Sova Carrier

Cost: 3000 Credits, 400 Metal, 250 Crystal
Build Time: 75 seconds.
Uses: 50 supply.
Hull:	2850 +120 / level
Repair:	1.5 +0.1 / level
Armor: (Capital)	4 +0.35 / level
Shields:	1075 +105 / level
Regeneration:	3 +0.2 / level
Max Mitigation:	65%
Antimatter:	270 +30 / level
Recharge:	0.85 +0.09 / level
Experience value:	100+
Weapon Damage Per Second Per Bank (front / back / left / right)
Laser: (Capital)	3 / 0 / 0 / 0 Range: 5000
Laser: (Capital)	2 / 2 / 14 / 14 Range: 5500
Weapon Banks:	1 / 1 / 1 / 1
Bombing Damage:	37
Strike Craft: 3 - 8 (+1 at 3, 5, 6, 8, 10) Missile Batteries Embargo Heavy Strike Craft Rapid Manufacturing
A strong warship specialized in providing strike craft support.
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The Sova Carrier is the TEC's Carrier.

Overview

Having proven to be an effective countermeasure to pirate incursions, strike craft have been a staple of planetary defense forces for hundreds of years. The arrival of a true invasion force has made a mobile platform for hosting strike craft a necessity, and the Sova Carrier ably fulfills this role. The most advanced ship-borne manufacturing and repair facilities keep its large dorsal and ventral fighter bays in a near constant state of combat readiness.

Tactics

The Sova Carrier serves as an early game offensive ship for the TEC armada. Being a carrier it naturally has an advantage over many of the other capital ships as an offensive capital ship. Being able to kite the enemy around, while attacking them with bombers is very valuable. The Sova is very dominant early game especially if you start near a Vasari player as they are very vulnerable to Embargo rushes early on. Which will not only cripple your enemy heavily, but also strengthen you economically. It is ill advised to use an Embargo rush against Advent or fellow TEC players as a swarm of corvettes will make quick work of your Sova.

Another valuable tool of the Sova is its use of Missile Batteries, the TEC already having an excellent early game is improved for once an enemy empire reacts to your Flak(The assumed counter to Corvettes) the Missile Turrets deployed from this ability will inflict heavy damage to enemy Light Frigates should they deploy them to counter your Gardas.

And while it is widely underused the Heavy Strike Craft ability makes a nice addition to any fleet making your strike craft more durable and increasing their damage output. Rapid Manufacturing is also a very powerful ability should you begin to mass produce units from any forge worlds this will give them a very large boost to their build rates.

While attacking enemy planets which are scantily defended or undefended the Sova Carrier and any Marza Dreadnought can be ordered to leave the formation and bombard the planet. The Sova and Marza can quickly reduce planet health and population in this way. The Sova can deploy fighters to defend itself and particularly the Marza since it is vulnerable to strike craft, plus the Sova can continue to participate in any ensuing battle around the planet by deploying bombers. Missile Batteries will attack any enemy ships that come close to the Sova or Marza.

With some micromanagement the Sova can be effectively used early game against lower level siege/heavy assault capital ships (dreadnought ships). The Sova has a powerful broadside attack and it can move faster than a dreadnought can turn. Once a Sova has been by means of careful maneuvers placed in such a position to be able to fire broadsides at the rear of the enemy dreadnought it can be constantly moved in a circle around the dreadnought. The dreadnought will turn around to target the Sova but it will not be able fire at it as the Sova will always be behind it since it is circling the dreadnought. Simultaneously the Sova's strike craft squadrons and Missile Batteries can also deal attacks on the dreadnought. This tactic is particularly useful against lower level dreadnoughts which cannot attack anything directly behind it. The AI will continue to be in this trap until the Marza is severely damaged, however even a slightly competent human player will see the danger in this and order his dreadnought to disengage.

Like all carrier-class capital ships, the Sova is a little on the fragile side. Its powerful offensive abilities leave it little to defend itself with. If it cannot overwhelm the enemy with sheer damage, its low armor and hull points become a serious liability, and it will need to retreat.

Ship Info

Ship Type:	Capital
Faction:	TEC
Primary Role:	Squadron Support
Shield Power:	High
Hull Points:	Very High
Armor Level:	High
Armor Type:	Capital
Weapons (Fore):	2 x Pulse Lasers / Ship-to-Surface Nuclear Missiles
Weapons (Side):	4 x Pulse Laser Batteries (Starboard) / 4 x Pulse Laser Batteries (Port)
Squadrons Supported:	3 (+1 per 2 level ups. Maximum: 8)
Compliment:	2,000