Citadels: "Ain't nobody got time for that!"

I think that CCP's experiment with Citadels 1.0 is running it's course and should be wrapped up.

It was a great hypothesis. Rework the "exploitable" POS mechanics which were "stale" and didn't make for "great" content. Replace the cumbersome and dated POS's, with their dated and not too epic graphics of a giant space bauble, with cool new Citadels of epic scale and scope. Make a more dynamic reinforcement cycle. Etcetera.

Well, I think the verdict is in.

Citadels don't provide content. They discourage it, especially in wormholes. The vast, vast majority of Citadels dying are from coathangering upon anchoring. This is due to several reasons not really related to their defences. True, Fortizar defences can be formidable, and keepstars moreso if you don't bring 6,000 pilots, but by and large Astrahus are easily blappable for a group of 12 T1 cruisers, but they aren't really dying much.

The real issue is the timers. Not only are the initial invulnerability timers entirely suited to the defender, which destroys opportunistic content creation entirely, but you have to do 2 timers @ minimum 30 minutes each, to get to a timer people might be even remotely interested in defending.

As the meme says "Ain't nobody got time for that!"

However, that was all OK to some degree, until CCP made it take longer to swap ships in a Citadel. Which is fair enough I suppose, unless all you do is stay docked and fiddle with your vessels all day. But apparently, this small quality of life nerf is all it's taken to get people to hate on Citadels as they ought to be hated upon.

As the meme says "Ain't nobody got time for that!"

The other thing which is quite odd is that reinforcement is free. Free from requiring strontium, I mean. You can ping a Citadel every couple of days, and no one has to turn up to refuel the stront bay. this is weird, and stupid.

If the Citadel gets into armour, you should have to repair it during, or after, the fact. We were told that Citadels would have interesting fits, but that's bullshit. The fits are all the same - Standup AMSL missiles, neuts....actually, who fucking cares? It's all absolutely irrelevant. I haven't heard anyone say "Oh, wow, look at that Citadel repping through the damage!" or "Lol, this Citadel has uber webs."

What the fuck happened to dynamic citadel fits? Its all totally irrelevant. lame, unbonused fighters? Check. Irrelevant neuting? Check. A scram that cycles on you one time only when you atttack it? Check. Total lack of oversaturation in EWAR? Check and checkitty check. Some dumb bombs or w/e which can't even kill drones? Sure, knock yourself out Citadel owner.

Sure, Citadels are more deadly when piloted, but not by much at the lower end of the spectrum. The POSs were a challenge to take on and come up with a strategy to defeat when undefended. Citadels are a yawnfest.

I think the solution to these issues is:
1) Strontium consumption for RF timers should be reintroduced.
2) Citadels should not have three fucking timers. Make it a RF like the POS's, on a 7 day cycle. You fuck it up and don't fuel and refuel it, then your space castle dies. You get a week to respond.
3) Actually make the Citadel fit matter. Like, a shield rep, or armour reps. EWAR.
4) Increase, drastically, the vulnerability timers in wormhole space. To like, 30% of the week, at least.