The Advanced Stellaris Combat Masterclass!

00:27:14
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29ch_ecxukk

Summary

TLDRThe video provides a deep dive into the strategic elements of the game Stellaris, focusing on weapon mixing, ship design, and the importance of information gathering in battles. It details the main weapon strategies: kinetic + energy, carrier + missiles, and bypass strategies using disruptors. Each strategy has its strengths and vulnerabilities, making understanding and countering opponent designs critical. The game is likened to a system of rock-paper-scissors where gaining knowledge about the enemy can drastically alter battle outcomes. It also reviews ship types, their roles, and the importance of shield and armor hardening against specific threats.

Takeaways

  • 🤖 Stellaris is a game deeply rooted in strategic information management.
  • 🔥 Knowledge of kinetic + energy mix is crucial for balanced offense.
  • 🎯 Carrier + missiles can overwhelm enemy defenses with focus.
  • 🛡️ Shield and armor hardening can mitigate disruptor vulnerabilities.
  • 🌀 Instant Hit vs. Delayed Hit affects battle outcomes significantly.
  • ⚔️ Cruisers offer unmatched versatility, earning 'Meta' status.
  • 💡 Information about enemy ship designs can shift battle outcomes.
  • 🚀 Battle positioning and ship types influence tactical effectiveness.
  • 🔍 Disruptors are effective but need careful consideration of enemy counters.
  • 📈 Understanding ship sections unlock higher strategic potential.

Timeline

  • 00:00:00 - 00:05:00

    War in Stellaris is about information. You need to understand ship designs, weapon mixing, and the meta to win battles. There are three primary weapon combinations: kinetic + energy, carrier + missiles, and disruptors. Each has specific advantages and weaknesses, and the goal is to balance these to avoid vulnerabilities.

  • 00:05:00 - 00:10:00

    Weapon combinations work due to their complementary mechanics. Kinetic weapons are effective against shields, while energy weapons destroy armor. This allows for a balanced attack strategy. Carrier + missiles use the abundance of targets to overwhelm point defenses, allowing torpedoes to break through defenses. Disruptors excel against small ships but are vulnerable to hardening, highlighting the importance of understanding each weapon type's role.

  • 00:10:00 - 00:15:00

    An understanding of both your fleet and the enemy's is crucial in Stellaris. The game is likened to rock-paper-scissors, where knowing the opponent's strategy can improve your chances of winning significantly. Analyzing ship power and design, alongside tech level assessments, allows for informed strategic decisions on fleet composition and tactics, predicting opponent moves and countering them effectively.

  • 00:15:00 - 00:20:00

    Ship types in Stellaris each have unique abilities and weaknesses. Corvettes are fast but inflexible, destroyers are adaptable, battleships are powerful yet vulnerable to torpedoes, and cruisers serve as a versatile jack-of-all-trades. Each ship type demands strategic consideration to leverage their strengths and mitigate weaknesses.

  • 00:20:00 - 00:27:14

    Disruptor cruisers are highly effective due to their simplicity and low tech requirements. The notion of 'meta' signifies reliability rather than invincibility in fleet design. Understanding the correct use of hardening can mitigate disruptor vulnerabilities. Stellaris' strategy involves intricate balance and foresight, with future videos promised to delve deeper into detailed ship mechanics.

Show more

Mind Map

Video Q&A

  • Why is weapon mixing important in Stellaris?

    It helps to avoid being vulnerable to specific weapon weaknesses and counters.

  • What are the main weapon mixing strategies?

    Kinetic + energy, carrier + missiles, and bypass with disruptors.

  • What is the role of information in Stellaris battles?

    Information allows for better strategic decisions, like ship design and counter strategies.

  • Why is the carrier + missiles mix effective?

    They can overwhelm point defenses due to no targeting priority, making them effective over time.

  • How do disruptors function in Stellaris?

    They are effective against all ship sizes but vulnerable to shield and armor hardening.

  • What are the differences between Delayed Hit and Instant Hit weapons?

    Instant Hit weapons cause immediate damage, altering the battle balance quickly, unlike Delayed Hit weapons.

  • Why are Cruisers considered "Meta" in Stellaris?

    They are versatile, able to adapt roles, and provide effective counterbalance to other ships when used well.

  • How can shield and armor hardening counter disruptors?

    By reducing disruptor effectiveness, although relying solely on them can expose weaknesses to other attacks.

  • What should be considered when hardening shields and armor?

    Balance to prevent any singular weakness and maintaining effective HP across shield and armor levels.

  • How crucial is ship positioning in Stellaris?

    It determines a ship's effectiveness in battle, especially for long range and kiting strategies.

