Combat in Void Bastards Void Bastards guide, tips

Last update: 06 June 2019

On this page of the guide to Void Bastards, we have included various information and tips on combat. You will learn how to prepare for encounters with opponents, how to behave during fights, and how to increase your chances of survival in the rest of the campaign.

• Reconnaissance
• Sneaking
• Direct fights
• Rifts
• Nebula Depths

Reconnaissance

A great mechanic in Void Bastards is that you can always learn about the types of enemies before you decide to get to the enemy ship and dock.

After selecting a location, you will receive information about the types of opponents and approximate data on their numbers. Thanks to this information, you can choose locations with easy enemies / small groups, and avoid places with tough enemies / large groups.

When you are inside the enemy ship, you can detect enemies in advance by the "comic captions" symbolizing, for example, the sound of footsteps. This will let you know about the opponents that may be in the next corridor or room before you get there.

Sneaking

In Void, Bastards, you don't get XP for killing enemies. Moreover, very often they do not even drop any loot. Because of that, avoiding confrontation is logical and you should do it as often as possible. Here are some valuable tips:

1. Don't run if you don't have to unless you are chased by enemies or you are running out of oxygen. Opponents don't hear you if you move normally.
2. Thanks to sneaking, you can get behind the enemy's back and attack them (example in the picture). Try to make good use of this option, because you can cause more damage to enemies and be sure that the attack will hit the target.
3. You can run on carpets and other quiet surfaces - you won't be detected.
4. Get to the SEC room as fast as possible to sabotage security systems. If you do that, you won't have to avoid turrets, robots or security cameras.

Direct fights

Once you are detected, you have two options - fight or escape. The second option is recommended if your character is weakened or when you encounter strong opponents. These fights can effectively weaken your character and use up most of your supplies.

Here are some useful tips about combat:

1. In Void Bastards, you can't zoom in while aiming. Place the crosshair on farthest enemies as accurately as possible to avoid missing and wasting ammo.
2. Watch out for an enemy called Tourist. They explode after you attack OR approach them. An explosion (example in the picture) can seriously damage you. If you get too close to them by accident, quickly move away from a Tourist while it is preparing to explode.
3. Try to shoot them while moving. You will become a more difficult target for opponents and you reduce the probability of getting injured. However, when running, watch out for environmental traps such as fire or puddles of radiation.
4. Remember that by default you can't heal during a mission (except for Med Booths found on some ships). Your current amount of health must last you the entire mission. If you are seriously injured before you finish exploring the entire ship, then simply prematurely complete the exploration by returning to the gateway.

1. Headshots cause serious damage. Remember this, especially if you are dealing with a strong opponent. You should also look for BREAK rooms. Thanks to the coffee/tea you drink, you can do triple damage in a short time and also move much faster.
2. Don't start a mission with a weakened character. If you have a lot of reserves, try to restore as many health points. It is possible to complete missions with a wounded character but this is very risky.
3. You can lock doors. You can lock any door by using authorization. This is useful, for example, for imprisoning a strong opponent or when you are escaping. Unfortunately, some enemies can unlock doors.
4. Zapper is very effective in stunning opponents (example of an attack in the picture). You can use it both on alive enemies (for example, Spook or Janitor) and various kinds of machines. In the latter case, Zapper is particularly useful in temporarily disabling turrets and robots. After stunning an enemy, can finish them off or just use the opportunity to escape.

Rifts

A serious hindrance in Void Bastards is that new opponents appear regularly on the ships you are exploring. The primary source of enemy respawns are Rifts similar to the one presented in the picture above.

We don't recommend spending time on attempting to eliminate all enemies to explore the ship in 100%. Eliminate only those enemies that are an imminent threat - focus on reaching areas with loot. If you are in a room with a Rift, be ready to fight enemies. If you are attacked, run then or quickly fight back.

Nebula Depths

Unfortunately, the level of difficulty gradually increases as you make progress in the campaign. You can experience that in two ways:

1. You need to start battles with new and strong enemies or with "improved" versions of those you already know.
2. Weaker opponents appear in large groups - they can deal more damage and force you to use more ammo.

Difficulty "jumps" happen primarily when you reach the lower levels of the Nebula Depths. More about this topic on What are the Nebula Depths? page.

You can deal with the difficulty problem by unlocking new weapons and upgrading those already owned and the gadgets. Improved weapons can deal increased damage or get new useful properties.