Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 45: Ready, Set, Tow

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 45: Ready, Set, Tow

Now that I am back home again after a brief vacation, I can finally give you a rundown of the latest CSR round to have concluded fully. For those of you expecting another utility-themed round, you are most definitely right. The premise of CSR77 is that somewhere in Europe (specifically, southern Germany), someone is looking for a vehicle which they can use as a tow rig capable of carrying their highly tuned race car all the way to Sweden, where an outlaw road race will soon be held. That tow rig had to be a panel van, truck, wagon (estate for those of you who prefer to use European motoring terms), SUV or people mover, with at least three seats and four doors (if the seats were arranged in two rows and the front seat was not a bench). And, as usual, it also had to be street-legal (catalytic converter + 1 muffler, no race intake/exhaust or semi-slick tires); on top of that, it had to use a body which became available from 1995 onwards.

The customer's priorities were quite clear-cut this time around. In addition to costing no more than $17,000 without markups, it had to be sufficiently comfortable, easy to drive, and reliable for its role as a tow rig, while also being cheap to service and highly economical (for its kind - 12 litres/100 km was the absolute maximum). Most importantly of all, utility, load capacity, cargo volume, and towing capacity were paramount, with minimum values of 30, 500 kg (plus 300 kg for every 1000 litres of cargo space), 1000 kg, and 1400 kg respectively. After double-checking the rules, I finally went ahead and started work on my entry for this round.

Thus the MUD Teton was born. After some deliberation, I settled on a single-cab version with a premium interior and a bench seat, having previously decided that a dual-cab version with a standard interior would not be as effective. The Teton's construction was very conventional: a galvanized steel ladder frame with a leaf-sprung live rear axle and treated steel bodywork, but no 4x4 system, lockable differential or off-road tires, in keeping with the on-road spirit of the round.

The MUD Teton as originally submitted for CSR77, in 4x2 Premium guise.

Over the next few days I grew increasingly confident, as other users built and submitted their entries. It soon became clear, though, that some of the users believed that the client's needs would be best served with something other than a truck, and decided on submitting passenger cars instead. However, I stuck to my original idea of a 4x2 single-cab truck, having decided that it would indeed be the right type of vehicle for the job.

This time there were 21 entrants, which meant that the field for this round had actually increased in size compared to the previous one. However, as before, only six entrants would still be in contention for overall victory after the first phase of judging. The other 15 were eliminated for a variety of reasons; some were too large to be practical, while others were too heavily focused on utility to be sufficiently comfortable and/or drivable for daily use. There were even a few entries which suffered from the exact opposite problem - inadequate utility - and were also passed over without a second thought.

Above, from top: four of the top five entries in CSR77 (Vikstrom C9, Hawker Nemesis, Shromet Parvus and WorkMateAir)

This left only six entries for the host to judge in the final review phase. My Teton 4x2 would go up against the somewhat generic Shromet Parvus, the relatively stylish Vikstrom C9 2.5 AWD, the butch FM Outback, the boxy Hawker Nemesis and the odd-looking but surprisingly capable WorkMateAir. Again, though, I could manage no better than fifth - an inevitable consequence of focusing too heavy on utility to the detriment of comfort and drivability for the second round in a row. It did, however, beat the FM Outback, which was far cheaper but even less comfortable. As for the Vikstrom, its lack of cargo capacity and high running costs ensured that it only finished fourth, ahead of the Teton but behind the Parvus.

In the end, the WorkMateAir claimed a narrow victory over its closest rival, the Hawker Nemesis, simply by being the best all-rounder of the six finalists. And so, after a sluggish start, CSR77 finally reached the satisfactory conclusion it deserved. However, given that this round was the second one in a row to have a utility theme, it was generally agreed that the next round would focus instead on passenger cars instead of trucks, SUVs or vans. That, however, is for another post. Until then, see you next time!

Doll Maker's Diary, Part 14: Alpha Team Overview

Doll Maker's Diary, Part 14: Alpha Team Overview

This is my 100th post overall on this blog, and to celebrate, I'd like to show you something special: all four founding members of the CRASH Alpha Squad. First up is a picture of the four in fancy dresses, away from the intense pressure-cooker atmosphere of actual combat.

