Endless Space 2 – Weapon Modules Guide

Battle inward Endless Space 2 game is inward my thought decided upon at iv levels:

• Researching send in addition to modules


• Building in addition to outfitting of ships


• Engaging fleets on the map


• Tactics used inward battle

This guide focus on the edifice of ships focusing on weapon modules discussing how they work, how you lot should role them in addition to some side notes on battle tactics. Though some basic concepts are covered these guide is intended for players who take away hold a basic agreement of the game in addition to are looking to go beyond, some concepts touched upon may seem unusual equally to novel players but, overall this guide should live helpful to anyone.

This guide was developed yesteryear a combination of researching wiki, Reddit in addition to Endless Space forums along side a fair few hours of weapon module testing.

Battle Phase: Each battle has 3 phases that create upwards one's hear the distance at which ships volition burn downwards upon each other. This is decided yesteryear battle tactics in addition to affects weapon range

Battle Tactics: A tactic you lot take away at the start of combat which create upwards one's hear what hit your ships volition endeavor to engage inward spell also providing diverse bonuses

Range: The distance betwixt ships during a battle (short, medium, long), affects weapon modules hitting rate

Flotillas: The 3 lanes that ships go during combat

Moral: A buff given to the fleet if only thier ships are inward a flotilla, 10% impairment in addition to 5% accuracy for each flotilla owned

Manpower: The crew of a ship, gives a bonus of 20% impairment at total that progressively drops to no bonus at null manpower

Crossfire: If a lane is empty of enemies the ships inward that lane volition burn downwards at an following lanes enemy ships, weapons that crossfire are ever counted at long hit for gamble to hit

Effectiveness: Weapons gamble to hitting a given range

Evasion: Chance to dodge attacks, 0% yesteryear default

Note – Sources on how evasion in addition to effectives interact are conflicting, I tin say for surely that if a send misses due to evasion it volition instruct a bonus to hitting against the evasion on it’s following round.

Rate of Fire(RoF): The speed at which ships burn downwards their weapons (rated 1-8), relates to “Overkill” concepts. As the battle goes on this tin go slightly disjointed equally ships alter target

Overkill: When an onslaught deals excessive impairment to complete off an enemy vessel effectively wasting damage

DPS: Damage-per-second

Side weapon mounts: Weapons mounts on the side of the ship, rife inward a ninety grade arc.

Top weapon mounts: Weapon mounts at sit-on-top of a ship, has a 270 grade arc of fire(front side). These slots are superior for crossfire

Heavy Weapon Mounts: Weapon module slots bargain 2x DPS, how it actually industrial plant is that it halves the RoF of the weapons but, i shot volition bargain 4x damage. All heavy mounts are tiptop mounts yesteryear defaults

Critical hits: Weapons hits that ignore armour or shields, render no bonus damage. A surely battle tactics tin render a impairment boost

Targeting priority: The enemy type that a send volition prioritize onslaught inward combat, banking corporation annotation that this tin live random at times but, is mostly consistent

Focus Fire: A science on hunter in addition to attackers that tin displace them to focus the same target, beneficial against large enemies but, inward some instance tin termination inward overkill

(Long 10%, medium 50%, Short 85%)

Pro

• Moderate-High damage


• Hard counter to torpedoes though flak


• Soft counter to squadrons though flak


• Constant burn downwards (RoF 1)

Con

• Poor accuracy overall, only effective inward brusque range


• Flak value varies thought the game


• Terrible at crossfire

Notes – Close hit weapon that tin do lots of impairment if your send tin go long plenty to instruct to brusque range. Works best if the race has to a greater extent than defense modules than onslaught on their ships hence they tin closed the distance safely. 10% hitting charge per unit of measurement when performing crossfire agency a pure slug fleet volition take away hold to win each lane battle individually.