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  • 00:00:00
    WAR!
  • 00:00:00
    is a game of INFORMATION!
  • 00:00:03
    “if you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the results of a hundred battles”
  • 00:00:09
    and it’s the same thing for Stellaris!
  • 00:00:12
    but first, you NEED CONTEXT!
  • 00:00:14
    EVERYTHING from weapon mixing,
  • 00:00:16
    ship variants
  • 00:00:17
    to even information games and a META DEEP DIVE
  • 00:00:20
    covering EVERY SHIP DESIGN and  their relation to each other!
  • 00:00:24
    WARNING!
  • 00:00:25
    i’ve already explained the “BASICS”  before (you should watch it first)
  • 00:00:27
    -ONE
  • 00:00:28
    you need to keep in mind the  PROPER way of mixing weapons!
  • 00:00:32
    there are 3 main ways to do this:
  • 00:00:34
    1. kinetic + energy,
  • 00:00:36
    the generic mix you start the game with
  • 00:00:39
    2. carrier + missiles, from  carriers, swarmers to even Torpedoes,
  • 00:00:44
    an arcane mix that somehow  works due to game mechanics
  • 00:00:47
    3. bypass, just disruptors...
  • 00:00:50
    because everything else that CAN be used here SUCK [cloud lightning and arc emitters are trash]
  • 00:00:53
    now WHY do we mix it like this?
  • 00:00:56
    because otherwise you’ll be EXTREMELY  vulnerable to your weapon’s weaknesses
  • 00:01:01
    1. kinetic + energy
  • 00:01:03
    kinetic weapons remove the shields,  and energy weapons remove the armor
  • 00:01:08
    the lack of one or the other results  in a possible HARD COUNTER situation,
  • 00:01:13
    which we ALWAYS want to avoid as  getting destroyed by potentially
  • 00:01:17
    HALF THE SHIPS is quite the disaster...
  • 00:01:20
    why does this combo work?
  • 00:01:22
    because if equalized for size and type, kinetics  ALL shoot faster compared to energy weapons
  • 00:01:28
    why is it like this? to allow for kinetic  weapons to have a shorter shadow windup,
  • 00:01:33
    allowing them to shoot FIRST to remove the shields
  • 00:01:36
    and the shorter reload also starts  the next attack cycle much faster
  • 00:01:40
    removing even more shields even if the  damage is distributed randomly on ships
  • 00:01:45
    with shields or NO shields!
  • 00:01:47
    2. carrier + missiles
  • 00:01:50
    one of the many weaknesses of  BOTH is point defense and flak!
  • 00:01:54
    with enough of them carriers and  missiles ALONE get EVISCERATED,
  • 00:01:59
    so much so that their damage  practically goes to ZERO
  • 00:02:02
    this weakness is compounded by the  unfortunate fact that they are “Delayed Hit”
  • 00:02:07
    meaning ALWAYS landing 2nd  and for carriers potentially
  • 00:02:10
    getting obliterated before dealing much damage
  • 00:02:14
    as when a carrier ship is destroyed,  it’s strike crafts ALSO disappear…
  • 00:02:19
    BUT…there’s an interesting interaction when  you combine both carriers and missiles,
  • 00:02:24
    Point Defense and Flak doesn’t actually have  any targeting priority for their expertise
  • 00:02:30
    which allows us to practically  DISABLE them in battle!
  • 00:02:34
    this strategy works best at  disabling Point Defenses
  • 00:02:37
    as Carriers (when alive) continuously deploy strike crafts that go to the frontline
  • 00:02:41
    resulting in an exponential  increase in potential targets to shoot down,
  • 00:02:46
    allowing missiles, or better yet, Torpedoes through!
  • 00:02:49
    this is because the targeting priority is RANDOM
  • 00:02:52
    just a miniscule amount of Torpedoes means  they are less likely to get targeted,
  • 00:02:57
    and just a small amount going through  is enough to DEVASTATE an entire fleet
  • 00:03:02
    and it’s effects only increase with time!
  • 00:03:04
    as the longer the battle goes, the  more strike crafts are deployed
  • 00:03:08
    and more Point Defenses get frozen!
  • 00:03:11
    winning you the battle!
  • 00:03:13
    the interesting part is, in  most cases combining Flak AND
  • 00:03:17
    Point Defenses as an attempt  to counter this is POINTLESS!
  • 00:03:20
    as most if not ALL the designs that
  • 00:03:22
    combo Torpedoes with Carriers also  come with complementary missiles!
  • 00:03:27
    which also SIGNIFICANTLY hamper  the performance of the Flak cannons,
  • 00:03:32
    but…the thing is it’s not as much as how  Strike Crafts freeze enemy Point Defenses!
  • 00:03:37
    as missiles number count don’t  exponentially increase with time and linger,
  • 00:03:43
