Shade (P)

Up to date for latest version, 0.97a.

	After the Second AI War, many corrupted blueprints became available, sourced by salvagers willing to risk the star systems abandoned by Tri-Tachyon. Many of these were sold to disreputable elements such as black marketeers and pirates, who promptly put them back into service producing low quality but combat-capable ships. 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)

Overview

A Pirate variation of the Shade-class; this variation suffers from 15 less Ordnance Points and the loss of 2 Small Energy mounts, but continues to retain its EMP Emitter as well as being cheaper to maintain, though its deployment costs and overall strategy remains the same.

Availability

• Found in Pirate fleets and markets, including black markets.

Tips and strategies

This section of the article is transcluded from Shade#Tips and strategies.

The following section contains user-submitted suggestions, these may be inaccurate or outdated.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 damage and point-defense support.
• Its EMP Emitter will ignore shields while targeting enemies. Keep that in mind while designing it's build.
• The EMP Emitter is a very powerful system; it is comparable in power to an efficient large energy weapon.
• 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

This section of the article is transcluded from Shade#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)