This guide was initially created with the assumption that you have basic knowledge of the game and have unlocked all gene points. That being said this guide now starts with basic flight tips that is very useful to new players. New players wanting to pilot (or run solo) will likely benefit from this guide. This is not the end-all-be-all guide for advanced players. For example, it's usually better to rush the fabricator to tier 3 right away if you are very proficient in being a pilot.

A good chunk of this guide is about soloing. If you don't care for that, simply skip those sections.

Nothing in this guide is set in stone and is subject to change with new updates. This update was written as of the v1.0 update. As I get around to capturing more video, I'll update this guide appropriately and add information.

Fas made a great YouTube video using this guide as a template. You can find it here:

Generally speaking, ship movement is an acquired skill that you get with playtime. That being said, there are a few things.

It's important to note that ship forward & reverse speeds & accelerations are identical. If you are flying towards a destination and there are enemies on the side without guns, simply spin around and fly backwards.

When it comes to general movement, you're going to want to move forward and strafe right at an angle so your turrets see everything. In addition, you gain slightly extra speed for elevating/descending and strafing. What this means is that you'll generally want to always go forward and strafe simultaneously for additional speed.

Note: Keep in mind that most keyboards "circuit" keys together, so sometimes you can't hit Q+W+Space together. This is referred to as "keyboard ghosting". You can see an interactive example of this here to see the limitations of your keyboard: https://www.microsoft.com/applied-sciences/projects/anti-ghosting-demo

Short of purchasing a gaming keyboard that does anti-ghosting (or rebinding keys), there isn't much you can do short of just be aware of your keyboard's limitations.

Try to maintain ~1k distance to enemy jump points. Any closer, and you risk some spawns instantly unloading into you.

Obviously, boosting is generally used for dodging attacks. However, it's very important to realize boosts affect all thrusters, including rotation thrusters. You will want to boost very often--keep that engineer in his cage.

Enemy projectiles will aim are your predicted location based on your thrust vector. For example: If hold W, Q, and C (forward, strafe left, and descend, respectively) and get shot at, the projectile will hit you because the ship aims at where you will be. In essence, when it comes to most projectiles, simply watching when the enemy releases the projectile and then immediately changing your vector will make the projectile miss you. This is why circle strafing works so well. Enemy ships can only predict based your position based on your instantaneous thruster vector--they can't predict when you rotate, so nearly nothing will hit you.

A video explaining this in 2D space:

You will want to practice/do a lot of circle strafing while moving forward. It looks like this:


A video of this in action:

Enemy projectiles will aim at your predicted location based on your thruster vector, but the game doesn't predict how you will rotate, so doing so makes it so that slow projectiles won't hit you. Even at close range, the turret in the prior video won't hit because I keep rotating and changing my vector.

In addition, since projectiles will aim at your prediction location, you can very effectively "weave" your ship once projectiles leave the enemy ship. It looks a bit like this:

Notice how I make the ship change its vector once the enemy releases the projectile. Obviously, this is easy with a single turret and harder with additional (since the timing is different) but the same concept mostly applies. Changing your vector frequently is crucial to avoid getting hit.

If the drive is charged and you have a destination set, you do not need to be aligned with the exit point to pull it. You can pull the lever sooner; in which case the ship will automatically turn towards the exit point. You can also pull the lever to 90% and keep it there by letting go/pressing your interact key (F) while it charges, so it's ready to go once your void drive hits 100%.

If you get into a situation where time is of the essence and the jump destination is 180 degrees from you, boost, start turning, then pull the lever while turning. The ship will abruptly stop at the exit orientation, so you don't have to worry as long as you don't overshoot it when the lever is 100% pulled.

It looks like this:

To make things clearer, I'm going to define three types of projectiles:

• Straight/Dumb.
  
• Tracked - Will move slightly to your position mid-flight.
  
• Locked - Will chase your position and curve to you. Bombers and Firemorphs are the only two units with this projectile.

With some exceptions, all flying enemies have 3 states:

• Idle/Patrol - This is where the "headlights" on the front of the ship are not on.
  
• Investigate - This is indicated by a yellow "headlight". Ship in this state will go towards your location.
  
• Combat - This is indicated by a red "headlight". They will actively chase and attack. Obviously, if you attack a unit it will enter this state. Also worth noting that sometimes other units will trigger the combat state of others.

Fighters spawn in large squads of ~10 units. They also tend to release their projectiles at the same time.

