imate ▁object ives ▁of ▁most ▁miss ions ▁are ▁to ▁war p ▁to ▁a ▁target ▁system , ▁destroy ▁or ▁capture ▁enemy ▁star ships ▁or ▁install ations , ▁and ▁return ▁to ▁a ▁home ▁base . ▁Element s ▁of ▁ste alth , ▁esp ion age ▁and ▁surv ival ▁or ▁gu ile ▁against ▁over wh el ming ▁forces ▁are ▁sometimes ▁featured . ▁As ▁one ▁plays ▁through ▁the ▁game , ▁progress ively ▁larger ▁and ▁more ▁powerful ▁star ships ▁are ▁awarded ▁to ▁the ▁player , ▁with ▁enemy ▁forces ▁to ▁match . ▁Many ▁miss ions ▁offer ▁the ▁player ▁esc ort ▁ships ▁of ▁equal ▁or ▁less er ▁class ▁to ▁their ▁own , ▁which ▁must ▁be ▁managed ▁through ▁the ▁H UD ▁interface . ▁ ▁Game play ▁is ▁entirely ▁tact ical ▁in ▁nature , ▁as ▁one ' s ▁list ▁of ▁mission - related ▁star ▁systems ▁are ▁given ▁at ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁each ▁mission , ▁or ▁changed ▁during ▁the ▁mission . ▁All ▁star ships ▁have ▁shield s ▁and ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁combat ▁systems , ▁including ▁weapons , ▁tra ctor ▁be ams ▁and ▁EC M . ▁Sh ield s ▁are ▁divided ▁into ▁six ▁faces , ▁one ▁for ▁each ▁fore , ▁a ft , ▁port , ▁star board , ▁d ors al ▁and ▁vent ral ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁ship , ▁and ▁must ▁be ▁batter ed ▁down ▁before ▁significant ▁damage ▁can ▁be ▁inf lic ted ▁to ▁the ▁ship ' s ▁h ull ▁or ▁sub system s . ▁ ▁Once ▁a ▁shield ▁currently ▁facing ▁the ▁player ' s ▁star ship ▁is ▁dropped , ▁a ▁board ing ▁attempt ▁may