So discontent with the current rating system for ships we have, I wrote my own! Any opinions?
Pod
~0 – 5 mass
A minimalist ship fitted with just engine and thrusters. They are fast, agile and highly disposable.
Blockade Runner
~0 – 5 mass
~At least one PlexStorage
A tiny ship similar in design to a pod, but fitted with storage capacity. They are the fastest, easiest way to move large amounts of goods between locations. Larger ships with docking capabilities out hunting pirates may choose to bring a Blockade Runner in order to much more quickly bring loot home before returning to their ship to continue the hunt.
Turret
~ Fits on an unenhanced turret dock.
Most turrets have little to no shields, and draw power from their ship instead of providing their own. They are small, affordable structures that are most effective in large numbers against smaller ships. Their ability to turn quickly allows them to track a fighters path much more easily than most internal guns. Although not a strict requirement, most turrets will come with an AI unit.
Tips: Turrets can draw power from what ever they are docked to.
A turret will only generate a shield if it has at least one power generator.
If a person enters a turret, the AI will turn off and need to be reactivated.
For a turret to dock onto a ship that belongs to a faction, it must also belong to that faction.
Artillery
~ Fits on an enhanced turret dock.
An artillery is the upgrade of a turret, being large enough that turret enhancers are required to dock. Being bigger they offer more fire power, are more likely to come with shielding, and have more hull coverage. Artillery will sometimes form the centrepiece of a ships defence.
Drill
~ Fits on a turret dock.
~Primary weapon is harvesters.
A drill is a turret with a focus on harvesters rather than weaponry. They allow large ships to temporarily swap their weapons for mining gear. Drills have no need for an AI unit.
Drone
~AI Unit
~No missiles, jammers or cloak
A drone is a small ship designed to be used by an AI rather than piloted by a person. They are often small, fast and cheap, with an emphasis on offence rather than defence. While a humans death is best avoided, drone ships can be destroyed in droves without worry. They are most effective against larger, less mobile ships and make ideal fodder for seeker missiles. They can be attached on mass to the belly of larger ships, although many will only ever see one battle due to the AIs inability to return to its dock.
Tips: Avoid Jammers, cloaking and missiles. The AI can't use these.
The ships will just stop moving when the battle is over. If you want to recover your ships, you will need to do it manually.
Scrapper
~ 0 – 40 mass
~ Primary weapon harvesting beam
A scrapper is a small harvesting ship designed to quickly extract valuable resources from abandoned stations. They are small enough to be able to easily fit inside of structures, and are often fitted with a single beam harvester to focus on taking only the most valuable blocks. They won't always come with hull, and will rarely include shields or weapons, instead using speed and agility to avoid combat.
Tips: With no way to destroy the faction block on pirate stations, avoid these targets. There is nothing but death for you there.
Mining Ship
~ > 40 mass
~ Primary weapon harvesting beam
A mining ship is a larger harvester that uses many parallel beams to indiscriminately harvest a much larger area. They will often have a layer of hull, and sometimes come with shielding or weapons. Larger Mining Ships will also include storage, and the possibility of a Blockade Runner.
Fighter
~ Fits on an unenhanced ship dock.
~ Primary weapon antimatter cannons.
The fighter is a small ship used to supplement the fire power of much larger ships. Like the drone, they are small enough to be carried in large numbers, but they were designed or personal use. This means they will often sacrifice some weaponry for extra shielding to help survive any stray shot that might come their way. Their primary defence remains agility and disposibility.
Tips: Don't be afraid to fly back to the carrier and get a new fighter when you take too much damage. Better a new ship than a new life.
Bomber
~ Fits on an unenhanced ship dock.
~ Primary weapon antimatter missiles.
A bomber is a type of fighter that has been fitted with missiles rather than cannons. They specialise in being able to quickly get in, do the needed damage, and get out. Because of the low calibre of weapon they carry, they are poorly fitted to shoot down faster ships, but stations and planets are easy prey. Their ability to move in close enough to pick off turret docking units, rendering the turret useless, is especially useful.
Tips: Your reload time is slow. Try to stay out of battle until you are ready to make a bombing run, then get out quickly.
Corsair
~5 – 50 mass
~Primary weapon antimatter cannons.
A corsair is the smallest type of utility ship. They are just large enough to include reasonable shielding, the possibility of a secondary weapon system, and sometimes extra storage. They are a popular choice for people not in a fleet as they offer options to navigate most obstacles, be it the fire power to destroy a small target, or the agility to escape a predator.
Tips: If you destroy a PlexStorage and fly over it to take what is inside, your inventory might fill up and any items you grab after that will be destroyed. Instead, try to destroy the faction block and loot the chest by hand.
Try to make sure the ship core is in the middle of your ship, this will make docking much easier later on.
This is the best class to get away with cloaking.
Missile Boat
~5 – 50 mass
~Primary weapon missiles.
