| Starfighter: Disputed Galaxy, Alien Weapons |  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Alien Weapons
01. Laser Cannon How to read the Weapon Tables Each Weapon is rated in its damage, speed, maneuverability, range, refire rate, and for its ammunition. Each rating is from A+ (best) to F (worst) except for damage, which is both a numerical rating and a rating, ammunition, which is both a number for the number of shots and a rating, and range, which is both the distance range of the Weapon and a rating.
Damage: This is a rough estimation of the amount of Shield damage this weapon will do on a successful hit, and a grade both damage and damage per second. The higher the damage, the higher the grade. Laser Cannon
Cons: Seemingly random damage How to use it: The basic Laser Cannon is included with all ships, both alien and human, and is a fine starting weapon, particularly for dogfighting. Its strongest merit is the speed of the shots, which can cover about 1000 distance in less than a second. It is therefore a very difficult weapon to dodge, particularly if the ship using it is maneuverable. Refire rate is also very good; you can fire the Laser Cannon a bit faster than once per second. Despite being unguided, its maneuverability rating is high because of the great speed of the shots. Its ammunition rating is very high because it uses very little Energy, between 1% and 4% per shot (which is seemingly random). The average is 2.5%, which means that on a full Energy load, you can fire more than 40 Laser Cannon shots. The disadvantages of the basic Laser Cannon are its range (about 1000 distance), which isn't very useful in anything except extremely close combat, and its damage, which is apparently somewhat random. Certainly, the closer you are to the target, the more damage that you will do with the Laser Cannon. Still, some shots do no damage at all, or very little damage. Other shots can do up to 25 damage. About 12-15 damage per shot seems to be the average. The Laser Cannon is also one of the few weapons that does no splash damage at all. The Laser Cannon is a weapon that will reward those who watch the game carefully. The more the Shields of the opposing ship appear to "flash" when the Laser Cannon blast hits them, the more damage that you've done with that shot. The Laser Cannon is particularly useful for destroying very large, well-shielded, slow targets like Atlases. If you don't mind some risk, feel free to fly right over a Atlas and pound away at it with your Laser Cannon. This will maximize damage from this weapon (though of course at maximum risk to yourself...). A lucky Laser Cannon shot can also destroy a Drone in one shot. Best against: Either particularly well-shielded targets (especially slow ones) or particularly weak-shielded targets.Weak against: Anything maneuverable with heavy shields. Back to top Photon Bomb
Cons: High Energy use, low range, wide splash radius How to use it: The Photon Bomb is probably the hardest weapon to use well in the alien arsenal. It has many fine qualities, but chief among them are its manueverability and its splash radius. The damage potential of the Photon Bomb is only a little above average, at about 20-25 Shield damage per strike. However, it does this damage in a very wide splash radius of at least 150 distance. As a result, if you can manuever yourself to fire this weapon on a large group of foes, you will find it to be a tremendously effective weapon. Its refire rate is also very good, allowing you to launch a large number of Photon Bombs quickly. When paired with an Energy Cell, the Photon Bomb is second-to-none for destroying large, heavily-shielded targets like Defense Turrets and Atlases. However, the Photon Bomb's greatest strength is also its greatest weakness. Allies will invariably wander into the splash radius of a Photon Bomb fired by the player, and the player can easily find him- or herself destroying allies and losing kills in the process. Great care should be taken when using the Photon Bomb in these circumstances. Even worse, it is quite easy to damage yourself with a Photon Bomb if you attempt to use it in close combat. Therefore, despite the maneuverability of the weapon, it is best to stay a good distance back. On the flipside, the speed of the Photon Bombs is about 13, which means that many ships will be able to outrun them. As a result, it requires some practice to learn the best situations and the best distance at which to use this weapon effectively. It is a very easy weapon to become frustrated with. The Photon Bomb requires 14% Energy per shot, which means that a player with a full Energy load can fire seven such shots, sufficient to destroy a ship with about 150 Shields. In particular, Destroyer Captains that pair this weapon with an Energy Cell to fuel it will have the most luck. The Photon Bomb is quite efficient at destroying heavily-shielded targets or targets in groups due to its high refire rate, but you will need to find a way to feed its hunger for Energy... Best against: Heavily shielded targets with low maneuverability, particularly Atlases and Defense Turrets.Weak against: Anything fast. Back to top Plasma Cannon
Cons: Shot is unguided and slow, somewhat easy to dodge, and very easy to kill yourself with How to use it: The Plasma Cannon is the most powerful basic weapon in the game. It has tremendous punch against almost any target, so much so that sometimes, to actually fire it is a waste of Energy. In particular, against Drones, the Plasma Cannon is gross overkill... fun, though. The shape of the target seems to make a big difference to the Plasma Cannon. Flat slab sides offer the best target, as do pointed surfaces, as do concave surfaces (shaped like the inside of a spoon). Since most of the ships in the game offer these sorts of surfaces, the Plasma Cannon does very, very well: at least 75 points of damage, average, per shot. Where the Plasma Cannon seems to have trouble is against convex surfaces (shaped like the underside of a spoon). Large ships like Atlases and Medusae offer this sort of surface and as a result, the Plasma Cannon seems to do less damage, about 60 points on average, to them. On