Ships of Homeworld

In the space opera computer game Homeworld, there are several ships with a distinctive appearance when compared to the ships of other space operas. This appearance, similar to the designs displayed in the Terran Trade Authority novels is one of the attractive aspects of the game. In addition, the game designers (i.e. Relic Entertainment or Barking Dog Studios) made it a point to outline the official technical specifications of their ships, a tradition continued by fans designing modpacks based on the engines of the Homeworld games.

The ships listed here spread from the original Kushani and Taiidani vessels to the Vaygr and Hiigarans in Homeworld 2, or even to vessels which never made it into the games like the Turret Frigate.

Taiidani vessel naming
In Homeworld and Homeworld: Cataclysm the Taiidani vessels are often named by Kushan names, like "Triikor" or "Sajuuk-Cor". The reasons for this are complicated and involve the open nature of the original Homeworld campaign. In the original game it was possible to play as both the Kushan and Taiidan, despite the fact that it was later decided canonically speaking that the Kushan are the true Exiles. In Homeworld: Cataclysm, the situation was further complicated by the fact that Barking Dog Studios continued to use the names as "code-names", similar in use to names like "Typhoon" or "Foxtrot" used to describe Soviet vessels in the Cold War.

Many fans of the Homeworld series believe that the Taiidan were the original Exiles and that it was later changed to the Kushan at a later date. Relic continues to deny this for the most part but it is still a popular theory amongst many gamers of the original Homeworld, especially those who were fans of the sleek design of Taiidani vessels (particularly fighters).

Beast information
In Homeworld: Cataclysm the Beast are the main antagonist and are a species of deadly biomechanic virus that can colonize and hence "infect" both machines and organic matter. Unlike a regular virus the Beast does not destroy its targets, enslaving its host to create genetic copies of itself in a self-destructive manner, but instead literally enslaves them, acting as a sentient being and using their memories and knowledge against their allies. For this reason, almost all Beast vessels are copies of designs used earlier by other races. For this reason the section devoted to the Beast contains few ships and merely mentions some used by the Beast alone (such as the Beast modification of the lower half of the Kuun-Lan Command Ship).

For more information on the world of Homeworld, see Homeworld Universe.

Homeworld fleets
Fighter Class
All vessels of this class are single-seat- carrying only the pilot.
*Scout: the fastest unit in the game, can avoid most projectiles if set on Evasive tactics.
*Interceptor: the Scouts successor, it can outgun most corvettes, though it does not have the armor to match returned fire from them.
*Attack Bomber: slow unit, extremely effective against capital ships.
*Defender: slow and unmaneuverable unit with decent armor and firepower. As its name states, it is specifically designed to defend larger vessels, carrying thicker armor than most other in the Fighter-class, but that comes at the cost of slower speeds (which Frigates and Super-Capital ships also lack). While both feature three tracking turrets, the Kushan variant can retract it's turrets back into itself when not engaged in battle, though it is in no way superior to the Taiidan version.
*Cloak Fighter: (available to Kushan only) Can turn invisible when flying, but when it shoots, the cloak is disabled momentarily, making them vulnerable once more. Only Proximity Sensors can detect them when they are cloaked.
*Defense Fighter: (available to Taiidan only) Can shoot down bullets, missiles, and mines with a quick-tracking pulse laser, but not beam weapons like Ion Cannon technology. But, as it's name states, it has no weapons of its own and cannot be used in an offensive role, only for the protection of others.

Corvette Class
All vessels of this class are twin-seat- carrying the pilot and a weapons, technology, or navigation specialist.
*Light Corvette: the fastest and cheapest of the corvettes. Features a single turret beneath the cockpit with a single mass driver cannon in it. It is generally considered quite inferior to the Heavy Corvette once the technology has been researched.
*Heavy Corvette: fast and heavily armored, good against other corvettes. A direct upgrade to the basic Light Corvette, it features more armor, and two cannon turrets which can now track multiple targets instead of one. An unarmed white-colored version is used by the Mothership as transport for it's ambassador.
*Multi-gun Corvette: relatively fast, the ultimate weapon against fighters. Developed while the Mothership was under attack fin the Gardens of Kadesh to combat the tiny fighter-class Swarmers employed by the Guardians of the nebula. It features six independent tracking turrets of the same make as the Light and Heavy Corvettes.
*Salvage Corvette: an unarmed tug that uses a tractor beam to pull enemy vessels into the hangar bay of friendly ships, or download & hack information from computer systems. Later these captured ships can be used as part of your own fleet. The larger the vessel, the more Salvage Corvettes are needed to pull it in:
**Fighter-class and probes (1)
**Corvette-class, Frigate-class, Gravwell Generators, Cloak Generators (2)
**Destroyers, Missile Destroyers (3)
**Carriers and Heavy Cruisers (5)
**Mothership-class vessels, Research Ships, the Supernova Research Station, and the Hyperspace Inhibitor cannot be captured even though Salvage Corvette(s) can still lock on to them. This applies to both Single-Player and Multi-Player missions.
*Repair Corvette: serves as an in-field repair facility until the player acquires Frigate technology in order to build the larger and more efficient Support Frigate. It can either repair any friendly vessel with the fan-termed "magic beam", and repair & refuel Fighter-class ships which dock directly with it. It is armed with a single mass-driver turret under the cockpit, though it is not very powerful and meant as only a deterrent to attacking vessels. Unlike all other Corvette-class vessels, the Repair Corvette does not use fuel, and so it can operate independently for extended periods of time unless recalled or damaged.

