Boarding vs Destroying

[idlewilder]

I haven't done extensive research, but I just started a game where I got 2 Mantis crew members and a teleporter real quickly. So, I started sending the Mantis' over to ships to take over, and I've only done it a couple of times, but I'm not sure it seems worth the trouble. What I mean is, I feel like I get better loot for destroying the ship, and that seems counter-intuitive.

Anyone have contradictory thoughts?

[DJSquiggy]

When i started, i always destroyed enemy ship. i never had the crew or couldnt justify the cost of the teleporter.

then, i played the first run with the the rock ship after i unlocked it. late in the game i was rolling in scrap so i said, WTH, i will buy the damn teleporter. fast forward a few nodes and i am destroying crew and getting way more scrap per ship than i have been all game. ever since that time, i have ALWAYS gotten the teleporter when it made sense. plus, it is almost a requirement to beat the Flagship.

in my opinion, i have gotten way more scrap by defeating the crew. There is also the added chance of getting a weapon, crew member, fuel, missiles, drone parts, etc. when the crew is defeated vs destroying the ship.

just keep at it and you will see the difference. plus, it adds some extra tension that makes the game more fun. just be wary of auto fire.

[Mister_Blank]

And asteroids. :_(

[GoldenShadowGS]

If you use boarding on every ship, you'll never have to buy fuel. Sometimes you get events of a transport ship trying to escape. If you destroy it, the game says there was a weapon or drone schematic that was destroyed with the ship. If you had killed the crew instead of the ship, you would have gotten that thing for free.
And in general the scrap rewards are higher than hull destruction.

[Vindaloo]

Boarding is a very strong strategy and nets you much bigger rewards. The downside is that mistakes can be quite costly, I once had a rebel ship disengage with 4 of my 5 crew members aboard (2 rockmen and 2 mantis), that one hurt.

[Ranarius Webfoot]

I once had an enemy ship I was boarding go from like 5 hull points to dead because of a solar flare. Kinda sucked.
But if you avoid boarding near suns or asteroid fields, you should be in some serious money.

[MikeE]

New poster here, been lurking a while... great game. Hard as hell (on easy). A good thing. <g>

I have just started boarding and it is obvious you get more scrap and fuel than when destroying the enemy ship.... my question is when you kill the enemy crew by asphyxiation - do you get the same rewards? Recently got a Fire Beam and with the Ion Blaster Mk II (I think) it is easy to wipe out enemy crew w/o boarding. If I can kill the crew w/o boarding that seems much easier! Any disadvantage?

I have played 50+ games with the first 3 ships. Got to sector 8 a couple times but with never enough to win the game. I am now pretty good at getting to sector 8, would it be ok to post my ship to see if I have a chance? I am trying to avoid spoilers to beat the last boss.

Thanks!
Mike

[Ranarius Webfoot]

I'm pretty sure the game doesn't care how you kill the crew. Which is why I smile every time I face a Slug Interceptor, since they can't repair their life support. Blast their oxygen, maybe keep their weapons low enough so they can't get through shields, then just sit back.

[UltraMantis]

Killing the crew without destroying the ship is all that matters.

[MikeE]

thanks for the clarification. just wanted to be sure.