Stellaris Cruiser Build Guide

[@Ryan-qu4vx]

You have my vote for an anti-crisis build video.

[@limonbattery]

Disruptor corvettes are amazing against Contingency. At least as long as you have enough damage coming elsewhere that you are winning the war of attrition.

[@datnoob4394]

And mine!

[@N0TYALC]

If you’re going against a x25 crisis, I find that the only safe bet is to throw a billion of the longest-range battleships you have at it, kill it before it kills you.

[@Vader53124]

And my axe!

[@Nerak516]

Yes please

[@MrJuliansnow]

General fleet compositions in early -> mid -> late game would also be nice.

[@Axel_the-Axelotl]

I support this

[@slicksleepy6622]

Support this

[@Shadow.24772]

if you saw the other videos on corvettes and destroyers. you should know, you switch to the next "tonnage" class as you unlock it. and build only that until cruisers show up. And as in this video explained, PvE, you go all rounders only and watch everything, other then crisis, cry as you keeel them xD With that said, sure. i would also like to see a video on it, since a literally never saw Montu's "all rounder" class anywhere before. Hence, i'm certain he can come up with something i've never seen before xD

[@FowlFolk]

Oh this would be fantastic!

[@Qu1atu5]

Yes please!

[@kyle8971]

I love that with the ship rework, cruisers went from a meme ship to THE ship.

[@AndrewTheUltraBoss99]

were they ever a meme ship...? I mean, sure, they wer enot max evasion destroyers or the evergreen battleship, but all laser cruiser would make you able to take on any enemy starbases with no losses, and they where pretty good with hangars and such. I don't think they were ever bad

[@leobastian_]

they were just worse battleships. both destroyers and corvettes had benefits over battleships in certain areas, but cruisers were basically useless as soon as you unlocked battleships

[@muhammadsaduddin308]

@@leobastian_ nah, with now they had torpedo slot, they're definitely better at taking down battleships

[@Arcos211]

@@AndrewTheUltraBoss99 Nobody used cruisers back in my days in 2.6. I just came back after i finally upgraded my pc to give this lategamelag game another try (so far so good with mit 7800x3d) and was like "what? Cruisers are usefull? the fuck happend?"

[@robertagren9360]

​ No. Cruiser was good against everything except crisis

[@IntusMortuum]

I will say, Stellaris has hit very close to how modern navies since WW1 have operated with the ship classes. Corvettes very quickly became patrol boats/mine tenders and dont have a place in battle lines, frigates were specialty ships and are rarely seen. Cruisers are the most versatile class and in WW2 there were some that could go hold their own against a Battleship. Battleships are vulnerable without a support fleet, but deadly and terrifying when supported. The missile and aircraft era has changed the dynamic drastically but that is reflected well in Stellaris as well. Without PD you are asking to get slapped around

[@purple_menace6604]

I really prefer this meta for that reason. Space combat realistically would not be anything like naval combat but most people are familiar with the basics of naval combat and most sci-fi media just grants that space combat is like naval combat. Ironically space combat in Stellaris used to be more realistic in the bad (but very funny) old days of naked corvettes.

[@zhadowmoon5811]

What are good support fleets for battleships?

[@IntusMortuum]

​@zhadowmoon5811 I tend to like my BBs as giant missile boats, but I build my fleets to be fast and have lots of long range missiles keep everything at max range, and use DDs as my flak screen since usually only enemy missiles can reach me. I don't use Frigates once I unlock Cruisers, and again they are usually just fast missile boats with some attack craft. My BBs are just bigger versions of them, and I usually build a lot more cruisers than BBs... I almost use my BBs as shields for my fleet. I'd rather all the fire hit them since they can take it, and collectively my Cruisers do more damage than my BBs, and usually die much quicker. The BBs can take a massive beating especially if you have a lot of Point Defense DDs with them

[@purple_menace6604]

@@IntusMortuum Basically the same. I like carriers but Missiles are generally the way to go in this meta. Frigates are really fragile and tend to take the brunt of casualties in the late game.

