In Dreadnought the player is the captain of a large spacecraft and uses projectile weapons to attack. The player is able to choose between several classes of ships, each with drawbacks and advantages in categories like speed and size. The ships are massive and are intended to give the feel of being a commander, not a rogue bounty hunter. As a result, gameplay involves large amounts of strategy and positioning. In addition to positioning the ship and choosing targets, the player may also allocate power to various parts of the ship, strengthening some while weakening others. These areas include shields, weapons and engines