a full Energy load, though, you can fire the Plasma Cannon four times... sufficient firepower to knock down virtually any enemy ship if all four blasts connect. As a result, it earns a good rating for ammunition. Of course, the Plasma Cannon has disadvantages to match its advantages. First, the shot is unguided and slow, traveling at a speed of about 16. As a result, there are some ships that can simply outrun the shot. There are others that will have little difficulty dodging it. This is particularly prevalent in MP sectors, where lag makes the Plasma Cannon extremely difficult to aim properly since you often can't get a good read on where your target actually is at the moment you fire it. The Plasma Cannon blast also has an enormous splash radius, at least 100 distance. Sometimes, this is an advantage, particularly when dealing with ambushes of large ships, such as Satyrs. However, more often, this is an enormous disadvantage, particularly in close combat (where the Plasma Cannon is most used) or in combat in cooperation with allies. There are probably more suicides caused by Plasma Cannon blasts than by any other weapon; the splash damage seems to be particularly punishing to the ship that fires the blast, more so than it is to other ships caught in the splash. You'll also often find yourself killing friendlies (and losing a kill each time you do) if you're not careful. Still, the enormous damage potential of the Plasma Cannon as well as its very good range -- at least 2000 distance -- makes it one of the premiere weapons in Starfighter. If you can learn to use it properly, it's a weapon that will serve you very well. Best against: Anything that isn't either fast or highly maneuverable.Weak against: Nothing. Back to top Laser Beam
Cons: Enormous energy consumption, limited range How to use it: The Laser Beam is a terrific starting weapon for a Starfighter player, and the second weapon I recommend purchasing in my Alien Tutorial for Starfighter. The reasons for this are this weapon's never-miss qualities and its high damage. It has the best Speed and Maneuverability ratings of any weapon for one simple reason: it is a zero time of flight weapon, nearly instantly striking the target at which it is fired. Its damage qualities are also excellent. This weapon does 40 to 50 Shield damage per shot and can kill three ship classes, Drones, Heavy Drones, and Pegasi, in a single shot if that shot is fired correctly. In particular, the damage done by this weapon seems to be at least somewhat dependent on the amount of time the player holds down the "Z" key when firing it. If the "Z" key is just tapped, this weapon seems to do less damage than if the "Z" key is held down for a bit longer. The Laser Beam does not appear to do splash damage. The disadvantages of this weapon are its enormous energy costs -- 30% Energy per shot! -- and very limited range, about 500. Ships with a limited locking angle will have some trouble getting the Laser Beam to lock onto very close or very fast targets. This weapon's refire rate is also not the best; the cool-down time appears to be more than a second and a half. As a result, while the Laser Beam is an excellent starting weapon, Starfighter players will soon be forced to trade it in as they face more heavily shielded ships. In particular, any ship with 200 Shields or more will be difficult to destroy with the Laser Beam, unless the player using it also has an Energy Cell to fuel the Laser Beam's great Energy needs. However, the Laser Beam is one of the only good option in Multiplayer sectors when facing players using high-speed harrassing tactics in Sprinters and like ships. Lock on to a high-speed Pegasus for even a fraction of a second, and the Pegasus will die. Best against: Very fast or highly maneuverable targets, regardless of shields.Weak against: Anything with particularly heavy shields. Back to top Xandalevium Heat Disc
Cons: Terrible range, sub-par damage and damage per second, poor maneuverability How to use it: There are several weapons in the alien arsenal that sound like cool concepts and were definitely great ideas in the game designer's head, but suffer from poor execution. The Xandalevium Heat Disc tops this list. The concept behind this weapon is great: it is a non-Thunder Bolt Weapon that causes your enemy to bleed Shields over a short period of time. Hit your enemy with a large number of these, and he will watch his Shields rapidly fall. What human Starfighter player could fail to panic in that situation? Unfortunately, the Xandalevium Heat Disc has a number of short-comings that make it a very difficult weapon to recommend for the Starfighter player. It does have its good points: it's very quick, you receive a lot of them, and the refire rate is better than average. They also arm quickly, so they're pretty good when used in close combat, particularly against large targets such as the Triton Cargo Ship or Minotaur. Even their sub-par maneuverability is really not that much of a disadvantage since they're a close combat weapon and the XHDs will never have far to go. It's pretty easy to cover your target in a large number of these and watch them drain his Shields. The bad news is that the damage on the XHD is terrible, no better than 16 to 18 Shield damage per strike, over a period of about two seconds per XHD. This means it takes an entire volley of 15 of these to destroy a heavily-sheided human fighter, and they'll do no more than soften up a heavier target like a Warship or a Triton. Even worse, you have to get extremely close to use the XHD; their range is only 1000, which makes them a terrible choice when compared to weapons such as the Xandalevium Blaster, or even an average Type 1 Carnivore Torpedo! To be very blunt, a full volley of Type 1s will do more damage, more quickly, and be more likely to strike their target. The range of the Type 1 is also twice as far as the XHD. And the Type 1 is not exactly the premiere alien weapon. Put another way, you'll do just as much damage and be more likely to hit your target if you rely on the Laser Cannon over this weapon, and the Laser Cannon doesn't require a weapon slot. The Xandalevium Heat Disc should have been given a much longer range or much better damage (or preferably, a little bit of both), and it's a mystery why this wasn't done. I'm not sure what the point to this weapon is, but alien players should definitely look elsehwere. It's a shame, too, because the idea is very cool. Best against: Weakly Shielded targets or strongly Shielded targets, particularly if they're not very agile.Weak against: Anything with particularly heavy shields. Back to top Javelin Torpedo
