Vulcan + just about any 1 power weapon is devastating for only using 5 power. Dual vulcans with drones ... I bet that was a fireworks show. The classic "board the rocket launcher" standard mothership fighting strategy probably wasn't even possible without endangering the boarding party to ...

By the classic Firaxis definition of "Iron Man" (which these days is more likely to be called "PermaDeath" -- the Internet has spoken!) FTL comes out of the box with Ironman a mandatory setting. Playing X-Com (classic) Ironman-style is the only way to play; every agent's death is...

Congrats!

Put some injured crew in the medbay next time you face a hacking drone. It acts as a magnet!

55. Your drone recovery arm will recover no more than 6 drones before you replace it with an end-game augment.

53. For every n hacking drones on an enemy ship your defense drones can shoot down n-1 . 54. If there are injured crew in the medbay the hacking drone that gets through will land there. 55. Ships rigged with lots of fast weapons are guaranteed to find pre-igniters. 56. Install that Vulcan you found ...

Every "Surprise! We snuck up on you, boarded your ship with half a dozen guys, drained all your oxygen, and disabled your medbay. Have a nice day!" event when I have a slug on board makes me want to smash something. Apparently everybody's slugs are psychic except mine.

Torches. Pitchforks. NOW!

Oh crap, can't pre-ignite the torches. CURSE YOU!

My third Rock B attempt I got Fire Suppression in Sector 1. That one augment turns this ship into a battle-hardened survivor. Engi A, Red Tail, and Mantis B were all a lot of fun; it's hard to decide between Engi A and Red Tail for best ship. Engi A starts much closer to having missile defense and l...

Rock men standing guard in a burning medbay while mantis search-and-destroy teams seek out stragglers sheltering in the unburned rooms.

"Rock men are guarding the medbay. We can't put out the fires! Could this day get any worse?"

Stealth Cruiser, first jump, beam weapon + beam drone enemy, took out the FTL within seconds, ship destroyed a few seconds later.