[@thesenate1844]

I had a small "Interior Security Force" of corvettes that would patrol solely to stop pirate bases popping up.

[@NaamahTheia]

I'd love an anti-crisis build video; I've been trying to wrap my head around the shipbuilding system, but frankly on the level of play I do, it's really just the crises and Fallen Empires that it really matters for at the moment.

[@alaskan_bigfoot9090]

Ship building was so overwhelming when i started, videos like this have really make it easier to manage.

[@BrisingrFan55]

So I have spent too much time delving into ship designs after the 3.9 rework, and especially after your SHIP WEAPONS TIER LIST video. I'd like to submit a 2-part Battleship design that I think does what the All-rounder Cruiser can do, but better. The first is the Mothership class Battleship: X-slot: Tachyon Lance Hangers: 2x Driller Drones M-slots: 2x Whirlwind Missiles S-slots: 2x Small Missiles The second is the Artillery class Battleship: X-slot: Tachyon Lance L slots: 4x Kinetic Artillery The purpose here, as you'll quickly see, is to use the Artillery battleship to help remove the shields of your opponents while the Driller Drones eviscerate them. The Driller Drones are naturally good against smaller ships, doing ~35 avg dmg per tick with perfect accuracy and good tracking. The Tachyon Lances are good vs larger ships, taking them out at the start of the battle and doing increased damage vs armor. The Kinetic Artillery is good against Cruisers and Battleships, since as Montu says in this video, artillery tends to be better against them since they have low evasion. I focus on the strike craft, running a ratio of around 7:3 Motherships to Artillery. If you want, you can also swap the Mothership X slot for another Driller Drone and more PD. These two designs struggle a lot vs lots of Torpedos, because nothing you do with a battleship will ever prevent them from being weak to that. They require ships to screen for them still. I made a full reddit post going over the numbers for these designs, plus their defensive and aux slots; as well as good designs for the early and late game if anyone is interested.

[@attilatorok5767]

Can you link your reddit post? I can't really decide if carrier battleships are good or not.

[@kaddy1112]

one thing about art. cruiser is the range of the combat computer is determined by your weapon median range meaning that it is not your smallest weapon max range nor its your average range rather its your median range meaning if you fill the slots with 120 120 120 100 100 100 100 then your median is 100 still far away (this is MEDIAN RANGE) and this works only with pickit, Line and Artillery computers only. and thank you for a great video

[@limonbattery]

No mention of the whirlwind/swarmer missile cruiser? I know they aren't great late game, but they're amazing in mid game.

[@cosmictreason2242]

I'm playing like 3.3 because i haven't had internet in my apartment for a year. Can you explain why I would ever want swarmer missiles as opposed to devastator torpedoes?

[@IamStempie]

@@cosmictreason2242tj I are pretty op in the latest version of the game

[@PaulthePhilosopher2]

@@cosmictreason2242 New version of Stellaris did a combat update. Devastator torpedoes have a max range of 30, Whirlwind missiles are 100 or 120. Missiles with Artillery combat computers create kiting behavior in the missile ships, so the torpedo ships never get into range to fire before taking so much missile damage they blow up or disengage.

[@hanneswiggenhorn2023]

​@@cosmictreason2242they massively outrange any M or S slot weapon. Combined with afterburners, you can create cruisers that in the mid game can kite down other ships, like torpedo cruisers, without problems. And before Battleships, hardly any ship design will have L slot weapons, so you will nearly always have a range advantage

[@cosmictreason2242]

@@PaulthePhilosopher2 aha. So when i update i won't be able to send torps cross system

[@kagenaga]

Genuinely surprised the torpedo/disruptor cruiser didn't come up as a generalist. I find AI tends to build very little PD, so you don't have to worry about overwhelming them. Even if they do, sprinkle in a few swarmer/carrier battleships to work that side.

