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The Rankulas Battleship is the Vasari's Battleship added in the Rebellion stand-alone expansion.
Official Description: The Rankulas is a relatively new addition to the Vasari fleet, and one that their enemies wish hadn't been added. While the Rankulas itself isn't particularly powerful, it has the ability to deploy a variety of specialized nanite swarms. These swarms are able to fulfill combat, repair, and anti-structure roles admirably. Should a larger threat emerge, all of the Rankulas’ nanite swarms can combine to generate a powerful nanite warship.
Tactics[]
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Ship Type: |
Capital |
|---|---|
| Primary Role: | Support |
| Shield Power: | x |
| Hull Points: | x |
| Armor Level: | x |
| Armor Type: | Capital |
| Antimatter: | x |
| Weapons (Fore): | x |
| Weapons (Side): | x |
| Squadrons Supported: | x |
| Crew Complement: | x |
 Create Combat Swarm |
Create Support Swarm |
Create Assault Swarm |
Reassemble |
 Ability Management |
 Attack |
 Stop |
 Move |
 Tactics Management |
 Squadron Management |
Using the Rankulas[]
The Battle ship excels at maintaining a support fleet. The battleship's ability to create a Combat Swarm and Repair Swarm can augment a smaller fleet, and allow the fleet to attack larger fleets. The Combat Swarm is akin to a Light Frigate in health and approximately 3/4 of that in damage. The Support Swarm is effectively a mobile repair platform, and is great at prolonging the life of nearby ships without shields. The Assault Swarm can only attack structures, but is extremely competent at that role, able to outrange most targets while still dealing considerable damage. The Assault Swarm's beam weapon strips armor and then deals damage, meaning two of them can quickly take out a defense platform on their own.
As a starting Capital Ship, the Rankulas is a very effective pick. Between being able to rapidly build up support fleets, and at level four being able to deploy a single strike craft squadron, it can be left back while its creations harass (And eventually destroy) light enemy targets, while preserving its own health and shields. Generally, one should not leave it behind when engaging enemy Capital Ships: Its Swarms will rapidly contribute to their experience while dealing almost insignificant levels of damage. Instead, have the Rankulas close the gap and slug it out - it is a more than capable combatant in a stand-up fight.
Fighting the Rankulas[]
Strike craft are the way to go, without an escort it has no way to fight them until level four. If you lack strike craft then use Heavy Cruisers and heavily-armored ships so that its Swarms can only do minimal damage. It is also a support ship and engaging in direct combat is the best way to kill it if you lack armored ships or strikecraft. Be cautious, however, as the Rankulas can both take and deliver a beating to most capital ships, making this a desperation tactic above all else. Do not let it go unnoticed, as if you do it will create a Greater Swarm that can both repair other ships and engage in combat. The lesser nanite swarms are not to be scoffed at either: Even the level one combat swarm does 7 damage and has about 650 combined hp, so 4 of those can easily last a while, tying up your forces.