Frigate Class
*Assault Frigate: Basic Frigate design from which all others branch out as new technologies are researched and purchased. It carries two forward-facing Plasma Bomb launchers and four mass-driver turrets around the front section. Though the turrets can track other Frigates and Corvettes effectively, due to this arrangement it can be vulnerable from behind from more-agile Fighter-class waves, particularly Attack Bombers. It also performs poorly against larger ships from the Super-Capital-class, and the powerful but similar-sized Ion Cannon Frigate.
*Ion Cannon Frigate: same speed as the Assault Frigate. Primarily used against larger and slower moving targets. It's only weapon is the single devastating Ion Cannon which runs the entire length of the vessel. This weapon can only fire in the same direction that the frigate is pointed in, and so it will not fire until the entire ship moves into position first. Alone, it is no match for Destroyers, but it is more effective in groups.
*Support Frigate: A larger and more flexible version of the Repair Corvette, it can repair damage to other vessels with the "magic beam", though at double the rate of the smaller ship. It is armed with a single mass-driver turret beneath its primary sensors under the nose, though it is limited is range of fire and is less effective than that of the Assault Frigate's; it acts as more of a deterrent to enemy vessels. It also serves as a mobile refuel and repair station for friendly strike craft away from Carriers and the Mothership:
**Fighter-class (10 repair slots)
**Corvette-class (4 repair slots)
*Drone Frigate: (available to Kushan only) It has no built-in weapon of it's own, but it instead deploys 24 independently-operated drones in a sphere formation around itself which act as separate mass driver turrets. If a drone is destroyed, the Frigate can build a replacement in a few seconds. Best used to defend against Fighter-class opponents. Some players with slower computers have found that deploying too many Drone Frigates at one time (each with 25 3D models per unit) creates lag. But most agree that it is a relatively useless vessel once research is made to develop the far-superior Missile Destroyer; shrewd players will specifically target the drones and destroy them before attacking the defenseless Frigate itself.
*Defense Field Frigate: (available to Taiidan only) Uses a powerful, invisible electromagnetic field around itself to deflect mass-driver bullets and missiles away from near-by ships that it is escorting, though it does not affect energy weapons such as Ion Cannon beams. The defense field is constantly in use, cannot be turned on or off, and is not affected by the damage status of the frigate. However, once an enemy ship passes inside the defense field, then it can damage friendly vessels within it. Because it's EM field is so powerful and would interfere with weapons carried by any other Frigate-class vessel, it does not carry any weapons of its own and thus is purely a defensive ship.

Super-capital Class
*Destroyer: primary attack vessel of the fleet, used again anything from Frigate-class size on up. It is slower and less maneuverable than most Frigate-class vessels (it can outrun Support Frigates), but makes up for it with better firepower and heavier armor. Armed with two Ion Cannons and two mass-driver turrets. The Kushan Destroyer has its Ion Cannons carried in turrets mounted beneath side wings, though they cannot track targets like the mass-driver turrets can. On the other hand, the Taiidan variant has its Ion Cannons built into the hull in a forward-fixed position. Both versions are vulnerable along the ventral and aft hulls since no weapons exist there. Thus, Destroyers can be overwhelmed by Fighter- and Corvette-class ships.
*Missile Destroyer: a variant of the standard Destroyer, it swaps cannons for four mass-production silos that fire advanced self-guiding missiles. These missiles have the longest range of any weapon system in the game, and will follow a target until they 1) hit the target; 2) are deflected by the Taiidan-only Defense Field Frigate and Defense Fighter, or 3) self-destruct after running out of fuel/go a certain distance. Thus they are ideally suited and particularly effective against fast and fragile Fighter- and Corvette-class strike craft. Each Missile Destroyer begins with an initial volley of 32 available missiles; after that initial round is spent, it will slowly build new missiles from within at no extra cost to the player, but at a slower rate than they are launched which decreases its strike potential by half until it is fully rearmed. A special command (Ctrl + Z) allows the player to empty the silos of all missiles in a quick burst. After this, the Missile Destroyer will be vulnerable for a few seconds before it can begin reproducing new missiles. In a stand-up one-on-one fight between a regular Destroyer and a Missile Destroyer- both starting at 100% health- a Missile Destroyer will always win.
*Carrier: Functions as a miniature version of the Mothership, but more maneuverable and faster. In Multi-Player missions, if the Mothership is lost, the player can continue if they have at least one Carrier still functional. A player can only build a maximum limit of four Carriers at any time. It can produce Fighter-, Corvette-, Frigate-, Resource-, and Non-Combat-class vessels & probes at the same costs and manufacturing speed within it's own construction bay. However, it cannot build other Carriers or any other Super-Capital-class vessel. It has several mass-drivers, but like the Mothership's, they are not very powerful or numerous enough to cause noticeable damage to even Fighter-class ships. As a bonus, it has two Resource drop-off slots for Resource Collectors to dock with, which helps contribute to the player's RPs. It can store a more limited number of strike craft than the Mothership does within its own internal hangar bay:
**Fighter-class (carries/repairs 50 at a time)
**Corvette-class (carries/repairs only 25 at a time)
*Heavy Cruiser: has the heaviest armament of any ship in the game, save perhaps a non-playable Bentusi trading ship. Specifically used as a ship killer of anything from Frigate-class on-up, so it needs close-range support against more nimble Fighter- and Corvette-class strike craft. Slightly larger than a Carrier, it has double the firepower of a Destroyer- employing six heavy single mass-driver cannon turrets, and two twin-beam Ion Cannon turrets; all of which feature a 180-degree arc of fire, making it vulnerable only from directly aft. Unfortunately, this heavy armor and firepower comes at a cost: it is the second-slowest & maneuverable vessel in the fleet save for the Mothership. However, along with the Mothership and Carriers, if damaged beyond 50%, it can effect slow repairs until it reaches full health.

Resource Class
*Resource Collector: an unarmed deep-space mining vessel which uses a specialized tractor beam to pull away useful minerals and chemicals from asteroids and gas & dust clouds. Collectors are essential in any fleet alongside the Mothership or a Carrier since this is the only way that the player can acquire Resource Points (RPs) to build their fleet or buy technology from the Bentusi. Though slightly smaller than a Frigate-class vessel, it carries heavier armor so that it can withstand attacks for longer until help arrives.
*Resource Controller: an unarmed deep-space mobile refinery vessel which uses advanced wormhole technology to instantly transport RPs harvested by Resource Collectors to the fleet. Though not required like Collectors, Controllers certainly help to speed up the process of harvesting resources so that less time is wasted by Collectors traveling between drop-off points on Carriers and the Mothership and resource pockets. Resource Collectors must dock (one at a time) for the transfer to take place. Controllers move slightly slower than Collectors, but are equally well-armored against attack. Because Resource Collectors and Controllers are unarmed vessels, it helps to have an escorting group nearby. So Controllers have repair/refuel slots available for a limited number of strike craft at one time:
**Fighter-class (6 slots available)
**Corvette-Class (2 slots available)
**(Oddly, Resource Collectors cannot be repaired by Controllers and must dock with either a Carrier or the Mothership to effect repairs.)

