The Captain wrote:Without knowing what your ship looked like at the end and how you got there, it's hard to say where you might have gone wrong. Obviously you got past the early Engi B hump of finding a way to get past two layers of shields.
I've trashed all the screencaptures, but this is what I remember of the Engi-B in Sector 6 (although I might be misremembering it between the last and previous runs, where I only got to Sector 4 once and Sector 3 twice).
Had a crew of 5: 1 Engi (now maxed due to Engi Virus) on Doors/Damage Control, 1 Human Piloting (gold rated), 1 Zoltan Engines (gold rated), 1 Rockman Weapons (green rated), 1 Mantis Shields/Counter boarding. Augments were Drone Recovery Arm and Defense Scrambler. Had Burst Laser II and Ion Blast II. Also had Hull Beam for the longest time and had recently replaced it with Small Bomb. Weapons was at 5 so I couldn't run all 3. Had Defense Drone (had sold all others to get gear and Scrap for upgrades). Had 2 Shields and level 4 Engines. Medbay and Oxygen were level 1. Piloting was level 2. Doors had been upgraded in the last 2 jumps to level 2. Also added Hacking and upgraded it to level 2. I think Drone Control was level 4 (due to early need to run both Defense Drone and Anti-Personal Drone), but that may have been a previous run and it could have been the original level 3. Reactor was at 15.
The Captain wrote:I can say that maybe you should stop thinking about upgrading minor systems (unless you really really need to). If you've got 5 crew, you could have put a guy in Doors - boom, level 2 doors. Maybe even do that before manning Shields. I wouldn't be thinking about L2 Medbay unless I'm boarding, nor about L2 O2 until I'm about to face the boss.
That's how I had Doors for most of the game, and the others were still level 1 except for Piloting (mostly to guard against single hits taking out the con). Literally just upgraded to level 2 Doors a jump or 2 back more due to enemy Mind Control needing me to isolate all crew singly yet allow my Engi to roam to fix stuff. Then only the Mantis would damage a level of systems--and him I was going to isolate in an empty room when they had Mind Control.
Problem was I was continuously losing too much Hull, some in every battle. Prior to getting the Defense Drone, it was missiles. After getting it, enemy started get more lasers, bombs, and flak weapons. Also about half the ships had 3 Shields. And then more started getting Hacking or Mind Control. As well, I was underpowered for most of the game. Only just before getting destroyed had I upgraded the Reactor to 15: Shields (4), Engines (4), Oxygen (1), Hacking (2) Weapons (3), with 1 left over. To run Defense Drone I would have to take from Engines or Oxygen.
Find battle was a drawn out one with a 3-Shield ship with Hacking, a Flak gun, a Laser, a Beam, and a Small Bomb. They Hacked my Weapons and even with me Hacking their Shields, I never got any further than temporarily damaging the Shields and the Weapons. Their fire just kept smashing Systems and I couldn't keep up.
The Captain wrote:Have you watched any vids on YouTube? I find 5th Horseman's to be entertaining. And you might learn something, too.
Back in BE, I had watched some of Northerlion's vids. I went searching but couldn't find any good AE ones. I'll look at 5th Horseman's.
I just started an Easy run on the Engi-B. The greater amount of Scrap and slightly less difficult enemies is making a difference, especially the Scrap.
EDIT: And that Easy game has gone to crap.
In Sector 4 with 3 crew: Engi, Rockman, Mantis. Have lots of upgrades and even 217 Scrap on hand. But the ships will have 2 Shields almost entirely. And I still have the initial Heavy Ion and Heavy Laser I.
Looked back at my screencaptures to review the stores I visited. In Sector 1 I could have bought the Small Bomb--but instead I bought Drone Recovery Arm. In Sector 2 (Zoltan Controlled) it was all awkward weapons, Burst Laser III, Fire Bomb, and Halberd Beam, so I got Sensors. 2nd Sector 2 store had Halberd Beam, Hermes Missile, and Ion Blast II, as well as Beam I and Defense I, where I bought Defense I and fuel. Didn't find a store in Sector 3 (Mantis Homeworlds).
And now the first store in Sector 4 (Engi Controlled) doesn't have any weapons or drones. Has 2 crap and 1 needing-missiles Augments: FTL Recharge Booster, Repair Arm, and Explosive Replicator. Does have 3 good Systems: Teleporter, Cloaking, and Hacking. I could get any 1 or even both Teleporter and Hacking. Not sure how to go here as I would need Scrap for fuel and upgrades too--but I need to keep some Scrap for the next store to get a weapon to help pierce 2 and later 3 Shields. And I will likely not take down too many ships here.
Ugh.