Multiplayer Ship Ranking

Ranking ships in terms of their value from a MP perspective.

Basic knowledge of the ships is expected. Refer to the complete ships guide by Waggle for stats on ships: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1260056071

Colonial:

Colonial battle style prefers generalist vessels, with a bias for speed in Colonial vs Colonial engagements and munition defence + fighter presence when facing Cylons.

S Tier

The cream of the crop, S tier ships are ships that represent the colonial gold standard in terms of performance and usually a good fit for a fleet, no matter the circumstance.

The Artemis

The 2nd cheapest colonial battlestar, the Artemis packs it all. High firepower, 2 squadron slots, a munitions slot, flak, decent speed, armour and hull stats and a class 3 hull. The Artemis is the pinnacle all rounder in a fleet that values it's generalist. The Artemis is rarely a bad pick for a fleet, forming the back bone of fast manoeuvring fleets or a support components of fleets built around slower vessels.

The Valkyrie

How about an Artemis, but cheaper? Enter the Valkyrie. The Valkyrie trades some firepower, armour and hull for even more speed. Whilst it's airwing is limited to a single squadron, it is capable of equipping a Mk7 squadron in that slot, making it's airpower almost match the artemis (and rivalling it in airpower per FP). As an added bonus, the Valkyrie's armour faces are such that the Valk will often use all of it's armour surfaces, making it just as, if not more tanky, than the Artemis.

The Adamant

What do you get if you stick 2 Adamants together? An Artemis. So it's just as well that it costs half as much. With a squadron slot, munition slot, the adamant is extremely flexible before mentioning that it's 4 light guns are among the best guns in the game, able to hit most targets effectively. About the only thing the Adamant lacks is a flack field, but that's generally fine as it's never seen far away from the battlestars that provide one.

The Orion

Welcome the Orion, the smallest ship in the game. The little frigate that punches up, quite litterally. It's *6* light guns on it's dorsal surface give it incredibly good DPS. Add onto this a munition slot with a salvo size bonus, a fighter squadron, cloaking system and class 2 hull, you have one nasty little frigate that can stealth up to enemy fleets before unleashing a crippling blow of munitions and guns. It just needs to be protected to get there.

As an added bonus, Orions on the field demand a response from your enemy, forcing them to act in way they'd rather not do so normally.

A Tier:

Solid performers in colonial fleet, these ships often excel in their role or demand a response from the enemy in order to counter. Many fleets will want to bring at least one of these ships.

The Mercury

What do you get when you combine the highest DPS in the game at 18BA, the strongest airwing and the most bulk? The answer is Lee Adama's door knocker. As mentioned, the Mercury offers strong performances in all areas except speed. The presence of one on the field requires it to be focused fired down quickly unless the enemy wants to see their capitals destroyed rapidly, as no other vessel can survive a Mercury for long. The support squadron and 2 munitions slots is just the icing on the cake.

Unfortunately for the Mercury, it's sluggishness is its downfall and can often find itself separated from the escorts it needs to protect it if opening manoeuvres last too long. Or those escorts find themselves poorly positioned instead.

The Heracles

The best gunship the colonials have, the Heracles offers outstanding firepower and durability on par with battlestars for a fraction of the cost. The flak is a nice bonus, creating a gunship that can operate independently of the fleet with little worry.

The heracles can win 2v1 against revenants, 1v1 against minotaurs and solidly beat most battlestars by rising above them and cutting out their fire controls. Basestars struggle in close contact with a Heracles, bar the Cratus and Guardian.

The only downside to the heracles is it's speed, making it a poor fit for fleets built for speed, preventing it from being S tier.

The Atlas

PRAISE BE THE ALMIGHTY BRICK! The colonial's dedicated carrier, the atlas offers the joint 1st most efficient airwing per FP in the game, rivalled only by the mercury. However, the Atlas has the advantage of packing a support squadron whilst being only 40% of the cost, meaning that you can get far more support squadrons with the Atlas per FP. Otherwise, the Atlas offers excellent durability along with firepower that will often surprise the enemy, 3 heavy guns and 2 mediums may not sound like much, but the Atlas survives long enough to get great use out of them.

