When exploring the Purple Void, starship combat is inevitable. At least six other races, besides the terrans, inhabit this peculiar region of the galaxy. Some are peaceful, but many are bent on the destruction of everything that comes their way. In such cases, a deadly skirmish between your flotilla and the enemy's will occur.

Although the various weapons, shields, thrusters and other systems aboard an alien vessel are largely unknown to you, with careful observation you can begin to make educated guesses about them. With each new strange adventure you will learn, often the hard way, about the combat tactics each race employs to confound you and blast your starship to smithereens.

This chapter of the SAIS Galactic Guidebook will familiarize you with each potentially dangerous alien race, as well as offer advice about how to deal with them in battle situations. If there is a particular race in the game that is frustrating you in combat, hopefully these notes will be of help.

Please note that this chapter contains minor spoilers.

 Muktians
 Fickle and cautious.

The Muktians are unique among the alien races of SAIS in that they can be friendly as well as hostile. You probably shouldn't attack them if you can avoid it. If you can make friends with a Muktian pilot or a captain and bring him back to his fleet, your reward is much higher than if you start a galactic war...

In combat, the Muktians can be a formidable enemy although their fighter craft are somewhat weak and their subterranean heritage doesn't make for natural space pilots. The backbone of the Muktian fleet is the corvette, armed with long-range nuclear missiles that pack a deadly punch.

If you really need to attack these guys, here's how: If you have allied fighters, send them out to draw missile fire. Although devastating on impact, the heavy missiles are slow and usually can't hit a fast moving target. This will give you time to first deal with the incoming Muktian fighters and then get up close and attack the corvette. Attack from the side if possible, so it can only fire one of its weapons at you. Use your fighters to attack the corvette from behind.

 Garthans
 Aggressive and brutal.

The Garthans are a warlike race of reptilians, bent on galactic conquest. What they might lack in intelligence is made up for by their long experience in fighting each other. As a result their technology is often simple, but robust and brutally effective. Their fighter craft are heavily armored and sometimes appear in large numbers.

The best way to survive an encounter with a Garthan flotilla is to keep your distance. The Garthans rely on primitive short-range weapons and simple guided missiles. If you can withstand the initial assault by the fighters, and have some long range projectile or missile weapons, you may be able to stay out of the firing range of the larger ships entirely.

 Urluquai
 Malevolent and thoroughly evil.

The Urluquai are native to the nebular environment and superior space navigators. Like their marine ancestors, these jellyfish-like creatures surround their prey and then overwhelm it with a simultaneous attack from all directions. Their fighter craft are small and agile, and the Urluquai pilots can aim their weapons with a lethal precision.

When surrounded by the Urluquai, you must react immediately and move away from the center of their trap. This may give you just enough time to destroy the fighters attacking you from one side before the others reach you. Also be prepared for surprise attacks by an unseen special type of corvette.

 Tan Ru
 Oblivious to biological life.

The Tan Ru are intelligent machines spreading across the sector dissecting and analyzing everything they find, collecting data for some unknown purpose. They are oblivious to biological life except when it can be used for raw materials. Rather than being ships inhabited by crew, Tan Ru spacecraft are sentient mechanisms designed to scout star systems and beam data back to where they came from. Over time they have absorbed many exotic technologies that they can use in combat.

Tan Ru drones are fragile and easily destroyed, but anything larger means trouble. Flee if you can! If you can't, stay as far from the Tan Ru as possible and use long-range weapons. Send your fighters even further away, as they're extremely vulnerable to Tan Ru weaponry.