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Ship Classifications
A general guide to classifying your ships.
Fighters:
Light fighters:
Light fighters tend to lack any serious firepower, but make up for it with speed and agility. Light fighters are usually lightly armoured, carry little or no shielding, and are armed only with AMCs. Vessels of this class are generally used as scouts and use their armament defensively, as they lack the firepower to cause any significant threat to ships outside of their class, although they make effective swarm fighters, using the advantage of numbers to overwhelm larger vessels.
Medium Fighters:
Medium fighters are the workhorse of their classification. They have a good balance of speed, agility and firepower, and can be deployed in just about any role, though they still lack the firepower to punch through the shields of larger ships. Medium fighters are generally well shielded and well armoured. Most carry a more generalised armament of anti-matter cannons, and sometimes one or two types of missile weapons. A good example of a medium fighter would be the Isanth-VI, a ship particularly revered by pirates for its excellent balance between firepower and agility, despite the lack of any missile weapons.
Heavy Fighters:
Heavy fighters carry much more serious firepower, and pose a significant threat to ships within their class. Carrying a fairly even load-out of powerful AMCs and one, two or all three types of missile launchers, heavy fighters can also cause moderate damage to larger ships outside their class, such as gunships. However, ships of this type sacrifice some speed and agility in favour of better firepower. Heavy fighters are usually deployed in an escort role, as their significant firepower is excellent at deterring bombers and other fighters.
Gunship:
The Gunship, (Or Gunboat, as it is sometimes known) is essentially a floating weapons platform. Gunships are fairly small, so they sacrifice speed and agility in order to pack as many different weapons on board as possible. Some Gunships also have a limited troop-carrying capacity, but they are mainly used for supporting ground troops, escorting larger warships, and attacking Space stations and planetary bases. They are fairly well shielded for their size, but they cannot stand up to sustained attacks for very long.
Bombers:
Fighter-Bombers:
Fighter-Bombers occupy the middle ground between the fighter and bomber classes. Most fighter bombers could also be classified as either medium or heavy fighters, but tend to focus more on missiles in terms of armament. Although most fighter-bombers also carry AMCs, they have significantly reduced firepower in order to increase the firepower of their missile weapons. This means that, while they are reasonably effective at taking on enemy fighters and bombers, they are much better suited to attacking larger vessels.
Light Bombers:
Light Bombers are the fastest and most agile bomber variant. They tend to be similar in size to fighter-bombers, but they lack any anti-matter cannons. Instead, light bombers concentrate on missile weapons, armour and shields. As such, they can present a significant threat to much larger ships.
Medium bombers:
Medium bombers are virtually the same as light bombers; the only differences being that Medium bombers are slower, less agile, better armoured, better shielded, and carry much more firepower than their smaller, lighter counterparts.
Heavy bombers:
Need something to pound Space stations and planetary bases into dust? The heavy bomber is designed for exactly that purpose. However, it’s slow speed, sluggish turn-time and lack of any defensive weaponry means that it is exposed to fighter attack, although heavy bombers usually sport much better shielding and armour than the lighter bomber classes.
Light Warships:
Corvette:
The Corvette is a small, manoeuvrable warship. Although it has some fairly serious firepower and can take out most fighters and bombers with a couple of hits, it is relatively under-gunned when compared to the other ships in its class. In some cases Corvettes can also carry up to two AI-controlled turrets, as well as the usual armament of missiles and AMCs. For their size, Corvettes tend to be fairly well armoured and well shielded, although they do not often survive very long against larger vessels, and are particularly exposed to swarm attacks by fighters and/or bombers. They do, however, make excellent blockade runners, thanks to their superior speed.
Frigate:
The Frigate is essentially a general-purpose warship. It is designed to be faster than anything more powerful than itself and more powerful than anything faster. In this way, it achieves success in the majority of engagements, though it does not have the firepower to contend with some of the larger warships. A frigate is generally well-armoured, well-shielded and well-armed, and is usually quite powerful for its size. Frigates can also carry anywhere between two and four AI turrets, depending on the preference of the creator, although four turrets is the generally accepted norm for this ship; having more turrets means that the Frigate is less exposed to swarm attacks by fighters and/or bombers. In pairs or larger groups, Frigates can cause serious damage to much larger ships.