The Janus

Munitions are rarely a good fit for colonials in MP, but if you want to bring a dedicated missile boat, it's best to bring the most bang for your buck.

Lacking squadron slots, the Janus hampers your fleet in MP where squadrons are often key to victory. The Janus' poor guns loadout and lower accuracy doesn't help either. However, bringing 3 munitions slots on one <1000FP ship is a selling point, making the Janus better than the Ranger if you need lots of munitions that battlestars and frigates are unable to provide. The Janus is also respectably tanky for it's cost too.

The Berzerk

The Colonials pocket carrier, the Berzerk brings the highest evade squadron in the game and a nasty amount of firepower on it's broadside in the form of 5 medium guns, at 6200m range, 400m greater than colonial standard. While it is squishy and dies quickly, if protected, the Berzerk will do wonders.

B Tier:

Ships that are overshadowed in their role by other ships, but do fill a niche or are still decent performers. Often worth picking if their equivalent in S or A tier are too expensive, don't fit with the style of fleet you're building or are banned.

The Jupiter MkII

The J2 offers the second highest practical DPS, highest theoretical DPS (at 16 Battlestar Artillery and 8 PDS) and second most durable ship in the game, beaten only by the Mercury in these regards. It also has the largest flak field and a strong firewall. However, it's fighter wing of 2 Mk2 squadrons is on par with an Atlas, a ship less than half it's price and a second support squadron does little to improve on this.

The J2 is an good choice of flagship for slow fleets when the Mercury is banned, or if the Mercury's weak topside firepower is a liability.

The Ranger

The Ranger offers two munitions slots on a rapid reload, allowing it rapidly dump munitions on target, along with a decent level of firepower in it's guns.

However, the Ranger is fragile for it's cost and suffers from poor convergence on it's weapon arcs, its hard to get both the broadside and bottom guns to fire on the same target, far harder than the topside and broadside combination that most ships have.

Otherwise, it's speed makes it a better fit for some fleets than the Janus.

The Minotaur

The Minotaur offers excellent firepower and durability for it's cost, making it an excellent line brawler in colonial fleets looking to boost their firepower. However, unlike the Heracles, it lacks a defence against munitions, resulting in it depending on ships like the Artemis and Jupiter to protect it.

However, in fleets where speed is key, a Minotaur will often fit in better than a Heracles.

The Celestra

Extra armour plating and munitions reloads, it hard to not like the Celestra. However, more often than not, extra firepower will outweigh the benefits of the armour plating and battles rarely last long to require reloads, making it more often than not suited for switching munitions loadouts on the fly.

C Tier:

Ships in this tier have niche use, finding value in performing a role that no other ship provides. They're generally poor performers and need to watched to ensure they don't explode prematurely but can offer unique tactics.

The Minerva

The longest ranged ship in the game, the Minerva is the Colonials answer to the question "can you have enough guns?" The answer being, No.

However, the Minerva suffers from paper thin armour and a tiny flak field and needs constant supervision to ensure it's survival. It also can't run from most attackers whilst continuing to shoot back, making it vulnerable to being focused down.

This changes when the Minerva is paired with at least a Defender and possibly even a Celestra. The Defender buffs the Minerva's already incredible range of 6400m to even further heights and the Celestra helps to resolve the Minerva's durability issues.

The Manticore

The highest dradis range in the colonial arsenal, the Manticore offers excellent scouting capabilities to a fleet. It's corvette cannon is the best in the game, unfortunately however, it sports only one. While Manticores can be effective in wolf packs, it's always better to bring better, more expensive ships and use a squadron to scout instead.

F Tier:

Or J tier, for Jupiter Mk1

The Jupiter Mk1

At first glance, the J1 doesn't seem to bad. 3rd best durability in the game, high firepower, 2 squadron slots? What's not to hate? Unfortunately, the J1 has poor firing arc convergence, meaning it's firepower caps out at 8BA + 8 PDCs on the broadside + topside and 8 BA on the bow + bottom, meaning it solidly under performs compared to the J2. The missing 2nd support squadron is just salt in the wound.