Tips –

With the ambush cloaking module(DLC Penumbra) equipped you lot tin safely instruct into brusque hit equally it keeps you lot ships invisible until they instruct into the hit selected inward your battle tactics

Warning: Ships volition crossfire at visual enemies inward other lanes until your ships let on which tin termination inward i lane getting attacked yesteryear 3 lanes) Ambush cloaking module(DLC Penumbra) doesn’t go against fighter in addition to bombers(I suspect this was unintentional)

Against critical heavy Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation fleets evasion tin live to a greater extent than feasible than shielding for closing range

A adept battle tactic that helps them go getting into seat early on is “Turtle” which should after live replaced with ‘Evasive Manoeuvers’ with grants 30% evasion at long hit in addition to 15% at medium range

Would recommend Railgun(for closed range) or Torpedoes/Swarm missile(for crossfire) for heavy weapon due to the heavy slug losing flak effectiveness in addition to 85% hitting at charge per unit of measurement lower RoF.

Notes on flak – The flak characteristic provides an additional termination to the weapon where it volition burn downwards on incoming torpedoes with an 85% gamble to hit. Each slug equip volition counter 2 torpedoes though the hit of flak is hence pocket-sized in addition to most ships volition only shot downwards torpedoes that target themselves ship. Because of this equally you lot instruct to the after stages of the game where ships burn downwards such large barrages amongst swarm missiles that your flak volition instruct overwhelmed reducing its effectiveness greatly. Against squadrons it is a soft counter(I would really roughly approximate you lot demand 2 flak modules to counter i bomber module though crude oil testing) in addition to the flak only fires during the bombers onslaught run on the ship(I don’t believe you lot instruct whatever back upwards from other ships flak when this happens). One in conclusion note, heavy weapons only count equally i flak weapon module with which agency a carrier with a Heavy slug mountain is equally effective equally a scout send with a unmarried mountain for flak.

(Long 100%, Medium 50%, Short 25%)

Pro

• High damage


• Long hit weapon


• Crossfire at 100% gamble to hit

Con

• Can live countered yesteryear flak


• Effectiveness drops greatly equally the enemy closes in


• Low RoF(4) leads to overkill


• Slow firing projectile can’t alter target atomic number 82 to wasted volleys when during crossfire

Notes – Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 strong early on game choice against pirates in addition to AI equally they cannot effectively counter during that stage of the game, tin wipe out enemies earlier they tin fifty-fifty burn downwards back. Nature of the weapon tin live high-risk/high-reward equally no other weapon tin endure equally badly from overkill or wasted volleys. Heavy weapons slot increment the wellness of the torpedo though the lower charge per unit of measurement of burn downwards worsen the overkill factor.

Tips 

One laid of swarm missiles tin makes opposing flak nigh useless against torpedoes

Long hit battle tactics are a given when entering combat

By sacrificing i lane to overloading i flotilla with missiles to ensure it wipes out the opposing fleet earlier they instruct into medium hit enables it to crossfire at 100% hitting charge per unit of measurement for the balance of the phrase(very effective vs short-medium fleets) Warning – inward some cases middle lane loses the mightiness to target correct lane inward the 3rd phrase spell they tin withal instruct attacked.

(Long 100%, Medium 50%, Short 25%)

Pro

• Overwhelm flak with large volleys


• Long hit weapon


• Crossfire at 100% gamble to hit


• Provides comprehend to torpedoes

Con

• Low-Medium damage


• Effectiveness drops greatly equally the enemy closes in


• Low RoF(4) leads to overkill


• Slow firing projectile can’t alter target atomic number 82 to wasted volleys when during crossfire

Notes – Exist to back upwards torpedoes hence they tin ever hitting the target regardless of flak, only i or 2 is to a greater extent than oftentimes than non needed inward flotilla to do the job

Tips –

Weapon has a ‘set charge per unit of measurement of fire’ which agency when equip to heavy weapon slot it doesn’t take away hold RoF halved, this results inward quadruple impairment according to the weapon details. This volition deal slightly less damage than a torpedo but, halves the jeopardy of overkill due to amend charge per unit of measurement of fire, I suspect this was unintentional

Since Attack ships volition focus burn downwards along Hunters you lot tin circular out with your CP with with i loaded with swarm missiles tin allow your hunters proceed the higher impairment Torpedo modules equipped.

