Star Wars: Squadrons is a fantastic space combat simulator that will no doubt fulfill any Star Wars fan's wishes of becoming a pilot for either the Republic or the Galactic Empire. The newest game of this gigantic and widely beloved franchise has been well-received by fans for its incredible and immersive gameplay.

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However, if players do wish to fly like the aforementioned iconic heroes, they'll need to learn how to fly like a pro. Being a master pilot, flying like Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Anakin Skywalker, or Poe Dameron, is one of the things players can do in this game.

Updated July 14, 2021 by Raza Malik: Star Wars games have usually been boots-on-the-ground, with the odd vehicle-based game. However, Star Wars Squadrons changes things up Since coming out in 2020, Squadrons has remained among the games dominating the online space, allowing players to get lost in it for hours on end. However, there's a steep learning curve, so becoming an ace fighter will take practice. With these tools and a little focus, players can dominate the battlefield in no time.

13 Know When To Prioritize Power

star wars controls

Piloting a starship in Star Wars Squadron has a power distribution system very similar to Star Wars: X-Wing vs TIE Fighter game. Players can allocate their power to engine, attack, and shield if you're playing as a New Republic pilot. The players will have to know when to prioritize one aspect to engage in a particular situation if they want to excel in this game.

For example, it's helpful to prioritize the engine power if the ship is running low on health and the player needs to get away from a dogfight. It's also helpful for avoiding a missile. Prioritizing the attack power, on the other hand, is best used whenever facing multiple enemies head-on, or are dealing with capital ships.

12 Use Targeting System

Reticule Star Wars Squadrons

A very neat gameplay aspect the players of the game can take advantage of is using the targeting system. The targeting system will allow the players to prioritize a specific group in combat. This is helpful for both the fighters and the supports. Fighters can target enemies and supports can target allies to provide ample assistance. In campaign mode, the target system can also be used to mainly target the mission objective.

Another helpful tip for combat is players can immediately target an attacker if they're being engaged by double-pressing the cycle target button.

11 Hit The "Sweet Spot" For Maneuverability

View of Imperial Ship Star Wars Squadrons

It is quite thrilling to reach maximum speed when piloting a starfighter in Star Wars Squadron. As fun as this is, though, players will also need to constantly adjust their acceleration if they want to constantly gain the upper hand while fighting other starfighters.

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The player's ability to maneuver is just as important as their ability to attack in this game. To optimize the ability to take sharp turns, there's a certain "sweet spot" a player can adjust their speed. It's usually around the middle of the meter, so players should constantly watch out for this.

10 Master Every Starfighter Type

Star Wars Squadrons TIE Reaper Cockpit Trailer

The game has a few starfighters for players to choose from. The most standard one is the fighter type, which is the type the players will encounter first when playing the story mode. It is also the most milquetoast type but it can be a jack of all trades if handled well.

Then, there are the ones with specialties such as the bomber type, the support type, and the interceptor type. The bombers are perfect for dealing with capital ships. Support ships are for providing the rest of the team assistance, which is integral to a match as teamwork is highly encouraged in a game like this. Interceptors are perfect for those who like to make use of speed and agility in combat. And speaking of ship types…

9 The Bomber Class Ships

tie bombers flying between asteroids

There's a reason it's important to learn every type, as some ships have unique advantages. Playing online, most players will choose the other fighters that move fast and have high weapon output, and can take on multiple roles. However, not many players choose the bomber ships, considering they're slow and make easier targets.

But what many players don't realize is that these ones pack a punch. In Star Wars Squadrons it's a good idea to stay with them because they offer the most cover and can take down multi enemies at once. The good thing about Star Wars Squadrons is that playing this type of ship gets easier with time, so be sure to put the effort in.

8 Ping Your Targets

Tie Figher and X Wing shooting head on

The pinging system in Star Wars Squadrons is a great way for players to communicate with the team. This could mean calling for help, or alerting others to an enemy presence. Regardless of what players use it for, it helps teammates keep one another safe.

This allows the player to call for help to get an enemy off of them or just a normal backup. The applications of the system are endless, and provide a sense of teamwork since. The player can just easily ping an enemy, knowing that there is help to coming.

