Broadsider/NPC

"The Broadsider is the backbone of this initial onslaught. It fires as long-range artillery and spawns small Liberatus hulls known as Pikes that attack as a swarm. These hulls persist even after the Broadsider has been destroyed."

General
The Broadsider is a Liberatus support battleship, with the capability of spawning swarms of Pikes and bombarding the enemy from afar.

Strategy
Due to its huge minimum range, it can only rely on its spawned ships to defend itself once your fleet closes the distance. The ship itself is relatively fragile and easy to take down when cornered.

To avoid running into its shots, do not chase the Broadsider from behind; instead, move in the same direction the Broadsider is traveling towards, then gradually close the distance.

Shield bypass is excellent at taking out the Pikes as they generally have very little health in comparison to their shield energy. Weapons with area of effect, chain, piercing and/or ricochet can damage many Pikes at once.

The Switch can regularly convert its spawned ships to your side, turning the tide of battle.

Pike
The Broadsider has the ability to spawn in Pikes during combat, which do not automatically disappear when their parent is destroyed.

Pikes have a 65-degree firing arc and are significantly slower than spawned ships that are available to the player such as the Blaze Phantom.

There are three variants of Pikes so far:
 * Spectral Pike
 * Pyro Pike
 * Kinetic Pike