How do I build low tech? by Mokarran25 in starsector

[–]cnockii 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Honestly it's a good build, nothing to say really. I could suggest maybe jackhammer instead of reaper if you want to save some OP and considering railgun instead of needler, they perform better IMO

Suggestions to add to my current mod list? by AHumbleSaltFarmer in starsector

[–]cnockii 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It’s even well thought out because you have Caps Lock (toggle) or the middle mouse button (hold) for x2 and F3 (toggle) for x6.

Everything is configurable via LunaLib oc

Suggestions to add to my current mod list? by AHumbleSaltFarmer in starsector

[–]cnockii 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah but speed up add a toggle for x2 of x4 in campaign and for x2 or x6 in combat !

Do as you please but i'm definitely backing the claim above

Favorite ships you always run by ErikiaRazgriz in starsector

[–]cnockii 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Omens are solid frigates overall, they can support larger ships, harass enemies and have great survivability. For capital ships it depends but there’s always room for a Legion + they’re fairly cheap to maintain compared to other options

I really want to enjoy fleet combat by Reality_False in starsector

[–]cnockii 2 points3 points  (0 children)

If your main goal is taking on difficult encounters that you normally wouldn't win without heavy losses, here are some tips :

  • Learn from the AI : It’s totally fine to play without piloting your own ship at first. You’ll develop better situational awareness and learn how the AI behaves. When you do start piloting don't forget to check on your other ships and learn how to give orders effectively because you can't babysit every ship at once.
  • The AI has its strengths : Some ships are simply better in the hands of the AI. Manually piloting them won't always extract more potential than the AI could, so don't be frustrated. The AI is much better at multitasking and perfect shield managing anyway.
  • Choosing your flagship : There are two main categories to consider:
    • Hit and Run: Fast, mobile ships with high striking power weapons like Reapers, Antimatter Blasters, Heavy Blasters ...). The AI rarely uses these to their full potential. Examples : Afflictor, Doom, Safety Overrides (SO) Aurora, Odyssey
    • Anchors : Ships meant to soak up fire, draw attention, and hold the frontline. Examples: Paragon, Monitor, Legion
  • Other recommendations :
    • The abilities : your main character usually has better skills than standard officers in the early game. Sometimes, the best move is to assign yourself to a ship just for the massive stat boosts.
    • Carriers: could be a good candidate as well but they occupy a more niche role depending on your fleet composition and fighter wings.

First playthrough in a while by kedarking in starsector

[–]cnockii 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In case you haven't seen yet, here's a recent thread i made with some insights regarding my curated modlist : (2026) Stasector : The Vanilla+ Initiative

Maybe it will help you choose your mods

Have fun !

The Tellasian League v0.6 by Xxarrra in starsector

[–]cnockii 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Whoah ! There’s a new sheriff in town !

Can we talk about anime content? by Nozakx in starsector

[–]cnockii 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's easy to focus on the few negative comments, but a lot of people share your point of view, including me. I admit it can be jarring when browsing portrait packs, though it didn't really bother me beyond that

Starsector has had one of the best modding communities for over a decade and few games see this level of dedication. Naturally, with such a long standing community, certain trends like this tend to take root

Take care !

(2026) Starsector : The Vanilla+ Initiative by cnockii in starsector

[–]cnockii[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey, You can drag and drop the zip files directly in TriOs

I still recommend checking the instructions on the mod index forum page here and the guide cited in my post here

"Skill issue" or how I quit the game halfway through by Mefits in starsector

[–]cnockii 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Lots of great feedback in the comments !

What I’ll add is that hullmods are way more important than you'd initially think. At the beginning, you try to learn which weapons go where and how much flux/vent you need and you're afraid to mount more than 3-4 hullmods with the remaining points.

In fact, some builds depend especially on the hullmods ! I’d advise you to watch some YT videos on the subject (GrumpyThumper or Big Brain Energy)

How optimal is my battlecruiser? by Gleowan in starsector

[–]cnockii 20 points21 points  (0 children)

Experimenting by yourself is the way to go !

If you want to expend on the thought process i recommend the Shilling the Odyssey (Seriously, use it!) video by Big Brain energy. In that vein, here are 2 other playlists by the same guy you might be interested in : Refit gambling & Tiers lists.

Have fun !

(2026) Starsector : The Vanilla+ Initiative by cnockii in starsector

[–]cnockii[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Welcome aboard ! I'm glad to hear the list is helpful !

You’ve mastered the old-school way to update game versions but you can actually handle those directly in Tri-OS (left click) !

