There are many different weapons systems in Starfield, ranging from simple but effective ballistic cannons to advanced particle beams that can shred through all sorts of defenses. Pilots need to have a certain level of finesse to use these weapons properly, but there is a way to get some sort of automation going when it comes to ship combat.
Ship turrets in Starfield are advertised as autonomous guns that can cover the player's back while they're trying to outmaneuver the enemy in dogfights. Using these weapons is a little complicated, however, and it may take some time before players can notice the work turrets put in while in combat.
How to Use Ship Turrets in Starfield
Unlike some other ship-based weapons, turrets are mounted directly onto hull pieces and cannot be aimed or fired manually. Every time players try to press the respective fire button, a message will pop up saying turrets cannot be fired.
Instead of manually pulling the trigger, players don't have to do anything at all for turrets to do their magic. They will constantly scan the surroundings and engage any hostile fighter that comes within range. With that said, it's very important to take note of a turret's effective range, line of sight, and its orientation relative to the ship.
The standard weapon damage rules apply to turrets as well; ballistic cannons work best against hulls, lasers are better at frying shields, missiles shoot slowly but hit hard, and EM weapons are best suited for disabling ship systems. Players should keep in mind that each ship port has its own set of parts for sale, and some turrets may only be available on specific planets or stations.
Turrets are best placed on the tail-end of a ship where they can cover the rear from would-be attackers. This prevents players from being completely defenseless when they're getting tailed, giving them a better opportunity to shake off pursuers and possibly destroy them in the process.
It can be hard to notice if a turret is shooting or not. Even when enemies are very close, turrets may sometimes not shoot at all. It's unknown if this is a bug with the targeting system, but turrets do attack hostiles that are within range, even if they do it somewhat unreliably.
Because of this potential targeting issue, it's best to have other weapon systems mounted onto a ship and treat turrets simply as support platforms. Players will still have to rely on their piloting skills to make it out of a space scuffle alive.
Starfield is available now on PC and Xbox Series X/S.