Space Engineers: Warship Guide - 'Corvettes'

[@rorythomas9469]

It’s a helpful description for a primarily defensive fleet picket. Corvette is as good a name as any. Historically, it’s akin to a Destroyer Escort in WW2 era US Navy nomenclature, or even the original “Torpedo Boat Destroyers”.

[@gustaveliasson5395]

You're thinking of Frigates, like the WWII River-class. The River-class was originally concieved as "twin-screw corvettes" because the actual corvettes of the Flower-class were considered too slow (17kts) and uncomfortable in rough seas. Both the corvettes of the flower-class and the frigates of ghe river-class used reciprocating steam engines to free up stocks of turbines and reduction gear for use in the production of fleet ships like destroyers and cruisers. The Destroyer Escorts were less of a scaled-up corvette like the Rivers, and more of a scaled-down destroyer with diesel engines. Still plenty fast at ~26kts considering the 17kts of the Flowers and the ~21kts of the Rivers.

[@rorythomas9469]

@@gustaveliasson5395 RN frigates in WW2 were for convoy escort and anti submarine warfare. The role Lunar described is a battle fleet vessel.

[@gustaveliasson5395]

@@rorythomas9469 Yup. Lunar seems to be taking a page out of the age of sail, when corvettes were technically considered able to stand in a battleline.

[@rorythomas9469]

@@gustaveliasson5395 I don’t think Age of Sail corvettes were meant for the line of battle. Bit too small and lightly armed. Just to be clear when I talk about a fleet role what I mean is a ship that is intended primarily to fight in large battles as part of a group of ships. A WW1/2 era destroyer is not armoured to survive fire from a battleship, but its speed makes it a good scout and its torpedo armament allows it to threaten much larger vessels.

[@gustaveliasson5395]

@@rorythomas9469 Yeah, I was mostly referring to corvettes in the sense that they were the smallest "rated" ship type in the royal navy sailing ship rating system. Not necessarily taking it to mean that they *should* slug it out with a three-decker, but rather that they're the smallest type of ship that the admiranty considered to be of use in fleet engagements. Personally, I put a lot of focus on the 1250t mass limit where jumdrives start losing efficiency. Thus, there's going to be a type of combat ship that: A: Is the smallest of the jump-capable warship types. B: Is light enough to let the jumpdrive work at full efficiency (

[@pegasusinnovation9392]

1:52 if you are not playing on a projector offended server then you can have a projector inside if the turret projecting the turret. This also allows you to use an optional welder block

[@LunarKolony]

great tip for custom turret users ^^

[@Cooldude-ko7ps]

@@LunarKolony yep. Or you could potentially find a mod or plugin or something that allows for Subgrid projection.

[@omega9408]

Great bitesize guide to Corvettes. I've always seen them as vital to a capital ships survival. There's a ton of examples in both real life and fiction where the flagship could have been saved had the smaller threats been intercepted better.

[@pegasusinnovation9392]

I have more corvette designs than anything else

[@LunarKolony]

They are really often overlooked, people underestimate how much damage a single bomber can do, especially in the new update! Laying down a good point defense field infront of cruisers is essential

[@omega9408]

The buff to small grids makes the importance so much greater than before, especially given they can carry railguns and new turrets

[@steakinbacon8593]

Yeah since gunships can actually be gunships now corvettes are vital to nip that threat in the bud.

[@TheRezro]

@@omega9408 "capital ships survival" So a Destroyer? Picket ships protecting capital ships are the DESTROYERS!

[@rorythomas9469]

There are two really good ideas you mentioned that are really worth developing for practical SE. The first is the idea of layered defence or defence in-depth. Weapon ranges in SE are still pretty short even with the weapons update, so a good way to increase time on target is by having a picket corvette Between targets and the enemy, so an enemy ship has to go through the Corvette weapon bubble before getting in range. The second is weapon specialisation. The target lock system only allows you to lock one target at a time, so a ship should be designed to engage a particular intended target and employ a particular class of weapon.

[@MediumRareOpinions]

something to note as of the recent update, exposed large hydrogen tanks on those corvettes? If full when destroyed will probably tear a ship that size in half. It seems to me that small large grid ships that can't armor up big tanks might have to transition over to using multiple small tanks to avoid one big boom knocking them out.

