Brandy McPherson
Starfield: A Guide to Mastering Space Combat
Starfield, the highly anticipated space exploration game developed by Bethesda Game Studios, is set to launch on Xbox Series X|S and PC (with Game Pass) on September 6. But if you can’t wait to embark on your intergalactic journey, early access is now available for players who own the Starfield Premium Edition, Starfield Premium Edition Upgrade, or the Starfield Constellation Edition.
As gaming enthusiasts and experts, we at Xbox Wire have been privileged to play Starfield early. And let us tell you, this game is massive, with intricate systems, mysterious storylines, and engaging mechanics that will keep you captivated for hours on end.
To help you prepare for what lies ahead, we’ve put together a four-part series called “Starfield Starters.” These spoiler-free guides will delve into some of the game’s most important, complex, and lesser-known features, providing you with the knowledge and strategies you need to succeed. Be sure to check out our other Starfield Starters guides on character customization and planet hopping.
Space is not always a friendly place in Starfield. You’ll encounter various threats, including the villainous Crimson Fleet, the Spacers, and House Va’ruun zealots, each with their own reasons for wanting to destroy you. Conversely, you may choose a life of space piracy, making enemies of peaceful travelers and accumulating bounties from Settled Systems’ peacekeepers.
In this article, we will focus on space combat, an essential skill you’ll need to survive the dangers of the vast cosmos in Starfield.
**Ship Systems**
Your spacecraft’s systems are key to your success in Starfield’s space combat. These systems include engines, three weapons groups, shields, and the grav drive. Your ship’s reactor determines the amount of power available for each system. However, on the earlier ships in the game, you won’t have enough power to optimize all systems simultaneously fully.
To maximize your ship’s efficiency, you’ll need to manipulate power distribution using the D-pad or arrow keys. Adjusting power levels affects the firing speed of lasers, replenishment rate of missiles, shield charging speed, and engine thrust. Understanding your enemies’ weaknesses and strengths is crucial when deciding how to distribute power.
Against lower-level ships, you may opt to drain your grav drive and shields, channeling all power into weapons for a quick takedown. However, when facing more formidable foes, it’s wiser to prioritize shields while maintaining some power in the grav drive, ensuring a prolonged battle if necessary. You can initiate a system jump to escape within seconds in dire situations. Mastering power allocation during combat adds an exciting layer of strategy to the game.
**Learn the Dance**
Space combat in Starfield is not simply a matter of hammering away at an enemy’s hull. It requires a delicate dance of choosing the right weapons for specific situations. While laser weapons are effective against shields, ballistic cannons excel at dealing damage to the hull once the shields are down. On the other hand, missiles can deliver massive damage but restock slowly, making them ideal for precision strikes.
Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each weapon type allows you to devise effective strategies. For example, you can focus lasers on an enemy ship’s shields, then switch to ballistics to penetrate the hull. The starting ship, the Frontier, comes equipped with a well-balanced combination of lasers, ballistics, and missiles. We recommend mastering this setup before experimenting with other weapon types.
Once you become more proficient, you can explore additional options. EMP-type weapons, for instance, can disable specific systems on an enemy ship, opening up opportunities for sabotage or looting. With limited slots for weapon groups, discovering your preferred setup is key to mastering space combat.
**Target Acquired**
As you progress in Starfield, unlocking the “Targeting Control Systems” skill will prove invaluable in combat. This skill allows you to lock onto enemies, slow down time, and target specific parts of their ship. It functions similarly to the VATS system in Fallout. This is where missiles truly shine, thanks to their high damage and homing capabilities.
Utilizing targeting control provides several advantages. If an enemy ship’s lasers are tearing through your shields, focus on disabling their laser systems. If you’re engaging in piracy, target the enemy’s grav drive to prevent their escape. Most importantly, you can aim for the engines, incapacitating the ship and enabling you to board it. By infiltrating the enemy ship, you can eliminate the crew, plunder the cargo bay, and even commandeer the entire vessel for your own use or sale.
Keep in mind that shields need to be taken down before you can effectively damage systems. If you want to prevent shields from regenerating, destroy their shield generator. However, targeting is time-sensitive. If you lose lock-on or take too long to disable a system, you must reacquire the target. In our experience, it usually takes two or three focused targeting sessions to incapacitate a system.
**Start a Movement**
Effective movement is as crucial as firepower in space combat. Pay close attention to your maneuverability when piloting your ship. Surprisingly, going too fast can impair your agility, hindering precise turns. The ship combat UI contains a gauge on the center-left that shows your speed, including a small white section. Staying within this optimal speed range enhances your ship’s nimbleness, allowing for swift and precise maneuvers to keep your target in sight.
Consider investing in the Piloting skill’s first rank for more advanced maneuvers, which unlocks thruster control. Activating thrusters enables you to strafe your ship in four directions, helping you dodge enemy fire while maintaining a lock on your target. We’ve found this particularly effective when facing enemies head-on, using thrusters to make subtle adjustments and narrowly evade incoming missiles.
Boosting, achieved by clicking the left stick or pressing Shift, is not just a tool for swift travel. It is also an essential defensive mechanism. When an enemy locks onto you with a missile, a red warning appears on the top of your screen. Boosting immediately breaks the lock, keeping you safe from the most devastating weapon enemies possess. Always reserve your boost for critical moments in space combat.
**Hull-istic Therapy**
Amidst the excitement of space combat, it’s easy to neglect the vulnerability of your ship. Unlike shields, hull damage does not regenerate naturally. You have two repair options: visit a ship-port at a civilized location and pay for repairs from a ship technician (at a cost of 1,000 credits per repair), or keep a supply of ship parts on hand.
Ship parts, analogous to medpacks for spaceships, restore your ship’s integrity. However, they are not abundant and occupy valuable inventory or cargo space. If you find your inventory overwhelmed, check the Aid section for ship parts. Interestingly, one effective way to acquire ship parts is by engaging in more space combat. Frequently, you will encounter ongoing battles between friendly forces and aggressive factions. If you join the battle and defeat all aggressors, the surviving side may reward you with ship parts among other choices.
Space combat in Starfield is a thrilling and dynamic experience, with many options and strategies to explore. By mastering ship systems, performing the intricate dance of weapon selection, utilizing targeting control, optimizing ship movement, and maintaining your ship’s integrity, you can confidently navigate the cosmos and achieve success.
Pre-order Starfield now to embark on this extraordinary journey through the stars. The game offers two editions: the Starfield Premium Edition and the Starfield Standard Edition. The Premium Edition includes the base game, the Shattered Space Story Expansion, up to 5 days of early access, the Constellation Skin Pack, and access to the Starfield Digital Artbook & Original Soundtrack. The Standard Edition includes the base game.
Please note that the release schedule and availability may vary depending on your location and platform.
In Starfield, the universe awaits your exploration. Craft your character, venture through the stars, captain your dream ship, discover, collect, build, and engage in intense combat. The vastness of space beckons—what will be your story?
**Starfield Premium Edition:**
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Rating: ★★★★★ (227 ratings)
Price: $99.99
**Starfield Standard Edition:**
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Rating: ★★★★★ (35 ratings)
Price: $69.99
[Pre-order Starfield Premium Edition](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/apps/9nlgbhlswxm8)
[Pre-order Starfield Standard Edition](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/apps/9ntfm8rxljf9)
Remember, actual playtime during early access may vary depending on your purchase date and possible outages. Cloud play is not available during early access.
Get ready for an unparalleled spacefaring adventure—Starfield awaits!
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings