fighter Drone Comparison
Plasma Hornet vs Void Needle
Comparing the Plasma Hornet (Tier 2) and Void Needle (Tier 3), both fighter drones in Starforge MMO. Both deploy from carrier hulls and fill the same wing slot, so they compete directly for your drone bay.
Stat Comparison
| Attribute | Plasma Hornet | Void Needle |
|---|---|---|
| Tier | T2 | T3 |
| Max per carrier | 12★ | 8 |
| attack | 45 | 80★ |
| speed | 90★ | 85 |
| hp | 30★ | 25 |
| range | 3 | 4★ |
★ marks the higher raw value for each attribute. Higher is not always better — match the stat to your carrier doctrine.
Plasma Hornet
The Plasma Hornet is a compact attack drone designed for carrier-based operations, swarming enemy hulls with rapid plasma bursts. It excels in coordinated assault runs where mass numbers overwhelm point-defence grids.
Carriers: ironclad corvette, voidhawk frigate, leviathan carrier
Unlock tech: drone swarms
Void Needle
The Void Needle operates under a stealth dampening field, making it nearly invisible to standard sensor arrays until it is already firing. Its high attack output and stealth approach make it the preferred strike drone of the Void Syndicate's elite carrier wings.
Carriers: voidhawk frigate, shadow cruiser, leviathan carrier
Unlock tech: stealth drones
Which Drone Should You Build?
The Void Needle sits a tier higher, giving it the stronger stat ceiling and making it the upgrade target once its unlock tech is researched. The lower-tier drone stays viable as an early-game filler while you tech up.