7 Make Use Of The Drift

Ion Missiles Star Wars Squadrons

One of the most interesting mechanics in the game is the ship's ability to drift. This is something players can learn when playing the campaign mode, and it's a challenging thing to get ahold of at first.

To do this, players must prioritize their power output towards their engine. They must then boost their speed and once the maximum is reached, they should then make a sharp turn while powering their engine down. It can be tricky at first but it will become muscle memory once it is mastered. This is a very useful mechanic to use in combat as it will give the players the ability to face a tailing foe head on, and it's a great way of dealing with missiles as well.

6 Know When To Use The Front And Back Shields

Shield in Squadron

When playing as a New Republic pilot, players can take advantage of a mechanic that's exclusive to the good guys' starships. New Republic ships have the ability to place a shield around their ship to avoid being inflicted with a substantial damage input. Even more amazingly, ships can focus their shields either on the front side of the ship, behind it, or have it completely balanced.

Knowing when to shift the shield's focus is useful if a player wants to last in the world of Star Wars: Squadrons. Placing their shields in front of the ship is useful for when they're facing enemies head-on. Placing the shields behind the ship, on the other hand, is useful if the player is being aggressively attacked by a tailing enemy.

5 Know How To Deal With Missiles

Star Wars Squadrons Y Wing Shooting Down Ship

Missiles are a great way of dealing a massive damage to the enemy fighter and it's helpful in defeating the enemy squadron. Conversely, it is also very dangerous being on the receiving end of the missiles. Thankfully, there are a number of ways of dealing with these powerful, speeding shells.

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The easiest way of dealing with missiles is to launch the ship's built-in countermeasures; however, this has limited use. This is where a player's ability to maneuver comes in. Players should keep their speed at the maximum and look for tight spots to maneuver around and hope the missile will end up hitting a piece of floating debris instead. Another way of dealing with missiles is to learn how to efficiently drift and face the missile head-on to fire at it. This will take practice, but it's an efficient way of dealing with missiles.

4 Familiarize Loadouts

Star Wars Squadrons A Wing Drifting Lesson

Each starship in the game comes with their own unique loadout options. This is a good way of customizing the starship and finding other alternatives to gain an advantage in combat. This is also a fantastic way for players to find their unique playstyle in this game.

Of course, the players can just opt for the standard loadout of the starship of their choosing, but exploring might lead to surprising finds. For example, The empire fighter ship, the TIE Fighter, can be loaded with custom settings to allow it to have stronger armor. The interceptor can also be loaded with a more powerful offense.

3 Keep On Moving

Star Wars Squadrons Fuel Depot TIE Fighters

The best way to become a pro-Star Wars: Squadrons player is to be constantly, aggressively on the move. This does not mean that the players will always need to be on maximum speed every step of the way, but it means they should avoid stopping if they can help it. This will make them become easy targets.

When chasing or being on the offensive, the players should do their best to go as fast as they can. When maneuvering, they should slow down and reach their specific sweet spot, in the middle of their acceleration gauge. No matter the cost, the player should avoid halting their ship altogether. Besides, it just makes the game more fun to pilot starships at high speeds.

2 Be Unconventional

x wing protecting a rebel ship

During a dogfight in Star Wars Squadrons, the player's best bet to escape is to make the enemy worry as well. This could mean flying dangerously close to some asteroid, or pulling off other risky maneuvers. Throwing off the enemy can turn the tide, and gaining control of a dog fight can change the game for the player.

Flying in ways to confuse and throw off the attacker opens up some unique moments. The more experience players gain, the more flying normally will become a thing of the past. There will be moments that will force the player to fly in an unrealistic – yet impressive – way.

1 Play And Finish The Story Mode

Star Wars Squadrons A Wing Over Facility

It is very important for Star Wars Squadrons players to play and finish the story mode before they dive into the multiplayer mode. While most players who enjoy multiplayer games more than they do single-player games, it is best to explore this game's story mode too.

It may not have the most compelling story in gaming, or even in the Star Wars franchise for that matter. Yet, it will provide the players much needed tips and tricks that they can use to dominate the vastness of space when fighting other players online.

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