Cons: Unguided and extremely imprecise, particularly up close How to use it: The Javelin is the cheapest weapon, and it's for a good reason: it's an unguided, imprecise bludgeon that is incredibly difficult to use. The primary advantages to the Javelin are its damage -- 40 to 50, the best of any torpedo -- and its speed. The refire rate of the Javelin is also pretty good, and its range is excellent. The Javelin will rocket away from the launching ship almost immediately, and will be very quickly followed by more, if the "Z" key is held down. Unfortunately, while the angle of attack will match that of the launching ship, the precise starting point of the torpedo will not necessarily be lined up with the ship. The Javelin is quite random in this regard; some torpedoes will rocket away from the center of the launching ship. Others will originate from a full ship-width or more to the right or left. It is impossible to predict from torpedo to torpedo where each one will originate. Even fired at exactly the same angle at a motionless target by a motionless ship, one Javelin might strike the target solidly while the very next -- launched from exactly the same position and angle -- will miss to the right or left. As a result, the Javelin is nearly impossible to aim with any precision. It is therefore most effective either in large volleys or when launched at very large, slow targets. It also does enormous splash damage in a wide radius, which is both an advantage and a disadvantage. Because you have to use so many Javelins to guarantee any number of hits, the ammunition capacity is not all that useful in a busy combat. Still, it is the most powerful torpedo weapon in the game. As a result, some players have refined the use of the Javelin to a high art, even at a distance. In particular, a volley of 15 Javelins launched at a large ambush at a range of about 5000 distance will certainly guarantee several hits, and perhaps even a few kills. All it takes is luck and a lot of practice. Best against: Anything large, slow, or both. Particularly Defense Turrets, Atlases, and the broad side of Triton Cargo Ships.Weak against: Anything that's actually trying to avoid the shot. Back to top Thunder Bolt Torpedo
Cons: It is relatively easy to avoid, out-run, or counter How to use it: The Thunder Bolt Torpedo is probably the most frustrating weapon for players in Starfighter, and yet, everyone who has a spare Weapon slot loves to carry one. In particular, it is one of the most commonly used weapons in Multiplayer sectors, where many players swear by its virtues. Its primary virtue is its damage potential: if it is well-aimed, it does about 20 Shield damage per second to its target over a period of about 7.5 seconds. This translates to up to 125 damage to the target's shields. This alone is sufficient to destroy six human ship classes, the Drone, Heavy Drone, Pegasus, Starfighter, Astro, and Eos. Unlike other Thunder Bolt weapons, all of this massive damage is delivered to a single target. The Thunder Bolt will persistently pursue this single target and continue delivering damage to it until its full duration has expired or the target has been destroyed. That said, the Thunder Bolt Torpedo is easy for experienced players to circumvent. First, it is extremely slow, and has a relatively poor turn rate. You can think of the TB Torp as a very small Starfighter ship, in fact. It can only fire its lightning at a ship in its fire arc, and fast or maneuverable ships will only have a little trouble escaping that fire arc. In particular, very fast ships, or those running under boosters or the Engine Overdrive Utility will rapidly outrun a Thunder Bolt Torpedo before it has done its full damage. A Rapid Shield Recharger Utility will also repair the damage being done by a TB Torpedo as fast as it is being inflicted, as will transfering Energy to Shields using the "C" key. Even if the ship is in range and within the arc of the TB Torp, there is a certain amount of randomness to just how much damage will be done to the target. Only if the target stays dead still will the Thunder Bolt Torpedo have its full effect. The range of the weapon is also very poor, forcing ships that might not be prepared for it into close combat with the target. As a result, lots of practice is required to master the use of the Thunder Bolt Torpedo, particularly since you only get one! However, in the right hands, the TB Torp can be an awesome force multiplier for that player's other weapons, particularly if that player's weapons include Thunder Bolt Mines or a Thunder Bolt Proximity weapon... Best against: Anything or anyone.Weak against: Anything or anyone smart enough to out-maneuver it. Back to top EMP Torpedo
Cons: Easy to dodge, and you only get one! How to use it: The EMP Torpedo is probably the second most frustrating weapon for players in Starfighter, after the Thunder Bolt Torpedo. Still, many players enjoy carrying one and firing it. If the EMP Torpedo strikes its target, it will render the target powerless for between five and nine seconds. It will also defeat the LBSS and LASS stealth systems, if the target or another nearby ship happen to be using these systems. It does no damage on its own, but if you are close enough to the target to take advantage of the target's powerless condition, you can land many unanswered shots with your other weapons and potentially destroy the target while it is helpless. Even better, if you fire the EMP Torpedo into a cluster of enemy ships (such as an AI ambush), the EMP Torpedo has a relatively wide splash radius and will render every ship nearby powerless when it explodes. The range of this weapon, 2500 distance, is also nearly perfectly