    but instead just increase in  a wave like fashion and land,
  • 00:03:47
    dealing damage while destroying themselves!
  • 00:03:50
    3. bypass
  • 00:03:51
    now i can sit here and talk about the variants of
  • 00:03:54
    bypass weapons and why ESPECIALLY  the long range variant is terrible
  • 00:03:58
    but…there’s no point
  • 00:04:00
    the stats speaks for itself…
  • 00:04:02
    look at that TRASH DPS...
  • 00:04:04
    awful, simply awful…
  • 00:04:06
    Disruptors are literally the only  thing usable for the bypass combo
  • 00:04:10
    highly effective against small ships  and STILL effective against big ships
  • 00:04:15
    their main gimmick is simply the  unrivaled simplicity and combat power…
  • 00:04:20
    in exchange for ABSOLUTE  VULNERABILITY to hardening!
  • 00:04:24
    NOW, keep in mind these combos are  practically absolutes you must ALWAYS follow
  • 00:04:30
    but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any exceptions…
  • 00:04:33
    i’ll give an example:
  • 00:04:34
    you’re dealing with a guy with TONS of advanced  shield hardening while you’re using Disruptors
  • 00:04:40
    analysis says…you’re cooked
  • 00:04:42
    your disruptors are LITERALLY USELESS  as they do practically no damage
  • 00:04:47
    here's the issue: YOU DON’T HAVE  ENOUGH ALLOYS TO RETROFIT OUT OF THEM
  • 00:04:51
    retrofitting can cost a FORTUNE  in both resources and time
  • 00:04:56
    but what if…the enemy only has capital ships?
  • 00:04:59
    you can actually instead just build  some anti-shield battleships
  • 00:05:02
    that eviscerate the enemy shields from afar!
  • 00:05:05
    disabling ALL shield hardening and  allowing your Disruptors to hit the hull!
  • 00:05:09
    yeah, that’s a very situational and  hyper specific example of
  • 00:05:13
    breaking the weapon mixing rule that might ACTUALLY work!
  • 00:05:17
    if those enemy ships are instead some  destroyers…you might be in for a weird
  • 00:05:21
    culture shock realizing that you’re  basically applying the basic theory
  • 00:05:25
    of “kinetic + energy” combos in a VERY cursed way…
  • 00:05:29
    “kinetic + bypass”
  • 00:05:31
    technically still “kinetic + energy” here,
  • 00:05:34
    but yknow…
  • 00:05:35
    it gets kinda confusing
  • 00:05:37
    -TWO
  • 00:05:37
    DELAYED Hit vs INSTANT Hit
  • 00:05:39
    there are weapons that land INSTANTLY  when shot, and ones that DON’T
  • 00:05:43
    think of it like this:
  • 00:05:45
    in a battle between two  fleets of INSTANT HIT weapons,
  • 00:05:48
    the very first moment the battle starts,  damage is put out with ZERO travel time,
  • 00:05:53
    destroying ships and reducing the opponents  potential damage in the next volley IMMEDIATELY
  • 00:05:59
    while in a battle between a fleet of  INSTANT hit vs DELAYED hit…things change
  • 00:06:04
    the very first first moment the battle starts,
  • 00:06:07
    damage is put out with ZERO travel  time by the instant hit side
  • 00:06:11
    destroying ships and reducing the enemy’s  potential damage in the next volley IMMEDIATELY
  • 00:06:16
    while the delayed hit side puts  out damage WITH travel time,
  • 00:06:20
    NOT destroying enemy ships and thus NOT reducing the enemy’s potential damage in the next volley
  • 00:06:26
    which can mean the difference  between LIFE and DEATH!
  • 00:06:30
    i cannot understate just how  important of a factor this is,
  • 00:06:34
    especially in long range battles  between artillery computer fleets
  • 00:06:38
    where the travel time is SIGNIFICANTLY  higher compared to normal
  • 00:06:43
    -THREE
  • 00:06:44
    the ONE thing you need to keep in mind is that you can accurately predict a battle
  • 00:06:48
    by just knowing yourself and the enemy
  • 00:06:50
    lets play a little game
  • 00:06:52
    a simple game of rock paper scissors!
  • 00:06:55
    you don’t know what the enemy will  play, so you’ll choose a random one!
  • 00:06:59
    no matter what you do, you’ll have a 33%  chance of winning, losing, and drawing!
  • 00:07:05
    without information, you’re practically  ROLLING THE DICE, hoping for a good result…
  • 00:07:10
    however, if you can SOMEHOW gleam some  information on the enemy by looking at
  • 00:07:15
    the details through the process of elimination  you’re able to cross out one of the possibilities!
  • 00:07:21
    suddenly, increasing your chances  of winning AND drawing to 50%,
  • 00:07:26
    while the chance of losing  goes down to a whopping 0%!
  • 00:07:31
    information is KING!
  • 00:07:33
    in stellaris terms, this is just  reading the enemy’s possible ship
  • 00:07:37
    designs by looking at the ship’s stats and  ship turrets to cross out potential designs
  • 00:07:43
    the 3 weapon combinations are something  you have to ALWAYS keep in mind here
  • 00:07:48
    for example, a ship with many  conventional weapon turrets and
  • 00:07:52
    egregiously low fleetpower is  likely to be a disruptor ship
  • 00:07:57
    BUT, if the fleetpower numbers are roughly “average”
  • 00:08:00
    it’s probably a kinetic  laser OR kinetic plasma mix
  • 00:08:04
    every other combination is  VERY unlikely in this scenario
  • 00:08:09
    the fleetpower numbers also  REALLY depend on tech level
  • 00:08:12
    so you just have to “wing it” when looking at them
  • 00:08:15
    maybe even approximate the tech level by observing the amount of armor and shields a ship has
  • 00:08:21
    don’t forget to also look at the difference  between your own tech score to the enemy’s,
  • 00:08:26
    specifically the unmodified number down here!
  • 00:08:29
    while a ship with many missile turrets is  either a swarmer OR Torpedo Missile combo
  • 00:08:35
    if you’re still not sure, you can  simply hover over the ship’s stats
  • 00:08:39
    and look for either ship weapons range, ship  engagement range, or the lack of either one!
  • 00:08:44
    with just stats, you can pinpoint the  EXACT ship computer the enemy’s using
  • 00:08:49
    ship weapons range bonus means the ship  is likely using the Artillery Computer,
  • 00:08:54
    probably a swarmer designed for kiting
  • 00:08:56
    ship weapons range bonus means the ship  is likely using the Carrier Computer,
  • 00:09:01
    CAN be a swarmer as well though not ideal
  • 00:09:04
    while anything else is either invisible in the  ship’s stats OR a variant of the Torpedo designs
  • 00:09:10
    notice how i’m being VERY vague  about the specifics here
  • 00:09:14
    as the different ship models REALLY complicates things
  • 00:09:17
    for example, if i HAD to go into more specifics…
  • 00:09:20
    the normal missile turrets are small,  while the swarmers and Torpedoes are BIG!
  • 00:09:25
    if there’s a mix of BIG and SMALL missile turrets, it’s likely a Torpedo!
  • 00:09:30
    back to the rock paper scissors analogy
  • 00:09:32
    if you’re able to precisely determine what your
  • 00:09:35
    enemy is going to play instead of just  crossing one of the possibilities out,
  • 00:09:39
    you can suddenly DEMOLISH  them with a likelihood of 100%!
  • 00:09:43
    ship designs are just the same, a  game of counter, or be countered
  • 00:09:48
    a game of rock paper scissors, you could say!
  • 00:09:51
    if you manage to eek out the correct answer  from the trickle of information you have,
  • 00:09:56
    then you’re able to win EVERY, SINGLE, TIME!
  • 00:10:00
    now, if YOU thought that was already complicated then you’re gonna be in for wild ride
  • 00:10:05
    i haven’t even explained  each of the ship's gimmicks,
  • 00:10:08
    now explaining literally EVERYTHING  is just gonna make you confused,
  • 00:10:11
    so i opted to "simplifying things" down!
  • 00:10:13
    (strat YAPPING for 30 minutes)
  • 00:10:23
    -FOUR
  • 00:10:24
    lets see every ship’s abilities and section types,
  • 00:10:27
    -Corvettes
  • 00:10:28
    they’re fast and excel in close  range, unfortunately VERY inflexible
  • 00:10:34
    inflexible here meaning unable  to change significantly in role
  • 00:10:38
    and or strength by changing ship designs  due to the ONE ship section choice that
  • 00:10:44
    forces the ship to ONLY use small  slot weapons (or 1 optional P slot)
  • 00:10:47
    so you’re stuck with normal short  range weapons, missiles, or Disruptors…
  • 00:10:52
    the missiles one isn’t even that good after  the early game since Corvettes don’t have
  • 00:10:57
    access to the Artillery Computer,  which makes kiting IMPOSSIBLE…
  • 00:11:03
    either used as makeshift Point Defense or  full on swarms charging the enemy HEAD ON!
  • 00:11:08
    unfortunately hard countered by literally ANYTHING using a Picket Computer (+Tracking)
  • 00:11:13
    or anything below Large Slots really...
  • 00:11:16
    since the high tracking would completely  nullify the Corvette’s high Evasion!
  • 00:11:21
    just don’t forget one thing…they get  hard, HARD countered by Disruptors…
  • 00:11:26
    getting eviscerated due to their PATHETIC  hull per naval cap and just ONE A slot…