Destroyers:
The destroyer is a fast and manoeuvrable but tough warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers, such as fighters and bombers. The majority of destroyers do not have any anti-matter cannons to engage ships of their own class; most rely on missile weapons with lock-on capabilities to destroy attacking fighters and bombers. Most destroyers also have anywhere between four and six turrets, in order to help take out attacking bombers and other smaller, faster ships. Destroyers typically have strong armour and shielding to defend them against attack.
Cruiser:
Cruisers inhabit the middle ground between light and heavy warships. They are usually larger than a destroyer, but smaller than a battleship. Cruisers are designed to support larger ships by driving off or distracting other ships that might pose a threat to the heavy warships if left un-harassed, and generally providing supporting fire to the rest of the fleet in combat. Cruisers are, well-armoured, well-shielded and well-armed, and carry some considerable firepower. Cruisers do not usually carry turrets.
Heavy Warships:
Battlecruiser:
Battlecruisers are similar in size and cost to Battleships, and typically carry the same, if not similar armament, but are faster less heavily shielded and armoured than a Battleship. Battlecruisers are designed to support larger ships by driving off or distracting other ships, and adding their own firepower to that of Battleships. Battlecruisers do not usually carry turrets.
Battleship:
A Battleship is large, heavily armoured and carries tremendous firepower. It is usually used as the flagship of a fleet. In addition to its main armament, It can carry anywhere from six to twelve turrets. However, most Battleships are slow, heavy and hard to manoeuvre, and as such they have to rely on support from smaller warships in order to be fully effective. Despite this, a lone battleship can both take and deal out a serious beating from most other ships before it is in danger of being destroyed.
Dreadnought:
It’s like a Battleship, only it’s bigger, tougher and meaner. This category includes Planet crackers, Death Stars, and other ships of that nature.
Carriers:
Troopship:
A Troopship is any vessel that is intended to carry large numbers of ground troops into battle. Most Troopships carry a fairly modest armament so they can provide support to the troops they disembark. Some Troopships carry Dis-integrator explosives on the end of a long spike or protrusion on the front of the craft. This is intended to aid the troopships in boarding operations by breaching the side of a vessel in order to allow troops access to the interior.
Carrier:
Carriers are usually similar in size and cost to Battleships, but they are intended to carry large numbers of fighters, bombers, or other small craft. Most Carriers are unarmed, although some have defensive turrets. Carriers deploy the ships they carry some distance away from the action, so that the carrier itself is not put at risk.
A general guide to classifying your ships.
Fighters:
Light fighters:
Light fighters tend to lack any serious firepower, but make up for it with speed and agility. Light fighters are usually lightly armoured, carry little or no shielding, and are armed only with AMCs. Vessels of this class are generally used as scouts and use their armament defensively, as they lack the firepower to cause any significant threat to ships outside of their class, although they make effective swarm fighters, using the advantage of numbers to overwhelm larger vessels.
Medium Fighters:
Medium fighters are the workhorse of their classification. They have a good balance of speed, agility and firepower, and can be deployed in just about any role, though they still lack the firepower to punch through the shields of larger ships. Medium fighters are generally well shielded and well armoured. Most carry a more generalised armament of anti-matter cannons, and sometimes one or two types of missile weapons. A good example of a medium fighter would be the Isanth-VI, a ship particularly revered by pirates for its excellent balance between firepower and agility, despite the lack of any missile weapons.
Heavy Fighters:
Heavy fighters carry much more serious firepower, and pose a significant threat to ships within their class. Carrying a fairly even load-out of powerful AMCs and one, two or all three types of missile launchers, heavy fighters can also cause moderate damage to larger ships outside their class, such as gunships. However, ships of this type sacrifice some speed and agility in favour of better firepower. Heavy fighters are usually deployed in an escort role, as their significant firepower is excellent at deterring bombers and other fighters.
Gunship:
The Gunship, (Or Gunboat, as it is sometimes known) is essentially a floating weapons platform. Gunships are fairly small, so they sacrifice speed and agility in order to pack as many different weapons on board as possible. Some Gunships also have a limited troop-carrying capacity, but they are mainly used for supporting ground troops, escorting larger warships, and attacking Space stations and planetary bases. They are fairly well shielded for their size, but they cannot stand up to sustained attacks for very long.
Bombers:
Fighter-Bombers:
Fighter-Bombers occupy the middle ground between the fighter and bomber classes. Most fighter bombers could also be classified as either medium or heavy fighters, but tend to focus more on missiles in terms of armament. Although most fighter-bombers also carry AMCs, they have significantly reduced firepower in order to increase the firepower of their missile weapons. This means that, while they are reasonably effective at taking on enemy fighters and bombers, they are much better suited to attacking larger vessels.