The first four members of the CRASH Alpha Squad: Ellie Watts (far left), Kayla Brooks (left), Claire Hayes (right) and Alexa Lowe (far right).

Next is another picture of the Alpha Squad, this time depicted them suited up and fully armed for a mission, with their powers on display for all to see.

The same Alpha Squad members fully armed and clad in full armor, with their powers in use.

Finally, here's a picture of the Alpha Squad in their training outfits. Given that they need to be in peak physical and mental condition before each mission, an intense workout routine is essential to maintaining their readiness.

The founding members of the CRASH Alpha Squad in their training outfits.

With this, I hope to start a storyline involving all four of these X-Girls. I have already settled on a name for it: CRASH Chronicles. It will delve into the adventures of each of the CRASH Agents shown above. In the future, I may add more characters to this storyline as I see fit - either a team of supervillains, or allies of CRASH, or even both.

That concludes this showcase. I will be on vacation yet again, this time to Bandung, so until then, I'll see you next time.

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 44: Teaching the Next Generation

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 44: Teaching the Next Generation

Since CSR77 was in limbo until very recently, I would like to show you yet another retrospective on another CSR round which concluded recently. Unlike CSR76, which suffered from a low turnout, the round immediately before that (and came right after the one I most recently hosted) turned out to be much more hotly contested, with more than two dozen entrants. This explains why I tackled it with much more enthusiasm. The reason was simple - it was easier and more fun to build a compliant car with the rule set of that round than it was with the one in CSR76.

Speaking of rule sets, compared to the one I used for CSR74, this one felt like coming back down to earth. Instead of track-ready sports cars, entrants were tasked with building small hatchbacks intended for a fleet - specifically, a driving school in Marbella. They wanted to procure some affordable small hatchbacks fitted with manual transmissions. However, they needed ten cars in all, costing no more than $14,000 each after being marked down by 10%, which meant that the fleet as a whole must not cost more than $140,000. At any rate, the school was looking for something that was safe, easy to drive, cheap to run (in terms of fuel economy and service costs) and highly reliable (with regards not just to mechanical components but also to corrosion resistance), with a dose of practicality and comfort thrown in for good measure.

As soon as I was absolutely certain of the requirements, I jumped at the chance to develop an entry for CSR75. That car was called the Hanson Heron 1.8Ti, and powered by a 1.8-litre turbocharged inline-four driving the front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox. It was a fairly standard, unpretentious small commuter car, although not all of the entries (of which there were thirty-five, almost matching the previous round for popularity) followed that description.

The Hanson Heron as originally submitted for CSR75.

Eventually, it was time to compile a shortlist of cars to be considered later. Of the 35 cars which were entered, 23 of them failed to meet enough of the criteria which had been specified, and were summarily rejected. The Heron, despite its high purchase price, was not one of them. However, it was unlikely to actually win this particular round for that very reason. Indeed, it explains why the Heron was eliminated in the second round of cuts; its disproportionately high tax rates (based on cylinder count and total displacement - the tax system for CSR75 heavily favored cars with very small three-cylinder engines) didn't help either. Several other promising contenders had also passed muster initially, but on closer inspection, could not compete with the remaining cars, and were also summarily axed. Ranking the top seven cars, however, proved to be the most difficult part of the judging phase; each of them made a stronger case for themselves than any of the other entries.

And so the finishing order for CSR75 was finalized. First to go was the Shromet Radiant RC, which, despite its low costs and high comfort levels, turned out to be too powerful for the fleet manager's liking. Next was the Delta Muso Sport, whose similarly high level of affordability (both in the short and long term) couldn't offset its lack of comfort and safety, or the absence of a fifth seat. The Albatross 150 Turbo was, like the Delta, another four-seater, which not only had two overdrive gears, but also had a bit too much power for a first car. However, it edged out the Delta by virtue of being easier to drive, more reliable, and very economical to buy and run, with superior safety to boot. Then came the Pegasus Getaway 5, whose all-round excellence made it a firm favorite - until the manager realized that it lacked an overdrive gear and was more expensive to service than originally anticipated, thus relegating it to fourth place.

So close, yet so far: there's a reason why the Radiant, Albatross, Getaway and Muso (above, from top) all missed out on a podium finish.

