STAR CONTROL TACTICS
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SHIP TIPS:
  The Hierarchy and Alliance fleets are not equal, though in the hands of an
experienced player, they have equivalent overall strength.  In general, Hier-
archy ships are strong, slow, relatively simple to use, and deadly at close
range.  On the other hand, Alliance vessels tend to be weaker in terms of
crew and raw firepower, but are more nimble and possess weapons/special abili-
ty combinations whose offense/defense capabilities are more flexible than
their Hierarchy counterparts.  With either fleet, the key to winning is to
know the strengths of your ships and the weaknesses of your opponent's.
THE HIERARCHY FLEET:
  The Ur-Quan Dreadnought is the strongest and most expensive ship in the game.
Don't ram it into a planet, or close with a ship that has powerful short-range
weapons.  In the Full Game, you may want to keep the Dreadnought near or on a
colony, so that it can quickly restore any crew lost in battle.
  Each fighter launched represents a departing crew member, so don't send off
all but the last few of your crew if the ship is crippled.  Doing so risks
defeat through a single, lucky enemy shot.  Also, fighters expire if you don't
let them return to your ship.  Thus, avoid high-speed chases or your fighters
could be left far behind.  Finally, for experienced opponents, fighters are
usually only a diversionary nuisance from long range.  Use fighters at short
range, in concert with your main weapon, for best results.
  Against most ships, the MYCON PODSHIP is a dead duck if it sits still.  Once
it gets moving (a good Gravity Whip works), its commander can kick back,fire a
plasma torpedo now and then, and regenerate any damage that comes his way. The
most serious flaw to this tactic is the presence of the planet.  To give your-
self time to respond to an onrushing celestial body, avoid diagonal whip tra-
jectories.
  One of the most serious threats to the Mycon is its own weapon, the expand-
ing plasma cloud.  Fast ships, like the Arilou, Shofixti, or Syreen will try
to lure the plasma weapon back upon the Mycon, especially if it is cooperating
by staying in one spot.  Alternately, if the Mycon is moving at or beyond its
normal maximum velocity (due to a high-speed collision or a skillful Gravity
Whip), it can overrun its own weapon immediately after launch, suffering
grievous casualties.  Solution:  shoot backwards.  In the Full Game, Mycons
are especially useful for cleaning-up lone, vulnerable ships, because Mycons
regenerate full crew between turns.
  The SPATHI DISCRIMINATOR is most dangerous when running from the enemy, from
which position it can launch BUTT (Backward Utilized Tracking Torpedo)missiles
directly into its enemy's path.  Thus, it behooves the Spathi commander to en-
tice his opponent into chasing him.  Taunts and jeers being one of the Spathi
commander's most important tools,the design of a Spathi ship rewards an exper-
ienced commander (that is to say, one who knows which way is the front).  The
otherwise ineffective "main weapon" can become quite deadly with practice.  If
you need to kill only a few more crew for victory, as when fighting an undam-
aged Arilou, don't shoot your wad in a single facing.  Instead, rotate as you
fire to increase your chance of a lucky hit.
  The ANDROSYNTH GUARDIAN does the most damage when hitting an enemy in Blazer
form, especially if it gets a lucky "critical" strike,inflicting several rapid
successive blows.  To achieve maximum damage, strike the enemy from the direc-
tion of least relative velocity (usually from behind), so as to minimize the
scattering effect.  The more fuel you have when you transform, the longer you
stay in Blazer form, but if you are very close to your enemy, transform when-
ever possible. Such sporadic, lurching advances are disconcerting to the enemy
(hopefully screwing up his aim)and let you travel faster than your normal max-
imum velocity.
 The Androsynth's molecular acid bubbles are useful both as a defensive shield
(the Androsynth ship cannot be hurt by its own bubbles), and as an offensive
weapon, provided they are deployed en masse in the path of a nearby enemy ves-
sel.