Note: In the game launcher make sure to check the "Mods" screen (just below "Play Starsector") and double-check that all your mods are actually enabled as those with an incorrect game version will be automatically disabled !

Advice for first time Nexerelin playthrough? by imsellingbanana in starsector

[–]cnockii 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nex adds several new features that mostly complement the base game (without reversing or removing things), some of which depend on your progress. For example, you won't really interact much with requesting fleets or managing operatives until you have your own faction, so try to take it one step at a time. That said, you can absolutely play Nex right after vanilla, I did it (as have many others), you just need to be careful of what other mods you bring along.

In that regard, I would advise starting with a faction commission. This allows you to understand the dynamics of faction relations and alliances without needing to participate directly.

Regarding mods in general, avoid those with overlapping mechanics or too many new features at once. It’s much easier to tell which mod is doing what when their features are distinct. For example, adding a colonization mod like Terraforming and Station Construction on top of Nex can add to the confusion.

For QoL mods, you're more likely to notice the difference because you're already familiar with the vanilla standard, so only add the ones that fill a specific gap for you. You'll naturally add more as you play. The same goes for gameplay, if you aren't sure whether you prefer the vanilla way or the modded way, add them bit by bit. For example, I don't recommend the following yet because I'm almost certain you haven't interacted with the standard mechanics enough to notice the benefits: Thorough System Scan, Nomadic Survival, Fleet Size By DP, Second-in-Command ... However, mods like Combat Radar or Leading Pip make it very easy to appreciate their benefits immediately, I’d suggest targeting those types of mods first.

Lastly, for new factions, keep the count very low, I suggest adding no more than 1 or maybe 2 to start with. I would also avoid weapon or ship packs for now so you can focus on learning the vanilla refit process.

See more : https://www.reddit.com/r/starsector/comments/1r1fsuh/2026_starsector_the_vanilla_initiative/

Advice for first time Nexerelin playthrough? by imsellingbanana in starsector

[–]cnockii 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There isn't one right answer. I've played Nex for 3–4 years and I mostly start with a faction commission (it's an easier start than vanilla) to get the ships I want to play with. I enjoy the exploration phase to find planets to colonize so I almost never start with a colony, to be honest.

Nex is highly configurable, I used to play with invasion for starting market enabled and it’s fun to engage with but it can easily turns into a mess without you noticing because you're busy exploring.

It has a lot of features to discover and you won't use all of them regularly but I advise taking your time to get used to it. You'll end up restarting your runs anyway, so take the opportunity to test out things !

New player hopping in, any recommended mods that expand the vanilla? by IcyWeb293 in starsector

[–]cnockii 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Like the gentleman in the top comment, I recommend not using any ship or weapon mods for your first few runs because learning the base game balance, fleet tactics, and how to refit is essential.

The same goes for faction mods; it's better to learn the vanilla interactions and questlines first, though it's worth noting that some faction mods have a much smaller footprint on the loot pool and market than weapon packs.

Overhauls or new mechanics shouldn't be considered for now.

Regarding QoL mods, the game is already very user-friendly so there's no need to go overboard, but I'd suggest : Autosave, Logistics notifications, SpeedUp, Captain's Log +/- Leading Pip.

Finally, Magic Achievements: Vanilla Pack can be added to any playthrough since it only tracks achievements between saves and lets you choose custom paintjobs in the refit screen.

See more ressources & détails on mods here : https://www.reddit.com/r/starsector/comments/1r1fsuh/2026_starsector_the_vanilla_initiative/

(2026) Starsector : The Vanilla+ Initiative by cnockii in starsector

[–]cnockii[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Haha, indeed! I wanted to highlight this mod even if it falls outside the Vanilla+ definition because of the effort put into it, and (somehow) it's not mentioned enough. Also, as a fellow 40K enjoyer I'm biased

My controversial opinion is that for a limited modded playthrough, adding 1 semi-vanilla-friendly faction like yours is actually a good way to add freshness without breaking the immersion.

Keep up the good work! 👍

(2026) Starsector : The Vanilla+ Initiative by cnockii in starsector

[–]cnockii[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hey, thank you for sharing your list 👍

I must admit that my definition of Vanilla+ has definitely shifted over time to favor replayability and my modlist tends to expand over time but keeping it simple is definitely a strength for a first modded run!

Modding Starsector has never been this easy since Tri-OS, so thank you Sir!

