Homeworld Walkthrough

HOMEWORLD WALKTHROUGH
by Briareos Kerensky (briareos_hf@tiscali.it, briareos_HF), ver 3.X.
1/11/2002
Table of Contents
1-Update History
2-History Briefing
3-Technology Briefing
4-Tactics Briefing
5-Formations Briefing
7-Ships Briefing
8-Walkthrough
9-String Options
10-Submissions
11-Credits and misc
****************
1-UPDATE HISTORY
****************
23/10/2002-version 3.X. More submissions.
16/10/2002-version 3.X. Submissions and corrections.
17/09/2002-version 3.X. No new submissions, but some additions to the
walktrhough as I've finished the game once again. Finally, even this document
reached and passed 100k ;)
23/07/2002-version 2.X. Submissions only.
18/02/2002-version 2.0. Document completed. Minor corrections throughout the
document.
19/01/2002-version 1.3. The Fellowship Of The Ring is here too! Finally (with
Japan), after all countries in this world, Italy recieves this movie. Still
have to see it (just let me find a free place in whatever theater), but...ehm,
totally senseless here. Walktrhough completed. Sections needing update were
updated.
16/01/2002-version 1.2. Removed Modified Ships section due to some technical
problems. Walkthrough continued. Other sections needing update were updated.
11/01/2002-version 1.0. Basic sections online. Let me say why I'm doing this
document: HomeWorld is still a wonderful game. I've found myself playing it
throughout the night after I've stumbled on this document looking in my CDs.
The original idea was thought after HW: Cataclysm (the sequel to HomeWorld and
my first walkthrough) and was forgot due to time and, partially, to a limited
PC. Now that I have both (well, time is always running away, but, hey, I'm on
holiday!), it is time to seriously begin and end it.
******************
2-HISTORY BRIEFING
******************
Kharak, the desert planet. An hell where only the poles are barely suited for
living. Your race, the Kushans, have always lived here. From the ancient days
the social structure is unchanged, divided into families, the Kiiths, but after
1106, when a mis-positioned satellite discovered a large metal formation in the
Great Desert, the whole planet life has changed.
In 1110 an expedition found the Khar-Toba, the First City, formed around an
ancient starship, buried under the sands. In 1112, technicians were able to
study and replicate the complicate technology that formed the starship's drive;
most thought that Khar-Toba offered all it had to offer, until a young
archeologist found a large piece of black stone with an interstellar map and a
word, Hiigara, "our home".
Since then, all efforts of the Kushan race were focused in building a massive
starship, using the same hyperspace technology found in the Khar-Toba, to
explore the space and reach the homeworld.
This starship, later renamed MotherShip, was built in 55 years: 20 to collect
all resources from the outer space, 10 to realize a giant Scaffold and 25 to
actually build the MotherShip. The MotherShip has a living core, Karan Sjet, a
scientist that voluntereed to become the center of the whole MotherShip's fleet
after having perfectioned the technology that now traps her. The MotherShip
also contains several thousands of colonists in cryogenic hybernation, a series
of factories to build other ships and spare parts in order to maintain the
MotherShip always functional. Hi-tech weaponries have been included for defense
purpose, in case of unknown threats attack the MotherShip.
It's 1214.
The MotherShip is ready start its journey.
************************
3-TECHNOLOGICAL BRIEFING
************************
In this secton you'll find description of the technology you have to research
to obtain new vessels during the game. A brief description of weapon types is
also provided.
----------------
--WEAPON TYPES--
----------------
+ Mass Drivers: projectile weapons. The weapon itself is small, so you'll find
at least a small-caliber gun on every Fighter. Bigger ships will have
mass-drivers in their secondary turrets. In HomeWorld, projectyle weapons are
useful against fast strike crafts, as they travel at an higher velocity and do
moderte damage to their thin armors. They have short/medium range values.
+ Energy Beams: Capital Ships only. The most common energy beam is the ion
beam, mounted on a number of ships. Only Super-Capital Ships carry them in
turrets, as an ion cannon is usually big as a whole Frigate. Medium/long range
weapons with high damage values, mainly useful against Capital Ships, though a
turret-mounted cannon can deal with Corvettes and reduce them in scraps within
seconds.