suited to its intended use. Still, the EMP Torpedo is not without disadvantages. It has many of them. First and foremost, you only get one! Therefore, this weapon is not a good selection for ships that have only a limited number of Weapon slots, unless you are using it with a specific strategy in mind that is linked to your other weapons. Most often, this weapon will be carried by a ship that has a large surplus of Weapon slots, such as the Hunter or the Oppressor. Second and perhaps more seriously, the EMP Torpedo is not particularly fast (about speed 18) and has a rather wide turning circle. As a result, it is relatively easy to dodge, particularly if the weapon is fired head-on, as it often is. The only good news is that if the weapon misses on its first pass, it will circle around and try to strike the target a second time. One final note of warning regarding the EMP Torpedo. When this weapon reaches its maximum range, it will explode, affecting anything nearby with an EMP effect. This could very easily be your ship, if you move in close to the target and are engaged in close combat with it. The same effect will happen if the torpedo catches up with the target on a second pass and explodes with you nearby. You are not immune to the effects of your own EMP Torpedo, nor are your allies. Beware of this! Best against: Anything or anyone with with particularly tough weapons that you want to avoid.Weak against: Anything or anyone smart enough to out-maneuver it. Back to top Xandalevium Blaster
Cons: None, really. The single best long-range weapon in the game How to use it: Ask any alien player what the best weapon in the game is, other than the Plasma Cannon. Most will immediately name the "xand blaster". The Xandalevium Blaster has it all. First, its range is superb, a full 5000 distance, perfect for its intended use. Its refire rate is even better; you're able to fire this weapon faster than once per second. The speed of the projectile is great, and the damage is also very good for a long rage weapon, averaging more than 30 Shield damage per hit. This approaches the damage done by the unguided Javelin Torpedo! It's also a great close combat weapon and if well-aimed, will arm itself in only 150 distance, so close that you risk damaging yourself with the splash if you use this weapon in close combat. The ammunition stocks are also great. You'll run out of Xand Blaster shots quite often, but only because you're using them constantly. In short, the Xandalevium Blaster is the best standard long range weapon in Starfighter: Disputed Galaxy. It's so good, it actively unbalances the game and makes alien Destroyers, Hunters, and Oppressors measurably superior to their human counter-parts. When alien players say that human ships are better to start, but alien ships are better once you have a lot of kills, this weapon and large numbers of Weapon slots to carry it in are a big reason why. In particular, charging a ship carrying a large number of Xand Blasters is suicide. This Weapon does its best damage when it hits a ship head on. The Xand Blaster really only has one weakness, and that is its only average maneuverability. In particular, if you're using this weapon in close combat, you need to aim it carefully and lead your opponents. Its speed will be sufficient to reach them, and if you miss, it will swing around to make another pass, but it will take an age to do so. However, that's it. That is this weapon's only weak spot. There's no reason why every alien ship shouldn't carry at least one set of Xandalevium Blasters. The ammunition capacity is 15 shots, giving you the potential to do more than 500 Shield damage with a full load of these beauties. Finally and perhaps best of all, the sound effect when the Xand Blast is launched is exactly the same one used when the EMP Torpedo is launched. This sound will immediately put human players on the defensive... and what other quality would you rather your weapon had than that? ;-) Best against: Anything that's charging straight at you from a long distance, particularly AI ambushes.Weak against: Nothing. The perfect generalist weapon. Back to top Damaging Combo Beam
Cons: Will quickly put you in a good position to be slaughtered by your enemies How to use it: There's no question that the Damaging Combo Beam is a great idea. This weapon will do both Shield and Energy damage, about 13 Shield damage per strike and about 15% Energy damage per strike. It seems to have been designed to take out heavily Shielded targets that are relying on the Field Hopper for defense, in particular. If the target is already low on Energy from multiple Field Hopper uses, a single strike from the DCB will remove sufficient Energy to make using the Field Hopper again impossible, and allow the ship using the DCB to then pound on the target with his or her other weapons for a few seconds. The good news is that the DCB is a zero time of flight weapon; it will immediately and instantly strike the target at which it is aimed, and cannot be dodged. The refire rate is also pretty good, averaging two shots every three seconds or so. Unfortunately, the Damaging Combo Beam is one of those weapons that will give you a false sense of security. The other purpose for which it was designed is apparently to be used against human players that rely on high Energy Weapons such as the Laser Beam and Plasma Cannon. Unfortunately, you have to get suicidally close to your opponent to use the DCB, and as a result, the cure is far worse than the disease. Sure, you'll probably keep them from using these high Energy Weapons on you. But while you're fiddling around with their Energy stocks and doing rather pathetic damage to them, you're probably not going to be paying attention to the types and varieties of Proximity Weapons that you're getting hammered with in the meantime. It is quite easy to commit suicide by DCB as you drain the Plasma Cannon-bearing ship only to be overwhelmed by his buddies with their less exotic weapons. In addition, to even lock onto your target with the DCB, you have to come well within Plasma Cannon range in the first place, and by the time you lock on, you're probably going to be in Laser Beam range as well. I assure you these high Energy Weapons will land at least a shot or two at you while you're draining them... As a result, I can't really recommend this weapon. It's a good idea, but the implementation is rather poor. Energy use is 10% per shot, which will give you about 11 shots from a full Energy load, more than sufficient to comletely drain the target at which this weapon is fired. Still, with the plethora of excellent alien weapons, wouldn't you rather have your target dead than merely drained of its Energy? Yeah, I thought so. Best against: Anything that's slow, heavily Shielded, and is relying on a Field Hopper for defense.Weak against: Anything in any other situation. Back to top Shield Extraction Beam
