AI War 2 - Ships and Structures Guide

A quick guide to the structures and various ships of AIW2

Contents

Quick Guide to The Ships and Structures

Quick Guide to The Ships and Structures

All credit goes to __!

Fleet Types

Fleet types

Fleets are the main organizational unit of the Human Empire, and is how all planets, defences, and offensive fleets are categorized. The following are the fleets that you can find and build within the game. All fleets are upgradable with science directly by going through the Fleet tab. *Note that mobile/officer/lone wolf/support fleets will only upgrade the flagship, while planetary fleets upgrade everything on the planet, and fortification fleets upgrade both the flagship (battlestation/citadel) as well as all engineering drones and turrets that come with them.

The types of fleets are as follows:

Mobile Fleets

These fleets are your main offensive fleets. They can be found abandoned all across the galaxy, each containing a fleet formerly used by the Human Empire. They consist of one unarmed transport that comes in several variants, and host a complement of fighters, bombers, and frigates that use complementary technologies/strategies. Unarmed carriers can also be transformed from one variant into another at the cost of HAP.

Officer Fleets

These fleets are capturable abandoned fleets. However these contain an Ark/Golem, powerful battleships and carriers that were built by the Humans during their 800 year civil war. They will incur a small AIP cost upon capture (from 10 AIP to 20), cost quite a bit of energy to field, but are more powerful than their fleet strength designation leads on with their experimental weaponry. These battleships and carriers, while starting empty, can be loaded with your existing fleets, and serve as powerful and durable albeit often slower transports. Their firepower and durability can be upgraded permanently by spending HAP as well as science.

Lone Wolf (Solo) Fleets

Large battleships that are powerful enough to decimate entire fleets and destroy entire planets. These incur a large AIP cost upon capture, cost a lot of metal and energy to field, and require a large science investment to level up. However, these Titan class battleships, while also being unable to serve as transports, field enough experimental weapons to carve a bloody path through the AI fleets by themselves. Both Lone Wolf and Officer fleet battleships are often underrated by the AI in terms of fleet strength, and are more powerful than meets the eye when used correctly. Their firepower and durability can be upgraded permanently by spending HAP and science.

Support Fleets

Fleets comprising mobile factories. These repair ships serve as carriers of engineering drones and military drones. While not powerful in their own right, they are crucial in serving as forward operating bases, allowing a fleet on the move away from shipyard factories to repair and refit. Their military drones also have unique effects, such as stunning enemy defenses, acting as decoy and chaff against enemy ships, slowing enemy ships down or keeping them away, as well as deal damage against light enemy incursions. Their complement of engineers however are the most important aspect as they allow any commander to quickly build turrets even on hostile worlds and repair/rebuild their damaged fleet. The factories come in many variants, each with their own drone type and unique aspects (such as cloaking, speed boosts, repair beams).

Mobile Fortification Fleets

Fleets composed of Battlestations and Citadels. These fleets carry a small complement of engineering drones, as well as allow a commander to build turrets on their own world or hostile worlds. Battlestations come in many variants, often with utility such as slowing the enemy down, preventing their escape, projecting a force field, or revealing stealthed units. Citadels on the other hand, are large Dreadnought-class battleships that while being the slowest things ever built, have some of the heaviest weapons available to mankind. With their own host of engineering drones, they can also build turrets upon friendly or enemy planets. Citadels start off with no turret complements, but massively boost the amounts of turrets they obtain by hacking from TSS (Hack for All or Hack 3X for one). They can readily solo enemy fleets/planets twice their strength and come out on top, and thus serve both offensively and defensively. Orbital Fortification Fleets, with the ability to build turrets offensively, can be used in a tactic known as beachheading. When beachheading, the Orbital Fort Fleet arrives upon an AI planet, and proceeds to build turrets to aid the mobile fleet with their own firepower. This is an extremely powerful tactic in order to destroy AI fleets that are larger or stronger than the player. Raid turrets and turrets with infinite range are especially useful, serving as front line offensive artillery.