  • 00:11:32
    -Frigates
  • 00:11:33
    they’re essentially VERY slow Torpedo Boats  that can only carry ONE extra small slot
  • 00:11:38
    similar to Corvettes, have the issue of being
  • 00:11:41
    VERY inflexible and this time  only having TWO ship variants
  • 00:11:46
    Torpedoes or Neutrons, and the S slot  being practically useless in both cases...
  • 00:11:52
    this is already bad enough, then you  realize there’s NO PICKET COMPUTER
  • 00:11:57
    i guess it technically MAKES SENSE,
  • 00:11:59
    but it just exacerbates the issue of being  TERRIBLE against Destroyers and Corvettes
  • 00:12:04
    as everything will just MISS or deal  practically NO DAMAGE from being intercepted
  • 00:12:09
    the only saving grace is the fact that Torpedoes  have a HUGE damage multiplier against BIGGER SHIPS
  • 00:12:15
    so, devastating capital ships like  Cruisers and Battleships are EASY!!!
  • 00:12:20
    unless they’ve got PD, in which you’re just DEAD!
  • 00:12:23
    and fielding neutrons on slow ass  frigates isn’t great either...
  • 00:12:27
    the speed is SOMEHOW SLOWER than a Cruiser  and evasion seems to not exist with this ship...
  • 00:12:33
    all in all not ideal, but at the very least  extremely deadly when combined with cheap,
  • 00:12:39
    low level Cloaking for defense!
  • 00:12:41
    -Destroyers
  • 00:12:43
    evasive, FAST ships that can  adapt very well to the situation!
  • 00:12:47
    this is where we level up in complexity!
  • 00:12:50
    Destroyers have access to most of the combat  computers and all ship slots EXCEPT for G’s!
  • 00:12:56
    missile turrets means missiles with kiting,
  • 00:12:59
    AKA ships that shoot while running,  avoiding enemy close range weapons
  • 00:13:04
    normal turrets means either  disruptors or the kinetic energy mix,
  • 00:13:08
    possibly even PD to get UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL!!!
  • 00:13:12
    where it gets freaky is the POSSIBILITY  of a 4th and strange design,
  • 00:13:16
    the Artillery Destroyer signified  by a HUGE bulky turret on the front!
  • 00:13:21
    it’s generally better to pick the small  backsection as it allows for an extra A slot
  • 00:13:26
    corvettes and frigates for example  only have 1 A slot POSSIBLE, this
  • 00:13:30
    limits their possibilities for speed and hardening
  • 00:13:33
    in other words, more vulnerable  to kiting and bypass weapons...
  • 00:13:37
    so picking the extra slot is ALWAYS good, even  if it means sacrificing some possibilities
  • 00:13:44
    this is also true for the  other ships like Cruisers,
  • 00:13:47
    Battleships and especially for Destroyers as  2 afterburners generally add enough evasion
  • 00:13:53
    for the ship to become a real  nuisance towards Artillery ships!
  • 00:13:56
    more specifically BIG Weapons  [L slots] and Neutrons!
  • 00:14:00
    -Battleships
  • 00:14:02
    they’re BIG, BULKY ships with  the MOST DPS and the highest
  • 00:14:05
    likelihood of getting ANNIHILATED by Torpedoes!
  • 00:14:09
    now, with that description they  sound very unappealing…
  • 00:14:13
    but they have by far the highest possible  damage per day in the entire game!
  • 00:14:18
    heck, they’re pretty much AMAZING in every aspect except for their chronic weakness to Torpedoes...
  • 00:14:25
    you could think of them as the  polar opposite of corvettes,
  • 00:14:28
    except STILL inflexible in the opposite way…
  • 00:14:31
    their main gimmick is that they suck  at close range, and excel at long range
  • 00:14:36
    and we can see this in their  AMAZING Artillery and Carriers,
  • 00:14:40
    having the highest efficiency per  naval cap and DPS alongside it
  • 00:14:44
    while having possibly one of the poorest  setups for a close range design ever…
  • 00:14:49
    in essence, just make DOUBLY SURE  that you either have PD destroyers
  • 00:14:53
    escorting or the carrier middle section, as  otherwise the ship will literally evaporate
  • 00:14:59
    out of existence when encountering Torpedoes!
  • 00:15:02
    and maybe some extra shields just  in case there’s Neutron Launchers…
  • 00:15:06
    -Cruisers
  • 00:15:07
    with Cruisers, we jump up in complexity with so
  • 00:15:10
    many variations that it’s safe to  say that any combo is POSSIBLE!
  • 00:15:15
    having access to ALL the combat  computers and ALL the weapon types!
  • 00:15:20
    this makes them one of the most complex  ships to understand and read properly
  • 00:15:25
