Ship Type: Science

Overview: These ships specialise in exotic abilities, generating gravitic anomalies and bathing hapless foes in destructive radiation – if you love unconventional tactics, science ships may be your thing. Characteristics: These ships generally have strong shields but a weak hull, so shield bypassing exotic damage will probably be both your weakness and your strength. They also possess medium manoeuvrability, and you’ll find your survivability increasing if you quickly move out of hazards and crossfires. Science ships only have six weapon slots, making them the least heavily armed ship class. As such, relying on energy weapon volleys can be a poor … Continue reading Ship Type: Science

Ship Type: Escorts, Raptors & Raiders

Overview: Swift, deadly, fragile – these heavily armed ships focus on frontal firepower, attempting to take out a swath of opponents in one devastating pass and relying on speed and firepower over raw toughness to keep them functioning. Characteristics: With weak shields and moderate hull capacity, these ships rely on their manoeuvrability to stay alive – they typically boast high turn rates and good inertia scores, allowing them to weave between enemies and stay out of the line of fire. On the flip side, escorts typically mount seven conventional weapon batteries, at least four of which face the front arc. … Continue reading Ship Type: Escorts, Raptors & Raiders

Ships in Star Trek Online

Star Trek Online has a lot of ships to choose from, and getting them can cost time or real-life cash (though in fairness, they are pretty good about handing out the odd freebie here and there.) Let’s have a look at what ships do what, cheap ship options and how to upgrade… Ship Type: Ships in STO come in a variety of different forms, but they can be broadly split into the following types: Raiders: Fast, agile and fragile, these ships deal bonus damage when behind the enemy. They usually have flexible bridge officer seating and can mount an experimental … Continue reading Ships in Star Trek Online

Ship Type: Cruisers & Dreadnoughts

Overview: The ship in the thick of the fight, energy beams flaring in the void, annihilating anyone foolish enough to stand their ground – cruisers are tough, powerful ships that can form the backbone of any fleet. Characteristics: Slow, brutal ships that specialise in broadside assaults, cruisers can take more punishment that any other type of ship, and retaliate with up to eight weapon batteries. Cruisers normally have a strong hull, moderate to good shielding, poor manoeuvrability and heavy armament – as noted above, they tend to work well when you can fly alongside a target, raking them with fire … Continue reading Ship Type: Cruisers & Dreadnoughts

Ship Sub-Type: Carrier

Ever wanted to swarm enemies with waves of bombers or co-ordinate frigates to devastating effect? Star Trek Online has plenty of options – here’s an info-dump to get you started! Carrier Types: Carriers, Dreadnought Carriers and Flight-Deck Carriers all come equipped with two hangar bays, but sacrifice manoeuvrability and lose out on some abilities you might have expected (no Sensor Analysis on a science focused carrier, for example.) Dreadnoughts, Multi-Mission Vessels and Strike-Wing Escorts usually have a single hangar but get to keep all their abilities, making them a good option if you just want to dabble in the carrier … Continue reading Ship Sub-Type: Carrier