Cons: Quite dangerous to use in groups, relatively low damage How to use it: The Shield Extraction Beam is an extremely specialized weapon. It is intended for close combat, and in terms of Energy use compared to the damage done to your enemies, this weapon rates quite high, comparable to the Laser Beam or Plasma Cannon! In particular, the SEB does between 10 and 15 points of Shield damage to your enemies and repairs approximately this amount of Shield damage on your own ship (if they are damaged). And it does all of this for only a 5% Energy expenditure! The fact that this is a zero time of flight weapon (striking its target nearly instantly) and that it is a guided weapon, never missing its target, adds to its appeal. The range of the SEB is also perfectly acceptable, at 800 distance, perfect for close combat use and obviously intended for ships involved in this heavy close combat. The Shield Extraction Beam only has three disadvantages, but two of them are fairly major. First, the damage that it does is somewhat poor. It is near-suicidal to use this weapon in a head-to-head confrontation. Even if your enemy uses the simple Laser Cannon, he will probably do more counter-fire damage to you than you will do to him. Happily, the range of this weapon is more than sufficient to use in a traditional dogfighting scenario, with you behind your opponent. Particularly against fast, maneuverable targets such as Argonauts or Hawks, the Shield Extraction Beam is hard to beat. Its good range will allow you to keep damaging your target even if your own ship's speed is fairly poor. Second, it is quite dangerous to use this weapon in a swarm due to its low damage. It's easy to become so focused on the ship you are trying to drain and on rebuilding your own Shields that you'll miss the fact that you're actually doing very little damage to your enemy. If your enemy has escorts, they will overwhelm you. The third disadvantage of this weapon is not really the fault of this weapon, but is tied up in its purpose. The Shield Extraction Beam is a close combat Weapon due to its range. It is therefore of most use to dogfighting ships that will both welcome its close combat qualities and benefit from a Weapon that rebuilds their own Shields in a busy dogfight. Unfortunately, it doesn't do enough damage to be a primary weapon, and its range is not long enough to act as a guided weapon against ambushes. Dogfighting ships in Starfighter only receive two primary Weapons and as a result, while dogfighters can strongly benefit from this weapon, they will hardly ever actually use it in battle. The ammunition associated with this Weapon is based on Energy, and using only 5% Energy per shot means that a player will effectively get more than 25 shots with this weapon, doing between 250 and 300 Shield damage. This is an excellent return on a full Energy load, particularly considering that you will receive up to the same amount of Shields in return. This is definitely a Weapon that alien players should look at closely! Best against: Particularly strong opponents, or particularly fast, maneuverable opponents.Weak against: Swarms of anything stronger than Drones. Back to top Type 1 Carnivore Torpedo
Cons: Rather poor range, very weak when compared to other alien weapons How to use it: Alien Carnivore Torpedoes generally receive about a 50% damage bonus when compared to the comparable human Stinger Torpedo. The Type 1 Carnivore breaks this rule, and as a result, it's a weapon that most alien players will probably not want to use. It does have some very good qualities. It does decent damage, about 18 to 20 Shield damage per shot, comparable with the Photon Bomb. However, unlike the Photon Bomb, the Type 1 Carnivore is faster and very maneuverable. It's an excellent close combat weapon, needing only about 250 distance in order to arm itself and doing very predictable damage no matter what conditions it is fired under. Even if the target dodges the first attack, the Type 1 will swing back around and almost certainly nail the target on the second pass, and that second pass will happen very quickly thanks to the Type 1's speed and maneuverability. In short, if you fire this weapon, chances are excellent it's going to hit the target and do its full damage. That said, the damage that the Type 1 Carnivore does is out-stripped by many other weapons with comparable qualities, notably the Xandalevium Blaster and the Disruptor. The Xand Blaster does nearly twice as much damage under good conditions, arms itself even faster, and has better speed and much better range. The Disruptor does superior damage and also includes the quality that it pushes back its target some distance, disrupting their attack and making them easier to deal with. The speed of the Disruptor is also a bit superior to that of the Type 1 Carnivore. In addition, you have to get pretty close to fire this thing, and that means that while you're waiting for your chance to fire, you're going to get pelted by a lot of counter-fire, particularly from EMP Torpedoes. Forget about using this weapon to destroy pesky Drones armed with EMP Torpedoes before they reach you. The Type 1 Carnivore also has a very wide splash radius and a good percentage of the weapon's primary damage seems to be done on splash, too. This is both an advantage and a disadvantage. If using the Type 1 to defeat an ambush, you will be very pleased with its qualities. Unfortunately, since