Third place went to the RCM Fox, which was yet another car with just four seats (not helped by a relative lack of comfort and power compared to some of the other finalists), but was safe and forgiving enough to edge out many strong contenders. Meanwhile, the Nohda Tansa Revo clinched a second-place finish thanks to having five comfortable seats, with high levels of drivability and safety. Only its odd retro styling, lack of power and high service costs held it back from the top step. In fact, the winning car was actually even more comfortable than the boxy Tansa.

The Fox (top) and Tansa (bottom) were both very strong contenders on paper, but were ultimately held back by minor details

Speaking of winners, the Baltazar Quark 1.0 deserved its accolade for all the right reasons. It edged out the Tansa for comfort, power, drivability, reliability and service costs, while nearly matching it for economy and also having a fifth seat. Combine that breadth of talent with a handsome exterior, and there is no doubt that it was the right car for the fleet.

Comfort, practicality, ease of use, reliability and affordability - the Quark got the win by balancing all of these aspects better than its opposition.

There was, however, a postscript to this round: as soon as I heard about another contest on the forums, where one of the segments was a budget car showdown (for which my CSR75 submission was eligible), I jumped at the chance and created another trim of the Heron. The higher budget cap for this latest challenge prompted me to create a new trim with an enlarged engine (2.0 litres compared with 1.8 for the original version) and wider track at both ends.

The revised Heron 2.0, with a wider track and larger engine but similar fuel economy figures.

Surprisingly, this new trim nearly matched the original for fuel economy, while also providing a noticeable performance boost. The only other change I made to the exterior was replacing the metallic blue exterior color with a pearlescent white; however, all fixture placements and sizes remained unchanged.

At the time of publication, the segment is still pending release. In the meantime, I'll leave you with one more image which hints at the next post in this series:

Stay safe, folks, and happy motoring - or Automationeering, whatever that is.

Doll Maker's Diary, Part 13: Alexa Lowe

Doll Maker's Diary, Part 13: Alexa Lowe

Given that I have already made profiles for three CRASH agents using the X-Girl Creator, it seems natural that I would do the same for a fourth one. I have called this one Alexa Lowe. Her powers primarily involve detecting cloaked targets within her vicinity - an ability granted when she was accidentally exposed to a stellar flare while observing a distant star from the other end of a wormhole. So, without further ado, here is a brief description of Ms. Lowe.

The CRASH info file for Alexa Lowe.

In addition to possessing all the usual abilities of other CRASH agents (superhuman speed and strength, excellent combat skills, etc.), Alexa Lowe can generate light to provide auxiliary illumination in dark places. However, her decloaking ability has a limited range and can only be used for a short time before the cooldown phase kicks in, as well as being less effective (or even unusable) in the presence of decloaking inhibitors - usually through a range reduction - and can even be interrupted briefly if Alexa is hit hard enough. This explains why she regularly undergoes training to improve the effectiveness of her decloaking field, primarily by increasing its range and duration. I will now show a few more of Alexa's outfits.

And so ends this brief summary on the fourth and last CRASH agent from my original quartet. I might make another set of characters in the X-Girl Creator if I feel like it; it's not guaranteed, but quite likely considering how much time and effort I have devoted to it so far. Until then, see you next time.

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 43: Automania and European Observations

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 43: Automania and European Observations

It's been a few weeks since I went on vacation to Central Europe - first to Budapest, then to Vienna (with a few hours spent in Salzburg for good measure), before heading back to Budapest. During that time, I took note of how the automotive landscape looked like in those countries - a fitting place to do so considering that the VW Group has a manufacturing plant in Hungary, as do several other carmakers such as Suzuki. Ultimately, there were several facts about it which left me intrigued. So here they are, in no particular order.

First, most European customers still believe that passenger cars (usually small hatchbacks or mid-sized sedans and wagons) are as popular as ever, even though crossover sales are still increasing. In fact, Austria's best-selling car, the VW Golf, is a small hatchback, albeit one available with a dizzying array of trims and powertrains; I saw countless examples of its various. A recent CSR round (which came immediately before the most recent one, in fact) reminded me of one of the reasons why such small cars are so popular: they are commonly used as first cars, and also procured in large quantities by driving schools for use in their fleets. My entry for that particular round, the Hanson Heron, was exactly that - a small, economical and affordable hatchback which could also serve as an ideal family car.

