User:Zemurin/Boarding Guide - Revision history

Zemurin: /* The COD2 push */

2026-06-15T08:43:02Z

The COD2 push

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:43, 15 June 2026
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	Take a full squad, kill the last COD defender, and then move the squad (only the 8 guys, not 11 or however many is possible to move) to COD2. There, you will kill the single COD2 defender, and will be rushed by forces from Bridge, Reactor, Armory, and Storage once they alert to full.		Take a full squad, kill the last COD defender, and then move the squad (only the 8 guys, not 11 or however many is possible to move) to COD2. There, you will kill the single COD2 defender, and will be rushed by forces from Bridge, Reactor, Armory, and Storage once they alert to full.

	'''Do nothing''' to help your guys out, ge ~~tthem~~ out of the fight as soon as they have drawn enough enemies to COD2. The more people they bring out, the better.		'''Do nothing''' to help your guys out, get them out of the fight as soon as they have drawn enough enemies to COD2. The more people they bring out, the better.

	Send nothing to the empty COD, either! You need the room so your marines can fall back to the airlock.		Send nothing to the empty COD, either! You need the room so your marines can fall back to the airlock.

Zemurin at 08:39, 15 June 2026

2026-06-15T08:39:00Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:39, 15 June 2026
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	{{Ver\|0.8.1.6}}		{{Ver\|0.8.1.9}}

	For schmu.		For schmu.
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	[[File:boarding.destroyer.png\|500px\|thumb\|right\|Boarding a Carkalon]]		[[File:boarding.destroyer.png\|500px\|thumb\|right\|Boarding a Carkalon]]

	You start at the airlock. Airlock is a safe space. Whatever they throw at you while you hold the airlock ~~(and~~ ~~especially~~ have boarders offscreen ~~since~~ ~~they~~ ~~don't~~ ~~fit~~ in ~~the~~ ~~airlock)~~ ~~will~~ ~~die~~.		You start at the airlock. Airlock is a not a safe space, but it's best of the bad choices. Whatever they throw at you while you hold the airlock will eventually die, as long as you have boarders offscreen or in staging area so they can cycle wounded for fresh troops.

	The room right next to the airlock is the '''CORRIDOR OF DEATH''' (COD). Whatever '''you''' throw into that corridor will die.		The room right next to the airlock is the '''CORRIDOR OF DEATH''' (COD). Whatever '''you''' throw into that corridor will die.
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	This is where you need to learn about supporting fire. People in rooms adjacent to a room where combat is happening will help out by firing into the room, if they are alerted to the situation (red circle on a room).		This is where you need to learn about supporting fire. People in rooms adjacent to a room where combat is happening will help out by firing into the room, if they are alerted to the situation (red circle on a room).

	In the ''airlock'' you have the advantage because you have 8 marines in there, along with '''100+ marines offscreen''', all of which are ~~firing~~ ~~into~~ ~~the~~ ~~airlock,~~ ~~with~~ ~~30%~~ of ~~their~~ ~~combat~~ ~~strength~~.		In the ''airlock'' you have the advantage because you have 8 marines in there, along with '''100+ marines offscreen''', all of which are can cycle to replace your wounded. These offscreen marined '''do not''' provide cover fire, just fresh meat.

	In the ''corridor of death'', the enemy has the advantage, because they have 8 guys there, and quite likely another 20-30 more in 4 adjacent rooms, all of which are firing into your marines, and additionally, every one of their guys is 2-3x stronger than your marines. You cannot take the COD, and you '''should not''' attempt to.		In the ''corridor of death'', the enemy has the advantage, because they have 8 guys there, and quite likely another 20-30 more in 4 adjacent rooms, all of which are firing into your marines, and additionally, every one of their guys is 2-3x stronger than your marines. You cannot take the COD, and you '''should not''' attempt to.
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	=== Drawing hostiles into airlock ===		=== Drawing hostiles into airlock ===

	Instead, send 2 marines into the COD. They will die instantly - but this will flag the defenders of that room for a counterattack onto the airlock. So sit tight, and wait until all but one of the COD-hostiles tries to take over the airlock and dies.		Instead, send 2 marines into the COD. They will die instantly (unless you retreat them when wounded) - but this will flag the defenders of that room for a counterattack onto the airlock. So sit tight, and wait until all but one of the COD-hostiles tries to take over the airlock and dies.

