Shipwright Archive
Thread: Ship buying tips!
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ShimmeringStars
Mon Nov 01, 2004 9:41 am
#1
Morning all,
This is just a quick guide into suggestions for how to go about making ship and component purchase decisions. It's not the be-all-end-all exhaustive guide to all questions, just a few points I - in my most very humble opinion - think you should keep in mind!
Tip #1 - Don't pay 20 cpu for a chassis. Reason: There are only two stats on a chassis that can be affected by shipwright skill and resource quality, mass and hitpoints. A Novice Shipwright with 100 OQ materials can make a chassis with 95% the mass of a Master with 900 OQ materials. A 4-0-0-0 Starfighter Engineer with 650 OQ materials can make one with 98% of the mass. Unless you HAVE to have that 2%, why pay for OQ 950+ materials? Oh, and if you do insist on that 2%, then at least don't complain about 20 cpu pricing. Hitpoints have a wider spread, but the key here is these are chassis hitpoints - the enemy burnt through your shields and armor to get to them. By the time the enemy is hitting chassis points, he/she's also damaging your engines/weapons/etc. At this point, you couldn't stop them from getting through your defenses at full strength - how are you going to managedefeat themwithslowed engines orunderpowered weapons?
Tip #2 - After Tier 2, don't just buy all Tier 3 components. Reason: You won't be able to install them! Mass becomes a very limiting factor starting at Tier 3. The Y-Wing is a bit of an exception here as it has a huge mass rating. Don't get too excited, rebels, as it goes down from there (Y-Wing 150k mass, X-Wing 100k, A-Wing 60ish). Shipwrights can consult with you on what you're likely to be able to fit, but this is a time consuming process.
Tip #3 - When choosing between shields and armor, pick shields. Reason: Shields regenerate! They both will soak the same damage, but armor's only going to soak it once! One of the easiest ways out of a mass crunch (see Tip #2) is to lower or remove your armor. This one seems kind of obvious, but its easy to get caught up in stats when you're configuring your ship. Armor is good for boat anchors like the Y-Wing, Kimo and TIE Bomber, since they have a lot more mass to work with.
Tip #4 - Don't get your rear-end shot off! 
Reason: Obvious. What I mean here is to remember that it might not be a bad idea to ask your shipwright for shields that sacrifice some forward protection for rear protection. Alternatively, you can just put your strongest armor in the back. Why? When fighting more than one opponent, the enemy's goal is to get behind you. If they outnumber you 3-to-1 or more, sooner or later, they're going to succeed. This may not apply if you fight a lot of 1-on-1. It applies twice as much if the enemy is more manuverable than you.
Reason: Obvious. What I mean here is to remember that it might not be a bad idea to ask your shipwright for shields that sacrifice some forward protection for rear protection. Alternatively, you can just put your strongest armor in the back. Why? When fighting more than one opponent, the enemy's goal is to get behind you. If they outnumber you 3-to-1 or more, sooner or later, they're going to succeed. This may not apply if you fight a lot of 1-on-1. It applies twice as much if the enemy is more manuverable than you.Tip #5 - Get a booster. Reason: Boosters may not last forever, but while they do, they can give you a speed advantage on any craft 2 tiers or less above you. Furthermore, they're invaluable if you realize you need to get away!
Tip #6 - Get repair kits for your reactor and engines. Reason: If you end up on the ground with no reactor and/or engine, you can't launch to get to the repair station.
Tip #7 - Know what you want (and ask for it). Reason: Asking for a "full set" of components or "the best you can make" is leaving all the decision making in the hands of your shipwright.If you're lucky, they'll ask for clarification. If you don't know what you want, they'll try to protect you by making all the decisions for you. You're going to get a fine ship - but it might be the right fit for someone else, maybe the shipwright's average customer or even the shipwright themselves! Examples: If yourarely use missiles, be sure to tell your shipwright you need more powerful blasters. If you fight a lot of unshielded craft (NPC TIEs) then you might be well served by a disruptor secondary weapon, etc.
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