Currently, there a few different fleet types that dominate PVP. Understanding these and their relationship to each other allows experimentation and improvement. Not understanding these causes confusion, uncertainty, and copying whoever happened to just beat you on the leaderboard hoping their fleet works better than yours. Before we begin I would establish some terminolgy and basic information to reduce confusion. 1. PvP points are awarded when you win against an opponent, the amount depends on the difference between your points. 2. Upon reaching 800 PvP points it starts to cost a PvP point per searching for a player. This is to prevent specifically searching out players you know you can beat. 3. While PvP fleets may share similarity to some Boss and AI Builds all three modes have distinct differences that require specific changes for best performance. 4. A fleet of any one ship type is not good. Please don't do this. (Yes I know I recommend all interceptors for Lasercruiser that is literally the only time!) 5. By Archtype I am referring to a whole class of fleets, there can be many different fleets all under the same archtype, for example switching fighters for interceptors is a totally different fleet, but it is still a square wall in the end. 6. Tines are the pointy things on forks! For each archtype I will create an example fleet with 150 ships as well as recommend equipment and possible variations to the basic fleet. For all screenshots I will be using the default skins, for optimal clarity. *Please note these are example fleets only and not intended to be copied exactly.* Equipment recommendations are in no particular order. Without further ado: **The Square Wall Archtype:**  This is a simple, easily understood fleet design that is also very strong. Recommended for anyone who doesn't want a chance at Traive's $10 Defensive equips are generally taken on fighters, such as: *Shield+75% Sensor-30%, Instead of dying, survive 1.5 seconds, Deflectors +40% Sensors-10%, Thorns+75 Firepower-30%, Deflectors+20%* These equipment choices give the frigates behind them a secure place to fire. The frigates, as they are safe and sound behind the fighters, synergize with offensive upgrades such as: * Firepower+40% Shields-15%, Attacks have a 20% chance to hit the enemy behind. Can repeat., All attack attributes +20%, Capacitors +20% (to keep your frigates from dying to thorns!), Damage vs squads +35%, After each attack increase overload by +4%,* **Pros:** Easy to execute Very consistent Tons of versatility, changing equipment can drastically effect different matchups Very scalable, as you get more ships just throw on more frigates Good vs pitchforks (sometimes!) **Cons:** Boring Easily countered if your opponent knows what they are about Default version is terrible for AI/Mediocre for Boss if you are trying to quickly push at the beggining of the week. Gets beaten by side fleets Level dependent Very common fleet, so many people running counters **Common Variations:** Fighters may be switched for interceptors, this makes you look smart and innovative. Also works better vs pitchfork fleets and side fleets, but you will lose versus fighter walls. Adding a "cage" of tanks around your frigates, this helps vs side fleets and bosses, but is also worse against other walls. These disadvantages can be avoided with shrewd equipment choice. Frigates may be switched for interceptors, this is what all the "cool kids" are doing (Shoutout to Meou2001), it is way better vs non-dreadnought bosses, crushes pitchforks, does better vs side fleets, and as usual, loses to the standard fighter frigate wall. **The Pitchfork:**  The Pitchfork took a strong AI fleet (the lightning rod) and has repurposed it for PvP usage. The basic idea is to focus the entirety of the enemy's fire onto your fighters, which tank it using the Instead of dying, survive 1.5 seconds equipment. For this fleet the Instead of dying, survive 1.5 seconds equip is mandatory on fighters, you are left with two options. The first is not much of a choice. Thorns+75 Firepower-30% is the runaway favorite because losing firepower on your fighters is not a big deal with this fleet, as you don't have many of them and the thorns gives excellent damage as well as forces opponents to use capacitors. The third option is usually Thorns+30, or Sensors-30% Shields+75%. Offensively you have more choices, including: *Firepower+40% Shields-15%, Attacks have a 20% chance to hit the enemy behind. Can repeat., All attack attributes +20%, Capacitors +20% (to keep your frigates from dying to thorns!), Damage vs squads +35%, After each attack increase overload by +4%, and Sensor+25% Armor-20* **Pros:** Very strong vs AI Level independant, players with lower ship levels will have a better chance vs stronger opponents Formation is midly flexible, can change positioning of fighter lines, can change squad type and location. **Cons:** Equipment very unflexible Loses to other common PvP fleets Atrocious vs Bosses If opponent has interceptors you will die **Common Variations:** You can play around with number of *tines* on the pitchfork, change squad composition, or add some interceptors in around your frigates to beat other pitchforks. Can also play around with fighter positioning a lot, a straight line may not be best. Interceptors instead of frigates is an option, it isn't very good, but may give you more luck against other Pitchforks. **The Flanking Fleet:**  More of an evolution than a variation of the pitchfork fleet this fleet is different enough that I felt it warranted a seperate category. Equipment choices for fighters and frigates are similar to those of the pitchfork. For interceptors there are many options including but not limited to: *Shields+70% Engines-75%, All attack attributes+7%, After each attack 3% chance to hit 6 tims, Sensors +25% Armor -20, Firepower +40%, Shields-15%, After each attack increase overload by 4%, After each attack boost a random stat by 5% (this is really underrated!), Capacitor +20%, and Multistrike+20% * **Pros:** Ties 90% of matches Can do whatever you want with opposite side of the map you are staged on...I almost got top 10 my first week playing with a smiley face of fighters! Can consistently beat square walls Interceptors are extremely flexible Very strong vs AI Level independant **Cons:** Ties 90% of matches Not very scalable, more ships don't help that much Equipment is fairly inflexible Bad vs bosses Requires max staging area size to be truly effective **Common Variations:** Can move whole fleet to the top to trip up opponents, it is really hard to counter these fleets from both sides Can play around with the interceptors a lot, from not using any to using more interceptors than fighters... really flexible but tricky to get right Please not that this is by no means an "end all be all" to PvP fleets, there are other popular fleet designs I have not covered and as people continue to innovate these designs will change.

Awesome /two thumbs up

Kudos +1

thank you mr!