[@Tayvin4042]

Ooh, a guide in the endgame crisis factions for modern Stellaris would be very nice to have!

[@FrankHarrison12]

Look at their ships, counter their shield/armor/hull balance. No guides needed lol.

[@LG-jn5fx]

Like others have said in other posts whirlwind and quantum missile spam is massively effective when combined with artillery computer and triple afterburners. You outrange and kite anything other than battleships. With so many missiles being fired any PD the enemy has is overwhelmed and totally ineffective. The AI hardly ever build anything to counter these Cruisers. I also take increased range picks for my Admirals whenever available and it really helps. Using a single weapon type also helps with the research repeatables as well. Struggles with fallen empires but they just sit around until you are ready to pluck them like a ripe cherry so can refit if needed.

[@TheArklyte]

Best ship class? Either your first additional science ship or your first colony ship. Don't recall as much excitement, hope and pain invested into any other ships in this game. Or any other loss being as painful and impactful.

[@ow124-k3z]

*deep*

[@zafraz1077]

Now that I think of it you're actually right. Damn. Applies to real life maybe once u have alot of something the value goes down.

[@Routerproblem]

The Colossus, since its one of the rare ship types that can fix the late game lag

[@Acadeimos]

Thanks for the video Montu. Side note, you should totally do the one system challenge again with the current update

[@SolazLive]

You gotta be real careful with your combat computer on anything with a firing arc because if they are always retreating to long range then they cant shoot with enemies approaching them

[@luka188]

Firing arc doesn't really matter, since in stellaris ships have almost instant turn rates. Battleships can pivot on their axis a full 180 degrees instantly and take aim to shoot their x-slot weapon for example. Minimum range is the only problem, as for kiting, if your ship is faster and there is enough space, they can always retreat successfully to stay at range, turn to shoot instantly on a dime and have no issues.

[@lostbutfreesoul]

@@luka188 They can, but if your not micro-managing... will they? Or will they just keep pointing the gun away, as they retreat?

[@AyoKeito]

@@lostbutfreesoul as said before, if they are faster, they will outrun the enemy, turn, shoot, then turn again and keep running. If they are slower, well, you're dead :)

[@luka188]

@@lostbutfreesoul You can't micro manage fights in stellaris, the ships just behave as they do. You can see this behavior as you view the fight in game, or on some of the combats featured on Montu's channel for example.

[@tiget601]

@@lostbutfreesoul my guy there is no micromanaging space battles in stellaris except for the retreat button

[@downsidebrian]

Torpedo cruisers with swarm missiles are my standard starbase-killers and leviathan-hunters. Im not sure exactly what the multipliers are for those, but they're certainly high enough to make a hell of a difference.

[@Maadhawk]

Aside from the artillery cruiser build, I have been using builds almost identical to these ever since I found Stellaris early last year. Edit: Some slight variations from here on what I use: 1) Carrier Cruiser - swap the torpedo for neutron launcher if you get the Zroni Storm Caster and put up a few Zroni Bastion's in key choke points. Then reinforce them with all armor cruisers with the carrier build and neutron launchers instead. Use Carrier computer. 2) Carrier Cruiser 2 - all rounder variant - swap the torpedo bow for broad side bow and go with Whirlwind Missiles. Their max range is 120, before modifiers, which is almost equal to that of your hangars at 125. Their missiles will also help further swamp enemy point defense.

[@plmokm33]

As someone who has always loved making all-arounder cruisers whether they were good or not, this video brings warm feelings to my heart.

[@SolidMax1400]

we need more videos like this. it was very informative for me

[@sjeblyatnejaknjzke2811]

That was what I already had but this channel is where I learnt how to play, so you ve my like as always...

