Space combat is a big part of Starfield as you will battle against a variety of factions. Their ships will come at you with heavy firepower and great speed. Disabling some ship parts not only gives you an edge, it helps you spend less time in combat than necessary. It’s also easier to loot destroyed ships when you don’t have to worry about other ships firing at you. Targeting engines is a death sentence for a ship, stranding them in space. But aiming at them in the middle of combat is almost impossible or requires great luck. Here’s how to target engines in Starfield to help you stop relying on miracles to aim.
Target Engines In Starfield With Targeting Control Systems
The easiest way to target engines in Starfield is to use Targeting Control Systems. It works similarly to VATS in Fallout but it only applies for space combat. You learn it by going to the Technology tree in your Skills menu and getting a rank in Targeting Control Systems. This allows you to lock onto an enemy and aim precisely at ship parts. It’s much easier to target a ship this way rather than hope your shots hit the correct part.
Time slows down while you are in Targeting Control Systems and you must act quickly. Select the part you want to target and fire away. Your shots will automatically hit the part and begin damaging it. With a powerful weapon, it shouldn’t take too long before you destroy a ship’s engine. It also prevents you from accidentally destroying the ship, allowing you to negotiate and possibly board the enemy craft.
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This is the best way to target engines in Starfield because you can be precise instead of relying on luck. It will take a precious skill point, but if you are planning on fighting in space it is a worthwhile investment. It also raises the chance that you can actually get more valuable goods, rather than destroying the ship and looting what’s left. Different ships will have better engines that can take a beating, and you might require multiple target locks. Don’t forget to watch out for your surroundings as you are not invincible in Targeting Control Systems. But now that you know how to target engines, ships in Starfield are just waiting to be disabled.
Starfield will be available on Xbox Series X|S and PC on September 6.
