Pirates, they don't suck

[Locklave]

Finally a space game with badass organized pirates. I am sick to death of space games where all the pirate faction ships are broken down rust buckets that are inferior to everything else.

The pirates weakest ship, the Screamer, is fun as hell to pilot. Fragile no doubt but certainly not something you can ignore. As it should be. I view it as a valid starting ship after only playing with it for a short time. It fits a fast aggressive playstyle, like all the smaller Pirate ships do.

I love that they are a fully fleshed out faction and not an after thought. The pirate playstyle I've sought from other games and couldn't find is present here.

I was also suprized to see Mining and Transport ships that I like, that aren't useless in a fight and can still do their intended job.

I'm thankful the Dev didn't follow these tropes other space games insist on. Flying a transport isn't death in combat, flying a pirate ship isn't a giant downgrade that can only be justified by RP.

The faction ship bonuses are so nice and make those ships fit a faction design philosophy. It's not just some cosmetic garbage or some text fluff, actual bonuses that impact playstyle and function. Like pirate Integrated Ramming Weapons for example. It not only suits them but it actually allows for a playstyle to develop around it, a playstyle that is further supported by real equipment in the game.

I'm very happy with this purchase.

[Laious]

Posts like this are always great to read, thank you very much! Glad you enjoy the game.

[TheOrigin]

I agree. This is already one of my all time favorite games in terms of replayablity!

I am currently on my 8th playthrough with the goal to fulfill the last two achievements. Also had a blast with other ways of playing like this: https://steamcommunity.com/app/833360/discussions/0/3492005739874679714/

and i even did a pacifist playthrough as traider with zero kills (Syndicate allied).

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2889647740

Its all possible and its amazing!

[quixotic_tinkerer]

Pirates have some pretty good ships yeah. They also have some best in slot gear depending on your setup.

Pirate heat sinks are best in the game.
If you're in a frigate or smaller, pirate impulse drives have the highest top speed. Lower acceleration, but usually not very problematic. Shuttles and yachts won't even notice.
The pirate barrier is pretty chunky, and it boosts their ships ramming damage.

Fun fact: If you compare ships you'l be able to figure out what each Red Skull ship is a modified version of.

Screamer - Mercury
Mauler - Galaxy
Saw - Dorothy
Nightmare - Valkyrie
Corsair - Donkey
Terror - Empress
Cerberus - This one is original as far as I know.

Notice also that every faction except the Red Skulls has a dedicated carrier ship. As well as one or two with hangar space. The Red Skulls only gained a ship with any type of hangar space when the Terror was released. And it's still only able to have one yacht dock at a time. Cerberus is the only dread with no ability to have ships dock and repair inside.

The Red Skulls are essentially warhammer orkz in space. Reavers from Firefly wouldn't be too far off either.

Also the Pirates are the only faction with their own unique system when you start with their background. Normally you're in an unaffiliated civilian system, but Red Skulls start in a pirate system with pirate stations.

I'd say even the Screamer can be a potent ship in the right hands. Especially if you bring 40 of them to the fight. Oh the Hades was a derelict find. I had to use it to crush my enemies, see them driven before me and hear the lamentations of their women.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2851397752

[MrPurple33]

Yeah, usually any game variety you play, you'll end up fighting the Red Skulls,
and mostly Screamers and Maulers, which the Enemy AI tends to use badly-
Once you Play as the Red Skulls though, their Ships are quite good-

The Screamer is a nice Shuttle Type- The High Speed Ramming can get Crazy with them-
I recently did a different Pirate Profile with my Starting Ship being a Pirate Archimedes-
2 Screamers Launched from it's Carrier Mode close up is quite enjoyable

The Mauler is one of My Favorite Yacht/Fighters in the Game- not only does it Look Cool,
but the 6 Weapons across 3 Barrel Mounts is very nice for Weapon Variety and Options

The Corsair is a GREAT Cruiser Type- I Like it more than the Cerberus

My Only Complaint about the Red Skulls is the Saw- It just Looks Goofy to Me-
I know, I get it, Pirate Ramming Damage, and the Saw gets some extra from it's Saw as well,
along with some buzzsaw noise- If the Actual Saw on it was Larger and Looked better maybe
I could get with it- and the Saw visually blocks a Weapon Mount-
One of the Very Few Ship Designs I Dislike- And I Like the Dorothy, but Hate the Saw

[Starkillaa]

Putting the mother of all laser beams onto a Terror then cutting through everything in your path like butter is really satisfying.

[TheOrigin]

Originally posted by Starkillaa:

Putting the mother of all laser beams onto a Terror then cutting through everything in your path like butter is really satisfying.

I admit i prefer railguns. Cutting through 4+ ships at once :P

[son-goku]

To be fair though, pirates are supposed to be ragtag bands and not have top-of-the-line material unless they steal some.

And pirates are rarely a unified factions.

[Locklave]

Originally posted by son-goku:

To be fair though, pirates are supposed to be ragtag bands and not have top-of-the-line material unless they steal some.

And pirates are rarely a unified factions.

