Corvette 101 Part1

TLDR: Be smart about picking targets, know the map, speed is greater than stealth, RE freaking LOAD, use your secondaries, watch the minimap for targets.

Corvettes take a special type of player. One who doesn’t mind games going incredibly well or having the terrible games, because there are so many variables playing corvette I would not recommend buying a corvette until you have at least one other ship you like to fly. Don’t let their size fool you though corvettes have some of the highest damage output in the game. Though with great power comes great fragility.(what did you think I was going to say responsability?) Corvettes are fragile, never be afraid to run from a fight you can harass the enemy into chaos, and/or pick off those your team weakens. The Trader Valcor is probably one of the best setup Trader ships in the game, go use it!

I will start with some quick pointers: #1 Know your targets, Artillery Cruisers and Tactical Cruisers are your easiest prey. #2 Avoid Destroyers and Dreadnoughts like the plague, their flak will rip through corvette shields and armor like paper in a paper shredder. #3 Learn the map, I know I say this in every overview but corvettes need to know how to break line of sight so you can survive longer. #4 Speed and stealth are your two biggest advantages, use them as much as possible. #5 Learn your firing angles, only the Fulgora can shoot any direction, the Valcor and Kreshnik have a cone shaped firing arc in the front. #6 Use your secondaries, they can be as good or better than your primary weapon. #7 RELOAD! Seriously I can’t count the times I started a run on someone only to realize I only had 5 rounds in the clip. #8 Watch that mini map, for solitary targets, easy pickings!

#1 You must know the enemy ships on the field and which to target. Your two primary targets should be Artillery and Tactical Cruisers depending on the situation. If the enemy has only one tactical cruiser or two separated more than 2.5km (2.5km or less is optimal healing range) you should be relatively safe destroying one of them. Artillery cruiser are generally easier to pick off than Tactical Cruisers because they do not have access to blast pulse or nuclear mine.

#2 Knowing who to kill is just as important as knowing who to avoid, like the plague. Number one ship to avoid should be obvious, Dreadnoughts, no just… no don’t even drive by. With the Tractor Beam ability able to grab and hold you, and their Flak is basically an executioner's axe. Almost as bad are the Destroyers, their abilities are slightly less frightening, but their speed and flak will be the end of you. Light destroyers are the bane of Corvettes, almost as fast as you, with some abilities faster, and more destructive power.

#3 Knowing the map will save you many a death. Use the terrain to escape not only direct fire, but also missiles. Use any terrain piece that is out of the ordinary to block shots, duck in and out of terrain. Don’t do the expected and use terrain to help you do the unexpected. If you have warp, use it to go through terrain.

#4 Speed and stealth are generally better than your shields, the faster you are away from danger the better. Yes your shields will block 100% of damage, but once they are gone you are very fragile ship. So which is better to be out of danger at low health or still in danger and at full health? I almost always choose to be out of danger and at low health, the exception is when I fly the Kreshnik that thing is a tank. As I said before, knowing the map is one part, speed gets you to those nooks that other ships just can’t chase you through.

#5 Know where your ships can fire, the Fulgora can shoot in any direction while the Valcor and Kreshnik fire in a forward facing cone. Knowing where your ship can and cannot fire is incredibly important because your primary weapon does significantly more damage than your secondary.

#6 Something that takes a while to learn is that your secondary weapons can be just as powerful sometimes more powerful than your primary weapons because they fire in all directions. On the Valcor and Kreshnik your secondary weapons give you a significant increase in your field of fire. This means you can engage targets that your primary weapons couldn't normally reach.

#7 After each and every gagement RELOAD, seriously I can’t say how many times I’ve seen corvette players engage with only a few rounds in their weapon. The ‘R’ button is right there, USE IT! It cannot be overstated reload each and every time you disengage from combat, this is something that will serve you well on all the other ships you captain.

#8 The mini map is your friend, it shows the Artillery Cruiser that has been left by his friends or the tactical cruiser making its way back to his turtled friends. Keep in mind, if any ship on your team can see an enemy ship, you will be able to see it on the minimap, and the same goes for the enemy team. Use this to your advantage, if your team is getting pressured show yourself from 7.2km away (no gun currently fires more than 7km) and just watch being ready to duck behind cover. Your team has the entire enemy team spotted, excellent you should know which will be the easiest one to pick off.

If you enjoyed the post swing by my stream I am generally live Monday-Friday starting about Noon Pacific to around 6pm.

