Weapons Guide Alpha 3.23 The universe is dangerous, so it is important to understand the various tools at your disposal.
Whether you're a fighter or not, knowing the different weapons that friends and foes can wield will give you a clear advantage when conflict inevitably happens. Let's dive in!
And if you're looking for additional help in the 'verse, check out the Guide System to get paired with an experienced player who can help show you the ropes.
Weapons Categories A diverse array of weapons ensures pilots can engage in combat effectively, whether relying on the raw power of ballistic weapons, the sustained fire of energy weapons, or the strategic advantages of distortion arms and guided munitions. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of each weapon type, highlighting their unique characteristics and tactical applications.
Ballistic Energy Distorsion Missiles Torpedoes Bombs EMP Devices Quantum Enforcement Ballistic Ballistic weapons fire solid or explosive projectiles at high speed, with a limited amount of ammunition. Once depleted, they require restocking at either a landing zone or Repair & Rearm station.
Ballistic weapons penetrate a percentage of enemy shields, allowing them to directly damage the hull. While they're generally slower than energy weapons, they don't increase your heat signature and can usually reach farther targets without reduced damage.
Subtypes: Scatterguns, Gatling, repeater, cannons, HE cannon, mass driver
Energy Energy weapons do not require ammunition. Instead, they rely on a vehicle's cooling components to function, such as coolers and the power plant. The higher grade a vehicle's cooling components are, the longer the weapons can be fired before overheating. You can also tweak the capacitors to direct more power to your weapons via the Energy Triangle.
Energy weapons are essentially multi-purpose weapons. When used against targeted vehicles, they cause both shield and hull damage.
Subtypes: Scatterguns, neutron, repeater, cannons, plasma, tachyon
Distorsion Distortion weapons are technically energy weapons. However, they operate differently from energy weapons in that they cause electrical-based damage.
While they don't deal damage to hulls, they're highly specialized in breaking vehicles' shields. Once the shields are broken, sustained fire will then damage the target's power systems and components. Eventually, this will result in the power plant becoming disabled.
Subtypes: Scatterguns, repeater, cannons
Missiles Missiles are fire-and-forget self-guided munitions systems. They're designed to lock on and track specific signatures: electromagnetic (EM), infrared (IR), and cross-section (CS).
Payload Sub-Types: High Explosive (HE) detonate on your target, damaging its shields, hull, and components. Cluster Munition Explosive Projectiles (CM) fire a group of smaller missiles once closer to your target, overwhelming your opponent's defenses. Electromagnetic Pulses (EMP) are specialized against shields, dealing significant damage and potentially breaking your target's components.
Torpedoes Torpedoes function the same way missiles do. However, they're much larger and more powerful. Due to their increased mass, they're also slower than missiles and vulnerable to vehicle turrets and players shooting them down in flight.
Specialist-class vehicles with torpedo bays are required to utilize these weapons, such as the Aegis Retaliator and Eclipse with their Size 9 torpedoes. The Anvil Gladiator, Aegis Vanguard Harbinger, and the Crusader Ares can equip Size 5 torpedoes.
Bombs Bombs are munitions intended to be used within a planet's atmosphere.
A skilled bomber pilot will need to enable their bombing mode (middle-click), designate an area with a blue circle on their heads-up display, align with the area, and release the bomb at the right time to hit their designated target.
They can only be used by specialized vehicles, such as Crusader's Hercules A2 and Spirit A1.
EMP Devices EMPs deal large amounts of distortion damage with a distance falloff. The amount of damage scales as they charge up.
You can detonate an EMP at any point to release its pulse, damaging all vehicles in the vicinity. The pulse will first damage their shields and then spread to the components, causing malfunction in extreme cases.
As a specialized weapon, EMPs are only compatible with a selection of ships, such as the Aegis Sabre Raven, Aegis Vanguard Sentinel, Anvil Hawk, and RSI Scorpius Antares.