	The last man in a room (any room) will never leave it, so ideally you lost the initial sacrificial lambs, and possibly some airlock defenders, but they lost their entire COD garrison, minus the one remaining. This is what we'll do from now on - getting their people into COD, and then to hit you in the airlock, while you suffer minimal losses of the sacrificial grunts.		The last man in a room (any room) will never leave it, so ideally you lost or retreated the initial sacrificial lambs, and possibly some airlock defenders, but they lost their entire COD garrison, minus the one remaining. This is what we'll do from now on - getting their people into COD, and then to hit you in the airlock, while you suffer minimal losses of the sacrificial grunts.

			Fighting in the airlock from now on will provide the enemy only with support fire from the single enemy they have in the COD, and not 30 guys in all adjacent rooms. This will make fights easier, but still nowhere fair.

	=== Panic ===		=== Panic ===

	When ~~meridia~~'s forces panic, they will inevitably go kamikaze, rush your troops and die, while dealing damage to your people. Often, they will flee combat and go to another room.		When Meridia's forces panic, they will inevitably go kamikaze, rush your troops and die, while dealing damage to your people. Often, they will flee combat and go to another room.

	'''Never chase them'''. In that room, they will ''still'' go kamikaze, and die, but deal no damage to you, and also - since you were not the one who killed them - there will be no structural integrity loss.		'''Never chase them'''. In that room, they will ''still'' go kamikaze, and die, but deal no damage to you, and also - since you were not the one who killed them - there will be no structural integrity loss.
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	=== Back to the COD ===		=== Back to the COD ===

	There is a single COD defender, but the 4 rooms adjacent to it are filled. You need to draw them out. If the defender is not a gunner or marine (those are armored and do more damage), send 3 marines. If the defender is a gunner or marine, send 4. All these you send will die, ~~accept~~ ~~that~~.		There is a single COD defender, but the 4 rooms adjacent to it are filled. You need to draw them out. If the defender is not a gunner or marine (those are armored and do more damage), send 3 marines. If the defender is a gunner or marine, send 4. All these you send will die - unless you retreat fast and in time.

	When they engage the single defender - enemies from nearby alerted rooms will come rushing to help and hopefully (!) overwhelm you by sending 4-5 people. This is the ideal scenario which often happens. Once your guys ~~die~~, all but one enemies will rush the airlock - and die ~~as well~~. This way we're trading more or less 1:1, which is the goal as they only have up to 80 defenders, while we started with 120+.		When they engage the single defender - enemies from nearby alerted rooms will come rushing to help and hopefully (!) overwhelm you by sending 4-5 people. This is the ideal scenario which often happens. Once your guys are gone (dead or retreated), all but one enemies will rush the airlock - and die here. This way we're trading more or less 1:1, which is the goal as they only have up to 80 defenders, while we started with 120+.

	Eventually you will have drained:		Eventually you will have drained:
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	Take a full squad, kill the last COD defender, and then move the squad (only the 8 guys, not 11 or however many is possible to move) to COD2. There, you will kill the single COD2 defender, and will be rushed by forces from Bridge, Reactor, Armory, and Storage once they alert to full.		Take a full squad, kill the last COD defender, and then move the squad (only the 8 guys, not 11 or however many is possible to move) to COD2. There, you will kill the single COD2 defender, and will be rushed by forces from Bridge, Reactor, Armory, and Storage once they alert to full.

	'''Do nothing''' to help your guys out, they ~~are~~ ~~already~~ ~~dead~~. The more people they bring out, the better.		'''Do nothing''' to help your guys out, ge tthem out of the fight as soon as they have drawn enough enemies to COD2. The more people they bring out, the better.

	Send nothing to the empty COD, either!		Send nothing to the empty COD, either! You need the room so your marines can fall back to the airlock.

	Once your guys are ~~dead~~, all but one of COD2 enemies will rush COD, and then all but one of COD enemies will rush the airlock. ~~And~~ die there.		Once your guys are out, all but one of COD2 enemies will rush COD, and then all but one of COD enemies will rush the airlock - and die there.

	Rinse and repeat, carefully, with ever smaller sacrificial squads, until nothing but one defender remains in all rooms except the COD and COD2.		Rinse and repeat, carefully, with ever smaller sacrificial squads, until nothing but one defender remains in all rooms except the COD and COD2.

