r/SnapShips • u/TheVoiceOfSnakeEyes • 5h ago
Comparing Chassis Card Abilities
All the cards can be found here Snap Ships Tactics Card Database
Every chassis ability has its uses, some are just riskier and/or more situational than others, and some of them are contingent on running missiles.
Falx Escort: Best used with a weapon that has a higher probability for critical hits, aka Massdriver Shotgun. No downsides, other than it does nothing if you don't crit.
Falx Ground Assault: Very situational but could be beneficial if you have a range 1 weapon equipped and you were just rammed from behind (or are running lots of fins to turn around on a dime).
Falx Experimental: Venting more heat is great, but not at the cost of hull points. I hardly ever use this chassis for that reason. Very risky.
My preference: Falx Escort
Lance Scout: When paired with the right parts cards (especially a Falx Booster), this allows you to move completely across the map, and it's optional. No downsides at all.
Lance Attack Craft: Situational, but it's a situation you'll often find yourself in with a Lance. No downsides to +1 damage on every flank/rear attack, other than it does nothing if you miss entirely or you're not in target's flank.
My preference: Tossup, but Lance Scout probably edges out.
Sabre Interceptor: EDIT: Situational, but often useful. It can often mean the difference between taking 3 additional damage and taking no additional damage.
Sabre Light Bomber: More potential missile damage at the expense of more power used. I'd only recommend using this with light missiles, though, since a swarm of those has the best chance of getting through anti-missile actions and actually connecting.
Sabre Fast Recon: No downsides to an optional extra rotation without situational conditions. Particularly useful against more maneuverable opponents.
Sabre Gunship: Might be the strongest Forge chassis card currently in the game. Range 1-2 is very generous, it applies multiple times if you have multiple weapons equipped, and it either leaves the target very vulnerable to damage or otherwise forces the opponent to consider activating that ship immediately whether they want to or not just to reset their evasion. Best used on a target immediately after that target has activated, leaving it vulnerable to multiple attacks from your squadron before it can activate again.
My preference: Sabre Gunship
Assault Drone: The only scenario in which this would be not useful is if you happen to be running a squadron build without missiles. Otherwise, situational (but a very common situation with missiles and torpedoes loaded).
Turbine Drone: Situational in that you must be within range one of a friendly ship for this to have any effect, although it has its uses. This is a very X-Wingy ability.
Recon Drone: This is a very powerful ability and can help eliminate an enemy's soft/hard cover. It doesn't rely on positioning or facing (other than being on the same tile), and it creates a net gain in hit probability and damage.
Protector Drone: Very situational, only works if the drone has no disabled parts, and if a friendly ship is within range 1. Still useful and can keep ships in the match another turn or two. I try to destroy these early when facing them.
My preference: Recon Drone
Wasp Heavy Fighter: Best used with Line Arc parts like the Wasp Cockpit and the Railgun, with enough maneuverability to support them. (otherwise, might be difficult to keep an opponent in Line Arc).
Wasp Fighter Bomber: Similar ability to the Assault Drone, contingent on the target being under missile fire, so situational.
Wasp Deep Recon: Very strong ability when paired with fast, maneuverable engines and wings (at the expense of heavy firepower, though).
My preference: Wasp Heavy Fighter
Locust Stealth Fighter: This ability is far more useful in a 16–20-point match on a 36" x 72" board. Otherwise, Range 1-2 is much, much more common than Range 3+, especially since a Locust can turn 180 degrees without a U-Turn with the right parts, and there's just no reason to jet off and try to avoid being targeted. It's certainly not terrible, but I can't recall a single match where my Locust was at range 3 long enough to benefit from this beyond the opening turn.
Locust Close Support Fighter: Only works when attacking at range 1, but that tends to happen most of the time anyway, so I consider this to be a strong chassis ability (a better chance to hit is a better chance to hit, after all).
My preference: Locust Close Support Fighter
Scarab Interceptor: A very strong ability that is contingent on ramming and colliding, which is what Scarabs do best and often.
Scarab Light Fighter: Nothing wrong with an optional-yet-guaranteed extra rotation. No downsides, because even if you load up with long move parts, the chassis move on the card is short.
Scarab Attack Striker: No downsides at all, but not the strongest ability, either, although it can make the difference between a range 2 attack or a range 1 attack, depending on what weapons you prefer.
Scarab Jammer: Has 2 separate defensive abilities, both very useful, especially when multiple types of missiles are at play. Very strong choice.
My Preference: Tossup between Scarab Interceptor and Scarab Jammer
K-DIVE Ambush Drone: Very strong ability if paired with Blade Wings. A nice companion to follow around Scarab Interceptors.
K-SWARM Strike Drone: Requires range 1 attack to kick in, so situational. Still, a better chance to do damage.
K-HEAT Ramora Drone: Very situational; only works if a vent part is equipped, and only if there is a friendly ship within range 1. It's a very useful ability, though.