Quantum Enforcement Quantum Enforcement Devices (QEDs) have two usages. The RSI Mantis is currently the only vehicle able to pull ships out of quantum travel thanks to a specialized module called a Quantum Snare. The Mantis can maintain a 10-20km bubble around itself, pulling out every ship passing through it.
Quantum Dampening prevents the activation of quantum drives within a 2km range while active. It can be activated instantly, trapping unwary ships as long as they're within radius. This device is available on the Drake Cutlass Blue, RSI's Mantis and Scorpius Antares.
Weapons Types Weapon types vary to suit different combat scenarios, ranging from melee scatterguns to mid-range repeaters or even the far-reaching Mass Drivers. Ballistic and Energy weapons also come in various types that have strengths and strategic uses. Weapons also come in various sizes, allowing you to properly equip your ship for its role.
Shop Locations Finding the right weapons for your ship is crucial for outfitting your vessel to suit your combat needs. Learn where to purchase or acquire each type, from well-stocked space stations to specialized shops on planetary surfaces. Knowing where to find these armaments ensures you're always prepared for any encounter.
Here are the main four cities where you can find most shops.
Open your in-game map to pinpoint these weapon shops and explore their diverse inventories to gear up for your next adventure.
Head to Area18 where CenterMass and Dumper's Depot offer a range of armaments.
In New Babbage, CenterMass is your go-to for top-tier weaponry.
Orison features both Cousin Crows and the Crusader Showroom, providing diverse options for your arsenal.
For those on Lorville, visit the HD Showcase or the Hurston Dynamics Showcase for an extensive selection.
Simply approach a module you're interested in, and the User Interface will display its information and price. You can also browse the full shop's gear by using one of the terminals!
Combat Tips Mastering the art of combat in Star Citizen involves more than just selecting the right weapons; it requires understanding how to effectively use them in various scenarios. This section provides essential tips and strategies for optimizing your weapon choices and enhancing your combat performance.
Laser Cannon Efficiency: Laser cannons are great for dealing massive damage but have a slower fire rate. To optimize their use, switch to staggered mode. This makes the cannons fire alternately, enhancing your DPS and ensuring a more consistent damage output.
Energy Triangle Management: Use the energy management triangle shortcuts on your MDF to distribute power between weapons, shields, and engines based on the combat situation. Balancing these will ensure you're making the most of your ship's capabilities.
Upgrade Components: Upgrade your power plant to increase your energy weapons' "ammunition" and speed up shield recharges. Enhanced power plants allow for sustained firing and better shield recovery during intense battles.
Shield Prioritization for Fighters: Fighters should prioritize a shield with a fast recharge rate over high hit points. Quick shield regeneration can be more beneficial in prolonged dogfights.
EMP Missile Defense: Missiles hit by an EMP will temporarily lose their tracking systems, providing a crucial window to evade or counter-attack.
Component Damage Reduction: Components take reduced EM damage based on the power supplied to them at the time of impact. Inform your engineers to manage power distribution carefully during engagements to minimize damage if you have a large ship.
Quantum Snare Tracking: Engaging the Quantum Snare requires significant power and charge-up time, generating large amounts of heat. Use this to your advantage by tracking it on your radar and striking from a distance if you notice their red bubbles!
Missile Types and Countermeasures:
Electromagnetic missiles are ideal for disabling vehicles by locking onto EM signatures from ballistic and electronic weapons or components. Counter with chaff to disrupt their lock-on.
Infrared missiles are effective against small-to-medium targets using IR signatures from heat and energy weapons. Drop flares to divert IR missiles.
Cross-section missiles are best for large vehicles, focusing on shape and size. These have a longer lock-on time and can't be countered by traditional measures, though dodging remains an option.
Signature Management:
EM Signatures: Reduce your EM signature by managing power and using efficient components. This hinders EM missile lock-on.
IR Signatures: Mitigate IR signatures by using efficient components and managing heat emissions. Use flares to counter IR missiles.
CS Signatures: These depend on your vehicle's visible shape and size. Though they can't be countered, you can attempt to dodge incoming CS missiles.