Attacks:

• Straight, slow missile. Max Distance: ~1km
  
• Straight, fast bolt. Max Distance: ~600m

Detection:

• Yellow: ~1.4km
  
• Red: ~600m

These share the same name as the prior ones during strike missions and spawn in groups of 4. For ambush missions, they are called Interceptors and spawn in groups of 3. They are much faster, and move around quite a bit more.

Attacks:

• Straight, fast bolt. Larger than standard fighter. Shoots 2 bolts in each volley. Max Distance: ~600m

Detection range same as fighters.

Special Tactics:
These guys have a tendency to land hits since they're so mobile and their projectile is so fast. Your best bet is to be proactive and start weaving/circle-strafing at ~650m since they will likely shoot shortly after.

Heavy fighters spawn in groups of 2.

Attacks:

• Tracked, slow missile. Shoots 2 per volley. Max Distance: ~1km

Detection:

• Yellow: ~1.4km
  
• Red: ~600m

Summoners have no attack, but have a channel that if completed will trigger units to jump in. Summoners also don't have a light indicating their detection and will slowly chase the ship if it is within 5km.

Special Tactics:
In some cases, particularly very early game, you may want to avoid detection. One prime example is "Impossible" difficultly Salvage missions. Generally, 1 or 2 summoners are present on the map at the start and they will continue to chase you. One way to handle this is to get within ~5km, wait until all of the summoners are chasing you, and kite them to the edge before you boost away and make your escape. One way to determine if a unit is a summoner is if it is a standalone signature with no "tail".

While this may not be technically true, destroyers effectively always are able to track you down. They are effectively always in the red state.

Attacks:

• Tracked volley of ~6 slow moving projectiles. Max Distance: ~1km

Special Tactics:
Destroyers attack by flying towards you, releasing the volley, flying past you, then turning around and repeating (which takes ~15s to do). This is important to note since for some missions, units will constantly spawn until you leave. So if you're ready to go, a destroyer spawns, you dodge the initial set of projectiles, you can immediately run down to charge the void drive, and get back to your seat to dodge the next wave (preferably with boosts).

Attacks:

• Straight/dumb bolts in volleys of ~20 medium speed projectiles. Max Distance: ~1.2km

Detection:

• Yellow: ~1.7km
  
• Red: ~1.0km

Special Tactics:
When battling frigates, you will want to wait for the frigate to unleash it's attack and then do your normal tactics to dodge. I tend to do a boost-descend-circle strafe.

Attacks:

• Charged "instant" cast energy bolt. Max Distance: ~1.5km

Detection:

• Yellow: ~1.7km
  
• Red: ~1.2km

Special Tactics:
If you're in a position where the sniper is going to get a shot off, as soon as you see it start to "lock on", move perpendicular to the sniper, then as the shot is about to go off, swing the ship around to present as small as a target as you can. The sniper should miss. In the case of elite snipers, just keep moving perpendicular.

Attacks:

• Locked set of 4 projectiles that will chase you for some time before extinguishing. Max Distance: ~1.7km

Detection:

• Yellow: ~2.0km
  
• Red: ~1.5km

Special Tactics:
The best defense against bombers is offense (killing them before they can unleash their attack).

Early game, you can handle bombers by getting very close to them and rotating around them before they start channeling their shot. If you do so, you can get them stuck spinning trying to aim at you (all the while gunning it down).

However, if the bomber will get a shot off:

• As the bomber launches the attack, fly past the bomber so that the projectiles go past you
  
• Turn around
  
• Try to time it so that you boost through just prior the criss-cross of the projectiles

If you accomplish this, the projectiles should extinguish.

I unfortunately don't know the detection range of these units, but generally speaking, none of these units are particularly problematic. Just gun them down.

Collectors are the loot piñatas of the game. They have no attacks but once under attack, will attempt to jump away. If you only have Mk1 turrets, make sure to get within 800m (if not closer) before targeting them so you can ensure your turrets don't constantly miss and let the collector jump away.

When looking at unscanned signatures, you can usually tell a collector by the fact that it's by itself and has a white trail following it.

• Make sure all trims are fixed
  
• Make sure you have boosts charged
  
• [Solo] Set auto-mechanic to boosts (if solo)
  
• If flame / ice-shard boss, make sure climate control is enabled
  
• Turn off scoops
  
• [Solo] Refresh all auto-mechanics. If you teardown, re-install, you can refresh the boost. Make sure to change it to boosts after re-installing.

