While we released 3 sizeable patches in the wake of Update #187, our first big update following the BROOD milestone is #188, Gundecks Roar. In this update, we've made some more important improvements to the new Brood era, improved the warning you get before encounter jyeeta, added a rank 15 Gundeck Boss Talent, improved autocannons against craft, and added 5 new craft defense and attack related components, and as always, more too. Check the full release notes for everything!
If you're enjoying the pace of updates and the new major expansion pack, please sure to leave a review and tell a friend.
Brood Improvements
With Update #188 we've addressed the two biggest pieces of feedback from the player-base for Brood -- the jyeeta carriers are a surprise and you needed more time to defeat the era. For the first, we've now added a discussion between your officers and the captain about the known aspects of jyeeta that make them so challenging as soon as the era starts -- consider it a better pre-warning. Second, if you're getting involved in the jyeeta era, following the story and knocking down the brood score, you are constantly extended the timeline you have to defeat the era. The more you're involved, the more time you get. For those who want the era to end as quickly as possible so you can get back to peaceful trading, don't get involved!
We've also added a correct story mission objective to help you find the Brood quadrant as soon as it starts. Or, you can always check the Rumors screen to see the current Era and plot a waypoint.
Take Down All Zigs
The Gundeck Boss has gained a new rank 15 Talent to help eviscerate incoming craft with a +50% Damage bonus only to craft and a +10% craft hit chance. While it needs to be paired with other craft accuracy components or Talents, the massive Damage bonus can let you really light up incoming bombers and interdictors!
In addition, we've modified Autocannon rules to ensure that if you are fighting at close range with an enemy they will fire at craft on either side of the screen -- either those that have closed on your ship or those sticking close to the enemy ship, where before they only fired on those that have closed. This gives your ACs an entire additional turn to fire at craft if you can close on the enemy carrier, increasing the value of the strategy of getting close. Of course, watch out because the enemy ACs have the same rules now too.
Quick note on the enemy -- the AI controlling craft is now smarter about launching craft and will avoid launching too many defensive interdictors once you are inside of torpedo and missile range.
New Ship Components
Five new ship components have been added with this update, all enabling more focused anti-craft ship builds. The Railtrak Guidance Matrix 3 and 4 are going to further improve your ability to take out enemy craft before they reach you. You can only pick up the RTGM 4 at a Steel Song starport though.
The C-Tak Interceptor System 3 and 4 give the reverse, increasing your defenses and ability to avoid incoming craft and bombing runs. The CTIS 4 is only available at Zenrin starports though.
Finally, we've added a Thulun-only Reactive Hangar Bay which is a way to gain additional % chance to dodge craft attacks. This modified hangar has defensive systems for the ship while still housing a craft. However, you'll have to trade the Armor or Shield or your Reinforced or Shielded Hangar Bays for it.
Finally, with Update #188 we've made some needed balance changes to defensive and offensive components in regards to +Initiative buffs. Defense Pattern Matrix ranks 1 through 3 have had their +Initiative bonus removed. They are still amazing even without it. Defense Pattern Matrix 4 retains an Initiative bonus, but it has been lowered to a +1. Finally, we've added +Initiative bonuses to aggressive Targeting Matrix components ranks 2 to 4. As bonus Initiative determines who fires first and therefore who gets Crippling Effects or knocks out enemy components, we're going to ensure these types of bonuses are found mostly on offensive ship components in future additions and balance updates.
Ship Discounts
Ships are expensive and the discounts against them can really add up quickly. For a long time, Contacts and Talents could each provide a 15% discount. With this update, we've finally reduced that discount to 10% for either. While this hurts, it is a needed balance for the price of ships, resale rules, and to help ensure the differentiation between hull prices is enough.
Calling All Cyber Knights!
While we still have a lot of work to finish out the Star Traders: Frontiers development roadmap, we're excited to be coming out of the pre-production phase on our next game and ready to share. In Cyber Knights, you are the razor-sharp leader of a covert merc company operating in the New Boston Zone in 2231. Built around a core of turn-based gameplay featuring stealth, hacking, ambushes, firefights and complex missions, Cyber Knights weaves the human story of your team, their loyalty and their sacrifice in a dehumanizing cyberpunk world.
Coming to KickStarter in Feb 2020, sign up to get the call and alerted about free first day rewards, discounts and more! We're gathering the most crackpot amazing alpha team ever and we hope you'll join us.
v3.0.11 - 11/15/2019
- Participating in the Jyeeta Brood Era extends the storyline timer, giving more time to succeed
- Added mission objective to make it easier to find the Jyeeta Brood Quadrant
- Added officer warning about the dangers of fighting jyeeta carriers and strategies you might consider
- Added rank 15 Gundeck Boss Talent "Take Down" grants +50% damage to craft and +10% to hit craft
- Autocannons firing at range 1 or 2 will now fire on craft near their own capital ship if no enemy craft have closed yet
- Improved AI intelligence about launching interdictors when they cannot intercept torps or missiles
- Added Railtrak Guidance Matrix 3 and 4, grade 4 is Steel Song only
- Added C-Tak Interceptor System 3 and 4, grade 4 is Zenrin-only
- Added Thulun-only "Reactive Hangar Bay" giving some ship defense against craft while docking a craft
- Removed +Initiative bonus from Defense Pattern Matrix 2-3, reduced DPM 4 +Init bonus, added +Init bonuses to Targeting Matrix 2-4
- Reduce cool down on Gundeck Boss Talent "Dead Eye" and Explorer "Tag the Beast" to ever 3 weeks
- Reduced maximum price reduction for Contact's "New Ship" discount to 10%, maximum Talent discount to 10%
- Increased some ship prices purchased at the starport
- Improved limit on appearance of Jyeeta Brood Era to make sure it cannot show up unfairly early
- Fixed miscounted cargo in the "Stockpiled for Riches" mission involving weapons stashes
- Fixed hovers with some Jyeeta rumors missing description