The Fast Attack Boat is a design unique to the Pirate clans, and is an attempt to pack the firepower of a Cutter into a hull capable of a Sloop's speed and manoeuvrability. While only a moderate threat when operating alone, pirates have begun using Fast Attack Boats in groups of three to five for devastating effect. These "wolf packs" have become a serious threat to light and mid-sized shipping.
Overview[]
The Fast Attack is, as its name suggests, a very fast and manoeuvrable ship. It has a lot of tools that enable it to cripple mobility, such as an Energy Net and Gatling Guns, which combine well with its Carronades that are hard to hit without slowing the enemy first. Even against larger ships it poses a threat to its mobility, and with its carronades that will hit them reliably.
Summary[]
Pros[]
- Amazing mobility.
- Cost efficient.
- Ability to cripple mobility.
- Threat to larger ships.
- Decent crew size.
Cons[]
- Low firepower (when compared to a Schooner).
- Low hull strength.
- No Harpoons to take advantage of crew size by default.
Battle at Procyon Statistics[]
Point Cost: 30 VP
- Minimum Cost: -7 VP
Mass: 4,500
Max Thrust: 20,000
Max Speed: 40 km/h
- True Speed Value: 11.111111
Manoeuvrability: Very Good
- Max Angular Acceleration: 5.483114
Crew Size: 11
- 1 Captain
- 1 First Mate
- 1 Helmsman
- 1 Rigger
- 3 Fighters
- 4 Gunners
Hull Strength: 950 HP
- Core Strength: 100 HP
Firepower: Average (4 Banks)
1 Energy Net Launcher
4 Medium Carronades
2 Laser Gatling Guns
Battle Strategy[]
The Fast Attack is a very cost efficient ship with amazing speed and manoeuvrability. As such, it is well suited to hit and run attacks, which also synergies well with its default weapon choices. Unlike other small pirate ships, this one has medium sized cannons rather than light ones as its main fire power. Additionally, it has an Energy Net Launcher. The longer cooldown, but higher damage of these cannons, or carronades in this case, is well suited for hit and run tactics due to higher burst damage and more time to reposition before shooting again. The default option of carronades are excellent against larger ships, especially with multiple fast attacks, due to much higher damage and the ability to start devastating fires, while still landing consistently. Against smaller ships, cannons usually would be more preferable for a more reliable hit probability, however, the Energy Net and Gatling Guns allow you to cripple mobility, which should help you land the slow carronades more easily against them too. This also is very effective against even far larger ships, as you will always pose a huge threat to their sails with these weapons. However, it is also rather anti synergetic to have an Energy Net combined with a weapon designed to destroy sails, although both are very useful. Some improvements to the default load out take this into account, for example, if you want to enhance your ability to destroy sails and improve damage in general, you can replace the Energy Net with a Medium Lancer. Or you can rely on the Energy Net to cripple the enemies mobility, and replace the Gatling Guns with Harpoons, taking advantage of the high (comparatively to ships of a similar cost) crew count to board small ships. Boarding small and fast ships is usually difficult as hitting the Harpoon is unreliable, and it can be challenging to stay close to them, often forcing you to destroy their sails leaving you with a damaged ship. However, an Energy Net Launcher solves this issue, slowing them temporarily to help board them without dealing any damage. If boarding is not a concern, then you can equip Cannons instead for extra firepower, or Lancers for a compromise between hull and sails damage. Having said that, even when you don't want to board the enemy, combining Harpoons with Energy Nets is very effective as it will reduce the enemy's ability to break the grapple when their energy is reduced, allowing you to more easily hold them in place and halt their movement completely.
Counter-Tactics[]
If they are too fast to hit, you aim for the sails first to limit their speed. Staying at range can help against their short range Carronades that won't hit you at long range. Lancers are going to hit more reliably than cannon, but Plasma Cannons are the best cannon type against them, make sure you equip a decent gunner though. Grav Charges can also help you aim more easily against them.
Open Skirmish Names[]
- Shrike
- Falcon
- Wasp
- Stinger
- Venom
- Viper
- Hornet
- Mongoose
- Black Widow
- Killer Bee
- Cobra
- Serpent
Known Ships[]
A wrecked Fast Attack.
- Jack of Clubs (Mission 5)
- Dashing Rogue (Mission 10)
- The Untamed (Mission 11)
- Hunter (Mission 11)
- Ferret (Storm Front, called Payoff in the game files)
- Killer Bee (Locusts, called Berserker in the game files)
- Unnamed Fast Attack (Credits)
- Unnamed Wrecked Fast Attack (Shadow Dance)
- Unnamed Wrecked Fast Attack 1 (Mission 9)
- Unnamed Wrecked Fast Attack 2 (Mission 9)
Trivia[]
- If one were to replace all the weapons on the Fast Attack with Light LaserBall Cannons, it would refund 37 victory points, since the ship itself only costs 30, this would grant the player 7 points for using this ship. This makes it extremely overpowered in low point games with a high ship count limit, and is clearly a design oversight and an exploit. For example: in a 50 point game with 10 ships, one can actually get 9 Fast Attacks with Light Cannons, plus a Barque with some crew.
- The ship is similar to the one used by Nathaniel Flint.
Flint's Fast Attack bombarding anArcturian Merchantship.
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