+ Missiles: Missiles are the only weapon limited by ammunition supplies, but
bigger ships can build them automatically, so just make an intelligent use of
them. They were developed to provide anti-Fighter capabilities to Capital
Ships. Though their damage value is lower than the Beam's one, they are fired
in groups and have a longer range.
+ Fields: some ships come equipped with a field generator capable of deflecting
enemy weapons or generating gravity to stop enemy's Strike Crafts. Those
shields are useful to protect valuable ships (Carriers, Cruisers,
MotherShips...) or to trap enemy vessels. The third type of field is the
Stealth, capable of masking crafts to enemy eyes and standard sensors. Only
advanced sensor suites will detect Stealth (or cloacked) units.
+ Plasma Bombs: large plasma spheres that do a lot of damage; they are a bit
slow, however. Very effective against large ships and, if they hit, against
fighters.
-----------------------
--COMMON TECHNOLOGIES--
-----------------------
FIGHTER CHASSIS
Pre-requisites: Fighter Drive
Lead to: Defender Sub-System, Plasma Bomb, Cloacked Fighter, Defense Fighter
Needed for: Interceptor, Defender, Cloacked Fighter, Defense Fighter, Attack
Bomber
Notes: basic technology
FIGHTER DRIVE
Pre-requisites: none
Lead to: Fighter Chassis
Needed for: Scout, Interceptor, Cloacked Fighter, Defense Fighter, Attack Bomber
Notes: basic technology
CORVETTE CHASSIS
Pre-requisites: Corvette Drive
Lead to: Heavy Corvette Upgrade, Fast Tracking Turret, Minelayer Technology
Needed for: Light Corvette, Salvage Corvette, Multi-Gun Corvette, Heavy
Corvette, Minelayer Corvette, Support Corvette
Notes: Base for most of Corvette-related technologies.
CORVETTE DRIVE
Pre-requisites: none
Lead to: Corvette Chassis
Needed for: Light Corvette, Salvage Corvette, Multi-Gun Corvette, Heavy
Corvette, Minelayer Corvette
Notes: Research ASAP to build Salvage Corvettes
CAPITAL SHIP DRIVE
Pre-requisites: none
Lead to: Capital Ship Chassis
Needed for: Assault Frigate, Ion Frigate, Drone Frigate, Defense Frigate,
Support Frigate, Gravity Generator, Cloack Device, Resource Controller
Notes: Needed for Frigates
CAPITAL SHIP CHASSIS
Pre-requisites: Capital Ship Drive
Lead to: Ion Cannon, Super-Capital Ship Drive, Super-Heavy Structure, Gravity
Generator, Cloack Device
Needed for: Ion Frigate, Drone Frigate, Defense Frigate
Notes: Needed for Frigates
SUPER-CAPITAL SHIP DRIVE
Pre-requisites: Capital Ship Chassis
Lead to: Heavy Guns, Guided Missile
Needed for: Destroyer, Missile Destroyer, Carrier, Heavy Cruiser
Notes: Basic technology for Super-Capital Ships. The drive only will allow you
to build a Destroyer.
PROXIMITY SENSOR
Pre-requisites: none
Lead to: Sensor System
Needed for: Proximity Sensor
Notes: maneuverable Probe
PLASMA BOMB
Pre-requisites: Fighter Chassis
Lead to: none
Needed for: Attack Bomber
Notes: none
MINELAYER TECH
Pre-requisites: Corvette Chassis
Lead to: none
Needed for: Minelayer Corvette
Notes: none
ION CANNON
Pre-requisites: Capital Ship Drive
Lead to: none
Needed for: Ion Frigate, Destroyer, Heavy Cruiser
Notes: base technology for most Capital Ships
HEAVY CANNON
Pre-requisites: Super-Capital Ship Drive
Lead to: none
Needed for: Heavy Cruiser
Notes: Needed for the most poweful ship in the game
HEAVY CORVETTE UPGRADE
Pre-requisites: Corvette Chassis
Lead to: none
Needed for: Heavy Corvette
Notes: none
GRAVITY GENERATOR
Pre-requisites: Capital Ship Chassis
Lead to: none
Needed for: Gravity Well Generator
Notes: traps enemy fighters
DEFENDER SUB-SYSTEM
Pre-requisites: Fighter Chassis
Lead to: none
Needed for: Defender
Notes: none
SENSOR SYSTEM
Pre-requisites: Proximity Sensor
Lead to: none
Needed for: Sensor System
Notes: Capable of tracking most ships and revealing Cloacked ones.