Planetary/Stationkeeping Fleets

Fleets composed of a CS and everything buildable by the CS. Everything on a planet is upgradable directly with science by going to the planetary fleet menu through the Fleet tab. They govern all planetary defences (stationkeeping frigates), orbital defences, force fields, asteroid mines, command stations, and so forth.

Human Structures

Logistic Stations

Logis have powerful search radars that allow you to observe all systems within 2 wormholes of the logistic stations, contain large silos which raises your metal storage cap, as well as provides a shipyard with 3 factories. These stations are best for building and refitting your fleet on the front lines, as they also have medium complement of turret amounts as well as 3 force fields and defensive turrets that slow the AI fleets down rather than destroy them. Additionally, they have an enhanced speed boost aura, allowing you to ferry units across gravity wells very quickly.

Economic Stations

Econs house large energy generators that contribute significantly to your economy. Has only 1 factory, does not give you vision on surrounding systems, and has only 2 force fields and a small complement of defensive turrets. Build these in relatively safe positions where the AI fleets cannot reach it.

Military Stations

Mils have two factories, 4 force fields, and the largest complement of turrets, with built-in laser turrets that push away enemies, as well as boost the attack power of all units/turrets of humans on the planet. In addition, they have a moderately powerful search radar that keeps planets adjacent to these stations underwatch, and host a large complement of powerful orbital defence frigates. However, they have nearly no economic purpose, contributing very little metal and energy generation aside from the asteroid mines. These you want to build at strategically important locations such as chokepoints, important structures, etc.

Major Data Centers

Large structures hosting processing power of the AI. Capture and defend these to reduce AIP by 60 points. Losing the CS of the planet or having the MDC destroyed will raise AIP by 90 however.

Zenith Matter Generators and Zenith Power Generators

Large structures that generate large amounts of energy and metal. Not upgradable by any tech. If destroyed generates 10 AIP.

Large asteroid mines and lost power generators

Small structures that generate a moderate amount of energy and metal. Upgradable by upgrading the “Orbital Mining” technology or upgrading the planetary fleet. Generates 1 AIP when destroyed.

Human Cryopods

Small structures hosting cryogenically frozen civilian populations. Built automatically by the Human Homeworld. Generates energy by using solar radiation. Upgradable by upgrading the planetary fleet. Generates AIP when destroyed

Human Home Settlement

Smaller space stations where humans live and work. Generates metal via orbital mining and manufacturing. Upgradable through “Orbital Mining” technology and directly through planetary fleets. Built automatically by the Human Homeworld. Generates AIP when destroyed.

AI Structures and Planetary Defences (“Nasty Picks”)

Distribution Node

A goodie bag filled with science points and hacking points. Generates 3 AIP upon destruction.

Minor Data center

A smaller version of the MDC. Destroy it to reduce AIP by 20 points.

Super Terminal

A large structure that houses the AI’s router and modem. Hack it to reduce AIP over time. Note that the AI hates this and will start spawning fleets to attack whichever fleet is hacking it, and won’t stop until you stop hacking it.

Guard Post

A storage point for AI Sentinels and serves as a reinforcement point. Guard posts contain AI Sentinels inside them and when disturbed, will promptly release their stored AI Sentinels. The guard post will be disturbed by:

Having a military ship enter close proximity.
Being outnumbered in strength at a ratio of 2.5:1.
Alerted by an Alarm post. Some guard posts are unarmed, but more often than not they’ll have a weapon attached to them.

Nasty Picks

Nasty Picks are specific structures designed to be annoying at best and downright lethal at worst. On top of that, they sometimes (but not always) have a 5 AIP pricetag to destroy. Nasty Picks always have a “Sabotage” option, allowing you to safely destroy them without incurring the AIP penalty, while some have a “Reprogram” option, which subverts the nasty pick to your side. Finally, just like Guard posts, Nasty Picks (except Eyes) serve as an additional reinforcement point.

