Ship “Bumping” is the process by which one ship accelerates towards another ship, causing them both to collide, and pushes the “bumped” ship off course.
Common reasons for bumping another ship include:
- Delaying an aligning ship from entering warp
- Preventing a ship from reaching a gate, station, etc.
- Increasing the distance between a ship and its drones, causing them to disconnect
The ability to bump other ships is a valid in-game mechanic, and is not considered to be an exploit.
Similarly, the act of bumping itself, even if it is frequent or targeted, is not considered to be harassing behavior.
For more information on what does constitute an exploit, please see our article on Known & Declared Exploits.
Defenses Against Bumping
While the best defense against ship bumping is to remain vigilant and ready to respond should your ship be bumped, there are several additional strategies that may help you.
- Setting your ship to orbit a point in space can make you a more difficult target to bump effectively
- Remain within close proximity of your drones should you need to recall them
- Add bumping players to your contacts list, allowing you to know when they enter the system
Ships that are bumped while attempting to enter warp will automatically enter warp if they remain in the pre-warp state for three minutes continuously. Disruptors, Scramblers, or any other form of warp interdiction will reset this timer.