AI War:Spire Tractor Platform
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Large, slow alien vessel is bristling with small guns but most importantly many tractor beams. This has obvious defensive uses, but can also be used to hold enemy ships at bay while longer range allied ships take them out. |
Base Stats
| Ship Cap | Ammo Type | Armor Type | Immunities | Damage Bonuses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Shell | Heavy | Fusion Cutters, Tractor Beams, Reclamation, Paralysis Attacks, Being Insta-Killed | 2 Light, 2 Ultra-Light |
| Mark | Damage | Attack Range | Reload | Health | Armor | Speed | Engine Health | Single Ship DPS | Ship Cap DPS | Abilities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | 21x 6,980 | 4,250 | 6 sec | 1,600,000 | 0 | 50 | 100,000 | 24,430 dmg/sec | 122,150 dmg/sec | 30x Tractor Beam (1500 Range), Armor Piercing 750 |
| II | 21x 13,900 | 4,750 | 6 sec | 3,200,000 | 0 | 50 | 100,000 | 48,650 dmg/sec | 243,250 dmg/sec | 60x Tractor Beam (2000 Range), Armor Piercing 1,500 |
| III | 21x 21,000 | 5,250 | 6 sec | 4,800,000 | 0 | 50 | 100,000 | 73,500 dmg/sec | 367,500 dmg/sec | 90x Tractor Beam (2500 Range), Armor Piercing 2,250 |
| IV | 21x 21,000 | 5,250 | 6 sec | 4,800,000 | 0 | 50 | 100,000 | 73,500 dmg/sec | 367,500 dmg/sec | 90x Tractor Beam (2500 Range), Armor Piercing 2,250 |
| V | 21x 34,800 | 6,250 | 6 sec | 8,000,000 | 0 | 50 | 100,000 | 121,800 dmg/sec | 609,000 dmg/sec | 150x Tractor Beam (3500 Range), Armor Piercing 3,750 |
| Mark | Knowledge | Metal Cost | Crystal Cost | Total Cost | Energy Cost | Build Time | Cap Metal Cost | Cap Crystal Cost | Cap Total Cost | Cap Energy Cost | Cap Build Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | -- | 4,000 | 12,000 | 16,000 | 1,000 | 00:01:40 | 20,000 | 60,000 | 80,000 | 5,000 | 00:08:20 |
| II | 2,500 | 8,000 | 24,000 | 32,000 | 2,000 | 00:03:20 | 40,000 | 120,000 | 160,000 | 10,000 | 00:16:40 |
| III | 4,000 | 16,000 | 48,000 | 64,000 | 2,000 | 00:06:40 | 80,000 | 240,000 | 320,000 | 10,000 | 00:33:20 |
| IV | Adv Fac | 16,000 | 48,000 | 64,000 | 2,000 | 00:06:40 | 80,000 | 240,000 | 320,000 | 10,000 | 00:33:20 |
| V | Core Fab | 32,000 | 95,000 | 127,000 | 2,000 | 00:13:12 | 160,000 | 475,000 | 635,000 | 10,000 | 01:06:00 |
How to use in your fleet
Spire Tractor Platforms are also termed Honey-Combs on the forums. To understand how these ships can be used, it is good to watch how the AI uses tractoring units in general. A basic tactic is to grab a collection of enemy ships and drag them into range of your own units/defenses (this behaviour can be set in the Controls). However, despite their health these platforms will not survive well on their own. You won't find as much use for these ships on defense due to their overlap with Tractor Beam Turrets , but they can serve as an additional reservoir to hold a large fleet.
Overall, probably a better unlock for the AI than it is for the player.
How to counter when in the AI fleet
The AI gets much more use out of these ships precisely because they can afford to throw away ships in order to cover the Honeycombs' retreat. Platforms will jump in, grab a chunk of your fleet, and retreat to planets deeper in AI territory. If you do not suicide (delete) the tractored ships, they can free up guards throughout the galaxy, and potentially from high-mark planets.
Chase with Bombers and fast starships before this happens, and give no quarter.