A missile boat is similar to a corsair, but fitted missiles instead of cannons. They offer some amazing fire power for their mass, and have the shielding to withstand some light fire, but often lack the ability to shoot down ships of similar size. Missile boats are exceptional at destroying turrets, and a single one should be able to take care of a pirate station.
Tips: Your missiles move too slowly to be effective against ships. Try to avoid them.
You can attach two separate missile groups to two different missile CPUs, allowing you to choose when to take each shot instead of releasing an entire volley at once. This makes killing turrets twice as effective!
Corvette
~50 – 500 mass
Corvettes are the smallest ship that might feature internal rooms and a gravity unit. They are large enough to easily feature multiple quality weapon systems and possible turret docking, while still maintaining a level of agility. They are easy to construct without help from other players, and have become the ship of choice for most lone voyages. They can be specialised for combat against different types of enemies, but most are generic enough for any sitation.
Tips: You may start to have trouble finding docking stations. When logging out it is better to leave your ship in orbit than just sitting on the ground undocked.
Effective designs for energy and shielding start to become much more important from here on.
Make sure you put gravity units before any small doors come up.
Frigate
~ 500 – 5,000 mass.
Frigates are a class of ship where manoeuvrability takes a back seat to power. While they lack the ability to easily target smaller fighters, they can breach the shields of other ships of similar of greater size easily. This is the kind of unit that starts to make its presence known. They will rarely land on a planets surface, but have the capacity to dock a landing pod instead.
Tips: By now your fire power should be enough to make BB missiles worthwhile.
Jamming and cloaking will most likely become an impossibility.
Using several cockpits will allow you access to view your ship from several angles during a fight, while providing a plan B should one somehow be taken out.
Gun Ship
~ 500 – 5,000 mass.
~ 12+ turrets.
Gun ships are similar to frigates, but have been built with a focus on turret power to over come many small ships rather than primary weapons to breach larger hulls. They are the bane of fighters and can overwhelm carriers. Most will feature heavy shielding, allowing them to sit in battle and provide suppressive fire. They are also likely to employ at least one artillery, most often for the pilots own leisure due to the lack of need for somebody at the helm.
Tips: If you save a design with turrets on it, the turrets will be their when ever the design is purchased.
Remember that your turrets will likely be draining your power. Bring extra batteries.
Avoid KB missiles, as they will sometimes go for your own turrets.
Cruiser
~ 5,000 – 50,000 mass
Cruisers are designed to destroy anything the size of a frigate or larger with haste. Their antimatter arrays can quickly reduce shielding, and a single unblocked volley from their missile grid will scuttle your ship. They will sometimes include an assortment of turrets for point defence, but not enough to justify them as an anti-fighter ship taking their size into account. They exist to make craters so big you can see all the way through.
Tips: At this point it is important to have at least one docking unit for a pod or fighter, as you should never land this on a planet.
You will turn slowly, so try to line your ship up and travel in a straight line as long as possible.
Destroyer
~ 5,000 – 50,000 mass
~ 20+ turrets
Destroyers are large battle platforms built to the philosophy of 'MOAR DAKKA!!!' They employ many turrets and make it their business to swat away fighters. They are much more venerable without these turrets, thus an agile bomber squadron may be able to do some serious damage. Still, park one of these next to your station, and pirates should become a lot less of an issue.
Carrier:
~ 5,000 – 50,000 mass
~ 12+ docks
Carriers exist as mobile ports, keeping large numbers on fighters, bombers or drones on board, ready to release a storm in a combat situation. Their primary focus should be on shielding, over energy, thrusters or weapons, allowing them to tank fire away from their escorts. Especially large carriers may be able to carry frigates, but the practicality of this is questionable.
Battleship:
~50,000 – 500,000 mass
Now we are starting to get a little large. By this point, battleships are big enough to feature a huge assortment of systems and are a threat to just about anything they happen across. If fear is a type of wisdom, the battleship is a diplomatic envoy sent to bring wisdom to the universe one overheating core at a time.
Dreadnought
~ >500,000 mass
Moon. It isn't one.
Tips: To turn your ship, simply move the mouse in the direction you wish to turn. Then begin reading the book series 'A Song of Ice and Fire'. By the time everybody you love is dead, you should be getting close to facing the right way.
Cruise Ship
A ship designed for no practical reason, instead on looking nice. They often lack weaponry and shielding. Much effort has gone into its physical appearance. Often has lots of internal rooms for parties. Will never see combat lest it get a scratch.
Other tags
Stealth: Can use cloaking for ten seconds or more.
Tec: Can use a jammer for ten seconds or more.
Sonic: Can reach 100 in four seconds or less.
Planetary: Is capable of escaping a planets orbit just by holding the up button (e).
Camper: Has at least one internal room and a gravity unit.
Heavy: Uses heavy hull instead of light.
Author
Topic: StarMade - Minecraft IN SPAAACE! (early access) (its still alive!) (Read 325456 times)