My strategy for this boss is a bit different than normal. You should rotate around the boss clockwise and not target active invulnerability nodes. Instead, you should target these nodes (in order):

• Active turret nodes
  
• Active spawn nodes
  
• Inactive turret nodes
  
• Inactive spawn nodes
  
• Inactive invulnerability nodes
  
• Active invulnerability nodes

After this, target the boss and just keep burning it down. There won't be any phase transitions this way.

Only destroy active invulnerability nodes, active spawn nodes, and boss. Circle strafe and weave the rest.

Rotate around the boss clockwise, making sure to save your boosts for the boss's charged blasts. Make sure to destroy all turret nodes before burning down boss. When boss goes invulnerable, you have barely enough time to run to the engine room to refresh boosts. Do so.

If you have a point defense turret, temporarily take out one of your scoops and place it there. Make sure to boost it just prior to the fight.

Rotate around the boss clockwise, prioritizing turret nodes before the boss. During the phase transition with the ice shards, you should descend-reverse-strafe and spin. If you have a PD turret, spinning will shoot the shards.

Some notes:

• Grapple often. Use grapple to move about the ship as much as possible
  
• The obvious exception is to save it for jump charge
  
• If you're experienced enough, you can certainly go for alternatives (such as pilot ability), but I definitely recommend grapple for starting

This guide assumes you are using the Lone Sentry.

• I prefer to do an equal number of benediction/confessor auto-turrets, but you may prefer a different setup.
  
• Never spend 20 alloy to build a Mk1 auto-turret. If you find one, totally fine to install it.
  
• Never use an upgrader on Mk1 modules.
  
• Fill out 6 slots with Mk2 auto-turrets before going to Mk3. The exception is using upgraders.
  
• Use the Mk2/Mk3 Power Optimizer mod to claw back some energy.
  
• Unless you have all Mk3 auto-turrets, recycle legendary mods. Adding turrets/upgrading turrets always nets more damage.
  
• Barring extraordinary situations, you should never construct an upgrader yourself. You should get your fabricator to Mk3 and then construct Mk3 modules.

• Fabricator Mk2 (25 alloy)
  
• Mk2 Auto-turrets / Mk2 Generators (Get to 6 auto-turrets)
  
• Fabricator Mk3 (75 alloy)
  
• Mk3 Auto-turrets
  
• Mods for auto-turrets
  
• Upgrade scoops to Mk3
  
• Add an additional auto-mechanic
  
• Upgrade generators to Mk3
  
• Add a Mk3 point defense for frost biome

The above is merely a guideline. If the game drops for you 20 auto-turret mods, by all means, install them early.

• Spend your common to add a second scoop and move it to the left side.
  
• Your auto-mechanic should be set to boosts.

Get the fabricator upgraded to Mk2 as an immediate priority. Keep adding Mk2 auto-turrets. Add Mk2 generator(s) to the rear as needed. Depending on RNG, you may end up getting a Sacred Power Conduit. In that scenario, you can skip the generators (at least until late/end-game).

If you need power, feel free to turn off a scoop. If you're time crunched in that moment, turn off the full one, turn on the empty one, and rush back to the pilot seat. You can also boost generators as well.


Add guns to the front two slots. Expand rear generators. Fill out mods on all auto-turrets.


Add a second auto-mechanic for QoL (one boost, one trims). Add a Mk3 point defense on left for frost biome/frost boss.

Once you're here and you don't make mistakes, everything melts and you can get to 100 jumps or further:

Practice this until you can do it every time. You don't need to grapple perfectly. Even if you screw up the grapple somewhat, continue to sprint to the other side. You can technically do a solo sync charge just sprinting, but it's very inconsistent. Even grappling 2 feet can lead to a successful sync charge.

Examples:

• Always be prepared to sprint forward after the grapple is done
  
• Try to align yourself with the walkway before grappling--even if it means starting the grapple later
  
• Practice, practice, practice

When it comes to leaving your seat, barring an emergency, you should wait until a "safe" time to do so. Determining what is considered a safe time is something you learn with time. Examples (some obvious):

• Fully out of combat
  
• Just after a destroyer unleashes a wave of projectiles and you dodged it
  
• When you know the last unit will be destroyed w/o you being affected (sniper just spawns in and your turrets will destroy it).
  
• Etc

In all cases, you should pretty much always assume you don't have more than 15 seconds. Make good use of your grappling hook in the long straightaways and move about your work as quickly as possible.