[@poru7665]

I would love a shipbuilding for beginners or how to build ships during the game as I usually just play with auto on I would love to learn to strategize some more but it feels so overwhelming and I don’t know what works better for what situations

[@savior_ru9773]

I absolutely love my cloaked missile cruiser build. Max speed, psionic cloak, psionic shields, swarmer/marauder missiles, kiting etc. They may be real imperfect, but i like the idea do deal a first devastating blow from nowhere P. S. I like how Montu turns the classes of cruisers into rock-paper-scissors.

[@Ruosteinenknight]

That disruptor cruiser/destroyer comboed with torpedo cruisers really saved my bacon the other day when 4 player federation fleet tried to subjugate me. Their fleet strength went from "overwhelming" to "equilivant" in record time.

[@gaygekko]

Montu is totally sleeping on whirlwind missile cruisers, devastating in midgame, and very useful even going into late game.

[@FrankHarrison12]

Montu sleeps on a lot of things.

[@chaoticcosmos7588]

There are two types of people I don’t trust in this game. People who play with xeno compatibility, and people who let the computer design their ships.

[@SolazLive]

Sounds like those are the two you should trust because they are still new to the game and less likely to cause you any problems

[@Jummugest]

Im learning :(

[@SameMoyMix]

Im too lazy to design them

[@murkorus7147]

With the way the artillery computer range works, you can actually put on a few missiles with shorter range without it affecting the range your ship will stay at, at all. Most combat computers (those that say medium range) will take the median (not average), of your weapons' ranges, and stay at that one. The artillery computer takes the highest instead. So if you had a ship with a single range 120 weapon, and then full on disruptors, it would still sit at range 120.

[@AnarexicSumo]

Median is an average. Mean is what you’re conflating with average. There are 3 main measures of central tendency all of which can be called average which isn’t a mathematical term.

[@IrishWarrior1]

Thanks for this and all the videos you make. But mostly this on, I needed this!!!

[@joshuadelaughter]

Love "The Great Swarm" ascension perk. Not sure if it's vanilla or from a mod, but basically it's an ascension perk exclusive to hive mind empires that increases the fire rate of corvettes by 25% and reduces it by 25% for all other ships. Great if you just want to build a ton of corvettes and nothing else.

[@WillFixPlanesForMoneh]

Literally just Rock Paper Scissors with Cruisers

[@flying_luigi9088]

I always have 6-8 cruiser designs by the time I get bored of the save file, a main battle cruiser, a light carriar, artillery, energy artillery, half carriar half battle carriar, autocannon cruiser, stealth cruiser, I might've missed 1 or 2

[@cosmictreason2242]

Aside from just having some of all in the fleet, is it really helpful to have that many variations?

[@nickgrout2502]

Not to be that guy, but it's spelled "carrier"

[@flying_luigi9088]

@@cosmictreason2242 probably not but damage must be as efficient as possible

[@JdbsDhs]

For the all rounder torp computers are much better than artilery computers. The majorty of your damage will come from torps, then either missle or strike craft depending how long the fight goes on and shield hardening.

[@MontuPlays]

If you come up against torpedo's you will be in trouble though! As they will out torpedo your torpedoes. That is less of an issue in single player or vs mixed fleets though ofc

[@Eaglecatcher25]

😢 I'm not the devil, I just got the console version 3 days ago and I'm learning better I swear!

[@LeviWasTakenAgain]

I love the TL;DR part, your videos are awesome, but sometimes pretty long so it's nice to have a quick recap

[@Duchess_Van_Hoof]

My favourite warship type since forever. Finally G and H slots, three hull sections. At long last some proper creativity.

[@eddiev1591]

Love to see that Crisis ship guide video.

[@nealm6764]

Great, great, great video! I added a couple of these to my fleet designs right away. I think from now on I am using the all around cruiser in place of Defensive platforms. They are more expensive, but they won't get auto destroyed if you lose the starbase.

[@Duchess_Van_Hoof]

I like how particle launchers now are Star Trek torpedoes.

[@vintorez9145]

Good theoretical explanation. I'm missing some empirical showcasing though.

