If you jump into a low sec gate camp one strategy to survive is to try to warp out before the tacklers can get a point on you. Here your time to warp is a deciding factor.
The question is: Does being "cold" or passive aligned to your warp destination shorten the time to warp and thus gives you an advantage or does it not matter? In other words will it increase the time to warp if your ship has to turn into the direction of the destination while trying to get into warp?
e.g. if it matters than picking a warp destination that lies in direction of your ship would be an advantage. Also having your ship already turned into the direction of a gate perch would give you an edge if you need to warp out quickly.
For the sake of this discussion lets ignore extreme scenarios like boosted insta tacklers that can reliable tackle every ship and ships that can align within the server tick threshold making them un-catchable.
Note that this discussion is about getting into warp from 0 speed. Its not about the benefits of pre-alignment where you are already at speed towards your destination.
Best Answer
No, passive alignment is a common myth in EVE, but it doesn't actually lessen the time to enter warp. As far as the game simulation goes ships don't actually have a facing, instead they're spheres with a movement vector. When your ship's speed is 0 that vector isn't pointing in any particular direction. If you then start moving in a given direction your movement vector is immediately pointing in the direction of movement.
While the client shows your ship facing in a particular direction when stopped and gradually turning towards your destination when you try to warp somewhere, this is just an illusion. As far the server is concerned the ship is already moving in the direction of the warp as soon it processes the warp command. Once the server determines your ship is moving at 75% of your maximum speed you'll enter warp.
This means that the align time for your ship shown in the fitting window, rounded up to the nearest second, is how long it will take you to enter warp from a stationary position regardless of the direction of the warp.
Passive alignment is a lie
Align time depends on direction?
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