In addition, due to it's poor bow and bottom gun combination, it can't turn head on to engage targets effectively, locking it out from working effectively with Heracles, unlike the J2 and Mercury.

All in all, it's generally worth paying the 350FP extra to get a J2, or saving 600 FP and bringing an Artemis instead.

Banned Tier:

The ships in this tier are frequently banned, due to their abilities being overpowered compared to other ships. Namely 1 ship resides in this category.

The Defender

The Defender is a ship that has too much going for it. Technical support, buffing nearby ships. Marine reinforcements, for countering boarding and free scouting. A repair bay with high repair speed, to quickly repair damaged squadrons, even those whose mothership has been destroyed. Flak. Good durability. The only downside to the defender is it's poor manoeuvrability and weapon range.

What gets the defender banned is the technical support. +4 to any subsystem on another ship is able to break the games balance, as on navigation the extra vertical distance allows a ship to outmanoeuvre its equivalents and get superior firing solutions. On fire control it raises weapons range to 6600m and increase accuracy. It can be impossible to counter an Artemis or Jupiter 2 supported by a defender, due to its superior mobility and firepower.

Cylons:

The Cylon Fleet is one of specialist vessels. While the colonials have good generalist vessels that fit well into most fleets and approaches, Cylon ship's need to be chosen for the fleet and the role they are expected to play.

S Tier

The Cylon S-Tier is filled with their Basestars that open up new strategies. This are ships that will form the core of your battle style for each match and will need ships from other tiers to fill the roles they lack in to create a viable fleet.

The Modern Basestar

With an incredibly long jump range and 2 rapid reload munitions slots, the Modern Basestar offers unparalleled ability to out flank opposing fleets and launch devastating munitions salvos from unforeseen directions. It's 4 squadron slots able to equip modern raiders also make it unmatched in squadron power in the Cylon fleet.

On top of that, the Modern Basestars hull regeneration makes it a near unkillable kite machine or a multi-use battering ram, depending on the situation.

The Cratus

Meet the Cylons answer to the Jupiter. Excessive gun power, 3 rapid reload munition slots, good durability and 2 squadron slots, the Cratus doesn't lack in any department.

As a direct assault specialist, the Cratus wants to be in the fray, utilising it's guns and munitions to remodel opposing ships. Typically seen with torpedo loadouts to quickly demolish opposing battlestars, basestars and heavy carriers.

The Argos

The Argos is the sole ship in the game with reloading munitions, leading to it's premier strategy: remain at long range and shell the enemy to death with munitions. With 3 munitions slots on 3 turn reloads, the Argos can either maintain a constant munitions barrage to keep the enemy suppressed or deliver large salvos to punch through enemy AMD.

When using the Argos, maintaining distance to the enemy is key. Ships such as the Revenant are vital to keep the enemy away, as once enemies can close the distance, the Argos finds itself extremely vulnerable.

A Tier:

A Tier Cylon vessels are solid performers, offering good performance in their specialised roles, it's rare to see a Cylon fleet not use one of these ships:

The Guardian

While being a "elite" Basestar variant, the Guardian is here as it doesn't open up the strategies that the other 3 do. What the Guardian does do, is project an inverse umbrella if you will. Anything beneath catches death from it's 12 heavy guns.

Otherwise, 2 munition slots, 2 standard squadrons and a support squadron are a good loadout for a basestar of it's cost and it's predictive augurs ability opens up the possibility of firing guided munitions Turn 1, or allowing you to identify some of the most deadly enemy threats and respond immediately.

Overall, the Guardian offers oppressive gun fire power, decent munitions and decent squadron presence, allowing it to shape the battlefield beneath it.