the range is so limited, you have to be very careful not to put yourself or your allies in harm's way. On the other hand, the refire rate of the Type 1 Carnivore is outstanding, with about three-quarters of a second cool-down between shots. This allows you to put an enormous number of these torpedoes in the air very quickly. Its ammunition capacity is just as good, with 20 shots available, for a very impressive 400 Shield damage available from a full volley of Type 1 Carnivores. Unfortunately, a full load of Xand Blasters will do 500 Shield damage if used well, and have more than double the range. Had the Type 1 Carnivore received the damage bonus that most Carnivores receive compared to their human counterparts, this would have been an easy weapon to recommend. Without it, there are other alien weapons that easily outclass this one. Best against: Anything that you're in close combat with.Weak against: Nothing, really. A good generalist weapon. Back to top Type 2 Carnivore Torpedo
Cons: No major strengths, either How to use it: It is impossible to consider the Type 2 Carnivore Torpedo without considering its very close sibling, the Type 1 Carnivore Torpedo. They do about the same damage, so the differences are in style. The Type 1 is a highly decent close combat weapon, with good speed and great maneuverability versus close-up foes. The Type 2 is the opposite: it's speed is much better, but its maneuverability is much worse, making it a more distance oriented weapon. In particular, the Type 2 is an excellent upgrade from the Type 3 Carnivore Torpedo for a new player after he or she has built up some confidence in their gunnery. In particular, the Type 2 will destroy a Heavy Drone in three shots, something that requires four Type 3s. Type 2 Carnivores are also a good way to destroy AI Drones and Heavy Drones fitted with EMP Torpedoes or Thunder Bolt Torpedoes before they can reach you. The range of the Type 2 Carnivore out-strips that of those weapons. The weapon's major disadvantages are its maneuverability, and it's similarities and deficiencies when compared to the Xandelevium Blaster. The Xand Blaster does better damage and arms much more quickly, has about equivalent speed and maneuverability, and the ammunition capacity is exactly the same. The Type 2 Carnivore should have been given an ammo capacity of 20. This would have made it a much more generally useful weapon. The Type 2 also seems to need about 450-500 distance in order to arm itself. Type 2s fired from closer in will pass over the target harmlessly. In short, in every measureable way, the Xand Blaster is superior to the Type 2 Carnivore, and if what you're looking for is a good long range generalist weapon, you should use that instead. While new Starfighter players will enjoy its capabilities against early Drone and Heavy Drone AI ambushes, every other Starfighter player should probably avoid this weapon. While it has no major weaknesses, it has no major strengths, either, when compared with other alien weapons. It's not that this weapon is particularly weak, because it isn't; it's that other weapons are better. Depending on your needs, go with the Xand Blaster, the Type 4 Carnivore, or the Type 1 Carnivore instead. Best against: Drones, Heavy Drones, and Sprinters armed with EMP Torpedoes or Thunder Bolt Torpedoes.Weak against: Anything with heavy shields. Back to top Type 3 Carnivore Torpedo
Cons: Everything else How to use it: The Type 3 Carnivore Torpedo is the first weapon I recommend you buy in the Alien Tutorial, but that's not because it's a particularly good weapon. If anything, it's one of the worst weapons in the game. It certainly has the worst damage of any alien weapon in the game, doing only between 12 and 16 damage per hit. Still, it has two things going for it, the fact that it's guided, and its incredible range, 10,000 distance, far and away the longest range of any alien weapon in the game. It's most useful in two capacities. The first is how I recommend to use it in the Tutorial: early game Drone and Heavy Drone ambushes, against which the Type 3 Carnivore is a near-perfect weapon for keeping new players safe. The second is as a long-range scanner of sorts. Very few Starfighter players or AIs will activate stealth systems and the like until they're much closer to you than this weapon's 10,000 locking range, and as a result, you can use the long range intel provided to you by this weapon to get an idea of what you're up against. The damage done by this weapon is not its only disadvantage. The refire rate isn't very good, and its maneuverability is only average. It's not a particularly good close-combat weapon as it spends its first several seconds accelerating to its normal speed. It's certainly better than the human version of the same weapon, though! In particular the Type 3 Carnivore does 50% more damage than the human Type 3 Stinger. It's decent for softening up tough foes at a long distance. The ammunition of the Type 3 Carnivore is also pretty good, with 15 torpedoes available. This is sufficient to take out an entire seven Drone ambush, or three out of seven of a Heavy Drone ambush. It's also a very decent way to soften up a stronger opponent approaching you from a long way off, and since the damage potential is so low, you don't really have to worry about the fact that you're firing it. In particular, if you're crossing one sector on the way to another, the Type 3 Carnivore will be the first weapon you go for in dealing long range damage to the single enemy that happens to be in this transit sector. Feel free to put a whole volley of them out there if you use this weapon. Even the toughest target can't shrug off 15 hits in a row... Best against: Early game Drone and Heavy Drone ambushes.Weak against: Anything with more than 50 Shields. Back to top Disruptor
