Campaign Guide

Cadet Hardly's Campaign Primer

Starting Fleet

CV-3 ANS Harsh Winds Blow "Windy"

Worden-class converted Fleet Carrier

• 8x small craft pads - launch fighters to defend - Use the Katana's 15mm coilgun
• 4x large craft pads - launch bombers to strike
• 288 size 2 VLS tubes - flexible, quick response missiles - Simple ACT only Thunderheads are handy for assessing target defenses
• 5x Defender, 2x Sarissa PDTs - near and long-range CIWS-type defenses - best to ensure these never need to fire!

FFG-897 ANS Stout Coral + FFG-897 ANS Loom of Karina "General-purpose Frigates"

• 2x 120mm turrets - lightweight cannons, can use RPF ammo - proximity fuzed, great against fast unarmored targets
• Bullseye FCR - provides high quality radar locks - How to make friends with cruiser captains!
• Parallax search radar - can do a powerful "BRN" ping - good for scouting, can help see through jamming
• 24x size 2 VLS tubes - limited by useful missile load

General Tips and Hints

• Fuel - take advantage of opportunities to top up, else a ship may get left behind - pay attention to fuel warnings
• Map - use the info here to plan your path, especially watch for friendly ship beacons
• Tutorials - if something feels stuck, save your campaign and check the tutorials. They cover a lot of complex systems in detail
• Formation Orders - you can give orders to multiple ships at once, using the Shift-Right Click menu - to setup a formation, use Shift-F to then link to another ship to follow.
• Scouting - early detection gives you time to react (and targets to shoot) - find out what's what before stuff starts hitting the wall
• Time Controls - Half-speed is great to help comprehend (and admire!) complex battles. - Accelerated speeds are handy for post-battle logistics
• Boarding - grab ammo and supplies where you can - skiffs can quickly check what's available - beware of damaged reactors - if you see X DANGER. Undock and RUN!

Anti-Ship Missiles

Anti-Ship Missiles	Guidance	Range	Seeker	Note	Note 2
SGM-333 "Forgetfulness"	Direct	4km	ACT/[CMD]	Standard Torpedo	Claymore's best friend
SGM-222 "Hurricane"	Direct	15km	CMD	Extra punch for frigates	Needs to maintain track until impact
SGM-204 "Thunderhead"	Cruise	15km	ACT	Cheap and plentiful, easy to decoy or jam	Great for probing attacks
SGM-204 "Thunderhead Block IV"	Cruise	15km	ACT/[EO]	Much harder to deceive	Say "NO" to chaff
SGM-210 "Squall"	Cruise	15km	ARAD	Seeks jammers and radars
SGM-H-288 "Cyclone" Block III	Cruise	20km	EO	ignores most jamming, sprint stage evades most defenses	For when you need it dead, RIGHT NOW, no excuses.

Anti-Craft and Defensive Missiles

Anti-Craft and Defensive Missiles	Range	Seeker	Note	Note 2
SGM-H-243 "Tornado"	15km	ACT/[CMD]	Ship-launched anti-craft interceptor missile	Great, but can be overenthusiastic. Switch from AREA > POINT, and use Z-key to queue manual launches if you need to.
SGM-112 "Riposte"	3.4km	CMD	Short-ranged anti-missile interceptor (AMM)	Move some from VLS to magazine to equip your fighters
SGM-185 "Remise"	3.5km	ACT/[CMD]	Mid-range delux craft launched ACM	These are very good
SGM-122 "Bolt	2km	ACT	Short-range dogfighting missile	These can be salvaged from most enemy ships

Carrier's Craft Wing

• 12x B-86T Claymore bomber - Anti-ship heavy hitter - Claymores are your premium tool for SMASH!

    * Size 3 weapon bay - carries 2x torpedoes or bombs
    * MCC guidance module - MCC allows use of CMD-guided torps, difficult to decoy without rare comms jammers

• 46x PF-440V Tanto Interceptor - Workhorse void supremacy craft - Escort all the things. Limited fuel endurance, so plan ahead for rotating flights.

    * 20mm nose gun Use for anti-craft, leave the missile defense to Katanas
    * Size 1 weapon bay - 4 internal mounts for missiles and bombs, 4 external hardpoints can handle EW or gunpods
    * MCC guidance module - MCC allows use of Riposte and Remise missiles

• 3x E-44 Sundial SEWAC - Precious and Powerful Radar platform

    * Powerful long-range search radar Use these to find and monitor hostile activity - What's behind that rock? Why is it so quite? Where are all those @#$% missiles coming from?.
    * vulnerable to attack, escort with tantos

• 4x RS-35 Halberd Skiff - Jack of all trades

    * 35mm nose turret defensive turret, but punchy enough to hurt shuttles in a pinch
    * 4x Size 1 missile hardpoints
    * passive ELINT sensor package - ELINT makes skiffs very useful as sensor pickets, but can't provide range without another offset skiff to crossfix.
    * can scout wrecks to assess potential salvage - Super handy post-battle

• 10x PF-440C Katana Interceptor - Elite Tanto variant - Use to guard your ships from missiles

    * 15mm 6-shot coilgun - high-tech, high impact. King of the dogfight (while ammo lasts) - In air combat, support these with Tanto-Vs, and retreat when out of ammo
    * Size 1 weapon bay - same carrying capacity as a regular Tanto