 The VUX INTRUDER has the advantage of always appearing nearby an enemy vessel
when combat begins.  The VUX commander must be ready to fire instantly, and
make course adjustments to keep his laser on target.  If the enemy escapes and
possesses any long or intermediate range weapons,the VUX must immediately seek
out the planet and engage in a Gravity Whip.  Once at a comfortable cruising
speed, the VUX can recharge its huge batteries, and launch the occasional lim-
pet.  If the enemy launches a seeking weapon, don't forget to shoot at it as
it approaches.  When the VUX nears its target, it should slow by rotating to
face the enemy and thrusting.  Never engage your enemy unless you have lots of
fuel!
    To make effective use of your limpets, deploy them in a curtain, then turn
and thrust ahead of where your enemy must flee to avoid them.  Once a few lim-
pets have affixed themselves to enemy ship, pour 'em on!  When the enemy is
really gunked-up, and you are fully recharged, go for the kill.  Remember,
though the Yehat's shield is proof against your laser, your limpets pass
through its defenses unaffected.  There is nothing more rewarding than zapping
an ever-so-invulnerable Yehat ship which is floating dead in space covered in
green slime.  In the Full Game, always attack with a VUX first, if possible.If
the VUX arrives in mid-battle, his opponent will probably have considerable
velocity, and will move out of laser range almost immediately.
  The secret to using the ILWRATH AVENGER is to learn where it is when it is
invisible.  Since the screen always centers on the midpoint between the two
ships, the Ilwrath is always diagonally opposite its opponent.  This means
when your enemy gets near the center of the screen, you must be there too, so
open fire!  It is an unknown fact that when you uncloak by firing your hell-
blast, your ship is automatically oriented to point at your opponent's ship!
Thus, if your enemy has maneuvered around behind you, you can turn around
instantly by cloaking and immediately firing your hellblast (and this is the
recommended way to toast Arilou Skiffs).  When fighting Earthlings, simply
close (you are marginallly faster) and breathe fire continuously to inter-
cept incoming nukes.
  The UMGAH DRONE can defeat any ship in the Alliance Fleet given just a few
seconds at close range - the trick being to get those few seconds.  A favor-
ite Umgah tactic is to zip backwards right up next to its enemy.  If the
anti-matter cone is up through the maneuver, there is a chance of it grazing
the enemy as you zip past for a few bonus points of damage (especially im-
portant against the Arilou).  For precision retro-movement, thrust at the
same time as you zip backwards.  The result is a jerky, half-speed maneuver
which many commanders find more useful than the normal mode.  The Umgah's
anti-matter cone also makes an effective shield against most Alliance mis-
siles.  Notable exceptions are the Chenjesu's whole photon crystal and the
Earthling's nuclear missile which pass through the conical field unharmed.
The only reason not to keep the cone up all the time is its negative impact
on fuel, which you need for retro-propulsion.  Unlike all other vessels
which regain fuel continuously in small increments, the Umgah receives all
its power in ong big whack, after a considerable delay.  Each time the Um-
gah uses its anti-matter cone, this delay is reset to maximum, so if you
keep the cone up, you will never regain fuel.
  THE TACTICAL ANALYZER:
  So, an Androsynth Guardian has just made monatomic hydroden gas out of
your Earthling Cruiser (bummer).  All is not lost!  To determine what ship
you should pick to toast the pesky Androsynth with, just consult your
handy-dandy Star Control(TM) Tactical Combat Analyzer (a.k.a. the "Greg-
o-Matic").
  Find the Androsynth Guardian in the Hierarchy Ship list, then look along
the line of boxes which indicate how it fares against Alliance ships.  Find
where the Androsynth's row intersects with the Earthling's column, and
observe the provided data.
  Ah-ha!  You didn't have a prayer against those clones with odds like 80/20
against!  Looking at these statistics leads you to the conclusion that the
Syreen Penetrator is your best bet, with a whopping 80/20 advantage.  The
percentages listed assume that both combatants are experienced with their
ships, make use of their respective special abilities, and use the tactics
suggested in the next chapter (yes, the Alliance Fleet ship breakdowns and
specialized tactics await in next issue's installment).  The computer oppo-
nent is especially good at shooting long distances with great accuracy, and
at maneuvering fast ships.  Consequently, when fighting a computer-controlled
Ur-Quan, Androsynth, Spathi, or Arilou, adjust the numbers in favor of the
computer, especially if it is set to the "Awesome" skill level.
