fighter Drone Comparison
Solar Lance vs Void Needle
Comparing the Solar Lance (Tier 4) 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 | Solar Lance | Void Needle |
|---|---|---|
| Tier | T4 | T3 |
| Max per carrier | 6 | 8★ |
| attack | 120★ | 80 |
| speed | 70 | 85★ |
| hp | 40★ | 25 |
| range | 5★ | 4 |
★ marks the higher raw value for each attribute. Higher is not always better — match the stat to your carrier doctrine.
Solar Lance
An exclusive Solar Empire design, the Solar Lance channels concentrated photonic energy into a sustained beam weapon that melts through even reinforced hull plates. Only Solar Empire carriers are fitted with the resonance emitters required to synchronise its weapon cycle.
Carriers: solaris carrier, dawn battleship
Unlock tech: solar energy weapons
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 Solar Lance 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.