[@Danielhuren]

The answer for endgame at least for me has always bin focused arc emiters on empty hulls repeatables combined with building over starbase and fleet cap means you end up with like 40mil in fleet power of ships that instantly end the fight after one or two vollys before the other side even fires

[@gleem111]

100% absolutely do the anti-crisis build video. I also second the request for an early/mid/late game build video for ships.

[@Decimatarius]

Oh very much yes would really appreciate a crisis walkthrough. I have very mixed results when fighting any crisis.

[@kyosukearashi3523]

The artillery crusier shoud add a swarm missle in the tail. Since you don't actually need that extra A slot for another afterburner, and swarm missle also have the range of 120.

[@am17frans]

Yeah talking about designs vs. crisis are something i would like to see, as that is the fights that can be hard (on x10). Especially the contingency.

[@Elthenar]

That one guy who made a response video to this reminded me of something I'd meant to ask. All the videos I see are mono-ship fleets. Do people not use mixed fleets with screening vessels anymore? I still tend to build like the old battleship meta, arty battleships with fast, screening ships.

[@evansarver2989]

A full update to all ship builds for pve and pvp would be awesome.

[@dawidszczechla3388]

There is one build missing that I'd like to see, Carrier/Whirlwind missle cruiser without torpedos. It may not be as effective vs battleships, but how about other cruisers?

[@icephoenix1079]

Almost sounds like a mixed fleet is the best idea, who knew.

[@tobiasGR3Y]

I'm glad the post 3.6 ship series is continuing. I've been very lost with ship designs since the update, and my playstyle has been wholly altered because of it.

[@alexmiller1800]

Thanks for this Montu. I started up a Necrophage Leader build yesterday and would up really snowballing in my playthrough (I tend to stagnate pretty hard in strategy games). Long story short I managed to vassalize a neighbor, build up a massive economy, and then found an Ether Drake, which I killed and reanimated. I went from around 50K fleets (equivalent to most of the galaxy) to 120K overnight. I then launched a secret fealty war and took another vassal, but now the galaxy doesn’t want to even mess with me because I’m too strong. I’m now considering a Crisis run to force the rest of the Galaxy to really fight me, so I need some strong ships to take down a Fallen Empire and then burn my way across the stars. Thanks for enabling my galactic genocide.

[@GraniteGhost778]

I need as many ship build guides as possible. I have no idea what I'm doing.

[@davidshea6272]

I've been building something similar to the all-rounder, swapping out the torpedo bow for paired whirlwind missiles, and generally a more balanced weighting on defensive modules.

[@notsm]

Yes to the anti-crisis video. Yes please.

[@swaze2199]

Cruisers have always been the backbone and workhorse of my fleet

[@verdtre4573]

Just what ive been waiting for.

[@MazeMouse]

I've already been using the allrounder for a while against AI. They are just a dream to work with. And then I build specialized fleets to deal with whatever crisis I get.

[@sagittariusa7662]

Ideal ships should be a blend of different builds. The Jack of Trades should be the ideal view of implementation. And as for ships, it should be a mix of ships. You need some corvettes, some destroyers, some frigates, some cruisers, a couple of battleships, a few titans and a dreadnaught. That would be and should be the best built. If you go too far one way, you will leave yourself vulnerable in another way, either in how a single ship is built or how many if a certain class.

[@andrebachmann1475]

Thank you for this video! A question: why aren't you using the artillery CC for the disruptor cruisers? Since the maximum weapons range is defined by the M disruptors (40), this CC will also try to stay always in range. And it doesn't grant you unnecessary tracking, but instead weapons range and fire rate.

[@pieterfaes6263]

I know they would be countered by point-defence, but in PvE I always run a mix of Whirlwind Missiles+Cruise Missiles with an Artillery computer, max afterburners (3). They consistently win even when facing a stronger fleet, but researching them also is very convenient for tech rushing to Megastructures, as doing so probably will make you juuust hit 6 tier-4-techs to get there. They easily deal with lower class ships, which take far too much damage before they get in range, if they ever do. They're more consistent than the AI's cruiser builds, and they seem to match up against their battleships, maybe because they might be mixed and whirlwinds have equal range as artillery iirc.