Zemurin at 11:26, 10 June 2026

2026-06-10T11:26:07Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:26, 10 June 2026
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	GG.		GG.

			[[Category:Guides and Tutorials]]

Zemurin at 11:25, 10 June 2026

2026-06-10T11:25:13Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:25, 10 June 2026
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			{{Ver\|0.8.1.6}}

	For schmu.		For schmu.

Zemurin at 10:09, 10 June 2026

2026-06-10T10:09:46Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:09, 10 June 2026
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	So, you want to know how to board. No, you don't. You want to know how to board a Meriavex or a Carkalon, and pull it off. 90% prep, 10% execution. So let's get started.		So, you want to know how to board. No, you don't. You want to know how to board a Meriavex or a Carkalon, and pull it off. 90% prep, 10% execution. So let's get started.

	== ''What's the issue with Meridia?'' ==		== '''What's the issue with Meridia?''' ==

	Meridia's forces are special. They have several modifiers that make boarding their ships very difficult.		Meridia's forces are special. They have several modifiers that make boarding their ships very difficult.

Zemurin at 10:09, 10 June 2026

2026-06-10T10:09:31Z

Show changes

Zemurin: /* The Deeed */

2026-06-10T08:06:21Z

The Deeed

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:06, 10 June 2026
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	We boil down to a selection between an Axcetor or a Sledge. Both will work - Sledge because of 4 turrets, exclusively plasma cannons, and Axcetor because of 5 turrets where 2 can be filled with S plasma repeaters.		We boil down to a selection between an Axcetor or a Sledge. Both will work - Sledge because of 4 turrets, exclusively plasma cannons, and Axcetor because of 5 turrets where 2 can be filled with S plasma repeaters.

	== The ~~Deeed~~ ==		== The Deed ==

	Let's walk through every step of the way.		Let's walk through every step of the way.

Zemurin at 08:04, 10 June 2026

2026-06-10T08:04:46Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:04, 10 June 2026
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	This still leaves a lot of defenders in the armory, reactor and bridge.		This still leaves a lot of defenders in the armory, reactor and bridge.

			=== Running out of meat? ===

			You have prisoners. Go recruit them in your ship's Toolbar/Crew tab, then click the cogwheel and deploy everything you can scrounge up. Every gun matters. If there were people floating in space, they will be collected by now (if they are far away, fly to them, grab them), and then push everyone into service.

	=== The COD2 push ===		=== The COD2 push ===

Zemurin at 07:59, 10 June 2026

2026-06-10T07:59:39Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:59, 10 June 2026
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			For schmu.

	[[File:boarded.destroyer.png\|500px\|thumb\|right\|Catch a Meriavex lately?]]		[[File:boarded.destroyer.png\|500px\|thumb\|right\|Catch a Meriavex lately?]]

Zemurin: Created page with "Catch a Meriavex lately? So, you want to know how to board. No, you don't. You want to know how to board a Meriavex or a Carkalon, and pull it off. 90% prep, 10% execution. So let's get started. == '''What is needed?''' == The shopping list is relatively simple: === A slow damager === A ship able to easily but '''slowly''' bring down a destroyer to 0%. Speed matters. boarding checks start at 40% and happen every 15% a..."

2026-06-10T07:58:11Z

Created page with "500px|thumb|right|Catch a Meriavex lately? So, you want to know how to board. No, you don't. You want to know how to board a Meriavex or a Carkalon, and pull it off. 90% prep, 10% execution. So let's get started. == '''What is needed?''' == The shopping list is relatively simple: === A slow damager === A ship able to easily but '''slowly''' bring down a destroyer to 0%. Speed matters. boarding checks start at 40% and happen every 15% a..."

New page

[[File:boarded.destroyer.png|500px|thumb|right|Catch a Meriavex lately?]]

So, you want to know how to board. No, you don't. You want to know how to board a Meriavex or a Carkalon, and pull it off. 90% prep, 10% execution. So let's get started.

== '''What is needed?''' ==

The shopping list is relatively simple:

=== A slow damager ===

A ship able to easily but '''slowly''' bring down a destroyer to 0%. Speed matters. boarding checks start at 40% and happen every 15% after that. If you do 50% damage with a strong rail alpha strike, you'll skip the crucial milestone checks and more likely than not destroy the ship. You need a selection of weapons that don't do much critical damage, have low individual damage per shot, so the first low-damage hit after a milestone forces a boardable check without oppressively damaging the hull.