FAST TRACKING TURRET
Pre-requisites: Corvette Chassis
Lead to: none
Needed for: Multi-Gun Corvette
Notes: Needed for the most versatile Corvette in the game
CLOACKING DEVICE
Pre-requisites: Super-Capital Ship Chassis
Lead to: none
Needed for: Cloack Generator
Notes: it is not the same technology needed for the Cloaked Fighter
SUPER-HEAVY STRUCTURE
Pre-requisites: Super-Capital Ship Chassis
Lead to: none
Needed for: Carrier, Heavy Cruiser
Notes: Needed for the most powerful ships in the game
------------------------
--KUSHAN TECHNOLOGIES --
------------------------
CLOACKED FIGHTER
Pre-requisites: Fighter Structure
Lead to: nothing
Needed for: Cloacked Fighter
Notes: it is not the same technology needed for the Cloak Generator
DRONE TECHNOLOGY
Pre-requisites: Capital Ship Structure
Lead to: nothing
Needed for: Drone Frigate
Notes: basically useless
------------------------
--TAIIDAN TECHNOLOGIES--
------------------------
DEFENSE FIGHTER
Pre-requisites: Fighter Structure
Lead to: nothing
Needed for: Defensive Fighter
Notes: basically useless
DEFENSE FIELD
Pre-requisites: Capital Ship Structure
Lead to: nothing
Needed for: Defense Frigate
Notes: basically useless
******************
4-TACTICS BRIEFING
******************
+Evasive: only Strike Crafts really benefits of this behaviour, as they are the
only vessels capable of tigh maneuvers. With evasive tactics, your units will
travel toward the opponent without keeping formation, each one using at maximum
efficiency its engines and firing only when sure that enemy fire won't hit.
Ideal for high-speed strafing runs on enemy Capital Ships with anti-fighter
guns, where tight formations usually result in a single ion cannon vaporizing a
good number of crafts. Also, when crafts using Evasive tactic reach red and
yellow health status, they immediately return to the nearest support ships for
repair
+Neutral: the standard behavior of new units; in Neutral mode crafts will
attach only if attached first, and then will return to inactivity until someone
fires against. It will be used in the single palyer (see the walkthru below),
but I've never seen someone using it in multiplayer games
+Aggressive: units will maintain formations, and when a target is within range,
they will fire. The drawback of this tactic is that crafts only do strafing
runs or maintain position to have an optimal aim over the targets, and won't
dodge any enemy projectile, missile or energy beam. Useful for Capital vs
Capital and Fighter vs Fighter dogfights.
**********************
5-FORMATIONS BRIEFING
**********************
+Delta: vessels will form a 2D triangle. Though it is a very classic formation
and very useful for parades, the top craft will be the most vulnarable to
damage, effectively broking the formation.
+Broad: an other 2D formations, but this time the vessels will form a straight
line. Deadly for crafts, especially for big groups, as the combined firepower
of a formation should give is centered around few elements. Quite effective for
Capital Ships as you can use it for positioning them along the enemy's front
and sides. I will describe this tactic later on.
+X: one of the best formations for fighters: the X formations allows relatively
small groups (maximum 15) to concentrate fire. Drawbacks? As the formations is
compact, enemy turrets will enjoy in destroying your fighters.
+Claw: the best formations for fighters, and if you have some Frigates, even
for them. Recomended for maximum 15 crafts, like X formation, the Claw
maximizes the effects of concentrated fire of an X formation while reducing the
compactness of the formation.
+Wall: ideal for large groups of ships and every Capital Ship formation, the
wall creates a...wall (¬_¬...) of ships, maximizing firepower. If you have
large fighter formations (10+) or at least 4/6 Frigates, the Wall will be THE
choice.
+Sphere: though I use this formation mainly for defensive purposes, I know that
someone uses it for single Capital Ships with large Fighter escorts. In a
Sphere formation, the bigger ship will be the center of the sphere, while the
lighter ones will produce a defensive bubble around it. When usued cleverly,
this formation will break any defense line and/or assault.
+Military Parade: the only way to use this formation is to include Carriers.
Any kind of formation including such ships will be changed in a Military Parade
formation, a roughly rectangular formation where the Carriers are at the
lateral edges, Strike Crafts at the "frontal" edge and the Capital Ships at the
"rear" edge. Useless during combat (friendly fire) but good if you want to snap
few screenshots.