Non-Combat Class
None of these carry weapons. Probes are too small to carry humans in them, and are fully automated units.

*Probe: general purpose sensor package built with a small but fast-burning solid fuel rocket engine. It is a cheap alternative to the Fighter-class Scout, though its sensors range is twice that of the small manned Scout. Once built, a Probe will remain in Parade Formation with the ship that made it until it is given a movement order. A Probe can only be issued a Move command once, and then once it reaches it's destination, it cannot be moved again, salvaged, or repaired. Once Sensors Array technology is researched, Probes become useless since a Sensors Array exposes the entire game map once deployed instead of smaller sections. However, when playing in Multi-Player games, it is a frequent tactic to deploy several Probes immediately after starting a game or after performing a hyperspace jump to scout out the terrain; other times, they can be used to fool opponents into thinking a ship is approaching and set off their traps early. Probes are the cheapest and quickest units available to build in the entire game.
*Proximity Sensor: a more specialized unit than a Probe, it can detect cloaked vessels within a certain range, allowing other friendly ships to target the hidden vessels. It also serves as a watchdog sentry, alerting Fleet Command when enemy vessels- cloaked or not- get withing range of its sensors. Though slower than a standard Probe but the same speed as a manned Fighter-class Scout, it can be given more than one Movement command, does not require refueling, and can be recalled to be repaired in any available Fighter-class repair slot or internal hangar bay.
*Sensors Array: an advanced tachyon detection system which moves separately from the ship that built it. It provides complete sensor coverage of the entire game mission map in the Sensors Manager, even for ships out of visual range of a player's own ships. Only Cloaking technology can hide enemy ships from a Sensors Array. This unit cannot dock with a hangar bay-equipped ship, requiring either a Repair Corvette or Support Frigate to enact damage control. However, since the Sensors Array is not hyperspace-capable on its own, at the end of each Single-Player mission it will dock inside the Mothership for the jump. Enemy Sensors Arrays can be salvage and turned to be used by the Player's own fleet, though having more than one at a time is nothing if not redundant.
*Research Ship: an independently-operating scientific research laboratory which allows the player to develop new technologies to create larger, better-equipped, and more-specialized ships. Research Ships usually stay in Parade Formation with the ship which built them. If more than one is built, more than one technology can be research at the same time, or research on a single technology can be accelerated if more that one covers it at the same time. There is a game limit of six Research Ships per-player. Since they are not Hyperspace-capable, Research Ships dock with either the Mothership or a Carrier. When they dock, grouped Research Ships break down into their individual components rather than staying assembled; when exiting hyperspace, they will one-by-one leave the hangar bay and connect to each other automatically.
**Kushan Research Ships, when all six are docked together, form a wheel which spins slowly in space, though it remains in Parade Formation, or can be moved. If there are less than six, the combined ships do not rotate.
**Taiidan Research Ships also dock with one another, but their appearance is more modular, like those of the International Space Station or Mir, and so they form incomplete links. However, when six ships are docked together, they still spin like their Kushan counterparts do.
*Gravwell Generator: a mass-distortion technology found aboard a derelict alien 'Ghost Ship'. Though the ancient Ghost Ship had more features to it, gravity-well technology is the first practical use of what was learned from it. Any mass moving through the limited-range field will either be brought to a halt, or draw in closer to the generator. Fighter- and Corvette-class ships will spin uncontrollably inside the gravwell field, though turret weapons still function enough to possibly shoot at the Gravwell Generator. Missiles also are affected by the field, though they can be drawn in and actually strike the generator! Ion Cannons are not affected by the field either. Only Salvage Corvettes- which use non-fuel-burning engines- and anything bigger have enough thrust to pass through a gravwell field unhindered. (The Junkyard Dog in the Karos Graveyard- though capable of capturing even Super-Capital-class vessels all by itself- is nonetheless a Corvette-class ship, and therefor is also affected by a Gravwell Generator's field. This only slows it down significantly rather than bringing it to a complete standstill.) Unfortunately, because Gravwell technology is still in its infancy, the generators will eventually burn up and self-destruct after about three minutes. The health of the ship is not affected by the run-time of the Generator, therefor using a Repair Corvette or Support Frigate is not possible unless the Generator is damage by enemy fire. Therefor, a Gravwell Generator's field can be switched on and off at will by the player, and also retired just before time is up. This unit cannot dock with a hangar bay-equipped ship, requiring either a Repair Corvette or Support Frigate to enact damage control. However, since the Gravwell Generator is not hyperspace-capable on its own, at the end of each Single-Player mission it will dock inside the Mothership or a Carrier for the jump. Enemy Gravwell Generators can be salvage and turned to be used by the player's own fleet.
*Cloak Generator: a specialized unit whose single purpose is to render near-by surrounding friendly vessels invisible to both visual range and all sensors. Only a Proximity Sensor can see through a Cloak Generator's deception, allowing friendly forces to target what lies within. Because Cloaking technology is still relatively new, the generators used inside it burn out after about two minutes, which they automatically shut down rather than exploding like a Gravwell Generator does. However, once they shut down automatically, the crews inside are able to effect repairs to the generators, bringing them back to full capacity. Therefor, a Cloak Generator's field can be switched on and off at will by the player, which allows repairs to be effected sooner. This unit cannot dock with a hangar bay-equipped ship, requiring either a Repair Corvette or Support Frigate to enact damage control. However, since the Cloak Generator is not hyperspace-capable on its own, at the end of each Single-Player mission it will dock inside the Mothership or a Carrier for the jump. Enemy Cloak Generators can be salvage and turned to be used by the player's own fleet.

*Miscellaneous
**Scaffold
**Cryo Trays
**Khar-Toba
**Khar-Selim
**Target Drone

Kadeshi
*Mothership
**Kadeshi Mothership (Needleship)

*Fighters
**Swarmer
**Advanced Swarmer

*Frigates
**Multi-Beam Frigate
**Fuel Pod
Please note that the Kadeshi do NOT use the Fuel Pod's weapons.

