Recent updates to HighFleet have necessitated a re-evaluation of the designs I presented here last year (links to parts 1, 2 and 3). Despite some major changes to in-game system stats, the majority of my custom-made ships continue to work fine as is. Three in particular (the Foxhound, Lynx and Matryoshka) ended up being 2 percent short on their crew requirements, but I decided to leave them be. There were other designs that required a bit of tweaking. The landing gear on the Chakram was altered to make it more stable. The internal components on both the Bulldog and Puma were radically reworked to make them more resilient. The Sentinel had two of its Sprint launchers blocked so I had them swap places with the escape pods. The only design that had to be scraped entirely was the Sparrowhawk. It was never particularly viable (due to its expensive "Palash" defense system), but has been replaced by an all new design simply called the Hawk. In addition to that, there are six more new designs I will share bellow (along with the revised versions of the Bulldog and Puma):
Classification: Heavy Corvette
Role: Air Superiority Ship
Description: Sudden strikes are somewhat of a mixed blessing. On one hand the enemy is caught flatfooted on the ground, but on the other they are underneath you attack ships. All the default designs, as well as the designs in this guide have soft undersides, but not the Hawk.
Classification: Heavy Corvette
Role: Interceptor
Description: A variant of the Lynx, the unarmored Bobcat is all about hitting them before they can hit back. Its faster and has better range as well as a uniform armament. It also features hardpoints which can be outfitted with Zenith missiles (up to four in total) for a bit of extra firepower.
Classification: Attack Frigate
Role: Air Superiority Ship
Description: Using special ammunition might turn a defeat into a victory, but it often comes at great cost. A single cruiser salvo can result in thousands worth of funds literally going up in smoke. The Bulldog provides a platform in which each of those pricey 180mm rounds count.
Classification: Attack Frigate
Role: Air Superiority Ship
Description: Taking the tried-and-true quad-turret arrangement and applying to 130mm cannons, the Puma has a hard top, but soft underbelly. Stay low to the ground and prioritize dodging Zenith missiles over incoming gunfire (especially small caliber rounds).
Classification: Frigate
Role: Aircraft Carrier
Description: Acting as a "fleet carrier" of sorts, the Ballista lacks any integrated defenses, but is a surprisingly affordable and fast. Able to keep up with assault ships, it also has considerable range - not to mention a hefty punch in the form of eight fighter craft.
Classification: Attack Frigate
Role: Air Superiority Ship
Description: Corvettes tend to be very fragile and as such are not well suited to extended close-in brawls. The Strix represents an attempt to go against the tendencies of its class. It's tough and, while not very fast, serves as an excellent escort for fleet support vessels.
Classification: Attack Frigate
Role: Air Superiority Ship
Description: Designed to operate semi-independently of the main fleet, the Jackal is ideally suited to looking for Tarkhans who are off the beaten path. It has the speed and firepower to clear garrisons without raising the alarm in addition to a respectable range and price tag.
Classification: Attack Frigate
Role: Air Superiority Ship
Description: Speed and armor are a bit like oil and water when it comes to designing ships. Even so the Tiger manages to force the two to combine. At the same time range and firepower are good enough to make it useful asset to have over the course of the campaign.
Classification: Strategic Frigate
Role: Missile Carrier
Description: Bigger brother to the foxhound, this missile hauler features two additional tubes for a total of five. The default version is loaded with highly valuable ballistic missiles, but using other types will reduce the purchase cost by several thousand.
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