****************
7-SHIPS BRIEFING
****************
First of all, a brief description of ship classes and main capabilities.
+ Strike Crafts: Fighters and Corvettes. Fast and Maneuverable, these ships are
useful for fast-raiding parties and to harras larger ships until rienforcmentes
arrives. Fighters lacks the turrets and firepower of Corvettes, though they are
faster.
+ Capital Ships: a group divided into Frigates and Super-Capital Ships.
Frigates features a decent firepower and armor protection while mantaining a
decent maneuverability; this class features a large number of vessels, each
with differents armaments. Super-Capital Ships are Carriers, Cruisers,
Destroyers and every other kind of ship capable of delivering massive firepower
or build Strike Crafts and Frigates. To counteract one of these behemoths, use
a similar vessel or a group of Frigates. Worst of all, these crafts are usually
accompained by fighter escorts.
+ Non-Combatant Ships: ships dedicated to recon, repair and harvesting. Bigger
ships usually mount only defensive turrets. They are not intended for combant,
so use them for their main tasks.
+ MotherShips: massive ships capable of building any other vessel class, except
other MotherShips. Your main task is to defend yours, though the armor and
firepower can support attack vessels. However, defend it. Immobile in all
single-player missions.
Note: under the coverage section I put the descripton of the weapon and type
(projectile or mass drivers, missile, ion and plasma). I divided turrets into
two categories: sponson turrets can track enemies in limited arcs but they
aren't fixed nor can turn 360°. Normal Turrets are mounted on a fixed mount and
can fire in 360° degrees. Enjoy.
16/10/2002 adittion: while searching infos on HomeWorld 2 (can't wait it!), I
stubled on this beautiful website, HomeWorld Shipyard:
http://www.well-of-souls.com/homeworld/hws/index.html
It contains very detailed infos on every ship in both HomeWorld and HomeWorld:
Cataclysm. I'm not going to copy them in this document as they are not my work
and the site definitively is worth of a visit. Check it out.
----------------
--COMMON SHIPS--
----------------
SCOUT
Mass: 40 tons
Armor: 110
Firepower: 10
Coverage: 48% (single forward-fixed projectile weapon)
Maneuverability: very high
Max Velocity: 1050 m/s
Special Action: speed burst
Required Tech: none
RU Cost: 35
Available from: mission 1
A reconaissance fighter. The fastest and most maneuverable ship in the game,
the Scout is used for scounting missions, though in first missions it will be
your main attack force or a good complement to the Interceptors. Note that its
Special Action consumes fuel, and can be used until the fuel load is exhausted.
INTERCEPTOR
Mass: 60 tons
Armor: 160
Firepower: 18
Coverage: 10% (two forward-fixed mass drivers weapons)
Maneuverability: high
Max Velocity: 875 m/s
Required Tech: Fighter Drive
Fighter Chassis
RU Cost: 55
Available from: mission 1
Interceptors benifit from a particular reinforce structure, allowing them to
carry more armor and weapons at expense of speed. Also, due to the particular
position and construction of their guns, mixed with their minor agility, their
firing arc is more limited than a Scout's one. Interceptors will become the
backbone of your Strike Craft formations as they mix firepower, armor and speed.
DEFENDER
Mass: 60 tons
Armor: 280
Firepower: 30
Coverage: 90% (three mass drivers on sides and bottom, mounted in turrets)
Maneuverability: medium
Max Velocity: 385 m/s
Required Tech: Fighter Drive
Fighter Chassis
Defender Subsystem
RU Cost: 65
Available from: mission 5
A slow fighter with very fast turning rates and awesome coverage and firepower;
the Defender has three guns which can fire to three separate targets , making
it ideal for escort operations. Large groups of Defenders are able to fend off
any attack made by other fighters with minimum losses, and can be used to
harras Frigates and other Super-Capital Ships without anti-fighter defenses,
but are in trouble when facing Missile Destroyers, Carriers and most fighting
Corvettes.
