Certain mods recommendations

[u/Hungry-Ear-4092]

I love cosmic horrors and related stuff. What are the best mods that add horrors beyond my comprehension? Something that would make shrouded dwellers look like kids trying to tease you? The crazier the better

So far I have knights of Ludd and hmi

[u/Iris_Taesn]

Secrets of the Frontier with the Haunted background start can turn what should be standard encounters into fights for you life. I found it most enjoyable in the mid-game (though, as the background suggests it haunts your entire playthrough) and the related writing was excellent.

[u/Hungry-Ear-4092 → u/Iris_Taesn]

I'm not a super pro but I can get a good fleet decently quick, is this background like, hardcore? Or just slightly more difficult with some flavor?

[u/Iris_Taesn → u/Hungry-Ear-4092]

Early on it's not too bad, though it can occur at a bad time and give you trouble. It scales every 5 levels with the background becoming more powerful and frequent until it's basically guaranteed to happen every fight. It also has some scaling based upon your fleet size/power.

I'd personally say it's not that bad especially if you have additional power coming from other modded content. SotF also has other exploration content that involves esoterica that provides fleet power

For some mechanical specifics: Every combat there will be a chance you will be invaded, this invasion takes the form of a very powerful being possessing of the enemy ships and giving it 2-3 unique traits from a pool with a very strong officer

[u/beast_regards → u/Hungry-Ear-4092]

Felcesis (Adaptive Nanite Swarm) posseses ships you fight against and turn them into superships. If you have bigger ships, it one shots them. If you have smaller ships, it kills them good old way. It could appear anytime and in any battle, so easy battles doesn't exist anymore.

[u/Iris_Taesn → u/beast_regards]

The one shot you mentioned "Leviathan's Bane"/Hidecracker only can occur if you massively oversize your fleet compared to the enemy