Fleet
SMALL DEEP SPACE FREIGHTER
The small deep space freighter is not the best pic for anyone except for the Lizards with their 30x ground combat force. Likely candidate for colonization.
SWIFTHEART CLASS SCOUT
This is your spy vessel. It costs little and can fly forever. With Intercept attack, this can also be your freight killer of choice. Arm it with Plasma bolts, you want to kill freighters, not capture them. If the freighter is escorted, your ship kills the freighter and dies fighting the escort. It also serves well as a spotter for heavier warships to Intercept Attack.
NEUTRONIC FUEL CARRIER
Build a few to refuel your ships at the edges of your empire. The usefulness of this ship depends on how rich the game is.
MEDIUM DEEP SPACE FREIGHTER
If you are playing in a game where many of the planets you find will not be worthwhile, you may want to build an MDSF (Medium Deep Space Freighter) so that you can scout out the good planets. Once the MDSF’s job of scouting has been finished, it can be colonized or put to use in small cargo transport. If you plan to colonize it you may choose to build a Smallie (Small Deep Space Freighter) instead.
WHITE FALCON CLASS CRUISER
Best used as a sacrificial lamb and for resupply of either the Resolute and Darkwing. It makes for a good mine layer and freight raiding. With the big fuel tank, this ship can get deep into enemy territory early and cause real problems.
BRIGHT HEART DESTROYER
This a ship that has the same problem as the Vendetta. Low mass and low crew cause this ship to be captured quite often in combat. Further, with the puny fuel tank, this ship is incapable of getting very deep behind enemy lines. In a game without add-ons, this ship is nearly useless.
SMALL TRANSPORT
In a word, useless. The Birds are better served by building the cloaking Swift Heart than using this. Look elsewhere.
FEARLESS CLASS CRUISER
A good armed freighter. As a combat vessel its’ use is very limited. It’s a good sweeper, mine layer, armed medium freighter. If you can afford it, go with a Resolute instead.
SKYFIRE CLASS CRUISER
Another ship with very limited if non-existent purpose in the Bird fleet. The combat value is nil, the non-cloaking is a liability, the cargo capacity can be better served by a Fearless. To summarize, don’t buy this.
LARGE DEEP SPACE FREIGHTER
The Medium and Small are too small, the Super Transport is too big, but the LDSF feels just right. This is actually the ship to build.
VALIANT WIND CARRIER
Often a ship without a purpose. The three launch bays are insufficient to make it an effective carrier against big carriers and against torpers, it doesn’t have the mass to last long enough to do any real damage. But!!! There is a function for this warship. If you can afford the fighters, this ship is a wonderful Patriot Killer. Potentially, it can kill 3 Patriots in one battle. Although, it may cost more money to have done the job, killing 3 enemy ships with one is worthwhile.
DETH SPECULA FRIGATE
A good heavy hitter in situations where you’re assured not to have to fight more than one battle, or using it as a front ships. It also makes a good planetary raider. But due to its’ small fuel tank, you’re often better served by using the Resolute.
RESOLUTE BATTLECRUISER
The Birds long range assault and resupply warship. With 480 fuel, this ship can reach deep into an enemy’s back yard. With 280 cargo, this ship can carry clans, supplies and torpedoes for doing the job that it is best at. Economic Raider. When deep in an enemy territory and in large enough numbers, this ship can be the distraction needed for opening a door in an enemy’s defenses.
RED WIND CARRIER
Has caused many players to ask…WHY? It has no range, no combat ability and is tech 8??? It’s a potential trade to the Colonials and it makes for a nice fighter mover when you’re wanting to beef up forward bases. Beyond that, it’s usefulness is almost nil.
NEUTRONIC REFINERY SHIP
The neutronic refinery ship is a tech 9 ship with 10 engines and 1050 KT of cargo room. Fuel tank will hold 800 KT of fuel. The hull is very massive, 712 KT. The ship is armed with 6 beam weapons. This ship can produce up to 525 KT of fuel per turn.
SUPER TRANSPORT FREIGHTER
To big for most purposes. With tech 10 engines and the cost involved it is much easier to build a few Large Deep Space Freighters. But I like to call it “Starbase in a Box”. You decide.
DARKWING BATTLESHIP
The best bang for the buck battleship in the game. Two less torps than the Nova or Annihilation and costs 1/2 or less in minerals to build. The birds can build these in large numbers and become quite deadly. The weakness of the Darkwing is the fuel tank.
MERLIN CLASS ALCHEMY SHIP
The Merlin Class Alchemy Ship is a tech 10 ship with 10 engines and 2700 KT of cargo room. The fuel tank can hold 450 KT of fuel. The ship’s hull has a mass of 920 KT, which makes it one of the largest ships in any fleet. The ship is armed with 8 beam weapons and costs 840 megacredits to build. The ship can produce a maximum of 900 KT of minerals per turn ( 300 KT duranium, 300 KT tritanium and 300 KT molybdenum ).