    though pretty much having the same vulnerability
  • 00:15:27
    to Torpedoes as Battleships but  are somehow considered “Meta”…
  • 00:15:33
    why…?
  • 00:15:33
    is it because it’s better in combat?
  • 00:15:36
    cheaper as a whole?
  • 00:15:37
    or heck, faster to build??
  • 00:15:39
    NO, NONE OF THAT!
  • 00:15:41
    because it’s THE JACK OF ALL  TRADES, AND MASTER OF NONE!!!
  • 00:15:45
    it can be ANYTHING you want it to be!
  • 00:15:48
    the bad part: it’s complex
  • 00:15:50
    the good part: IT’S COMPLEX!
  • 00:15:52
    you CAN just copy paste designs…but  if you don’t know WHY things work
  • 00:15:58
    you’ll probably lose battles you shouldn’t have
  • 00:16:00
    think of things like this:
  • 00:16:02
    Battleships are masters of Artillery and  Carriers, BUT oh so VERY vulnerable to Torpedoes
  • 00:16:10
    Destroyers are amazing at PD  and have decent close range,
  • 00:16:14
    but rather lackluster options  for long distance fights
  • 00:16:17
    Corvettes literally ONLY have Evasion and  speed while being inflexible AND fragile
  • 00:16:24
    while Frigates eviscerate capital ships, but  are slow and clunky on top of having no Evasion,
  • 00:16:31
    while being just as inflexible and fragile…
  • 00:16:34
    the worst part is, the weaknesses  i listed above are IMPOSSIBLE TO FIX
  • 00:16:39
    as they come from EACH of the  ship’s sections and quirks
  • 00:16:43
    WHILE CRUISERS on the other hand  have ship sections that can DO IT ALL!
  • 00:16:47
    while having the FULL range of options
  • 00:16:50
    supplanting the roles of EVERY OTHER SHIP TYPE
  • 00:16:53
    with LESS vulnerability to top it all off!
  • 00:16:57
    Torpedoes? Check
  • 00:16:58
    Artillery? Check
  • 00:17:00
    Carriers? Check
  • 00:17:01
    A slots? Check
  • 00:17:02
    you can EVEN get PD from  the carrier middle section,
  • 00:17:05
    which is scarily good at shooting down Torpedoes!
  • 00:17:09
    some VERY good players even say that a Carrier  middle section is the SAFEST option there is!
  • 00:17:15
    when combined with a Torpedo front  section, the ship can destroy
  • 00:17:18
    Torpedoes and small ships while absolutely  DUMPSTERING Big Ships in ONE NEAT PACKAGE!
  • 00:17:25
    BUT…as the “jack of all trades, master of none”
  • 00:17:29
    the specialized strengths  of other ships become a MASSIVE problem...
  • 00:17:34
    the less efficient conversion of naval  cap into a specific ship slot
  • 00:17:38
    compared to others usually results in getting  DESTROYED in fights of specialization!
  • 00:17:45
    for example, against Battleships, long  range will likely be a DEATH sentence
  • 00:17:50
    positioning also MATTERS A LOT for Cruisers,  and especially so for the Torp Carrier!
  • 00:17:57
    it’s essentially a “schrodinger’s counter”
  • 00:18:00
    before being observed, the ship is simultaneously  every possible ship design in existence
  • 00:18:06
    they’re THE very definition of countering  everything while getting countered by everything!
  • 00:18:12
    depending on the specific ship computer  AND battle start position of both sides,
  • 00:18:17
    the position of countering or being  countered can pretty much be switched around!
  • 00:18:22
    a Torp Carrier with kiting computers [arty/carrier] is facing off against a Swarmer Carrier fleet  with kiting computers [arty/carrier]
  • 00:18:29
    the Swarmer Carrier is probably gonna  WIPE THE FLOOR because the Torp Carrier design
  • 00:18:34
    would have it’s Torpedoes  basically DEAD for the entire battle
  • 00:18:39
    Torp Carrier with a Kiting computer is  generally good against close range ships
  • 00:18:43
    that like to APPROACH the ship, allowing  fighters to scramble PD while sending in
  • 00:18:48
    Torpedoes in a concentrated arc to  any ships that manage to get close!
  • 00:18:53
    but this completely flips around  when facing off against kiting ships...
  • 00:18:58
    because again, the big part of the ship’s damage  is basically offline for the entire battle…
  • 00:19:04
    this actually…reverses in a way when you switch
  • 00:19:07
    the kiting computer with a more up close  and personal one! [Torpedo/Picket/Line]
  • 00:19:11
    as now the ships will chase down enemies  allowing the Torpedoes some chances to fire!
  • 00:19:17
    now ironically…you’ll have the entire opposite  problem when you have the Kiting computer!
  • 00:19:23
    your ships suddenly become SIGNIFICANTLY  weaker against close range ships
  • 00:19:28