[@LunarKolony]

yeah definitely, those things make a pretty big bang

[@MediumRareOpinions]

@@LunarKolony certainly adds a certain dramatic flair to combat now, does anybody know if jump drives also explode or is it just tanks and ammunition containers?

[@gustaveliasson5395]

On a ship as small as a corvette, a small tank blowing up will probably still cripple you. Perhaps it's better to use a big tank then, since it's tougher to destroy.

[@kellynolen498]

@@gustaveliasson5395 I use none because I don't have money so I have shitty internet so the best I could do is pirate the game and then I'd never be able to play multiplayer where the real funs at

[@MediumRareOpinions]

@@gustaveliasson5395 that seems like a theory worth testing to me, if the large tank can survive a few hits from the big guns it might make it worthwhile.

[@zduke]

I think my favorite point in the video is the one about the capital ships not spending their own armor. Armor is costly, and a cheap corvette taking fire makes the more expensive ships last longer. A brilliant point from possibly SE's greatest builder.

[@coldwarkiwi_2nd183]

I was trying to find a video like this, perfect timing. *Now time to ignore all advice and make a giant Corvette that is 2km's long and has railguns on every side.*

[@LunarKolony]

*this is the way*

[@starmada105]

Weapons are part of my religion

[@MrKezzerdrix]

The corvette I use to guard our mother ship uses interior turrets, a forward facing missile launcher, and a self repairing plow. The main body is a captured and retrofitted mining hauler (the yellow one with 3 cargo containers as the body).

[@theenigma7290]

Now that we have more weapons, I think varying fleets like this actually makes sense, since now only certain sizes of ships can practically support a given weapon setup

[@ItsJustVirgil]

Oh hey, warship guide videos. This is actually how I found you. Wonderful to see a revisit.

[@LunarKolony]

Glad you enjoyed! :)

[@ferretforrent1144]

Very Excited for the future of this series! Already this video help me build a Corvette for my fleet.

[@Uptownloki47]

I love building corvettes in SE. They are the most practical warship for survival in my opinion as they can pack a punch and are generally easier to build than capital ships.

[@ferretforrent1144]

Honestly anything bigger than a frigate is impractical in in survival SE.

[@Uptownloki47]

@@ferretforrent1144 I agree with you on that, although I have seen some large factions build a carrier to hold all their fighters, but that's pretty rare.

[@ferretforrent1144]

@@Uptownloki47 ive never seen one personally as I tend to steer away from servers as they cause my poor pc to have a stroke. Mabye once I upgrade I can join one of those massive factions.

[@thederpiestturtle]

A really well made video that taught me about corvettes

[@LunarKolony]

glad i could help!

[@TheRezro]

Yes. A Blue Water Gunboats, considered as smallest proper warships. They premiery duty is patrol and low intensity operation, like for example escorting convoys, moving mail and people. Etc. By definition corvettes are not a part of War Fleets. Capital ships are protected by Destroyers, what literally are capital ship escorts.

[@starmada105]

Really dig this format. Hope we see more Warship Guides!

[@reavvr643]

Nice video as always. Also, that green corvette at the start looks really good, I wonder who made that? lol

[@LunarKolony]

hmmmmm idk, its as if the king himself made it

[@starmada105]

@@LunarKolony workshop link?

[@jalakor]

I like this take! Personally, I’m still debating on how I want to structure my fleet. I’m leaning towards a Homeworld approach, where there’s the fighter class and corvette class as small-grid ships with different variants on a base chassis (fighters having the cockpit blocks and being lightly armed, and corvettes being much more heavily armed and armored with a full interior cockpit setup). Then it’d go Frigates, Destroyers and Carriers, and then a Battleship. I personally am currently liking that design choice as I am unlikely to have enough people to fully man a fleet, so I try to make the ships fairly versatile as they grow in size, with some engagement specialties still, of course.

[@TheRezro]

Homeworld is a great game. But its classification is not.

[@jalakor]

@@TheRezro sure, it’s not accurate to the real world in all its classifications, but it’s cool, and in a space game about creating whatever you want, it’s rule of cool :)

[@pegasusinnovation9392]

This video is it 3 minutes long but it tells you everything

[@LunarKolony]

thats what im here for! :)

[@illusiveman1613]

Corvettes really benefit from a gravity propulsion system, much better than thrusters

[@bropil7545]

Awesome, I will build a corvette soon

[@PraetorPaktu]

Amazing video. looking forward to the next few.