Raid Engine

Arguably one of the most deadliest Nasty Picks, the Raid Engine will immediately send a wave that is 1.5x stronger against whatever hostile force steps foot onto its planet’s gravity well, then will continue to send waves every two minutes while hostels are present. Increases AIP by 5 if destroyed without sabotage hacking.

Alarm Post

This building’s effect triggers when you have forces that are half or greater than half the strength of the AI forces (i.e, the alarm post will trigger if you have 50 or more strength while the AI has 100). When the Alarm Post fires off it destroys itself, and ALL AI sentinels on the planet and adjacent planets become alerted and will either attempt to fight you off the planet you are on, or become a threat fleet and strike back later. Increases AIP by 5 if destroyed without sabotage hacking.

Troop Accelerator

This building doesn’t really pose a direct threat compared to other Nasty Picks. However, its danger lies in the fact that it doubles AI reinforcements for free. And yes, they DO stack. If you have an AI world that is on high alert with a troop accelerator, you better neuter that world fast, unless you want the AI to doomstack the reinforcements on that planet. Increases AIP by 5 if destroyed without sabotage hacking

Black Hole Machine

This building is effectively a one way door. If a unit that has less than engine gx 22 enters a planet with a Black Hole Machine, it cannot leave the planet unless it is a flagship that is crippled. It also has a gravity slowing effect around itself. Increases AIP by 5 if destroyed without sabotage hacking.

Eyes

This building comes in (currently) 2 varieties, the Ion Eye and the Plasma Eye. Functionally, an AI Eye is inactive at first. However, if you or other hostile factions have a strength value that is greater than the AI’s strength value in the presence of an Eye, then the Eye will power up, and unleash its devastating weaponry upon its enemies. Uniquely, Eyes are completely invulnerable if more than 2 guardposts are also present on the same planet, forcing you to carefully snipe guardposts, or sabotage hack it. Does not cost AIP to destroy.

Ion cannon

This building rapidly fires infinite range Ion blasts that deal % based damage, rather than having a fixed number. They can only target units with albedo less than .4 however. Additionally, units that are markless or have a mark equal to or higher than the ion cannon are untargetable by it. Does not cost AIP to destroy.

Mass Driver

This building fires infinite range projectiles that deal 600k damage a piece, allowing them to easily take on most frigates and seriously damage weaker flagships. However, they can’t effectively damage anything with a mass lower than 5tx. Does not cost AIP to destroy.

Fortress

This building is simply a durable structure that is hard to take out with conventional forces. It is weak to long range assaults however. Does not cost AIP to destroy.

Super Fortress

A Fortress on steroids. It is still weak to long range assaults. Exclusive to the Fortress Baron AI. Does not cost AIP to destroy.

Ship Types

The ships of AI Wars can be classified into 4 types, being strikecrafts, corvettes, frigates (AI variants are guardians) and Flagships. Strikecrafts themselves can be classified into 3 different types, while corvettes can also be classified into 3 types. These ships generally have a theme, but as we stated earlier in this guide, this is just a general guideline and there will be exceptions to everything. There are many variants of ships each with their own purpose, specializing in some niche. A glossary of all ships will be coming in the future, but right now this should help newer players understand the general themes. Note that the AI does not have frigates and battleships, but instead have guardians, dire guardians, exo-galactic war units, and AI Golem replicas to serve in the same role.

Strikecrafts (SC)

Swarmer Strikecrafts (SSC)

Numerous, fast moving, close range fighters that swarm enemies and attack at close range. The cheapest and fastest but also often the most fragile.

Normal/Medium Strikecrafts (SC)

Numerous, fast to medium moving close to medium range fighters and bombers. Very durable for their cost, and also very strong for their price.

Heavy Strikecrafts (SCH)

Not as numerous, slow moving bombers and tanks. Very tanky, slightly more expensive than the average strikecraft.

