Electronic Warfare - Ships & Types

Electronic warfare is one of the very important features for combat in Star Citizen that we don't mention very often. This is mainly because the feature itself is not yet fully implemented in game but also because the current content promotes a more aggressive playstyle. The reality is that Electronic warfare is going to be an essential tool for every organization that wants to emerge victorious from a military conflict and this is because it gives you the ability to monitor your enemy, anticipate their movements, manipulate info and disable targets with minimal risk for your own ships and manpower. Despite the fact that Electronic warfare is not fully fleshed out, there are some types of E-war that you can experience right now in the persistent universe.

We can distinguish the different types of Electronic warfare into offensive and defensive E - war options. The first offensive type that comes to mind when thinking of electronic warfare is obviously the Electromagnetic Pulse. EMP is an attack that has as a goal to overload the target's power pipe and force a restart of their ship's computer systems. This type of attack is already in game with the Avenger Warlock, an Avenger variant equipped with an EMP Generator. Data - spike missiles allow a player to establish a direct link into their target's computer and shutdown critical systems like propulsion, weapons and shields. An extremely useful attack for when you want to capture a ship without damaging it. In the future hacking arrays will also be added to the verse, that will allow us to take control of the enemy's systems from afar. Distortion type of attack is another E - war option that is already in game as well, in the form of distortion type of weapons that drain the power of our opponents. Signal intercept, which is considered a passive form of E - war, interferes with a target's communications or scanner systems. A very strong form of E - war that can leave our enemies blinded on the battlefield, unable to communicate and coordinate action.

In a battlefield though, you will not be the only one using different types of E - war. That means that you will always have to be prepared and defend against the enemy's similar attacks. Defensive E - war includes EM Flare, a tool that can shake off EM tracking missiles or even mask the launch of data modules from a ship like the Herald. Heat Chaff, that create a heated up field when launched and can draw the attention of heat seeking missiles and similar equipment. Data Chaff, that can protect against attacks to communications and scanners, disrupting the enemy's lock and can be a great E - war defense for ships that are not equipped with a full E - war suite. Decoy missiles, that broadcast appropriate signatures to assume the identity of a particular ship and confuse the enemy.

Although scanning is a different feature with its own importance for the game, it is also connected with Electronic Warfare. This is because in order to take full advantage of E - war, you will have to understand well how the signature system and in general scanning in Star Citizen works. In that way you will be able to identify your targets faster, discover enemies that are trying to sneak past your forces undetected and unleash your E - War attacks to disable them. Every ship in the game has a default scanning module but to operate efficiently like this you will have to use specialized equipment and a ship that was created for that role.

We can scan an entire area for everything that could be found inside that area or be more precise and search a smaller area for a specific signature, if you are looking for a specific target. Regarding scanning, the developers are working on a ping component that will send out a wave to see if there are objects within the scan range, like ships, asteroids or even signal traces, traces we will be able to read and tell if a player entered or exited them and eventually even follow them. It will be possible to adjust the angle with which we are scanning. With a smaller angle we will have more range but we will be able to find objects within that angle only.

It is easy to understand that players that can master scanning, will have the upper hand when hunting for certain targets, managing to strike first and disable their enemies with E- war, waiting for the rest of the group to arrive and capture the hostile vessel. To protect yourself and be less vulnerable to situations like this you could use Scan Shielding in various forms, like Hull modifications, the use of special armor that can absorb, scatter radar signals for example. Shields with a secondary scan shielding aspect, scan shielding components or an internal modification module.

There are certain ships in game, some planned, some already in game, that can be used as E - war specialized vessels and help you achieve your goals if this is your preferred playstyle. The Avenger Warlock, that has as a goal to disable ships and not destroy them. This Avenger variant is equipped with an EMP Generator, capable of emitting a powerful EM wave to disable any electronics within its radius. A great little ship that will be essential for every fleet that has as a goal to capture a certain target and a vessel that i think will see a lot of action in the upcoming 3.0 update.

The Herald, although mainly a data runner, can be used for intercepting communications and data theft. With the hacking arrays coming in Star Citizen in the future, it might be possible to equip them on the Herald and use it offensively like this. To be successful at this role the Herald comes with advanced encryption software, an armored computer core, EMP shielding and external data pods when you need to leave important info behind for your team members to pick up.

The Terrapin is another ship with dedicated scanning capabilities that could be used to infiltrate enemy lines and monitor their movements undetected, collecting valuable info. It comes equipped with a dedicated station, featuring isometric display terminals that allow the operator increased fidelity during data collection and analysis.

The Hornet Tracker is a dedicated scanning vessel with an advanced radar suite by WillsOp systems, perfect for scanning an area for targets or anything else you want to find. It can be used as a type of defense against enemies that are trying to approach your forces but also as a Command and Control ship, since it can provide guidance and coordinate action.

The Vanguard Sentinel now, is the best example of an Electronic Warfare vessel, since it will be equipped with EMP pulses, decoy missiles, an external E - war pod and an AR cockpit. The goal of the Sentinel is to create confusion on the battlefield and deny info for your enemies. This is why it will be an essential addition to any strike force, masking its appearance and assisting into hitting hard the enemy fast and first before they can react or realize what is going on.

Overall i believe that Electronic warfare will be an essential tool for every organization in the game to not only win a fight but also manipulate and control info for future engagements. Important not only for big organizations but for small too, giving them the chance to face stronger opponents and even emerge victorious by using this feature efficiently.

video here : https://youtu.be/iJdZSAOdrPM