How does one dodge or survive gate camps without stealth?

In Eve, gate camps can be one of the biggest dangers in low/null-sec. A gate camp is where one or more pirates wait around a star-gate trying to catch pilots as they warp away (and also incoming auto-pilots).

Often times they use warp-scramblers and quick targeting systems to try to snare passing pilots, though sometimes they just start firing off fof missiles without bothering to target.

Of course, stealth helps one avoid these problems, but cloaking systems are both expensive and require extensive training, which I'm a little short on at the moment.

A big factor in their ability to catch someone is how quickly it takes a ship to go to warp, but sometimes they are able to catch even fast ships.

1. What are some strategies for beating base camps without stealth?
2. Are there ways to detect and avoid base camps without risking one's ship?
3. What's the best way strategy, outside of stealth and blockade runners for dealing with and surviving gate camps?

Solution 1:

There are a few tricks to easily survive gate-camps:

1st point:

Never use straight lines in 0.0. Why? Because a lot of 24/7 sitted systems only have 2 gates. The bubble will just be on the line right beetween the gates and you'll automatically be thrown right into the bubble.
If possible, you'll want to warp to a planet, which is far away from the direct path, then warp to the destination gate. That way, you'll probably manage to go around the bubble.

2nd point:

Use a shuttle. Or any ship you'll be able to fit for fast spinning and good accelerations. Remember those omg-wtf-unlimitedspeed-nano-frigates?
(Or a full tanking drake should do the trick if you just go for a small-camp, they'll never be able to shut down your shield).

3rd point:

Try to know all the systems on your itinerary, and try to look for unusual paths.
You can look here for dangerous systems (stats for the last 3 hours), and you'd better check all the systems you'll go through, just to be safe.
Remember: the shortcut is a lie. The shortest path between populated regions will probably be heavily camped.

Here are a few usefull links:
- Ombeve (A good .pdf map. Print it, and stick it all over the room. Seriously.)
- Dotlan (Want some info for the next system? choose the region, click the system on the map, and look at the ship-kills stats. Instant camp-gate indicator)
- ICSC Jump planner for those who fly carriers. (It'll help you to reduce costs, you'll just have to check dangerosity for the suggested systems)

About the cloacking subject, the training time for a blank new character (without optimisation:
1) To use a Prototype Cloaking Device I -> 21h 30min;
2) To use an Improved Cloaking Device II -> 1d 23h 20m;
3) To use a Covert Ops Cloaking Device II -> 7d, 3h, 30min, + 23d 15h 50 min for the T2 frigate.

Solution 2:

The mechanical answer here already are spot on. I would add that you can warp into a new system and essentially start in a trap as well (though cloaked). If you enter a new system and are essentially sitting in a warp bubble, log out right away. The flash from the gate will alert the camp that you have arrived and they will start trawling the space around the gate looking for you. Try again at a wildly different time (best time is often right after server maintenance).

Solution 3:

I survived surrounded by 7 red pirates at a gate camp by using a shuttle. When I was returning to jump away they were already warp scrambling some other poor soul. So I'm sure they would have destroyed me if they could.

However, someone I talked to said their shuttle got gate camped during a connection issue, so travel at your own risk.

Unfortunately a shuttle can't carry much cargo, like the cargo capacity that is required for a level 4 distribution mission. So shuttles don't answer the whole problem.

UPDATE: A Shuttle won't save you from a smartbomb camp like the one in Rancer. To defeat those without stealth, one must approach the gate from an unexpected trajectory. Try going to a planet, sun, or custom office first and then head towards the gate.

Solution 4:

Here is how to survive a gate camp in low sec w/o cloak:

Very fast align

If your ship has an align time under 2.0 secs you can just warp off and will not be caught by most insta lockers. (However, some tacklers with more then 4.000 scan res and with a very good server ping will still be able to catch you according to this).

This is a game mechanic and the reason why pods and shuttles (= 1.5 sec) can not be caught. This also works with many interceptors (e.g Ares) and some special frigates (e.g. Dramiel), but only if fitted right.

Hint: The in-game fitting window will tell you the effective align time of your ships.

Re-approach and jump back

With a very fast ship you can just turn on your MWD and quickly re-approach the gate and jump back.

Note that this strategy only works with small and very fast ships. And it also depends a lot on your tank and on the gate camp composition and size.

• You need to be able to tank incoming damage during your re-approach.
• Ships in the gate camp with webs and / or scrams will slow you down and might be able to stop you.
• If the camp is too big they might be able to apply enough damage before you reach the gate

A good example for a ship that can usually ably this strategy is a Retribution with a MWD. It can re-approach very quickly and can use its Assault Damage Control to mitigate incoming damage.

Burn outside point range and warp off

This approach is similar to the re-approach strategy.

In addition to it will only work if there is no tackler on gate that is able to follow quickly enough and if your ship is able to tank damage for a little while.