Shade

Up to date for latest version, 0.97a.

Shade-class Phase Frigate
High Tech Frigate
40,000c
Logistical data
CR per deployment	30%
CR per deployment	30%
Recovery rate (per day)	10%
Recovery rate (per day)	10%
Recovery cost (supplies)	8
Recovery cost (supplies)	8
Deployment points	8
Deployment points	8
Peak performance (sec)	180
Peak performance (sec)	180
Ordnance points	50
Ordnance points	50
Maintenance (supplies/month)	8
Maintenance (supplies/month)	8
Cargo capacity	25
Cargo capacity	25
Maximum crew	15
Maximum crew	15
Skeleton crew required	10
Skeleton crew required	10
Fuel capacity	50
Fuel capacity	50
Maximum burn	10
Maximum burn	10
Fuel per LY / Jump cost	1
Fuel per LY / Jump cost	1
Combat performance
Hull integrity	1750
Armor rating	400
Flux capacity	2500
Flux dissipation	300
Top speed	165
Systems
Defense	Phase Cloak
Cloak activation cost	125
Cloak upkeep/sec	125
System	EMP Emitter
Mounts	2x Small Universal 3x Small Energy
Hullmods	Phase Field Delicate Machinery

	The smallest phase ship operated in the Sector, the Shade-class is often used as a scout for larger fleets. In battle, it is valued by fleet admirals for its ability to disable enemy ships with its EMP emitter.
–In-game description

Shade • Shade (P)

The Shade-class is a phase frigate with a powerful EMP Emitter ship system that can target an enemy ship's weapons and engines, in addition to fighters and missiles. This makes the Shade a power utility ship in battle, and good knowledge of both these mechanics is recommended for effective use of the these ships.

Acquisition

A high tech ship, the Shade is very rare, and can occasionally be found in Tri-Tachyon bastions and its colonies, and in elite mercenary bounties given by contacts.

Note: In the vanilla version of the game, if an enemy ship has S-Mods and it's defeated, they can lose their S-Mods on recovery. In the case of the Shade, they will be guaranteed to lose them.

Strategy and tips

The following section contains user-submitted suggestions, these may be inaccurate or outdated.

• The Shade is a great escort for strike/aggressive fleets, due to having a good top speed and a Phase Cloak defense system; it can also use its EMP Emitter ship system to create openings for other strike ships to use, alongside providing limited damage and point-defense support.
• Its EMP Emitter will ignore shields while targeting enemies. Keep that in mind while designing it's build.
• Getting Hardened Subsystems is not a bad idea if you're planning on using the Shade in prolonged fights.

Example loadout

Weapons used by this Shade loadout:

1. 2 Hammer-class Torpedoes
2. Antimatter Blaster
3. 2 Burst PD Lasers

Weapon groups:

1. Both Hammer-class Torpedoes, alternating, autofire disabled
2. Antimatter Blaster, linked, autofire disabled
3. Both Burst PD Lasers, linked, autofire enabled

This loadout is most effective when used right after using Shade's system (EMP Emitter).

As you can see on this image, I used EMP Emitter to disable Falcon's engines and PD Lasers covering the engines. Then I used the Hammer-class Torpedoes and Antimatter Blaster to kill it. First 2 Hammers into engines. Then Antimatter Blaster shot while the Hammers reload. And then another 2 Hammers. I was a bit too close to exploding Falcon and killed both it and myself.

You may have few questions about this particular loadout:

1. Why Hammer-class Torpedoes and not Reaper-class Torpedoes?

Simple. You don't want

this to happen. Reapers have very short arming time, which can be problematic sometimes.

1. Another question is, why Burst PD Lasers? They are here to destroy missiles that may try to destroy you when you're in real space and used your EMP Emitter already. They also deal a bit of damage.
2. Why more capacitors than vents?

More capacitors allow you to use Phase Cloak for longer period of time without venting. Vents don't allow you to do so. Phase ships are very vulnerable when unphased, especially when venting flux.

Other useful information:

• Resistant Flux Conduits are here to make you vent faster. It also gives 50% resistance to EMP damage, very important for phase ships.
• Expanded Missile Racks allow you to take down more ships.
• Consider using only Antimatter Blaster to destroy frigates. 1400 energy damage can cripple most frigates outright, or even kill them if they were damaged already.
• EMP Emitter can be used to disable engines and weapons on enemy ships, sometimes even kill them when their hull is very low. It's very risky maneuver which may cause you to die.
• EMP Emitter is very useful against missiles and fighters too. Sometimes it's better to use it in order to destroy incoming missiles / fighters and help your other ships.
• Ship death explosion radius is roughly the shield radius plus 200su distance and damage broadly goes up with bigger ships. This is especially important for the Shade which has no shield to block the blast and often hunts bigger ships

Changelog

Patch 0.96a: Increased CR per deployment to 30% Patch 0.95.1a: Shade (P): reduced deployment and maintenance costs to 6 (was: 8) Patch 0.8a: EMP ship system energy damage increased to 100 (from 25)