Fleet Build/Combat Guide

[Evil Wabbit]

First, when building a fleet, it is a good thing to build a base for your fleet to grow on. No, I am not talking about an actual base on which you construct things, but a base of your knowledge of battle units. If you know about drop units, it's advised to build a drop fleet. If you know about frigs, it's advised to build a frig fleet and so on and so forth. You MUST have the basic understanding of your fleet to be able to wield it effectively.

Also, units such as CV/DE you may build at your own discretion, they are heavily advised though to lower your losses in attacks with CRs or HCs. They are also good to have with any fleet as supporters to lower the amount of fleet you lose.


Drop Unit Fleets
Drop Win
Drop Fail

Understanding the Basics
A drop fleet is one of the main fleets a guild can have, and is recommended for those with smaller accounts. Why? FTs are quick and easy to build, and it will increase your battle effectiveness for the guild. Precise drops are needed to make your drop fleet go further. And you must be able to put out more and more FTs to use on the battlefield as time goes on. Drop fleets can get the job done a lot of times, but they are mainly the support fleets for the bigger guns. Being in a support role doesn't mean you won't see much action here, it will actually put you out on the front line more often than the others.

Building a Solid Core.
First, build around 100k FTs with enough hangar capacity to carry those units, whether you use CAs or FCs is you choice. Next, build some units to protect your CAs/FCs depending on which carrier you chose. IE: CRs for CAs, and HCs/BSs for FCs. You'll want to build 4X the amount of escorts as you build carriers. IE: 250 FCs = 1000 HCs. You may now expand your drop fleet again, this time to 250k FTs before building more escort units. After building 250k FTs, and enough hangar capacity and escorts, you'll want to build some HBs. I normally go by 10% of my FTs for HBs. IE: 250k FTs = 25k HBs. From here, you may build up your fleet as you want, this is just a good general core for a drop fleet.

Wielding Drops Effectively
Many people seem to not know how to do drops efficiently.
IE: http://battlepaste.nullnetwork.net/view ... 924C061049
Obviously that guy should have done a 250k FT drop first. Next, he should have attacked ONLY with CR+FT combo. To drop effectively, you must drop*;
1 FT per enemy FT
1 FT per enemy BO
2 FT per enemy HB
4 FT per enemy IB
2 FT per enemy CV
1 FT per enemy RC
4 FT per enemy DE
6 FT per enemy FR
11 FT per enemy IF
1 FT per enemy SS
2 FT per enemy OS
71 FT per enemy CR
71 FT per enemy CA
Dropping like this will kill all enemy units susceptible to FT power.
*amount dropped may be different due to tech levels, this is from my tech levels of 32 laser, 33 armour, 23 shield.


Frigate Fleets
FR Win
FR fail
IF fail
Understanding the Basics
Frig fleets can be extremely dangerous in the right hands of an active person. It takes much skill to use a frig fleet, much more than that of any other. Why? Because not only do you have to watch out for those drop fleets gunning for you, but you also have to watch out for the TI/LV fleets. This puts you in a lot of risk, but the reward can be very great. Many frig fleets are taken out quickly and easily, but with the right combinations a frig fleet can fend for itself.

Building a Solid Core
First, build a main force of 10k frigs. You'll want to arm these frigs with 20k FTs, and 10k HBs for better firepower. I find that a 2 FT/1 HB/1 Frig combo works best for frig fleets (Note: You can choose whether or not to add HBs to your Frigs, it's just something I found out works good from my Epsilon warfare). Next, you'll want to build 10k CV and 5k DE. Why? Because this will make your fleet even stronger, and it will be able to be more versatile in fighting. Now, build your fleet up to 50k FTs, 25k HBs, 25k CV, 12.5k DE, and 25k FR. You'll probably want to also use a carrier force to bring more FTs into play, so build 5k CAs and fill them with FTs. To stop those TI/LV stacks, you'll want to add half the amount of Frigs you have, to become Ion Frigs. So, at 25k FRs, you'll want 12.5k IFs. Fill those IFs with 2 IBs each, giving you 25k IBs and 12.5k IFs. Just keep building your force from there, and you will be godly out in warfare.

Wielding Frigates Effectively
To use a frigate fleet, you must know when to hit targets, and just how to hit them. If there are ANY FTs on the enemy fleet, clear them off first. This will severely drop your losses.
A fleet of 10k CRs and 5k CAs can be shot with 50k FTs, 25k HBs, and 25k FRs for a ratio of 1.5:4. Nearly a 1:3 shot.
A fleet of 25k HCs and 2.5k FCs can be shot with 260k FTs, 130k HBs, and 130k FRs for a ratio of 6.5:18.75, A 1:3 shot.
It does take a lot of fleet to maintain a Frig fleet, but the rewards for it are definitely worth it.


