Shield management

Shield management — combat in CONTRABAND is more tactical than action-oriented. This guide covers the underlying mechanics.

The system

Combat happens in real time but rewards positional thinking over reflexes. Range, angle, and shield management matter more than reaction speed. Pilots who treat fights like puzzles tend to outperform pilots who treat them like reflex contests.

Range matters

Each weapon has an optimal range. Fighting at the wrong range costs you 30–50% of your potential DPS. Learn which range your weapons want to be at and force fights into that range.

Shields and hull

Shields recharge between hits; hull does not. Take hits on shields when possible. The order of operations in a fight is: keep shields up, then prevent hull damage, then output damage. Pilots who reverse the priorities usually die.

Crew bonuses in combat

Crew bonuses apply automatically. Some are conditional — they only fire when specific events happen. Read your crew descriptions to know what triggers them.

Boss-specific tactics

Bosses have signature attacks worth learning. Each is telegraphed. Pilots who recognize the wind-up have time to evade or shield-up.

When to retreat

Retreating is a tactic, not a failure. The game does not punish you for warping out of an unwinnable fight. Save the credits and try again with a better build.