The Cerberus

Somehow the Cylons were able to build a ship that manoeuvres worse than the Brick. However, the Cerberus is still the Cylons best carrier in the game for price, offering 3 standard squadrons and a support squadron. Borderline essential for Cylon fleets looking to bulk out their airwing if using the more expensive elite basestars or a large numbers of cruisers.

In addition, like the Atlas, while it's gun complement is relatively anaemic, it can do work if given time. However, unlike the Brick, the Cerberus in contact with the enemy fairs extremely poorly, typically as if an enemy gun fleet has pushed through to reach the cerberus, the doctrine has failed, while for the Atlas having to use it's guns is a Tuesday.

The Revenant

The Cylon's elite gunship, the Revenant offers a frightening level of fire power. However, the Revenant is also quite fragile compared to it's colonial counterparts, it solidly loses a 1v1 against Minotaurs and loses 2v1 against a Heracles. It's often better to use it's speed to dive under lighter Battlestars such as the Artemis and Valkyrie to where they're vulnerable than attempt to brawl with Colonial big guns.

However, the Revenant does have a use even against massed gun fleets in that it forces the colonials to remain in formation and stick close to their heavier gunships, like the Heracles. This can prevent the far faster Artemis and Adamants surging ahead to pursue Argos Basestars.

Otherwise the Revenant brings extra punch to help the Cratus in it's role, or an oppressive AA platform.

B Tier:

The step down from A tier, these ships still perform reasonably well, but are often support vessels or the less price effective versions of other ships.

The Phobos

Once the most annoying ship in game due to it's ability to instantly delete another ship via FTL ram, thankfully FTL exclusion zones make this a thing of the past.

Unfortunately for the Phobos, it's other capability are mediocre and it is a generalist, which is never a good thing in the Cylon fleet. It escapes C and F tiers solely by it's 8.4km jump range, which allows it to pull of flanking manoeuvres to deliver munitions (frequently nukes and cluster nukes) from unexpected angles.

The Cerastes

What do you get if you want to save 300FP on a Revenant? A Cerastes.

The Cerastes offers downgrades in firepower against pretty much all targets, as the Revenant's light guns are still very effective against fighters, however, the Cerastes offers greater durability when facing colonial capital ships than the Revenant. Due to being a size smaller, capital ship guns suffer an accuracy penalty when targeting it. However, guided munitions are not so affected and will make short work of the Cerastes.

Overall, it's better to pick the Revenant for the greater firepower, especially as the chief counter to the Cerastes and Revenant is still munitions.

The Gorgon

The Cylon's carrier support, the Gorgon offers 2 support squadrons, a repair bay, PDC coverage and it's machine learning ability. The Gorgon is great for offering quick repairs for friendly squadrons that might not otherwise survive, as well as boosting their survivability with it's machine learning. The 2 support slots are extremely valuable on a ship costing only 550FP, being able to be used as wardrivers or scorpions, to round out the fleets airwing.

An all round effective little ship.

The Nemesis

The Nemesis sits here than than C tier, due to 1 fact, it's excessively high DRADIS range. It doesn't make it into A tier, as the Revenant and Cerastes have the capability to scout reasonably well, however, the Nemesis is capable of reliably identifying the entire enemy fleet turn 1/2 and being able to escape to safety as well.

Otherwise, the Nemesis is very weak on gun power and munitions presence. It's use is to scout, but it is a job it does exceptionally well.

C Tier:

Welcome to C tier, this is the tier of ships that struggle to find a place in cylon fleet compositions but can find a niche use at times.

The (Standard) Basestar:

A jack of all trades, the Basestar offers average munitions, squadrons, durability, but with mediocre guns. However, unlike other generalist ships that are in F tier or avoid that ranking with special abilities like the Phobos, the Basestar avoids being F tier by being decent value for money. 2 munitions, 2 standard squadrons + 1 support is hard to beat at it's price, rivalling the guardian which is 750FP more.

