Tactics: The Resistance

Core Rules: V1.7

Fleet PDF: 231215

Popular styles: Snipers, Close action brawlers, Massed batteries, Toolbox

General Characteristics:

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The core of the Resistance fleet, its cruisers and frigates, are heavily customisable and can be adapted to suit your play style. The rest of the fleet usually has Ablative Armour which grants a bonus to the ship's Armour until it becomes crippled. The base Signature and Hull of Resistance ships are average at best, but their Scan is the worst in the game. That said, they do have a few tricks up their sleeve that allow them to focus-fire and snipe at their opponents from range before moving in.

The low Point Defense of Resistance ships means that you will want to include a good amount of launch assets in your fleet. The Resistance has the best fighters in the game - each one adds +5 to their target's PD, greatly helping you to compensate for this weakness. Your bombers aren't as good, since they focus more on making a large quantity of attacks over good Lock values, but running plenty of launch assets will help address this concern as well.

A unique launch option to the Resistance fleet are fire ships, which are short ranged but capable of inflicting a lot of damage. They can be launched from either from a carrier or the dedicated Seneca-class ship, and while the carrier might only want to launch these assets while moving into position, the Seneca can be a real threat if it closes with the enemy.

The Resistance has a unique combination of weapon systems with Linked, Low Power, and/or Subsystem Network, allowing you to fire multiple weapons in the same turn without going Weapons Free. Meanwhile, other weapon options allow you to utilize Weapons Free to increase the number of attacks with the Fusillade rule. Heavy Vent cannons especially can be devastating to both yourself and your opponent. This can make Resistance ships hard for opponents to get targeting solutions on, as many of them won't need to go Weapons Free to fire all of their weapons, while the ones that do will often be firing from long range or have heavy armor.

All Resistance ships have the Expert Crews special rule, which allows you to remove a major spike while on standard orders. This allows you to lessen the impact of major spikes, whether they were applied by your opponent or through your own special orders. In turn, this allows you to be more aggressive with your Detector ships - activate the scanning battlegroup last and scan your target before activating the same battlegroup early the next turn, removing the spike before moving into range and unleashing your weapons on Standard Orders. Since you won't have a spike afterwards, your target will have to move closer to retaliate. Alternatively, you can give each battlegroup a single ship with Detector capabilities to spike a target in the same activation as your attack, so as to avoid having to plan several turns ahead.

The customizable nature of the fleet means that you need to consider your battlegroup compositions more than any other faction. Assign a clear goal to each battlegroup, whether that's to provide fighter cover for the fleet, scan and finish off targets, or keep the enemy distracted. Failure to do so may make it impossible to issue effective orders to a battlegroup, leading to some inefficient activations

### Advanced Tactics

The Triumvir is the best fleet carrier in the Resistance. As of 2/14/22, the change to the "Box o' scraps" rule now lets you put a token on ships that gives them d3 hull points and prevents destruction when they lose their final hull point. This is a very powerful rule when used in concert with Troop ships and heavy cruisers, battlecruisers and battleships. Alpha strike based groups will find themselves next to a wounded, but very much alive (and angry) ship ready for retribution.

With access to fast and cheap strike carriers and troopships (the Aldrin most notably), the Resistance player should be able to exceed their opponent's drop capacity fairly easily. This means you can look to take control of the center of the board early, especially by supporting the drop groups with corvettes. Bombardment options are confined to the custom cruisers (Light, medium and heavy) or the floating warcrime known as the Senator.

The Galileo is a must-take for all Resistance players, as it allows them to focus fire on a crucial ship by not only giving it a major spike, but also by giving one friendly group a +1 to their crit modifier when targeting the spiked ship. This is especially effective with lock 4+ guns. In general, the Resistance fleet needs some sort of Detector support to compensate for the low average scan of 4".

The Resistance lacks any sort of burnthrough weapon, but compensates with broad access to Lock 2+ guns. From the XN-31 turrets on light cruisers, cruisers and heavy cruisers, to the 9k and 10k guns found on larger ships, these weapons crit easily, getting damage through no matter the targets armour. Heavy and Mega Vent cannons exchange easy criticals for more damage (at a major risk of damaging yourself, but embrace your inner Reaver and rip out that useless radiation shielding for more power)

Vent Weapons, as of the Dec '23 update are high risk high reward. They can output tremendous damage but will also hurt your ships as well. They often operate best in a middle ground with ships that don't need weapons free orders to function, unlike the various mass drivers.

The general low thrust and scan on most Resistance ships puts heavy emphasis on Max Thrust orders in early turns to seize ground (figuratively) and position your fleet to contest midline objectives turn 2 and later. When doing so it is essential to use orbital rings, debris fields and LSOs as cover from early long range attacks from Shaltari or Scourge. Ideally using cover can allow you to position your ships such that they can break from cover and use weapons free orders to devastate enemy battlegroups using the high DPS ships such as the Gladiator, Trident, Olympus, or groups of cruisers with mass drivers.

Fragile light cruisers with bombardment mortars or bulk lander bays and extra thrusters are very effective as fast, lone groups that can reach distant objectives and destroy or claim a cluster then fall back before an opponent can bring ships to go after them. Central drop groups of Aldrin, Senators, and Cruisers with bulk landers can head for more contested objectives where opponents must make difficult choices about target priority.

Do not be afraid to be shot. Your ships are not like Scourge or Shaltari, which can rely on low signatures and high thrust to keep them out of harms way. Instead, trust your bulk. The Resistance has lots of heavy ships with good armor and lots of hull points. You can rely on that to absorb some punishment that would compromise other fleets quickly.

**A note on customizable weapons options:**

Resistance frigates and cruisers have access to several weapons options, mimicking the ship options seen in other fleets. At the frigate level, there are NC-31 Hybrid Gun turrets, N16 Missile turrets, and Light Vent Cannon turrets. At the cruiser level there are more options, including N31 Hybrid gun banks, N8 Artillery banks, N-16 missile banks, XN-31 railgun turrets, N-11 Artillery turrets, and Vent Cannon Turrets. At the Superheavy level you have larger versions of the cruiser guns, some of which share the same name but have slightly more shots, (NC-31 hybrids, NC-16 missiles, Megavent turrets, 10k railgun turrets). This neglects launch and bombardment options.

In general, the performance of the N-16 missile CAW systems averages the same single target performance as the turreted options but comes with significant downsides by being limited to Scan range only and subject to Point Defense as well as Armour (as all CAWs are). It also tends to be one of the most expensive options. Given the limits on the number of N-16s you can take, it is seldom worth the expense to take them over other options. Case in point, a cruiser with a Scanner upgrade, thrust or armor upgrade, and two NC16s costs 108 points. A quad N-11 Artillery cruiser costs 18 points less, can fire in the front arc using Scan + Sig, and averages one more point of damage. A dual N-31 hybrid gun bank and N-8 Artillery turret cruiser is also 90 points and has better multi-target performance. At the frigate level, the N-16 missile turrets are only slightly out perform a hybrid turret.

XN-31 turrets, 9k and 10k turrets with their Lock 2+, are critting on 4+ (3+ with Galileo support) and thus are most effective against higher armour saves and provide highly reliable damage (aka a lower standard deviation). The downside of these weapons is that maximum effectiveness requires going Weapons Free; taking them in bulk so they all benefit from Fusillade and Weapons Free is therefore the best tactic. On a Colonizer, eight 10k batteries on Weapons Free averages a staggering 32 damage, which will destroy even other dreadnoughts in one volley.

Vent Cannons, as of the December 23 update PDF, are a medium pick between the mass drivers and artillery batteries but with a trick. On weapons free orders, heavy/mega vent cannons will double the output damage of mass drivers, at the cost of also damaging yourself. Cruiser level vent turrets have lower average damage output, a group of 4 will average 7 hull damage vs. 5 from 4x XN-31 Mass drivers for example, and still have the same risk of damaging yourself on a roll of 6 when used on weapons free orders. However, the additional shot now makes them more effective for builds that don't use weapons free orders, such as when paired with artillery turrets/banks, launch and drop.

### Famous Admirals

Note: Famous Admirals can only be used if both players agree, as they are not very balanced. As of the 2.5 update, these Admirals can be taken even if a dreadnaught is in the fleet, as an exception to the usual rule where the admiral must be on a Dreadnought if one is present.

#### Nguen: Kallium Master Artificer

For a moderate increase in points, Nguen offers the ability to ignore the unstable rule on Vent Weaponry. Used on things like the Gladiator or his own Olympus Mega-Vent broadsides, it makes such weapons significantly safer and easier to use. He's a mandatory choice for an Arc or Colonizer using all Heavy Vent armaments and makes the colonizer with all heavy vents a true monster that no ship can survive without help from Triumvir, Calypsos, Agrippas, or Opals.

#### Hagen: High Technician

The Tribune is a Swiss army knife of ships, now with an added torpedo option and the ability to turn any crippling roll into a flat 2 damage hull breach result. All for the cost of a destroyer. Not the greatest ability, but not the worst either. Uniquely this ship can launch something in each step of the launch phase now.

#### “Typhoon” Vasquez

Shaltari players hate this one trick! For a moderate cost Vasquez can make weapon systems gain the "Particle" rule, ignoring armor and shield systems. This is limited to the artillery weapons (turrets and broadsides) and does not affect Sagitterri. This can be monstrous, especially if it goes off on a Trident's broadsides. Ideal if you are going to take lots of 4x N-11 Artillery cannon cruisers, as these will effectively double their damage.

### Faction Specific Space Stations

Unique space stations often require opponent's consent and have very specific rules for deployment. This limits their effectiveness, as some standard missions do not have room to deploy them, while others may put them in a location where they cannot contribute much to battle or are easily focused and destroyed. Generic space stations can often have longer range or more effective armaments. Fleet Purchased stations can also be spiked, something the scenario specific stations ignore.

#### Resistance Grand Station

The Grand Station has some significant firepower, two Mass Drivers and a Heavy Vent cannon. Its scan is nothing exceptional, so you would want to use it with groups that have active scan support, and it cannot get deep space tracking like a generic station. Generally best used for narrative reasons as the Defense Grid upgrade provides comparable weaponry to generic stations.

#### Resistance Astrobotanical Outpost

This operates exactly like the Astrobotanical upgrade for generic medium stations at the exact same cost and stats. If you just want the energy bloom function and like the model it can work, otherwise the generic station allows more upgrade options.

### Superheavy Ships

#### Pathfinder Interstellar Raft - Battlecruiser

**Role:** 130 points base, with 4 hardpoints. Can take 10K mass driver turrets or heavy vent cannons for some serious firepower, or can max out on smaller shots with suped-up versions of the gun/missile batteries that Resistance cruisers can take. Can buy 2 torpedoes for a hardpoint slot as well. Relatively squishy when compared to battlecruisers, as it lacks the 2+ Ablative Armour found on Triumvir/Senator/Trident. Though this ship is built out of the Resistance Dreadnought box, it doesn't have the Dreadnought keyword, and so has all of the advantages and disadvantages that confers. 10k mass drivers are good when spammed, but not so great when not using weapons free. In general, the NC-16 and NC-31 broadsides are not worth it compared to the other options. Think of these as a custom Tribune/Phalanx, sacrificing some durability for the ability to tailor them to your specific needs. with the v2.5 cost increases and the demotion of the Tribune/Phalanx from S to H, as well as the buffs to other fleet's battleships, the Pathfinder is comparable in SR and cost to opponent's battleships rather than battlecruisers. In this comparison it is more expensive and requires weapons free orders, but doesn't rely on F(n) guns like the majority of its peers (Beijing, Diamond, Hanoi, Heracles, Dragon, etc) and with a scanner upgrade has best in class scan.

**Suggested Builds:**

* **Maximum Dakka:** 4x 10k Mass Drivers. Go weapons free, do huge damage, try not to die as every ship shoots at your pathfinder thanks to its huge signature.
* **Sniper:** 3x 10k Mass Drivers and a scanner. Trades some damage for range.
* **Brawler:** 2x Heavy Vent Turrets, 2x torpedoes. Four torpedoes to drop on targets of opportunity. The ability to fire at full effect while on standard orders gives it more survivability as it can maneuver to take advantage of the terrain and avoid enemy lanes of fire. The December update to the heavy vents means this can go weapons free to really get in a kill shot when needed.
* **Midrange Gunship:** 2x Heavy Vent Turrets, Scanner, and a torpedo. Slightly longer range.
* **The Reiver:** 4x Heavy Vent Turrets. For those who like giving and receiving pain. You will only be able to go weapons free twice before you blow up. Better keep that Triumvir close by.

**Matchups**

* **UCM:** UCM relies on solid, long range firepower combined with toughness. The Pathfinder compares favorably against any of the UCM BCs and BBs, but watch out for UCM torpedo spam.
* **Scourge:** Scourge need to get in close, which is good and bad. It's good since you won't be firing too much at range, but bad because the Pathfinder's 3+ save goes to 4+ in most cases and it has poor point defense, which makes it a liability against the faction with the best CAWs.
* **PHR:** The PHR are a good matchup. They tend to not have many forward-firing weapons, letting you get shots off early and then maneuver to pick off their heavier Orpheus and Bellerophons. Pompeius and Electras will be priority targets to safeguard your ship.
* **Shaltari:** Another long range faction, the Shaltari can outshoot and outfly the Resistance in general, but can easily nerf themselves when dealing with the more primitive and lower stat Resistance ships. Particle and Mauler don't work as well when you already have low armour, and Impel weapons are ineffective when used on ships with all turret armaments. Torpedoes can "encourage" Shaltari to either raise shields, or attempt a course correction to shake them off, either making them easier to shoot, or preventing them from shooting at full effect.
* **Resistance:** A classic mirror match.

**Synergies:** Pair the ship with a Galileo or two strike carriers with sensor domes. If you are feeling brave, three 10ks drop 12 damage, enough to one shot most cruisers and heavy cruisers at the cost of a major spike. Try to position your Pathfinder to avoid any retaliatory fire or keep a Triumvir nearby. The torpedoes are surprisingly long range and can be very effective as a "Super Phalanx" to deal with stealth ships like Akumas and other backline snipers.

#### Explorer Interstellar Ark - Battleship

**Role:** 190 points nets you additional Hull, Point Defense, and Scan range over the Pathfinder, at the cost of a bit of Thrust. Also comes with 6 hardpoints, letting you take even more firepower than the Pathfinder can muster. This ship is built out of the Resistance Dreadnought box but does not have the Dreadnought keyword. Intended to be a Battleship equivalent, at this level you can pack some serious firepower. Consider going with all 10k batteries so you can one-shot everything your tonnage or lower. First strikes are important, and your signature will be large afterwards, so try to use debris fields to limit the arc of retaliatory fire or coordinate with the rest of your fleet to take out your opponent's major threats before they can strike back. This ship will swiftly become a priority target for your opponent, if they don't realize the danger at first, they will after the first big salvo.

**Suggested Builds:**

* **Big Gun Battleship:** 6x 10k Mass Drivers. Go weapons free, destroy your target. Repeat until victorious or dead.
* **Sniper:** 5x 10k Mass Drivers and a Scanner. Slightly more range then above at the cost of some damage.
* **Torpedo Barge:** 2x Heavy Vent Cannons/10k Mass Drivers and 3x Torpedoes and a Scanner. With 6 Torpedoes it can dish out lots of fire and is deadly against space stations or cloaked ships. You still need to WF to fire at full effect, but even on standard orders these guns will dish out some pain.
* **The Eraser:** 6x Heavy Vent Cannons. Keep a Triumvir close by for those box'o'scraps tokens, you're going to need them to survive the Unstable damage coming back on you.

**Matchups**

* **UCM:** UCM has lots of sniping ships with longer range. You will need to run silent and try to avoid focus fire from the whole of the UCM fleet.
* **Scourge:** Scourge cloaked ships will attempt to snipe from long range while CAW groups will attempt to bomb you close in. Use bombers on fast chassis to take on cloaked back line units and screen your Ark with other ships to keep CAW groups at arm's length. Torpedoes don't care about cloaking, so feel free to send them at Akumas, Banshees, or even destroyers.
* **PHR:** Pompeus, Electras, Harpocrates and Heracles are the major threats to your Ark. Deal with them first, then destroy everything else. You will probably have to eliminate their support ships, such as Ourania, Calpysos and Agrippas first.
* **Shaltari:** The Shaltari's ranged advantage means you have to run silent and use fast movers to screen your ship from the more dangerous groups. Drop torpedoes or use bombers to keep the Hematite busy. Use the threat of the Ark's firepower to force the shaltari to raise shields, then spike them for huge signatures.
* **Resistance:** With only 3+ armor, even normal artillery batteries can do damage to the Ark. However the big threat will be alpha strikes from your opponent's superheavy ships combined with active scans from Galileos. You either need to take out your opponent's active scan support, or use terrain to ensure you get the first strike in.

**Synergies:** Battleship design should complement your fleet design. As you already have the option of a Trident (with 9ks, torpedoes and broadsides) you could build something similar but more focused, with four 10k batteries and two torpedo launchers. This front loads your damage into the arguably more effective 10k guns but gives up the Trident's superior armor. Torpedoes, launch and drop are good supplementary options but do recall that your ship may not be on the table till turn 3 in some cases, so you will have to do without the launch/drop for the first scoring round. The CAW and broadside weapons options are comparatively worthless unless you have targets on both sides, as a 10k battery will out damage a single NC-31 or NC-16 even without going weapons free.

For pure firepower, five 10ks and a scanner can put a frightening amount of firepower on a single ship, enough to destroy most battleships and put most dreadnoughts on their last legs. With active scan support this can reach out to 42 inches in many cases, enabling an alpha strike on battleships or dreads that have already moved on the table. Holding such a ship for a late arrival is then a good idea, as being off table protects it until such time as your opponent moves into range. Active scan support is a must, to ensure you can get that all important first strike. It may be necessary to active scan with another group first to knock ships out of silent running.

#### Coloniser Interstellar Dreadnought - Dreadnought

**Role:** The only true dreadnought in the Resistance's arsenal and the textbook example of a mighty glacier. Slow and short ranged, but with the most hull of any ship in the game. 250 points base, but comes with a kingly 8 hardpoints for you to load up on weapons with. Can take up to eight (!) torpedoes over four broadside hardpoints, making for a potentially deadly alpha strike against a target you absolutely need dead. However, at this level you should be taking as many 10Ks as will fit. This Death Blossom will one-shot any enemy ship in the game with 30 average damage on weapons free. Consider keeping a Triumvir nearby to try and heal the inevitable counterattack. Your opponent will be spiking and focusing this ship with everything they have because it will kill everything if they don't. As with the Ark, you may want to bring this ship on last, as it will be a priority target for your opponent's entire fleet and despite its large number of hull points the poor armor will let many ships get chip damage in. Fully loaded, this is now the most expensive ship in the game, and outputs the most damage of any ship in the game (aside from the broken Furnace Triad on the Scourge Cthulu).

**Suggested Builds:**

* **Yamato:** 8x 10k Mass Drivers. 570 points buys a lots of guns. Dropping 30 damage in a single turn, this will one shot every other ship in the game except a Shaltari dreadnought with shields up. Even the Shaltari dreadnought will need to make two crippling roles, and will be left with fewer hull points then a light cruiser.
* **Iowa:** 7x 10k Mass Drivers and a scanner. Slightly less damage for additional range to offset the colonizer's slow speed.
* **Kirov:** 4x Heavy Vents and 4x Torpedoes. With the Dreadnought rule and subsystem network, this build can fire all its weapons on standard orders as well as kicking out 8 torpedoes in two volleys of 4. The torpedo volley alone will generally cripple an opposing dreadnought and doesn't care about cloaking.
* **Praise the Sun:** 8 Heavy Vent Cannons. Keep a Triumvir around for a box'o'scraps token just in case you roll too much above average and end up melting your own ship. On average you will be able to go weapons free twice before the self damage destroys your ship.

**Matchups**

* **UCM:** With more firepower than a London, this can win a dreadnought fight. Silent run until you are in range, then go WF to destroy the largest enemy ship in range. Repeat as necessary.
* **Scourge:** Scourge dreads have stealth and cloak, and will try to get the first shot in. Use scan to knock them out of stealth when within 28", then blow them out of the sky. If worse comes to worst, you can probably tank that furnace triad to do so, and it forces them to come closer. Optionally if you have a torpedo boat, just drop lots of torpedoes on them. Torpedoes don't care about stealth.

* **PHR:** The Romulus hypernova laser is arguably powerful, ~~but the down side is that it won't oneshot your Colonizer and it will leave the Romulus with a major spike, which you can augment via a Galileo marker to crit on 3+ from your 10k barrage and eliminate those filthy abandonists.~~ The change to the dread rules means the Romulus can fire without going weapons free, making it a bit harder to deal with. You will need to get closer, so use silent running and spend the early turns stripping the Calypso and Agrippa support.
* **Shaltari:** Beware the Shaltari BB's crippling attacks, as well as their shield boosters. Their dreads are far less of an issue. The Uranium has to get close, and that equals death. The Plutonium can fire from range, but will lose the damage race against you, just don't let them get a firing solution early enough to whittle you down before the hammer drops. Hematites are arguably the biggest threat, as they have the range, speed and firepower to burn down the colonizer easily. However they can be countered via the humble Sagittarii, which can pester them endlessly.
* **Resistance:** The best response to a dreadnought is another dreadnought. Whomever fires first wins.

**Synergies:** The Coloniser has a huge signature, weak save (3+) and is super slow at 4" Thrust. In several deployment types it will come on the table by turn 3, meaning it won't be firing until turn 4 most of the time. It's tempting to go WF at the start and target everything you can, but your opponent needs two turns of firing from their dread, or focused fire from their fleet, to take it out. Be careful not to expose your ship too early to that level of return fire. Triumvirs and Galileos are your friends to mitigate crippling damage and to spike enemy ships. The other important tactic is to use other ships in your fleet to strip off enemy Calypso, Opal, Ourana and Agrippa support ships which can blunt much of your firepower and tip the damage race in their favor.

#### Elysium/Trident Grand Battleship - Big Gun Battleship

*"Artillery lends dignity to what otherwise would be an vulgar brawl"*

**Role:** Bigger than the battleships of other factions while staying cheaper than a dreadnought, the grand battleships of the Resistance are tough as nails and hit hard. Properly supported, these ships can hunt down your opponent's biggest threat and dispose of it with ease, even if said threat is a dreadnought. The Elysium/Trident favor massed firepower over high damage shots, letting you drown opponents in Lock 4+ shots. Going Weapons Free also unlocks the 9K mass driver turrets to really take a piece out of your opponent's heavies. Don't forget your torpedoes - you have four of them to distribute as you please but can only launch one a turn. Start launching them on turn 2, lest the game end before you've had a chance to use them all (Remember Torps take effect the following activation, so if launched on turn 5 they take effect turn 6). The artillery barrage is really a bonus, the 9ks are your bread and butter. Drop torpedoes on pesky stealth ships and carriers trying to hide from you, and light up anything else with your 9ks. 9Ks benefit greatly from the crit bonus a Galileo adds, so use it to buff your salvo appropriately. As of the v2.5 update the Grand Battleships of the Resistance didn't get the hull buff nor sig reduction that the rest of the fleets got. They are still powerhouses, but the relative gap to the other ships has narrowed, with other fleets becoming near peers in hull and firepower. The 9ks on weapons free will still reliably cripple Scourge and UCM battleships, but just barely now. PHR is more dangerous now, with the buff to their battleship heavy broadsides and flat number of shots for the neutron missiles.

**Matchups**

* **UCM:** New Yorks and Tokyos lack the firepower to go toe to toe with a Trident. Bejings can, if they can bring their Python lasers to bear along with their mass drivers.
* **Scourge:** Scourge BBs rely on Furnace Fangs, a F(N) weapon, so they will be closing most of the time. One salvo from the 9ks on weapons free will cripple them. Pick them off before they get too close, but don't be afraid to be aggressive.
* **PHR:** With the PHR changes there are now a number of threats. Pompeus, Achillies, Romulus and Hercs all shielded by Calypsos and Agrippa. These ships can output significant damage from longer ranges then the Trident/Eden. Fortunately, torps can force calypsos to evade, and Armstrongs can out activate Agrippas to strip these protections before you engage with the 9ks which are very effective vs. PHR.
* **Shaltari:** A Diamond dreadnought's Particle lances are similar to the PHR's dark matter cannon in that they will stack crippling rolls on your Trident. Particle lance ships will also ignore your armor, and in general expect to take hits from the longer range, faster Shaltari ships along with deadly Mauler CAW based destroyers. Aside from that, the relatively fragile shaltari ships will crumple to the artillery broadsides as well as the 9ks. Use debris fields to get close and then try to go weapons free from the middle of the shaltari fleet. If you can get targets for all your guns the Shaltari can't match the damage output, and if they raise shields your Newtons can engage...
* **Resistance:** A mirror matchup. Try not to simply trade volleys but direct your firepower to make decisive kills.

**Synergies:** A pair of strike carriers with sensor domes work well and can provide some late game drop or the always helpful Galileo. A Triumvir's Box 'O Scraps token will infuriate your opponent when they think they've finally killed it. Late entry on the table can lure opposing battleships and dreads closer allowing the all-important first strike with some weapons free 9ks.

#### Eden/Olympus Grand Battleship - Big Gun (And Plasma Cannon) Battleship

*"The object of war is not to die for your country but make the other bastard die for his."*

**Role:** The Eden/Olympus keeps the 9K mass drivers from the Elysium/Trident, but swaps out the artillery cannons for mega vent cannon broadsides. Though this makes an Eden's firepower potentially stronger than the Elyisum's (especially against heavier targets), it's also more risky due to the unstable rule on the Vents. As with the Eden, make sure you use your Torpedoes starting from turn 2 or 3. Generally, OC on the Mega Vent Cannon Battery does as much damage as the normal broadside plus the 9ks, but is an option if you want to use standard orders to drop a spike and still target enemies in your side arc for massive damage. The Olympus outputs the most damage of any Resistance battleship but requires targets in both side arcs and weapon free orders to attain this level of performance. The change to the unstable rule and megavents means that the Eden will be taking self damage because it needs to go Weapons free to use the 9ks to full effect.

**Matchups**

* **UCM:** See the Trident section. The tactics are the same.
* **Scourge:** See the Trident section. The tactics are the same.
* **PHR:** See the Trident section. The tactics are the same.
* **Shaltari:** See the Trident section. The tactics are the same.
* **Resistance:** See the Trident section. The tactics are the same.

**Synergies:** Same as the Trident, you want something to help spike your target ships like a Galileo.

#### Amazon Grand Battleship - Sniper Battleship

*"There was life, and he spoke unto it, and it was silent, and lived no more."*

**Role:** The Amazon carries the largest mass driver humans have ever mounted on a ship, the aptly named "Spinal Mass Annihilator " This gun is similar to other fleet's heavy hitting, F(N) options like the Diamond, Heracles, or Hanoi, but bigger. Of all the sniper style battleships it outputs the most damage, possibly one shotting enemy battleships on a weapons free activation. Understandably this causes other fleets to feel some performance envy, usually because they don't notice the high cost of this ship or its low scan and thrust. On standard orders it still can do significant damage, almost twice what its competitors can do. If your opponent is foolish enough to let you get a weapons free shot on their larger ships, then they deserve it. The amount of damage the Annihilator puts out will make this ship a priority #1 target for your opponent, so plan carefully. You don't want a weapons hack or critical hit to disable the gun. Compared to the Trident or Ark, the Amazon puts out slightly more damage on standard orders, but the Trident and Olympus does more on weapons free orders by the time you add in the broadsides, torpedoes, and 9k batteries. The difference is the spread nature of the damage vs. the Amazon's concentrated one. An Ark with 10ks can do almost double the damage, but also costs more, has worse scan/sig, and only 3+ ablative armor.

**Jousting and "the hustle**": Enemy ships will not want to joust with the Amazon and risk a weapons free slug to the face. Thus most will use course change orders to slide off the line between the ships and then reorient to bring their Dark Matter Cannons, Furnace Triads, etc. back on target. This will keep their ships spiked and allow you to devote active scan resources elsewhere.

**Matchups**

* **UCM:** The Hanoi is the UCM equivalent, with similar spike and snipe tactics.
* **Scourge:** Scourge BBs rely on Furnace Fangs, a F(N) weapon, so they will be closing most of the time. That makes it easier to line up a WF shot.
* **PHR:** With the PHR changes there are now a number of threats. Pompeus, Achillies, Romulus and Hercs all shielded by Calypsos and Agrippa. These ships can output significant damage from longer ranges then the Amazon. Fortunately, torps can force calypsos to evade, and Armstrongs can out activate Agrippas to strip these protections before you engage.
* **Shaltari:** A Diamond dreadnought's Particle lances are similar to the PHR's dark matter cannon in that they will stack crippling rolls on your Amazon. Particle lance ships will also ignore your armor, and in general expect to take hits from the longer range, faster Shaltari ships along with deadly Mauler CAW based destroyers. However, the Annihilator crits ignore the passive save from Shaltari shields, making them very vulnerable to the Amazon. If they put up shields to defend against other ships they are very, very vulnerable to the Amazon. Shaltari Dreads are basically free pickings. So expect to face lots of Ion and Impel shots directed at the Amazon.
* **Resistance:** A mirror matchup. Try not to simply trade volleys but direct your firepower to make decisive kills.

**Synergies:** A pair of strike carriers with sensor domes or the always helpful Galileo work well and can provide some late game drop. A Triumvir's Box 'O Scraps token will infuriate your opponent when they think they've finally killed the Amazon and the repair assist will protect you from enemy crippling weapons. Late entry on the table can lure opposing battleships and dreads closer allowing the all-important first strike.

#### Argonaut Grand Battleship - Torpedo Carrier

*"Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead"*

**Role:** The Argonaut has 6 torpedoes, launch-able in 2 waves of 3 each, as its main armament, complimented by banks of artillery cannons and close action missiles. While this means the overall level of firepower of the Argonaut is lower than other options, it does not require weapons free orders and is less concerned about facing. It is a weaker overall firepower choice then other battleship options but comes at a discount. Very dangerous vs. space stations and cloaked ships, since these are ideal targets for torps. Think of the torpedo system as doing the same amount of damage as the Amazon's spinal mass driver, but only being able to fire twice. On the plus side Torpedoes ignore Calypso ECM, UCM Aegis effects, and Scourge Cloaking. Shaltari Shields are about the only fleet trait that they don't ignore. You can build a similar setup with an Ark, but trading the broadsides and CAW for heavy vent turrets for more conventional damage.

**Matchups**

* **UCM:** A bigger version of a UCM Rome, with more capability after the torpedoes are expended.
* **Scourge:** A good counter to cloaked and silent running ships via the torps, but relatively undergunned once in close action range.
* **PHR:** Torps are good vs. typical PHR support ships such as Calypsos, and Agrippas in volume. They can do some damage but are unlikely to kill a opposing battleship such as a Minos.
* **Shaltari:** A Diamond dreadnought's Particle lances are similar to the PHR's dark matter cannon in that they will stack crippling rolls on your Amazon. Particle lance ships will also ignore your armor, and in general expect to take hits from the longer range, faster Shaltari ships along with deadly Mauler CAW based destroyers. Torps will often force Shaltari to raise shields, and the artillery batteries are more weight of fire oriented so the shields are less impactful then something like a 9k volley. The 24" range also makes it easier to target things like Opals or other ships using their low sigs to prevent conventional targeting.
* **Resistance:** A mirror matchup. Try not to simply trade volleys but direct your firepower to make decisive kills.

**Synergies:** This ship doesn't need active scan support, but the artillery cannons still benefit from Galileo telescope tokens. Triumvir box'o'scrap tokens are helpful, and this can take the heat off more vulnerable ships.

#### Myrmidon Grand Battleship - Support Battleship

*"Moonlight drowns out all but the brightest stars"*

**Role:** The Myrmidon has a powerful scanning system, able to drop two minor spikes or automatically force enemy ships out of silent running. This can be very powerful vs. Scourge, as the scourge fleet has lots of ships and dreads that like to silent run. The Myrmidon's overall firepower is low, but it does not require going weapons free to use it. It also has a slightly larger scan range to better utilize its close action weaponry. Currently the Scanning Systems Rule takes effect at the start of the ship's activation, so it is possible to issue this ship Silent Running orders after using the Scanning Systems, eliminating the spike at the cost of firing any weapons. This can be done in early turns as the Myrmidon works its way into range for its close action systems. Alternatively, the Myrmidon can approach while firing a weapons free heavy vent cannon, doing moderate damage (with a risk of hurting yourself).

**Matchups**

* **UCM:** TBD
* **Scourge:** TBD
* **PHR:** TBD
* **Shaltari:** TBD
* **Resistance:** TBD

**Synergies:** The artillery cannons still benefit from Galileo telescope tokens. Triumvir box'o'scrap tokens are helpful. Active scan support can help this ship really reach out and touch someone, but as it can already drop two minor spikes on two targets it can generally hit things 24" on its own. Be mindful that the Scanning system puts a major spike on the Myrmidon, making it very visible to the enemy fleet, and thus it really needs to use cover on approach.

### Heavy Ships

#### Heavy Cruiser - Versatile Multirole Cruiser

**Role:** As with all non-named Resistance ships, the Heavy Cruiser is what you make of it. Want a sniping ship? Slap on a scanner array and mass driver turrets. How about lots of dakka? Hybrid batteries and artillery turrets let you potentially put out 22 or more shots a turn. If you have a preferred playstyle, you can find a way to enable it with this ship thanks to its 5 hardpoints. These are also your only way to get Bombardment weapons into the fleet (besides for taking them on lighter cruiser classes). The one knock against the heavy cruiser is that the Resistance has a ton of good options that compete for your limited heavy choices. Common builds are 4 XN-31s and a scanner, for an inexpensive sniper with the same forward firepower as the Phalanx and a longer scan, or ablative armor, dual hybrid broadsides, and dual artillery turrets. This build is durable, doesn't require weapons free, and can put firepower into any facing. Generally, the Gladiator does better focused fire and is tougher, while the Centurion does more damage when there are multiple targets. It can be a good place for other build combinations such as a troop carrier with bombardment or pseudo-UCM Seattle. Late game an all turret, non-weapons free armament can be an advantage, but the cost is the higher SR for firepower that is comparable to opposing forces line cruisers. As of the 2.5 update this ship didn't get the hull buffs of other heavy cruisers, leaving it slightly low compared to other fleets.

**Suggested Builds:**

* **Death Blossom:** 5x XN-31 Railgun Turrets. Go weapons free, do damage, profit.
* **Sniper:** 4x XN-31 Railgun Turrets and a Scanner. Excellent range and firepower equivalent to the Phalanx's forward guns.
* **Big Rio, to action!** 2x hybrid broadsides/Vent Turrets, 2x Artillery Turrets, ablative armor. This build has the firepower of a UCM Rio but doesn't need to go weapons free to access it. The lower sig and ablative armor then make it a bit more durable than the other options.
* **Hybrid:** 3x XN-31 Railgun Turrets, 2x launch bays. Rear line fire and fighter support but excels at neither, can be built with one fleet box.
* **Pseudo-Seattle**: 2 Vent Turrets, 2x launch bays, armor.

**Matchups**

* **UCM:** Generally the sniper variant is your best bet. Other combinations are not as point efficient as their UCM counterparts.
* **Scourge:** Assign each Scourge ship their own personal turret :)
* **PHR:** The PHR lacks good frontal firepower, so this ship can be very useful early on, then can turn and avoid some of the broadsides.
* **Shaltari:** Don't bother with armour and laugh when the particle, beam and mauler weapons become far less effective or points efficient. Your advanced weapons are no match for our primitive hull points!
* **Resistance:** A Mirror Match.

**Synergies:** With active scan support and a scanner upgrade, this ship has surprisingly long range of 32" against most targets. This is why it often makes a better backline unit then the other Vanguard choices. Alternative configurations for bombardment, drop or as an assault carrier are possible and will synergize with similar smaller ships.

#### Centurion Grand Cruiser - Broadside brawler

**Role:** The Centurion packs 2+ Ablative Armour by default and has better Hull and Thrust than its generic heavy cruiser counterpart, but sadly has a weaker Scan. Fortunately, this is less of an issue for the Centurion than for the Gladiator due to the difference in weaponry - the Centurion packs linked hybrid gun broadsides that let it mix it up with enemy ships at close range, provided it can maneuver straight through the enemy fleet. This is only more points efficient then the Gladiator when dealing with a target for each broadside. Otherwise the Gladiator is better, even though it costs more. In smaller games this is a good choice for admirals to hang out in as it doesn't have to joust like a burnthrough ship. The 2.5 update gave the broadsides an additional shot each. It can now put about 4-5 damage on one target (including the mass drivers), and 2 -3 on a target on the opposite side of the ship during a weapons free order. The mass driver turret makes this ship fairly flexible and easy to use most of the time, as it does not have to dive headlong at an opponent.

**Matchups**

* **UCM:** The UCM tends to prefer Cobra lasers, which have a F(N) requirement. This means they will always be approaching (jousting), so try to time your WF order to catch cruisers in the side arc so you can combine your railguns and broadsides on a single target.
* **Scourge:** Keep the Scourge CAW ships at arm's length.
* **PHR:** The Centurion has an advantage in that it's equally tough and can focus much if it's firepower in the forward arc. Look out for heavy calibre PHR guns and bombers.
* **Shaltari:** Particle and Microwave weapons are the bane of the Centurion's existence.
* **Resistance:** Be wary of XN31, 9k and 10k barrages.

**Synergies:** Like most ships, it benefits from active scans and the Triumvir's Box 'O Scraps rules. It pairs well with frigate/heavy frigate support when going right up the middle of the map where your goal is to absorb the enemy firepower instead of your other weaker ships and you hope to get targets in both side arcs for maximum efficiency.

#### Gladiator Grand Cruiser - Forward Bruiser

**Role:** The Gladiator packs powerful guns: forward heavy vent cannons, as well as a vent cannon turret. On Weapons Free it can cripple an opposing heavy cruiser in one salvo. Its weapons tend to need the target in the front arc, so it does need to joust and get close to an opponent, but the heavy armour and large number of Hull points will keep it in the game against all but the most severe firepower. Late game it may struggle to keep enemy ships in the front arc as the fleets pass each other. It does need fighter cover since it tends to be a bomber magnet. Support it with heavy frigates to keep things off its tail.

**Matchups**

* **UCM:** UCM will try to spike and snipe this ship. Run silent early to get in close.
* **Scourge:** Focus fire, don't let it get overwhelmed by smaller CAW ships nor bombers. Prioritize blowing holes in cruisers and above. A single volley on WF will end most Scourge cruisers and heavy cruisers. Even the battleships will take notice.
* **PHR:** Watch out for heavy calibre guns and bombers. Your approach is a bit easier, but the PHR are equally tough.
* **Shaltari:** Shaltari have numerous tools to deal with heavy armor, particularly Particle weapons. The lower hull on average means that they suffer more if the Gladiator can get a hit in, with only battle cruisers likely to survive a single weapons free attack on average. The Gladiator has the hull to tank even a WF assault from its nemesis the Obsidian, and the two are roughly equal points. This means that if you can run silent or hide behind debris fields to negate the superior range of Shaltari, you can overpower anything your weight class or lower.
* **Resistance:** the ship against Resistance

**Synergies:** A prime use for your Galileos, otherwise SCs with sensor domes. You can go it alone with the SR of 11, or put some heavy frigates or vent frigates to escort this ship and really pack on the damage. The gladiator is a close in ship that flies almost directly at your opponents and usually is a fire magnet, so try to plan accordingly. Also a good place for Box o' scraps tokens from a triumvir, as the longer it stays in play the more your opponent will need to deal with it.

#### Triumvir Repair Cruiser - Fleet Carrier/Repair Ship

**Role:** The Triumvir has the hull of a battlecruiser ~~and a useful special rule that lets it repair a nearby ship each time another friendly ship is destroyed, meaning it can keep both itself and a squadron of frigates alive at the same time~~. The Triumvir can sit on a backfield objective with Galileos, providing support to the rest of the fleet with its respectable launch capacity of 6 while shrugging off incoming fire. That tends to be a misuse of its armor, hull and repair ability. The resistance needs fighter support to make up for lackluster point defense, and the Triumvir has the hull to safeguard it's launch on the front lines. This is also where bombers start doing damage in the same activation, which can be equally dangerous to your opponent. Recently the repair rule has changed, so now the Triumvir hands out "you will not die" tokens. These can be invaluable on larger ships to ensure they survive a round of fire from enemy dreads or battleships. Now it fulfills its duty as an escort ship far better and doesn't need to wait for your ships to start exploding. As a plus, the +2 to repair rolls make corruptor ships of the Scourge and Shaltari far less dangerous. With the v2.5 update making all repairs a flat 4+, the Triumvir makes your repairs almost a sure thing.

**Matchups**

* **UCM:** Triumvirs are very useful to negate torpedo spam on troop ships like the Aldrin, and as a fighter support bunker. The UCM can try to scan and snipe it, but as a hard target that drops spikes easily this can provide cover for the rest of your faction. Just don't expose it alone, the UCM can burn it down if they focus.
* **Scourge:** Scourge are heavily reliant on overwhelming assault to eliminate a ship in a single alpha strike. Scrap tokens can prevent that, even if you can't stop that Djinn murder pack from getting the first shot in. Single activation range bombers are also effective against smaller scourge ships and force them to devote more launch to fighter cover rather than their superior bombers.
* **PHR:** The PHR have tools to deal with armor, most commonly Electras and Pompeus, and very good bombers. Their core units such as the Orion or Europa, on the other hand will struggle with the 2+ armor. A Triumvir then can protect many of your ships via fighter support and box o scraps and force the limited PHR assets to focus on it, rather than your Gladiators, Centurions, or cruisers with XN-31s.
* **Shaltari:** Particle weapons ignore armor, and the Hematite is very dangerous. On the flip side, box o' scraps tokens keep ships from being one shot and leaving faster, longer ranged Shaltari units exposed after firing for one final last stand like Khan trying to take down Kirk. Shaltari cannot trade ship for ship with the lower cost resistance, they need to take out battlegroups to avoid any retribution. You can't just sit out and take hits, but it adds lots of bulk to your fleet that the lower overall damage Shaltari struggle with.
* **Resistance:** Ever watch two Druids fight in WoW? Yeah, it's like that.

**Synergies:** Use this to escort bulk lander ships to the central cluster, and to keep battleships and dreads in the fight for that critical extra turn. In low points games it works well as a command ship. The scrap tokens are key force multiplier, forcing more battlegroups to focus fire on ships to ensure destruction, and thus limiting the overall damage your opponent can dish out each turn. The bonus to repair roles can really nerf Scourge torpedoes and Gallium corruptor tokens, as well as help versus Herculeses' and Platinum's crippling guns.

#### Senator Battlecruiser - Bombardment Heavy Cruiser

**Role:** The Saddam special, The Senator's powerful - but limited - VX Bombs can wipe entire sectors off the map, while simultaneously removing ALL Ground Assets in the Cluster at the same time (friendlies too). Like its sister ship, the Triumvir, the Senator boasts a 2+ Ablative Armour and 17 Hull, letting you keep it in reserve until it swoops in to deprive an opponent of a key cluster on turns 4 and 6. As of the v2.5 update The Senator also has the SWACS rule. SWACS means that any enemy ship within scan of the Senator (12") can be targeted by close action weapons using scan+signature, instead of just scan. This means that close action weapons can be used far more effectively, and from safer distances, with the Senator taking point. Like the Madrid the Senator is a very point efficient way to bulk out one's fleet if you need more durability.

**Matchups**

* **UCM:** UCM forces often rely on early drop by strike carriers and stealth lighters while they snipe ships trying to take the objective. The Senator allows you to leisurely move to the center cluster, bomb it and drop your own for an easy contest and buys time to deal with sniping ships.
* **Scourge:** Scourge rush tactics generally mean the Senator is of less use.
* **PHR:** PHR tend to use troop ships for massed drop, this makes a late Senator bombardment an effective counter.
* **Shaltari:** Shaltari have weapons to deal with the Senators armour but destroying their dropped forces alongside a few gates can cripple their scoring chances.
* **Resistance:** The Senator can be a good counter to Aldrin spam, if you can deny fighter support.

**Synergies:** You can pair this ship with SCs, Aldrin or for massive bulk a Pungari Thresher. The Senator will wipe the objective clean, and your SCs can drop while the Senator puts tonnage towards control of the critical location on turn 4. An opponent who rushed that central objective will have to focus the Senator or risk losing control of the cluster, and with a bevy of hull points and a 2+ save, that is going to take significant firepower. Notably the Senator's VX bombs will destroy defense batteries, making it much safer for bulk landers to deploy later that turn. If you send Munifex or bombardment cruisers to other clusters, you might be able to contest the majority of clusters without committing to a SC rush, or "encourage" your opponent to commit their SC to the central objective, before they see the ominous visage of the Senator appear overhead.

In the alternative, a Senator with drop support, either via strike carriers but more likely Aldrin/bulk lander cruisers/pungari thresher can play an activation game vs. your opponent. In Column or Distant approaches they can arrive late, move to the center objective, clear it and then drop to contest or hold. This allows you to bring in more combat ships in earlier turns to attrit enemy drop rather than bringing your own drop in early to race to the central objective. Thresher/Senator combos are especially spongy, able to absorb significant firepower while denying a cluster to your opponent.

The new SWACS rule also makes supporting heavy frigates with double CAW weapons or cruisers with NC-16 missile broadsides good back up for a more offensive oriented group. A single cruiser or heavy frigate is going to do 5 damage to most ships with their CAW.

#### Phalanx Battlecruiser - Combat Ship of the Line

**Role:** This is what happens when you order a Centurion and tell them to supersize it. This ship can sit back and snipe with its mass drivers thanks to the extra punch it gains from Fusillade (4). However that can be done far more inexpensively via a custom heavy cruiser. With 2+ armor, broadsides and turreted rail guns it has no qualms getting stuck in. Like the Centurion it works best in the center of the map where it can bring its broadsides and railgun turrets to bear all at once. It sits somewhere between the battlecruisers and battleships of other factions, both in firepower and hull. It's solid and dependable, but not very exceptional. A Pathfinder is a viable alternative if you want more firepower, but the Phalanx has heavier armor and can more reliably shrug off incoming damage. If you want an anchor to soak up an opponent's fire, this is a solid choice. As of the v2.5 update the Phalanx got a few more shots on its broadsides and is now tonnage H, meaning you can have one of these AND A Trident/Olympus for lots of bulk in your list. If you can get a target with both a broadside and the mass drivers on a WF order the Phalanx can output just as much damage as other heavy hitters like the Pompeius or Obsidian. The Phalanx obviously competes with their little sisters the Centurions, but also the volatile Gladiators. Gladiators are still the most efficient damage per point ships but will hurt themselves due to Unstable and generally need a target in the front arc, while the Phalanx has more hull and deals the same damage output with no risk of blowing itself up. Centurions bring up the rear, but at a lower cost point.

**Matchups**

* **UCM:** Good forward firepower, armor and hull means this ship can take some fire. Use it as a spearhead but know that the UCM will give as good as they get.
* **Scourge:** Scourge ships will attempt to attack from stealth and avoid fire, or rush with close combat specialists. Don't leave this ship to face the barrage alone. Good fighter support for PD is a must.
* **PHR:** The good forward firepower will give you an edge as you close, and your broadsides and toughness are equal to the PHR's contenders. But you will lack range and speed. Watch out for the PHR bombers, Pompeus and their Electra Destroyers.
* **Shaltari:** Shaltari will go with their Mauler, beam and Particle weapons to ignore your armor. You need to use debris fields to protect yourself until you can reach the center of the table and bring your firepower to bear.
* **Resistance:** Lead from the front. Drive this into the heart of their formation with all guns blazing.

**Synergies:** This ship benefits from the usual spike and snipe with its railguns, but there are cheaper ways to get that firepower. It's used best as a battering ram to take your opponent's attention off other, weaker ships and lead your fleet to the central objectives. Dare your opponent to ignore it. Supported by a Triumvir and heavy frigates it can be a slow, but mighty glacier looming over the central objective. Note that as its firepower is mostly turret and side arc, it is ok to avoid taking a fleet head on and you can turn to keep out of the arc of F(N) weapons. Even battleships can't take too much fire from a Phalanx with telescope token support.

#### Tribune Battlecruiser - Hybrid Battlecruiser

**Role:** The Tribune holds a small squadron of fighters/bombers and bulk landers/fire ships, but unlike the Triumvir it carries some offensive weapons too. Used on a flank, this ship can cause all sorts of problems against the right targets. Combining bombers with its Low-Powered weapons and highly accurate mass driver turret, the Tribune can cut through cruisers and take on frigate squadrons. As a swiss army knife of ships, the Tribune can drop, provide fighter cover, and put out some close range firepower. Like the Phalanx it sits between most battlecruisers and battleships, but a lack of focus across its weapons means that it isn't a combat powerhouse. As a general utility ship it works well, and it doesn't appear as threatening as other options, which can be a benefit. Unlike other battlecruisers, the Tribune can "go it alone" and often hold a smaller cluster all by itself. As of the 2.5 update this ship is now tonnage H. It will mainly compete with the Triumvir in your fleet, trading some launch and scrap tokens for more firepower and some drop. The Tribune's firepower on standard orders is pretty close to its weapons free firepower, but on WF it can cripple a cruiser on its own.

**Matchups**

* **UCM:** The Tribune is a weaker choice, as the UCM is relatively flexible and can easily change their focus from one cluster to another. While the Tribune has the firepower to defeat most UCM cruisers it will struggle with mixed groups of Kyivs, Reykjaviks, or massed Rios. Interestingly the Tribune and Dehli are very similar in use as cluster control ships but the Delhi as a focused battleship design has far more drop.
* **Scourge:** With decent CAW and fighter buffs to PD, the Tribune can actually survive CAW attacks, but needs support. Don't go it alone, and here a Collins might not be a bad idea to have with you.
* **PHR:** The Tribune is like a bigger Orpheus, and while the PHR have heavy calibre railgun batteries that do well against it the Tribune can get in and mix it up in broadside range vs. the PHR cruisers with some success. As always try to take out Electras, Pompeius, and Bellerophons, as those will be your biggest threats.
* **Shaltari:** Guns plus single range bombers on the Shaltari can be successful, forcing them to choose between their low armor or shields. The Particle weapons tend to ignore your armor, so the Shaltari do have the anti- armor tools to overcome your main defense, but Ion weapons are far less punishing on the Tribune as it works well on standard orders. Use Senecas and frigates to supplement your firepower.
* **Resistance:** A Tribune means that your opponent is putting points elsewhere for firepower, which can be good or bad. It really comes down to the individual fleet matchups.

**Synergies:** This ship is relatively independent, thanks to its broad array of weapons and equipment. It works well with an escort of heavy frigates, cruisers or destroyers, focused on what your intended role for the battlegroup will be. Triumvir scrap tokens and active scan support are always helpful. A Collins to increase PD can't hurt but generally isn't a top priority.

#### Palantine Command Barge - Command Ship

**Role:** A very unusual ship from a resistance standpoint, this ship has 12 inches of scan, 3x the fleet average. That alone is something to note, but it also has other tricks, such as the ability to fire while on Max Thrust or Silent Running orders, as well as a whopping 12 PD. It also has a rule that allows your Admiral to escape destruction if another Heavy or Superheavy ship is nearby when the Barge is destroyed. The ship's main drawback is its relatively lackluster armament of 8 lock 4+ shots which will do two damage on average to armor 3+ ships. What this ship can do then is bully smaller craft like cutters, frigates and destroyers, using a combination of its movement and silent running to avoid retaliation. It can also be used in a flanking maneuver to go after rear line ships, as when paired with an active scan platform like Galileos it has an effective range of 46 inches (12 scan, 12 from a major spike, 16 move, 6 target signature). The durability of the ship should not be understated, as the 2+ ablative armor and 15 hull put it at the same level as a Centurion or Gladiator, and the 12 point defense make fighter support less important. This ship can also be used by the UCM and PHR.

**Matchups**

* **UCM:** Back line Limas are a premium target early to cripple UCM spike+scan tactics.
* **Scourge:** 12 scan can really pressure partial and full cloak ships such as Scourge destroyers and things like the Akuma. You might be able to force your opponent to make a mistake and chase the Barge vs. some of your more fragile ships.
* **PHR:** This ship can target Calypsos, Ourania and other PHR support ships early and often, forcing them to use those ships abilities to defend themselves rather then a larger ship. Don't try to jump the battleships or heavy cruisers, as those have far more firepower then the Palantine.
* **Shaltari:** Send this ship after Ceasiums and motherships. just don't park in front of all those particle lance weapons. Laugh when your opponent suddenly has a ship shooting at their motherships turn 1 and quickly tries to turn all those granites and Obsidians to take it out. Time it right and you might be able to catch them between the Palantine and the rest of your fleet in a pincer movement.
* **Resistance:** A Mirror Match. Target enemy Galileos and active scanning frigates to give yourself an advantage.

**Synergies:** Sagittarii can accompany a Barge, and their weapon and thrust profiles align with a max thrust Barge.

#### Pungari Thresher - Xenos Swarm

**Role:** Another exclusive ship, the Thresher offers bombers, bulk landers and Corrupter-token weapons. Crewed by essentially Halo Grunts, they fling themselves into boarding actions and ground assaults with equal cluelessness. While the Resistance has access to good bulk landers and decent launch options, the Thresher lets you combine both into a single ship in the Vanguard slot. Corrupter weapons deal damage-over-time, so you want to stack them early and often, but with a Scan of 4" that will be difficult. Generally, this ship should dive on a critical cluster and use its drop to help control it while using bombers to scare away light cruisers and frigates. The Corrupter "guns" can start stacking 1-2 Corrupter tokens on ships every turn, but that isn't huge damage, and it's delayed till the cleanup phase, making it far less impactful. Its main benefit is that it has the Reinforced Armor rule, making crits harder against it. This makes it a very tough ship which can provide solid drop alongside things like Senators.

**Matchups**

* **UCM:** With good PD, Aegis, and long range, most UCM lists have little to fear from this ship.
* **Scourge:** Scourge CAW packs can prey upon the Pungari, but its bombers are not trivial and if left alone it can cause problems for the Scourge player's attempts to control a cluster.
* **PHR:** The PHR can easily deal with the Thresher - leave it at home.
* **Shaltari:** The Shaltari have the same ship with better scan and shields.
* **Resistance:** Treat an enemy Thresher like a Tribune. Focus fire for the win.

**Synergies:** Works very well alone, with bombardment ships and especially Senators.

### Medium Ships

#### Light Cruiser - Versatile

**Role:** 3 hardpoints means these are less customizable than the bigger variants, but the light cruisers are still able to fill a variety of roles depending on what you want. Escort carrier, backfield sniper, troopship - the light cruiser can fulfill all these roles and more. That said, a 5+ Armour save and 8 Hull means these should avoid direct contact with the enemy unless they've been outfitted with Ablative Armour. These are also one of your only options for Bombardment, alongside their heavier variants. Dual drop with a drive refit are a poor man's Odysseus, able to double thrust to threaten back line objectives. Likewise the dual vent and thrust version can support a frigate swarm with heavier guns. A pair with all XN-31s can be a risky, but rewarding option for crippling light cruisers. Dual mortars and a drive refit on a pair make for a fast bombardment platform to level remote, smaller clusters. In general the N16 missile broadsides N-8 Artillery cannon bank are poor choices compared to the other options.

**Recommended Builds:**

* **Pseudo Osaka:** 2x Artillery turrets/Vent Turrets, Drive Refit. Fast, does not need weapons free, good arcs. An easy to use if fragile ship.
* **Max Firepower:** 2x Hybrid Gun Banks, 1x Artillery Turret. This is harder to use, as targets need to be in the ships side arc for best effect but this is the maximum number of shots you can squeeze into a light cruiser hull.
* **Ranged Firepower:** 2x Vent Turrets, 1x Scanner. Longer ranged, flexible firepower, similar to a PHR Electra but doesn't need to go weapons free to access it.
* **Pocket Carrier:** 2x Launch Bays, 1x Ablative Armor. These are very efficient sources of launch for a fleet that needs launch. Keep them back from the front line to support your ships with fighter cover.
* **Fast Troopships:** 2x Bulk Lander Bays, 1x Drive Refit. Fast, fragile, alternatives to Aldrins. If you want to try and sneak some bulk landers into your opponent's backfield this is your option, but otherwise Aldrin are a better option.
* **Bombardier:** 2x Mortar Turrets, and either an Artillery Turret, Drive Refit, Scanner or Ablative Armor. Designed to support your drop efforts with bombardment, or with a drive refit sneak behind enemy lines to destroy their home clusters. Can work well with Aldrins to secure a contested cluster, or you could just take more Aldrins instead.
* **Kallium KNC-12:** Non customizable alternative model sculpt. An offensive launch variant, going weapons free to OC the vent turret while still launching. Very high risk due to the large signature.

**Matchups**

* **UCM:** Compared to the Osaka or New Cairo, the light cruiser can do similar damage but will be slower and slightly more vulnerable. On the plus side you can get inexpensive drop, bombardment, or fighter support without paying for side turrets.
* **Scourge:** A tough match up, the LCs don't have the hull or PD to survive the very dangerous Scourge CAW attacks. They generally want to be as far away from the scourge as possible.
* **PHR:** XN-31s are really effective against the higher armor PHR ships, something that their Perseus and Achilles only wish they could do, and as a bonus the Calibre (L) weapons don't get a bonus vs the LCs. The ability to fire in any arc means you can get first shots even though the PHR have twice the scan range.
* **Shaltari:** Particle weapons, bah! Ion CAW ignoring PD? Ha, your superior weapons are no match for us throwing rocks out the air lock at you! Seriously though, the Shaltari pay for numerous special rules that generally don't help much vs. the inferior armor and PD of Resistance ships. An Azurite is 8 points cheaper, but does 2-3 damage compared to the 5-6 a LC can put out via an Artillery turret and twin vents. An LC then can cripple a Shaltari cruiser in one volley without weapons free, and most Shaltari cruisers need to go WF to do similar damage. This combined with active scan support can compensate somewhat for the superior range of the Shaltari ships.
* **Resistance:** really dependent on the loadout.

**Synergies:** Often work best as a pair, complimented by frigates tailored to the intended role. Dual launch or dual bulk lander light frigates are very efficient for their cost. With the 9/30/2022 balance update light frigates with drive refits are now thrust 12, allowing them to keep up with corvettes, frigates and strike carriers. This also allows dive tactics with dual bulk lander/drive refit builds on rear line clusters turn 3, as two turns of movement plus a max thrust is 48".

#### Cruiser - Versatile

**Role:** Resistance medium cruisers have better Hull than their lighter counterparts but come with increased Signature and decreased Thrust for the privilege, all for ten points more per boat. That said, these babies have an extra hardpoint, making Ablative Armour less of a hard decision if you value survivability. As with all customizable Resistance ships, you should kit these based on the role you intend for them to play. That said, the higher Hull means these are likely better for roles that involve direct contact with the enemy. These are also one of your only options for Bombardment, alongside the light and heavy cruisers. Common options are: 4x XN-31 snipers for lots of critical hits on weapons free, dual vent/dual artillery for consistent fire without Weapons Free, dual vent/dual launch (or drop), or bombardment/artillery.

**Recommended Builds:**

* **Gunship:** 4x Artillery Turrets or 2x Vent/2x Artillery. When paired with the Telescope Token from a Galileo, this build puts out great firepower, does not need weapons free orders, and can fire in any arc. The only downside is the lack of durability. Without the Telescope Token it isn't nearly as good though.
* **Armor Buster:** 4x XN-31 Mass Driver Turret. These are fragile and need to use weapons free orders, and really benefit from active scan support, but do frightening amounts of damage to even the most heavily armored targets. Not so great vs. Shaltari with shields up though.
* **Max Dakka**: 2x Hybrid Gun Banks, 2x Artillery Turrets. Slightly more firepower than a Gunship at the cost of frontal arc firepower.
* **Sector Control:** 2x Mortar Turrets, Artillery Turrets/Bulk Landers/Ablative Armor. Intended to bombard sectors to support drop.
* **Pseudo Seattle:** 2x Vent Turrets, Ablative Armor, Launch Bay. Not as good as a UCM Seattle but close enough and tougher than light cruisers if you want to get stuck in.
* **Battle Bus:** 2x XN-31s, 1-2 Bulk Lander Bays/Ablative Armor. A heavier troop ship design, intended for contested clusters.
* **Kallium KNC-5**: Non customizable alternative model sculpt. 2x NC-16 + 2x Vent. Not very synergistic, as the CAW is hard to use with only a scan of 4" and being side arc only. Most other choices are superior.

**Matchups**

* **UCM:** You can build slightly inferior versions of most UCM ships (Seattles, San Frans, Rios, etc.), often with worse armor, PD, scan, etc. The main benefit of doing so is that you don't often need to go Weapons Free and can shed spikes easily, making the UCM really lean on Limas for support. That being said, UCM cruisers are very flexible and one-on-one will tend to win out over yours. Don't fight fair. Use Active Scans to get the first shots in and try to limit exposure to the whole of the UCM firing line.
* **Scourge:** Scourge lower armor tends to make artillery weapons more capable, but superior CAW and speed mean that often they can overwhelm individual units. You need to intercept fast moving corvettes and frigates with your own fast movers, spike non-cloaked ships and send Senecas and bombers on the cloaked ones.
* **PHR:** Much like your LCs, your advantage lies in the ability to fire forward, combined with effective fire from XN-31s and Vent turrets.
* **Shaltari:** Much like the LCs, cruisers benefit from hull tanking while carrying more effective firepower then their Shaltari counterparts. The downside is that the longer range of Shaltari means that often you will get shot first. Plan accordingly.
* **Resistance:** the ship against Resistance

**Synergies:** The multirole cruisers work well with ships that complement the role you have chosen for them. Brawling usually goes with frigates and heavy frigates, with Galileo or sensor dome SCs to add spikes. Carriers often escort Aldrins, etc.

### Light Ships

#### Munifex Corvette - Atmospheric Interceptor

**Role:** They may be slow for a corvette, but Munifexes are relatively cheap and can hit enemy strike carriers fairly hard. If you don't plan on maxing out your Munifex groups, make sure to at least take 3 to enable the Squadon rule on their weapons. These have outlier and Atmoshpheric, and are your only choice to attack ships in atmosphere. A group of them on a cluster can keep that cluster clear of most opposition. Munifexes also have the Outlier rule, so are not concerned about coherency with Strike Carriers or other ships in the same battlegroup. Once a cluster is secure from enemy strike carriers they can then rise up and go after other enemy ships. Note that all the other corvettes outrange the Munifex, such that if they drop into atmo second they can find a sweat spot where they can fire and not be fired back at during your next activation. This is mostly the case with Echos and Glass that have scan 8. Nickar and Santiago at scan 6 are at the bare edge where the 2" move and 4" scan can reach.

**Matchups**

* **UCM:** Lysanders and New Orleans will often escape into atmosphere before you can bring ships to bear. You either need to bombard the cluster, contest with your own strike carriers, or send in Munifexes to hunt them down.
* **Scourge:** Scourge have lots of frigates that hide in atmo, making the Munifex very handy to have around.
* **PHR:** Medeas are tough, but you don't have other options to go after them.
* **Shaltari:** Munifexes are almost required in this matchup in order to take out the gate network.
* **Resistance:** the ship against Resistance

**Synergies:** These pair well with strike carriers and Senecas. Escort them to an objective, then send the Munifexes to take out nearby enemy strike carriers or move on to clear other clusters.

#### Armstrong Destroyer - Anti-Armour Destroyers

**Role:** The Armstrong's Mauler weapon makes it deadly against heavily armored targets, especially when taken in groups; that said, depending on your opponent it can end up being dead weight. If your local metagame includes lots of PHR and Resistance players, the Armstrong will find plenty of targets; otherwise they'll be throwing pillows at your opponent. Against 3+ or better armor the Armstrong will average its full 6 damage, which means a pair will probably kill a cruiser. ~~With only a 15" threat range and a slow 9" thrust they often will have to wait till an opponent comes to them. As prime targets for larger ships then they need to be hidden in order to avoid destruction by BCs, BBs and Dreadnoughts before they get a round of shooting in.~~ As of the 9/30/2022 balance update the HF-8 clearance laser becomes Mauler, burnthrough (6), making it ranged and not limited to scan. This gives the Armstrong exceedingly reliable ranged firepower, better then PHR hypernova lasers or UCM Cobras, except against Shaltari ships. Never take this vs. Shaltari.

**Matchups**

* **UCM:** Since most UCM ships have a 3+ save, a Mauler-equipped ship like the Armstrong would appear to be an effective choice. However the UCM has easy access to Aegis and is slightly faster in many cases, making it hard to close the gap before being shot to pieces.
* **Scourge:** Low armour values across the board makes the Armstrong really only effective against BBs and dreads.
* **PHR:** The sweet spot - low PD and high armour on most PHR ships means you will be effective against basically everything. Unfortunately, the Calibre L broadside armaments on the PHR are just as dangerous to you as you are to them. A group of 3 Armstrongs and a Galileo is a great low SR group to out activate and destroy Agrippas.
* **Shaltari:** Faster, longer ranged, passive saves and with 5+ armor, Shaltari are the worst possible matchup for Armstrongs.
* **Resistance:** Resistance are odd ducks, as they can be very low armor or very tough, depending on composition. Generally Armstrongs are effective vs. the heavier ships in the resistance fleet such as the grand cruisers and above.

**Synergies:** ~~CAW support means getting into the thick of it, often with other destroyers or heavy frigates optimized for CAW attacks. Heavy frigates with dual N-16 missiles are a close compliment. Since CAW don't benefit from target signature, these don't need active scan support.~~ Now that these ships can fire at sig+scan, they need active scan support. Since they are already critting on 3+ in most cases they don't necessarily need a Galileo and can benefit from frigate or SC active scan support. They also work well as supplemental firepower in Line groups with cruisers that don't need weapons free (4x N-8 Artillery builds for example). These can-do dual-purpose work fending off lighter ships with 4+ or 5+ armor saves that the HF-8s struggle with. A Pathfinder Group of 3 + a Galileo can be a very effective, low SR group to out activate and destroy things like Agrippas.

#### Collins Support Carrier - Fighter Support

**Role:** An unarmed (mostly) destroyer, the Collins is there to bolster your point defense. It doesn't host any fighters or bombers, instead buffing fighters deployed by your other carriers via its special rule: **Repair & Refuel**. The rule states "Any Friendly Fighters within 6” of this ship on any orbital layer are not removed when the PD bonus they conferred is used." This means that any fighters within 6" of this ship will stick around this launch phase after granting their PD bonus vs. bombers to support that ship vs. any CAW attacks in the following turn before being removed at the start of the roundup phase as normal. This isn't as good as some Aegis ship options in the UCM or PHR lists, which passively provide a PD bonus to all ships within range all the time, but it can be useful vs. certain CAW rush tactics, usually by Scourge players.

**Matchups**

* **UCM:** UCM bombers and CAW are not major strengths of the faction, which means Resistance fleets will generally have enough launch to counter bomber threats without the need for a Collins.
* **Scourge:** Scourge bombers and CAW are dangerous due to their range and the Scald rule. The Collins can potentially help, since you can preserve fighters through waves of CAW and bombers, but the Scourge player can always focus on the Collins first to deprive you of the effect or attack elsewhere.
* **PHR:** PHR bombers are very good and their ships often don't have lots of forward firepower to spread about, but the PHR doesn't tend to have many CAW weapons outside a handful of ships, but those tend to be big ships like the Minos. In that case a Collins alongside your own larger ships might be useful.
* **Shaltari:** Shaltari good average CAW weapons, but their dedicated CAW ships all have BEAM which ignores PD. This makes the Collins a less useful choice most of the time.
* **Resistance:** Not the biggest CAW faction, and with bombers and fighters in equal number, the Collins really doesn't help much here.

**Synergies:** This ship should hang out around a larger battlegroup that expects lots of CAW and bomber attacks. In theory a group with a Triumvir would provide an aegis like effect, where the Triumvir puts box o scraps tokens and drops fighters on nearby ships that the Collins keeps in play, but usually there will only be 2-3 turns of build up before the Triumvir needs to provide longer range fighter/bomber support and ships need to move out of the 6" range of the Collins.

#### Hyperyacht Aurorum - Syndicate Yacht

**Role:** Another unique ship and event exclusive that can be used by most fleets, only one Syndicate Yacht can be in your fleet at most. This destroyer sized ship adopts the launch of its parent fleet, so PHR and Scourge really get a bonus from it. It's snub mass drivers and Steath rule let it work its way up the map while remaining out of range, much like a Scourge Revenant. It doesn't have much synergy with current Resistance fleets but can be a good option to squeeze in some additional launch into a front line group. It can work as an anti-light ship. The snub 9ks are good against cutters, frigates and destroyers, and can be fired while running silent due to the stealth rule. Thus enemy ships need to be within scan range to target the Aurorum, which means they are in range of the 9ks and single phase bomber attacks.

**Matchups**

* **UCM:** TBD
* **Scourge:** These operate very similarly to the Scourge Revenant destroyer, with both likely resorting to bomber attacks against each other.
* **PHR:** PHR's longer scan range means this ship is less able to hide, however its snub 9Ks are still effective vs. the higher average armor ships of the PHR.
* **Shaltari:** TBD
* **Resistance:** TBD

**Synergies:** TBD

#### Aldrin Colony Ship - Troopship

**Role:** The Aldrin is a more expensive troopship than the Scourge Lamassu and Shaltari Selenium. Compared to the competition however, the Aldrin has significantly higher Thrust and better drop potential per ship thanks to having two bulk landers instead of only one. With a few groups of these, you should be able to out-drop your opponent while paying a similar price. They are unarmed and fragile, so don't treat them like a PHR Orpheus. They work best going for lower threat clusters where they can sit and out drop a pair of Strike Carriers or when escorted by a more threatening ship that will either protect them (Triumvir) or attract lots of firepower (Senator). They are exceedingly vulnerable to torpedoes, and UCM Havannas are their natural counter.

**Matchups**

* **UCM:** Havana Torpedo spam is a major threat against these ships. The only way to survive this is a Box o' Scraps token, so be sure to bring a Triumvir.
* **Scourge:** You can't really stop a determined Scourge rush attack on the Aldrins. Your best bet then is to screen points with your frigates, or to send them to clusters away from Nickars, Hirukos and other, faster Scourge ships.
* **PHR:** These can win the drop race against PHR troopships and have the advantage in that the light broadsides of the Orpheus are less effective vs the 3+ save.
* **Shaltari:** Shaltari range advantage means that Aldrins will be prime targets early on. You need to run silent as you approach or turn to stay out of the F(N) arc of the heavier ships.
* **Resistance:** Aldrins do one thing and one thing only - drop troops. They are prime targets for same-turn spike and snipe tactics.

**Synergies:** Escort these with Triumvirs, Senators, or other more dangerous ships to keep the fire off of them. Don't send them to that center cluster alone.

#### Strike Carrier - Strike Carrier

**Role:** As of the 2.5 update, these have been reduced in group size and increased in cost. Now they are comparable to other factions strike carriers in performance, and can be used as an active scan platform in a pinch via sensor domes. With only a group size of 2, they are harder to squeeze into a single pathfinder group and will probably end up spread across several battle groups. This can make it harder to deal with corvettes and to do last/first activations to dive onto a cluster. Note the missile turret and the sensor dome cannot be used in the Atmosphere layer, the ship must be in low or high orbit. With scan 4, most of the time it isn't worth using the missile turret at all on these ships.

**Recommended Builds:**

* **Dirt Cheap Drop:** Hybrid Turret
* **Cheap Active Scan:** Sensor Dome
* **Pocket gunship:** Light Vent Turret

**Matchups**

* **UCM:** A Lima is 37 points and Rare. A sensor dome SC is 40 points and has drop capabilities. The math speaks for itself.
* **Scourge:** Scourge are mostly reliant on their own corvettes and the Succubus destroyer for anti-drop. These are in turn vulnerable to your Sagittarii and Munifexes, making the matchup positioning-dependent.
* **PHR:** The PHR's strike carrier is tougher and has a Bombardment weapon, so you will need to focus your drops in specific sectors. Ajax cruisers can also use weight of fire to target strike carriers in atmosphere. 8" scan on echos means that they can often strike without facing retaliation by Munifexes, so it is essential that you position to block out the longer range ships.
* **Shaltari:** Gate networks are their own thing. Shaltari lack re-entry weapons so are more reliant on corvettes to take out your strike carriers. The Glass has a very large scan range making it able to sit outside Munifex range if you dropped your corvettes first.
* **Resistance:** Munifexes are your main threat. If you can destroy them then it can quickly devolve to a drop race.

**Synergies:** Sensor dome SCs can provide cheap and effective Active Scan support for battlegroups. Hybrid turret-armed carriers are dirt cheap and best used for lone drops or when paired with Munifexes. Never waste points with the CAW option.

#### Frigate - Versatile

**Role:** Cheap as chips at 25 points base. Minimum groups of these armed with a hybrid gun turret apiece can be used to harass the opponent's flank, chipping in for incidental damage while attempting to draw aggro. With a minimum of three taken per group, these sadly can't be used to fill out a list that's short on points, but taking some maxed-out groups to use as a suicide swarm can be quite effective. You can also give them a sensor dome for a little extra utility, but this raises their per-ship cost by a substantial margin - for every three you take with a sensor dome, you could have instead taken an extra frigate.

**Recommended Builds:**

* **Damage:** Hybrid Turret
* **Pocket gunship:** Light Vent Turret

**Matchups**

* **UCM:** Unsurprisingly, the UCM is well equipped to deal with swarms of ships with low armor saves and hull. Unless you are trying to make a battlegroup of 12 light vent-armed frigates to deathball up against bigger ships, strike carriers are a better choice.
* **Scourge:** By distributing your hull across so many ships, you can achieve some survivability just by being in many places at once. That being said, most Scourge light ships are more than a match for your own and outrange you, meaning you need other lights to screen for a large pack of frigates.
* **PHR:** Hybrid turrets and missiles are not very effective vs. the higher armor PHR.
* **Shaltari:** You can try to swarm the Shaltari with cheap 25 point frigates, but buying all of the models to do so will add in up terms of real-world money (240 GBP as of Dec 2022).
* **Resistance:** Much like the UCM, most resistance ships are very effective vs. these lightweights.

**Synergies:** tbd

#### Heavy Frigate - Versatile

**Role:** As with other customizable Resistance ships, make sure you have a role in mind for these when building them. These ships are almost as tough as the destroyers of other fleets, but after the v2.5 update they are a bit undergunned. They need to go weapons free to use both guns, which will cause lots of self damage if using light vent turrets. This leaves only three possible options for kitting them. Mostly these are good choices to augment a cruiser that you want to escort into the front, or as missile carriers for Senators.

**Recommended Builds:**

* **Dual Hybrid Turrets**: Stock configuration and the least expensive option.
* **The Sidekick**: Light Vent and Sensor Dome. A pair of these is a tough little active scan group that can be added to most Battlegroups if you don't take a Galileo or expect your opponent to target your active scan with cutters or frigates. Can OC the Light Vent essentially for free for good damage.
* **Missile Massacre:** Take advantage of the Senator's new rule and have a squadron of these accompany it with two missile turrets each. Anything within the Senator's scan range of 12" suddenly is much easier to hit with 10 missile shots per heavy frigate.

**Matchups**

* **UCM:** Think of it as a tougher, shorter-range Toulon, and plan appropriately. The 3+ armor means that the UCM player will have to either devote UF-6400s or significant numbers of UF-4200s to take them out.
* **Scourge:** On one hand, the hybrid guns are more effective given the Scourge's lower armor, but by the same token these are very vulnerable to Scourge CAW with the Scald rule.
* **PHR:** Hybrid railguns are less effective against the PHR armor.
* **Shaltari:** Not a great choice, as even though they hybrid railguns are good, the 3+ armor is generally ignored by the Shaltari or makes the heavy frigate worse vs. Mauler CAW ships like the Mercury.
* **Resistance:** HFs make a good firebase against other Resistance cruisers that don't carry Ablative Armor.

**Synergies:** Heavies work better with the hybrid turrets, massing them more easily to take advantage of the squadron rule. They are also very durable, making them the better choice for leading elements of your fleet. They can be expensive but durable active scan platforms but Gailieos and Strike Carriers are still the best choices. As escorts for a Senator they shine, outputting almost as much firepower as a Wyvern.

#### Newton Kill-Sat - Anti-Frigate Monitor

**Role:** These monitors can sit safely in high orbit while sniping advancing frigates with their Godray mass drivers. Since these weapons are 3 damage apiece with the Particle rule, a minimum group of these can pop a frigate a turn, slowly whittling down your opponent's numbers. Active Scan enemy ships (potentially with the Newton's counterpart, the Galileo) to add a few more inches of extra range on top of the Newton's impressive Scan of 8". Generally, too slow (Thrust 4") to be very effective, the change to dreadnoughts and the additions of cutters means that Newtons will have more opportunities to shoot, getting value off their Particle weaponry at targets mid to late game. A group within 10 inches of your frigates or other light ships will exact revenge on any Caesiums that go in for a first strike, especially if they raise their shields. Likewise, dreadnoughts going WF become prime targets, but that is what your 9k and 10k guns are for. You did bring some right? Sadly, the current space station rules make spending the equivalent points on a back line space station a far better investment than a Newton. Newton's main advantage lies in the ability to be placed where they have better lines of fire over replacing rear line sectors with a station.

It is an open question if the combination of the Particle rule with a Telescope token from a Galileo makes the Godray Mass driver a lock 2+ weapon. Look for an errata from TTCombat or get clarification from a Tournament Organizer or opposing player before using this combo.

**Matchups**

* **UCM:** A rough matchup. UCM UF-6400s and even the 4200s can reasonably threaten the lightly-armored Newton and won't have much difficulty targeting it. The larger ships that are good targets for the Newton, Bejings and Londons, can also easily destroy them.
* **Scourge:** Another tough match up - the lower armor on Scourge, coupled with fast movement and cloaking, means that the Newtons have a tough time getting a good target before they in turn become targets.
* **PHR:** More effective midgame, once some PHR ships (most likely troopships) have moved into range, but also vulnerable to PHR tricks like Calypsos, Harpocrates, Agrippa clouds and such.
* **Shaltari:** Newtons are best used to keep the Shaltari honest. Don't raise shields, or else. Very effective against the Shaltari Dreads which focus on CAW and shouldn't be firing at the Newtons.
* **Resistance:** Larger resistance ships (vanguard and flag choices) often have larger sigs and good armor, making them prime targets. Saggittarii and smaller fast movers are the natural counter to the Newtons.

**Synergies:** Some sort of Active Scan support is a must. This doesn't need to be Galileos, since Particle makes all your hits crits already, but the Newton desperately needs spikes to let it overcome its weak Thrust. Generally more effective against high armour ships and murder against Shaltari ships with active shields. If you are expecting a Shaltari Dreadnought then these can be very effective.

#### Galileo Orbital Telescope - Active Scan Monitor

**Role:** The Galileo is completely unarmed, making it an odd choice off the cuff. That's before you read its Space Telescope rule - the Galileo adds major spikes when Active Scanning instead of minor, on top of applying a Telescope token to each target it scans. The next friendly group to target a Telescoped enemy crits when exceeding their Lock value by 1, rather than the normal 2. It should go without saying that both of these are powerful effects, making the Galileo one of the standout stars amongst the Resistance's bag of tricks. One of these is mandatory for any of your big hitters. Critting on a 3+ with railguns is cruel and unusual treatment for anyone on the wrong end of a 9k/10k battery. The telescope token primarily benefits low lock, high shot count weapons, such as artillery turrets and hybrid broadsides. XN-31s weapons on cruisers tend not to have enough shots to take advantage of the bonus, but massed 9k/10k batteries start getting into a volume of fire where it matters. The bonus can also help when shooting through debris fields or planetary rings, compensating for scan and lock penalties. As of the 9/30/2022 update these have increased in points, making spamming them slightly harder.

**Matchups**

* **UCM:** Pretty standard, spike a target even if you may not shoot it this turn just to leave a telescope token on it for later.
* **Scourge:** Scourge snipers tend to have partial or full cloak and stealth, preventing the major spike. However the scanning attempt can knock them out of silent running so their signature will now apply and that can often let you get a shot in, especially on dreadnoughts.
* **PHR:** PHR often have Calypsos to nerf incoming fire, so it helps to focus two major groups to force them to use the ECM countermeasures early, or to focus on the lesser protected ships first, then use launch to take out the Calypsos.
* **Shaltari:** Shaltari outrange, and often outgun, the Resistance. What they don't have is armor, so in general the telescope token is less critical; however, Active Scanning is key against the Shaltari, so you will never regret taking a Galileo.
* **Resistance:** Target the 2+ armored ships (Gladiators, Triumvirs, Phalanxes, etc.) to maximize your extra criticals.

**Synergies:** Anything with guns wants one of these in its battlegroup. They are rare, so prioritize groups with the biggest/most guns.