Cons: Maneuverability isn't that good, will get you called names in MP sectors How to use it: The Disruptor is one of those alien only weapons that just proves how much better the alien weapons are, on average, than the human ones. Its first good quality is its damage, which averages 25 Shield damage per strike. The refire rate is also outstanding, with about three-quarters of a second cool-down between shots. This allows you to put a large number of Disruptor blasts out there very quickly. The speed of the shots is fine, the range is perfect for its intended use, and it's not a very Energy-intensive Weapon. If it only did these things, the Disruptor would already be better than 80% of the human weapons. The best thing about the Disruptor, though, is that each time one strikes the target, it will push them back about 200 distance. This will annoy anyone you use it against and make it very tough for human dogfighting players to bring their advantages to bear. In particular, Oppressor and Hunter pilots should definitely have a Disruptor on board as one of their weapons. The only real disadvantage to the Disruptor is how "quirky" it is. It has a slightly worse than average maneuverability, and sometimes seems to forget that it's supposed to hit the target that it's aimed at. As a result, you'll sometimes waste a Disruptor shot or two as they go wandering off and only sometimes remember to get back on target. Even when headed for the target, it will often take a somewhat roundabout route to get there. This might be a glitch in the game, but can sometimes be annoying. If the Disruptor blast misses the first time, there's only a small chance that it's going to hit on the second pass. Still, that's the only disadvantage to the Disruptor, and certainly adds to this weapon's personality! The weapon's range also, unfortunately, makes it somewhat useless against AI ambushes, particularly in the late game when every other Drone is carrying an EMP Torpedo. Energy use for the Disruptor is 12% per shot, giving it a Energy to damage conversion ratio of about 2 to 1, which is superior to the Laser Beam (at about 1.7 to 1) and the Photon Bomb (at about 1.6 to 1). This is outstanding for a weapon whose range outstrips both of these, and includes a special feature to boot. It will also give you about 11 shots on a full Energy load, which is good enough for 250-275 Shield damage on a full Energy load. This is sufficient to disrupt an AI ambush or put quite a dent in a single large ship, and gives you the added benefit of pushing them back and making them an easier target for your other weapons. The Disruptor is definitely a weapon that alien players should consider. Best against: Dogfighting ships such as the Astro, Argonaut, Nymph, and Enforcer.Weak against: Fast ships like the Pegasus and Chariot, who can outrun it. Back to top Type 4 (Teleporting) Carnivore Torpedo
Cons: Range isn't very good How to use it: The Type 4 Carnivore Torpedo is one of the best weapons that the aliens have at their disposal in many areas. It has good speed and good maneuverability, which makes it an excellent weapon to use in close combat. The splash radius on its damage is also pretty good. The Type 4 Carnivore also has an added advantage in that if it misses, it will teleport to a new location facing the target and within easy striking distace. This will make it very difficult, if not impossible, for human Starfighter players in Multiplayer sectors to avoid this weapon. AI opponents don't even seem to try to avoid the weapon. The refire rate of this weapon is also quite good; it is possible to put a large volley of Type 4s into the air quickly. In fact, the Type 4 Carnivore has only one bad point: its range is not particularly good, at only distance 3000. This makes the Type 4 a poor choice for confronting AI ambushes, particularly in the later game when even Drones are carrying an EMP Torpedo. The Type 4 has a longer range than the EMP Torpedo, but not by very much, and trying to take on a large ambush with Type 4s will expose you to a lot of counter-fire. Still, the weapon does have its merits. It's an excellent close combat weapon, particularly in MP sectors where players will generally be pretty good at avoiding other types of missiles, notably the Type 1 Carnivore Torpedo. The Type 4 does equal damage and has a much greater chance of actually hitting an experienced player. The ammunition load of the Type 4 is perfectly acceptable, with 15 shots. Therefore, a full volley of Type 4s will do a bit over 270 Shield damage. This makes it sufficient to put a large dent in small ambushes, or to do heavy damage to a single heavily-shielded target when a large volley of Type 4s is used. It is unfortunate this weapon does not have a better range, but its many fine qualities do deserve respect. It is a weapon worth considering, and the second best close combat torpedo in the alien arsenal after the Xandalevium Blaster. Whether the Type 4 or the Xand Blaster is the better choice to use in MP sectors is a topic of some debate... Best against: Experienced human Starfighter players in Multiplayer sectors.Weak against: Drones, Heavy Drones, and Sprinters armed with EMP Torpedoes or Thunder Bolt Torpedoes. Back to top Long Ranger Laser Cannon
Cons: Unguided, difficult to aim, and a very poor refire rate How to use it: The Long Ranger Laser Cannon is a rather silly weapon that is seemingly without a good purpose. Its range, 9000 distance, is ridiculously long, which is nice, but the weapon is unguided and very difficult to aim at distances over about 1500 or so. It also does no better damage, on average, than the simple space bar Laser Cannon, and that weapon at least has the potential to do more damage at extremely close range. The refire rate of the LRLC is also horrid, with a cool-down time of at least two seconds between shots. The combination of low damage and long cool-down means that it's virtually suicide to use this weapon in dogfights, and the difficulty in aiming it makes it not much more useful in long range battles. As an unguided weapon, the LRLC would normally score the lowest rating for maneuverability, but the shot is rather fast, and as a result, it earns a higher grade. Other than the range and the speed, there are seemingly no good points to this weapon, and its few advantages are completely overturned by its many disadvantages. The long cool-down time actually functionally decreases the Damage rating. It decreases the number of shots you can put in the air, which lowers damage per second. The Long Ranger Laser Cannon uses 5% energy per shot, resulting in about 25 shots from a full Energy load. This earns the LRLC a lower than average ammunition rating. Unlike the humans, aliens have no choices for a long range, Energy-using weapon, other than the LRLC. But that is not a good enough reason to use this weapon. If you want a good long range unguided weapon to use against ambushes, carry the Javelin Torpedo instead. That weapon does much better damage with an equal chance of hitting, and doesn't deplete your Energy stocks. For close range work, the Laser Cannon is a far superior weapon, and doesn't require one of your weapon slots. In short, do not use this weapon. Best against: Anything with weak shields that will travel on a predictable path so that you can kill it.Weak against: Anything else. Back to top Hornet Torpedo