Homeworld: Cataclysm fleets
Since "Homeworld: Cataclysm" uses pretty much the same game engine to run, and the story only takes place 15 years after "Homeworld" ends, several ships make a return, notably in the 'new' Hiigarans/Kushan, and the Taiidan forces (both Imperialist and Republic). Some new features in this game not previously seen are ship upgrades and Support Units- the latter of which put a lower cap on the player's fleet size as opposed to the maximum fleet size of 300 in "Homeworld".

Kiith Somtaaw
Mothership-class
*Explorer-class mining vessel
**Kuun-Lan- flagship of Kiith Somtaaw's mining fleet. The player uses this ship for all research and building. The Kuun-Lan is also the only ship in the game to carry the massive Siege Cannon. Features greater speed and firepower than the Mothership from "Homeworld".
**Faal-Corum- sister ship to the Kuun-Lan. Was the first of the two ships to be built, thus has lower firepower, armor, and maneuverability. Cannot be controlled.

Super-Capital-class
*Archangel-class Dreadnought- the most powerful playable ship in the game; equivalent to the Heavy Cruiser from the first game. The Dreadnought can be equipped with a specialized Repulse Wave which blasts/pushes away all smaller ships, and can even destroy Fighter-, Corvette-, and Microship-class strike craft.
*Deacon-class Destroyer- first available Capital-sized vessel, carries equivalent weapons to the Dreadnought- two forward-facing Ion Cannons, four point-defense turrets, and a pair of missile launchers; though it is smaller and less powerful, but more maneuverable.
*Shaman-class Carrier- originally a cargo vessel redesigned during the Beast conflict. Carries moderate point-defense turrets, but serves primarily as a production facility for any ships smaller than itself. It also can hold six Support Modules, and has two docking ports for Workers bringing in new RUs. Only two Carriers can be built at a time. In multi-player games, if the Kuun-Lan is destroyed, the player can continue on if they still have a surviving Carrier available, though they will not be able to research more technology or build another Carrier.

Frigate-class
*Minion-class Heavy Tug- basically a deep-space tug used to push around large asteroids that may cause damage to the player's fleet, in combat it can be used to push away enemy ships. Later on, research can yield a cutting torch which damages enemy ships when it's pushing them.
*Dervish-class Multi-Beam Frigate- a variant of the original game's Kadeshi Multi-Beam Frigate, the Somtaaw variant uses its ion beams in a more anti-strike craft role, but is less effective against similar- or larger-sized vessels except when in greater numbers.
*Hive-class Advanced Drone Frigate- based on the original game's Kushan Drone Frigate, the Hive Frigate carries fewer drones (6), but the drones can leave the immediate area of the larger ship to operate independently. Also, the frigate itself carries two turrets so it can attack a different target at the same time that it's drones are being used.
Corvette-class
*Avenger-class Acolyte Composite Vehicle (ACV)- two Fighter-class Acolytes- with the proper research beforehand- can merge together to become an ACV. Carrying double the firepower and armor of one Acolyte, it is also heavier and slower. An ACV can produce a paralyzing Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) which temporarily disables any ships within range, and larger ships when more than one ACV attacks it. However, the missiles carried by the Acolytes cannot be fired when combined into an ACV.
*Martyr-class Mimic Composite Vehicle (MCV)- two Fighter-class Mimics- with the proper research beforehand- can merge together to become an MCV. The explosive power of their self-destruct charges is stronger, and their combined holographic projectors can now mimic larger Frigate-class vessels.

Fighter-class
*Acolyte-class Heavy Fighter- the basic strike craft of the Kiith Somtaww fleet. In addition to the two forward mounted guns, when properly researched, an Acolyte can carry two powerful missiles which can damage any object larger/slower than a Frigate-class vessel.
*Mimic-class Infiltration Craft- Fighter-class ships with no weapons; they are piloted by those suicidal Kushan who lost everything in the Burning of Kharak in "Homeworld", and wish somehow to avenge the suffering they go through, even if in death. Each Mimic carries a specialized sensor and holographic projection system which allows it to take on the guise of any Fighter- or Corvette-class ship it encounters. This is so that it can act as either a spy or- as its primary purpose- run a kamikaze attack on anything larger than a Frigate-class vessel.
*Seeker-class Reconnaissance Fighter- a flying advanced sensor platform armed very lightly. Not as fast or well-armored as the Acolyte, the Recon carries only one forward-facing cannon.

Microship-class
*Leech-class Breaching Pod- unmanned computer-controlled drone which uses stealth technology to sneak up on enemy ships. Though it carries no weapons, a Leech can disable damage alerts on any ship it attaches to, and slowly drain its health, or suck off RUs to shuttle back to any nearby Processor, Carrier, or the Kuun-Lan. Only a Recon with an Advanced Sensors upgrade, or a Proximity Sensor, can successfully spot a Leech.
*Sentinel-class Defense Pod- a variant of the Fighter-class Defender and Taiidan Defense Field Frigate from the first game, this tiny one-man fighter is very slow and carries low firepower and armor. The main purpose of the Sentinel is to create an energy shield around Frigate-class or larger vessels for defense against all enemy weapons. However, stronger energy weapons can weaken the shield enough to shut it down; or if one of the Sentinels takes a sufficient amount of damage.

Two other kinds of non-controllable, unmanned Microships exist: Repair Bots- which automatically fly over upgraded Frigate-, Capital- and Mothership-class vessels to effect slow repairs; and Hive Swarmers- which are built internally by Hive Frigates and can only be accessed via that specific frigate's Right-Click Menu (the "S" key).

Resource-class
*Worker-class Resource Collector- smaller than the Resource Collectors from the first game. Workers are multi-functional vessels which 1) primarily collect resources to convert into usable RUs, 2) when upgrades, effect repairs in a similar style to Repair Corvettes from the first game, and 3) when upgraded, capture enemy vessels to be used by the player in their own fleet (except those infected by the Beast). When Salvaging technology is research, groups of Workers can also collect Crystals to be processed by properly-upgraded larger ships.
*Chieftain Mk.III-class Ore Processor- serves same function as Resource Controllers from the first game. Workers collect resources and can drop them off on a Processor to instantly transport to the fleet's RU cache. Unlike Resource Controllers, Processors can accept four Workers at a time, are lightly armed with four gun turrets, and are also equipped with four automated repair beams which fix any nearby/passing ship.