Privateers are pirates certainly using top-of-the-line material that they didn't steal. There is a blurred line between real military and actual pirates IRL.

If you were successful enough you could form your own military, gather your own resources, build your own ships, build your own weapons and become a legitimate power in your own right.

These pirates have clearly crossed that line and are a real power on the galactic stage. Still defined as pirates by the major powers and enemies they made along the way. They still retain their old ways of doing things but they are organized but still brutal, ways that they know work and have worked.

They aren't supposed to be ragtag, that is a movie and cultural trope. Bandits have formed provinces and nations irl because that's what people do when they are successful. They don't stop being bandits overnight however that takes generations, they are still bandits during that time. Saying they are "supposed" to be something is trapping them forever in their earliest stages of that process for no reason.

These aren't stupid greedy disorganized pirates, these are smart greedy organized pirates that have real reasons to fight.

[Starkillaa]

Originally posted by TheOrigin:

Originally posted by Starkillaa:

Putting the mother of all laser beams onto a Terror then cutting through everything in your path like butter is really satisfying.

I admit i prefer railguns. Cutting through 4+ ships at once :P

Might gonna try it later but letting go of my custom made kamehameha wave/death star laser ain't so easy

[TheOrigin]

Originally posted by Starkillaa:

Originally posted by TheOrigin:

I admit i prefer railguns. Cutting through 4+ ships at once :P

Might gonna try it later but letting go of my custom made kamehameha wave/death star laser ain't so easy :deathskulls:

Also did the Predator challenge with that one.. 3 railguns with 2sec charge after leaving stealth.

[HellSlayer]

Pirates need more love.. :) something unique, i know they got ramming which is my most favourite thing ingame but something more could be done like smuggling ancient relics (not ancient relics that is an upgrade) but ancient elics aka treasures to them and getting something unique from them... treasure hunting in general... something more :)

...way too easy to want more :)

OP wait until you get pirate dreadnaught - that is a beast ship! :)

[MrPurple33]

Originally posted by son-goku:

To be fair though, pirates are supposed to be ragtag bands and not have top-of-the-line material unless they steal some.

And pirates are rarely a unified factions.

In Star Valor the Red Skull Pirates are different

There are still individual, ragtag, ad hoc Bands of Pirates all over the place- Those are the Marauders with Civilian Ships at all the Pirate Hideouts and that do Hostile Warp Ins

The Red Skull Pirates are actually a Long Standing, Historic Confederation of Pirates and Raiders, mostly organized as individual Clans, Gangs, and Groups that have Allegiance to each other, and follow a Set of Codes and Rules when dealing with each other- When you Play as the Red Skulls you still get to Kick the Crap out of the other, Lesser Pirates along with anyone else you Raid- There's some good Info/Lore on the Star Valor Wiki and elsewhere too I'd guess

For a Current, Real World Example-
The Lesser Pirates and Marauders are just packs and groups of Criminals that join up together-
The Red Skulls are Like the Hell's Angels- Lots of smaller Groups, but Galaxy-Wide, that have a Shared Code and Beliefs- If they encounter other Red Skulls they know they can Count On and Defend each other, or Combine Forces for Larger Raids and Attacks- The Red Skulls also regularly Meet Up and Trade Ships, Equipment and Weapons, so they have some more Standardized Ships and Tech, Like Engines, Boosters, and their own Special Energy Barrier Type- I'm guessing Laious will add bits and pieces of more Red Skull Pirate Tech in the future

[MrPurple33]

Originally posted by Locklave:

These aren't stupid greedy disorganized pirates, these are smart greedy organized pirates that have real reasons to fight.

Well Said-
To Add On to what I Explained

[MrPurple33]

Originally posted by Starkillaa:

Originally posted by TheOrigin:

I admit i prefer railguns. Cutting through 4+ ships at once :P

Might gonna try it later but letting go of my custom made kamehameha wave/death star laser ain't so easy :deathskulls:

I Salute You Starkillaa-
The Ork Freebooter Pic and the Deathskulls Emoticon-
More Loot, Gear, Shiny Bitz, and Dakka for Ya
WAAAAAUGGH !!!!!

[Starkillaa]

Originally posted by MrPurple33:

Originally posted by Starkillaa:

Might gonna try it later but letting go of my custom made kamehameha wave/death star laser ain't so easy

I Salute You Starkillaa-
The Ork Freebooter Pic and the Deathskulls Emoticon-
More Loot, Gear, Shiny Bitz, and Dakka for Ya
WAAAAAUGGH !!!!!

OI, EETZ TOIME FOR KRUMPIN AND LOOTIN IN DA NAME OF GORK AND MORK! WAAAAAAAAAAAGH!

Originally posted by TheOrigin:

Originally posted by Starkillaa:

Might gonna try it later but letting go of my custom made kamehameha wave/death star laser ain't so easy

Also did the Predator challenge with that one.. 3 railguns with 2sec charge after leaving stealth.

Sounds effective. Getting tired of those overleveled miner gits warping on me all the time. Been experimenting with plasma as well but I found that one mediocre as a main gun.