THE ALLIANCE FLEET:
  The CHENJESU BROODHOME is dominant against just about any ship, except
the Ur-Quan.  The main weapon on the Chenjesu, the photon crystal shard, is
versatile in both offense and defense.  As long as you have the fire con-
trol pressed, the shard will continue on its way.  While it's better to hit
an enemy with the whole crystal, missing by a tad will still do some dam-
age.  Crystals do not harm the Chenjesu, they can be exploded at point
blank range to create a kind of Ack-ack, which is useful for cleaning off
incoming Ur-Quan fighters or inflicting some damage on ships which have
maneuvered behind the Chenjesu.  Sometimes it helps to rotate as you deto-
nate the crystals, because this disperses them over a wider area.
  Whenever you aren't pressed, launch the DOGIs.  These autonomous little
pests can really annoy your enemy, especially if he is a heavy energy user
like the Ur-Quan, Mycon, or VUX.  If you are fighting a VUX and he appears
right next to you, your only hope is to have a DOGI bump him off-line and
steal his fuel to give you time to escape.  Even if you are fighting a
Spathi-class ship, which is generally unaffected by DOGIs, it is a good
idea to get those DOGIs out there if there is any possibility of addition-
al ships appearing in the battle along with the Spathi.  If you do keep
"them" DOGIs movin', your little buddies will be all over the next ship in
a second, the moment she appears.
  Like the Ur-Quan, the Chenjesu is an expensive ship, so protect your
investment with colonies, and give planets a wide berth whenever engaging a
home fleet in battle.
  The YEHAT TERMINATOR is a strong, versatile ship which can deliver either
moderate damage over a wide area at medium or heavy damage at close range.
The distance you will want to maintain between you and your target depends
on your enemy's kill zone - the area in which he can hit you effectively.
If your range is superior, don't bother closing.  Strike from afar.
  The only trick to using the Yehat effectively is not to grow over-confi-
dent of its protective shield.  Often, your barrage of ion-cannon missiles
will be just as effective in stopping incoming threats and will, in turn,
have the added bonus of occasionally striking the enemy ship as well.  Your
shield's weakness, particularly versus the Mycon, occurs during that period
when it flickers off for an instant.  If you are maintaining the shield
continuously, this interval of vulnerability is predictable and a skillful
opponent will time two weapon strikes.  The first is designed to force you
to bring up the shield and the second is timed to strike just when your
shield flickers off.  By all means, remember that your shield has no effect
against VUX limpets!
  The MMRNMHRM X-FORM is a workhorse.  Given its moderate price and its
dual combat configuations, you can hardly ever go wrong buying one of these
transforming starships.  In general, remaining the Y-Wing form is safest,
since you can damage the enemy from a safe distance, as well as dart off in
a hurry should anything dangerous approach you.  TIP:  To make a quick
turn, transform momentarily to X-wing configuration, rotate to the desired
facing, then switch back to Y-Wing form.
  The X-Wing form is best at taking care of the Mycon, because the Pod-ship
can regenerate crew faster than the Y-Wing can eliminate them with its
missiles.  The Ilwrath is also best dealt with in this form, because the Y-
Wing's missiles will not track on the enemy vessel when it is cloaked.
  The ARILOU SKIFF is best played after drinking 4 or 5 cups of coffee.
Your success with this ship relies almost entirely on fast reflexes and
snappy threat evaluation.  If you hyperspace away every time the enemy
fires his weapon, you will never get close enough to unleash your laser
weapon.  If you get hit a few times with any weapon, you're vapor.  If you
get a good strike on the opponent's vessel, don't hang around pinging his
ship.  Retreat, recharge, and return for another attack run.  If you find
it difficult to control this ship with a joystick, switch to the keyboard.