Non-Combat-class
*Research vessel Clee-San- an unarmed Kiith Somtaaw exploration and research vessel slightly smaller than a standard-sized military frigate which was constructed after the Faal-Corum and Kuun-Lan were. The science crew of the Clee-San were the first to analyze the biomechanical virus which would later be known as the Beast; they would also be it's first victims in this galaxy as the evolving Beast Mothership would infect the Clee-San itself and its fighter escort shortly after the Kuun-Lan had performed an emergency separation with its on-board research module. It cannot be controlled in any of the missions by the player, and it does not appear in Multi-Player games.

The Beast
The Beast's fleet is all from subverted ships taken from other races. Only in multi-player games can the Beast be controlled by the player, with a different hierarchy of ship design, construction, and research that that of the Kuun-Lans. All Beast-infected vessels are slightly slower than their non-captured counterparts, but all of them are capable of self-regeneration and have stronger resistance to damage. However, there are several original designs:
Mothership-class
*Beast Mothership- converted from the Kuun-Lans hangar bay and lower propulsion module. It is the original point of infection in our galaxy for the Beast.
*The Naggarok- an alien exploration vessel found on the fringes of the Milky Way Galaxy which was converted by the biotech Beast virus millions of years ago. In an attempt by the original alien crew, a distress beacon was launched to call for help. Unfortunately, the beacon was also infected. It is this same distress beacon which the Kuun-Lan later picks up in Kiith Somtaaw's selfish attempt to exploit and gain superior technology over their Kiithid rivals. The Naggarok features highly advanced maneuverability and weapons which rival that of even Bentusi trade ships, though it is not know if the Beast affected these changes or not.
Corvette-class
*Beast Cruise Missile- a mobile infection pod which attacks larger vessels in order to convert them. They can penetrate all kinds of armor and defensive fields, though it may take more than one to subvert a larger Capital- or Mothership-class vessel.

Taiidan Republic and Imperialist Taiidan
All Taiidan ships are identical to their "Homeworld" counterparts. The new and more-docile Taiidani Republic, however, built an original space station called the Nomad Moon as their own counter to the Beast plague. It is defended by a powerful Repulsor field generator to keep enemy ships away and prevent infection, and it is armed with four powerful Ion Cannon emitters. Unfortunately, before it could be completed and made fully operational, the Beast learned of its existence, and infected it.

The Bentusi
The powerful-yet-peaceful nomadic traders from the first game return with their trademark horseshoe-shaped Trading Ships. However, one new design appear in "Homeworld: Cataclysm":
Fighter-class
*Super Acolyte- an unrivaled advanced strike craft armed with paired ion beam emitters. It is powerful and yet agile enough that it can directly assault Capital-class vessels. Before the events of the game, Kiith Somtaaw traded with the Bentusi for the Super Acolyte's fuel-less engine design so that they could create their own Acolyte-class Heavy Fighter. Though the scaled-down ion beam technology was not traded, Somtaaw's Acolytes still bear a similar design lineage with the Bentusi fighters such as extending wings. However, after the crew of the Kuun Lan persuades the frightened Bentusi to remain in the galaxy in order to fight the Beast infection, they relent and give the full designs of the Super Acolyte to them to reinforce their own fleet's arsenal.

Homeworld 2 fleets
Fighter-class
Fighters are fast, cheap and numerous. They rely on their small size, maneuverability, and speed to stay alive. The key to their success is in their numbers. They're the cheapest warship class to set up and develop. Their high mobility is ideal for intercepting enemy units far across the map or getting help to remote outposts in a timely fashion. Their only drawback is their lack of armor and the need for frequent docking to maintain their effectiveness. Used in the right combinations or speed variants and power variants, fighters can pose serious threats to capital ships.

Hiigaran Fighters
*Scout- specializes in long-range reconnaissance with powerful sensors and fast engine power. Also produces a short-term EMP Pulse which temporarily disables enemy fighters, and- in greater numbers- larger ships.
*Interceptor- standard Hiigaran Fighter. Good in anti-Fighter role, or attacking slower & unarmed targets.
*Bomber- specializes in speed runs to avoid defensive fire, and powerful plasma bombs to damage larger vessels from Frigate-class on up.

Vaygr Fighters
*Survey Scout- specializes in long-range reconnaissance with powerful sensors and fast engine power. Lacks the EMP Pulse feature of its Hiigaran counterpart.
*Assault Craft- standard Vaygr Fighter. Good in anti-Fighter role, or attacking slower & unarmed targets.
*Bomber- specializes in speed runs to avoid defensive fire, and powerful plasma bombs to damage larger vessels from Frigate-class on up.
*Lance Fighter- similar role as Bomber, but faster and able to attack Corvette-class ships as well.

Corvette-class
Corvettes are small gunboats, slower than fighters and easier to hit but still agile, packing heavier armor and heavier weapons. Most Corvettes make use of turrets, and can cruise around the target, subjecting it to a constant barrage from all angles without the need to line up attack runs. They rely on their stronger armor to survive. Their turret speed and advanced targeting systems make them very effective against other strikecraft, depending on the variant.

Hiigaran Corvettes
*Gunship- standard Corvette design. Used primarily in anti-Fighter role.
*Pulsar Gunship- advanced Corvette design. Uses newly-developed Pulsar technology to produce smaller-scale ion beam. Used primarily to defend against Corvettes, or attack unarmed or slower targets.
*Minelayer- deploys magnetic mines which are attracted to slow-moving enemy ships. Armed with small anti-Fighter defense turret.