ATTACK BOMBER
Mass: 90 tons
Armor: 300
Firepower: 45
Coverage: 5% (two forward fixed small plasma bombs launchers)
Maneuverability: medium
Max Velocity: 700 m/s
Required Tech: Fighter Drive
Fighter Chassis
Plasma Bombs
RU Cost: 85
Available from: mission 5
My favourite fighter, both technically and graphically. Though a bit slow for a
Strike Craft, the raw firepower of a group of 20 Bombers can devastate Frigates
in seconds. The Plasma Bombs are slow, so they are a bit ineffective against
other Strike Crafts, but the idea of a fast moving, small and cheap craft is a
good one. Do not pretend to destroy Super Capital Ships with a group of them,
but big groups in wall formation can support larger units in all-out attacks.
LIGHT CORVETTE
Mass: 400 tons
Armor: 900
Firepower: 100
Coverage: 40 % (one medium projectile on sponson turret)
Maneuverability: medium
Max Velocity: 575 m/s
Required Tech: Corvette Drive
Corvette Chassis
RU Cost: 135
Available from: mission 2
Slighlty slower than an Attack Bomber, but more armored and with a turreted
weapon, the Light Corvette is a medium-range patrol fighter capable of dealing
with Fighters and Corvettes of the same class. It costs less than Heavy
Corvettes, but its cost-to-performance ratio is relatively low.
HEAVY CORVETTE
Mass: 750 tons
Armor: 1700
Firepower: 200
Coverage: 50 % (two medium projectile on sponson turrets)
Maneuverability: medium
Max Velocity: 350 m/s
Special Action: Powered Attack
Required Tech: Corvette Drive
Corvette Chassis
Heavy Corvette Update
RU Cost: 250
Available from: mission 2
Slow, but powerful. It carries almost twice the armor of a Light Corvette and
carries two guns (each in one turret under its nose), effectively doubling the
firepower. The Heavy Corvette is perfect to spearhead assaults set on Strike
Crafts, thanks to its endurance; groups of these can defeat Ion Cannon Frigates
easily, and if used cleverly and backed up by Attack Bombers, even Destroyers.
MULTI GUN CORVETTE
Mass: 750 tons
Armor: 1400
Firepower: 180
Coverage: 78% (6 mass dirvers on turrets -2x front, 2xsides-)
Maneuverabilty: medium
Max Velocity: 695 m/s
Required Tech: Corvette Drive
Corvette Chassis
Fast Tracking Turrets
RU Cost: 250
Available from: mission 7
The best escort Corvette; groups of Multi-Gun Corvette can easily dispatch
Fighters and other Corvettes easily. Used with evasive tactic and relatively
loose formations this corvette can deal some damage on Frigates and
Super-Capital Ships thanks to its excellent coverage.
MINELAYER CORVETTE
Mass: 750 tons
Armor: 800
Firepower: 300 (for each mine)
Coverage: none (theorically 100%; mines can engage any target)
Maneuverability: medium
Max Velocity: 425 m/s
Special Action: Mine Laying
Required Tech: Corvette Drive
Corvette Chassis
Minelayer Technology
RU Cost: 295
Available from: mission 10
Based on the original Taiidan technology, the Minelayer Corvette is used to
establish unmanned defense lines. The mines can track down all types of crafts,
but they are pretty useless again fast Strike Crafts due to their poor agility.
Capital Ships can be easily destroyed by cleverly placed mines. Also, the
Minelayer Corvette is capable of sending mines toward targets, but only in a
roughly straight line; mines are very slow, so most ships (aside the MotherShip
in singleplayer games) will be able to easily outmanuever them.
REPAIR CORVETTE
Mass: 750 tons
Armor: 1200
Firepower: 65
Coverage: 10 % (one mass driver on stern turret)
Maneuverability: medium
Max Velocity: 350 m/s
Special Action: Repair
Required Tech: none
RU Cost: 150
Available from: mission 1
Repair Corvettes are used as mobile repair units for single Strike Crafts. As
with Support Frigates, Repair Corvettes can use "heal guns" to repair friendly
units as Support Frigates do.
SALVAGE CORVETTE
Mass: 1200 tons
Armor: 1200
Firepower: none
Coverage: none
Maneuverability: medium
Max Velocity: 425 m/s
Special Action: Salvaging
Required Tech: Corvette Drive
Corvette Chassis
RU Cost: 220
Available from: mission 1
Totally unarmed. The Salvage Corvette is capable to overrun all computer
defenses of any enemy vessel to immobilize and bring it to the MotherShip (or
Carrier if Frigates) to be analized and/or captured. Salvage Corvettes can
capture only Capital and Super-Capital Ships, and only if they are badly
damaged. Also, bigger is the ship, more Corvettes you'll need: Frigates can be
captured with two ships, Destroyers require three, Carriers and Heavy Cruisers
five.
