There’s always debate about whether or not target painters are any good. Some say they are ‘laughably bad’, others say they work but there is no reason to fit one over a tracking computer or web. The correct answer is that they are an effective tool for some purposes, but like everything else in EVE they have a specific role to play and are not everything to everyone.

The only thing that really sucks about target painters is player’s perception of them. Some say they are like a tracking computer but they work for the whole gang; they’re actually better than a tracking computer … and they work for the whole gang.

Let’s take one example: We’re flying a Harpy and trying to fend off an interceptor. So, we have the interceptor moving at about 4300 m/s roughly 23k away and the pilot has all level V skills. Our Harpy is using 125mm railguns with uranium ammunition (optimal of ~22k) and has level IV gunnery support skills. For simplicity, let’s say we, in the Harpy, are not moving. If we were moving, transversal will be changing and the overall numbers are harder to figure out — but rest assured, the effect of the target painter is roughly the same.

Using the formula found on the EVE Wiki we can plug in the numbers. A Harpy with no tracking computer and no target painter has a 56% chance of hitting; a Harpy with a tracking computer and no target painter has a 72% chance of hitting. A Harpy with a target painter and no tracking computer has a 74% chance of hitting. And that’s with an unbonused target painter.

This isn’t laughably bad — we’ve just negated a large chunk of the interceptor’s speed tank. And we’ve used a med slot module that has lower fitting requirements than a tracking computer.  And this negation extends to everyone else flying with us.

A web is going to be better; we’d have a hit chance of 94% — if we had a 23k web. And, please note that a web won’t do anything to negate tracking problems caused by our speed. If our target is standing completely still, it’s entirely possible to have tracking issues because we are moving fast. So, of the choices we do have, the target painter is the best option. And note that the target painter doesn’t have to be on our Harpy.

No matter what scenario we go with, if there is a tracking issue it can be mitigated or solved by a target painter.

Let’s review:  A target painter mitigates tracking issues better than a tracking computer fitted with a tracking speed script and it can be used by a wingmate in a different ship (maybe a dedicated electronic warfare ship, say a Vigil or Hyena). Further, a painter provides this bonus to the whole fleet. Oh, and it’s great for helping out your Caldari buddies (whether they’re firing missiles or railguns).