Cons: May or may not actually hit players in MP sectors How to use it: The Hornet Torpedo is one of those weapons that you will either love or hate. The damage that it does is pretty good, averaging 25 Shield damage per strike. However, the Weapon will also randomly reset the target's orientation and location to a nearby position, generally within your ship's forward 60 degree arc. It will also bring them to a halt, killing whatever current velocity they have when the Hornet hits them. Since the orientation of your opponent will change, this will make it much easier for you to destroy them with other weapons. This will be particularly true if your opponent is a large ship, one that has poor acceleration, or very poor maneuverability. They will struggle to bring themselves about or get back up to speed while you are able to land several free shots against them. Particularly in Multiplayer sectors, this will be an enormous advantage, and many experienced Starfighter players rely on this tactic to destroy much larger ships. The sheer panic and aggravation that this Weapon brings about in human players is not to be under-estimated. Unfortunately, this is an extremely difficult Weapon to use well. It's speed, in particular, is not that good. You're going to have to use this weapon when you're in a head-on orientation against your opponent and hope that they either do not see it or fail to dodge it. Otherwise, the Hornet will miss and with its average speed and average maneuverability, it probably won't hit on the second pass, either. As a result, this weapon simply must be fired in large volleys. These very same large volleys will make it a little tougher on you when you try to take advantage of the chaos that you're causing. However, while the range of the weapon (1500 distance) is sufficient for these kinds of attacks, the ammunition capacity of the weapon is not. You receive only 10 Hornets, which is about right for one Multiplayer fight, but probably not for more than one. The good news is that the human version of this weapon, the Electrostatic Orb, is awful and you won't be facing it very often. The refire rate of the Hornet is just fine, with about a one second cool-down between shots. This will allow you to put your full ammunition load of Hornets in the air in about 10 seconds, which is what I generally recommend you do with this weapon. Many of the Hornets will miss due to their poor speed, so for maximum effect, put them all out there! You can hope that one will hit, rendering the target immobile, which will make it all the more likely that another Hornet will hit, and then another and another... Keep a quick guided weapon available (the Laser Beam is a great choice) to take advantage and hope for a little luck! Best against: Over-confident players in Multiplayer sectors, particularly those that rely on Engine Overdrive.Weak against: Nothing, really, but Hornets are probably wasted against AI opponents. Back to top Reverse Laser
Cons: Unguided and a little difficult to learn to use How to use it: The Reverse Laser is about as specialized as weapons come. It is only useful for one thing, sniping at opponents that are behind you, most likely trying to hunt you down and kill you while you run away from them. In this situation, the Reverse Laser is excellent, in many ways better than Mines, which are the usual means of attacking opponents in this situation. It does very good damage, about 18 Shield damage average, and has a very good refire rate, a little slower than once per second. This allows you to deal a lot of damage per second and might just keep you alive, particularly if your pursuers are small, fast craft like Starfighters, Astros, and Pegasi. The speed of the Reverse Laser is excellent, and the range appears to be at least as good as the Laser Cannon. As long as you don't use it in ways it wasn't intended (such as for dogfighting, for instance, which would be amusing and ridiculous, but probably suicidal), the Reverse Laser has no major downsides. As an unguided weapon, it would normally receive the lowest maneuverability rating, but its great speed counteracts this. If the target is visible or if you have a red arrow to guide you (assuming the enemy behind you is the closest one), the Reverse Laser is very easy to aim and is difficult, if not impossible, to dodge. That is not to say that the Reverse Laser can't be used to dogfight. In testing, I was able to destroy ships as large as Minotaurs with it (in 9 shots, on average). But it does mean showing your tail to your opponent, which generally isn't wise. Also, if your enemy isn't actually visible, the Reverse Laser can be much more difficult to aim and it's hard to tell how much damage you're doing... The ammunition rating for this Weapon is excellent; it uses 6% Energy per shot, which means that on a full Energy load, you will get about 18 shots with it, for a total of more than 320 Shield damage for a full volley... if you were foolish enough to fire a full volley from this Weapon. The Reverse Laser is a rather unique Weapon. Either you will see a need for it or you won't... Best against: Anything that's chasing you, particularly if they're a bit slower than you.Weak against: Nothing, as long as they're behind you. Back to top
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