(Long 100%, Medium 100%, Short 100%)

Pro

• Accurate at all ranges


• Manpower impairment lowers enemy damage


• Can steal enemy ships


• Pods take away hold amend wellness than torpedoes


• Upgrading infantry increment manpower damage


• Ignores whatever armour or shields

Con

• Requires manpower for initial weapon equipment


• Enemy fleets with high manpower take away hold longer to capture


• Can live countered yesteryear flak


• Slow firing projectile can’t alter target atomic number 82 to wasted volleys when during crossfire


• Very deadening RoF(8) agency overkill jeopardy is high


• Heroes, arks in addition to behemoths immune

Notes – Can live really effective against medium ships in addition to lower with a huge vantage potential. Depending on the enemy fleet manpower it tin sometimes take away hold quite some fourth dimension to capture the enemy fleet, to a greater extent than hence if they take away hold high manpower ships, that beingness said I take away hold a vaulter carrier with five weapons modules of their especial champion pods take away hold some other carrier inward i volley. Though it tin live amazing it does experience similar a win to a greater extent than weapon on occasion. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 behemoth tin also closed downwards a fleet that exclusively relies on these pods.

Warning: The back upwards modern that increases ‘flotilla impairment to enemy crew’ doesn’t termination the impairment over fourth dimension of boarding pods but, volition impact the initial fifteen impairment from ‘Champion pods’.

Tips

Enemy fleet invades a system? Suddenly they take away hold no human being mightiness inward their ships, i shot from a pod in addition to whatever send is yours

A adept tactic is a coordinator with these pods equally it’s targeting volition bypass the enemy back upwards in addition to focus on the soft hunter inward the back, 2-3 volleys in addition to the send is yours.

Battle tactics are flexible equally with 100% hitting charge per unit of measurement you lot take away hold a lot of liberty to choose, that beingness said….

“Prudent Positions” cut weapon module impairment yesteryear 50%, pods don’t ‘damage’ ships they deliver infantry that do damage. It hence adept for this weapon nigh likewise stupid, only scream back bombers are squadron non weapon modules in addition to tin withal do a lot of impairment with this tactic selected.

(Long 10%, Medium 50%, Short 100%)

Pro

• Very High damage, due to consummate penetration on hulls in addition to shields

Con

• Poor accuracy overall, only effective inward brusque range


• Low RoF(4) tin atomic number 82 to overkill


• Terrible at crossfire

Notes – Same rules equally slugs apply, the master copy departure beingness that railguns give to a greater extent than impairment that makes upwards for the overkill risk, the cost railguns don’t require whatever strategic resources (Highist flat slugs do 80% of rails impairment on a critical hit) in addition to doesn’t render take away hold flak. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 adept way to foreclose overkill is to combine with slugs with railguns inward the promise that they tin complete a vessel earlier the following volley.

Tips –

Refer to slugs tips

Railguns tin critical hitting but, it volition take away hold no termination equally it already penetrates yesteryear default. That aside if you lot take away hold the ‘Get Lucky’ battle tactic than when the railgun lands a critical hitting it volition instruct the bonus 70% damage.

(Long 50%, Medium 100%, Short 50%)

Pro

• Moderate damage


• Mid-range weapon but, somewhat flexible


• Good gamble to critically hitting targets


• Good RoF(1)


• Average crossfire

Con

• No defense against missiles


• Shield modules scale upwards faster than hull modules

Notes – Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 rubber weapon pick to pick. What makes them smoothen is the mightiness to critically hitting nigh constantly with the correct upgrades making your enemies shields experience worthless. Two points of concern, the battle tactic ‘Unlucky arms’ laid critical gamble to null in addition to the hyperion shield module cut critical bonus impairment yesteryear 50% which (after testing) tin stack(the ‘Get Lucky’ tactic interaction strangely with this where critical impairment withal happens but, is withal reduced).

Tips –

If you lot tin strength a long instruct by against torpedoes you lot volition take away hold a amend hitting ratio i time you lot instruct to medium hit assume they take away long (50%-75%-83% vs 100%-75%-58%) in addition to against flak you lot volition win out starting at long hit assume they take away brusque (50%-75%-66% vs 15%-32.5%-50%).

The battle tactic ‘Get Lucky’ was made for lasers with 2 lanes laid to medium hit in addition to i brusque amongst a bonus 70% impairment to weapon modules that critically hit.

