The Carrier's Drones Are Alive

The Carrier was always supposed to be the commander class — the ship that controls space without flying into the middle of it. But up until now, the drones were more concept than reality. That's changed.

Fighters and Bombers

Carriers can now deploy two types of drones: fighters and bombers. Fighters are fast, aggressive, and swarm a single target with rapid fire. Bombers are slower but hit hard — they're what you send when you need something dead and you don't care how long it takes.

You don't control each drone individually. You designate targets and the swarm does the rest. It's a different kind of skill — positioning your Carrier safely, choosing when to deploy, deciding which type of drone fits the situation. Do you need sustained harassment or burst damage? That choice matters.

How It Plays

In practice, a good Carrier pilot changes the shape of the fight. Your drones zone enemies out of sectors, pressure isolated targets, and create openings for your teammates. An Interceptor pilot who's used to cloaking in for easy kills suddenly has a swarm of fighters revealing their position.

The counterplay is there too. Drones can be shot down. A Dreadnought with flak can clear a swarm in seconds. And if the Carrier goes down, the drones go with it — so protecting your Carrier (or hunting theirs) becomes a real objective.

This is the first ship that really feels like its own game within the game. Carrier pilots aren't just picking a different weapon — they're playing a different role entirely.