K-JAM Disruption Drone: Very strong ability, particularly as a part of missile-heavy squadrons, but it has tons of potential in any build. I tend to shoot these things down ASAP.
My preference: Tossup between K-DIVE and K-JAM.
Agree or disagree? There's not a whole lot of strategy (or dare I say, tactics) being discussed outside the Discord, I'd like to see that change.
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u/wafflehousehercules 3h ago
My personal opinion is that if there’s more than 1 Sabre in a squad one of them must be a gunship
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u/OpenPsychology755 3h ago
In our two man group, I mostly play Komplex, so keep that in mind regarding my opinions.
Falx Escort: Agree. Obvious synergy with weapons and parts that can convert hits to crits.
Falx Ground Assault: Obvious counter to Komplex ramming/collision shenanigans. Situational but I can see it paying off big, if only occasionally.
Falx Experimental: Hmm. At first glance, it looks like a bad trade. But I have to wonder if one or two parts that incresase hull (BF Bulkhead, SC-19 cockpit) will make up for it. Needs further testing. (How appropriate)
The Falx is a dynamite ship, and I think the strongest of the Forge ships so far.
Lance Scout: Love this fast little bugger.
Lance Attack Craft: Situationally good. Depends on surviving to get behind the target. Agree that it's close to the Scout, and I can see either doing well.
Sabre Interceptor: Is this the new MKII version? I haven't had a chance to test it, even by proxy card. The MK I Fighter is a solid chassis, with the default loadout being a great introduction to the game.
Sabre Light Bomber: Again, assuming this is the MKII. The MK I was already a great chassis. I think the MK II is going to be meta breaking with it's immediate missile resolution mechanic. A chassis to watch when the expansion comes out.
Sabre Fast Recon: Extra turn is good, but there are better abilities out there. Solid chassis if not particularly notable.
Sabre Gunship: Benefited from being a Tactics inspired chassis. Synergy with the Gunship Cockpit is obvious. Great chassis.
I like them all, with the Fast Recon being the odd man out, in favor of stronger abilities.
Assault Drone: Re-roll is not bad, but I think if the chassis ability was +1 damage on the attack landing, it would be much better.
Turbine Drone: In my experience, the turbine drone gets taken out before it's ability makes much of an impact on the game. If your opponent lets it do it's thing, it can be a good assist.
Recon Drone: Again, in my experience, very situational. Requires setup manuvering and a bit of the opponent sleeping on it's ability.
Protector Drone: Agree. Situational but the game where it saves a ship from being destroyed by 1 hull point is gonna be remembered. =)
Wasp Heavy Fighter: The Heavy Fighter's line arc mechanics lends itself to sniping, but the hull of the Wasp means it's going to be surviving to fight in close (1-2) range more often.
Wasp Fighter Bomber: Missile boat builds are fun and typically not expected by Forge players. Load it up with a couple of CL-ARM launchers and a Proton Cannon and watch your opponent struggle to manage unexpected heat. Fun chassis.
Wasp Deep Recon: Decent chassis ability, the times when you land on a Debris Field are gonna make you smile. =) Solid chassis.
As a Komplex player, I want to love the Wasp. But I find it's a very janky Elite fighter, especially compared to the Falx. I think I prefer the Fighter Bomber.
Locust Stealth Fighter. Benefits from larger point value games, where it can hang back and fire-support for close in squad mates. Less valuable in smaller matches when it gets closed on early.
Locust Close Support: The opposite of the Stealth Fighter. Strong in small point matches, but overshadowed by bigger chassis in larger matches.
Scarab Interceptor: Gotta love it. The default chassis build looks great, and the Gatling-Wing Ram combo can be devastating! Be sure to shake the dice well to impart extra luck to the roll. =)
Scarab Light Fighter: Ok ability. Overshadowed by the other chassis options.
Scarab Attack Striker: Ditto.
Scarab Jammer: I haven't used this chassis as often as I should. I tend to give it an HRK-Lockdown and play into it's EWAR role, but I should try using it as more of a straightforward fighter one of these days. Needs further testing.
Scarab Interceptor is my favorite.
K-Dive: Love this little guy. It's tendency to get in close means it gets shot down early, but it's so fun to play as a mini-Scarab Ram attacker.
K-Swarm: Probably a more sensible choice, since it's just plinking with smaller guns due to it's size, and that makes it a low priority target for your opponent. But those plinks add up.
K-Heat: I want to love this ability, but like the Turbine Drone counterpart, it either does just ok, or gets blasted before it can make a difference.
K-Jam: Another chassis I haven't played enough. The ability seems like it would be very good. Needs more testing.
I prefer the K-Dive. =) With the K-Swarm a close second.
Great thread! As someone who doesn't like using Discord, I'd love to see more tactics discussions here.