Two trims of the Hanson Heron: the 1.8Ti (above, blue) and 2.0Ti (below, white)

Second, European car buyers tend to be more adventurous when selecting exterior colors. This explains why many of the cars I saw were brightly colored, with eye-catching reds, oranges, yellows, greens, blues and even purples of varying shades and finishes. Conservative monochrome shades - whites, silvers, grays and blacks - were present, but more rarely seen than in other markets, hence my preference to select bright colors when designing a car in Automation unless it does not suit the car's era or market sector.

Third, the streets of Vienna were filled with all manner of premium cars, from luxury sedans and SUVs to sports cars and supercars. In part this is explained by its citizens being quite wealthy, and more willing to spend it on a car which suits their tastes, now that the late-00s recession is now a distant memory. I also found many examples of such high-end cars in Budapest, although they were somewhat rarer over there. In fact, the only kind of premium car I never found while on vacations was the most prestigious one of all - the multi-million-dollar ultra-high-performance hypercar.

Fourth, the available grades of gasoline in Austria and Hungary are restricted to 95RON premium unleaded and 98RON super unleaded. The latter fuel type is less readily available, however (especially in Hungary), and more expensive. Regardless, both of them tend to have a lower sulfur content than 91RON regular unleaded, which is still in use in some countries. Owners of electric vehicles have nothing to fear, however. Vienna and Budapest, like many other European cities, have a large number of EV charging stations, although the sheer cost of such an extensive EV-friendly infrastructure generally makes it more difficult to implement in developing countries. Besides, if the electricity is generated primarily from fossil fuels instead of renewable energy sources, what's the point of an EV charging network anyway?

Before concluding this post, I would like to tell you that I found an example of a board game very reminiscent of Automation during my brief visit to Salzburg. It was called Automania - a fitting name for a car-themed game. Up to four players can compete to be in control of the largest car manufacturer in the world by expanding and upgrading their factories, while hiring specialists to help them accomplish their plans. Also, much like Automation, they can tailor their products to suit the desires of the game's markets - although unlike Automation, there are only two markets in Automania. In addition, players are able to develop either low-cost, mass-market cars, or more expensive, higher-end products. Ultimately, though, the player who makes the most profits over the course of the game wins.

That concludes my retrospective on the motoring-related observations I made during my first-ever visit to Continental Europe. Given that I have just mentioned CSR75, however, it would be remiss not to dedicate the next post to it. Until then, see you next time, and happy motoring.

Doll Maker's Diary, Part 12: Kayla Brooks

Doll Maker's Diary, Part 12: Kayla Brooks

Having already introduced two CRASH agents, Ellie Watts and Claire Hayes, I now present you with a third one - Kayla Brooks.

A brief description of CRASH agent Kayla Brooks, along with some of the outfits I made for her.

Before becoming a CRASH agent, Kayla Brooks volunteered to receive a prototype serum which would enhance her regenerative abilities. However, the doctor administering the trial accidentally gave her an overdose of the serum, increasing her speed and strength in the process. Another side-effect of the overdose was that she could heal nearby people by emitting a light purple beam - but only for a few seconds at a time, after which she must wait for a brief period of time in order to use it again. In addition, her powers have no offensive use; as such, she fulfills a support role within CRASH and relies on her marksmanship and melee combat skills to win battles. Also, her regeneration rate is somewhat slow, to balance out her superhuman speed and strength. Finally, she cannot actually resurrect dead people, and hence takes great care to prevent her allies - and innocent civilians - from being killed.

Under CRASH Commander Claire Hayes' guidance, she trained herself to use her ranged healing ability on multiple allies at once. Although this drains her healing reserves more quickly, further training can make the healing beams last much longer and cover longer distances. Kayla's healing beams are surprisingly effective against the undead: instead of reverting them to normal humans, it destroys them outright. In fact, it causes them to explode.

This concludes my summary of CRASH agent Kayla Brooks. Stay tuned for info on more CRASH agents in the following weeks.

