Starfield has many different methods of engaging in combat. It is also fitting then that much of the combat takes place in space with ships. While you could shoot at and blow up each ship that is attacking you, there is also the option of boarding the enemy ship to take the fight inside. While this is a neat mechanic, it is one that can be a bit challenging to figure out for newer players who may be setting off on their journey for the first time as the space combat can be a tad difficult for some.
Boarding the Enemy
Boarding enemy ships in Starfield can be a tall order in most cases when you are just getting started. If you are fighting any group of ships, you may want to wait to do this when there is only one remaining. Once it is just you and the last enemy ship, you will want to lock on to said ship and enter targeting mode. In targeting mode, you will focus all fire on the enemy ship’s engines which will inhibit their movement, and eventually it will cause them to come to a complete stop. However, this may get dicey if the ship has already taken a considerable amount of damage because you may just end up destroying the whole ship by accident, and any UC or Freestar ships that may be assisting you won’t make this any easier. When you are done taking out their engines you will see an icon right below the ship’s health bar indicating that their engines are no longer working.
Approaching the ship as it remains floating will eventually give you a prompt to dock which will trigger a short cutscene before more button prompts show up giving you the option to get up from your seat, board the ship, or undock. If you choose to get up from your seat you can manually walk towards the ladder in the middle of your ship and board from there, or you can just simply board from your pilot seat. Inside the ship, you will run into armed enemies who are ready to protect their property. Finally, you can choose to take the ship for yourself, or you can loot the ship and take off after returning to your ship. Boarding ships gives the added bonus of keeping much of the enemy ship intact which will aid you if you decide to build a ship of your own.
Starfield is out now on Xbox Series X/S and PC
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