ASSAULT FRIGATE
Mass: 400 tons
Armor: 16000
Firepower: 82
Coverage: 100% (2 forward-fixed medium plasma; 4 medium mass drivers on frontal
turrets)
Maneuverability: low
Max Velocity: 325 m/s
Special Action: none
Required Tech: Capital Ship Drive
Capital Ship Chassis
RU Cost: 575
Available from: mission 3
The first combat Frigate you will be able to build. Reasonably fast and
maneuverable for a ship of its size, the Assault Frigates sports four turrets
that grant a good coverage and twin Plasma Bombs launchers for extra punch when
needed. Though Ion Frigates can be better for Capital/Super-Capital ships
battles, Assault Frigates can still hope to defeat slow moving Fighters or
Corvettes.
ION FRIGATE
Mass: 425 tons
Armor: 15000
Firepower: 138
Coverage: 3% (large ion, forward-fixed)
Maneuverability: low
Max Velocity: 300 m/s
Special Action: none
Required Tech: Capital Ship Drive
Capital Ship Chassis
Ion Cannons
RU Cost: 650
Available from: mission 4
This Frigate is built around an Ion Cannon, which gives it extreme firepower
but it must sacrifice speed and agility. Also, the Ion Cannon is so big that
the Frigate has to turn itself to aim the Cannon, meaning that all Strike
Crafts will be able to escape from its beam. However, against other Capital and
Super-Capital ships, the Ion Cannon performs way better, being able to deal
tremendous amounts of damage in a single blow.
SUPPORT FRIGATE
Mass: 400 tons
Armor: 12000
Firepower: 36
Coverage: 21% (2 medium mass drivers on frontal sponson turrets)
Maneuverability: very low
Max Velocity: 450 m/s
Special Action: none
Required Tech: Capital Ship Drive
RU Cost: 425
Available from: mission 3
Supports Frigates are especially designed to help Strike Crafts in extra
long-range operations. They have 14 hardpoints and are capable of repairing and
refuelling them just like MotherShips and Carriers do. Those Frigates are also
more agile than other combat Frigates and lightly armed to fend off small
attacks. Support Frigates can also repair larger Ships thanks to their repair
gun in the nose. Just select a Support Corvette and double click on the damaged
unit.
DESTROYER
Mass: 1800 tons
Armor: 44000
Firepower: 347
Coverage: 88% (2 forward fixed large ion; four big mass drivers -upper side-)
Maneuverability: very low
Max Velocity: 315 m/s
Special Action: none
Required Tech: Super-Capital Ship Drive
Ion Cannons
RU Cost: 1350
Available from: mission 6
Destroyers mounts two Ion Cannons and two hi-power mass drivers on four
turrets, allowing them to aim Capital Ships and, partially, Strike Crafts
without moving. Destroyers are superior to any Frigate, except for anti-Strike
Craft duties, where they lack fast-tracking or homing weapons. They represent
the balance between the huge, time- and resource- consuming, powerful and slow
Heavy Cruiser and the relatively fast, cheap and weak Frigates.
MISSILE DESTROYER
Mass: 1000 tons
Armor: 42000
Firepower: 450
Coverage: 100%
Maneuverability: very low
Max Velocity: 295 m/s
Special Action: all-out attack
Required Tech: Super-Capital Ship Drive
Missile Technology
RU Cost: 1500
Available from: mission 9
Missile Destroyers were designed after engineers were able to develop
space-capable missiles, usually ignored for cheaper and more efficent Ion
Cannons and mass drivers. Missiles are especially good against Strike Crafts
and for long-range attacks. Each Destroyer carries 32 missiles divided into
four separate canisters, each with a fully automated production line to
manufacture extra missiles if the original payload runs out. Missile Destroyers
are also capable to fire all missiles in storage bays in a single, powerful
salvo, especially useful against other Super-Capital Ships.
Deadly against Strike Crafts, they need support from normal Destroyes and
Cruisers for Capital Ship battles, where those Destroyers are usually assigned
to long-range fire support and/or fighter hunt.
