Skirantra Carrier

Vasari Skirantra Carrier Cost: 3000 400 200 Build Time: 68 seconds. Uses: 50 supply.   Hull: 2425 Armor: 4 Shields: 1275 Antimatter: 250     Bombing Damage: 35 Repair Cloud Scramble Bombers Microphasing Aura Replicate Forces A Warship boasting a number of nanotechnology abilities and many squadrons of strike craft. Shortcut: (?)

The Skirantra Carrier is the Visari's capital ship carrier.

Manual Description: Nanotechnology is put to use in some form in nearly every Vasari design, but few utilize it as pervasively as Skirantra Carriers. Through some of their subsystems may be obsolete by Vasari standards, that makes them no less feared by fledgling civilizations. Large banks of Matter Compilers allow Skirantras to generate many varieties of nanites at a staggering rate, granting them enormous flexibility in how best to support allied forces.

Ship Type:	Capital
Primary Role:	Carrier/Squadron Support
Shield Power:	High
Hull Points:	High
Armor Level:	High
Armor Type:	Capital
Antimatter:	Medium
Weapons (Fore):	4 x Phase Missile Launchers
Weapons (Side):	4 x Plasma Wave Cannons (Starboard / Port)
Squadrons Supported:	3 - 8
Crew Complement:	12,000

Tactics

Though it might be tempting to get a Kortul Devastator as your first capital ship, the Skirantra's Repair Cloud probably makes the carrier a safer bet, as you can heal your ships if they're damaged. This is crucial early in the game, as the Vasari require more supply for their ships than the other races (excepting their Capital Ships, which remains the same), and thus cannot field as many at once.

Scramble Bombers is a "panic-button" ability. If you find yourself in a tight spot, say against another capital, you can briefly deploy an additional squadron of bombers to assist with the fight.

Microphasing Aura allows all fighters, be they the Skirantra's or not, to instantly warp to a better spot in a given area around the Carrier.

Replicate Forces allows the Skirantra to make 3 copies of a targeted friendly unit for the next two-and-a-half minutes. Though it says it copies frigates, it works on cruisers, too! If you have numerous Enforcers, or Allied Kodiaks and/or Crusaders in the vicinity, this can quickly give you the upper hand if you find yourself in a losing position. However, even if the replicated ships survive the duration, there is still a 30-second period you cannot use this ability.

Using the Skirantra

First, and foremost, get Repair Cloud. Early in the game, when you have a low fleet capacity, this will enable you to keep your forces in top shape while you go around battering your enemies. Given that the shields of most Vasari craft are low, it'll see a fair amount of use. It's a toss-up as to whether Microphasing Aura or Scramble Bombers should come next - on the one hand, you'll need bombers early on, when your carrier still can't hold a large amount of fighters, but later on, you may find yourself needing fighters when they're a long way from the appointed spot. Above all else, when you reach level 6, do not, under ANY circumstances, skip Replicate Forces. It gives you 3 extra ships for free for the next 2 and a half minutes. 3 more Enforcers would be bad news indeed for your enemies.

• An alternative strategy is to drop your first point on Scramble Bombers--this allows your carrier to field more strike craft than is normally the case, and gives your carrier a substantial edge throughout the game, as a Skirantra with maxed out Scramble Bombers and a point in Repair Nanites can destroy a Kol battleship quite handily, even if the Kol has up to a two-level advantage.

Fighting the Skirantra

Obviously, being a carrier, the Skirantra relies heavily on its fighters and bombers. As such, Anti-Strikecraft frigates will help immensely in its destruction. Repair Cloud can be a bit of an annoyance, but if you're fully upgraded by the time you face it, it won't matter much. The Anti-Strikecraft frigates/fighters you own will also take care of any extra bombers it decides to create with its Scramble Bombers. Since it's passive, the only way to stop Microphasing Aura is to disable or destroy the carrier - as such, ship-disabling abilities, like Reverie, Ion Bolt, or Phase Out Hull will help matters here. Be VERY alert as to the Skirantra's fleet and those of its allies if it's level 6 or higher, however - with Replicate Forces, you may find yourself going up against 3 additional Enforcers where there weren't any previously.

Repair Cloud	Scramble Bombers	Microphasing Aura	Replicate Forces	Ability Management
Attack	Stop	Move	Tactics Management	Squadron Management