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 42: Rock 'n Rollin'

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 42: Rock 'n Rollin'

CSR76 marked another milestone in my "career" as an Automationeer. It was the round in which I proved that I could design a practical car which not only had plenty of cargo capacity, but also room for several passengers instead of just one. Ultimately, I could hold my head high from my final placing, even if my entry's aesthetics left something to be desired. So, without further ado, here is a brief summary of the round.

Some time in 1978, heavy metal band Eagleheart, consisting of bassist Buddy Earl, lead guitarist Jack "Ledsaw" Page, rhythm guitarist Steven Dare and drummer Mac "Dustin" Lee requested a new vehicle to carry them on their upcoming US tour. It not only had to be street-legal, but also capable of running on regular (91RON) unleaded. More importantly, its pre-markup price had to be no greater than $10,000, and its cargo capacity had to be at least 3,000 litres, plus 200 kg of towing capacity (or 1,000 litres of cargo capacity and 1000 kg of towing capacity). There were no limits on production units or engineering time, however, which left me with free rein to build something which would not only meet these requirements, but also be sufficiently safe, easy to drive, comfortable, economical, and reliable to merit the band's consideration.

After a brief period of deliberation, I decided that the most suitable vehicle for Eagleheart would be a passenger van, but with two rows instead of three to allow for more cargo space. That van was called the Genra GVC Combi, in reference to its ability to carry large numbers of people and goods at once. I never considered a pure cargo configuration with only two seats, or an eight-seat setup; the former could not carry enough passengers, while the latter had insufficient cargo space.

My CSR76 submission: the Genra GVC Combi.

Thanks to close gearing and a torquey engine, the GVC Combi also had more than enough towing capacity for the band's needs. Speaking of engines, the one found under the hood of the GVC was nothing special - a 2.5-litre straight-four with two carburetors and one overhead camshaft - but it was powerful enough to get the big, boxy van going, and fairly economical for its era to boot. On the outside, I opted for an all-black exterior color scheme, in keeping with the heavy metal vibe of CSR76.

The GVC also had relatively simple underpinnings. Its engine was transversely mounted, drove the front wheels, and was mated to an automatic transmission. The suspension setup was also fairly straightforward - struts up front and a leaf-sprung live axle at the rear, configured for increased load capacity. Brakes were four-wheel discs, hidden behind durable steel wheels shod in high-profile tires for comfort's sake.

As time went on, I remained optimistic about my entry's finishing order. The fact that there were only 18 submissions for this round - the smallest field in a long time - merely gave me more confidence; more competitors would have made it less likely for me to make it past the first round of judging. Some of the entrants couldn't be bothered to actually submit a van, and had chosen to build something else, but even so, passenger vans made up the bulk of the field for CSR76.

Eventually the time came to determine a shortlist of finalists, with Eagleheart themselves evaluating the cars. If it had fewer than five seats, couldn't carry enough cargo (including that which was loaded onto a trailer) or was too complex mechanically, it was immediately rejected. So many cars fell foul of these selection criteria that there were only six finalists left to choose from after the first phase of judging. But there was still some work for the band to do - namely, a brief test drive of all six finalists, followed by a final verdict for each one of them.

Above from top: The other five finalists in CSR76 - Bush Cargo, Albatross V200, DAAG SW20T, IP Highway Star and Anhultz Mimas.

The final round of judging was surprising, to say the least. The IP Highway Star was the first to go; it was too difficult to drive and not safe enough in relation to the opposition. Next to be dismissed was the Bush Cargo, whose lack of comfort and drivability more than outweighed its affordability. My Genra GVC Combi was also criticized for lacking comfort, but was easier to drive and similarly easily on the wallet, hence its fourth-place finish.

As for the top three cars, the Albatross V200 was the most expensive entry (not just to buy, but also to maintain, especially considering its rear-engined layout); even so, it was quite easy to drive, which made the extra outlay more justifiable. The DAAG SW20T was also pricey, with less reliability and load capacity than the other finalists, but made up for it by being comfortable and economical, thus ensuring that it would take the runner-up spot. That left the Anhultz Mimas to take the win. Even though it was not a van, but a liftback sedan (and a sluggish one at that), it undercut the DAAG and Albatross on price, while retaining a high degree of practicality.

