There are hundreds of different encounters in the PC game FTL: Faster Than Light. Space battles are generally rather similar, depending on the layout of your ship, but text encounters vary greatly. In a text encounter, sometimes you will have a blue option. Blue options are almost always universally better than normal options, but can only be unlocked by possessing a specific piece of equipment, specific system upgrade, a specific race of crew member. Blue options from missile weapons are particularly nice because about half the ships in the game start with at least one missile weapon, so these options are often free. Missile weapons only unlock three blue options, and they aren’t the most spectacular options, but since they are really just extra bonuses on top of a good ship weapon, there is no reason to complain. The following guide to missile weapon blue options will help you maximize your chance of finding and taking advantage of these options in FTL: Faster Than Light.
Mining Colony on Asteroid – This event is proof that the designers of this game have a sense of humor. The colony will request explosives from you. If you have a missile weapon, you will have the option to fire a missile rather than give the colony explosives. Except for amusing flavor text, this option is completely meaningless. You get nothing by taking it and lose nothing by taking it and you have the same options available after choosing it. The reason to choose this option is simple: the text response is very amusing. If you don’t read the text carefully and just quickly click on options, there is no reason to choose this. But if you enjoy the flavor text, take this option and then actually pick one of the other options for a true mechanical benefit.
Burnt Out Rock Mine Layer – This event only appears in Rock systems and only in sectors without a distress beacon. If you don’t have at least level 5 engines, you are forced to take the normal option. The normal option involves some very high risks. In fact, the risks are so high that the missile weapon blue option that is available after taking evasive maneuvers assures that your ship will take 3 hull damage. If you have a Beam Drone, that option is actually safe and won’t damage your ship. But, if you don’t, the normal option risks even more hull damage and losing a crew member. It is better to take 3 hull damage, if you can afford it, than to risk worse losses. But, it is even better to take the engine or Beam Drone option if you have either of those available. Effectively, a missile weapon is simply your best of the worst options.
Request to Attack a Mantis War Camp – Only found in civilian sectors, this event starts with you receiving a message that requests you to attack a nearby Mantis war camp. This unlocks a quest marker. If you don’t have at least one missile, you can’t possibly use your missile weapon blue option. But, if you do take the quest, you can try to acquire the missile before going to the quest marker. When you get there, firing a missile assures that you can engage in a battle with a Mantis ship. The normal option also might let you engage in a battle, but you can’t assure it without spending a missile. If you also happen to have a Fire Bomb and you have at least two missiles, take the Fire Bomb blue option instead. It gives you a much better reward and doesn’t require you to engage in battle.
