Carrier
The Carrier is the largest standard-class vessel in the fleet — a mobile fighter platform that turns cheap, disposable Fighters into a persistent threat any enemy fleet has to account for. Each Carrier launches its complement of embarked Fighters at the start of combat, adding their attack to the battle without the logistics cost of moving them separately.
Carriers are not a primary damage source. Their own weapon systems are modest for their tier — the value is in what they deploy. A Carrier destroyed mid-battle takes its remaining embarked Fighters down with it, so escort matters as much for a Carrier as it does for a Colony Ship.
Stats
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Attack | 20 |
| Defense | 100 |
| Speed | 2 |
| Cargo | 0 |
| Metal cost | 260 |
| Crystal cost | 70 |
| Deuterium cost | 25 |
| Special | Carries up to 20 Fighters that launch at the start of combat |
Visual Aesthetic
Massive flattened hull dominated by a launch deck running the length of the ship, with retractable bay doors along both flanks. Minimal forward weapon presence — most of the visible hardware is docking clamps and fighter elevators. Terran Carriers are boxy and riveted, built from standardized modular sections. Catari Carriers are crystalline lattice mega-structures that glow sapphire along every seam. Zikoan Carriers show visible generational patchwork repair layers, gold-on-black. Xantha Carriers integrate the launch deck into a single chitin-plated ridge rather than a flat surface.
UI Tooltip
Fighter platform. Deploys up to 20 Fighters at combat start. Modest attack of its own — protect it, it multiplies your fleet.