It's much easier.
  It is always a good idea to keep at least one Arilou around in a Full
Game to "pop" Mycons, which should be relatively easy once you've mas-
tered tactic H, the "Homing Weapon Ha-Ha".  It is also possible to make an
uncontested lightning strike against the enemy, provided he has forgotten
about the Arilou's ability to move through enemy Forts, and has left a
route to his Starbase (or other key installation) unguarded.
  The trick to using the SYREEN PENETRATOR is to get close enough to your
enemy to use your Syreen Song repeatedly, while simultaneously blasting
away with the Syreen's main weapon.  The reason for the combination strike
is to take care of the last one or two crew members who will not leave the
enemy's ship.  Remember that, in the Full Game, any crew left floating in
space after a battle will be retrieved automatically by the victor.  Never-
theless, concentrate on destroying the enemy ship, not on retrieving his
crew (unless it is absolutely safe).  Don't succumb to "crew greed".
  The EARTHLING CRUISER is a high-tech expression of that famous ancient
Human adage, "Run away from the bad guy, puck up a rock and throw it at his
head, then repeat this until the bad guy falls down or goes away".  In
other words, stay away from the enemy ship, and fire your seeking nukes
constantly!  Use a Gravity Whip if necessary to keep your distance, but be
careful not to collide with the planet.
  The only reason ever to get close to an enemy vessel is to make an honor-
able, point-defense lasser "coup de grace", to eliminate the opponent's
last crew member.
  SHOFIXTI SCOUTS are great for colonizing and mining in the early stages
of a Full Game due to their low cost.  They can also be effective against
the most powerful enemy vessel, if they attack in a squadron of 2 or 3
scouts, and can get close enough to do near-maximum damage with their self-
destruct explosion.  Three good Shofixti kamikaze attacks will destroy an
Ur-Quan Dreadnought, eliminating twice their worth in Starbucks.
  Shofixti ships can defeat slow or short-range enemy vessels, if you are
very patient and are content to use the Shofixti's light weapon from long
range and slowly "plink" your enemy to bits.
  SPECIALIZED TACTICS:
  The Tactical Analyzer lists the indicated percentages of success for com-
bat between any two opposing ships in the game, as explained in part one of
this article.  What follows is an explanation of the different suggested
tactical maneuvers to best insure that success.
  A = ATTACK!  Engage in relentless pursuit of your enemy.  Open fire as soon
as you are in range, and maintain until the enemy is destroyed.
  B = SPATHI CHARGE  Turn and flee.  When your opponent chases you, turn
(without thrusting) and fire backwards.  Your effective range is increased,
while the enemy's is diminished.  When the enemy tires of this situation,
taunt him until he is willing to recommence the chase.
  C = C.U.R.R.R.  (C)lose with enemy, (U)nload weaponry until fuel is
depleted, (R)etreat out of enemy's attack range, (R)echarge your fuel
supply, and finally (R)epeat this maneuver.
  D = DUCK HUNT  Sit still and take pot shots at the enemy's ship as he
approaches to attack.  If he gets behind you, thrust away, then turn, slow
to a stop, and continue shooting.
  E = PACK O' HOUNDS  Launch D.O.G.I.s immediately and continuously.  In
sufficient numbers (a maximum of 4) their interference with your enemy will
give you a strong tactical advantage.
  F = FIGHTER REMOVAL  Put the planet between you and an oncoming wave of
fighters, forcing them to collide with the planet.
  G = LEYLAND GRAVITY WHIP  To exceed temporarily your ship's normal maxi-
mum velocity, pass near the planet while thrusting in a single direction.
To decrease speed, turn and thrust in a different direction.  Warning!
This maneuver can cause a ship to travel faster than its launched weapons
and may result in a ship being damaged by its own attack!  To avoid this
effect, turn to facce backwards (without thrusting) and launch weapons to
the rear.  When traveling at high speeds, beware striking the planet.  If
you get caught in the planet's gravity, don't thrust directly away from the
planet.  To escape, thrust in an outward spiral around the planet, until
you leave its gravity field.