[@LunarKolony]

cheers buddy!

[@frumpkin9282]

Best ship class!

[@scruffted]

Loved that!!!!!!!!! now I understand I don't have any corvettes and need to make some :D

[@LunarKolony]

they are lots of fun to build :)

[@scruffted]

@@LunarKolony Oooo yay I'm still working on my drone carrier lol but I'm sure I can find time :D

[@cpt-cheese3489]

I'd watch more of these, great vid

[@LunarKolony]

thank you!

[@camerondocherty4244]

Awesome designing one right now. Thanks for the tips

[@LunarKolony]

Happy to help :)

[@pegasusinnovation9392]

I flew here using my fastest corvette

[@LunarKolony]

indeed :o

[@pegasusinnovation9392]

@@LunarKolony the only time KZbin's notifications worked

[@ideaxgaming5647]

id love to see more videos like this

[@tarnstean]

This video earned you a sub. Please please make more of these!

[@robinmuirhead2617]

Quality content, keep it up Rob

[@themidnightbanshee5927]

Actually the best weapon for dealing with fighters is a death gatling which is just 9 or more gattlings on the new turret system I can personally attest to that as I built such a contraption before the update using remote controls and gyros and the results were deadly now with the custom turrets having their own ai this thing becomes much more terrifying Also you're gonna need lots of ammo for that

[@adamkonowol3543]

I mostly agree with roles so far but I use also a gunship class. These are ships in large grid, but made light by not using jump drive and large blocks. They are dependent on long distance travel but are more self sufficent f.e. in planetary incursions. Since large grid is better than small in nearly everything they are cheaper in PCU, tankier and more agile.

[@madcat789]

I see Corvettes similar to how you have them, with one major difference: The Corvettes are also used in launching small swarms of unguided single-warhead rockets, as well as one two-by-two guided missile. A good risk-reward set up.

[@reynard4823]

+90 Facts due to being British and talking about ships

[@LunarKolony]

Lmao

[@reynard4823]

@@LunarKolony Me and some frens have come back to the game due to the update. Going to be nice not having to use 10 mods just to add some modern weapons that are better than Zulu war era Gatling guns & dumbfire rockets lol

[@th3lev1athan22]

My belief is that corvettes are a vanguard unit acting more like a gunship with considerable defenses and should be light and nimble but still able to hurt light fighter, ground vehicles, and bases. Usually in my past designs I attempted to give them anti ship missiles that I designed but I go a little over board and wind up going from corvette to cruiser lol.

[@LunarKolony]

Awesome!

[@TheRezro]

Yup. That is what they are. Basally a Gunships with jump drive and some living space.

[@RichyN25]

love your warship series, I can only hope the upcoming AI improvements get to the point where you could basically run a fleet command like system, turning Space Engineers almost into an RTS

[@johnnypetersen3818]

Lovely vid, hope you update and fill out the other classes as well!

[@LunarKolony]

I plan to !

[@TheRezro]

Corvettes are large gunboats capable of interplanetary travel (medbay, jump drive, basic assembler). That is it.

[@oxxzydoom]

Sadly the interior turrets are useless at point defense now as the game counts as missiles all the new weapons ammo

[@jenniferstewarts4851]

Its strange. corvettes normally come in 2 flavors, offensive and slow escort. Corvettes rarely work in fleets because they are either to fast, or to slow, but in either case they are also generaly to short ranged. On the slow escort side, a Corvette is a ship designed to escort and provide screens to merchent ships, cargo ships and such, protecting them from pirates, or light craft. in this roll they don't need speed, but instead stand off and area defense weapons. In this roll they would sacrafice almost all "anti-ship" weapons and focus only on fighting lightly armed raiders. On the Fast side, A corvette depends on speed, it sacrafices armor, long range area defense weapons, and focuses around often a single offensive heavy weapon system, a single heavy rail gun, a bank of heavy ship killer missiles, a battery of heavy, oversized torpedoes. and then a few PDC's. The job of this corvette is independent operations or operating in small groups of corvettes. Here they operate as scouts, lay in ambush and harass enemy fleets, poking out of an asteroid field and firing then retreating. Corvettes often did/do the jobs of the older PT boats, but where as a PT boat would only be able to operate for 1-3 days at sea due to fuel limits and such, the Corvette can and would operate for several weeks. In truth the job of "escorting" the cruisers is normally the Destroyer. Corvettes are often somewhere between half the size and sometimes the same size as a destroyer, but with half the range, (less fuel means less size) and half the firepower.

