The efficiency of engine upgrades starts to drop after the fifth bar, so after that consider putting power to other systems, and using engines to sink unneeded power.
The first point of engines gives you 5% reduced damage. The last point (going from 31% to 35%) is closer to a 6% increase in effectiveness. Taking on average 65/100 hits instead of 69/100 hits.
Notably even better when manned.
The difference would be incredibly noticable if we were talking about the difference between 98% avoidance and 99% avoidance. You take half the damage going from 98 to 99.
Just won on easy with the Osprey. I'm starting to feel like I have too much scrap in the final sector. Had the most trouble with the second phase, because fuck boarding drones forever. Also, that artillery beam is great when you don't have people boarding the other ships regularly.
Last night I played through to the last stage while Juliane watched TV. I'd maxed out everything and was blowing through every ship I faced. Then I went chasing the flagship, and beat it... but then I didn't realize I had to beat it again. I realize now I should have flown to a repair center before facing it again, but I just went after it because I'd defeated it trivially the first time. It turns out that second round is way trickier. I died.
So, a question for those who have beat it, how many times must I face the flagship? Twice? Three times? Continuously until it reaches the home base?
The text warns you about teleporters, but the real issue is that the ship will do a "power surge" and throw about 12 heavy lasers at your ship at once. I recommend making sure that you have a cloaking device.
Yeah full shields and max evasion will generally make it so you can avoid taking damage from the surge. Bad luck or the main cannon firing can make that fail though.
I'd say the second stage is really the hardest, as you can in no way mitigate the main danger, drones. The second stage also tends to have a snowballing effect when I lose to it. If your shields go down at all the drone surge will completely tear your ship apart. So a brief lull in your shielding can result in damage to you shields making it hard or impossible to get them back up sufficiently.
I've not played this for a week, but might check it out tomorrow as I have 7 hours to kill in an airport. Hopefully I can do it while listening to podcasts or audiobooks. I don't think I need to read anything after 5 hours playing.
It's not a bad strategy, although I like to get defense drones early. Most of the other ships (e.g. the Zoltan, Rock, and Engi ships) get totally stuck if they can't buy a new weapon by the third or fourth sector. The Engi ship in particular can barely deal with anything that has more than one shield on its own.
I'm fond of the stealth ships and the Mantis type B. They're both high risk high reward. The Mantis type B can't fight zoltan ships or auto-ships very well till they get a weapon, and the stealth ship has no shields so you have to take full advantage of the weapons and cloak... but if you get either ship up to par they are pretty powerful.
I just got to the boss level in an Engi ship... and had to fight so many Mantis along the way it was unbelievable. It was an epic journey via so many Mantis systems, but I had no weapons by the end. When I met the boss we just slugged it out, neither getting through each others shields and cloaks, but it slowly wore me down first. Oh well.
One thing. If I lose a crewman in the first sector, I restart. Always. ;^)
Whatever, Mr. Losing Should Be Fun.
Oh, it should be. But I never lose crewmates to an awesome battle, I lose them to a random number generator on an event. It's hardly satisfying, especially in the first sector where I haven't yet grown attached to anyone and the buy-in to start over costs me maybe four minutes of my time.
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Also, that artillery beam is great when you don't have people boarding the other ships regularly.
So, a question for those who have beat it, how many times must I face the flagship? Twice? Three times? Continuously until it reaches the home base?
I'd say the second stage is really the hardest, as you can in no way mitigate the main danger, drones. The second stage also tends to have a snowballing effect when I lose to it. If your shields go down at all the drone surge will completely tear your ship apart. So a brief lull in your shielding can result in damage to you shields making it hard or impossible to get them back up sufficiently.
Granted, I could probably achieve that if I bothered to play more. Been doing too much reading lately.
Shields, power, engine, power, SOME WEAPON, power, shields, power, weapon power, power, DRONES or TELEPORTER, power, blast doors, power, shields, power.
Chance of free crew member, can't say no. Oh, not only is he dead, but he killed one of my existing crew.
Restart!