  H = HOMING WEAPON "HA-HA"  Using your superior mobility, you can lure an
enemy's homing weapon back upon him.  Execution:  as you approach your
enemy, he may fire a homing weapon.  Instead of fleeing away from the
enemy, maneuver around his homing weapon, toward the enemy vessel.  Move to
the far side of the enemy ship and maintain this position until the homing
weapon strikes the enemy ship, then laugh like this:  "Ha-ha!"
  I = BOB AND WEAVE  Use your ship's superior maneuverability to keep the
enemy from getting a good bearing on your vessel.  Change course often.
Note:  the computer player is less affected by this tactic than a human
opponent.
  J = JUST OUT OF RANGE  Your weapons have a longer range than your
enemy's.  Try to stay in your kill zone, without entering your enemy's by
continuously circling his ship at a fixed radius.
  K = KAMIKAZE!  You can do more damage by self-destructing than with your
light missile weapon.  The closer you get to your enemy, the more damage
you will do.  On your final attack run, fire your main weapon as you come
in, the WHABOOM right in his face.  If you are playing against another per-
son, some kime of scream ("Ai-Yeeee!" will do) or other expression is
recommended.
  L = LAUNCH FIGHTERS!  Launch fighters from medium and long range.  For
best results, launch a wave, then turn l80 degrees and accelerate to catch
the enemy (who is probably fleeing) from behind.
  M = MAINTAIN MAXIMUM RANGE  Keep your ship out of danger by staying as
far away from your enemy as possible.  Use your long-range weapon to
inflict damage on your opponent.  If your opponent is faster than you,
consider using the Leyland Gravity Whip (tactic G).
  N = BLAZE!  Your blazer form is very effective in this particular situ-
ation, so use it continuously, unless your opponent is moving so fast you
can't catch him.  Should your opponent have the speed advantage on you,
simple stop and save up fuel.  Then, hope he slams into the planet.
  O - DROP WEAPONS IN ONCOMING ENEMY'S PATH  Maneuver in front of your
enemy's line of travel and deposit homing weapons.
  P = POINT-DEFENSE!  Your point defense laser can be of great use in this
fight.  Remember, it is not effective against powerful missiles, though can
be used to destroy fighters or any enemy ship with only 1 or 2 crew remain-
ing.
  Q = CRYSTAL ACK-ACK  To avoid being overwhelmed by multiple incoming
threats, explode many crystals at point-blank range while turning.  Con-
tinue until threat is eliminated.
  R = DODGE WITH RETROS  Use your unique retro-propulsion system to dodge
incoming guided weapons.  Jump perpendicular to the path of the missile,
activating your special power at the last moment before the missile hits,
and only for a short duration.
  S = SING SYREEN SONG  Your ability to lure enemy crew from his ship is
your most effective weapon in this battle.  Remember, you don't always need
to pick up your enemy's affected crew; his loss is often bad enough.
  T = BUBBLE CLOUD  Travel in a tight circle, launching bubbles continuous-
ly.  Stay inside the resultant cloud until the enemy charges in after you,
or until the situation changes and you can make effective use of tactic N
or O.
  U = USE BOTH FORMS  The enemy is susceptible to both Mmrnmhrm ship forms.
If the enemy nears, blast him with the twin lasers of the X-Wing, otherwise
whittle him down with the long-range missiles of the Y-Wing.
  V = LIMPET OPPORTUNITY  Your opponent is especially open to limpet
attack.  Even if you lose your VUX, remember that any limpets which hit
remain attached to the enemy ship, so your subsequent attackers in this
battle will have an advantage.
  W = INTERCEPT WEAPON  Use your weapon to intercept the enemy's incoming
missile.  It is easiest to hit an incoming threat in the moment just before
it strikes your ship.
  X = X-WING  Your X-Wing form is the most effective in this match-up.  Use
the Y-Wing form only to escape otherwise unavoidable dangers.
  Y = Y-WING  Remain in your Y-Wing form whenever possible.