Post by dunkmujunk on Oct 8, 2022 10:40:04 GMT -5
Hi everyone. I've been playing STF on and off for a good while, and naturally I'm still absolutely horrible at it lol. I love the game though, and I've been playing pretty regularly for the past month. I was hoping I could get a review of my current strategy.
For reference, my current high water mark is a few playthroughs in which I was able to obtain a second ship with all modules replaced with modules I felt worked for my playstyle. These playthroughs have not happened recently though.
I am playing on Hard difficulty, and my style revolves around combat, with an emphasis on ship to ship boarding only once my ship has the upgrades to justify it.
Early game I try to avoid any planet side action, blockade and patrol. The Urban Tombstone type missions seem to be my best bet early while I build my ship and crew up. Very early game I try and focus on Prisoner Transport, Data Cube delivery, Negotiator Escort, and generally anything that avoids any combat or merchant type missions. I feel like this part of my strategy has been working fairly well as I am able to progress through the beginning of a run with minimal threat and negative rep.
My Captain (Cedar)(non combat)-
Commander
A- Skills
10 Tactics
10 Command
3 Intimate
B- Attributes
30 Charisma
30 Wisdom
20 Resilience
(14 to the rest)
C- Ship
Paladin Cruiser
D- Contacts
Ex Bounty Hunter
Prince
My Crew (built before I leave the starting planet)-
2 Crew Dogs-
1 Relaxing Leave
1 Safety Protocol
4 E-Techs-
3 Hotwire
1 Storm Shielding
2 Gunners-
1 Bullseye Certainty
1 Boarding Assault
1 Mechanic-
Careful Testing
6 Navigators-
2 Fast Getaway
2 Exacting Design
2 Read Charts
6 Pilots-
3 Sharp Steering
3 Expert Maneuver
2 Soldiers
1 Swordsman
Im still figuring out my officer set up, but my
Commander Captain takes Military Officer as a second job.
My Doctor is currently in flux but takes Soldier as a second job (I've heard pistols are very weak late game, and the main focus for my combat doctor is healing)
My Engineer takes Mechanic and E-tech
My Quartermaster takes Diplomat as a second job.
I haven't figured out what I want as a third job for most officers yet, and I don't generally make it far enough for it to really matter.
My plan for a 7 officer ship will be-
Captain
Quartermaster/Diplomat
Engineer/Mechanic/E-Tech
Pilot/Navigator
Doctor(Combat)
2nd Combat Officer
3rd Combat Officer
My thinking on the non combat officers is to act as a safeguard for the important non combat skills (skip off the void, sharp steering, etc) as I've had playthroughs end due to losing crew and their important abilities.
So generally I focus on safe travel and skill check abilities early game to ensure safe and efficient travel.
The first thing I focus on early game is the Weapons Locker, though sometimes if things play out just right I use the Ex Bounty Hunter to make some high level weapons purchases, then pursue the Weapons Locker. I generally avoid any combat until I have the Weapons Locker.
I focus on escaping ship combat with skills until my first ship is nearly fully upgraded for ship combat with range change mods and ship combat mods. When it is all said and done my ship has absolutely no weapons, and the only reason I hold onto the Gunners is for the Boarding Assault ability.
I take Faen missions until he has no non combat missions available, at which point I switch to the Ex Bounty Hunter until they have no non combat missions available, at which point I switch to the Prince contact. Once the Prince has no non combat missions available, I cycle back through. Once I get the Weapons Locker I will start accepting Urban Tombstone type missions.
It took me quite a while to grasp all of this through a ton of playthroughs, and my last playthrough ended due to my ignorance on Initiative. I lost my entire combat crew with no backups
So now I'm adding Initiative to my list of things to consider, though im not sure of the most effective time/way to do this, and ideally I will end up with a large ship with crew room for 8 combat crew positions, plus 3 combat officers.
Also, my goal currently is to simply survive, I'm not trying to do any story stuff atm.