Dreadnought Patch 2.0

Dreadnought Patch 2.0

Sory for the absence I'll be honest with the announcement of Dreadnought 2.0 patch I was thrown for a loop. Don't get me wrong, I thing it will be a good thing for Dreadnought in the end, but as for the way I was breaking down ships and abilities and the way I was writing this blog, it has made things... difficult for now. Without being able to play around with the UI and ship features in 2.0 I will have a hard time recommending ships, modules, and officer briefings.  So what I will do in the mean time is try and write more of a tactics oriented blog that will hopefully be helpful even after 2.0 is released.

For now I am (mostly) withholding my opinions of what 2.0 has in store for us. I prefer to hope the devs have our best interests at heart and will continue creating a fantastic game for us.

Again, I am sory for the extended break I took from maintaining this blog, but rest assured I will be back at it with fervor trying to figure out what to write about while we wait for 2.0 to be released.

As always, if you are interested in access to dreadnought while in beta please swing by my stream and throw me a follow, I'll give you a code for it!

Ever wonder what a bunch of Aions can do?

Trader Aions might not seem that great at first, but en-mass they can be deadly. If the group is coordinated and works well together even dreadnoughts can be destroyed in short order.

As always hope you enjoyed the video, stop by the stream M-F noon Pacific to 5pm.

Artillery Cruiser 101 Part1

TLDR: Tunnel vision will kill you! Watch the mini-map specifically for Corvette and Light Des players. Remember your range is 7km, beyond that don’t bother it’s a waste of time.

The Artillery Cruisers a ship class I both loathe in game and generally dislike playing, that doesn’t mean I don’t play them I just don’t play them well. As I stated in my previous posts I am a firm believer that everyone should play every class at least 5 full games to learn the basics of that class. What follows is what I have learned about Artillery Cruisers besides the fact that I dislike them. (Don’t take my word for it, go try them!)

I will start with some quick pointers: #1 Unlike every other ship class when you hold the RMB(Right Mouse Button) down you get NO aim assist on your primary or secondary weapons, so learn to lead your targets. #2 You are a delicate little flower, maybe not as fragile as a corvette, but your a fairly easy target that doesn’t move around nearly as much as a corvette does. #3 Only the light Artillery Cruiser can fire in any direction, the medium and heavy have a forward facing cone for their main weapon. Secondaries can fire in any direction so when a corvette gets behind you, and they will switch to secondaries! #4 Unfortunately as of v1.0.3 Artillery cruisers are matched by the Zmey and Gora. #5 Move with your team, bob and weave. #6 Know the maps. #7 Watch that mini map!

#1 With every ship in the Artillery Cruiser line when you hold the RMB down you will get no aim assist like other ships get. This goes not only for your primary weapon, but secondaries as well. This makes the learning curve a bit steeper because you need to learn to lead your targets correctly. The secondary weapons are the same across the AC line but the primary weapons systems will have different travel times to target so it is also important you learn the travel speed of your main gun.

#2 You are not the Dreadnought, you are much closer to a corvette as far as you hitpoints go. Though you lack the corvettes maneuverability and generally must rely on friendly ships to defend you against corvette attacks. Your surviveability goes up when you use some modules, like Armor Amp.

#3 Knowing your firing arc is immensely important for all but the light AC. When you aim it is not necessary to have your ship pointed directly at your target, but it must be pointed in that general direction. Often I find it helpful to aim slightly away and continue moving forward while firing at a target that is almost at max range.

#4 Speaking of range Artillery cruisers, as of the writing of this post, are not the longest range ships in the game. As of the writing of this article, you will be in range of all Artillery Cruisers, Zmey, and Gora class ships. Knowing this means you can watch out for ships trying to harass you using their similar range against you..

#5 Do not camp, I know you’ve been told 1000s of times but seriously, if you don’t you will die...a lot. Moving with the rest of the ships also makes you harder to be singled out and destroyed.

#6 I will say this for every ship, every time, know the map! It will save your life over and over again knowing where you can hide and where the enemy will be hiding.

#7 Corvettes will be the death of you, even more so if you don’t watch your mini map. I know, I know you can’t watch it 100% of the time but it needs to become something you are always glancing at.

If you enjoyed the post swing by my stream I am generally live Monday-Friday starting about Noon Pacific to around 6pm.