Cruiser Fleets
CR Win

Understanding the Basics
Cruiser fleets can be one of the scariest fleets out on the battlefield, but can also be whipped if you are not careful. Stay away from those big capital stacks unless you are carrying Ion units or HC/BS units. Also stay away from big FT/HB stacks as those FTs/HBs will eat your CRs alive. You'll want to use a CR stack against other CRs and HC/BS fleets.

Building a Solid Core.
To start, make a goal of 10k CRs, and reach it while protecting them with 40k FTs. You'll want extra meat to go with CRs, so build 5k CAs with 300k FTs. If you wish, you may add in BOs/HBs to your fleet to make it even more effective against HC fleets. You'll now want to grow your CR fleet to 25k CRs and 100k FTs. You'll also want 10k CAs and 600k FTs to help protect. Keep building to your hearts content now.

Wielding Cruisers Effectively
Cruisers MUST stay away from TI/LV stacks at all times. This is due to the shielding on the ships, and the firepower of cruisers. Also, stay away from HB/FT stacks, or be raped. Other CR stacks, HC and BS stacks are fair game, so have fun shooting them for pretty good ratios. Remember, 1 CR per enemy CR/CA, 3 CR per enemy HC, 7 CR per enemy FC, and 10 CR per enemy BS for one-shot purposes.


Heavy Cruiser Fleets
HC Win

Understanding the Basics
Heavy Cruiser fleets are one of the top fleets in-game, and get most of the action. Why? Because they are so versatile. Heavy Cruisers are able to shield-rape FTs for awesome ratios, and are quicker than other shield-rapers. They are mainly immune to BOs due to their shielding, but can be ripped to shreds by HBs, DEs, FRs, and CRs. For this reason you need to stay away from those units. HCs are good Capital killers, and can provide a lot of firepower when needed.

Building a Solid Core.
To start, you'll want to build a good 5k HCs with 40k FTs as cover. You'll want to apply extra cover by adding in 500 FCs with 200k FTs. Ramp your fleet up to 20k HCs with 160k FTs, and 2k FCs with 800k FTs. This will provide an exceptional fleet. You may want to interchange 100k FTs with 50k HBs to help support your fleet. You will also want to build some CV/DE to help when busting prings.

Wielding Heavy Cruisers Effectively
Heavy Cruisers are needed in blob crashes a lot to counter those big capital stacks, and to stop those FT stacks. However, HC stacks are yummy for those with HB/DE/FR/CR stacks. HCs are one of the best units in-game, and can be extremely dangerous when used correctly. Always attack with FT/CV/DE as support fleet on your HCs to lower your ratios.


Battleship Fleets
BS win
Understanding the Basics
Battleship units are one of the most effective units in game. Not only can they shield rape, but they also have the ability to kill capital stacks easily.
The 3 units you'll want to avoid with Battleships at all costs, are Frigates, Cruisers, and Heavy Cruisers. You'd think Heavy Bombers would also be avoided bye Battleships, however, this isn't the case as most of the firepower from Heavy Bombers is negated by Battleship shielding. This gives Battleships the ability to smash FTs/BOs on CCs, HBs through DEs, and BS+.

Building a Solid Core.
To start, you'll want to build up about 2000 Battleships. This will give you enough firepower to take down a small levi stack of 30 easily. You'll want to have double the amount of BSs as you do FCs, meaning for every 2 BS, build 1 FC. You'll want to load up all these hangars with FTs to decrease losses while hitting other fleets. CVs and DEs are optional to a BS fleet, but can be used to decrease losses further. Continue to build up BS/FC/FTs as directed.

Wielding Battleships Effectively
When faced against a LV stack, you'll want a good stack or two of BSs on your side. This is also true when a big FT fleet is on it's own base with 20+ CCs. When on CCs, you'll want to avoid HBs, IBs, DEs, FRs, IFs, CRs, CAs, HCs, and other BSs/FCs. A BS stack can change the course of an entire battle by taking down a LV stack that's online. BSs are recommended for those with some battle experience, to put them to their fullest use.

Dreadnought Fleets
DN Win

Understanding the Basics
Dreadnought stacks are highly underrated. Having the ability to shield rape FRs down, and the ability to take out capital stacks is highly valued. So why is a DN stack so rarely used on Alpha? Many older players build large CR/HC stacks, so a DN stack would be eaten alive by those CR/HC stacks. I suggest researching a lot of shielding, photon, and armour.

Building a Solid Core.
To start, you'll want to build up 500 DNs. This will give you some pretty good firepower, and you'll be able to crush quite a few fleets with them. Build some FCs with FTs and HBs to counter the CR-BS stacks that will look for your DNs. Now keep building up your DNs till you reach a good stack of 2000. This will give you the best amount for a fleet of ~40M.