Anyway, any tips or comments would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.
And to the devs, you guys have created an amazing game! I love it, even though I am horrible at it lol.
For reference, my current high water mark is a few playthroughs in which I was able to obtain a second ship with all modules replaced with modules I felt worked for my playstyle. These playthroughs have not happened recently though.
I am playing on Hard difficulty, and my style revolves around combat, with an emphasis on ship to ship boarding only once my ship has the upgrades to justify it.
Early game I try to avoid any planet side action, blockade and patrol. The Urban Tombstone type missions seem to be my best bet early while I build my ship and crew up. Very early game I try and focus on Prisoner Transport, Data Cube delivery, Negotiator Escort, and generally anything that avoids any combat or merchant type missions. I feel like this part of my strategy has been working fairly well as I am able to progress through the beginning of a run with minimal threat and negative rep.
My Captain (Cedar)(non combat)-
Commander
A- Skills
10 Tactics
10 Command
3 Intimate
B- Attributes
30 Charisma
30 Wisdom
20 Resilience
(14 to the rest)
C- Ship
Paladin Cruiser
D- Contacts
Ex Bounty Hunter
Prince
My Crew (built before I leave the starting planet)-
2 Crew Dogs-
1 Relaxing Leave
1 Safety Protocol
4 E-Techs-
3 Hotwire
1 Storm Shielding
2 Gunners-
1 Bullseye Certainty
1 Boarding Assault
1 Mechanic-
Careful Testing
6 Navigators-
2 Fast Getaway
2 Exacting Design
2 Read Charts
6 Pilots-
3 Sharp Steering
3 Expert Maneuver
2 Soldiers
1 Swordsman
Im still figuring out my officer set up, but my
Commander Captain takes Military Officer as a second job.
My Doctor is currently in flux but takes Soldier as a second job (I've heard pistols are very weak late game, and the main focus for my combat doctor is healing)
My Engineer takes Mechanic and E-tech
My Quartermaster takes Diplomat as a second job.
I haven't figured out what I want as a third job for most officers yet, and I don't generally make it far enough for it to really matter.
My plan for a 7 officer ship will be-
Captain
Quartermaster/Diplomat
Engineer/Mechanic/E-Tech
Pilot/Navigator
Doctor(Combat)
2nd Combat Officer
3rd Combat Officer
My thinking on the non combat officers is to act as a safeguard for the important non combat skills (skip off the void, sharp steering, etc) as I've had playthroughs end due to losing crew and their important abilities.
So generally I focus on safe travel and skill check abilities early game to ensure safe and efficient travel.
The first thing I focus on early game is the Weapons Locker, though sometimes if things play out just right I use the Ex Bounty Hunter to make some high level weapons purchases, then pursue the Weapons Locker. I generally avoid any combat until I have the Weapons Locker.
I focus on escaping ship combat with skills until my first ship is nearly fully upgraded for ship combat with range change mods and ship combat mods. When it is all said and done my ship has absolutely no weapons, and the only reason I hold onto the Gunners is for the Boarding Assault ability.
I take Faen missions until he has no non combat missions available, at which point I switch to the Ex Bounty Hunter until they have no non combat missions available, at which point I switch to the Prince contact. Once the Prince has no non combat missions available, I cycle back through. Once I get the Weapons Locker I will start accepting Urban Tombstone type missions.
It took me quite a while to grasp all of this through a ton of playthroughs, and my last playthrough ended due to my ignorance on Initiative. I lost my entire combat crew with no backups
So now I'm adding Initiative to my list of things to consider, though im not sure of the most effective time/way to do this, and ideally I will end up with a large ship with crew room for 8 combat crew positions, plus 3 combat officers.
Also, my goal currently is to simply survive, I'm not trying to do any story stuff atm.
Anyway, any tips or comments would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.
And to the devs, you guys have created an amazing game! I love it, even though I am horrible at it lol.