[@robocreator223]

Honestly Whirlwind missiles are kind of a count PD counter, that's kinda their deal. They just soak up a bunch of PD. Montu is definitely sleeping on them

[@noneofyourbusiness4133]

8:16 shouldn’t these have missiles still? Adds more 100 range fire power.

[@JelaniWood]

Endgame Crisis ship guide pls

[@thetakenhollow7711]

Instructions unclear, just jumped a 200 capped carrier battleship fleet on your capital.

[@cosmictreason2242]

You took the cthulhu perk? (Is that the one? Can't remember )

[@UrdnotChuckles]

I really like making cruisers with swarm missiles & regular missiles, plus the artillery computer. Add some afterburners, armour hardening + regeneration, and you're good to go! The AI still seems to have a heck of a time dealing with them if you can stay at range.

[@pulverize3]

Never thought i would hear the word disrupter and powerful in the same sentence

[@LactoseintolerantWis]

I usually have a mixed fleet, but for cruisers I exclusively use the torpedo build and its really the powerhouse of my fleets, I rarely lose a battle

[@MPaz-kw1rt]

Crisis ships video!

[@vasheroo]

I just got cruisers and level 2 torps and disruptors at year 35. Im ready to rock!

[@BigBrain05]

You will never see me without a fleet of one billion tachyonlances

[@scorn9018]

Hey montu, i'm suggesting a high all-crisis guide video (for 10x and 25x). I feel like there's barely any guide content on all-crisis, and especially high/max all-crisis mechanics.

[@luka188]

There's a channel on youtube, Tachyon lance, who has playthroughs where they beat a 50x contingency on grand admiral (In a game with 3 crisis back to back, the first one 25x crisis, each stronger than the last, with contingency being the last to spawn, spawning at around 50x lol). Generally, with enough scaling tech, you can beat any crisis, it just depends how much time you give yourself to prepare (And how well you manage to scale your economy, or how long you bother before going on autopilot mode lol). For anything over 5x, short range weapons are bad as the crisis gets so much extra damage they will one shot your ships, so long range weapons and carriers tend to do really well against them. 25x crisis can even one shot battleships (Less likely with repeatables on your armor and shield health), so your best bet is to outrange them and use carriers with lots of repeatables. For 5x and below crisis, disruptors work fine, even against contingency (Generally the most challenging crisis). Disruptor cruisers with 1 torpedo slot on the bow for extra punch against stations, otherwise they won't be able to defeat the purification hubs (Or other starbases the other crisis make). I tested swarmer missiles as well, but they actually did worse than disruptors against 5x contingency with a similar amount of repeatables (Around 5 for both energy and explosive damage). To make them work, you need a big system with lots of space so the ships can kite and you need a lot of repeatables to have them deal enough damage, as they need to chew through the armor first and thus need to deal with almost 10 times the HP, but against stronger crisis the range is critical.

[@baroncaucasio95]

Montu is slowly but steadly turning into Aspec

[@jsr9617]

Yes please, a 'how to deal with the endgame crisis' video would be much appreciated.

[@WilliamDHaley]

The "if you leave auto-generate designs on" comment made me burst out laughing. Well done Montu

[@warlorddelta8]

What's so bad about making an unfuckwithable battleship covered in small and medium guns, that just charges into the fray tanking every bit of damage these food can throw at you?