Wielding Dreadnoughts Effectively
Staying away from big CR fleets, HCs, and BSs is a MUST for DNs. Although with high enough shielding you can pretty much negate a lot of CR damage, those CRs will deal enough damage to your DNs to give bad ratios when attacking them. DNs are NOT for the inexperienced, and are only for those with the highest experience. You MUST understand EVERYTHING about DNs to be able to use them effectively.

Titan Fleets
Understanding the Basics
Ok, I'll admit, I don't know a ton about Titans, but I bet I can teach you a trick or two about them. TIs are rarely used in Alpha because of the many HC stacks that will eat TIs for breakfast. However, there are many CR fleets out there that can be utterly demolished by a TI stack. TIs are only for killing fleets that don't penetrate their shielding because of their low armour, or to lower losses if you have a LV stack. I personally would never use a TI stack when busting P-rings unless at least 80%+ of the fleet I was killing was TI rapable. I would also say a minimum of 200k profit should be a standard when busting bases, otherwise it's not worth the time and effort.

Building a Solid Core.
To start, I would build at least 200 TIs. This is a small stack of TIs, but will give you the ability to shield rape quite a bit of fleet. Back up your TIs with FTs and FCs. I would also add into the mix about 50k HBs. Why? To counter those stacks of HCs. This will give your TIs a better chance of surviving to kill more and more fleet. Continue to build up your stack. A 500 TI stack would be a good sized one, but don't stop building it there. Keep on going.

Wielding Titans Effectively
To use TIs to their fullest extent, stay away from HCs, IBs, IFs, BSs, and CRs on CCs. TIs can blow up the other units quite easily and pretty well too. A TI stack coupled with a Levi stack would be an amazing combo, so I would suggest having a TI stacker and a LV stacker to get the best effects of both ships. You'll want both people to be EXTREMELY skilled in combat, otherwise the ships will be moot and food for other players.

Leviathan Fleets
Levi Win

Understanding the Basics
Levis are a very common spec, but to use them, you've got to know them inside and out, otherwise your ratios will suck quite often. The only time you'll want to hit prings with levis is when there is more than double the amount of fleet you'll lose on the base that you'll shield rape. A levi stack of 200+ doesn't afraid of HC stacks >.> Anyways, avoid BS/IF/IB at all costs, and avoid HCs in stacks of 10k+. Also avoid CRs on 15CCs or higher if they penetrate your shielding and there are quite a few of them (10k+). Levis can change the course of a war or a blob crash simply by destroying MANY times more fleet than what they're worth.

Building a Solid Core.
To start, build 50 levis. Support them with FTs and FCs. Build another 50 levis, and support them with more FTs and FCs. One of the things I do, to protect my levi stack, is to couple FRs with my LVs. My FRs can nail HC/BS stacks, so my levis don't have to run when I see those stacks incoming. I find that a FT/FR/LV combo works great, and you can mop up 90% of fleets in Alpha with this combo.

Wielding Leviathans Effectively
Levis are for those who are very active, know what they're doing, and have a prod cap of 12k+. This is so that you can pump out levis and support fleet quickly as levis take a while to pop out. One of the things you'll want when you see a IF/IB fleet coming for your levis is BOs. Yes, BOs. BOs take out IBs/IFs the best, so you'll want some (about 100k) to stop those IFs/IBs from killing your LVs. As I said before, use FRs to take out HCs/BSs so that your levis go further. To make even better ratios against fleets with small amounts of HCs/BSs or when busting prings on bases, use TIs and DNs to lower your losses. (P-ring busting for LVs is ONLY used when there is enough fleet on the base to make at LEAST 200k profit, otherwise, don't bother)

[basilisk101]

Also, units such as CV/DE you may build at your own discretion, they are heavily advised though to lower your losses in attacks with CRs or HCs. They are also good to have with any fleet as supporters to lower the amount of fleet you lose.

No. Building more than a few K for hitting prings is a great way to weaken your fleet. More useless meat units = less money spent on your actual spec, hence less finishing power. Unless the only combat you ever get into is base hits and farming people half your level, then sure.

Frigate Fleets
FR Win
FR fail
IF fail

Why no IF win, I assume you're implying IF suck? Must not have ever seen one against a levi stack then.

Building a Solid Core
First, build a main force of 10k frigs. You'll want to arm these frigs with 20k FTs, and 10k HBs for better firepower.

No, you don't, you really don't. Adding HB means you have to research plasma too, which means less research put into missiles.

A fleet of 10k CRs and 5k CAs can be shot with 50k FTs, 25k HBs, and 25k FRs for a ratio of 1.5:4. Nearly a 1:3 shot.
A fleet of 25k HCs and 2.5k FCs can be shot with 260k FTs, 130k HBs, and 130k FRs for a ratio of 6.5:18.75, A 1:3 shot.
It does take a lot of fleet to maintain a Frig fleet, but the rewards for it are definitely worth it.