    as the entire point of kiting for  this design is to not get slammed
  • 00:19:32
    by possible disruptor or kinetic energy  blasts before scrambling the enemy PD
  • 00:19:38
    in this case though, you’ll only  scramble a portion of the PD
  • 00:19:41
    and most of the Torpedoes will get intercepted
  • 00:19:45
    and knowing it’s nuances likely means you’ve  likely mastered how combat works!
  • 00:19:50
    this goes back to cruisers being  the “schrodinger’s counter”
  • 00:19:53
    the counter or countering function can  pretty much switch willy nilly from seemingly
  • 00:19:58
    small changes on the ship or situation!
  • 00:20:02
    funnily enough this switch ALSO HAPPENS AGAIN
  • 00:20:05
    when you switch out the A slots  from Afterburners to Hardening!
  • 00:20:10
    you can DUMPSTER close range ships while  being completely helpless against kiting ones!
  • 00:20:16
    this design is complicated
  • 00:20:18
    seemingly random, but makes sense  once you understand everything
  • 00:20:23
    use it well and you’ll dominate everywhere,
  • 00:20:27
    but use it poorly and you’ll  probably lose half the time…
  • 00:20:31
    alright, now lets talk about  the LAST elephant in the room…
  • 00:20:35
    Cruisers, more specifically DISRUPTOR Cruisers!
  • 00:20:39
    they’re considered THE “Meta”, but why?
  • 00:20:43
    this is because cruisers are a robust  ship type while Disruptors are just
  • 00:20:47
    so comically cheap to get for their performance
  • 00:20:50
    other weapons have this MASSIVE issue of  needing TWO tech lines to work properly
  • 00:20:56
    kinetic energy combos for example needs both good energy and kinetic weapon techs split in two lines [physics and engineering]
  • 00:21:03
    while the carrier and missile line are  just 2 tech lines on ONE tech type,
  • 00:21:08
    adding MASSIVE demand in engineering research that’s frankly,
  • 00:21:12
    gonna delay everything important
  • 00:21:14
    in the engineering tree relating  to your economy and even ascensions!
  • 00:21:19
    now, just compare this to Disruptors where  you just need T2 lasers and roll them!
  • 00:21:24
    so much less randomness while being a single combo weapon that only needs itself and ONLY itself!
  • 00:21:32
    it’s also applicable to all ships  EXCEPT Battleships and higher!
  • 00:21:36
    in essence, it’s just a quick and  dirty way to mindlessly win battles!
  • 00:21:42
    but this doesn’t mean they’re “unstoppable”
  • 00:21:45
    in the deep depths of people’s  boredom, there was a counter!
  • 00:21:48
    HARDENING!
  • 00:21:50
    now, the thing is…
  • 00:21:51
    both AI’s and players rarely EVER use them...
  • 00:21:55
    for AI’s, it’s cause they SUCK!
  • 00:21:58
    while for players, it’s because using  afterburners is not a choice, but a NECESSITY!
  • 00:22:05
    going for hardening weakens your  ability to fight against basically
  • 00:22:08
    every other design while leaving you open  to being outmaneuvered by your opponent!
  • 00:22:14
    but when you’ve got no choice…
  • 00:22:16
    you’ll need to know a few  things about hardening first
  • 00:22:19
    -FIVE
  • 00:22:20
    if you think it’s cloudy [Disruptors]  with a chance of Torpedoes…
  • 00:22:23
    you can MIX and MATCH Shield and Armor  hardening for some rather mixed results!
  • 00:22:28
    ideally you WOULD go all in to one  Hardening type to hard counter the enemy,
  • 00:22:34
    but lets be real here…
  • 00:22:35
    screw ups, misreads or just  straight up FUMBLES happen...
  • 00:22:39
    which can mean hard countering  YOURSELF for the enemy…
  • 00:22:43
    it has happened to me a few times before  and it’ll probably happen to YOU too…
  • 00:22:48
    and yes, by the previous logic from the  start of the video, you CAN also peek at
  • 00:22:52
    enemy ships and determine the EXACT amount  of Armor and Shield hardening they have!
  • 00:22:57
    pretty useful to not slam  yourself against a hard counter!
  • 00:23:01
    alright, first up!
  • 00:23:02
    keep in mind that Armor hardening is extremely  reliable BUT only works against Disruptors
  • 00:23:08
    while Shield Hardening is more  prone to being useless BUT with an
  • 00:23:12
    upside of covering all the missile and  carrier weapons ON TOP of Disruptors!
  • 00:23:18
    why do i say “prone to being useless”?
  • 00:23:20
    because shields are likely  the first things that gets hit in a battle
  • 00:23:24
    and, well…you need SHIELDS to be online  for SHIELD Hardening to work (obviously)
