ECS Fortunate

The first mining ship you’ll get in Star Trek Fleet Command is the ECS Fortunate. It’s cheap to build, cheap to repair, and a big improvement over mining with your Orion Corvette.

Building the ECS Fortunate

It takes 10 blueprints and a level 7 shipyard to construct the Fortunate. You’ll need to have completed, “Unlock Fortunate” research as well. You also can get more blueprints from hitting low-level hostiles.

Scrapping the Fortunate

Is kinda disappointing, actually. You’ll only get a 7,343 Tritanium, 12 2★ Common Crystal, 6 2★ Common Gas, 709 Ship XP, 1 2★ Uncommon Gas, 13 2★ Survey Parts, and 2 2★ Uncommon Crystal for scrapping a level 20.

Using and Crewing Your Fortunate

Given that you’ll have a pretty limited crew selection when you’re using it, this will be pretty straightforward. Your focus will be on the synergy of mining officers. Helvia for Parsteel, Domitia for Dilithium, K’Bisch for Tritanium.

There are those who will use their Fortunate during wartime to mine, and while they are cheap and quick to repair, you really aren’t getting enough from the actual mining to make it worth it. Unless…

Play “Fetch the Fortunate”

Here’s a fun game-within-the-game for higher-level players. You’ll need Horizons or better miners. The bigger your range, the more effective this strategy will be.

I usually played this game with a sacrificial Envoy, but it would work equally well with a Fortunate. It’s great for distracting an opponent during wartime, or if you’ve got a rogue player who’s just out to stop you from mining.

Let’s say you’ve got an opponent who’s a bit of a puppy who thinks they’re grown-up canine. Maybe one that’s rage-spent they’re way to an ops level many times greater than their skill level. They think they can intimidate you into not mining. They’re a perfect dupe for this strategy.

You’ll need a mine near your base. Ideally a system away. One that’s fairly conspicuous. You’ll need to get the attention of the lil’ pup. You send out your Fortunate. Pretend you don’t want them to hit it. Send them a “stop it” message. You can act as if they’re really bothering you, but no matter what they do, you won’t back down.

While your pet is distracted, you send your actual miners out and finish your dailies. In order for this strategy to work, you should make sure your other miners are sent a good distance away. If they’re still getting all of your miners, then you’re doing it wrong.

I had my pet chasing an Envoy with two ships for the better part of two hours one morning.

And probably the most rewarding part of this game is that your opponent thinks they’re winning the whole time.

ECS Fortunate Background

The ECS Fortunate appeared in the Enterprise episode, Fortunate Son. It was a  United Earth Y-class cargo freighter that was in service with the Earth Cargo Service  (hence, ECS) in the early to mid-22nd century.

And of course, Fortunate Son was a Credence Clearwater Revival anti-Vietnam War song.

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