Fury

The Pkunk Fury doesn't seem, at first glance, more than a weak, overpriced ship. Despite the fact that the ship isn't very powerful in terms of crew or battery capacity, the speed and turning rate can make it the best fighter in the game when in the hands of a skilled pilot. Its effectiveness against the Sa-Matra shows that it can be highly dangerous, if used properly.

Navigation

There are few things in space faster than a Pkunk Fury. Some special movement modes — the Thraddash Torch Afterburner and Umgah Drone Reverse Thruster — can out run it, but none of them can maneuver like the Fury at that speed. The Fury has a turning radius rivaling the one of the Arilou Skiff.

Armament

Primary

The primary weapon is a triple mounted minigun that fires forward and to both flanks. They pump out super-heated metal pellets at an incredibly fast rate. The range of the weapon is very limited, since the pellets cool off rapidly. Although their short range can be written off as a weakness, the combat effectiveness of the Fury should not be underestimated. One strategy used by Fury pilots is "the ring of death" (not to be confused with with the Kohr-Ah Marauder's FRIED emitter), sometimes known as the "Death Blossom". This move is executed by firing and turning at the same time. When done properly, the dense circle of shots can tear up any ship, marine, or projectile in range, while also looking pretty.

Secondary

The Pkunk are peaceful beings, and they can't bring themselves to kill anyone, not even the most menacing Ilwrath, unless they throw themselves into an emotional frenzy by continuously insulting their opponent. This is represented in Super Melee by the need to insult their foes via the secondary ability to regenerate fuel.¹

Additional

The Fury has minimal crew capacity. A few well-aimed shots can annihilate the Fury instantly. However, if destroyed, the Fury's captain may choose whether to reincarnate or not, or so the Pkunk claim; in-game, there is a 50 percent chance the Fury will be resurrected — fully crewed, with maximum energy. Due to the random nature of Fury reincarnation, a lucky Pkunk can be reborn multiple times. Having to fight the same ship over and over again can make even the most patient pilot go berserk.

Tactical Overview

The Fury can be a dangerous foe, mostly against slow and unmaneuverable ships. The VUX, for instance, can be ripped to shreds with proper timing and technique. However, many ships like the Utwig Jugger can stop moving and start firing in the directon of the Pkunk, in which case, the Fury has no way to attack. This tactic, known as pillboxing, works well against most short-ranged ships.

The Fury is one of the best ships in the game to use against the Sa-Matra. The Fury is fast enough to avoid the active defenses that will tear slower ships to unrecognizable shrapnel, and the spread-fire pattern of the guns allows the Fury to constantly circle the station's outer shields while pelting the shield generators with the minigun. Coupled with the Fury's revival ability, a single Pkunk Fury can easily knock out every one of the Sa-Matra's shield generators! After that, repeated Death Blossoms usually can take out the remaining munitions so the Flagship can fly in unhindered.

Notes and references

¹In the Star Control II manual, however, the secondary ability is said to be effectively recharging the ships' batteries.