Sometimes, you'll be in a position where you need to do a combat jump. Your best bet is to hit the thrusters, enable cruise control, and do what you need to do:

Prior to jumping in, make sure to refresh your auto-mechanic boost. It lasts ~11 minutes.

• Salvage
  
• Infestation - Void Conduits
  
• Desecration
  
• Cleanse - Assembler Cores
  
• Strike
  
• Ambush (EVA Required)
  
• Protect
  
• Download (EVA Required)
  
• Raid (EVA Required)

Salvage: Salvage is a very easy, high output mission. If you have one as your first mission, it's nearly always preferable to do it since you can generally fulfill the mission objectives before even getting into combat. You do want to loot all the boxes if possible, however.

Infestation: If your auto-turret DPS is low, one effective way you can gimmick this is to bring each void conduit to low health without destroying them, and then make another round trip finishing them off. This will lead to fewer spawns and make it less likely you'll get overwhelmed.

Desecration: A decently easy mission for effectively an additional 15 alloy. Park your ship with the scoop facing the relics, throw your chosen relic towards your ship, and book it back to start up your ship. Prioritize auto-turrets first and circle back round to everything else.

Cleanse: The hardest of the "easy" missions. If any enemy units are within 2km of the assembler core, focus the assembler core first and get it down before working on enemies. Exception being bombers, of course.

Strike: A bit difficult early on, but definitely not awful. Try to have at least 1 mk2 auto-turret, though. The interceptors will require some dodging. Make sure to boost-circle-strafe/boost-weave the big ship. Target the ship itself, ignore the reinforcement beacons. Make sure your turrets are in range of the red barrels.

Ambush: Avoid this until you have at least 2 mk2 auto-turrets. This one requires EVA, which I tend to not do if I can avoid it.

Protect: Avoid this until you have at least 2 mk2 auto-turrets. I'd avoid if possible.

Download: Avoid this. For whatever reason, this mission has a tendency to screw me over by having spawns while I'm handling EVA actions.

Raid: Avoid this. Similar to download, spawns happen occasionally while you're EVAing.

ALWAYS allow interdictions to happen. Simply prioritize targetting the turret first and then take your time with the rest. It's free alloy and you're guaranteed to be in a stable void tunnel afterwards. Perfect time for an alt-tab break.

If your ship is in bad shape when you enter, turn 180 degrees from the interdiction pillar, boost away more than 4km, turn so your turrets face any chasing mines, and do repairs/fixes, etc.

A way to determine if an interdiction is coming is to look at the void integrity. Keep track of the lowest number you see in the UI, if it goes downward within 30s, you will be interdicted.

There's nothing particularly special regarding mods, so mess around to your hearts' content. The only thing that is (usually) required is Mk2/Mk3 Power Optimizer.

I personally run on each auto-turret:

• Mk2/Mk3 Power Optimizer
  
• Mk3 Fire Rate / Relentless Assault
  
• Mk3 Damage

The above may not be "optimal" but once you get to all Mk3 auto-turrets (and 2 or 3 Bio-Mass Catalyst relics), everything melts.

When it comes to relics early to mid-game, you should generally recycle all relics except (maybe) Sacred Power Conduit. If you are in dire need of power, feel free to throw one in, but generally speaking, all relics should be recycled for the 15 alloy.

Once you are at all Mk3 auto-turrets and 3/3 mods, you can go ahead and play around with relics (since by then, you'll have all the blueprints).

My personal go-to is:

• 3x BioMass Catalyst
  
• 1x Breaking Point (all 4 circuit breakers tripped)

Once you're at this point, you're pretty much just going after bio-mass to bump up biomass catalyst (the thruster duration is amazing). And from this point on, the only thing that will kill you is obvious mistakes, server disconnects, and boredom.

2024-01-02:

2024-01-03:

• 2024-12-27: Initial Guide Push
  
• 2024-12-30: Added small tidbit about detecting interdictions
  
• 2024-12-31: Added additional info about Gene choices and power manager for early game (turn off a scoop)
  
• 2025-01-01: Add tip about uninstalling/reinstalling auto-mechanic to refresh boost prior to fights

• 2025-01-02: Add example run. Update build slightly.
  
• 2025-01-03: Add much more detailed information for enemies. Add another example run. Update priority to be more specific. Add blurb about keyboard ghosting.
  
• 2025-01-07: Reorganized so that flying information is first and foremost then solo information afterwards. Added/updated a bunch of videos.
  
• 2025-01-08: Added more sync charge gifs, including a "screw up"
  
• 2025-01-10: Added tip about flying backwards