The Six Titans of the Imperial Warlords news - Star Wars: Interregnum mod for Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion

Building off last week's introduction to the Imperial Warlords, I hinted that this faction would have some unique mechanics in regards to their titans. Initially I had planned for this faction to have four titans, one for each of the Warlords you have the option of joining. However, I discovered that the game is hard coded to only allow the player to have only two titans in their build list. Fortunately, I have a lot of experience with both getting around and imposing ship build limits with abilities, having designed the Supercap system used by Sins of a Galactic Empire and the hero unit systems used by this mod and Star Trek Armada 3. The work around paradoxically forced me to add in two additional titans, giving the Imperial Warlords what I assume will remain a record setting choice of six titans to choose from (of course you can only have one at a time).

These six titans fall in to one of two categories. The first is the Bellator class Dreadnaught by itself, which functions essentially as a normal Rebellion titan and is available regardless of which Warlord you join. The other 5 titans are all much larger Executor class vessels (though one should really be classified as a different ship). Which of these five titans you get depends on which of the 4 Warlords you chose to join (or if you didn't join one at all). To get your Executor titan, you build the second "place holder" titan in your build list, and once this titan is complete, it will disappear and your Warlord specific titan will be spawned in seconds later. However, there is an unfortunate side effect to this titan choice; these larger Executor titans will not keep their levels on death, since they were technically created by abilities, not normal means. If you do not like this side effect, you can either build the Bellator, which will keep its levels, or use the Resetting Titan Levels minimod, which will force all titans to be rebuilt at level 1, not just yours.

So without further delay, here are the six titans you'll have the option to command.

1. The Bellator Class Star Dreadnaught

One of the most request ships to be added to the Interregnum roster by fans, the Bellator Star Dreadnaught was a fairly recent addition to Star Wars lore (before it was all torn apart by Disney/Episode 7), yet its interesting design has quickly grown on Star Destroyer buffs. At less than half the size of the Executor, the Bellator happens to perfectly fit the size of a vanilla Sins titans, and is intended to give both Empire factions the ability to build a titan at the same time as their vanilla rivals. It is also the only titan the Warlords can build that will keep its levels when it is rebuilt, as mentioned earlier.

While cheaper and easier to build than any of the Executor class titans, the Bellator is superior to its bigger cousin in two important combat areas; speed and anti-capitalship weaponry. Being designed to hunt down and destroy 1-3km sized vessels, the Bellator fits perfectly in Interregnum as a capitalship destroyer. It is also adept at leading tight formations of Imperial ships on swift strikes against the enemy line, but it lacks the Executor's durability and is not as well suited to massive fleet engagements that the Executor is designed to win.

Abilities
1. Lethal Thrust - Provides large boosts to speed and firepower to Imperial Ships near the Bellator.
2. Horrid War- The Bellator's main anticapitalship device, it disables regeneration on an enemy capitalship and gives all attacks a chance to bypass its shields. If this capitalship later dies during the battle, the Bellator will gain an energy weapons cooldown bonus until it leaves the gravity well.
3. Deploy Defenders - Launches increasing numbers of power TIE Defender squads from the Bellator's hangar bay.
4. Veteran Warrior - Provides a massive increase to shield regeneration and shield mitigation for a time. It also consumes any of the Bellator's energy weapon boosts gained from killing capitalships to heal 10% of its shields and hull per stack.

2. The Night Hammer Star Dreadnaught

The most unique Executor class vessel ever constructed and my personal favorite titan thus far (possibly because its the first unit I ever textured myself), the Night Hammer (also called Knight Hammer in the original lore) is a highly advanced black Super Star Destroyer with an unexpected tactical asset; Stealth. Along side its signature sensor immune stealth armor, the Night Hammer has gotten a bit of an upgrade in Interregnum, thanks to a different back story which sees it falling into the hands of Grand Admiral Thrawn, who equips it with a proper cloaking device taken from the Emperor's secret vault on Wayland (you can get the full story here). Available to you if you choose to ally your Empire with the Grand Admiral, the Night Hammer is a bit more complicated to set up than some other titans, but is capable of inflicting unrivaled destruction on an enemy if you have the tactical cunning to use it properly.

Abilities

1. Cloaking Device - The signature ability of the Night Hammer that the entire ship is based on, the ship activates its cloaking device, becoming invisible and invincible but also unable to fire its weapons. The ship's other abilities are much more powerful when cloaked.
2. Ambush - The second most important ability on the ship and the only way to cancel cloak early, the Night Hammer surprises its prey, causing the enemy fleet to take increased damage for a time. The effect is doubled if the Night Hammer is cloaked, and as this ability cancels cloak you'll immediately be able to fire on your weakened enemies.
3. Anticipation - This passive ability reduces antimatter regeneration and increases enemy ability cooldown times. The debuffs are doubled while the Night Hammer is cloaked.
4. Lurking Terror - The next time Night Hammer decloaks after using this ability, all its weapons will bypass enemy shields and mitigation entirely in a devastating sneak attack.