While the Basestar may have no abilities or stats to set the worlds alight, it offers a respectable package of fighters and munitions at a comparatively cheap price

The Talon

Offering a squadron slot, excellent durability for it's cost and decent firepower, the Talon is a rival for the Berzerk in "surprisingly good pocket carrier status"... until you stop to consider that when compared to the Cerberus, it's air power per FP is low and if you need guns, you're looking at the revenant instead. Indeed, it's the same price to bring a Revenant and Cerberus as it is to bring 3 Talons and you save a ship slot in the process. And gain a support squadron too.

Another case of not being specialised enough, but the Talon can offer some value in fleets that need more armour, guns and squadrons but can't bring more Cerberus under competition rules.

The Hydra

The Hydra offers 2 key abilities: hull repair and munition reload.

Starting with the Munition's reload, it's an ability of questionable value, as dumping more munitions can be great, however, if it's going into enemy AMD sufficient enough to handle it, you make no impact and run out of pressure faster. If you can use it to punch through enemy AMD, it brings value, at the cost of opening up your fleet to being attacked sooner. Not to mention the two best munition dump ships in Cylon fleet, the Cratus and Modern Basestar, are munition dump ships due to their high mobility, durability and rapid reload slots. Allowing the Argos to munition dump diminishes it's value as a long term pressure platform, a role it's far better for. Arguably this works best with the Standard Basestar or Guardian, leaving this value open to question. And requires 3 of them to be truly effective at 100% uptime.

The repair ability offers little value too, due to it requiring a ship to be damaged before the drones can be dispatched. Chances are, a ship will be destroyed before the drones can reach it. On the off chance a ship does survive, it'll still be lacking armour in at least one facing, making it still quite vulnerable.

Overall, the Hydra's 2 abilities are quite worthless, unless going for a excessive munitions dump fleet, leaving it's sole feature of a high DRADIS range... which is beaten by the Nemesis.

F tier:

The ships in F tier are pretty much always detriments to any fleet they are in, with FP and ship slots better spent elswhere.

The Medusa

The Medusa brings 12 PDCs on it's forward arc, 2 munition slots and it's special ability, R-TPAM. However, it's functionally worthless for the Cylon fleet.

For 100 FP less, you can get the standard basestar and receive a far more durable ship with 2 standard squadrons, 1 support squadron and the same 2 munition slots, albeit with a 1 turn longer reload.

The R-TPAM ability doesn't help it here, as being able to distribute 30 processing power across other ships is insignificant. When deployed onto 3 or more ships, the amount granted per ship is minuscule and when deployed onto fewer, it's better to not bring a Medusa and bring another of that ship instead.

The Arachne

In the greatest of injustices, if the Arachne was in the Colonial fleet, it would likely contest the Adamant as viable pick. However, it is in the Cylon fleet, where it must be judged by Cylon standards.

Being a jack of all trades in the cylon fleet is a poor position to be in and the Arachne is solidly mediocre in guns, squadrons and missiles. If you need guns, you'll pay 100FP less to get a Revenant, if you need fighters, pay 250FP more and get a Cerberus, if you need fighters and munitions, again, the standard Cylon Basestar is better.

Being a master of none is just plain bad in a fleet of specialists.

[Half Phased]

The official deadlock discord server has a matchmaking channel dedicated for finding games: https://discord.gg/bsgdeadlock

[Kotori]

I messed up the grammar a bit so it made it sound partially like I dont like the ship. I wrote that while barely awake so sorry. But yeah the manticore is a great little ship. I need to play more mp since most of my experience is campaign. Is there a discord a group that host mp games?

[Half Phased]

The manticore absolutely can punch up. It’s only C tier because it’s balanced for its cost of 500FP, not its ship slot cost of 1.

In 4K, you can bring 8 of them, which is absurdly powerful, the answer to the question “how do you counter 8 manticores in 4K?” Is, “You don’t.”

It’s once you get to 8K and up that the manticore loses its value. At that point, a 500 FP ship struggles to justify a ship slot, especially when the berzerk + viper mk2 is there at 710 FP.

[Kotori]

Honestly, while yes it is a C tier ship I wont argue that the manticore can punch quite a bit up and its speed and munition slots make a good ship for fast fleets or a good support ship.