Fuel Pods are frigate-type vessels operated by the Kadeshi. They serve as mobile, unarmored docking stations for Swarmers and Advanced Swarmers. The limited fuel supply of the Swarmer means that they must frequently dock with a Fuel Pod in order to remain active on the battlefield. If these pods are not on station, the Swarmers will run dry and be left stranded in the void of space.
Background[]
Fuel Pods normally fly in groups of three, and can refuel up to six Swarmers at any one time. They always bring themselves within close range of the battlefield, making them especially vulnerable to enemy fire. Fuel Pods possess minimal armament and no armor, rendering them virtually defenseless in the face of the enemy. Their role is restricted to refueling.
The Kushan Mothership and her fleet encountered dozens of such Pods upon their entry into the Great Nebula, which was viewed upon as an unholy intrusion by the Kadeshi who immediately went to battle against the Exiles with their massive waves of Swarmers. The Kushan quickly identified the Fuel Pods as their primary weakness owing to their limited fuel supplies, and in picking them off reduced the destruction and losses inflicted on their forces before finally escaping the nebula.
Overview[]
Fuel pods are used by the Kadeshi to refuel Swarmers and Advanced Swarmers, which means destroying them will prevent these strike craft from getting fuel, stranding them in space. Capital ships are especially effective in picking off Fuel Pods.
Fuel pods may be salvaged, and can only refuel Kadeshi strike craft. When ordered to dock, other ship types simply stop next to them. In this sense, keeping fuel pods around is detrimental to the fleet as strike craft may automatically attempt to dock at fuel pods, preventing them from restocking on fuel or health. In Homeworld classic, they can then be used to refuel captured Swarmers and Advanced Swarmers. In Homeworld remastered, however, swarmers and advanced swarmers are impossible to capture, and so fuel pods are useless beyond salvaging for some RUs.
Trivia[]
- Fuel pods are considered non-combat ships, but they do not count towards the maximum allowed number of non-combat ships that can be maintained or constructed.
- Homeworld Remastered made some changes to the function of a Fuel Pod, some of which caused the ship to become useless:
- In the original Homeworld, destroying them will cause Kadeshi Swarmers to get stranded in space, which will eventually scuttle themselves. Since Homeworld Remastered does not have a fuel mechanic, swarmers will not get stranded in space, but their movement speed will be significantly reduced.
- In the original Homeworld, any captured Swarmers can repair and refuel themselves at a Fuel Pod. In Homeworld Remastered, swarmers cannot be captured, so any Fuel Pods which are salvaged are only for them to be retired to recover some RUs for the fleet.
- In the original Homeworld, there are two capture points, but in Homeworld Remastered, there is only one.