All of the races on one ship!

[recumbentrider]

I did not set out trying to do it, but in my most recent run with the Vortex, I managed to get all of the FTL races together on my ship. I found it very difficult to find crew members for the first half of the run; I don't think I got my first crew member (a Crystal crewman from the stasis pod) until Sector 5. The last crew I hired was a Rockman in Sector 7. This isn't an 'official' FTL achievement, but I still thought that is was pretty neat. Perhaps it is proof that we can all get along..

[5thHorseman]

Even including the 2 drone types! Very well done!

To amuse myself until AE comes out, I've been playing to get all the achievements I've not unlocked yet since my recent accidental profile wipe. I've found "United Federation" on the Kestrel to be surprisingly difficult to get. One run, I got what would have been my 6th race (a mantis) a jump after my lone rockman died from my trying to open a stasis pod. Talk about bad luck!

[recumbentrider]

Even including the 2 drone types! Very well done!

I was so excited about having all of the FTL races aboard, I forgot about the drones!

As I said, I think that it wasn't until Sector 5 that I got my first crewman (which was, almost ironically, the Crystal). I find myself wondering if it is possible to beat the boss with the Vortex without any extra crew besides the one Engi that comes with the ship at the start. I may try it someday...

[5thHorseman]

I find myself wondering if it is possible to beat the boss with the Vortex without any extra crew besides the one Engi that comes with the ship at the start. I may try it someday...

Oh yeah. 3 BL2's or an Ion, Ion2, and Glaive beam will tear the flagship apart on any ship and you don't need crew for that. Especially if you have a cloak and attack or defense drones.

[recumbentrider]

I find myself wondering if it is possible to beat the boss with the Vortex without any extra crew besides the one Engi that comes with the ship at the start. I may try it someday...

Oh yeah. 3 BL2's or an Ion, Ion2, and Glaive beam will tear the flagship apart on any ship and you don't need crew for that. Especially if you have a cloak and attack or defense drones.

As you point out, it is certainly theoretically possible to beat the flagship with just the one Engi that starts out as the only crewman of the Vortex. But is it possible in practical terms? It would take a heavy armament, but as we know, in the world of FTL there is no guarantee that you would even find such an armament. On a run I made with the Vortex after my 'all-FTL-races-on-one-ship' run, I was still stuck with the starting weapons after three sectors. I ended up entering Sector 8 with a Halberd beam, a 2-shot hull laser, and the original single-shot heavy laser. I was lucky enough to find the one store in Sector 8, where I was able to purchase a BL1, which gave me some decent firepower to use against the flagship. (I could have done it with the three-shots and the Halberd beam that I entered The Last Stand with, but having four-shots with the Halberd made it much easier.)

Certainly the other challenge to winning the game with one crew would be just keeping the lone Engi from getting killed throughout the long journey through all eight sectors to get to the flagship. I think with an upgraded medbay it is at least theoretically possible. I will have to give this a try!

[5thHorseman]

I find myself wondering if it is possible to beat the boss with the Vortex without any extra crew besides the one Engi that comes with the ship at the start. I may try it someday...

Oh yeah. 3 BL2's or an Ion, Ion2, and Glaive beam will tear the flagship apart on any ship and you don't need crew for that. Especially if you have a cloak and attack or defense drones.

As you point out, it is certainly theoretically possible to beat the flagship with just the one Engi that starts out as the only crewman of the Vortex. But is it possible in practical terms? It would take a heavy armament, but as we know, in the world of FTL there is no guarantee that you would even find such an armament. On a run I made with the Vortex after my 'all-FTL-races-on-one-ship' run, I was still stuck with the starting weapons after three sectors. I ended up entering Sector 8 with a Halberd beam, a 2-shot hull laser, and the original single-shot heavy laser. I was lucky enough to find the one store in Sector 8, where I was able to purchase a BL1, which gave me some decent firepower to use against the flagship. (I could have done it with the three-shots and the Halberd beam that I entered The Last Stand with, but having four-shots with the Halberd made it much easier.)

Certainly the other challenge to winning the game with one crew would be just keeping the lone Engi from getting killed throughout the long journey through all eight sectors to get to the flagship. I think with an upgraded medbay it is at least theoretically possible. I will have to give this a try!

Well, what is the detriment to having no crew?
- No teleporter. I've won plenty of times with no teleporter. Do you always get the weapons and drones to beat the boss without a teleporter? No. Do you get it frequently? Yes.
- Nobody manning systems. While the benefit is nice, it's not totally necessary.
- Nobody to repel boarders. With good door management and your drone, you should be fine.
- Nobody to repair stuff. This is - in my mind - the worst part. If your weapons or drones take damage you're likely screwed. If shields go down you're MOSTLY screwed. The repair drone would help but can only do so much compared to 4 people who are also gaining experience the whole time.

So IF you get the non-teleporter weapons to take out the boss, and keep those two repair drones or maybe replace one with a defense drone, you should have a good shot at winning the game.

Honestly, I think the harder part is overcoming the Vortex's horrible weapon loadout than its one crew member.

[recumbentrider]

Honestly, I think the harder part is overcoming the Vortex's horrible weapon loadout than its one crew member.

This is definitely the big problem with the Vortex. My 'strategy' for this ship is to stop at as many stores as possible to get better weapons, hopefully before entering Sector 3.

I have started my 'lone engi' run, and I am well into it. So far, I have made it to Sector 6. My current weapons are a Hull Laser II, a Hull Laser I, and the original Heavy Laser I. In my cargo bay I have a hull beam and small bomb. For drones, I am using a Defense Drone I, an anti-personnel drone, and a system repair drone. My shields are at level 3 and I have level 4 engines, level 1 sensors, level 2 piloting, and level 3 doors. I think if I can keep my lone engi alive, I have a fair shot at beating the boss. (If I find no other weapons, I will be facing the boss with the HL II, the HL I, and the hull beam. I would definitely like to find a BL2, a Halberd beam, or a breach-bomb II, but I am not counting on it.)