Spy Satellite Missions are the easiest and hardest missions in the game to complete. On one hand, they are quick, easy, and well paying. On the other, they are tricky, time consuming, and may reduce your standing with factions in the system.
Terms:- Active Sensor Burst: This temporarily increases your sensor range by +3000, but it increases your Detected At Range by +5000. Effective for baiting and juking enemy ships.
- Detected At Range: Is the range at which a fleet can be detected. This is equal to 300 + the sum of the 5 highest Sensor Profiles in a fleet.
- Go Dark: This skill both makes a fleet move slowly, and reduces the fleet's Detected At Range by 50%. It is reduced further by a skill.
- Phase Ship: Special ships that have a Sensor Profile of 0.
- Sensor Array: System Structures that increase the sensor ranges of fleets that own the array. On the System Map this looks like three cups together.
- Sensor Profile: This is the value that is added to your fleet's Detected At Range. You only need to concern yourself with the 5x highest values.
- Sensor Range: Is the sensor range of a fleet. For NPC fleets, this is the circle of lines you see when they're in range. For your fleet, this is the furthest out you can see.
- Transponder: This increases your Detected At Range by +1000. It also sends your identifying information to nearby fleets, so they know exactly who you are.
Spy Satellite Mission Basics- Spy Sat Missions require you interact with a set location that is orbiting planet or station and deploy a spy sat.
- You cannot be detected by any fleet when you interact with the location.
- You must wait a day or so after being detected by any fleet to deploy the spy sat. The location's dialogue will tell you if you need to wait longer to deploy the sat.
- Picket, Patrol, and Detachment Fleets will defend the planet. These fleets will occasionally use their Active Sensor Bursts.
- Trade Fleets will trade at the planet and unintentionally defend it with their sensors.
- The mission is complete and paid out (Credits and Faction) once the spy sat is deployed.
- The Spy Sat is considered illegal cargo, and you can lose it (fail the mission) if it is detected and confiscated by authorities.
General Strategy- Use phase ships. Ideally, your entire fleet would consist of phase ships if you're running Spy Sat Missions.
- Leave non-phase ships in colony storage or in abandoned structures when doing spy sat missions.
- If you're not using phase ships:
-Use Insulated Engine Assembly (Halves sensor profile).
-Avoid ships with Civilian Grade Hulls (double's sensor profile). - Never turn on your transponder since the authorities will want to search you.
- "Juke" enemy fleets.
-The AI will attempt to predict where you are going if you continue on your current heading if they lose sensor contact with you (e.g. you go dark).
-You can abuse this by first getting their attention and tricking them into going the direction opposite of your intended direction.
-First Active Sensor Burst to get their attention. They will give chase.
-Second begin moving in the direction you want the enemy fleets to go.
-Third go dark and continue that direction for around 1/5 a second.
-Fourth, turn around and go the direction you actually want to go, typically 180 degrees. - Destroy enemy fleets.
-You shouldn't need help with this one. Engage and kill the enemy. Wait a day or so. Deploy spy sat.
Recommended early game fleet for spamming Spy Sat Missions:Phase Team AlphaDesired Skills:
- Technology skill that improves the Go Dark ability.
- Industry skill that gives +50% Cargo, Fuel, and Crew capacity.
Desired Ships
- 3x Sneaky Traders (Phase Ship + Auxiliary Fuel Tanks + Expanded Cargo Holds)
- 2x Sneaky Transports (Phase Ship + Auxiliary Fuel Tanks + Additional Berthing)
I recommend Afflictors since they have more Ordinance Points. Slap some Anti-matter Blasters on them, and they can remain dangerous. Shades are useful too, but they generally will have fewer Ordinance Points to use for defense or offense.
You can always use story points to add Additional Berthing, Auxiliary Fuel Tanks, and Expanded Cargo Holds to these ships if you want to fully outfit them as combat ships instead. They essentially become ships that can do it all on a relatively small scale. If you really wanted to, you could even throw Surveying Equipment on them and go around surveying in near total safety. Be aware that phase ships are expensive to repair, so being harried by an enemy fleet will cost you a lot of supplies.
The Hounds UnleashedDesired Skills: Same as Phase Team Alpha.
Desired Ships:
- 1x to 30x Hound(s) with the Insulated Engine Assembly hull mod.
I admittedly don't have a lot of time using Hounds since I tend to spam phase ships. You will gain extra mileage by distributing Auxiliary Fuel Tanks and Expanded Cargo Holds across your fleet. You can make a super hound by giving it Additional Berthing, Auxiliary Fuel Tanks, and Expanded Cargo Holds as built-in hull mods.[/list]
Good Luck!