[@TheRezro]

In real life large ships are actually faster then smaller ones. I define Corvette as cheap, easy to mass produce, long range patrol unit, basically gunboat with jump drive. In case of slow Escorts (US: Destroyer Escorts, UK: Sloops), it is actually separate ship type. Also cheap and easy to mass produce. But they tend to be larger and equipped more for long duration missions with more comfortable space for the crew. But typically lighter armed then even Corvettes. They may not have jump drive or assembler, especially in case of the AI convoys. They generally should not fight anything larger.

[@jenniferstewarts4851]

@@TheRezro Flower class corvettes from ww2- 16 knots, to slow to run with big fleets their job was convoy escort of civilian ships... Braunschweig-class corvette, 26 knots, slower hten most frigates. Pohjanmaa-class corvette 27 knots Kamorta-class corvette 25 knots.. modern "escort" corvettes are around 26 knots. then we switch to the fast attack corvets, like the Kamorta-class at 45 knot, victory at 37 and other ships, which are designed to run with missile boats... this put them as to slow or to fast to run with actual fleets that operate in the 30-32knot range.

[@captain_kes_kae7327]

Dose drone Corvette sounds like a good idea? We are low on manpower

[@itsDIETZ]

You should make more videos like the warship playlist. You could do strategies in their use or even non combat ships.

[@Joe-hh6ds]

Can u make a build video using these restrictions to make a corvette?

[@LunarKolony]

By myself?

[@VestedUTuber]

"Corvettes are best suited to high-rate-of-fire weapons" Or you can make them into light flanking capital hunters by loading them up with forward-facing fixed heavy weaponry. Or into light patrol ships equipped with a mix of weaponry for taking on both smaller, similar-sized and somewhat larger ships. Or even equip them with light snub fighters and use them as scout carriers. Because corvettes are typically fast and maneuverable they're very versatile and capable of suiting a wide variety of combat and support roles.

[@TheRezro]

Railgun corvette is a thing. But that is rather risky option.

[@VestedUTuber]

@@TheRezro Or, if you build them properly, they're actually the meta. At least until AI-controlled missiles finally catch on.

[@bloodstormwolf9512]

Mind putting these in a playlist? I think it could help people find these videos.

[@LunarKolony]

so far this is the only one (updated), i will make a playlist when i post the next one

[@bloodstormwolf9512]

@@LunarKolony Ah, nice.

[@totenkohpf4976]

But I am curious if there like a recommended size in dimensions L W H of each class of ship or something of the like?

[@dazedream2392]

My corvettes are 90 blocks long, our definitions are very different

[@gustaveliasson5395]

Because jump drives lose range once your ship (including any ships docked to it when it jumps) exceeds 1250t of mass, it's generally desireable to keep the corvette's empty mass around the 800-1000t mark to allow for some cargo capacity and maybe one or two piggybacking fighters or utility drones without reducing your jump range.

[@LoopieTheClown]

This was awesome, can you make a video on how to design corvettes

[@gustaveliasson5395]

This should help. m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y5TUooSbhauGmMU

[@TheRezro]

Make a gunboat. Add some living space and jump drive. You have a corvette.

[@Sen81222]

As someone new to this whole ship class stuff... what size in blocks are corvettes supposed to be?

[@gustaveliasson5395]

Large grids. The corvette will typically be the smallest jump-capable combat ship. Think of it as a superheavy fighter with a jumpdrive, and you're not far off. In terms of size, the corvette sits just above the *Cutter*, which would be its cheaper non-jump-capable counterpart. Above the Corvette, you'll find the *Frigate*, which is effectively a larger and more expensive twin-jumpdrive corvette with more thrust, more gyros, more jump range and endurance, and more anti-fighter weapons, but also typically a bit more flexibility in terms of weapon diversity, potentially including small numbers of script-guided small-grid interceptor missiles.

