Combat guide — boarding, weapons & defense
Whether repelling pirates or stripping Cult cruisers, fights hinge on corridor geometry, weapon picks, and calm panic micro — below is the player-facing playbook.
Weapon roles
Weapons skill + bravery decide whether someone stands ground or flees. Frontliners need nerves as much as rifles — check bravery before handing anyone breach duty.
| Weapon | Best use | Avoid when | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| SMG | Boarding hall sweeps | Open exterior shots | Best boarding DPS |
| Laser rifle | Disciplined mid-range holds | Green shooters lacking accuracy | Strong sustained fire |
| Shotgun | Corner ambushes | Janky reload combos | Situational |
| Flamethrower | Alien nests | Oxygen-rich choke risks | Specialist |
| Grenade launcher | Fortified rooms | Your own thin hulls | Advanced |
| Sniper rifle | Rare niche fights | Most interiors | Usually awkward |
Boarding cadence
Early raids
Punch through weak derelicts before tackling awake pirates — draft three high-bravery shooters, stack doorways, and enter via existing docks when possible to avoid explosive mishaps.
Mid-game storms
Hit multiple airlocks simultaneously so defenders split damage — SMGs burst bridges while rifles sweep fallback halls.
Late-game sieges
Cult squads refuse polite surrenders — soften chokepoints with grenades, delete shield consoles first, and carry spare medkits for zealots wielding flame weapons.
Killbox recipe
- Single public entrance feeding an L bend.
- Turrets hugging inner corners.
- Armored crew staged behind cover with overlapping arcs.
- Fallback blast doors separating combat veins from farms.
Alien encounters
Crawlers
Break eggs instantly — they multiply faster than memes. Flames erase nests and bugs alike when vents align safely.
Haulers
Shotguns and rifles focus-fire oversized fauna; ship guns intercept before hull impacts when radar permits.
Parasites
Quarantine plus Alien Enzyme manufacturing — late infections convert crew into liabilities.
Rogue robots
Drones ignore morale — scout slowly, peel armor with lasers, expect traps on salvage loot piñatas.
Ship-to-ship combat flow
Gunner crews strip enemy weapons → shields → drives while shield operators pulse recharge cycles to cancel alpha spikes. Keep capacitor banks topped before accepting fleet aggro.
Related guides
Ship Building
Design choke-friendly corridors.
Crew Management
Weapons training & bravery checks.
Factions Guide
Know who shoots first.
Salvage & Mining
Clear derelicts before looting.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best weapon for boarding enemy ships?
The SMG (Submachine Gun) is the best early boarding weapon. Its low accuracy is offset by its high rate of fire in close corridors, making it deadly in tight spaces. Avoid giving snipers to your boarding party — the accuracy bonus does not compensate for the DPS loss in indoor combat.
How do I board an enemy ship?
Draft your boarding party, open an airlock or breach the enemy hull, then manually move your crew through. Board with at least 3-4 crew members simultaneously from multiple airlocks to overwhelm defenders. Having higher Bravery scores reduces the chance your crew retreats mid-fight.
How do I deal with alien infestations?
Crawlers breed pods on ship walls — destroy pods immediately. Haulers can be lured into corridors and killed with concentrated fire. For alien parasites (added in Alpha 19), you need a Medical Bed and Alien Enzyme to cure infected crew — failure to treat results in transformation.
Are sentry turrets worth building?
Sentry turrets are good secondary defenses but should not replace skilled combat crew. A high-level Weapons crew member with a laser rifle will outperform an automated turret. Use turrets at secondary entry points while your main crew handles the primary breach.
How do I set up a defensive killbox?
Build an L-shaped corridor as the only entry point to your ship's interior. Place one or two sentry turrets in the corner of the L. Station your armed crew behind cover at the bend. This forces boarders to move through a line of fire with no way to flank.