Love Letter for the Space Cats (Spoilers!)

[Nightskies]

Spoilers. Not for new players. (kingly quest giving tone) Go now, return only when you have the artifacts!

Having played a few runs with various races, I can confidently say that each race has different optimal approaches to different problems. Most notably, in warfare. Y'all ought to know the Teekans have great fighter capability and favor retrograde advances, and that the Boskarans are incredibly in-your-face types (wow such blaster, so pewpew).

What about the others?

Mortalins are serious about war. They love it, and are in it to win it. Aggressive, but not Boskaran-level stupid aggressive. Their torpedoes are very deadly.

Hakoonish are actually a bit timid at warfare. Their weapon and ship designs practically scream 'stay away from me'. That doesn't mean they're bad at fighting.

Arcadians? They're not gimped, but they don't have much going for them. Surprisingly aggressive, but they lack special weapons. The engines and ship discount doesn't quite make up for it, but they make up for it in other, more subtler ways. Play them if you haven't. Their ships look cool though.

Humans, having been constantly at war since their society began and without a world ruler before the space empire era, are masters of warfare. With the right ships and designs, they can do anything as well as any other race, except for kamikaze tactics. Their racial weapons are exceptional for support. To top it off, they also have subtle ways that make them good. I consider them the best at fighting overall, but...

The Zenox.

Okay, back up a moment. Let me talk about the Zenox themselves. They are concerned about the truth of the past. They don't treat anyone as "the bad guys"- they know everyone have gotten their hands dirty because of the Shakturi. Everyone is justified for doing what they could to survive. For that reason, they have superior shields - the best defense in the game - to survive against whatever decision the other foolish races engage in. And the Zenox know they will make foolish choices again. The Zenox are prepared for it. Their ships are the most survivable, barring more technologically advanced foes, because of it. Their significant boost to Shield tech research, along with a single shield tech line, assures this.

Like the humans, they also have sharp claws. Their ships can also be designed to fulfill any role as well as any other race- again except for kamikaze attacks. The Zenox's Light Cruiser - the most important ship class in the game imo - is a very good design that truly shines as a multi-role capable ship. It can heavily load for all out frontal engagements almost as well as a Boskaran cruiser, can engage in long range fusillades, and most importantly, adheres to the Zenox design ethos.

The design ethos is centered on the subtle jewel of the Zenox. Their biggest advantage over the humans. Their weaponized ray of truth... The Star Beam.

On paper, this weapon doesn't seem impressive. With small equal footing battles, the Star Beam doesn't cut it. Where it shines though, is in fleet engagements. First, their range is good- and range is king in fleet battles that matter. Second, their attacks instantly deliver their damage, where focused fire cuts down ships with laser precision. And speaking of precision, they're very accurate. Then, neither shields nor armor do much to mitigate their damage, so they're effective against all ships and require no support weaponry, allowing an entire fleet with Star Beams to engage at whatever range they desire. They're not afraid of close battles unlike missile and carrier fleets, and while they're no Titan Blasters, they're significantly more dangerous at knife range. The Zenox can get it early (I'm talking right after warp and shield tech), and it remains a good weapon in the endgame thanks to its relatively low cost and resource needs compared to endgame weapons.

In short, the Star Beam is a very good primary fleet weapon, arguably the best.

Sadly, the AI designer and fleet creator fails to take advantage of it, but automated fleets with intentional design for it can effectively utilize it with the right settings. Use Ship tactics, Neutral vs weaker, Evade vs stronger, Shields below 20%/Armor 50% (or 20% components damaged if enemy uses piercing weapons), keep top speed around 80. Crank Overmatch factor to 3 in military automation. Use Very Tight formation. Use picket ships decked for countermeasures and PD. Employ escort ships equipped with blasters/rail guns depending on your tech level to serve as cannon fodder and deliver oppressive DPS in combination with the core fleet at knife range.

Package that design with exceptional shields with a free bonus to regeneration, to make the Zenox fleet the ultimate in epic battles.

Admittedly, I was skeptical of the Zenox before trying them. And while fleets of all races can wipe the floor with AI debris, the Zenox fleets adhering to the Ethos absolutely dominate.

Okay, and they're cat people. Once again, cats have won me over.

Have any of the races won your hegemonic empire heart?

[Ax4711]

meow!😸

[Nightskies]

Цитата допису Dervix:

Most tech 7 weapons are better than starbeams, just stupidly expensive in comparison.

Much agreed except for that.

Compared to the other races's equivalent, the Star Beam is longer range and doesn't waste firepower penetrating shields to do a few hull damage- which doesn't help much when focusing firepower. The 1/2 and 1/3 cost of large and smaller weapons, respectively, is just icing.

Compared to Titan Blasters? Yeah, they're the best. Their major restriction is not that they're expensive, but that they cost choice resources that a late empire will be starving for (unless the galaxy is at peace). Which means that there are only so many the empire can have, whereas they can have as many Star Beams as they can afford.

