Support skills...

Today`s topics are support skills.
I will explain the importance of them using an example. Take a look at this tackler.
Maybe you can fly a gallente interceptor and maybe you can fit all the stuff packaged to this ceptor. But you easily can face the problem: you are not able to put online all the equipment.
Why?
The reason is simple. This fit is a cutting edge one, if you take a look on the med slots you will see a medium shield booster. This equipment eats 28MW of the powergrid. The powergrid output of the Ares is 30MW. Can you see the problematic part?

Question: how someone is able to fit the Ares in this way?
Answer: Support skills. (And the Auxilary Power Core, but it`s offtopic)

There are three major parameters of a ship defining what you can fit on it and use effectively:
- powergrid
- CPU
- capacitor

The first two limits the fitable equipment.
The third shows the use limitations after fitting. Without enough capacitor or fast recharge you will be able to use your full weaponry only for seconds...
If you don`t have enough from pwg, CPU or capacitor you should start to find ways to increase.

How to increase powergrid?
Skills:
- Engineering, every level increases powergrid output by 5%
- Advanced weapon upgrades: every level decreases all weapon`s pwg need by 2% (has prereq.: Weapon Upgrades, see CPU part)
- Shield upgrades: every level decreases shiled-related modules pwg need by 5% (this one is the key for the linked fit)
Modules(offtopic):
- Aux. Power Controls
- Power Diagnostic Units
- Reactor Control Units.

How to increase CPU?
Skills:
- Electronics: every level increases CPU output by 5%
- Weapon Upgrades: every level decreases all weapon`s CPU need by 5%
- Electronics Upgrades: every level decreases Signal Amplifier and Backup Sensor Array CPU need by 5% (since in the beginning you won`t use this kind of stuff, this skill is not so important atm)
- Energy Grid Upgrades: see description of the skill, it`s long. You won`t need this skill atm.
Modules(offtopic):
- Coprocessors.

How to increase capacitor?
Skills:
- Energy Management: each level increases capacitor capacity by 5%
- Energy System Operation: every level decreases capacitor recharge time by 5%

The skills above are basic support skills. They will help you fit your ship no matter what type of ship you use.
You should (or must, because it does not make sense to not to) learn the following at least lvl3:
- Engineering
- Electronics
- Energy Management
- Energy System Operation
- Weapon Upgrades

Additional must have skills:
- Repair Systems: for armor repairer modules. Each level reduces repairer duration by 5%. Also mandatory for Damage Control unit usage
(lvl4 is needed for Damage Control II)
- Hull Upgrades: increases armor strength by 5% for each level (if you shiled tank, you should chose Shield Upgrades and Shield Management instead.)

Good to have skills:
- Advanced Weapon Upgrades: see above. Drawback: needs Weapon Upgrades lvl5, which takes time. And... High learning time multiplier.

And a little more offtopic...
The followings are not "support skills" but are important.
If you plan to do a lot of PvP you should be able to use microwarpdrives (to reach the opponent fast or to escape the same insane speed). So:
- Afterburners and High Speed Maneuvering are mandatory.
Another PvP related skill is
- Propulsion Jamming: allows to use webs and warp scramblers. These modules prevents the escape of the opponent.

To summarize: support skills does not look as shiny as Sharpshooter for example but without them you won`t be able to fit your ship properly. This is the reason you need them.