(Long 100%, Medium 100%, Short 100%)

Pro

• 100% hitting charge per unit of measurement at all ranges


• Instant crossfire impairment cut gamble of overkill

Con

• Poor RoF[4]


• No defense against missiles


• Shield modules scale upwards faster than hull modules


• Weak damage

Notes – Very rubber weapon that’s non bad but, is unremarkable, combines good with lasers but, never construct a send that is pure beams equally its DPS is likewise low.

Tips –

Niche gyre of beingness a smashing crossfire weapon makes it a adept candidate for tiptop mounted in addition to heavy weapon slots

All beam module strategic upgrades take away hold ‘kill crew effect’, these effects volition occur at all ranges reliable due the 100% hitting charge per unit of measurement (More on this later)

(Long 100%, Medium 100%, Short 100%)

Pro

• High area-of-effect impairment that hits all enemies inward the targeted flotilla


• Ignores hulls in addition to shields


• Crossfire at 100% gamble to hitting that can’t live evaded


• Strong vs Small ships

Con

• Terrible RoF(Once per phrase at the start)


• Half impairment to medium in addition to larger ships


• Greatly increases gamble the send carrying the weapon volition live targeted yesteryear enemies


• Uses a heavy weapon slot


• Weak to lanes or fleets with few ships

Notes – Needs hitting 2-3 ships only to live able to out DPS beam weapons. Don’t construct this weapon into your send design, add together it equally needed to counter swarms.

Tips –

If 2 carriers are both equipped with this weapon they should do plenty impairment to instant kill max wellness pocket-sized ships.

(Long 100%, Medium 100%, Short 100%)

Pro

• Accurate at all ranges


• Can onslaught anywhere on the map regards of lane distance


• Large impairment bonus against large ships


• Will alter target chop-chop after destroying a ship


• Will proceed fighting after carrier send has died, only stops if fleet is destroyed


• Appear to live effective against both shields in addition to hulls

Con

• Poor base of operations damage


• Poor impairment vs pocket-sized ships


• Weak to fighters


• Can live soft counted yesteryear flak


• Doesn’t start impairment till the minute phrase

Notes: At the start of the instruct by bombers displace out to onslaught the enemy(usually large ships first, fifty-fifty if they are inward some other lane) in addition to don’t instruct inward till the minute phrase, depend on battle tactics they are escorted yesteryear fighters who go to ensure they don’t instruct killed yesteryear other fighters. Though I don’t know the numbers shields in addition to hulls seem to nigh live ignore yesteryear the unloose energy base of operations bomber possible due to shield beingness knocked downwards yesteryear the minute phrase.

Bomber weapon modules: The occupation with bomber is for them to live strong plenty to warrant doing no impairment inward the start phrase you lot demand to instruct the amend modules from quest. One is a pirate hunting grouping quests which occurs randomly that vantage start in addition to minute with the modules, the minute is a plague scream for which happens constantly to all players that requires you lot to take away betwixt a smashing fighter or a smashing bomber at the minute stage of the questline. The departure betwixt this bomber in addition to the advance bomber inward the tech tree is 70-80% impairment to a greater extent than impairment in addition to 50% dodge instead of 10%, they do take away hold roughly 40% less wellness though the trade-off feels to a greater extent than than worth it. I take away hold had games where they take away hold done 2/3 of the total impairment despite coming into the battle late. The only to halt them is to champaign plenty of fighters or to kill the enemy fleet earlier they tin do whatever existent damage. It’s a actually bad province of affairs in addition to I promise i 24-hour interval the devs add together amend bombers in addition to fighters into the tech tree hence nosotros don’t take away hold to rely on quests to brand them competitive.

Tips

As hit does non thing you lot tin seat a carrier fleet to counter the enemy, an illustration would live putting all your ships inward i lane against a brusque hit fleet hence the crossfire you lot have is hence depression they’ll take away hold no impact in addition to eventually instruct bombed to bits.

A few especial battle tactics be exclusively for carriers, i of which give bombers a 20% bonus to critical hitting chance

Make surely to take away hold some fighters to jibe the enemy(2/3 ratio), if they necktie the enemy fighters long plenty for your bombers to do plenty of damage. If the fighters win in addition to kill your bombers whatever onslaught they launch volition do following to no impairment in addition to live ubale to brand upwards the departure of the impairment already caused

“Prudent Positions” cut weapon module impairment yesteryear 50%: equally with boarding pods if you lot desire nigh pure carrier fleet than this is the tactic for you, provided you lot take away hold either a larger strength or amend fighter in addition to bombers than the enemy.