CARRIER
Mass: 10000 tons
Armor: 72000
Firepower: 109
Coverage: 100% (six mass drivers spread all along the hull)
Maneuverability: very low
Max Velocity: 315 m/s
Special Action: none
Required Tech: Super-Capital Ship Drive
Super Heavy Structure
RU Cost: 2000
Available from: mission 9
Carriers are praticall smaller MotherShips. Totally independent, they have two
docking bays for Reosurce Collectors, can build and dock all ships up to
Frigates and are decently armed and have enough armor to withstand attacks
until reinforcments arrive of the Carrier finishes building ships. However,
they are very expensive and due to their great tactical value, they are usually
protected by large groups of ships, sometime including Heavy Cruisers, that
often act as shield for Carriers.
HEAVY CRUISER
Mass: 10000 tons
Armor: 90000
Firepower: 921
Coverage: 100% (4 large ion on two frontal sponson turrets; 6 turrets -2xtop,
2xbottom, sides- with big mass drivers)
Maneuverability: very low
Max Velocity: 250 m/s
Special Action: none
Required Tech: Super-Capital Ship Drive
Ion Cannons
Heavy Guns
RU Cost: 3700
Available from: mission 13
The largest and most powerful ship in your fleet, MotherShip aside, the Heavy
Cruiser is especially designed for combat, rather than fleet support like
Carriers. Its payload is impressive, with four Ion Cannons mounted on twin
sponson turrets and six large mass drivers mounted all around the hull to
provide excellent coverage. The Heavy Cruiser is slow, but heavily armored, and
its often used as a phisical protection for Carriers, as they can withstand
more punishment.
RESOURCE COLLECTOR
Mass: 40000 tons
Armor: 10800
Firepower: none
Coverage: none
Maneuverability: medium
Max Velocity: 300 m/s
Special Action: none
Required Tech: none
RU Cost: 650
Available from: mission 1
The ships you need to collect resources. Totally unarmed and slow, but decently
armed, Resource Controllers must be defended against anything.
RESOURCE CONTROLLER
Mass: 79000 tons
Armor: 13600
Firepower: none
Coverage: none
Maneuverability: low
Max Velocity: 300 m/s
Special Action: can support Strike Crafts
Required Tech: Capital Ship Drive
RU Cost: 680
Available from: mission 3
Controllers are used as mobile drop points for Collectors. Slow, unarmed and
decently armored, Controllers need protection as Collectors do. Every
Controller has eight hardpoints for Strike Crafts (three per side, for
Fighters, and 2 uder the nose, for Corvettes) ; it also one of the first
vessels not needing refuel and with complete hyperspace capabilities. Later,
Controllers can be replaced with Carriers, has they are more armored, have
self-defense guns and two hardpoints for Collectors, plus the ability to build
vessels.
PROBE
Mass: 40 tons
Armor: 800
Firepower: none
Coverage: none
Maneuverability: medium
Max Velocity: 4000 m/s
Special Action: none
Required Tech: none
RU Cost: 30
Available from: mission 1
A small device used for long-range reconaissance missions. Once the Probe as
been launched, there is no way to change its trajectory, nor it is possible to
move it once it has reached its intended position. It is also impossible to
decommission built Probes, store them in docking bays or the collect them for
hyperspace jumps.
GRAVITY WELL GENERATOR
Mass: 65000 tons
Armor: 8000
Firepower: none
Coverage: none
Maneuverability: low
Max Velocity: 325 m/s
Special Action: traps Fighters and Corvettes
Required Tech: Capital Ship Drive
Gravity Generator
RU Cost: 800
Available from: mission 9
Gravity Well Generators are capable of trapping Strike Crafts in strong gravity
fields. The gravity doesn't affect other ships as their engines are too
powerful for this relatively small ship.
CLOACK GENERATOR
Mass: 22000 tons
Armor: 6000
Firepower: none
Coverage: none
Maneuverability: low
Max Velocity: 325 m/s
Special Action: Cloack
Required Tech: Capital Ship Drive
Cloacking Device
RU Cost: 500
Available from: mission 13
Identical to the Gravity Well, but its cloack field will affect all ships
within range. Cloacked ships can be detected by Sensor Systems, but they will
automatically releav themselves when firing. If a ship decloacks and then
decloacks, Ion Cannons and projectiles will still hit and allocate damage, but
missiles will probably lose their lock-on.