Vaygr Corvettes
*Missile Corvette- standard Corvette design. Used primarily in anti-Fighter role.
*Laser Corvette- advanced Corvette design. Feature stronger laser to that of Lance Fighter, so it can attack larger ships. Also good in anti-Corvette role.
*Minelayer Corvette- deploys magnetic mines which are attracted to slow-moving enemy ships. Unlike its Hiigaran counterpart, it does not have any defensive weapons.
*Command Corvette- unique to the Vaygr, it features advanced communications and targeting sensors to improve weapons performance of all friendly ships in range around it. Same role as the Fire Control Module found on Capital- and Mothership-class vessels, but more mobile and able to stay with attacking fleets.

Frigate-class
Frigates are the medium sized ships of Homeworld 2, built and deployed as individuals. They can slowly repair themselves, but they can't dock for repairs. However, Frigates can be repaired with Resource Collectors. Although capital warships can slice through individual frigates, in sufficient numbers frigates can pose a significant threat.

Frigates can only be produced on production ships that have a Frigate Facility. They have medium armor, which means they can be hit by anything, although a Battlecruiser's main weaponry will only inflict 50% damage on one.

Hiigaran Frigates
*Torpedo Frigate- basic Frigate design. Primarily used for anti-Corvette role, but can later be upgraded to fire torpedoes that damage Capital-class ships
*Flak Frigate- basic Frigate design. Primarily used for anti-Fighter role.
*Ion Frigate- specialized Frigate. Primarily used for attacking slower-moving targets like Capital- and Mothership-class vessels, but also useful on stationary targets like space stations.
*Marine Frigate- specialized Frigate design. Used for breaking into enemy ships from Frigate-class on up, and capturing them for the player's use. Used in the same role as the Salvage Corvette from "Homeworld", but with more armor and minor defensive capabilities.
*Defense Field Frigate- specialized Frigate design. Uses temporary energy shield to protect other vessels. Used in the same role as the Taiidan Defense Field Frigate from "Homeworld", but with more armor and minor defensive capabilities. However the duration of time the shield is up is limited in this game and requires recharge between uses. Note that defense field is useless against certain weapons such as beam weaponry and missiles.

Vaygr Frigates
*Assault Frigate- basic Frigate design. Primarily used for anti-Strikecraft role.
*Heavy Missile Frigate- basic Frigate design. Primarily used for anti-Frigate role, but can later be upgraded to fire torpedoes that damage Capital-class ships
*Infiltrator Frigate- specialized Frigate design. Used for breaking into enemy ships from Frigate-class on up, and capturing them for the player's use. Used in the same role as the Salvage Corvette from "Homeworld", but with more armor and minor defensive capabilities.

Capital-class
The Capital Class is the biggest in the fleet. They are the only class of ships to have subsystems. Two of the Capital class ships are capable of production, the Carrier and the Shipyard. Two types of warship also fall into the capital class: the Destroyer and the Battlecruiser. Capital class vessels can only be produced by Motherships and Shipyards, and the Shipyard is the only unit able to produce the Battlecruiser.

Carriers
The smallest production ship with an emphasis on fleet service. They process and repair Strikecraft more efficiently than any other ship in the fleet. However, if undefended they will be quickly overwhelmed by anything more than a few Strikecraft. Like all production ships, a carrier increases the sensor range with a Sensor slot, but holds less Module and Production slots than the Mothership or Shipyard. Whereas Hiigaran Carriers can build any type of Fighter, Corvette, or Frigate from the same vessel, Vaygr Carriers can only build one of those three and not the other two; otherwise they operate the same.

Shipyard
The only unit in the game able to build Battlecruisers. The Shipyard has room for all five construction subsystems- Fighter, Corvette, Frigate, Capital, Platform- one Sensor slot, and four other specialized subsystem units. Although slower and equally armored, the Shipyard has more slots for facilities than anything else. Though armed with minor point-defense guns like those on The Pride of Hiigara and Carriers, it requires dedicated escorts to fend off attacking vessels as it cannot out-run or out-gun anything.

Destroyer
The smaller and cheaper of the two capital warships. It is heavy on armor, guns and long-range explosives. They are about three to four times stronger than a Frigate. They can repair themselves and can be attended to by a maximum of three Resource Collectors. When attacking a specific target, Destroyers will move into targeting range, and then automatically turn broadside to bring all weapons to bear on the target. Unfortunately, while this increases the amount of firepower they can dish out, this makes them easier for enemy ships to hit since there is more area to strike than if they were in a forward profile! A Destroyer's engines can be disabled if it is damaged enough. However, they will slowly repair themselves over a few minutes until fully functional.

*The Hiigaran Destroyer is equipped with four dual-linked heavy kinetic cannons and two forward-launched torpedo tubes. The torpedoes used by the Hiigaran Destroyer create more damage per hit.

*The Vaygr Destroyer is equipped with two dual heavy cannons and four missile tubes that fire from vertical launchers. The torpedoes used by the Vaygr Destroyer fire more frequently than the Hiigaran equivalents, but cause less damage per hit.

Battlecruisers
The largest playable warships in the game. They are the only truly-battle-capable warships in the game that come with two Module Subsystem slots. Though very powerful, they also come with drawbacks... A Battlecruiser is very expensive, takes nearly seven minutes to build, and it is very slow and features poor maneuverability. These next-generation successors to the Heavy Cruisers from "Homeworld" have two new features in addition to the two Module Subsystem slots introduced in this game. The first is a functioning repair/hangar bay for five strike craft squadrons. The other is the use of point-defense turrets, which can successfully engage Corvette-class strike craft. They are ponderously slow and have appalling maneuverability, but with the right combination of module subsystems and proper support, they can be devastating to any opposing fleet.

*The Hiigaran Battlecruiser is armed with two paired Ion Beam Turrets (one ventral, one dorsal, each firing two beams in sync), and four Arbiter heavy projectile cannons. For point defense, four Pulsar-equipped turrets with limited angle of fire can fend off Corvette-class vessels.

*The Vaygr Battlecruiser features a Trinity heavy energy cannon array in the bow which fires three pulsed energy shots (the equivalent to the Hiigaran' Ion Beam turrets), and two sets of four missile launchers along the dorsal (eight missiles in one salvo). For point defense, it carries four defensive lasers along the port and starboard sides (the equivalent to the Hiigaran' Pulsar turrets) which can successfully engage Corvette-class strike craft.