[@gustaveliasson5395]

Sorry, misred your comment and thought you were wondering which grid size to use. Umm, between 24 and 32 blocks in length? Longer if you make it really sleek. Ideally, you want your corvette to sit under 1250 tonnes under most conditions, because that's the mass limit where your jumpdrive starts to lose range as the ship gets heavier. Factor in that you'll want to be able to carry a bit of ammo, fuel, spare parts and resources, run occasional errands, dock a fighter or some kind of small-grid utility ship onto it without losing too much jump range, and you should end up with an empty weight of around 800-1000 tonnes.

[@Sen81222]

@@gustaveliasson5395 k thanks ^^

[@snakeoflordran9573]

what do you classify ships between corvette and capital ship as?

[@McCbobbish]

I think they can have a spinal cannon as well

[@alpacaofthemountain8760]

Great video!

[@Shaun_Jones]

My corvettes tend to be a little smaller, but I tend to use them more like super-heavy fighters, with high gyroscope power and batteries of fixed weapons to plaster enemy fighters and small capital ships.

[@TheRezro]

Those are Gunboats.

[@captainmatthew661]

nice video i have to say after watching your video my Isles Class Frigate starting to look like a corvette frigate hybrid since its all its turrets are anit fighter role with the mk1 having torpedo's and a rocket battriy and the mk2 swapping tornedos with an rail gun what would you say it is (i post links to the workshop page in a reply because how yt works and if you dont want me shareing it here feel free to remove) edit: also noticed comments about using small h2 tanks thats what i did with my ships and often in recent tasting the large small h2 tanks don't do much damage to the ship when they go up and in my case help make the ship tougher edit 2 also this video got my sub

[@tesseractcubed]

Interesting how the connotation of frigate used to mean the smallest ship able to operate alone, while corvettes are fleet screens.

[@TheRezro]

Well, no. Actually Corvettes always were smallest ship able to operate alone. Frigates are multi-purpose and Destroyers are fleet screens. Seriously, this video is a disinformation!

[@psyc1280]

Can I ask why you have that Abba song in the intro? I like it tbh

[@LunarKolony]

because i also like it :P

[@captain61games49]

I usually assign a Frigate to this kind of warship what do you consider a Frigate?

[@LunarKolony]

I consider frigates to be multirole support ships, sometimes acting as capital vessels in smaller fleets. I will go over them in their own video :)

[@captain61games49]

@@LunarKolony interesting i see them as escort ships for 2nd line fleets (borne how the class was used during ww2 to defend convoys and small carriers.

[@BrigantinosDoRoudos]

Very cool

[@dukealabaster5767]

What are the dimensions and sizes of your ships of this class?

[@LunarKolony]

knocking around 80 metres typically

[@LunarKolony]

description has lots of corvettes linked

[@pegasusinnovation9392]

For me corvettes are personal transport or civilian grade ships.

[@LunarKolony]

awesome!

[@TheRezro]

Uff... that is even worst definition.

[@gustaveliasson5395]

Cutters, Corvettes, Frigates, oh my! Destroyers, Cruisers, Battleships! *Sigh* It's all very nice of you to share this with us but, you know, don't wear yourself out. Yes, it's just a 3-something-minute video, but it does take a bit more than that to make them, don't it? Production quality's great btw, although the WWII nerd in me cringed at the idea of corvettes as capital ship escorts. Not your fault ofc, just SE not playing nice with 80-year old naval design concepts. Take care.

[@LunarKolony]

Yeah there are some differences in sci fi classifications, especially given SEs limited combat range, thank you for the comment!

