead to significant losses. Through playing multiple characters, I’ve learned that strategic planning and grid adjustments are far more effective. Instead of blindly capturing everything nearby, take the time to cherry-pick nodes that match your needs, even if it requires traveling further. This approach saves stamina, components, and avoids inefficient trades.
Smart grid management ensures you optimize production, reduce waste, and stay ahead in resource allocation.
Check Your Surroundings Before Building
When establishing structures, especially outposts and home bases, avoid building near red grids or points of interest that might draw unnecessary attention or encourage attacks. This tip is particularly relevant to players who rely on the default “auto-build” near stations—a risky move. If an enemy targets that station, they’ll likely camp your transfer routes and clear your outposts in the process.
Instead, position your structures strategically:
- Build in remote locations: Aim for spots at least 7 grids away from stations, enemy grids, or structures. This forces attackers to spend over 21 minutes of real time just to reach your base, plus another 3-12 minutes to take it down. Such a time investment often discourages casual attackers.
- Spread out your outposts: Avoid clustering your outposts. Place them on opposite sides of the map, increasing the time required for eviction to over an hour. This tactic frustrates attackers and reduces their willingness to waste stamina and resources.
This strategy has frequently kept my structures untouched. Most players prefer to focus on rallies or front-line combat rather than waste time and stamina chasing hidden structures. Their oversight gives you the freedom to transfer resources and continue guerrilla tactics—disrupting backlines and undermining their grid control without resistance.
Bonus Tip: Efficient Base Relocation
To relocate your base, you’ll need to build a Homebase Gantry, but the good news is you only require 1 central grid to place it—not 7! The only condition is that all surrounding grids must be free of developed structures like turrets, outposts, or other player-owned grids. Ensure the area is clear before starting the relocation process.
Additionally, there’s a bug you can currently exploit to boost influence. Your base gains influence based on the grid values within the surrounding 7-grid radius. For example, if you place your base on three level 10 grids, you instantly gain 2,400 influence, plus the influence from the remaining four grids. This can be a significant advantage when positioning your base strategically.
Final Thoughts
That’s it for today! I hope these secrets and tips help you optimize your gameplay or deepen your understanding of game mechanics. If you have additional tips or insights, feel free to share them in the comments or reach out to me on the Eve Galaxy Conquest official Discord: user @sturmer.one.
Fly wisely, commanders!
o7
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