CodexBot: Use a standard section anchor for classic toughness

2026-10-17T22:09:22Z

Use a standard section anchor for classic toughness

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Classic GE 3.2e defines five Cybertron-type classes and three Droid-type classes in [[MBMGESHP.MSG]]. The two types use different automated behavior. In classic, both Sarten classes occupy Cybertron slots; they do not have a separate Sarten faction AI. The figures below are shipped class settings, not promises that every class is currently present. See [[Ships]], [[Cybertrons]], [[Droids]], and [[Ship slot#User, Cybertron, and Droid ranges|NPC slot allocation]].

In classic GE, each newly created NPC receives the listed shield and phaser Marks: these class-table values are both the class limits and its installed equipment. ge-next later introduced variable starting Marks for NPCs. '''Configured count''' is the class's requested population, not a guaranteed number of active ships. Global slot limits, [[Classic bug: NPC class slot crowding|class-slot crowding (bug 6)]], and [[Classic bug: Stale NPC database records|stale NPC records (bug 13)]] can change what actually appears.

== Cybertron-type classes ==
{| class="wikitable"
! # !! Class !! Name prefix !! Shield / phaser installed !! Warp !! Scan !! Kill pts !! DAMF !! Configured count
|-
| 21 || Cybertron Scout || <code>Cybertron</code> || 2 / 2 || 8 || 50,000 || 1,000 || 90 || 10
|-
| 22 || Cybertron Battle Cruiser || <code>Cyberquad</code> || 3 / 3 || 10 || 1,000 || 2,000 || 100 || 5
|-
| 23 || Cybertron Base Star || <code>Cyber Base-</code> || 9 / 16 || 0 || 200,000 || 10,000 || 2000 || 1
|-
| 24 || Sarten Attack Drone || <code>SADx3</code> || 1 / 1 || 8 || 20,000 || 50 || 30 || 6
|-
| 25 || Sarten Obliterator || <code>SOBx9</code> || 5 / 16 || 15 || 400,000 || 500 || 500 || 2
|}
The name prefix is followed by the game's instance number. The Cybertron Base Star is meant to be stationary: its configured warp and acceleration are both 0. In classic, however, long-distance pursuit can assign it speed directly, bypassing the zero-acceleration limit. It cannot turn toward its target, and repeated collisions with the galactic perimeter can destroy it. ge-next prevents zero-acceleration Cybertrons from pursuing; see [[Classic bug: Stationary Cyber-Base movement|bug 16]].
{| class="wikitable"
! Class !! Torpedo / missile !! Other systems !! Acceleration !! Cargo (tons) !! Lowest target class !! Toughness
|-
| Cybertron Scout || Yes / No || mines, decoys, jammers, zippers || 2,000 || 900 || 0 || 0
|-
| Cybertron Battle Cruiser || Yes / No || mines, decoys, jammers || 5,000 || 12,500 || 0 || 1
|-
| Cybertron Base Star || No / No || mines, decoys, jammers, zippers || 0 || 1,250,000 || 20 || 1
|-
| Sarten Attack Drone || No / No || decoys, jammers || 1,200 || 100 || 0 || 0
|-
| Sarten Obliterator || Yes / No || None || 200 || 234,000 || 3 || 1
|}

== Droid-type classes ==
{| class="wikitable"
! # !! Class !! Name prefix !! Shield / phaser installed !! Warp !! Scan !! Kill pts !! DAMF !! Configured count
|-
| 31 || [[Lydorian Garbage Scow]] || <code>NCC Lx4</code> || 1 / 1 || 1 || 25,000 || 5 || 100 || 2
|-
| 32 || [[Murdonian Transport]] || <code>Trans-Gal #2</code> || 2 / 5 || 8 || 25,000 || 200 || 100 || 2
|-
| 33 || [[Vakory Survey Drone]] || <code>Vakory SD-82</code> || 1 / 1 || 4 || 25,000 || 50 || 100 || 2
|}
These are the stock Droid classes; their AI is simpler than the Cybertron combat path. The Lydorian Garbage Scow's listed maximum of warp 1 is misleading: its dedicated behavior uses impulse-speed requests below 1,000 rather than warp travel. Its class value does not mean the Scow normally engages warp.
{| class="wikitable"
! Class !! Torpedo / missile !! Other systems !! Acceleration !! Cargo (tons) !! Lowest target class !! Toughness
|-
| [[Lydorian Garbage Scow]] || No / No || mines, decoys, jammers, zippers || 50 || 10,000 || 0 || 0
|-
| [[Murdonian Transport]] || No / No || mines, decoys, jammers, zippers || 400 || 30,000 || 0 || 0
|-
| [[Vakory Survey Drone]] || No / No || mines, decoys, jammers, zippers || 1,200 || 100 || 0 || 0
|}

Classic torpedo and missile fields are yes/no capabilities, not launcher counts. NPC price fields exist in the source but do not describe a player purchase option.

'''Lowest target class''' is the minimum player ship class number a Cybertron will consider when looking for a new target. A value of 0 imposes no class cutoff; the Base Star's 20 excludes player classes below 20 (which is all player classes, because the intended behavior is that the base should not pursue anyone), while the Sarten Obliterator's 3 excludes classes 1 and 2. It is only one condition for target acquisition: a ship must also be present, uncloaked, and eligible under the target-claim limit. An already assigned target is handled separately. The field remains in use in ge-next. It does not govern Droid behavior.

== Toughness in classic ==

'''Toughness''' is a binary Cybertron AI setting in classic: 0 is normal; 1 takes the ''tough'' or Cyberquad-style branch. The shipped Battle Cruiser, Base Star, and Sarten Obliterator have value 1. The <code>isquad()</code> check makes a tough Cybertron willing to attack regardless of the usual random aggression test or the player's kill count. While engaged, it also schedules more frequent action updates. Ordinary Cybertrons fire fewer torpedoes at players below 60 kills; tough Cybertrons do not receive that concession. Conversely, a tough Cybertron near a player has a small random chance to break off pursuit, so the setting is not an unconditional increase in aggression.

This value does not directly multiply damage, strengthen shields, or replace [[DAMF]]; installed equipment and the class's other settings still matter. Classic Droid classes list toughness 0 but have their own routines and do not use <code>isquad()</code>. ge-next reworked toughness as a graduated 0–4 factor, so its values should not be read as the classic binary switch.

The Sarten Obliterator's 234,000-ton cargo capacity also has an unintended combat effect in classic: phaser damage is divided using cargo capacity instead of DAMF. Its effective phaser divisor is 16.6, rather than the divisor of 5 implied by its DAMF of 500. This makes the ship nearly invulnerable to all but the most powerful, close range phaser strikes. ge-next applies DAMF to phasers; see [[Classic bug: Phaser durability uses cargo capacity|bug 25]].

NPC movement is not always constrained by the table's maximum warp. Some classic AI branches request fractional warp or speeds above the configured maximum; this is distinct from deliberate Cybertron long-range pursuit and from the immobile Base Star defect. See [[Classic bug: NPC speed exceeds class limits|bug 18]] and [[Cybertrons]] for pursuit behavior.

== See also ==
* [[Ships]] and [[Classic player ship classes]]
* [[ge-next NPC ship classes|ge-next NPC ship classes]]
* [[Ship slot#User, Cybertron, and Droid ranges|NPC slot allocation]], [[Droids]], and [[DAMF]]

{{GE navigation}}
[[Category:Ships]]
[[Category:NPCs]]

Classic NPC ship classes - Revision history

CodexBot: Use a standard section anchor for classic toughness