=== EMP weapons ===
Every weapon has an EMP value, but some weapons are '''far''' better than others. Namely, plasma cannons. Plasma repeaters are also usable (especially since there are no plasma cannons in S-size). EMP starts to visibly accumulate only after armor and shields are depleted, and you have a limited window of time to do most EMP buildup you can until each check is rolled.

For this reason best to avoid ''any'' sources of damage that don't carry EMP - such as drones, mercs or anything that might interfere in the process. Ideal conditions are an empty map, you, the target and your plasma weapons in between.

=== Huge crew ===
A simple Meridia deckhand is worth 3 of your marines and will kill them 1-vs-3 without much issues. You need numbers. Forget taking down a destroyer with anything other than a size-5 vessel.

=== Even more crew! ===
[[File:brig.png|500px|thumb|right|Brig]]
Having a full complement of marines may not be enough. Having people in the ship's brig will also help. Having people floating out in space in pods is also a good source to bodies to throw at them.

=== ''Good'' crew ===
[[File:boarding.skills.png|500px|thumb|right|Boarding skills]]
This means skills. Primarily Assault doctrine, and if you can, in any way, get officers (of combat or engineering category) that have both Assault Doctrine and Crew Conditioning skills in the first two slots. These are the only slots these two skills can appear - if you don't see them when hiring people, they won't get them later - so visit every Personnel center until you find at least one such unicorn!

If you can't get the unicorns, focus on assault doctrine so you reach 8/3. You'll need it.

=== Other considerations ===

# Ship can't be lvl 81+ - those never pass boarding checks.
# You have a stash of locator beacons - you will need at least one.
# You are not at war with Canisec - you will need a patrol run as Orsanon's Bounty Hunts won't generate destroyers as primary target so those are unreliable.

== '''The Ship''' ==

[[File:boarder.ship.png|800px]]

Ship selection matters. One might think combat vessels are go-to choice for boarding combat, but nope, destroyers only have room for 80 crew while reclaimers and harvesters have room for 96 (without skills), and much more is needed for a successful Meridia destroyer capture. Also, but less importantly, combat hulls boost critical damage, you don't want this. In fact, disable all skills boosting criticals.

In addition, a ship with as many hardpoints as possible, to spread the combat power around and have each weapon do less damage individually. Also, no drones, no torpedoes, no distractions.

We boil down to a selection between an Axcetor or a Sledge. Both will work - Sledge because of 4 turrets, exclusively plasma cannons, and Axcetor because of 5 turrets where 2 can be filled with S plasma repeaters.

== The Deeed ==

Let's walk through every step of the way.

=== Getting a destroyer boardable ===

# Start a Patrol, on Extreme. If you reach lvl 80 ships and don't see a destroyer, reset your rank and retry.
# Once you spot a destroyer, '''save to slot 1'''.
# Shoot at it until it is boardable. If it is destroyed, reload '''1'''.

Chances of a destroyer becoming boardable on a killing shot, assuming plasma weapons that manage to fill the EMP bar about halfway through, are ''measly'' 5.9%. To make it boardable at 40% hull - much less. This might take 10 or more attempts.

=== Prep for boarding ===

You managed to make it boardable. Make sure there are no distractions like remaining hostile ships. This is where we start boarding prep. Drop a locator beacon. Approach the ship.

'''Save to slot 2'''.

[[File:Boarding.setup.png|500px|thumb|right|Boarding Setup]]

For boarding, you want:

* Aggressive
* Hollow
* No grenades
* No automove
* Yes to autobuy
* All marines

Start the boarding, and do nothing. Check the compartments, count the hazards. If you have 20% structural integrity, and see 2 or more hazards in compartments, '''load 2'''. You can wing this with a single hazard if you start at 20% integrity, but optimally no hazards (which can happen on 30% attempts).

For starting events - there are events that make the attempt easier, but ''none are mandatory''. Sure - a disabled reactor will prevent them from blowing up the ship, but the strategy does not hinge on this. In fact, one of the best events is a negative one - where entire enemy crew starts alerted.

=== The Grim and Gritty ===

[[File:boarding.destroyer.png|500px|thumb|right|Boarding a Carkalon]]

You start at the airlock. Airlock is a safe space. Whatever they throw at you while you hold the airlock (and especially have boarders offscreen since they don't fit in the airlock) will die.