Because they are large enough in the game, in addition to the subsystem slots, Engines, and Resource Bays, the Ion Beam turrets and missile launchers on the two ships can also be disabled if damaged enough, though they will eventually repair themselves over time. The defensive lasers/Pulsars and Trinity/Arbiter cannon systems cannot be individually targeted, and will remain active until the ship is destroyed.

Utility-class
There are two basic Utility classes in the game: Resourcing and Probes.

Probes
Probes are one-shot satellites that fly at high speeds across the map to spy on the enemy. They are fast, but fragile, with no defenses and minimal armor. Once a Move command is issued, Probes cannot change course, and do not become active until they arrive in position. Once it arrives in position, it cannot be moved again; nor can it be repaired or recovered. There are three types- used by both the Hiigarans and Vaygr- though their appearances are different:

*Probe- provide advanced long-range sensor data in the Sensors Manager.
*Proximity Sensor- detects enemy vessels utilizing cloaking fields.
*Sensor Distortion Probe- scrambles enemy sensors and disable enemy ship indicators.

Resource Collector and Mobile Refinery
Resourcing is mostly unchanged from the original game. Homeworld 2 measures all resources generically as Resource Units or RU's. RU's are found in two forms: asteroids or small clouds of space wreckage left over from destroyed capital craft and motherships. Collecting wreckage from destroyed ships is a new feature in "Homeworld 2", and not available in its predecessors. Also, unlike its predecessors, dust clouds and nebulae cannot be mined.

*Resource Collector- used in the same role as in both previous games, it travels to asteroids to mine RUs. It also includes the Repair feature of its Worker predecessor from "Homeworld: Cataclysm". Now able to collect wreckage from destroyed ships larger than Frigate-class after they explode. Cannot be captured individually by a Marine Frigate / Infiltration Frigate.
*Mobile Refinery- used in the same role as in both previous games (Resource Controller and Ore Refinery, respectively) but now features minor point-defense guns. Resource Collectors dock with it rather than traveling the long distances back to a Capital- or Mothership-class vessel, significantly cutting down the amount of time between when RUs are collected and made available. It can quickly be destroyed by raiding parties. However, if a Resource Collector is attached at the same time that the Mobile Refinery is captured, both ships will change their allegiance.

Platform-class
The Platform-class represents static gun turrets. They simply open fire on any hostile units that stray into range. Platforms are strictly defensive: they move slowly and are designed only to defend.

Like a probe, a platform can only be given one move command. Once moved, they are locked in place. It will not travel in "parade formation" with its construction vessel, but come to a complete stop once it clears the Docking Bay. If there are enemies nearby where the turret has been ejected, it will engage it defenses, but will still be able to be given a Move order. Turrets ignore waypoint commands completely. They have a strictly straight line navigation at a snail's pace, with no shooting until they come to rest, although they will line up their guns at targets along the way. They cannot be repaired, retired or salvaged.

Hiigaran Platforms
*Gun Platform- features two paired kinetic cannon turrets, similar to standard Corvette-class Gunship. Primarily used in anti-Strikecraft role.
*Ion Platform- features two paired light ion cannon turrets, triple the firepower of a Corvette-class Pulsar Gunship, but less potent than a regular Ion Frigate. Primarily used in anti-Frigate- & Capital-class role.

Vaygr Platforms
*Gun Platform- features two paired kinetic cannon turrets, similar to the Vaygr Destroyer. Primarily used in anti-Strikecraft role.
*Missile Platform- features paired missile launcher tubes. Primarily used in anti-Frigate- & Capital-class role.
*Hyperspace Gate- unique to the Vaygr, it features no weapons. Instead, it acts as a small jump point for multiple ships not designed to make jumps- Fighters, Corvettes, and Utility- or larger ships not able to accommodate a Hyperspace Module- Frigates and Destroyers. Tactical Hyperspace jumps using a Gate also cost less RUs to operate per-jump than an equivalent Module-equipped vessel.

The Progenitors
The Progenitors were an immensely powerful and technologically advanced race that apparently died out about 100,000 years ago. Much of what remains from them is found in the Karos Graveyard, an area full of spaceship derelicts.

The three Hyperspace Cores were created by the Progenitors in the forge module of one of their greatest spaceships, which was also the berth for the dreadnaughts. One of the cores was discovered by the Bentusi 6,000 years ago, which brought forth a great age of galactic prosperity by making possible interstellar travel over long distances. The second core was discovered by the pre-Exodus Hiigarans, who through misuse of the device ended up being exiled to Kharak. The third core was found by the Vaygr. The central conflict of Homeworld 2 revolves around acquiring all three cores and unlocking their secrets.

The Progenitors possessed great knowledge of interstellar and even intergalactic travel. Their hyperspace gate network, which uses The Eye of Arran as its main gate, is one of the many constructed by this ancient race which possibly "seeded" intelligent life throughout the universe.

Some Progenitor constructions include:
*Movers- Automated utility vessels whose programing has deteriorated over the ages, movers are now extremely hostile and swarm over any ship that strays too far into the Karos Graveyard. The player is attacked by infinite swarms of movers at Karos. All Movers have with a single, forward-mounted, plasma cannon, and are the only radiation-immune ships

*Keepers- near-indestructible Destroyer-sized ships armed with rapid-firing ion cannons. They possess enormous firepower, and are able to vanish when damaged, only to return fully repaired.

*Drones- These fighter-size vessels are launched from the keepers. Drones are considered corvettes, although they have the speed and maneuverability of a fighter. They are armed with powerful kinetic cannons.

*Dreadnoughts- Two of these powerful ships were created by the Progenitors. One ends up in Makaan's possession. The second, the Gatekeeper of Sajuuk, was found by the Hiigarans in the wreckage of a massive Progenitor ship. Its discovery awakens the Keepers. A Dreadnought is armed with the Phased Cannon Array, a highly advanced form of Ion Beam technology which fires a large yellow beam that requires the Dreadnought to be aligned with its target. The PCA is capable of severely damaging even Battlecruisers in its first volley, and the second easily destroying it. Secondary weapons include many Pulsar-inspired cannon arrays across its hull which are effective against all other classes of vessel, though with less destructive power than the PCA. Another Pulsar-inspired turret is mounted on the ventral bow, which can turn to aim at passing ships.

