Index

Forward: Moves your ship into weapon range. Weapons fire when the blue icons above your ship's HP are blue, not red. This command is essential for attacking and sometimes defending. You can also press the A button.

Backwards: Moves your ship away from the enemy, helping to maintain optimal firing range. Your opponent will also maneuver similarly. You can also press the Y button.

Standby: Keeps your ship stationary. This command is used to increase the Command Gauge fill rate, which is necessary for issuing orders. You can also press the B button.

The Command Gauge: This gauge dictates your ability to issue orders. Its fill rate is significantly influenced by the fatigue gauge.

Dodge: Allows you to evade Barrage attacks, but increases the frequency of normal attacks hitting you.

Normal Attack: All available weapons fire one attack. Even if a weapon has multiple shots per salvo (X2, X3 damage multipliers), it counts as a single attack. This attack is accurate and usually hits.

Barrage: All available weapons fire three times, delivering devastating damage. This command deals no damage if the enemy is Dodging. It is most effective immediately after the enemy attacks or barrages, as they are unable to dodge. The AI often activates dodge preemptively, making normal attacks effective. A good strategy is to activate dodge yourself, retreat until your Command Gauge is full, and then barrage the enemy. While normal attacks can damage you, barrages can sink ships, so keep dodge enabled.

Melee: Boards the enemy ship. This command is only available after your first encounter with Valantin and requires you to be adjacent to the enemy. It initiates a rock-paper-scissors battle with the commands leader < shoot < slash < leader. Success depends on equipping security modules, having more crew cabins, and characters with high combat stats. Timing your commands to avoid syncing with the enemy's is crucial. Issue orders when the opponent's Command Gauge is about half full to maximize damage. Some characters have upgraded melee attacks: Commander (leader), Deathblow (slash), Marksman (shoot).

Fighters: Launches fighters from ships equipped with them. Fighters start weak but become powerful later in the game. They are effective due to:

• D.P.S.: They act as a persistent damage-over-time element, continuing to damage the target until forced back by enemy fighters or Anti-Aircraft (AA) guns, or their flight time expires. They ignore fleet formation, so rear ships also take damage.

Fleet Control: They hold enemy fleets in place. Even when attacking a single ship, the entire enemy fleet maintains formation. The AI will activate their fighters or AA commands, making them predictable and easier to barrage.

Fighter Counter: They are the best way to repel enemy fighters. When two fighter squadrons engage, they fight each other, dislodging your fleet from enemy fighters and allowing for easier retreat.

Anti-Aircraft (AA): Ship-mounted AA guns can dislodge enemy fighters but have drawbacks:

• Weapon Slot Limitation: AA guns occupy a weapon slot (typically small or medium). They are only effective against fighters and remain red unless fighters are present, reducing your offensive weapon capacity against capital ships.

Slow Fighter Takedown: AA guns take time to destroy enemy fighters. You remain vulnerable to barrages while they are firing. The command would be more useful if movement were allowed while AA guns are active.

Final Roar: Special command 1 functions like a barrage but with a higher critical hit rate. It is only available after settling the dispute between Alatyr and Druitesk. Critical hits ignore armor and deal full weapon damage.

Special Command 2: Varies by character. Characters with a 'C' next to their skill can use this command when placed in the first officer position.

Special Command 3: This is the ship's ability. Certain ships have a 'C' command that functions like a barrage, hitting all ships with infinite range. However, after use, the Command Gauge freezes for a period, and the damage quickly becomes less effective.