3. Director Ysanne Isard's Flagship, the Lusankya

The next 3 titans are all Executor class ships commanded by the Warlords you can join (Thrawn is already a hero unit, and does not need to command his own titan). Unfortunately Sins does not allow for titans or capitalships to have a specific name (its always taken at random from a list), but Isard's flagship is assumed to be the Lusankya, so just rename it yourself if you want it to be consistent. :p

As an intelligence expert, Isard focuses on battlefield awareness, confusing the enemy and treachery. While devastating at what it does, Isard may not be as combat oriented as the other Executor class ships, with one ability being used for planet assault and another for spying. Of course, any Executor class offers devastating firepower and durability, so in practice this may not matter very much. I discussed her bio more in depth in the previous news article, and as a ship the Lusankya is identical in strength and appearance to any other in her class (though for much of its existence it was a secret prison and torture facility).

Abilities

1. Krytos Virus - A cruel biological weapon developed by Isard, the Krytos virus can be configured to target any specific sets of alien species (and perhaps even human genetic patterns). Once infected, the disease at first appears to be a minor cold and spreads easily, but then begins to inflict unimaginable pain until it kills its target over a week later. In game, the virus will damage an enemy planet and kill of the population while crippling trade and population growth. More interestingly, it can spread to enemy ships, lowering their repair rates and if an infected ship leaves to a new enemy planet, it will spread there too. If you are extremely lucky, it is technically possible to infect the entire enemy Empire with just one use of this ability.
2. Manipulation - Isard's main combat ability, it reduces enemy accuracy and will randomly inflict serious debuffs on enemy ships (Weapons disabled, abilities disabled etc.), potentially crippling an enemy fleet.
3. Treachery - Isard is well aware that some secrets require the deaths of useful underlings to ensure they remain known only to her. Allows Isard to kill an owned ship to restore some shields, antimatter and gain a damage boost.
4. Spy Network - Isard's most unique and powerful ability, Spy Network is the first of a new type of ability I've pioneered, which I call "global scope" abilities. Once you gain a point in this passive ability, every planet in the galaxy will become revealed to you so long as Isard is alive. When combined with the Isard unique research Sector Plexus, you'll be able to see every ship in hyperspace as well, making you virtually omniscient.

4. Grand Moff Ardus Kaine's Flagship, the Reaper

The Super Star Destroyer Reaper has a special meaning for the Pentastar Alignment of Powers, since its declaration of government was signed on board her conference room. It is thus no surprise it is the flagship of both the Alignment and its Founder, Grand Moff Ardus Kaine. While more of a governor than a Warrior, Kaine has already gotten his fair share of combat at Eriadu, and his unique out of combat powers may prove just as important to winning the game as his combat ones.

Abilities

1. Competent Administrator - The other Global Scope ability in the mod besides Isard's Spy Network, Kaine can increase Tax collection and mining rates in your entire Empire while he is not in combat.
2. Logistics - This passive ability increase both hull regeneration rates and the effect of repair abilities on all ships in the gravity well, allowing any of Kaine's damaged forces to quickly return to battle readiness.
3. Deploy Defenders - Deploys increasing numbers of advanced TIE Defender squadrons.
4. New Order Enforcer - All ships near Kaine get a significant damage increase and become immune to disabling abilities.

5. Warlord Zsinj's Flagship, the Iron Fist

Of the three Warlord commanded titans, Warlord Zsinj is the most combat oriented, as he was a high Admiral before becoming a Warlord. Originally called the Brawl, Zsinj renamed his Executor Super Star Destroyer to Iron Fist in honor of the first ship he ever commanded (a Victory class Star Destroyer).

Abilities

1. Iron Aura - After using this ability, Zsinj will restore a percentage of his shields for each enemy ship he destroys.
2. Desperation - Greatly increase the damage output of Zsinj's fleet but also increases damage taken.
3. Rivalry - Targets an enemy titan to increase Zsinj's rate of fire while reducing the other titan's defense.
4. Danger Sense - This passive ability grants ships around Zsinj immunity to Phase Jump Inhibitors and Interdictor effects, as well as increasing Hyperspace charge up times. In effect, this makes him almost impossible to trap or ambush.

6. The Executor Class Star Dreadnaught

This final titan is a standard Executor class ship without anyone famous commanding it. You will get this titan if after constructing the place holder titan you still have not allied with a warlord, though it is probably not as good as the other titans so that would not be recommended. Still, for you role players out there who want to command your own Super Star Destroyer as an independent warlord, its here for you. This titan's abilities make it particularly hard to kill, and its ultimate ability can be one of the most effective single target damage abilities in the game.

Its also worth noting that all Executor class ships now have ion cannons.

Abilities

1. Full Power - Similar to the Energy Surge/Power Surge abilities, Full Power is more powerful version that rapidly restores shields while increasing weapon damage.
2. Flagship - Identical to Darth Vader's ability of the same name, Flagship increase the damage all nearby capitalships deal, while giving the Executor stacking damage resistance.
3. Fear - Slightly reduces the damage output of all enemies in the gravity well.
4. Execution - The Super Star Destroyer's forward Turbolaser batteries unleash a barrage of fire on a single target, inflicting massive damage. If that target is destroyed, the Executor briefly becomes invulnerable.