Ambush cloaking module (DLC Penumbra) which enables you lot live invisible till you lot instruct into chosen battle hit doesn’t go against fighter in addition to bombers(I suspect this was unintentional)

(Long 100%, Medium 100%, Short 100%)

Pro

• Accurate at all ranges


• Can onslaught anywhere on the map regards of lane distance


• Best tool to protect against bombers


• Can protect bombers from fighters


• Will proceed fighting after carrier send has died, only stops if fleet is destroyed

Con

• Ship impairment hence pocket-sized they don’t termination the battle (10% large, 25% Medium, 45% Small)


• Not utility exterior killing fighters in addition to bombers


• Can live soft counted yesteryear flak


• Battle tactics tin atomic number 82 to undesirable results

Notes – Fighter behavior is a lot to a greater extent than complex than bombers, they either defend a send against incoming bombers or escort bombers to onslaught the enemy. If they take away hold no enemies fighters or bombers than they volition roam in addition to onslaught enemy ships for doing nigh no damage.

Fighters in addition to battle tactics: Battle tactics termination if fighters escort ships or escort bombers in addition to assail enemy ships. The picture on the middle of the tactics carte du jour decides this beheviour.

Shield Icon: 70% send escort – 30% bomber escort/assault enemy ship

Lighting Bolt Icon: 50% send escort – 50% bomber escort/assault enemy ship

Forward Icon: 50% send escort – 50% bombers escort/assault enemy ship

Strafing Run Tactic: 100% bomber escort/assault enemy ship

Fleet Escort: 100% send escot

This is adept because you lot tin create upwards one's hear how you lot desire your fighters to react but, also bad displace it tin missy upwards your tactic selection. I scream back watching bombers kill my carrier spell i of my fighters attacked the enemy carrier for similar sixteen damage.

Tips –

You don’t construct these till you lot meet the enemy has bombers, every fighter module makes double the ships of a bomber module hence proceed this inward hear when edifice your defence

Ambush cloaking module(DLC Penumbra) which enables you lot live invisible till you lot instruct into chosen battle hit doesn’t go against fighter in addition to bombers(I suspect this was unintentional)

Shield interface beam(Vaulter DLC) – Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 beam weapon with the default 100% hitting gamble that disables shields for vi secs with 10 secs cooldown but, does terrible damage. Would suggest putting it on an Attacker to back upwards Energy Weapon Hunters or position it on a hero in addition to promise it takes the same target.

Turret interface missile(Vaulter DLC) – Missile weapon built for long hit that disables weapons for 10 sec if it hits, xiv minute cooldown but, terrible damage. Put it on Protector equally it volition target enemy Hunters which tin live helpful for whatever build, hero is also a decent choice to equip. Weapons has no wellness which may hateful it may non live targetable yesteryear flak(one of the few tests I haven’t done). Can do a adept task supporting brusque hit fleets equally they attempt to instruct into range.

Improved pinch beam – The Hyperion based beam 100% hitting gamble that lowers unloose energy weapon accuracy of the enemy send yesteryear 20% for 10 seconds, position on a Protector to maintain a constant de-buff to the onslaught of an enemy Energy Weapon Hunter.

Annihilator beam – 100% hitting charge per unit of measurement beam that fires i time a phrase for a huge amount of unloose energy damage. The thought is that you lot volition complete the enemy send off hence chop-chop you lot won’t instruct off to a greater extent than than a volley or two. Huge cost tag to role this weapon in addition to of killing a send earlier it tin fifty-fifty burn downwards a shot, really high prices tag, increases gamble to live targeted yesteryear 50(Carriers target Carriers at a charge per unit of measurement of 20) which agency all guns volition signal at the send carrying this weapon. Lastly a smart could hit 100% evasion (Penumbra DLC) on the start shot received in addition to than with the focus burn downwards kill the ship. Think of it equally a fleck fun slow rather than a staple weapon in addition to brand surely to position it on something super tough.

Core cracker – Can only live used on Carriers, lets you lot destroy a planet but, the carrier lose all weapon slots in addition to becomes target exercise if forced into combat. I believe it has a vi plough CD.