So they are solid at tier 7, get a bit outclassed at 8, and become affordable support weapons at tier 9.

[dgullion]

Pusskitz Roll lays down a new hull design. Today in the galaxy the Pusskitz, in keeping with peace and security galaxy-wide, laid down a new hull at Iyipigpal. Presidential Networks played clips of President Col Vuulior speaking at the commemorative ceremony. Timed in conjunction with a remembrance for Admiral Kullis. "Even as we gather today in memorial service for the cool cats who obeyed the final orders" the President said. "Fleets across the galaxy continue to pursue The Hive threat."

"We have engaged with and eliminated two of their carriers. However, as we gather today, the fleets of Pusskitz Roll are pursuing another carrier. After a brief encounter at Girax, they continue on to Roan in pursuit of this abomination." the President said.

In addition he added "we also know of another Hive near Ackdarian space at Ussil." And now just this week our intelligence has uncovered a new active Hive sector near the Human colony Etaknan, in the Socrat system.

Pledging to bring peace and security to the galaxy. While honoring the lost from previous engagements with this Hive. The President unveiled the Pusskitz Roll new technological wonder. The new hull of the Battlecruiser class starship, Nicknamed "Mobius Claw" is an honor and memorial to Admiral Kullis and the destruction of the second Hive carrier. We know of at least three more of those out there.

May the Mobius Claw roar onward towards victory. As we continue to pursue and rid the galaxy of this plague of The Hive.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2818320970

[ElanaAhova]

Цитата допису dgullion:

Pusskitz Roll lays down a new hull design. Today in the galaxy the Pusskitz, in keeping with peace and security galaxy-wide, laid down a new hull at Iyipigpal. Presidential Networks played clips of President Col Vuulior speaking at the commemorative ceremony. Timed in conjunction with a remembrance for Admiral Kullis. "Even as we gather today in memorial service for the cool cats who obeyed the final orders" the President said. "Fleets across the galaxy continue to pursue The Hive threat."

"We have engaged with and eliminated two of their carriers. However, as we gather today, the fleets of Pusskitz Roll are pursuing another carrier. After a brief encounter at Girax, they continue on to Roan in pursuit of this abomination." the President said.

In addition he added "we also know of another Hive near Ackdarian space at Ussil." And now just this week our intelligence has uncovered a new active Hive sector near the Human colony Etaknan, in the Socrat system.

Pledging to bring peace and security to the galaxy. While honoring the lost from previous engagements with this Hive. The President unveiled the Pusskitz Roll new technological wonder. The new hull of the Battlecruiser class starship, Nicknamed "Mobius Claw" is an honor and memorial to Admiral Kullis and the destruction of the second Hive carrier. We know of at least three more of those out there.

May the Mobius Claw roar onward towards victory. As we continue to pursue and rid the galaxy of this plague of The Hive.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2818320970

GALAXY NETWORK NEWS

Reporter says: "First Speaker Whiskers the Forth ordered the elite Parliament Pouncers to execute the sacred 21 claw salute in honor of Mobius Claw."

In other news: "Big Box Directorate Spook Cat reported: We have finally engaged the Hive in glorious battle. Our brave 1st Pride engaged one Hive Carrier. We did not prevail. Fortunately, Hive withdrew just as the 1st Pride began retreating. Many lions died - but not for naught."

And breaking news: "Live video streaming in... Meow... "Explorers report discovering an unusual asteroid. Here's the video now... Looks like an enormous ball of yarn.

Now the weather...
Whispers between reporters: "... Pouncers will have a field day if they get to that asteroid...

[dgullion]

Sir, these intergalactic transmissions continue to be received. We do not believe it has anything to do with The Hive. Most current we have seen video of a giant ball of yarn, in a location unknown to us.

The language and dialect is most certainly Zenox. Our scientists are now postulating these are ancient radio signals from our ancestor's a long long time ago. Leading to a theory of the "Mother Galaxy."

This mother galaxy theory and the big ball of yarn videos have been downloaded off the secure networks. And the crew is distributing it among themselves on their personal consoles. It has become so much of a distraction that we must shut down the personal recreation networks onboard. This next encounter with The Hive is too important to risk.

There is also some moral problems arising. Embedded within these transmissions was some type of intergalactic traders advertisement for something called wild shrimp party mix. Already there are some interpersonal problems arising between the Wekkarus and Zenox on the crew. The introduction of this shrimp flavored party mix has disturbed the harmony of the empire, and has strained the Paw and Claw Founder agreements that Darkhul will be the first and only ingredient in any treats sold at our commerce centers.

The crew is already receiving messages from their prides back home. Disturbing news about their kits becoming addicted to this "shrimp" being peddled by the intergalactic traders. It is said that once you try the shrimp, there is no going back to Darkhul