The room right next to the airlock is the '''CORRIDOR OF DEATH''' (COD). Whatever '''you''' throw into that corridor will die.

Understanding how these two rooms function is critical.

=== The supporting fire mechanic ===

This is where you need to learn about supporting fire. People in rooms adjacent to a room where combat is happening will help out by firing into the room, if they are alerted to the situation (red circle on a room).

In the ''airlock'' you have the advantage because you have 8 marines in there, along with '''100+ marines offscreen''', all of which are firing into the airlock, with 30% of their combat strength.

In the ''corridor of death'', the enemy has the advantage, because they have 8 guys there, and quite likely another 20-30 more in 4 adjacent rooms, all of which are firing on your marines, and additionally, every one of their guys is 2-3x stronger than your marines. You cannot take the COD, and you '''should not''' attempt to.

=== Drawing hostiles into airlock ===

Instead, send 2 marines into the COD. They will die instantly - but this will flag the defenders of that room for a counterattack onto the airlock. So sit tight, and wait until all but one of the COD-hostiles tries to take over the airlock and dies.

The last man in a room (any room) will never leave it, so ideally you lost the initial sacrificial lambs, and possibly some airlock defenders, but they lost their entire COD garrison, minus the one remaining. This is what we'll do from now on - getting their people into COD, and then to hit you in the airlock, while you suffer minimal losses of the sacrificial grunts.

=== Panic ===

When meridia's forces panic, they will inevitably go kamikaze, rush your troops and die, while dealing damage to your people. sometimes, they will flee combat and go to another room.

'''Never chase them'''. In that room, they will ''still'' go kamikaze, and die, but deal no damage to you, and also - since you were not the one who killed them - there will be no structural integrity loss.

Always check nearby rooms for panicked soldiers that fled your combats, and '''do nothing''' until all of them self-immolate.

=== Back to the COD ===

There is a single COD defender, but the 4 rooms adjacent to it are filled. You need to draw them out. If the defender is not a gunner or marine (those are armored and do more damage), send 3 marines. If the defender is a gunner or marine, send 4. All these you send will die, accept that.

When they engage the single defender - enemies from nearby alerted rooms will come rushing to help and hopefully (!) overwhelm you by sending 4-5 people. This is the ideal scenario which often happens. Once your guys die, all but one will rush the airlock - and die.

Eventually you will have drained:
# The COD
# The 3 adjacent rooms
# The COD2
from all defenders but a single one.

This still leaves a lot of defenders in the armory, reactor and bridge.

=== The COD2 push ===

[[file:Boarding.cod2.png|800px|thumb|right|Clearing out the COD2]]

Take a full squad, kill the last COD defender, and them move the squad (only the 8 guys, not 11 or however many is possible to move) to COD2. There, you will kill the single COD2 defender, and will be rushed by forces from Bridge, Reactor, Armory, and Storage.

Do nothing to help your guys out. The more people they bring out, the better.

Send nothing to COD, either!

Once your guys are dead, all but one of COD2 people will rush COD, and then all but one of COD people will rush the airlock. And die there.

Rinse and repeat, carefully, with ever smaller sacrificial squads, until nothing but one defender remains in all rooms except the CODs.

=== Blowing up the reactor and you ===

If at any point you hold 55% rooms or more, the enemy will:

# Blow the reactor, destroying the ship, unless it is disabled
# Blow up the armory, causing 35% structural damage, which you are ''really'' unlikely to be able to afford, thus destroying the ship.

However, we hold only airlock and 2 CODs, so we're nowhere close to 55%, and they have 7 guys left, one in each room. This is why '''we didn't touch any other room so far'''.

'''Note''': If you're somehow reading this and '''not''' fighting Meridia but someone normal and reasonable - no they won't blow up anything, they aren't fanatics.

Now. '''Save 3'''. Rush both armory and reactor simultaneously with as much people you can. You will take them, and this is where danger is gone and you won.

=== Wrapup ===

Clear out the remaining holdouts and do the final room investigations.

If you structural integrity is low, leave the final hazard (if any) for last. There is a chance the EXTRACT button will appear before hazard blows the ship so spam-click it if you're in danger of losing the ship. Once you click the button, you're done, and a proud owner of a brand-new Meriavex or Carkalon.

GG.