This game spits you in the face and the nkicks you in the nuts

[Groundtotem]

Stoped by a smuggler base in cadi and geared up. I am also going the the alien mission manually so i can stop by stations and load up on good missile's and figthers! So i think i should be fine this time around.

But i guess i will always need to keep a good amount of missile's and fighters with me!

[Nanaki]

Here is what my mothership has....

2x Falconet Major Calibre Guns
4x Rage Turrets (thinking about replacing with particle accellerators... they are only slightly weaker than lasers but they do not have the massive disadvantage of being weak to antilaser system equipped ships, which are freaking everywhere)
1x Tungsten Repair System (This is extremely important, as your mothership cannot repair itself without it)
1x Kali Shield System
1x Smog Antimissile System
1x Emerald Antilaser system

With a Systems MK3 AI piloting my Mothership, the Systems MK3 AI is very important, as it increases hull repair and shield recovery by a whopping 250%... that means it turns my 10 HP/sec Tungsten system into a 25 HP/sec... It also makes your mothership near-immune to the alien missiles as they simply cannot get past your antimissile system

This is my Lion Cruiser, though, my Astarte had all of the same minus the Emerald Antilaser system and minus one Rage turret... and it was able to tank aliens indefinately.

[Groundtotem]

I have a repair system but it's not very good...

Im still in the Mastiff, haven't found a new MS in ages..

Anyways i re did the alien part and this time it was a breeze compared to the last time, loaded up with heavy missiles.

[valky]

Originally Posted by Nanaki

4x Rage Turrets (thinking about replacing with particle accellerators... they are only slightly weaker than lasers but they do not have the massive disadvantage of being weak to antilaser system equipped ships, which are freaking everywhere)

The particle beam counts as laser weap too (Laser weapon proficiency) and according the description of the Diamond (50% ship laser reduction) it also states that it is able to do so.

And I don't think they are weaker, if a part beam hits it is usually very very devastating. Only the ROF is slightly weaker (particle: every 4 second / laz0r: every 3 second both without any modification to change the ROF, if ROF == shoots p/minute)

[Nanaki]

The particle beam counts as laser weap too (Laser weapon proficiency) and according the description of the Diamond (50% ship laser reduction) it also states that it is able to do so.

Well, that just kills whatever excitement I had for the particle beam weapons... Back to Pulse lasers than, I guess.

[ladious]

Help, i am about to give up on the game =( been playing for 16hours now.. just got Mastiff.. getting clear of the Automated Turret towards Elio took me 4hours =X

trying to find Matt Hander now, but every single red ships i encounter blasts me to hell..

I feel that this shouldn't be the case..

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Killer]

Yet again I wonder why are people complaining. The mission to get a new MS is soon after the beginning. If you chose not to get the Astarte and are now complaining about how hard is the game in Mastiff, then why have you chosen not to go for the new MS?

Regarding alien missiles, I have never had a problem. Just buy anitmissile systems for your ships. And for MS get a good repair system (Thungsten), shiled (Kali) + system firmware Mk.3

From my side, I have not used missiles at all. It is usless imho as 90% of them are shot down and there are much more usefull skills to put points to. Just using good cannons and puting points to accuracy have won me all battles on normal (finished the game 4 times now).

Regarding particle wepons, I will try them more in a new game. But I agree with Valky, their advantage is that they make the damage in one shot, while pulse lasers do it in 3 or 4 shots.

As for equipping the last MS, I used antilaser (+80% defense) only for the last mission of Alex campaign (the hardest one in the game) - so it was 2 Kali, 1 Thungsten and 1 antilaser. In all other endings, I replace the antilaser with the antimissile module.

[Killer]

Originally Posted by ladious

Help, i am about to give up on the game =( been playing for 16hours now.. just got Mastiff.. getting clear of the Automated Turret towards Elio took me 4hours =X

trying to find Matt Hander now, but every single red ships i encounter blasts me to hell..

I feel that this shouldn't be the case..

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

What? 4 hours? It can be done in 15 - 20 minutes. The first line of turrets you just fly through, the second line you just kill those two turrets blocking your way, then you kill those scavangers and head to the portal. You can also visit the local smuggler's base to buy some nice equipment.

Regarding redships killing you I am affraid there is not much to help. Try easier difficulty or equip your ships properly.

[ladious]

Originally Posted by Killer

What? 4 hours? It can be done in 15 - 20 minutes. The first line of turrets you just fly through, the second line you just kill those two turrets blocking your way, then you kill those scavangers and head to the portal. You can also visit the local smuggler's base to buy some nice equipment.

Regarding redships killing you I am affraid there is not much to help. Try easier difficulty or equip your ships properly.

kk i got past that part =) i have no idea why but once i switch Ternie to control Mastiff and my hero(pilot perk) to control fighter, it worked.

currently trying to get past the 3 groups of guards guarding a mothership(think its Astarte). 8th attempt now. I have to follow the borders of the map and crawl my way towards it but i can't avoid the 3 groups of guards. I equip my ship with the "best" i can find.

I am doing the storyline quests only, don't know how to find the "mini quests".