Boarding Advice

[NKlein1553]

I've been generally following the guide for a melee captain play-through here with some slight modifications:

https://startraders.gamepedia.com/Melee_Captain_Playthrough

I've got the Zartar Fang outfitted exactly as described in the play-through above. I'm playing on "hard" difficulty. I've been killed three times now around levels 15-20 on my captain because I continually fail to board an opposing ship. I normally keep about three gunnery talents to allow boarding at range three and I've been successful boarding using all of those talents, but the enemy ship is not quite crippled after those three boarding are complete. I also have four level 15-20 pilots on my ship. I have no problem getting to range one after my boarding talents are used up. I have one level 15 or so military officer and two commanders at level 15-20 as well on board. A few questions.

Is a "boarding assist module" worthwhile? The play-through guide doesn't include a boarding assist module.

Is it worthwhile to keep one range two or range one weapon with primarily radiation damage instead of just using missiles? The play-through only recommends missile launchers.

Thanks!

[darion-neclador]

Yeah that guide is crap :D . Especially that Ship Build, someone clearly didn't play on impossible :D .

Try the Fang like this

Cargo 5
Chaser

Peak Velocity 3
Peak Velocity 3
Officer Suites
Combat HW
'Racks
Hawk Mass Reducer

Defense Matrix 3
Defense Matrix 3
Defense Matrix 3
Defense Matrix 3
Defense Matrix 3
Sensor Module 4
Mass Modulator 4
Mass Modulator 4
Scout Bridge

that'll actually give you the ship pools you need to doge fire and close and board.

or better yet buy a Wolf Vector :D and make a similar build ;) .

[NKlein1553]

So boarding assist module isn't worthwhile?

[darion-neclador]

Not on a ship this size. Boarding is also modified by Range Change, so the Peak Velocity Matrices help with that, in addition to making closing without the help of talents a thing.

[JimmysTheBestCop]

Zartar fang isn't a skilled combat ship. I see no reason to ever buy 1 unless your imposing a self made challenge onto yourself. If you are going to send all that money in upgrades might as well buy a different ship.

You can't board if you get hit. So there honestly is no difference from a normal combat build ship to a boarding one. Same objective to not get hit.

Your ship has weapons why not use them. It debuffs the event, softens them up and makes combat go faster.

You can still use boarding to finish them. The only time I don't fire is if I am trying to maximize profit of a prize ship. Get some missiles start firing at range 5. That's at least 6 hits and multiple debuffs/crips before you get to talent range 3 boarding.

[NKlein1553]

Any suggestions for a ship that is good at boarding then?

[JimmysTheBestCop]

Anyone that is good for combat. Depends how good you are at making money fast.

I would say a good cheap quick 2nd ship is the paladin cutter the brown and yellow looking one at 5000m.

30 crew 5 officers. Nice slot makeup. Can board, evade, fire. Depending on build only combat I might avoid are carriers. You can use it till end game snake xeno. So it does have staying power if you wish to stay at 5000m and not go larger. You can fit 7 defense matrix 4 and nothing will hit you. Even 3 ctak will still fit if you wanted to fight carriers.

[NKlein1553]

Thanks. What is ctak?

[Shad1902]

Originally posted by darion-neclador:

or better yet buy a Wolf Vector :D and make a similar build ;) .

Wolf Vector & boarding user here: can confirm !

[Spud the Spud]

Considering that the boarding assist module gets modified same as everything else by the engine score comparison multiplier, I think that discounting it as not of value on a ship that size is a bit much. Boarding isn't just about getting onto the ship, it's about where on the ship you get to. If you just want to get onto the ship and fight through every bit of the crew often, it doesn't help, sure, you're already on the ship. But if you want to hit the bridge or engines more often, it helps. Due to the modifier, it helps more on a small ship that can fit it in than on a large ship, point for point.

Also, ya all board with some REALLY small ships. Scary. You're more brave than I.

Edit: Here's the dice for boarding, draw your own conclusions. https://startraders.gamepedia.com/Ship_Combat#Ship_Combat_Dice_Pools

[darion-neclador]

I know the game rules. Spudie, you seem to be forgetting slot cost. Those small slots can be taken by much more valuable comps, thus leaving only the mediums to contribute. Besides High rolling on boarding rolls to hit vitals is really not as reliable as you make it out, not to mention that if you won your second assault you're practically guaranteed to win any further fights.

[Spud the Spud]

Did I make it out to be reliable? I guess I missed that part. It does improve your chances at getting those high value locations, so over time it's less of a slog through the entire crew on average.

I'm not forgetting slot cost. I simply put the value at greater than 0. I took your advice and made a "similar" build with a wolf vector. I packed on Boarding Assault Systems x4, for a total of +120 boarding, +12 pilot dice, and +12 ship ops dice. Guaranteed to board anything, first time, every time. https://tswift.gitlab.io/stfx/#XQAAgAArAAAAAAAAAAAEAETqWBYEkJ7H0W73Ha24DAHuE06x+wJJkDrSkoi3w4mDQZ6bUjpf/5DzgAA=

Then I did it again, with a Zartar Fang: https://tswift.gitlab.io/stfx/#XQAAgAAoAAAAAAAAAAAEAETp2FzxEDrRI6A3anPQqO7d3wJ8S0JxKaAwoMlkCotTRmOtQmc/Vv/66XAA

Only 2 boarding assault systems, this time, and only one Peak Velocity Matrix. One is sufficient to be able to change range easily, and having that instead of shifting the mass reduction down into a small slot opens up more options. Plus, with a talent to change range it'll push through sticky situations when needed. It's going to be fairly rare that such a situation is even encountered, though. I normally run a 5000 mass ship, and one is enough for me to change range every time without incident, so I'm sure that a tiny ship will do just fine with one as well.

I left the weapons locker on both ships, as I find the armor in it to be better than contact armor. If you decide to get rid of it, it's up to you, it's only one slot.

Also, the name isn't "Spudie". Just you being your usual self, talking down to people and applying a diminutive name. Again, why do you do that? Is your life so devoid of anything worthwhile that you have to come to a gaming forum to try to boost yourself up to feel superior? Are you unable to just talk normally to people? Do people actually put up with that? Deplorable.

[Trese Brothers]

Now locked. Hope the OP question was answered