[@RandomGuy-qr5jw]

Always thought Artillery Combat Computers would keep your ships at the distance of your longest range weapon. So there should not be a problem with adding missiles (that would be great for repelling corvette swarms that try to rush you down)

[@asbjorntyrson2827]

I use similar designs except my 'allrounder' is a carrier battleship design but its similar sans the torpedo slot and for my artillery cruiser I go full swarmer missiles because I am just not sold on neutron launchers. I usually have mixed fleets of two third disruptor one third torpedo cruisers. Fleets of all swarmer cruisers and fleets of all battleships similar to your allrounder cruiser design. The mixed cruiser fleets wreck faces up close while the swarmer cruisers and the battleships support from range. It works out more often than not.

[@draynaruegames]

Disruptor Cruiser are so great you had to say it twice xD

[@ObiwanNekody]

Crisis guide would be great. Complicated ship combat is great.

[@Kommerzman]

I know Montu always trashes neutron launchers after the update but I just love them on cruisers. Even in small numbers they have an absolutely insane damage output. Especially if the enemy is focusing on heavy battleship fleets

[@XViper123]

Was expecting to see a Neutron Launcher on the all-rounder to be honest. Matches better with the range of the other components.

[@williamwallace2823]

+1 for end game crisis video =)

[@Peryite_the_Platypus]

One of the reason why I do not actively play Stellaris anymore (I want to return but...I only see problem swaping each patch not problem solving), is that often just one ship class dominates everything (maybe when we are lucky two classes are useful within a patch), which in turn makes the game more boring. Its a prime example of where balance would be important, just for the mere reason to make parts of a game (like other ship classes) not basically obsolete.

[@Zweistein001]

I do like how both battleships and cruiser have a place now. I just wish destroyers and corvetted had theri place too.

[@blackfalcon1324]

Me: just started playing stelaris yesterday so used auto generate Montu: you are the devil and make me sad

[@ONAROccasionallyNeedsARestart]

I've been manually building ships ever since I first started watching your vids a year ago. However, I will now do all my future playthroughs with autobuild only, just to make you sad.

[@1337Stream]

Great video, ans you absolutely have my vote for a crisis video as well! :)

[@sommmeguy]

Here's a puzzler. When your enemy has a weapon that is strong against, say, shields. Should you build more/stronger shields or switch to armor? That is - bolster your weak points or strengthen your strong points?

[@TheDude50447]

Once you swap out afterburners for shield hardening the torpedo class cruisers should be winning again against the allrounder cruisers since they can run them down.

[@Aurelius_Denix]

I think you should add like, the default "the game chooses desing" for not so advanced players for comparison to see the differrence. To make us/others bother with changing desings, than just keeping it as the game wants. (if youre not playing competitive, challenges, x25 crisis and so on...)

[@eg8568]

Are these builds still valid? Especially the torpedo cruiser and all around cruisers? I've just started playing and this video is really helpful, but want to make sure that the game hasn't changed too much since it was made! Thanks!

[@UltraLux.]

In pve you can build literally whatever you want , but Ive would say battleships is most comfortable ships ( but if you dealing with strong crisis build small ships as meat shield for them )

[@PyroMancer2k]

At the start there was mention that Cruisers could take on Battleships but didn't really hear but about that just how the Cruisers face off against each other. I use to run the Mixed All Rounded Cruiser design as the main staple of my empire but it seems like while I would win I was taking some heavy losses late game when facing x25 crisis. I ended up switching to Carrier Battleships and found a lot more success. It seems like in a lot of engagements their range and extra toughness allows them to survive longer and stay at range. I use to think the Torp multiplier made them really good but they have to get in so close so suffer more damage and have long reload times. As a result I shifted to the Battleship Carrier which has become my main stay ship as it seems to crush all takers.

[@aaronwentzel8695]

The torpedo crusier getting on the at close range and x9 torp damage is what beats them.