Thus ended one of the most surprising CSR rounds ever to have been held, and one whose compelling backstory and conclusion defied its low turnout of just 18 entrants. Given that I don't usually have much interest in building a combi van capable of carrying 5 passengers and some cargo (or a highly practical car with a high tow capacity, for that matter), I left this competition with my head held high. Still, I could have focused a bit more on comfort and styling for this round; had I done so, the GVC would easily have finished higher, if not won outright.

That just about wraps up this rundown of CSR76. But rest assured, I will be back soon to report on the next CSR round worth making a recap of. Until then, see you next time.

Doll Maker's Diary, Part 11: The Crash Code

Doll Maker's Diary, Part 11: The Crash Code

CRASH, the covert agency featured in my X-Girl Creator story, has a code of conduct its members must all abide by at all times. Among the key tenets of what I call The CRASH Code are:

1. No civilian casualties. While injuring a civilian will result in a severe reprimand from CRASH commander Claire Hayes herself, actually killing an innocent civilian will usually cause the CRASH agent to be suspended until further notice. However, multiple violations, or a particularly severe single transgression, will result in the CRASH agent being "reverted", a term for the removal of the agent's powers via a special serum. This effectively turns the agent back into a regular human being; in addition, any reverted former agents cannot be readmitted into CRASH for fear that they would commit further violations.
2. Teamwork is paramount. CRASH agents often work as a team, and for good reason - if one of them is isolated from the others, he or she will most likely become a sitting duck for enemy fire. There are, however, exceptions to this rule, such as when one team member has to scout ahead for the others, far away from backup. Moreover, in solo assignments (which require no more than one CRASH agent to be deployed) this rule obviously does not apply.
3. Nothing about CRASH or its activities can be made public. The "C" in CRASH stands for covert, and as such the agency wishes to keep its activities - and its very existence - a secret. Otherwise, the potential for a worldwide security crisis would be too great.
4. Keep yourselves covered. In combat, CRASH agents should make use of any cover they can find, particularly in places their foes cannot reach. However, there are often situations where useful cover is scarce, or even completely nonexistent. In such cases, CRASH recommends that agents stay on the move as much as possible to avoid being easy prey for enemy gunfire.
5. Use of special powers is generally considered a last resort. All CRASH agents are considered superhumans; however, their powers can lead to unnecessary escalation and collateral damage if used carelessly. As such, the CRASH training program includes melee combat and firearms usage. The latter is justified by the fact that CRASH agents generally have a limited energy pool from which they draw their powers; if these reserves are expended, they must wait for them to recharge before they can use them again. Moreover, some of the agents' powers (such as Claire Hayes' Psionic Link) have little or no offensive use at all.
6. Reversion is mandatory upon retirement. CRASH agents who retire voluntarily are required to undergo the reversion procedure described above so as to ensure that they can no longer pose a threat to the general public, while also giving them a chance to return to a normal life. However, reverted CRASH agents can be "restored" if they choose to rejoin, i.e. they will regain the powers they had during their tenure as a CRASH agent.

There are many other rules that make up the CRASH Code, but the six directives mentioned above are the most important ones of all. This concludes our discussion of the CRASH code.

Addendum to the Weapons of Infinite Space

Addendum to the Weapons of Infinite Space: Integral Weapons

This is my first blog post in more than a week - I was on vacation in Europe during most of that time, and needed to take a break from this blog for a few days after I returned home - but bear with me, I am still pursuing my interests as vigorously as ever. I'll resume posting right now, beginning with an addendum on the starship weapons featured in Sea of Stars. Since my earlier posts did not mention the various weapons used by the Tchorak and Ravians, I shall describe them here. One important thing to note is that all of the following weapons are integral weapons, i.e. they are built into the ship's structure and cannot be replaced by anything else. Nor can they be fitted to any ship belonging to any other faction.

The Burst Cone is the closest thing you'll find in the Sea of Stars to a shotgun.

Let's begin with the Tchorak arsenal. Their primary weapon is the Burst Cone, a modified volcanic cone which emits hot gases and rock fragments over a short distance, with a wide area of effect. All Tchorak vessels are equipped with at least one of these as standard, with the exception of the Lava Pod. The Burst Cone acts very much like a shotgun; it delivers a lot of damage at close range, but is less effective at longer ranges, where the rock fragments are more spread out. As such, it can be easily countered with the use of advanced long-range weapons such as the Particle Vortex Cannon.