Stringray strike fighters, specializing in destroying forcefields, a swarmer strikecraft

Porcupine strike fighters, specializing in armour penetration, a medium strikecraft

Heavy bombers carrying fusion shells, great at demolishing structures, a heavy strikecraft

Corvettes (K)

Light Corvettes (KL)

Medium amount, slow to medium speed, long range light ships armed with missiles and cannons. Not very durable, but has long range single target damage.

Heavy Corvettes (KH)

Medium amount, slow and close range heavy ships armed with rockets, missiles, cannons, and tesla coils. Armed to the teeth, very tanky, and slow, with large amounts of damage bonuses when up against multiple targets.

Gunboats (GBT)

Low amount, slow and heavy ships armed with a singular large cannon with very long range. Has high base damage accompanied by radars countering against stealth units or other utility gimmicks, but no major damage bonuses.

Light corvettes armed with long range missiles, great against thin armour and slow targets

Heavy corvettes armed with short range anti-spacecraft tesla coils. Durable and great against swarmers

Heavy gunboats armed with long range energy cannon. Durable and slow, but has great search radars to reveal cloaked units

Frigate (FFL and FFH)

Light Frigates (FFL)

Large warships armed with powerful weapons. Has more health and speed than the average corvette but is very expensive to build and maintain. Specialists in high burst DPS speeds, these powerful warships are used to raid and to chase down enemy units. Some of these lightly armoured warships trade speed for powerful long range weaponry.

Heavy Frigates (FFH)

Large warships with heavy armour and armed to the teeth. They have high health, slow speed, with heavy hitting weapons that do considerable single target and multi target DPS. Generally used at close range against heavy fortifications and large enemy warships.

Siege frigates armed with long range cannons and torpedos, fragile and slow but powerful.

Assault frigates armed with fusion shells and ballistic cannons. Durable, powerful, but slow. The backbone of the Human Navy

Dire plasma guardian, a large AI warship equal to a heavy frigate, specializes in destroying forcefields

Dreadnought/Titans

Unarmed Transports

Cargo freighters and transport ships capable of inter-system flight, these have been converted into makeshift carriers from which humanity may launch strike forces. Variants include those used to transport fuel and energy between colonies, variants with cloaking devices, and so forth. Your starting fleet starts in one.

Dreadnought class battleships/Ark class carriers (ARK)

Also known more commonly as Arks, are human battleships and carriers built with experimental Zenith alien weapons. These survivors of the 800 year civil war are very powerful, albeit rated lowly by the AI compared to their actual strength. Use these as armed carriers, or individually as battleships on the offensive or defensive to give your fleet an edge. While not as powerful as Titan class ships, such as golems, these ships have unique weapons with special effects that can make them very devastating, or have other utility uses. These ships still have better stats than all smaller ships, and unarmed transports. Note that the amount of weapons and armour on these ships makes them usually slower than unarmed transport ships.

Titan class battleships/Golem constructs (GOL)

Also known more commonly as Golems, are human battleships made by repairing the husk of ancient Zenith automatons/weapons and modifying it with human technology. These gigantic alien battleships are actually relatively small robots created by the ancient Zenith race who used to rule the galaxy and beyond. These ships have special weapons much like the Arks, but also immense amounts of health, shielding, and attack power. These behemoths of wars can serve as a fleet supercarrier, or as a lonewolf fleet battleship depending on the type. The drawback is that these units, like Arks, will generate AIP when captured, cost a lot of energy to maintain, and cost a lot of metal to repair. These ships are also typically very slow, and should be used in defending important choke points or on the front lines during an offensive. Note that the lost spire frigate is also a titan class battleship, but is a spire ship that has been modified to be fit for human use.

Citadels (CIT)

Citadels are Dreadnought class ships with a twist, being that instead of a carrier, they carry engineering drones with them as well as the construction facilities necessary to build turrets on hostile planets. These are very powerful in their own right, with enough weapon and armour to take on small fleets twice their strength alone, and an entire armada if fortified with its turrets. Very useful, with multiple types each specialising against certain types of enemies.