Star Traders: Frontiers Update #230: Slicing the Void

[fallen]

Update #230 launches can be installed at a starport near you in the form of a heap of new exciting ship components that roll out 3 completely new types of effects not previously available through any component. We've also further improved the recently released high level Capital Bridges with these new effects, fixed the launch-preventing bug with the Pallas Freighter and trained the enemy AI ship builder on even more components.

New Effects

With Update #230, ship components can now do some even more exciting things! While your Void Engine sets your Safety Rating, other ship components can now add bonuses (or, in the future, reduce) that up to a maximum of +6 Safety. This can help you offset riskier engine choices.

Second, ship components can now reduce the amount of time spent in hyperwarp jumps. Each jump has its own defined length which you can see relative to other jumps on the galactic map. All in all, these traveling events can add up to a lot of time and ship components are now capable of increasing or reducing that traveling time with ship components to a maximum of -50%.

Finally, to assist with carrier builds we've added a effect dubbed Craft Boost that allows the capital ship to increase the Damage, Hit % and Boarding rolls for all launched craft. The carrier's capital ship systems can now help increase the effective aggressive features of all craft it has launched.

Two Annexes

The Engineering and Navigation Annex have been added in Update #230. Both are medium slot components that provide space for a single officer but also some very powerful bonuses, including Skill points. The Engineering Annex adds +2 Safety Rating and is great for ships that are trying to travel long distances. In addition, the Engineering Annex provides a constant protection against Morale damage over time effects. The Navigation Annex reduces hyperwarp jump time by 15% as well as hyperwarp jump cost by -10 fuel.

The Engineering Annex is Zenrin only while the Navigation Annex is to be found in Alta Mesa starports only.

New and Updated Bridges

Update #230 adds a new Scout-Vanguard Bridge 5 which compares well with the 3 recently added Scout 5 options -- Skirmisher, Hauler and Stealth. For those small ships that want to adjust their component builds away from craft defense, the Vanguard provides a major 30% to Evade Craft Attacks, fully double what the Scout-Skirmisher 5 provides in exchange for its Accuracy bonus and some Armor and Shield. You can only find this extreme craft defense bridge for small ships in Steel Song starports.

Update #230 has also modified the Capital Carrier Bridge 5 to include the all new Craft Boost bonus. This powerful bridge for large-scale carriers adds +12% to the Damage, Hit % and Boarding for all aggressive crafts. It is a new must-have component for those captains looking to built ultra-carriers.

Finally, we've updated the Compact Capital Bridge 4 to include a +1 Safety Rating as well to go along with its significantly lower Mass and solid Skill bonuses, making it a possible contender for the slot for non-combat captains.

Battle Launch Bays

Before Update #230, the highest level launch bays -- the Advanced and Hyperion -- both provided massive Fuel bonuses to help offset the carrier's consumption but did little to support aggressive craft activity. Now, a level 3 and level 4 combat focused launch bays have been added. the Battle Launch Bay at level 3 is available only from De Valtos and is extra shiny with its best in class +15% Craft Boost.
The highly sought after and highly expensive Warhawk Launch Bay could be made by none other than Alta Mesa boasting a +8% craft boost and housing 1 officer. If combined with the Capital Carrier Bridge (as it should be!) these could net a 20% to 27% Craft Boost bonus, making your very larger, very expensive carriers even more deadly.

AI Training

We've worked on training up the enemy AI ship builder on a few additional types of components to help round out their ships, including C-Taks, better use of Fuel Tanks, upgraded Battle Bridges and Mass Dampeners.

Finally, we fixed the Pallas Freighter's bug being 1,000 Mass over at purchase time. If you happened to buy one of these broken ships, sorry you have to keep it (or sell it). Only new ships coming off the line are fixed.

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v3.0.107 - 9/30/2020

- Added 3 New Ship Component Effects: increase Engine Safety, reduce Hyperwarp Jump Time, Craft Boost adds Dmg, Hit % and Boarding to all launched craft
- New Zenrin-only Component: Engineering Annex, medium slot for 1 officer adds +2 Safety Rating and other bonuses
- New Alta Mesa-only Component: Navigation Annex, medium slot for 1 officer reduces Hyperwarp Jump time and other bonuses
- New Steel Song-only Component: Scout-Vanguard Bridge 5 provides +30% to Evade Craft Attacks and other bonuses
- New De Valtos-only Battle Launch Bay trades lvl 3 Advanced Launch Bay's fuel for +15% Craft Boost, combat focused launch bay
- New Alta Mesa-only Warhawk Launch Bay trades lvl 4 Hyperion Launch Bay's fuel for +8% Craft Boost, combat focused launch bay
- Improved Capital Carrier Bridge 5 to include +12% Craft Boost bonus, powerful bridge for large-scale carriers
- Improved Compact Capital Bridge 4 to include +1 Engine Safety bonus
- Fixed issue with Pallas Freighters starting 1000 Mass over
- Enemy AI ship builder is more capable at using C-Taks, Battle Bridges, Fuel Pods and Mass Dampeners

[resistor]

WOOOOOOOOOOOO NEW COMPONENTS! Exciting to think of how we can use these. (Although I don't get why an Engineering Annex would protect from morale damage.)

I wonder just how combat effective a 2400 mass boarding ship can be with the new Steel Song bridge... I should try a Zartar Fang build sometime.

[fallen]

Sept 30, 2020 3:20:48 GMT -5 resistor said:

WOOOOOOOOOOOO NEW COMPONENTS! Exciting to think of how we can use these. (Although I don't get why an Engineering Annex would protect from morale damage.)

Morale Damage generally comes from Crippling Effects or enemy talents. Knowing that there is extra layer of engineering support to keep the ship running is a morale bolster in combat.

[resistor]

Sept 30, 2020 9:12:31 GMT -5 fallen said:

Sept 30, 2020 3:20:48 GMT -5 resistor said:

WOOOOOOOOOOOO NEW COMPONENTS! Exciting to think of how we can use these. (Although I don't get why an Engineering Annex would protect from morale damage.)

Morale Damage generally comes from Crippling Effects or enemy talents. Knowing that there is extra layer of engineering support to keep the ship running is a morale bolster in combat.

That would make sense if the Engineering Annex did provide an extra layer of engineering support to keep the ship running in combat, but its other bonus is a Safety increase, which, as far as I'm aware, doesn't affect combat at all.

[fallen]

resistor - yes, it provides both a non-combat and combat bonus.