Lava bombs - the weapon of choice for silicon-based inhabitants of Sector Prime.

Speaking of long-range weapons, the Tchorak have fashioned one of their own out of a long volcanic tube. This one is called the Lava Bomb; unlike the Burst Cone, it is fitted as standard to the Lava Pod, as well as being found on Crust Busters and Vent Mothers (but not the Rock Breaker). It fires a remote-controlled stone pod which causes heavy damage on impact, and if the pod is destroyed in mid-flight, it will release rock fragments over a short distance, just like a Burst Cone. However, Lava Bombs have a slow fire rate, travel equally slowly through space, and are much less effective against any ship fitted with onboard countermeasures, particularly the Signature Projector; most of the time, such devices will cause the pod to spin out of control. Moreover, any weapon with point-defense capabilities can shoot down pods in mid-flight, although the fragments released from the explosion can still cause significant damage. Finally, if a ship targeted by a Lava Bomb activates a cloaking device, the bomb will simply continue flying in a straight line and lose track of its target.

The Flash Crater - flashy for sure, but short-ranged.

Finally, every Tchorak ship larger than the Magma Probe carries at least one Flash Crater. This point-defense weapon sprays out hot rock and gas over a wider arc and across a shorter distance than the Burst Cone. The debris ejected from a Flash Crater can intercept and destroy incoming missiles; however, if too many missiles are fired at a Flash Crater at once, the crater will most likely be overwhelmed. To counteract this, most Tchorak ships are armed with multiple Flash Craters for better coverage. As such, although a single Multi-Missile Launcher is seldom of much use against a crater cluster, two or three launchers should be enough to penetrate a Tchorak ship's defenses in most cases. However, Flash Craters can also be used against enemy ships which get too close; under these circumstances, they are almost as effective as Burst Cones.

In short, the Tchorak arsenal may seem intimidating at first, especially if your ships have inadequate shielding and/or weaponry. However, once you manage to exploit the weaknesses of their weapons, you should be able to demolish even the largest Tchorak ships without too much trouble.

Ravian ships also have their weapons built into their structure. However, Ravian weapons are generally short-ranged, with low to medium damage per shot. To compensate for this, they tend to have a high rate of fire. Even so, their lack of range often makes Ravian ships vulnerable to long-range weapons.

Seriously, unless you're a Bug Commando, why would you go into combat with a Ravian Hand Laser?

Ravian Hand Lasers are, quite frankly, puny. They do too little damage per shot to be effective even against most fighters. The fact that they're never mounted on any ship other than the pitifully small and weak Bug Commandos limits their usefulness even further. It's no surprise, then, that these fighters are commonly dismissed as fodder.

Watch out for this one - it can put you in a sticky situation more quickly than you would expect.

Gluon Web Launchers are more dangerous than Hand Lasers, and are standard equipment on all Ravian capital ships. They can fire multiple streams of gluons at a target simultaneously, whereas Gluon Guns only launch one gluon stream at a time. However, they are useless against any countermeasures system, which will simply deflect the gluons harmlessly away from the target. Even so, they can be quite devastating when combined with the next weapon in this list.

Underestimate the Proton Claw at your peril - it can make mincemeat of your fleet if you're not careful.

Proton Claws are the most powerful weapons in the Ravian arsenal. They are fitted to Battle Beetles, Hive Lords and Moon Mutants, with each ship having two more claws (one on each side) than the last. Generally, they act like Proton Blasters, but deliver slightly less damage per shot. However, their rate of fire makes them deadly at short to medium range, especially against lightly shielded ships. In addition, they can be used for point defense. Small wonder, then, that many an unwary flotilla has been decimated by a Ravian proton barrage.

And so we have finally completed our description of the six integral weapons found in Sea of Stars. Although they debuted in the previous game, only now have we been able to take a look at their stats. So the next time you go up against a Tchorak or Ravian Flotilla, be mindful of their weapons' strengths and weaknesses, lest your fleet be reduced to space dust in a matter of seconds.