  • 00:23:28
    you can see the problem here...
  • 00:23:30
    2nd of all
  • 00:23:31
    there is also a correct ratio of Shield  Hardening in relation to shield slots
  • 00:23:36
    while there isn’t for Armor Hardening as each Armor module gives SIGNIFICANTLY more compared to a shield one
  • 00:23:43
    meaning they roughly deplete at  the same rate when accounting
  • 00:23:46
    for the damage bonuses (or lack thereof) from edicts!
  • 00:23:50
    because Torps can get buffed  by edicts and carriers cannot!
  • 00:23:54
    and FINALLY (3rd of all)
  • 00:23:55
    against weapons that bypass shields, the general  rule is that you want your shield and armor to
  • 00:24:00
    deplete at the same rate…and half of the hull!  [shield + armor + (total hull x 0.5) = real HP]
  • 00:24:03
    for example, a ship with 3 T1 shield hardening  will want half shields and half armor
  • 00:24:08
    why? because if you have too many shields,
  • 00:24:10
    you’re just gonna see your armor  get nuked pretty much instantly!
  • 00:24:14
    tho do still keep in mind that half of the  ship’s HP from this point on can still be
  • 00:24:19
    lost and work with the Hardening before the  ship has a chance to be forced into MIA,
  • 00:24:24
    so the residual shields can still be used up!
  • 00:24:26
    now, the more you switch out the  Shield Hardening for the Armor ones,
  • 00:24:30
    you’ll have to progressively lessen  the amount of shields you have
  • 00:24:33
    from half (1/2), to 1/3rd, or even 1/4th at some point
  • 00:24:37
    pretty self explanatory!
  • 00:24:39
    NOW this is for T1 hardening
  • 00:24:41
    T2 ones basically make it so you’ll  have to allocate basically DOUBLE the
  • 00:24:45
    shield or armor slots in the previous explanations!
  • 00:24:48
    3 T2 shield hardening pretty much warrants full shields BUT one or two armor
  • 00:24:54
    why not go all in?
  • 00:24:55
    because going ALL IN is a TERRIBLY RISKY IDEA
  • 00:24:59
    you always want some buffer in  between anything and your hull
  • 00:25:02
    because once your hull gets hit you’re gonna  shoot less often and risk being below 50% health,
  • 00:25:07
    which SIGNIFICANTLY increases the  risk of your ships disengaging prematurely
  • 00:25:11
    OR straight up DYING!!!
  • 00:25:13
    now after everything is all said and done, i still have to re-define what i mean by ”META”
  • 00:25:20
    “META” nowadays doesn’t actually mean  “unstoppable”, but instead “reliable”!
  • 00:25:26
    but even then, each ship still  have their own strengths
  • 00:25:28
    which are indispensable in the most extreme of cases
  • 00:25:32
    Battleships are still KING in beating high level crisis
  • 00:25:35
    due to their inherently more  efficient long range designs
  • 00:25:39
    this is because long range designs in general are good at minimizing losses by avoiding enemy fire entirely!
  • 00:25:46
    obviously important when just ONE 25x crisis ship
  • 00:25:50
    firing just ONE weapon can completely ONE shot your battleships...
  • 00:25:56
    EVEN FRIGATES, the laughingstock of the ship types,
  • 00:25:59
    boasting the achievement of being SLOW and FRAGILE
  • 00:26:02
    is a perfect ship to completely  eviscerate Prethoryn Scourges from afar!
  • 00:26:08
    Destroyers and Corvettes also have their  own place as unique support tools with
  • 00:26:12
    their own super strong builds that range  from OVERPOWERED to borderline gimmicks!
  • 00:26:17
    in essence, it’s COMPLICATED
  • 00:26:20
    but as long as you understand the  big picture, it’s all that matters!
  • 00:26:24
    i tried to cram in as MUCH as possible  without it being tooooo confusing…
  • 00:26:29
    and if you have any more questions  you can ask it down below!
  • 00:26:32
    ALSO, when writing this it got WAAAAAAY  too long, and i haven’t even gone in
  • 00:26:37
    too much detail on the ships themselves  in relation to many things in the game!
  • 00:26:41
    i’ll explain EACH SHIP TYPE in  more detail in future videos,
  • 00:26:46
    so I recommend subscribing and  maybe even hitting that like button!
  • 00:26:49
    i’ll also have to thank Elijah West and many  others on Patreon for their continued support
  • 00:26:54
    maybe my upload schedule will improve with time...
  • 00:26:57
    but alas…a 30 minute video it is!!!
Tags
  • Stellaris
  • weapon mixing
  • ship design
  • strategy
  • information
  • game mechanics
  • meta
  • battle tactics
  • efficiency
  • vulnerability