Sort of like this, as proof of concept. Both of those fleets can be killed by pure FR fleets for less losses than when you throw HB in.

Dreadnought Fleets
DN Win

That's the best DN report you could find? x_______x





Decent guide for rainbow fleets... too bad nobody uses those anymore
There's some good advice in here, but also a lot of bad advice.

The reports are kinda skewed too, most of them are high level players farming people with much less fleet than them.

[Cowbacca]

Also, putting 'vettes/Destroyers in with a Frigate fleet lowers your ratios. If you're building a Frig fleet, the only units you're going to want are FT, FR, CA/FC and maybe Bombers for more dropping power or Battleships/IF for protection from Levis. Didn't read all of the guide but it seems flawed.

[Callum]

I liked it. What about scout/OS specs though?

[Evil Wabbit]

I liked it. What about scout/OS specs though?

Lawl, I'll never write a guide for specs like those.

[Evil Wabbit]

@ Basilisk - those were the best reports I could find, I wasn't able to find some reports, but when I do, they'll be posted.
Also, like I said, building CV/DE and throwing in HB to a frig fleet is your own choice, I just said that that was what worked best for me. And you may want to not build CV/DE, but when you hit rings or HC+ with CRs, you'll normally want them unless in a weird situation.

Also, putting 'vettes/Destroyers in with a Frigate fleet lowers your ratios. If you're building a Frig fleet, the only units you're going to want are FT, FR, CA/FC and maybe Bombers for more dropping power or Battleships/IF for protection from Levis. Didn't read all of the guide but it seems flawed.

Adding in CV/DE keeps the number of frigs up, letting you pew pew more. The guide will not be perfect, but it is a guide that I wrote from my experience in the field of combat. And I had a lot, trust me. Throwing BS/FC to a frig fleet removes it's purpose; speed. CA are a frig specers choice for carrying FT bulk. I have IF/IB already added into my frig fleet specs to stop DN+ from raping it.

[Yupi]

As an IF user, the bias in this "guide" breaks my heart. </3

[Evil Wabbit]

As an IF user, the bias in this "guide" breaks my heart. </3

Perhaps you could lend me a IF win report then? I haven't found one yet, but I like IFs.

[Yupi]

As an IF user, the bias in this "guide" breaks my heart. </3

Perhaps you could lend me a IF win report then? I haven't found one yet, but I like IFs.

http://battlepaste.nullnetwork.net/search" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
There's a nice variety of IF reports on there. ~

[Ory'Hara]

I liked it. What about scout/OS specs though?

and i almost fell for it, too...

[TheDonut]

My take on ion units (excluding BS):

IF fleets can never be shield-raped. With escorting fighters and descent tech, the IF fleet can never be hit for more than 3:1 ratios (unlike the frig spec which can be raped for well over 10:1).

IB's are weak, and only serve 2 purposes:
1. Trade Pirating
Many Players following the Pring/Pshield combo without building Disruptor turrets as backup. Most bases has at least 5 trade routes for an average distance of 3k. Typical defense is the dreadnought only approach.

This type of defense can be IB dropped for a profit around 5-7k with debris pickup.

2. Anti-Occupation Role
IB's are great for Dreadnought+ Permanent Occupations. Hide credits in tech/structures then cancel a queue up the appropriate number of Ion Bombers for freedom. Make sure you have recyclers to pick up debris.

IF's are more efficient ratio wise than IB's and can profit on cruiser+ (though marginally).

[Evil Wabbit]

Yes, IFs are better ratio wise for killing things, but when you need firepower against capital fleets in a frig fleet, you'll want those IB/IFs.

[Mattzo]

I much rather 30k HCs than 20k HCs + 150k CVs + 50k DEs.

Why? The idea with speccing is to focus on one unit for finishing fleets. Fleets give more profit than bases, and adding CVs/DEs just isn't worth it for what you're meant to be doing. If you're farming noobs, adding DE/CV is fine - any proper stack however shouldn't. Not worth it. Better to invest the credits in your spec.

[Evil Wabbit]

I much rather 30k HCs than 20k HCs + 150k CVs + 50k DEs.

Why? The idea with speccing is to focus on one unit for finishing fleets. Fleets give more profit than bases, and adding CVs/DEs just isn't worth it for what you're meant to be doing. If you're farming noobs, adding DE/CV is fine - any proper stack however shouldn't. Not worth it. Better to invest the credits in your spec.

There are many times when pew pewing fleets with HCs I'd want to add in CV/DE. Shooting CR+ stacks specifically.

[Mattzo]

If you're using HCs to shoot CR in any sort of number over about 500 you've gone wrong.