[@RouninRobinu]

Nice video, though I feel some aspects of what makes corvettes corvettes are lacking. They're more than mobile pd-platforms. Atmospheric, they will wreck most challenges you may bump into on planet surface not involving players. In space, they're generally your first jump capable warship. Corvettes are easy to provide with multiple specialized layouts, due to being relatively small/cheap ships. There's a point in having a 'support' corvette, with repair and production capabilities, but also salvage, exploration, escort and assault corvettes. A corvette is the first size of warship large enough to bring its own single support craft, be it a fighter, shuttle, miner, salvage/repaircraft or a couple of smaller drones. Usually on a small landing deck, not an enclosed hangar. They are capable ships, alone or in fleet. Their main weakness is being relatively fragile, with lil' room for redundancy in their designs. As warships get larger, the necessity to ramp up offensive and defensive capabilities increases far more than the need for utility/support capacity. A battleship will rarely bring as many assemblers as it brings large guns to bear. But a support corvette may bring two assemblers, a refinery and just one large gun, with accompanying small arms. For fighting the pirates in the base game, you may never need a larger capital ship. However, most corvettes don't do well against other player's larger ships. They lack the defences or the capacity for the overwhelming first strike destroyers or missile boats/bombers may bring to bare. There's a niche for a stealth sniper-corvette, but high powered weaponry will make it hard to power up a jumpdrive/remain mobile after engagement. And arguably, that's one of the things you end up experiencing in a solo corvette most of the time... Having to run away from ships which outgun you, or outlast you in a slugging match. It's the price you pay for being highly mobile at sublight and extremely versatile in loadout and role. That, and generally still being dependant on either a base, or mothership to return loot to, store different support craft/modules and, if lacking production facilities on board, repairs and refuelling. Frigates tend to be a bit more independant, still being fragile, mobile and versatile, while also having a larger deployment range thanks to two or three jumpdrives.

[@LunarKolony]

I'm just describing Corvettes in my fleets :) but thanks for the detailed description !

[@badgerwildgaming6908]

Love the vid but the ball turret is not hard to make as long as you have space on your ship to place a rotor.

[@LunarKolony]

they are harder to repair compared to just welding up a gat

[@Marcus_Rik]

Out of curiosity; Do you base the advice in this video on experience in an actual PvP/Warfare server? Do these servers exist?

[@LunarKolony]

We play on the Lunar kolony SE server, which is currently down, but will be back up after this next hotfix!

[@Marcus_Rik]

@@LunarKolony Thank you for the quick response! Is there anywhere I can read more about the server?

[@gustaveliasson5395]

@@Marcus_Rik Think he has a discord channel? Might be some info there.

[@JohnDoe-tt6bh]

Do one on capitol ships

[@hayden-hr8gq]

I have 2 turrets with 6 auto cannons each as well as 4 more turrets with 6 Gatling guns each. These are custom ball turrets btw. Is this kinda overkill?

[@Guardian-Productions]

have you ever done frigates yet?

[@gustaveliasson5395]

Edit: Sorry, he's actually got an older "Ship Types" series. Here's the frigate video from back then: m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3bbiWqfjbtsrrM

[@Guardian-Productions]

@@gustaveliasson5395 ok

[@Thedogfighter]

Around how long do you think corvettes should be?

[@spenceabeen]

Gonk

[@illusiveman1613]

Do you play on a pvp server?

[@LunarKolony]

We have a server, which will be up after the next hotfix

[@tyrohere7234]

Fighters: is it even a thing in SE? I am struggling to produce small, yet effective fighter. I mean what range do Strahl interceptors have? can they fight for more than a few dozen of seconds? I would use some kind of remote controlled fighter to attack small enemy vessels comming toward our base in survival, but I am just unable to produce something with enough range to win a fight and get home

[@LunarKolony]

hydrogen was recently boosted, strahls are designed to be quick and expendable, even so, they can fly for a very long time on their own in space

[@Keyboard_Thoughts]

The game really suffer a lack of larger guns for capital ships

[@LunarKolony]

Unfortunately I don't think we will see new weapons again

[@wortwortwort4400]

Huh My fleet composition follows this order Fighterbombers Superheavy bombers Corvettes/gunboats Destroyers Light cruisers Heavy cruisers Battlecruiser Dreadnoughts Any changes?

[@The-Lonely-Nexus]

omg all the ships have dlcs i don't have

[@orion9026]

Bruh these are like 4 times the size of my corvette. Now I feel stupid lol

[@LunarKolony]

everyone's fleets have different sized ships. Some people I know have corvettes the size of my cruisers lmao. There is not definitive 'right' answer

[@orion9026]

True, true... My first battleship is like, half the length of my second one, SE is one hell of a drug.