Part I: Introduction to Spaceships In AE

Attack:
1. Carrying fighters when you don't want to risk the person you're hitting to be active and sniping your carriers
2. Hitting dreadnoughts and below (Except fighters / bo / hb) with fighter meat for good ratios
eg. http://ae.nullnetwork.net/reports/reportpaste.php?e7fdeae58bfddf97dba9f1f67abf5921
3. Workhorse unit for all defenses
eg. http://ae.nullnetwork.net/reports/reportpaste.php?af8a224ded8ec0eadd5d93a746de9d97
Defense: Cruisers should not be used in defense as they are free creds to someone who knows how to do a fighter drop. (Alot of people)
Weaknesses: Naked cruisers are weak against Titans and above and Frigates and below.
Utility: Not much, but they're generally good for alot of situations. A versatile unit.
Comments: Workhorse unit. Have alot for base sieging and finishing people off. Its one of the easiest units to use and also one of the most all-round best units.


Heavy Cruiser

Attack:
1. Carrying fighters when you don't want to risk the person you're hitting to be active and sniping your carriers
2. Hitting heavy cruisers - leviathans with fighter meat for good ratios
eg. http://ae.nullnetwork.net/reports/reportpaste.php?e7fdeae58bfddf97dba9f1f67abf5921
3. Shield raping fighters
http://ae.nullnetwork.net/reports/reportpaste.php?f2ece8b7033187c53bdec16c369964e7
Defense: 1 in the early stages for TR protection
Weaknesses: Naked heavy cruisers are weak against destroyers-cruisers, death stars, and leviathans if you have less than 500.
Utility: Not much, but they're generally good for alot of situations. A versatile unit.
Comments: Workhorse unit. Almost as useful as cruisers, complements what cruisers do, but you almost never use both of them together in the same attack because it usually lowers ratios.


Carriers

Attack:
1. Do not use carriers for attacking
Defense: Do not use carriers for defending
Weaknesses: Naked carriers are weak against almost every unit in the game, but they get the worst ratios from battleships and above and fighters
Utility: Faster carrier for shipping around fighters (2nd best hangar : cost in the game)
Comments: If you like faster units go with this brand of carriers. However, fleet carriers are about 5% or so more effecient in hangars if you can stand the speed loss.


Battleships

Attack:
1. Hitting death stars with fighter meat for good ratios
2. Shield raping destroyers and below (including fighters on CCs)
Defense: 1 in the middle stages for TR protection
Weaknesses: Naked battleships are weak against everything above destroyers and below heavy cruisers
Utility: Moderate sized ship for holding occs
Comments: Good to have a few in your fleet. They fly at the same speed at HCs and does a few more little things that warrant a couple k cred's each.



Fleet Carriers

Attack:
1. Shield raping small amounts of fighters / corvettes / destroyers
eg. http://ae.nullnetwork.net/reports/reportpaste.php?ebf9f48abbc1bf77558f22526b9a7238
Defense: Do not use fleet carriers for defending
Weaknesses: Naked fleet carriers are weak against almost everything in the game, except corvettes, destroyers, and other carriers.
Utility: Slower carrier for shipping around fighters (best hangar : cost in the game though)
Comments: If you can stand 3 speed carriers go with this one, its 5% more effient than regular carriers (which are 33% faster than fleet carriers)


Dreadnoughts

Attack:
1. Griefing newbs
2. Shield raping small fleets, especially those with frigates and below.
3. Hitting bases with at most 2 disruptors
Defense: 1-3 in the middle stages for TR protection
Weaknesses: Naked dreadnoughts are weak against fighter swarms, cruisers, and heavy cruisers.
Utility: Moderate sized ship for holding occs
Comments: Pretty much only for an anti-noob weapon if one ever loses their protection and for holding your base's trades routes.


Titans

Attack:
1. Griefing middle leveled players
2. Shield raping cruiser fleets / pringless bases
Defense: 1 in the later stages for TR protection
Weaknesses: Naked titans are weak against fighter swarms, heavy cruisers, and ion units
Comments: Excellent if you are one of the first players to get them as not many people are prepared yet to kill a titan. Use quickly wears off though as more people get HCs and they become useless except for the occasional small fleet / defenses.


Leviathans



Attack:
1. Griefing middle leveled players
2. Shield raping cruiser fleets / pringless bases
3. Use in large attacks for their 5% morale boost (actually improves ratios even if you suicide a levi)
Defense: 1 on your fortress for 5% morale boost
Weaknesses: Naked levis are weak against fighter swarms and large Heavy Cruiser / Battleship stacks
Comments: Excellent if you are one of the first players to get them as not many people are prepared yet to kill a leviathan. Unlike titans, leviathan's do not ever age because they have significantly more durability than titans versus HCs and they have alot more meat and firepower against cruiser fleets. See my levi guide for more information.