PROXIMITY SENSOR
Mass: 40 tons
Armor: 800
Firepower: none
Coverage: none
Maneuverability: very high
Max Velocity: 1000 m/s
Special Action: none
Required Tech: Proximity Sensor
RU Cost: 50
Available from: mission 10
An upgrade of the Probe, the Proximity Generator featurs a small reactor and
thruster to change course during flights and even to moe after it has been
deployed. Think to it as a Scout without weapons, and built only for
reconaissance.
SENSOR SYSTEM
Mass: 2900 tons
Armor: 6000
Firepower: none
Coverage: none
Maneuverability: low
Max Velocity: 280 m/s
Special Action: none
Required Tech: Proximity Sensor
Sensor System
RU Cost: 800
Available from: mission 14
The Sensor System is pratically a large, semi-mobile antennae capable of
detecting cloacked ships and Capital and Super-Capital ships within the map.
This won't give you the chance to see them with the camera system, but you'll
know that there are such ships on the Sensor Manager. It cannot detect Strike
Crafts at long ranges; it will also be a favourite target for your enemies, so
take care of it.
RESEARCH SHIP
Mass: 11000 tons
Armor: 4500
Firepower: none
Coverage: none
Maneuverability: low
Max Velocity: 280 m/s
Special Action: none
Required Tech: none
RU Cost: 700
Available from: mission 1
You can build a maximum of six Research Ships. Once linked, these ships will
effectively become a semi-mobile research station. Purpose of these ships is
clear, so I won't bother you in useless descriptions; however, it is remarkable
that a single technology can be researched in more than one laboratory (just
click once more on the technology to be researched) and that a group of ships
can handle different researches.
MOTHERSHIP
Mass: 5000000 tons
Armor: 160000
Firepower: 7500
Coverage: 60% (six mass drivers spread all along the hull)
Maneuverability: very low
Max Velocity: 50 m/s (only in multiplayer)
Special Action: none
Required Tech: none
Available from: mission 1
An huge Ship capable of building any other class of ship present int he game,
MotherShip class vessels excluded. If you lose it in single player, you'll
lose. Lose it in multiplayer without any Carrier under your control and you'll
lose. It is well armored, but unable to move if not by hyperspace (in single
player; during a multiplayer match the MotherShip can move at a very sluggish
pace). It is protected by six small mass drivers located along the hull (two on
front, one on each side and two on rear); they are powerful enough to repel
attacks made by Strike Crafts, but even a large number of Heavy/Multi-Gun
Corvettes will be hard to fight off; the MotherShip can build one type of unit
at once, meaning at you can build an Interceptor, a Defender, a Carrier, a
Destroyer and an Assault Frigate togheter, if your resuorces allows it. It has
two docking hardpoints for Resource Collectors and can accept up to 40 Fighters
and 20 Corvettes in its docking bays. Frigates cannot dock with the MotherShip
for repairs.
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--KUSHAN SHIPS--
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CLOAKED FIGHTER
Mass: 40 tons
Armor: 150
Firepower: 10
Coverage: 10% (two forward-fixed mass drivers)
Maneuverability: high
Max Velocity: 775 m/s
Special Action: cloaking
Required Tech: Fighter Drive
Fighter Structure
Cloaked Fighter
RU Cost: 35
Available from: mission 12
A strange looking Fighter with the capability to cloak. This ability grants it
to pass unseen from any standard sensor; only Sensor Systems can detect Cloaked
Fighters, but it decloaks when fires.
DRONE FRIGATE
Mass: 60,000 tons
Armor: 16,000
Firepower: 4,900
Coverage: 100% (24 drones with one mass driver each)
Maneuverability: low
Max Velocity: 325 m/s
Special Action: drones
Required Tech: Frigate Drive
Frigate Structure
Drone Tedchnology
RU Cost: 800
Available from: mission 6
Uhm...This Frigate should be useful against Strike Crafts, only if you get used
to the drones; when activated, 24 drones will create a sphere around the
Frigate herself and will attack any craft daring to pass near the Frigate.
Useless, however.
-----------------
--TAIIDAN SHIPS--
-----------------
DEFENSE FIGHTER
Mass: 75 tons
Armor: 300
Firepower: none
Coverage: 80%
Maneuverability: high
Max Velocity: