Crew Combat Strategy

*"Give me covering fire, keep their heads down! By Shalun we have the rat now!"Add*
- Aurelius Family Bounty Hunter upon engaging his target's guards

There are many approaches to crew combat and each Star Trader Captain will have their own preferred style, be it crippling the enemy before dealing devastating blows, or simply dealing so much damage that the enemy cannot keep up. This page will be dedicated to assisting Captains in deciding how to approach Crew Combat, and to offer advice in how to train and deploy combat crew. The following sections will detail individual crew training suggestions, as well as specific combat strategies and combinations. Experienced Captains are also invited to add their own strategies and crew builds.

## Boot Camp

The basics of Crew Combat strategy are simple: Keep your crew in the slots they prefer, and try to keep them all from being defeated while you try to defeat the enemy combatants. However, like most parts of Star Traders, the basics are only the beginning. Different jobs work well together in Crew Combat, especially so when Officers can have two or three combat jobs at the same time. Each Job type, as discussed below, has their own preferences for their role on the battlefields of the galaxy.

All Captains start with one Swordsman, one Pistoleer, and two Soldiers as part of their crew. For those Captains who are not interested or actively avoid crew combat, these will likely be the only combat crew they have. A good, flexible strategy for these starting crew is as follows.

Soldiers: Good at slots 3 and 4, these backline fighters with access to crowd control talents, such as Suppressing Fire, and decent self-buffs like Discipline.

Pistoleer: Good at slots 1 through 3, Pistoleers like to stay mobile, buffing themselves while using crippling attacks on the enemy.

Swordsmen: Good at slots 1 and 2, Swordsmen prefer to hit frontline targets while buffing themselves.

The Soldiers should use Suppressing fire to knock position dependent attackers, such as enemy Swordsmen back to a position where they cannot attack from. At the same time, doing this will pull forward backline combatants like Soldiers, who will then have to waste turns moving back into a firing position. Pistoleers can prevent them from moving back with Pinning Shot, keeping the enemy disorganized, and the Swordsman can easily hack away at vulnerable targets who can't fight back.

From Mr. LegalCheats: for crew combat on brutal to impossible, it is recommended you get the crew combat team ready at the start of the game, because enemies scale faster than you and it will be difficult to recruit high level high initiative combat crew in mid to late game. The key is to reroll and S/L in the first 12 weeks when you can still save the game and build a star team before you start off to "Prove your character". Do this:

0. reroll until you have a high initiative doctor officer (recommended max initiative 24+).

1. at the first planet, hire a level 2 crew (say, a soldier or Swordsman), fire one officer (I fire engineer since Q master's perceptive boss is more useful), promote the level 2 crew to officer, train him level 1 commander, get the discerning glance talent, save in slot 1, and start S/L to get a high initiative combat crew (solider or Swordsman, recommended max initiative 24+). If you want to go nuts, you can get a full 27+ team in about 20 minutes or so. High initiative is 80% of CC success, don't quote me on that.

2. repeat this every 3 weeks or so until you have a full CC team (so for combat captain, you need 2 more crews, for non-combat captain, need 3).

If you do not do this, on impossible you will be facing level 40+ enemies with your level 18 Crew combat team, and that's bye bye birdie for you.

## Advanced Training

For those Captains who want to chase down criminals in the wilderness, find glory in boarding attacks, or fight the terror that is the Xeno face to face, the following sections will describe each job in detail, from suggested battlefield roles to their synergies with other jobs.

### Assassins

Assassins specialize in frontline combat, using swords, knives, smoke grenades, and deadly poisons to weaken and kill enemies. As an Officer, synergizes well with Swordsman, Spy, Combat Medic, and Zealot.

### Bounty Hunters

Bounty Hunters prefer backline combat, using Crippling Attacks, and issuing Intimidating Commands. As an Officer, synergizes well with Soldier, Sniper, Commander, and Exo-Scout.

### Combat Medics

Combat Medics prefer to stay in the middle ranks, using squad healing Buffs, and uses the occasional Crippling Attack. As an Officer, synergizes well with Pistoleer, Doctor, and Military Officer.

### Commanders

Commanders, on their own, lack any attacks. They do, however, provide powerful Buffs to the entire team, while crippling the enemy with Intimidating Orders. As an Officer, synergizes well with Military Officer, Spy, Combat Medic, and Pistoleer.

### Exo-Scout

Exo-Scouts focus on staying mobile within the front ranks, while punishing the enemy with Crippling Attacks. Their Crippling and Buffing Attacks make them a formidable threat. As an Officer, synergizes well with Soldier and Bounty Hunter.

### Military Officers

Military Officers, similar to Commanders, prefer to buff their team and issue Intimidating Commands. They also have a powerful Crippling Pistol Attack that reduces enemy Armor and Initiative. As an Officer, synergizes well with Pistoleer, Combat Medic, and Commander.

### Pistoleer

Pistoleers are flexible combatants, using Crippling Attacks, self Buffs, and Buffing Attacks with mobility. As an Officer, synergizes well with Military Officer, Commander, Spy, and Combat Medic.

### Sniper

Snipers specialize in long range combat, taking down enemies one at a time. Their attacks specialize in penetrating armor and dealing huge damage to single targets, usually at the cost of Initiative penalties. As an Officer, synergizes well with Bounty Hunter, Soldier and Spy.

### Spy

Spies work best in the middle ranks, using their unique Stealth Mode to avoid attacks and inflict power Critical hits regularly. Their Stealth attacks can be powerful Buffs or powerful Crippling Attacks. As and Officer, synergizes well with Pistoleer.

### Soldier

Soldiers are flexible and powerful combatants, with Talents that allow them to be deadly in the front ranks or support from the rear. Their Talents focus exclusively on combat, with Buffs, Crippling Attacks, and Buffing Attacks being the norm. As an Officer, synergizes well with Bounty Hunter, Commander, and Exo-Scouts.

### Swordsman

Swordsmen are frontline combatants, using their blades to deal heavy damage and Crippling Attacks. Their Buffs focus on boosting Morale, defense, and they have the unique ability to Counter Attack when using Sharp Counter. As an Officer, synergizes well with Zealot.

### Zealot

Zealots in combat focus exclusively on front rank melee combat. They have powerful self Buffs and can inflict the Bleed status effect. As an Officer, synergizes well with Swordsmen.