Hey.
Just a quick question I stumbled upon. I've been using both of the ships but, obviously, find the stealth cruiser way harder to begin the game with. However, after getting the shields system for the stealth cruiser how do these two craft differ from each other? It seems they're almost the same except with different starting options.
That is, start with Kestrel, get stealth (150 scrap), and now you have the same craft as you would if you started with the stealth cruiser and got shields (150 scrap) later on. The downside is that with the stealth cruiser the enemy has way more chances to horrendously wail on you and destroy your voyager before you even stand a chance.
Are these two just the same ship?
Kestrel vs The Stealth Cruiser
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Re: Kestrel vs The Stealth Cruiser
Shields are better to start with than cloak for sure so that is one difference. The starting weapons on each ship are also pretty different. The stealth ship gets better starting weapons including the dual lasers which can only be gotten by starting with them which offset the weaker defence. The dual lasers are the best lasers in the game. Late game the stealth only has three weapon slots.
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Re: Kestrel vs The Stealth Cruiser
What I'm trying to find out here is that if you wanted to play a stealth run, wouldn't it almost be more convenient/"better" to start off with the kestrel and get the stealth systems upgrade. Since the kestrel has missiles at the start, getting past shields isn't a biggie. Furthermore, the kestrel starts off with a three burst laser. In comparison with the stealth cruiser, I'd actually say the kestrel is, weapons-wise, at leasts on the same level with it. Especially taking into consideration that with the stealth cruiser you actually have to punch through an opponent's shields, unlike with the kestrel with which you can fry their shields operation system with a missile.
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Re: Kestrel vs The Stealth Cruiser
GnaeusScipio wrote:What I'm trying to find out here is that if you wanted to play a stealth run, wouldn't it almost be more convenient/"better" to start off with the kestrel and get the stealth systems upgrade. Since the kestrel has missiles at the start, getting past shields isn't a biggie. Furthermore, the kestrel starts off with a three burst laser. In comparison with the stealth cruiser, I'd actually say the kestrel is, weapons-wise, at leasts on the same level with it. Especially taking into consideration that with the stealth cruiser you actually have to punch through an opponent's shields, unlike with the kestrel with which you can fry their shields operation system with a missile.
Honestly, pretty much every ship wants a cloaking system by the end anyway except the Federation Cruiser, which can't equip it. Early game, the Kestrel's definitely easier, since Artemis will do damage to anything without defense drones and the Burst Laser II can let you deal damage through the halfway point in the game with no additional help, not to mention having, y'know, shields. By endgame, they usually end up pretty similar.
But yeah. Kestrel's a solid ship for really whatever you want to do. Stealth-A has a few less options, since you really, really don't want to take hits early game, but the long-range sensors can help you avoid unwanted engagements or asteroid field. So depending on your definition of "stealth run" (run with a cloak system? Run where you avoid all possible engagements?) either ship can be better.
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Re: Kestrel vs The Stealth Cruiser
I like the stealth cruiser A better, early enemies usually have weapons that take 9-10 seconds to charge, causing them to fire in well-defined volleys, which are easily evaded with the cloaking system. And with cloaking level 2, you can charge your second volley when cloaked, which means that you get 2 free volleys total.
For enemies with zoltan shield, cloak after firing the dual laser, and fire the mini beam when cloaked. When the cloak wears out, you should have near full mini beam and dual laser charge, with enemy at 1 zoltan + 1 regular shield. And if all your 4 laser bolts hit, you get 1 free mini beam hit. If any shot misses, you'll be 1 volley behind, but that doesn't happen too often.
For enemies with drones or beams, just hit cloak at the beginning of the battle, if you run into drones before getting cloak 2, hit cloak right when the attack drone light turns green and is ready to fire.
Unlike the Kestrel, the Nesasio is much less vulnerable to missile fire, and I often take less damage with the Nesasio in sectors 1-2.
And what I like most is the sheer firepower of the Nesasio: Even if the enemy manage to dodge 1 bolt, I can still deal 4 points of damage per 12 seconds, often forcing the enemy to surrender with the first salvo, saving me a lot of playtime. However I do agree that the Kestrel is more consistent, since the Artemis launcher enables the Kestrel to deal with 3 shielded enemies.
For enemies with zoltan shield, cloak after firing the dual laser, and fire the mini beam when cloaked. When the cloak wears out, you should have near full mini beam and dual laser charge, with enemy at 1 zoltan + 1 regular shield. And if all your 4 laser bolts hit, you get 1 free mini beam hit. If any shot misses, you'll be 1 volley behind, but that doesn't happen too often.
For enemies with drones or beams, just hit cloak at the beginning of the battle, if you run into drones before getting cloak 2, hit cloak right when the attack drone light turns green and is ready to fire.
Unlike the Kestrel, the Nesasio is much less vulnerable to missile fire, and I often take less damage with the Nesasio in sectors 1-2.
And what I like most is the sheer firepower of the Nesasio: Even if the enemy manage to dodge 1 bolt, I can still deal 4 points of damage per 12 seconds, often forcing the enemy to surrender with the first salvo, saving me a lot of playtime. However I do agree that the Kestrel is more consistent, since the Artemis launcher enables the Kestrel to deal with 3 shielded enemies.
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Re: Kestrel vs The Stealth Cruiser
Most ships will end the game looking roughly the same way, so the variety of ships is more for the early game.
I prefer the Nesasio over the Kestrel because I find the early game adrenaline of playing with no shields tons of fun (the first half of the first sector is particularly hectic; and I don't find I need to pick up shields until Sector 5 usually). The big difference is that the Kestrel can end the game with both of its starting weapons and does not need to pick up a cloaking device (although it is nice when you do); whereas the Nesasio will need to replace at least one, if not both, of its starting weapons in order to beat the final boss, but it will have a Cloak lvl 3 which is very handy.
So far the most challenging ship I have played with is Engi B, it needs a complete overhaul in order to even make it to the Last Stand.
I prefer the Nesasio over the Kestrel because I find the early game adrenaline of playing with no shields tons of fun (the first half of the first sector is particularly hectic; and I don't find I need to pick up shields until Sector 5 usually). The big difference is that the Kestrel can end the game with both of its starting weapons and does not need to pick up a cloaking device (although it is nice when you do); whereas the Nesasio will need to replace at least one, if not both, of its starting weapons in order to beat the final boss, but it will have a Cloak lvl 3 which is very handy.
So far the most challenging ship I have played with is Engi B, it needs a complete overhaul in order to even make it to the Last Stand.