Conquest

Up to date for latest version, 0.97a.

Conquest-class Battlecruiser
Midline Capital
300,000c
Logistical data
CR per deployment	15%
CR per deployment	15%
Recovery rate (per day)	3%
Recovery rate (per day)	3%
Recovery cost (supplies)	40
Recovery cost (supplies)	40
Deployment points	40
Deployment points	40
Peak performance (sec)	600
Peak performance (sec)	600
Ordnance points	315
Ordnance points	315
Maintenance (supplies/month)	40
Maintenance (supplies/month)	40
Cargo capacity	300
Cargo capacity	300
Maximum crew	500
Maximum crew	500
Skeleton crew required	400
Skeleton crew required	400
Fuel capacity	300
Fuel capacity	300
Maximum burn	8
Maximum burn	8
Fuel per LY / Jump cost	10
Fuel per LY / Jump cost	10
Combat performance
Hull integrity	12000
Armor rating	1200
Flux capacity	20000
Flux dissipation	1200
Top speed	45
Systems
Defense	Omni Shield
Shield arc	90
Shield upkeep/sec	480
Shield flux/damage	1.4
System	Maneuvering Jets
Mounts	2x Large Missile 2x Medium Energy 2x Medium Missile 4x Large Ballistic 4x Medium Ballistic 8x Small Energy
Hullmods	Heavy Ballistics Integration

	The Conquest-class battlecruiser is the embodiment of concentrated firepower. Developed in the period just preceding the popularization of fighter craft, the class emphasizes firepower and speed over armor protection. Space Naval tacticians of the day were confident that new weapons systems would always outperform armor and shields and thus were the key to winning an engagement. So why not build a ship for speed and power? Give it the armor protection of a cruiser, but arm it with the best weapons available to any ship, and have it remain faster than any of those lumbering behemoths of the line. The Conquest is a good example of these concepts put into a hull. Many other advanced technologies were incorporated into the design, including weapon mounts designed for a circling engagement. This maneuver requires greater navigational skill while serving to provide more tactical options to the commanding officers. Fortune favors the bold, the ancients said. This class of ships does indeed favor the bold captain, willing to risk everything for the thrill of victory.
–In-game description

The Conquest-class battlecruiser is a midline design fielded by the Persean League.

Strategy and tips

The following section contains user-submitted suggestions, these may be inaccurate or outdated.

Broadside

Contrary to the opening statements about the Conquest embodying concentrated firepower, the Conquest is built for broadsides, with the bulk of its firepower spread out across several turrets with a 120° arc on each side. The Maneuvering Jets system is invaluable for bringing firepower to bear and for breaking engagement to vent flux (as well as getting to the fight in the first place).

With a mere 90° arc and the worst efficiency of any shield in the game, the Conquest's shield is only saved by the ship's exceptional flux stats. With base capacity and dissipation approaching that of the Paragon, the Conquest's inefficient shield manages to offer adequate defense comparable to that of other middling-strength capital shields such as the Onslaught and Odyssey. However, as the Conquest lacks the heavy armor of the Onslaught or the burst movement and 180° shield of the Odyssey, it is significantly more vulnerable overall and requires a more cautious approach.

The Hurricane MIRV Launcher and Squall MLRS are favored for the large missile mounts. They can be fired off-bore, and thus do not require the Conquest to turn its broadside away; the Hurricane is highly effective against exposed armor or hull while the Squall provides consistent anti-shield pressure.

Some players favor asymmetrical designs, concentrating powerful high-OP weapons on one side such as Gauss Cannons or Mjolnir Cannons while covering the other with a low-OP armament using Devastator Cannons to deter flanking fighters and frigates. Alternatively, one side can be loaded for anti-shield duty, and one for anti-armor, while using maneuvering jets to quickly turn around.

Divide & Conquer

Divide & conquer is a strategy splitting the enemy forces into a larger and a smaller group and then defeating the smaller group in detail. It is quite effective but critically requires some form of specialist to actually form & hold the breach in the enemy formation.

This requires a strong lead to form a gap and some kind of standoff to keep it open for long enough, while the standoff and blitz teams do their jobs. The standoff element is sent to the larger enemy force to keep them from breaking out, such as a kinetic heavy low tech group. The blitz element is sent against the smaller enemy force to crush it quickly, such as restored Luddic Path ships with Safety Overrides.

It has two large missiles mounts up front for a strong lead; Hammer Barrages or Cyclone Reaper Launchers are recommended. WARNING: For AI-controlled conquests, dumb-fire high damage missiles on the frontal missile mounts are NOT RECOMMENDED. This will confuse the AI into constantly flip-flopping between broadsides and the missile hardpoints, resulting in extremely inefficient behavior.

For standoff it has an excellent mix of 2x large ballistics, 2x medium ballistics, 1x medium missile, 1x medium energy and 4x small energy per side.

Changelog

Patch 0.8.1a-RC5: Armor increased from 1000 to 1200 Patch 0.8a:  Added "Heavy Ballistics Integration" built-in hullmod: reduces large ballistic OP cost by 10 Reduced OP by 30 (relative to higher, rebalanced value) increased burn level by 1 Patch 0.7.2a-RC2: Fixed Hammerhead and Conquest engine glows Patch 0.65.2a: Added to Sindrian Diktat fleets. Patch 0.53a: Maneuvering Jets added to the Conquest Patch 0.52a: Increased flux capacity and dissipation, greatly reduced shield efficiency Patch 0.35a: Improved Conquest - side-facing hardpoints converted to turrets, changed slot types & sizes, made faster. Patch 0.34a: Changed large turret type to Energy Patch Alpha:  Added to the game Name changed from "Manticore" to "Conquest"