Scanners and Ship Unlocks...

[Sines]

Just wondering what the quest start for the Stealth Cruiser looks like? I've been trying to get it for a while, it's the last ship (besides the Crystal, anyway) I have to get, and despite several journeys to the Engi homeworlds with an Engi, I've had no luck.

I just want to confirm that the quest start is not marked quest, or store, or distress. Further, does it ever occur near a sun, asteroid field or ion storm? More info to narrow this down would be great, as I've unlocked all the other ships in about as much time as I've been looking for this one.

Oh, and by the way, since I'm asking, what do the Crystal ship unlock events register as to Long Range Scanners?

[Dontmindme]

If I recall correctly, the unlock looks like "nothing". No ship, no distress beacon. You clearly already know you need an Engi in your crew.

[Sines]

Unlocked it now, I intentionally 'farmed' it, just doing runs with the sole goal of obtaining it. And it seems the crystal ship can be treated similarly, and it's probably the only reasonable way to get it (The first part usually just damages the ship and doesn't allow you to start, so it can really hurt a run on a failure).

The Zoltan Science inspection is an unmarked beacon, but can it appear multiple times in one run? Is the version that is a trap a seperate event? Just kinda curious. Also, does the Crystal Stasis pod register as being in an asteroid field? Noncombats in asteroid fields usually aren't marked as such, in my memory.

[UltraMantis]

Don't hold me to this, but i belive each unlock event can only appear once per game. It is placed randomly when the sectors are created.

[SgtFrog]

Don't hold me to this, but i belive each unlock event can only appear once per game. It is placed randomly when the sectors are created.

Are said unlock events always in their respecive homeworlds? I've been trying to unlock the Mantis Cruisers, and I've been to the Mantis Homeworlds many times, but the one time where I run into Kazzekplethkilik (or however you spell his name) "the famous thief", I didn't have teleporters ( it was like Sector 3 or 4 and I didn't have the money to buy the teleporter), so I couldn't get him on board. Do I need a Mantis crew member to "contact" him?

[5thHorseman]

Don't hold me to this, but i belive each unlock event can only appear once per game. It is placed randomly when the sectors are created.

Are said unlock events always in their respecive homeworlds?

No. See below.

I've been trying to unlock the Mantis Cruisers, and I've been to the Mantis Homeworlds many times, but the one time where I run into Kazzekplethkilik (or however you spell his name) "the famous thief", I didn't have teleporters ( it was like Sector 3 or 4 and I didn't have the money to buy the teleporter), so I couldn't get him on board. Do I need a Mantis crew member to "contact" him?

You do not. All you need is a teleporter at least level 1 and a medbay at least level 2. Kill the crew of the ship and the rest is blue options. You have to go to a marker to get the scrap and toy, but the cruiser will be unlocked right then and there.

I have found the Ships page on the FTL Wiki to be a wonderful reference for this. If you don't mind spoilers (after I've tried 3 or 4 times I personally don't mind them ) then use it and love it.

[UltraMantis]

Not so fast, most of the unlocks are in homeworlds. And if said homeworld is just before the last stand, you may just lose the prize, because ships cannot be unlocked there.

To unlock the Mantis cruiser, grab a trusty Kestrel, buy a teleporter, upgrade it and the medbay all the way, then try to hit as many red sectors in a row as you can. One of them is bound to be Mantis turf and your job is to clobber the crew of every ship you encounter. Visit as many beacons as possible in the Mantis sectors to increase the chance of finding the special one.

Having a Mantis crewmember alters the event text but is not a requirement (it used to be). Other usefull things are drone control and a defense drone, cloaking (but only if you are rolling in dough) and any weapon or set of weapons that can punch through shields and disable the enemy medbay quickly. Your ship should rely on speed and shields to survive incoming fire long enough for your Mantis boarders to wipe out the opposition. Don't bother targeting their weapons unless they have something nasty, go for shields/medbay. And don't worry about crew, you will have plenty.

Both Mantis Cruisers are good stuff, the B type sometimes being downright cruel.

[SgtFrog]

Both Mantis Cruisers are good stuff, the B type sometimes being downright cruel.

Ooh yeah, Boarding Drone is awesome. Even has "awesome" in the tooltip. Really!

[SgtFrog]

Both Mantis Cruisers are good stuff, the B type sometimes being downright cruel.

Ooh yeah, Boarding Drone is awesome. Even has "awesome" in the tooltip. Really!

And I think it just might be my favorite ship design. The airlocks are very well-placed to easily herd enemy boarders into my medbay! Though Rock A has a nice, compact design (good for the slow-moving Rocks)

[BKT]

The airlocks [on Mantis_B] are very well-placed to easily herd enemy boarders into my medbay!
...
Though Rock A has a nice, compact design (good for the slow-moving Rocks)

Trust me, you'll regret you ever said this!