Lanius A

Typically rush shields, then look for a weapon. Hacking gives a good amount of safety, however, and you have Emergency Respirators to sell. Sometimes it might be better to delay shield upgrades for an early store.

Rushing shields reduces your reliance on hacking for safety, and gives more chances for safe crew kills. Remember you only have engines-1.

You can put a Lanius on piloting, to protect it from boarders. However, I currently prefer the Human on piloting, since that makes it easier for the Lanius to help each other with nearby repairs.

Despite slow weapons, you can still get the first shot by hacking enemy weapons. Use this liberally in sector 1 to reduce risk. You can fire the Ion Stunner immediately, and the shield will still be down for the lasers. But sometimes it’s be better to fire them together: if all shots hit, the ion will disable a second weapon (even a two-power weapon).

Ion Stunner can help with crew kills. For example: destroy O2, then stun whoever repairs it. You can depower the Chain Laser after one shot to avoid damaging the hull; if done quickly, this often won’t reset the chain. Sometimes you can stun them in the shields room instead, as they walk towards O2. Hacking O2 makes crew kills more reliable.

Hacking often lets you farm crew skill early, by de-synchronising enemy weapons. For example, Heavy Laser + Basic Laser is completely harmless once hacked.

If weapons are thin, consider buying a teleporter. Double Lanius make good boarders, especially with hacking. Hack and board weapons, luring out any weapons crew first. Your Lanius may get a point of damage in before the doors are broken down, but in any case they’ll have a headstart on deoxygenating the weapons room and claiming it for themselves.

Adding mind control makes this stronger: now their weapons crew works for you, or you can use Lanius B distraction tactics followed up with the Ion Stunner. Nevertheless, prefer cloaking to mind control.

Emergency Respirators have little use, but do help you vent more aggressively. Venting below 50% oxygen is easy on this ship, and increases the chance enemies will target O2 instead of something that matters. With two Lanius and a clone bay, you’re pretty safe doing this.

Defence drones cover this ship well, as all rooms are well outside the blind spot.

Hacking’s cooldown is reset when you jump.

Sector 1 distress beacons are worth visiting. You have a clone bay and a good blue option from the Ion Stunner.