Founders Pack Analysis Part2

TLDR: Outis < Selesia < Morningstar < Huscarl < Kali in order of most useful over the lifetime of your captain. Huscarl < Kali < Silesia < Morningstar < Outis in order of best hull modification pieces in my opinion.

Hero Ship Overviews

This detailed overview of each of the ships in the Dreadnought game Founders Packs. Morningstar is shared by both packages but every other ship is a Mercenary pack exclusive. In the following sections I refer to how players perceive the ships, modules, and / or officer briefings I am speaking about how experienced players that have been playing Dreadnought for a long time think of them. To quote the Dreadnought web site “Hero Ships are legendary, uniquely designed ships that give you instant access to advanced weapons and modules that are normally unlocked at higher captain ranks. While Hero Ships don’t give you an outright advantage in battle, they do offer more specialized options.”

The Morningstar

The Morningstar is Bix's legendary battleship, which he captained during the Great Solar War, winning many major battles for the PCF. He was captaining the Morningstar when he questioned his orders at the Battle of Venus, leading to mutiny, exile and the founding of Sinley Bay. The figurehead is an arms-bearing angel who, like Bix, may be a good guy, may be a bad guy – either way, you don't want to mess with him.

Slot	Equipped
Secondary Weapon	Heavy Flak Turrets
Primary Module (sI)	Scattergun Broadside
Secondary Module (sII)	Flechette Missiles
Perimiter Module (sIII)	Tractor Beam
Internal Module (sIV)	Warp Jump
Communications Officer	Retaliator
Weapons Officer	Survival Instinct
Navigation Officer	Slow and Steady
Chief Engineering	Adrenaline Shot

This ship is generally considered only playable until about level 15 because at 15 you unlock the Zmey and can build a much better version of this ship even without the good captain briefings. The good thing is you have Retaliator on the ship, so use those shields when you need to get your abilities up faster. The trader Dread can be used almost as effectively as the Morningstar because of the sI ability change. An effective use of this ship is Warp in on target, Tractor beam them into range of the Scattergun Broadside while shooting them with Heavy Flak Turrets. The ship comes with the following vanity items; Bridge, Forecastle, Forecastle with Figurehead, Hull, Stern, Morningstar Coating, and Morningstar Decal. Hands down the best part of getting this ship are the hull modifications you get.

The Outis

Also known as the Black Phantom, this ultra-stealthy Corvette is feared by all who enter unpatrolled space. It is said to be the ship of Captain Kith Longpaw, a smuggler who stole a Transhuman design from Oberon, rearmed and refit it using composites and metal to replace its mysterious but long dead biological armor. Legend says the Outis attacks so suddenly, that even ships equipped with advanced RAVEN systems have little hope of fighting back.

Slot	Equipped
Secondary Weapon	Plasma Turrets
Primary Module (sI)	Heavy Cloak
Secondary Module (sII)	Light Proximity Mines
Perimiter Module (sIII)	Disruptor Pulse
Internal Module (sIV)	Afterburner
Communications Officer	Feedback Loop
Weapons Officer	Destruction Cascade
Navigation Officer	Engine Rigger
Chief Engineering	It’s a Trap!

Currently considered one of the worst Hero ship builds because it’s Modules and Officer Briefings do not lend themselves to high damage or survivability and so the ship is stuck in an awkward place. With the latest patch reducing the Fulgora’s primary weapon damage, this ship is crippled even more. If you’re going to use this ship, remember to put power to weapons before deploying mines so they deal more damage when triggered. The ship comes with the following vanity items; Bridge, Forecastle, Forecastle with Figurehead, Hull, Stern, Outis Coating, and Outis Decal. The coolest of all the hero ship hull modifications, turns your ship from lookling like a speedy alien ship, to a space falcon of doom!

The Huscarl

This is the flagship of Crom Gallant, erstwhile head of R&D at Akula Industries. Legend has it that when Gallant quit the megacorporation, he stole a prototype heavy Destroyer equipped with elite modules. Siding against the PCF in the Great Solar War, he proved to be a shrewd tactician. His skill and the immense power of his ship made him impossible to beat until he finally met his match in the Battle of Io, where he was defeated by a certain Captain Bix.