Balcora Gate
An extremely powerful hyperspace gate at Balcora capable of sending matter even through the black hole cluster at the center of the Milky Way Galaxy. A Dreadnought is needed to activate it.

Sajuuk
Sajuuk- "He Whose Hand Shaped What Is"- was previously thought to be a god in the eyes of the Kushan/Hiigarans and many other races in the Milky Way Galaxy. Though this theology is not disproven by the events of the game, Sajuuk is a Progenitor construction. It is an extremely powerful warship which was found by the Vaygr at the center of the galaxy, and accessed though the Gate at Balcora. It is only reactivated when the Trinity of the Three Cores is restored within it:

*The Pride of Hiigara- abandoned at the center of the galaxy in order to contribute it's core. It's fate is unknown after the end of the game.
*Vaygr Flagship- destroyed by The Pride of Hiigaras escorting fleet at the center of the galaxy in Makaan's bid to take Sajuuk for himself.
*Bentus Harbor Ship- self-destruct earlier in the game to help destroy attacking Keepers from wiping out The Pride of Hiigara and her fleet. Only the Hyperspace Core survived the massive explosion, and was carried by The Pride of Hiigara until they later rendezvoused with Sajuuk.

How the Core Trinity was initially separated thousands of years earlier is not spoken of. Oddly, Makaan- through some supposed influence of the Core found by the Vaygr- predicted that the Hiigarans would bring the other two Cores together instead of the Vaygr having to fight to acquire them.

Like the Dreadnought, it is armed with a Phased Cannon Array; though it is magnitudes above a Dreadnought's, and can destroy even Mothership-class vessels in a single volley. Defensive weapons include more-numerous pulsed energy arrays along the hull. It is also the only ship in the single player game that can be commanded to make tactical hyperspace jumps. In addition to a near-perfect resistance to all human-made weapons, the Sajuuk is the only weapon capable of damaging (and destroying) the Vaygr Planet Killers- themselves based upon Bentusi technology.

In the game's epilogue, Sajuuk would be the key to activating long-forgotten the Eye of Aarran- a portal to a galaxy-wide hyperspace network left behind by the Progenitors. This activation signaled both the End of the Third Time that the Bentusi had prophesied, and the initiation of the Age of S'Jet. It is named this because Karan S'Jet was now linked to the Sajuuk vessel in much the same way she was to both the Kushan Mothership (from "Homeworld") and The Pride of Hiigara.

Recurring fleets
Imperial Taiidani
*Mothership
**Imperial Flagship

*Fighters
**"Fiirkan"-class Scout (Scout)
**"Triikor"-class Interceptor (Interceptor)
**"Kaark"-class Attack Bomber (Bomber)
**"Seejur"-class Defender (Defender)
**"Koshiir-Ra"-class Defense Fighter (Defense Fighter)

*Corvettes
**"Raachok"-class Light Corvette (Light Corvette)
**Heavy Corvette
**"Diirvas"-class Multi-Gun Corvette (Multigun Corvette)
**"Woodan"-class Minelayer Corvette (Minelayer Corvette)
**Repair Corvette
**"Tiirshak"-class Salvage Corvette (Salvage Corvette)

*Frigates
**"Kuudark"-class Assault Frigate (Assault Frigate)
**"Sajuuk-Cor"-class Ion Cannon Frigate (Ion Cannon Frigate)
**"Tiifal"-class Defense Field Frigate (Defense Field Generator)
**"Heeshk"-class Support Frigate (Support Frigate)

*Capital Ships
**"Skaal-Tel"-class Destroyer (Destroyer)
**"Skaal-Fa"-class Missile Destroyer (Missile Destroyer)
**"Saarkin-Cho"-class Carrier (Carrier)
**"Qwaar-Jet"-class Heavy Cruiser (Heavy Cruiser)

*Non-Combat Ships
**Resource Collector (Resource Collector)
**"Siim Salla"-class Resource Controller (Resource Controller)
**Research Ship
**"Fushai"-class Cloak Generator (Cloak Generator)
**"Koraal"-class Gravity Generator (Gravwell Generator)
**Probe
**"Variis"-class Proximity Sensor (Proximity Sensor)
**"Raakel"-class Sensors Array (Sensors Array)

*Miscellaneous
**Research Station
**Battle Station
**Hyperspace Inhibitor
**Headshot Asteroid
**Target Drone

Republic Taiidani
For other ships check Taiidan Imperial Fleet (except for Cruise Missile).

*Miscellaneous
**Colony Ship
**Nomad Moon

Turanic Raiders
*Mothership
**Turanic Raider Outpost

*Fighters
**"Bandit"-class Interceptor (Fighter)

*Corvettes
**"Thief"-class Standard Corvette (Standard Corvette)
**"Brigand"-class Missile Corvette (Missile Corvette)

*Frigates
**"Dagger"-class Ion Array Frigate (Ion Array Frigate)
**"Assassin"-class Ion Array Frigate (Ion Array Frigate)

*Capital Ships
**"Lord"-class Carrier (Battle Carrier)

Bentusi
*Mothership
**Bentusi Exchange (Tradeship)
**Bentus (Harbor Ship)

*Starfighters
**Super Acolyte

*Non-Combat Ships
**Cargo Barge

*Miscellaneous
**The First Core

Outtakes
*Kushan, Somtaaw, and Hiigaran Outtakes
**"Shield Mk.1" Light Defender (Light Defender)
**Support Frigate
**Turret Frigate
**Cloaking Frigate
**Drone Frigate

*Taiidan and Vaygr Outtakes
**Light Defender
**Corvette
**Transport Frigate
**Listening Post
**Early Assault Frigate Design
**Early Missile Frigate Design
**Turret Frigate

*Other Outtakes
**Megastation (Megalith)
**Megaship
**Derelict Ion Frigate
**Derelict Drone Frigate
**Derelict Assault Frigate
**Derelict Resource Controller
**Derelict Salvager
**Derelict Repair Corvette
**Derelict Light Corvette
**Derelict Lifeboat

Miscellaneous ships
*Merchant Ship
*Junkyard Dog
*Ghost Ship

Main Menu

See Also

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