Homeworld 3 is just around the corner and we can’t wait to command our fleets in fever-pitched battles. But which ships should you add to your flotilla? Here's a list of the best ships the Homeworld franchise has to offer and what H3 could have in store.
Crash Course On Homeworld’s Ship System
So, you have an entire armada of spaceships at your command and you don’t know how to use them properly. Well, there’s no substitute for experience in this line of work but a couple of tips shouldn’t go amiss.
Here’s a quick rundown of the best ships from the Homeworld franchise. We don’t know which one of these would be making a return in Homeworld 3, but understanding what makes each of these ships powerful for their class should guide you in the right direction of galactic superiority.
Homeworld’s Unique Ship Balancing System
Before we get on with the list, however, let’s set something straight. Homeworld’s ship system operates on a loose rock-paper-scissors format, granting every ship a list of strengths and weaknesses that could theoretically be exploited by most other ships on the list.
This means that no ship is strictly "the best" in every situation, although some ships do have more strengths than others or have strengths that are more readily applicable. Also, as with most RTS games, strategy trumps all, so don’t be afraid to experiment with other ships in the roster as the situation calls for it. After all, a good admiral’s greatest tool is their brain, not their backline.
The Best Ships in Homeworld for Each Class
Scout - Fighter Class
Fighter-class ships are expected to hit fast in great numbers and there’s no fighter more efficient than the Scout. Easily the fastest fighter in the game and dirt-cheap to boot, you can pull some Sun-Tzu-level diversion tactics with this unit and still have some left over to initiate dog fights.
Interceptors outclass them in damage but a good commander should be able to leverage their blinding speed to their advantage. Throw in a massive sensor range (as scouts tend to have) and a means to replenish their numbers mid-combat and you’ve got yourself a formidable smokescreen to throw at your opponents’ fleet.
Heavy Corvette - Corvette Class
Corvette-class ships are a step above fighters and are the first units you’re going to get that can take as many hits as they can dish out. There’s a good spread of specialized Corvette types in this class but none are as reliable as the Heavy Corvette from Homeworld 1.
Tough, strong, and relatively cheap for its effectiveness, the Heavy Corvette can blow apart fighters as if they were nothing and can even go toe-to-toe against ships in its own class. You’re definitely not going to regret having these make up your battle line, just don’t throw them against capital ships.
Drone Frigate - Frigate Class
The Frigate Class is where the heavy hitters start to show up and ships start to get a bit ludicrous in scale. Frigates tend to be nothing more than bigger versions of their Corvette counterparts but a few outstanding ones do sport some downright broken abilities. Case in point, the Drone Frigate from Homeworld 1.
As the name suggests, the Drone Frigate spawns a bevy of gun drones to assault other strike craft, and—oh boy—does it do this well. Get a few of these running and no Corvette battle line will ever pose a problem for the rest of your armada.
Heavy Cruiser - Capital Class
Capital-class ships are the monsters of the armada; powerful and expensive behemoths that can turn the tide of battle instantly. Every type of Capital Ship is a major boon to any armada, but none come close to the raw survivability and firepower of a Heavy Cruiser.
Heavy Cruisers annihilate everything in their path but are remarkably vulnerable to fighter and strike craft owing to their size. Capital ships aren’t meant to be standalone weapons however, and an escort of defensive ships is all you need to let this powerhouse go to town on the enemy capital ship.
Resource Collectors - Non-Combat Class
Non-combat ships are certainly the most boring ships but their contributions to the battle are undeniable. These ships run the utilities, logistics, and research efforts required to run an armada and a knowledgeable commander would be remiss to not leverage their usefulness.
Resource Collectors are as plain as they come and do exactly what their name suggests but you’re going to want a couple of these if you want your fleet to keep chugging along. Apart from their obvious utility, these ships are heavily armored and can even run repairs on your battle line if you have the proper research unlocked. Not bad for a glorified mining drone.
Homeworld Ships to Avoid
Cloaked Fighter - Fighter Class
What’s worse than a situational ability? Why, a situational ability that works against you, of course. Cloaked Fighters are fighter-class ships that can become undetectable, potentially making them the best ambushers in the game. Unfortunately, cloaking requires fuel, and too much skulking around can leave these guys stranded.
The ability to cloak is already situational in the early game, but the late game doesn’t give time to shine either because these are merely fighter-class ships. This is a high-skill unit so I wouldn’t bother with it until you’re confident you can pull off its unique mechanic.
Light Corvette - Corvette Class
There is no reason to build a Light Corvette while Heavy Corvettes exist. As you may expect from its name, Light Corvettes have worse stats than Heavy Corvettes but are much cheaper to build. While a good idea on paper, these ships are pretty much useless in practice.
Just build or capture a Heavy Corvette, that’s all you need to do. If you’re pressed for resources, just buy the other specialized strike craft to fill your need or stall until you can buy the Heavy Corvette because these things will not save the day.
Defense Field Frigate - Frigate Class
This is yet another example of a good idea executed poorly. Defense Field Frigates generate bubble shields around them that can protect smaller ships from damage. Unfortunately, the bubble shield is an activated ability that doesn’t last long and enemy ships can just enter the shield anyway.
Despite its clear defensive applications, you do not want these ships in your battle line as their limited-time abilities do little to justify the resources spent to make them. Maybe you can use them to shield your non-combat ships, but that’s about it for their usefulness.
Missile Destroyer - Capital Class
Missile Destroyers are strictly not horrible ships, I just think they’re in the wrong class. As a result, they’re outclassed by almost every Capital-class ship and are far too specialized to be worth the resources.
Missile Destroyers are great at taking down strike craft and can clear minefields with ease. They’re unparalleled in those regards and would definitely be worth investing in if they were not capital-class ships.
Research Station - Non-Combat Class
Non-combat ships are usually good at what they do and the Research Station is no different. The only reason this is the worst is because it can potentially entrap a few new players. It used to be the case that having more of these would allow you to research faster or concurrently.
That has since been changed, however, and having more than one of these is literally pointless, not that every player would know that from the get-go.
What To Expect From Homeworld 3
Say Goodbye to Squadrons
Homeworld 3 isn’t out yet but we can expect a greater focus on individual ship combat instead of the formations and swarm tactics from Homeworld 2. That much has been shown in the demo and many fans are happy to see the change.
The ship formations from Homeworld 2 were regarded as largely useless or situational by fans over the years and a return to form could be what boosts Homeworld 3’s ship combat among the fanbase.
Less Variety in Ship Designs
Homeworld’s ship designs have been the topic of discussion among the fanbase for decades since the first game’s release. The blocky construction and angled architecture gave it a distinct look that separated it from its contemporaries.
Unfortunately, Homeworld 3 seems to be moving away from these designs, showing a more uniform look among its various ship types, with the Frigate and Corvette classes showing the most similarities. It’s currently unclear what effect said design choices will have on gameplay, but fans were quick to voice their concerns on the matter.
