NEBULOUS: Fleet Command News

Command your fleet in NEBULOUS: Fleet Command, now 50% off as part of the Hooded Horse January Publisher Sale.

NEBULOUS: Fleet Command offers intense, realistic space combat where you control every aspect of your fleet’s tactics, from positioning to weapon systems. Plan carefully, outmaneuver your enemies, and engage in tactical battles with unparalleled depth.

Hooded Horse January Publisher Sale 2025

https://store.steampowered.com/app/887570/NEBULOUS_Fleet_Command/

Hello Spacers!

We've got another round of bugfixes and optimizations, as well as our first balance tweaks. On the balance front we've cut down the number of missiles the Pike can carry, which had previously escaped being cut in half in testing like all the other craft, and decreased the damage of 100mm Flak. These are pretty minor but should address some issues we've been seeing in multiplayer games.

Aside from a few bug and exploit fixes, optimization is at the center of this patch. With the number of signatures and sensors/seekers now active at any given time with the addition of spacecraft, I've overhauled the way signatures are managed and partitioned in the map so that sensors only have to evaluate the signatures that are nearby to them. Passive missile seekers in particular were also optimized substantially. In my benchmarks with 45 dual-seeker missiles searching for targets I saw an over 85% performance increase.

Right now I am splitting my time between Live branch work and developing the tools required for our next major update. Network optimization and further AI improvements (including making the Easy AI a little easier...) are the next things on my list for a near-term minor patch. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy!

Changes/Features:
- Decreased missile capacity of Pike S1 missile pylons to 2 (was 4).
- Updated bomb trail colors so they don't look like hybrids.
- Added a dedicated server admin !skipmap command.
- SALS and TALS launchers will now do a cold launch if firing from the neutral position because the target is out of arc.
- Made many optimizations to reduce per-frame memory allocation substantially.
- Improved performance of all passive missile seekers.
- Improved performance of sensor acquisition cycles with spatial partitioning.
- Decreased 100mm Flak damage to 20 (was 30).
- DC teams will now prioritize consuming restores from non-reinforced and low-DT lockers first.
- Weapons drawing ammo from magazines will now prioritize non-reinforced magazines followed by those with the highest starting quantity of the desired ammo.
- Increased max depression limit for Solomon BB MT1 to -2 degrees (was 0).
- Reduced dust particle density on Canyon.
- Modular missiles now take into account acceleration time when calculating the max range they display in the UI.

Bug Fixes:
- Fixed craft not checking for correct aspect on missile targets.
- Fixed being able to vote-kick server administrators.
- Fixed being able to submit conduct reports for CPU players.
- Fixed players being able to cancel dedicated server debrief end by changing their ready state when the !enddebrief command had been used.
- Fixed Vauxhall MT5 being too high.
- Fixed bomb trail VFX being culled when still inside camera frustum.
- Fixed BSHRT last damage second not being reset.
- Fixed being able to "bank" work in restoring a component for later use.
- Fixed AI ships not approaching a target they were ordered to scout if there was an unobstructed view but it was out of range.
- Fixed white highlight circles remaining in space if a track was lost was hovered with the mouse.
- Fixed craft cruise distance remaining display not accounting for if HBRN was on.
- Fixed missile seekers being pulled off targets by signatures which have had their radius increased by a modifier.
- Fixed exploit allowing hotkeys to be assigned to allied and enemy ships.
- Fixed some Moorline DC board segments having their components misaligned when scaled.
- Fixed ships continuing to maintain heading to a track lost via comms jamming.

See you in the battlespace,
- The NEBULOUS Team

If you love the streaking torpedos, violent maneuver burns, and streaking tracers of semi-realistic space combat like you've seen in shows like The Expanse, then the best game for you just got better. Nebulous: Fleet Command is a simulation-heavy strategy game about spacefleets bashing each other to bits in engagements that have realistic radar, electronic warfare, and in-depth spacecraft movement controls. Its latest and largest update yet released this month, adding carrier craft stuffed with smaller fighters, lighters, scouts, and bombers...
Read more.

We’re excited to share that NEBULOUS: Fleet Command is participating in the January Sale at 50% off. Check it and other games out at the Hooded Horse January Sale.

Hooded Horse January Publisher Sale 2025
[hr][/hr][h3]Latest News for NEBULOUS: Fleet Command [/h3]
The latest NEBULOUS: Fleet Command Carriers update brings a wealth of new content, gameplay mechanics, and much more. Keep sharing your thoughts and feedback. It helps shape the game's development!

Here are some highlights:
[h3]Fighters, Bombers, and Utility Craft[/h3]

Each faction now has three new spaceframes: fighters, bombers, and scouts, with an additional shared utility skiff design for specialized operations.

• Alliance Craft: Built for speed and stealth, they excel in precision strikes and covert maneuvers.
  
• Protectorate Craft: Versatile and adaptive, these ships feature modular loadouts that can be reconfigured mid-battle to meet changing demands.
  

Every craft boasts unique weapons, capabilities, and maneuvering styles. The new fleet editor module allows players to customize each ship’s configuration for a tactical edge in different situations.

[h3]Customizable Loadouts[/h3]

For the first time, spacecraft can change their mission profiles mid-battle. Using the fleet editor’s loadout matrix, players can preconfigure weapons and modules for each craft and select specific setups during combat. This adaptability opens new tactical possibilities, making you react to evolving scenarios precisely.

[h3]Carrier Hulls & Modules[/h3]

• Alliance Levy-class and Protectorate Journeyman-class bring specialized carrier capabilities to their factions.
  
• Moorline Container Liner functions as a fleet carrier with expansive hangars.
  

Additionally, new mounted hangars for ships with C4 and C5 mounts allow larger vessels to carry a few spacecraft of their own, extending deployment options for strategic dominance.

[h3]Bombs, Missiles, and Submunitions[/h3]
This update expands the arsenal with:

• Unguided bombs, offering devastating precision in combat.
  
• Two new anti-spacecraft modular missile systems (SDM-1 and SDM-2) designed for rapid response defense.
  
• A new Submunition Dispenser warhead, enabling players to build sophisticated custom weapons for more nuanced attacks.
  

[h3]AI Overhaul[/h3]The AI opponent has been completely rewritten, delivering advanced tactics like:

• Bow tanking, cruise missile strikes, and map-driven maneuvering.
  
• Scenario-specific strategies for dynamic, challenging battles.
  

The AI is now fully moddable. While some areas, like jammer use, are still in development.

[h3]New Tutorials[/h3]
With the introduction of carrier mechanics, the update includes:

• Two new tutorials to guide players through carrier operations.
  
• A new mission, Final Battle Problem, as part of the tutorial series. This scenario walks players through a full skirmish battle using the updated AI, preparing them for the challenges ahead.
  

Check out the full patches notes here:
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/887570/view/536587777549011152?l=english