Slot	Equipped
Secondary Weapon	Flak Turrets
Primary Module (sI)	Tempest Missiles
Secondary Module (sII)	Weaponbreaker Missile
Perimiter Module (sIII)	Weaponbooster Pulse
Internal Module (sIV)	Weapon Amplifier
Communications Officer	Feedback Loop
Weapons Officer	Destruction Cascade
Navigation Officer	Nerves of Steel
Chief Engineering	Tip the Scales

One of the best hero ships currently in the game, the Huscarl is a champ at dealing damage and surviving fights. Even at higher levels this ship can hold its own. When you need a target down quickly, fire up modules sIII, sIV, then put power to weapons even dreadnought class ships will feel the pain. The ship comes with the following vanity items; Bridge, Forecastle, Forecastle with Figurehead, Hull, Stern, Huscarl Coating, Huscarl Pattern, and Huscarl Decal. Don’t be too disappointed if you’re not using all of the hull modifications on every Gora ship you build.

The Silesia

The Silesia is the flagship of a rogue Sinley Bay captain, whose identity remains hazy, but has gained a reputation as a fearsome destructive force. Some speculate he could even be Transhuman. What is known is that he and his crew lost their secluded asteroid base during a Pan Colonial Fleet raid. Ever since then, the Captain of the Silesia roams through the Solar System, hunting the PCF crew responsible for the raid, crushing anyone who gets in his way.

Slot	Equipped
Secondary Weapon	Machine Gun Turrets
Primary Module (sI)	Rapid Fire Mode
Secondary Module (sII)	Drain Missile
Perimiter Module (sIII)	Disruptor Pulse
Internal Module (sIV)	Armor Amplifier
Communications Officer	Desperate Measures
Weapons Officer	Destruction Cascade
Navigation Officer	Navigation Expert
Chief Engineering	Reinforced

A middle of the ground ship, not terrible but not awe inspiring either. The main down side to this ship is that it is a Nox class Artillery Cruiser that just can’t seem to put out enough damage to make it worth playing. The ship comes with the following vanity items; Bridge, Forecastle, Hull, Stern, Silesia Coating, Silesia Decal White, and Silesia Decal Black. I think it has one of the best looking hull modification parts of all the hero ships.

The Kali

The Kali is the Flagship of Commodore Rajesh, head of security at Akula's refinery moon Phoebe. Rajesh is notorious for his cruelty and the crews in his fleet are famous for their efficiency. The Kali is a legend amongst mercenaries who have attempted to attack Phoebe and survived - they tell tales of seemingly indestructible fleet, made almost invulnerable by the Kali's unstoppable support prowess.

Slot	Equipped
Secondary Weapon	Light Machine Guns
Primary Module (sI)	Stasis Beam
Secondary Module (sII)	Repair Pod
Perimiter Module (sIII)	Overclock Pulse
Internal Module (sIV)	Emergency Evac
Communications Officer	Retaliator
Weapons Officer	Weapons 101
Navigation Officer	Engine Rigger
Chief Engineering	Adrenaline Shot

This is what I and many other consider the best ship in the Mercenary pack, because it gives access to a ship that can not be matched until level 25 at minimum and 46 for all modules and officer briefings. It is also probably the fastest consistent way to level up when first starting the game, if you can group with other players. The ship comes with the following vanity items; Bridge, Forecastle, Hull, Stern, Kali Coating,Kali Decal White, and Kali Decal Black. Lets face it, your Heavy Repair Beam and Overclock Pulse are what your on the battlefield for Adrenaline Shot will help keep your energy up. Repair Pod, Emergency Evac, and Retaliator give you some added survivability, just remember when you use Evac you are 100% inviz but healing points out your position to enemies. Engine Rigger gives you the ability to get into and out of cover quickly, just remember to keep healing as you go and you can go very far VERY fast. Finally Stasis Beam, no your primary doesn’t do damage but you can still stop a corvette in its tracks by hitting 1 and aiming your HRB at the vette, believe me this will scare the CRAP out of newer players and frustrate vets just as much.

Final thoughts

Final thoughts are each of the ships can have a roll to fill during a fight. The “Hero Ship” port slots don't take up any of your port slots so it's worth having them all full.(or at least as many as you can fill) These ships are not meant to be optimal killing machines rather they seem to be built so they have at least one down sides that way they are not flown as often as a custom built ship. Having 5 extra ship hulls available is the biggest advantages buying the Mercenary Pack gives, it might not seem significant, but it really is.

There are many more hero ships coming in the future, some were seen in the Alpha sessions and some were posted on other web sites, like the hero Monarch.

If you enjoyed the post swing by my stream I am generally live Monday-Friday starting about Noon Pacific to around 6pm.