#### Sagittarii - Fast Strike Cutter

*"Speed. I am Speed."*

**Role:** Cutters are fast, and the Sagittarii is no exception. With 16" of thrust, this ship is the fastest in the Resistance fleet. Its weapons are mediocre - four shots at lock 4+ - and it doesn't have Vectored like most of its direct competitors in other fleets, but it has Outlier and arc (F) artillery cannons so it doesn't need as careful positioning compared to things like the Caesium with its F(N) gun. At 30 points, the Sagittarii is also comparatively inexpensive - its only 5 points more than a frigate and you get an arguably better ship, but only being takeable in groups of 1-3 makes it tougher to spam these in comparison. Obvious targets for these are enemy frigates and corvettes, as their nominal 20"+ Sig threat range means you can often get off a first strike without having to spike opposing ships. Very useful in last/first activations to dive in and damage a cruiser, only to activate early next round and move past to target back line support ships or get behind the enemy fleet. As of the 9/30/2022 update these have gotten squadron (3), adding a little extra punch.

**Matchups**

* **UCM:** A dangerous strategy is to boost 32 inches first turn, then target an opponent's Limas or Venice on turn 2, cutting down on the UCM's desire for long-range laser sniping. Also effective against New Cairo beam spam battlegroups, as UCM light cruisers are not particularly tough and cost more.
* **Scourge:** Scourge are generally trying to get close, but they like keeping stealthed ships in the back line. Those are your best targets, as forcing them to turn and engage the Sagittarii means they are not shooting your cruisers.
* **PHR:** The PHR doesn't tend to backline snipe as much, and their tougher ships tend to shrug off the fire from a few artillery cannons. However, things like the Jason and corvettes are much more fragile, and even getting first turn shots on strike carriers (via Active Scan orders) can be beneficial. Sagattarii are also an option to take out Calypsos protecting important enemy ships.
* **Shaltari:** Caesiums will generally outmaneuver the Sagittarii, but Sagittarii can pressure other frigates, destroyers, and monitors, forcing them to raise shields and inflate their signatures. Heavier Shaltari ships tend to have lower armour values that make them more vulnerable to hits from your relatively primitive weapons. Make that Hematite pay for hiding alone in the backfield. Five Sagittarii can reliably cripple most Shaltari cruisers even with active shields and most importantly Motherships. It is worth it to sacrifice them to potentially destroy the Shaltari's critical drop.
* **Resistance:** Much like the UCM, try to take out enemy Galileos and hinder your opponent's ability to direct fire.

**Synergies:** Pairs well with Galileos or Active Scanning strike carriers/frigates that can boost your range further. Its hull buddy the Baleares also gets special mention for providing some bomber/fighter cover at the same speed.

#### Baleares - Fast Carrier

*"When you launch a rocket, you are not really flying the rocket, you are just sort of hanging on."*

**Role:** Like its gun-toting friend, the Baleares is a fast hull that sports two fighters or bomber launches per turn. Since it can bring defensive cover to any ship in your fleet or bombers to unexpected areas of the map, the Baleares is a very useful ship. That utility comes at a downside however - your launch is capped, and each lost Baleares will be felt as Resistance are designed to need fighter support. That being said, the Baleares excels at bringing bombers into the 12" same-turn resolution range, meaning many ships won't have time to respond by coming to a new heading or trying to flee into debris fields to shake them off (looking at you, Agrippa). Against smaller ships, like frigates or destroyers with lower PD, this can be very effective. With 28" of effective threat, you should be combat-effective by turn 2. Just be careful, as these ships are decently spendy and fragile, so they will be high priority targets for Ajaxes, Caesiums, Toulons, etc. The large thrust range of Baleares often lets them loop around to the rear of enemy formations or to jump from debris field to debris field in order to keep in cover while still being able to drop bombers on frigates, cutters and destroyers. This combined with the low SR means that a group of three can often use activation in order to get away from Taipei/Djinn rushers or force them to move into range for a single thrust bomber attack while keeping the Baleares out of harms way. Opposing fleets may not be able to support smaller frigates with fighter cover, especially if you have more launch. Light cruisers are still the most cost optimal platform for launch, but the Baleares speed gives them a signficant advantage for more offensive oriented launch.

**Matchups**

* **UCM:** Use these to retaliate against enemy cutters and to blunt Taipei rushes. In later turns, try to get in the opponent's backfield so they are less likely to be targeted. Watch out for Havana torpedo attacks.
* **Scourge:** Target stealth ships like Akumas or use fighters to help blunt the very deadly Scourge CAW. With a bomber double thrust range of 40", Baleares-based bombers can often start harassing Akumas on turn two, or target Parasites on turn one. Even dropping them on frigates/corvettes to force them to drop to atmosphere can help break up the Scourge attack and allow defeat in detail.
* **PHR:** PHR bombers are very dangerous, so getting fighter support to friendly ships is a must. Very good against Ourania Swiftlinks to blind the PHR, as well as targeting Calypsos so they cannot protect the larger PHR battleships and dreads. Enough bombers can even mass through Agrippa fields and start to do damage.
* **Shaltari:** Caesiums will generally outmaneuver the Baleares, but in combination with Sagittarii cutters they can pressure other frigates, destroyers and monitors. If the Shaltari raise shields they lose all their PD, and if they don't they will take more damage from the Sagittarii.
* **Resistance:** Pinpoint fighter or bomber support can turn the tide easily.

**Synergies:** Pairs well with Sagittarii. Generally, not as good an option for line support, as it is easy to get launch on cruisers that are more durable. Can be a low-cost way to squeeze in more launch if you already have most of your cruiser slots filled. Either activate late to stay back till most of the opposing ships have fired, or activate early to rush behind enemy ships.

#### Seneca Detonator - Suicide Bomber

**Role:** Cheap and extremely fragile, this lighter is a glass cannon that you want to shatter at the right time. Though these can be used as a cheap source of fire ships, the Seneca also goes up with a bang when it finally dies, making it a dangerous threat when deployed against clumped enemy ships, particularly stacked corvettes. You can always take a couple of these to fill out points, but a dedicated squadron of Senecas makes for a potent threat whose loss is pretty negligible if they do get shot at. Very high damage per point, but with some obvious downsides in fragility, and being limited to launch phase as opposed to when it activates. Fire ships are deadly against corvettes, cutters, frigates and destroyers. Mass fire ship launch can even threaten larger ships. As a bonus, they can hide in atmosphere to evade torpedoes, bombers, and many other ships. With outlier you can fit them in any battlegroup without compromising effectiveness. They generally prefer late activations to avoid getting shot at before the launch phase, or rush them early into atmosphere over clusters or choke points so they can emerge to launch their fire ships after enemy ships have passed by. They benefit greatly from low SR battlegroups.

**Matchups**

* **UCM:** UCM can stack Aegis to defend against fire ships, but that can be overcome by massed fire ship launches. The Seneca can threaten most UCM ships and only a handful of the larger ships will be able to ignore one lurking about. Kyivs can shoot them in atmosphere, so try to avoid being in line of sight to those ships in particular.
* **Scourge:** Scourge don't like these ships, mostly because if a CAW group gets close they risk going up as well. Senecas also can chase cloaked ships like Akumas or the dreads since they don't rely on Scan, are relatively fast, and if those ships turn to shoot them they are not shooting your cruisers. Watch out for Scyllas, since they can hide in atmosphere and shoot your Senecas with impunity.
* **PHR:** Senecas explode the second PHR light batteries look at them funny, but the low Lock value on fire ships attacks tends to ignore PHR armor. What this means is you will often only get one chance to launch your fire ships, so make it count. Amusingly, PHR Agrippas can be downed by an equal points weight of Senecas diving into its debris field.
* **Shaltari:** While Shaltari generally have high PD, the high crit chance on fire ships can burn through that, and the Shaltari's weak armour makes them more vulnerable to the Seneca's inevitable fiery demise. A few Senecas going after rear line Emerald motherships can quickly cause your opponent to redirect Caesiums, Glasses, and whatever other fast movers they have to go after them. Be careful about the long range on Caesiums and Glasses, lest they take out your Senecas on their way to destroying more important ships. Given that Glass are the only anti-atmo in the Shaltari list, Senecas can duck into atmo to avoid most incoming fire from other vessels.
* **Resistance:** *"--BOOOOOOOOORING! You don't wanna hear about that, Vault Hunter! You wanna hear about LOOT! AND PECS! AND EXPLOSIONS! I'm Torgue, and I am here to ask you one question, and one question only: EXPLOSIONS?!"*

**Synergies:** These ships are loners, often on their own waiting to get within range. They don't need Scan support, nor do you want them hanging around your ships during their inevitable explosion. On the plus side, you can slot them in where points and group limits allow. They can also be used to cover rear areas early game from small packs of frigates, corvettes and cutters that double thrust behind your main line, then double thrust past your opponent's line mid game to start their own opportunistic bombardment. They prefer late activations where they can get in close with little risk, preferably on low SR groups that can force an opponent to exhaust all activations before they line up to deliver their little explosive presents.

### Common Tactics

#### Backline Snipers:

Opposing forces will often have backline snipers. Akuma, Perth, Hanoi, Sarpedon, Pompeus, Obsidian, Diamonds, etc. these ships are intended to fire a large main weapon from long range, usually supported by active scans from dedicated ships like Limas and protected by cloaking or support ships. These ships rely on their long range for protection, often keeping a low signature without spikes while spiking an opponent. In some cases they will even use station keeping orders to avoid closing the distance. In most cases these ships have a F(n) weapon, so they will need to turn to aim at various ships and so won't be going weapons free. Counters include:

* Silent Running: The Silent Running order reduces a ship's signature to zero and drops all spikes. This can allow ships to close for a turn or two with reduced chance of your opponent getting range. Activate your ship first the turn you are in range to shoot the enemy sniper ship, usually with active scan support of your own.
* Frigate/Cutter Rushes: With active scan support, a Sagitarri, Baleares or a group of frigates can Max thrust turn 1, then move on standard orders turn 2 and often be in range of the target ship. Most sniper ships don't want to waste their main gun on a 30 point frigate or cutter.
* Hugging Debris Fields: Most dense debris fields have a +2 penalty to lock, making BTL weapons much less effective. Moving your ships so a debris field is between you and a back line sniping ship can hinder them greatly, but often debris fields won't be where you really want to park that Trident.

#### Cloaked Brawlers:

Some fleets, mostly Scourge, have lots of cloaked ships that will prevent the Resistance's usual spike and shoot techniques. Some of these will also have powerful close action weapons like the Banshee, or bombers like the Revenant. These can be frustrating to deal with given the lower thrust and scan of most resistance ships often lets them get into prime position and deal lots of damage. Counters include:

* Bombers: Bombers don't care about cloak, and can start attacking at 24". Even if Resistance bombers are not the best, they are good enough that an opponent will have to do something about them.
* Seneca: Much like bombers, fire ships don't care about cloaking, and the Seneca can wait in atmosphere until the enemy ships are in range, then rise up in a late activation to deliver explosions. No one wants to get hit with fireships, especially smaller destroyers.
* Torpedoes: Mostly on larger vessels, Torpedoes are ideal to go after cloaked ships or support ships like Calypsos and Opals. Since they are often very limited try to save them for key targets.
* Frigate/Cutter Rushes: Even at a reduced range, the large base thrust on these ships can let them get in and mix things up.

#### Frigate Rush:

A common tactic is to have a low SR group with powerful close action weapons and do a late first turn activation and an early second turn activation to suicide rush one of your big ships or one of your bulk landers. The classic example is a group of Djinn, but this could easily be Taipei, Ceasium, Amythest, Jason or other ships. The goal is to get in early turn 2 and focus down a key ship. Counters Include:

* Cutters: Hold for a late activation turn 1 as a counter. When your opponent rushes their frigates forward the cutters may be in range to pick them off.
* Bombers: Position ships to deploy bombers on the rushing frigates.
* Layered defense: position frigates between your big ships and the opponent. In order to target your important ships they will need to expose their ships to your frigates.