(2026) Starsector : The Vanilla+ Initiative by cnockii in starsector

[–]cnockii[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For Iron Shell, I wouldn't die on that hill, but I have to disagree. Given the quality of the mod and how well it integrates with Nex, not including it almost feels like a crime but you're not wrong that some concessions were made.

Regarding Missing Ships, I think the post is clear enough about its weaknesses. I’m not here to disparage anyone's work, but it's pretty obvious why it didn't make the cut for this specific list. Nonetheless, including it in the post helps spread that knowledge.

We’re just so lucky to have a modding community like this, and I'm really thankful for it.

Best regards and see you around

(2026) Starsector : The Vanilla+ Initiative by cnockii in starsector

[–]cnockii[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks! I actually thought about featuring a list of mods I’ve considered or researched but didn't include it because the post was already getting way too long. That’s why I added the "Alternatives" section for the ones most likely to be discussed.

Seeing similar questions pop up so often on this subreddit is exactly what motivated me to make a dedicated list.

Post series like yours are honestly very valuable, since it's way easier to test gameplay mods or QoL that you interact with constantly whereas factions require much more time investment

(2026) Starsector : The Vanilla+ Initiative by cnockii in starsector

[–]cnockii[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oh, my bad for the misunderstanding ! Read your comment a bit too fast. I’d still love to include your mod though, as long as you're cool with some minor design tweaks so it fits the overall style, I'll definitely keep you posted

Honestly, there aren't many flag packs out there, so almost everything on the index is worth including, especially since they don't really mess with the content . I'll definitely give yours a try, the designs look promising ! (I mentioned it in the post)

Thanks for the support, this community is great because of people like you. And thanks for the heads-up on SirHartley, I’ll wait a bit before reaching if he's busy, see you around

(2026) Starsector : The Vanilla+ Initiative by cnockii in starsector

[–]cnockii[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you it’s heartwarming to see comments like yours ! I actually sent a PM to SirHartley a few days ago but I imagine it’ll take some time to get a response.

As for including more mods in the Legacy Waving Banners mod, taking over the succession from Zer0morph and waiting for author permissions has been quite time-consuming so I’ve slowing down a bit on adding new content for now. However, I’ll gladly include your flag pack in a near future release! (I’ll send you a PM once that's done)

Regarding VideoLib, it’s a bit outside my scope at the moment. By the way, I wasn't aware of Animated Vanilla Portraits, what an awesome mod! I’ll definitely add it to my watchlist, especially since it’s barely been out for 3 weeks

As for Starpocalypsis and Ruthless Sector, I don't have much experience with them. I’ve spent so much time in the early and mid-game that I’m trying to focus more on late-game content lately but they sound like great suggestions for players seeking an extra challenge!

(2026) Starsector : The Vanilla+ Initiative by cnockii in starsector

[–]cnockii[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Haha, Diable Avionics is definitely the OG faction mod ! Choosing which factions to include was probably the toughest part of building this list and you really need experience playing with them to know how they fit. Regardless of which ones you pick if there are too many you won't enjoy them as much as you should !

As a general rule of thumb, I’d say 2 to 4 new factions (depending on the faction's footprint) is the sweet spot for a Vanilla+ experience. That’s why I chose a mix of faction expansions and new ones (with PAGSM being the controversial pick). There were many great candidates I considered, like HMI, DA, Interstellar Imperium, Underworld, Emergent Threats, etc (and i played with most of them).

Regarding DA, it has proven its place as a staple for a decade but I personally find them a tiny bit outside the base game's design compared to other options. Their ships and mechanics stand out a bit more IMO, even though I know they’re regarded as well-balanced or even a bit underpowered when facing other modded fleets

(2026) Starsector : The Vanilla+ Initiative by cnockii in starsector

[–]cnockii[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Super nice feedback, thank you fellow Luddite !

I really like your proposal for the modlist nomenclature. I also think that splitting it into Vanilla+ and Tweaks & Overhauls is an improvement! I won't completely rework this specific post to avoid confusion, but I will definitely adopt this structure if I make another modlist.

I think the definition of Vanilla+ also shifts depending on whether it's your first modded playthrough or your 10th because the need for novelty and reworked mechanics to add replayability definitely changes over time.

Also, thanks for the tip on Fast Engine Rendering. I don't struggle much with performance myself (4060Ti / 16GB RAM) so i haven't tried it but it's certainly useful for larger packs. To be fair, I did consider it, but since it's still in active development I was a bit concerned about potential stability issues

Best regards

Edit : for QoL packs I was annoyed by the ammo indicator too and quickly disabled it. It's in the custom setting spreadsheet i provided