Light Bombers:
Light Bombers are the fastest and most agile bomber variant. They tend to be similar in size to fighter-bombers, but they lack any anti-matter cannons. Instead, light bombers concentrate on missile weapons, armour and shields. As such, they can present a significant threat to much larger ships.
Medium bombers:
Medium bombers are virtually the same as light bombers; the only differences being that Medium bombers are slower, less agile, better armoured, better shielded, and carry much more firepower than their smaller, lighter counterparts.
Heavy bombers:
Need something to pound Space stations and planetary bases into dust? The heavy bomber is designed for exactly that purpose. However, it’s slow speed, sluggish turn-time and lack of any defensive weaponry means that it is exposed to fighter attack, although heavy bombers usually sport much better shielding and armour than the lighter bomber classes.
Light Warships:
Corvette:
The Corvette is a small, manoeuvrable warship. Although it has some fairly serious firepower and can take out most fighters and bombers with a couple of hits, it is relatively under-gunned when compared to the other ships in its class. In some cases Corvettes can also carry up to two AI-controlled turrets, as well as the usual armament of missiles and AMCs. For their size, Corvettes tend to be fairly well armoured and well shielded, although they do not often survive very long against larger vessels, and are particularly exposed to swarm attacks by fighters and/or bombers. They do, however, make excellent blockade runners, thanks to their superior speed.
Frigate:
The Frigate is essentially a general-purpose warship. It is designed to be faster than anything more powerful than itself and more powerful than anything faster. In this way, it achieves success in the majority of engagements, though it does not have the firepower to contend with some of the larger warships. A frigate is generally well-armoured, well-shielded and well-armed, and is usually quite powerful for its size. Frigates can also carry anywhere between two and four AI turrets, depending on the preference of the creator, although four turrets is the generally accepted norm for this ship; having more turrets means that the Frigate is less exposed to swarm attacks by fighters and/or bombers. In pairs or larger groups, Frigates can cause serious damage to much larger ships.
Destroyers:
The destroyer is a fast and manoeuvrable but tough warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers, such as fighters and bombers. The majority of destroyers do not have any anti-matter cannons to engage ships of their own class; most rely on missile weapons with lock-on capabilities to destroy attacking fighters and bombers. Most destroyers also have anywhere between four and six turrets, in order to help take out attacking bombers and other smaller, faster ships. Destroyers typically have strong armour and shielding to defend them against attack.
Cruiser:
Cruisers inhabit the middle ground between light and heavy warships. They are usually larger than a destroyer, but smaller than a battleship. Cruisers are designed to support larger ships by driving off or distracting other ships that might pose a threat to the heavy warships if left un-harassed, and generally providing supporting fire to the rest of the fleet in combat. Cruisers are, well-armoured, well-shielded and well-armed, and carry some considerable firepower. Cruisers do not usually carry turrets.
Heavy Warships:
Battlecruiser:
Battlecruisers are similar in size and cost to Battleships, and typically carry the same, if not similar armament, but are faster less heavily shielded and armoured than a Battleship. Battlecruisers are designed to support larger ships by driving off or distracting other ships, and adding their own firepower to that of Battleships. Battlecruisers do not usually carry turrets.
Battleship:
A Battleship is large, heavily armoured and carries tremendous firepower. It is usually used as the flagship of a fleet. In addition to its main armament, It can carry anywhere from six to twelve turrets. However, most Battleships are slow, heavy and hard to manoeuvre, and as such they have to rely on support from smaller warships in order to be fully effective. Despite this, a lone battleship can both take and deal out a serious beating from most other ships before it is in danger of being destroyed.
Dreadnought:
It’s like a Battleship, only it’s bigger, tougher and meaner. This category includes Planet crackers, Death Stars, and other ships of that nature.
Carriers:
Troopship:
A Troopship is any vessel that is intended to carry large numbers of ground troops into battle. Most Troopships carry a fairly modest armament so they can provide support to the troops they disembark. Some Troopships carry Dis-integrator explosives on the end of a long spike or protrusion on the front of the craft. This is intended to aid the troopships in boarding operations by breaching the side of a vessel in order to allow troops access to the interior.
Carrier:
Carriers are usually similar in size and cost to Battleships, but they are intended to carry large numbers of fighters, bombers, or other small craft. Most Carriers are unarmed, although some have defensive turrets. Carriers deploy the ships they carry some distance away from the action, so that the carrier itself is not put at risk.