[@luka188]

Battleships are pound for pound a lot less effective damage wise. There aren't any great large slot weapons that bypass shields and armor (Except for Arc emitter as x-slot, but cloud lightning sucks), and neither there are missiles or any good shield bypass options besides strike craft (Which don't do enough on their own). You can fill them with small slots and go missiles, but that doesn't perform any better than just going cruisers, and the x-slot weapons available are anti-synergistic with the other weapons, thus you cannot unify your damage very well. Tachyon lances are very powerful, but they are energy weapons that cannot bypass anything, so an opponent can just go shield heavy on their torpedo cruisers and laugh at you. Other x-slot weapons aren't very good anymore. Arc emitter would be fine if there were large slot disruptor weapons that didn't suck, but even if there are, the range difference is also anti synergistic, and you don't want to get into torpedo range with a battleship anyway since they are like paper in front of them, so anything disruptor range would be bad regardless. So, you are left with an option of going mixed damage or carrier (And if going carrier, what x-slot weapon do you use? Arc emitter to do hull damage while the strike craft have to chew through armor? Or Tachyon lance to deal with armor but also has to go through shields? I'd go Arc emitter to do hull damage and lower enemy combat effectiveness, but no matter what you choose they are anti-synergistic with your strike craft). They are just a mess, hard to optimize damage type wise, fly like a snail, expensive and slow to build, and with a glaring vulnerability to torpedo's. Outranging your enemy doesn't matter if you cannot kill them before you get torpedoed in the face, and unfortunately, that is what happens to battleships every time pretty much. Everything they can do, cruisers can do better. Against high end crisis, range is king, so battleships may perform better than cruisers, since they may or may not get one shot, while cruisers will get pretty much one shot even with repeatables against 25x crisis (Unless you can stay at range). Cruiser carriers shouldn't really perform worse than battleships against 25x crisis though, so long as they do manage to stay at range long enough to pick them off.

[@MontuPlays]

Basically, as mentioned above and in the vid, torpedoes is the answer!

[@PyroMancer2k]

@@MontuPlays How do you run the test? When I try to set something up SP using console commands to switch between empires the AI screws it up as soon as I swap empires. Or do you simply get MP game and have each player setup how you want?

[@jxslayz6663]

crazy thing is ive been making the all rounders for forever

[@manend2]

as it should be. Cruisers are the middle. The generalist who can face all

[@michaelwheatley8394]

I can follow your reasoning and maths, and agree with it, but... What about mixed fleets? My current fleets are picket cruisers (distuptors, with torpedoes added if the enemy has larger ships), mixed with carrier/artillery/hybrid battleships at the back, and the role of the cruisers is to say "Shoot me! Shoot me!". So it doesn't matter that the battleships would take more damage from torpedoes, because they aren't getting shot at, but they are bringing a higher density of damage-per-fleet-point.

[@danielsanchezgracia6571]

A video for the crisis ships would be very appreciate sir

[@jubjub501st]

This is the one part of stellaris I could never get good at

[@popposggsasd7870]

Can you make a video about ship behaviors, like carriers, how does components effects ship position or firing ranges, and does scoutwing still better at taking down other strikecrafts ect, i am really confused on these mechanics?

[@notNajimi]

Torpedoes and S slot disruptors have the same range and imo go together beautifully on a brawler-class cruiser. Biggest weakness I can think of is point defense though, so maybe bring some backup with whirlwind missiles to help saturate the target’s PD. Don’t take this as pvp advice though, I’m a noob that has only played pve so far

[@lsdave42]

Thanks, gonna take this advice and run with it and pretend I'm actually good at the game.

[@cosmictreason2242]

Lol i did the same with torpspam corvettes against leviathans

[@chroniquesJDR]

Hi Montu! Your video was very helpful. What about battleships? I know they're not as strong as they used to be, but are they still useful in PVP?

[@MGShadow1989]

So with Cruisers being the best overall, what's the best use for the other ship classes? - is there anything Cruisers can do that another ship can do better? Take the Disruptors for example, would a Corvette be better at that specifc job due to speed and mobility?

[@lelysio5688]

Been playing on Admiral difficulty and ive experienced that whirlwind missile+speed cruiser rushes against the ai are really powerful. Is that still the case or do they now know how to counter it?