How to Fly an M6, or "How I learned to stop worrying and love the Torpedo"

Tsar_of_Cows · Post by **Tsar_of_Cows** » Mon, 19. Dec 05, 00:31

*Puts on 1960's informative film voice*

Congratulations on purchasing your first M6! In this informative thread, I will illustrate how to use your M6, lets start with the basics:

1:
Now you've bought your M6, it's time to transfer to it from your current ship, if you are docked at the shipyard with your new M6, simply find the pilot menu and change ships to your M6. At this point you will be teleported to your M6, which will be suddenly 3 Km from the shipyard. I hope you didn't forget anything!

2:
Now it's time to equip your ship with the appropriate equipment. Those 25MJ shields in your Nova arent any good, so you'll have to hunt across the known universe for 125MJ shields, this is because our boys fighting the war against the Kha'ak need them, so you'll have to purchase them at an inflated price in a shield fab convieniently located 5 sectors away. I hope you remembered a jumpdrive!

For weapons, remember that M6s only use the finest quality weapons, but never fear, just fly on down to your local equipment dock, who will only have 2 of what you want, but don't worry, you can allways stick BPACs in that HEPT slot! What are you going to use them for anyway?!

3:
Are you... kitted up? Good, now it's time to go and fight something. Finding something to fight can be a problem, the pirates are never there when you need tem, and the Kha'ak stay in their own sectors mostly, but you can allways pop on over to a Xenon sector and get mauled in seconds! God bless the Xenon!

The 3 Fs of Fighting:

1: Fire!
When encountering a smaller fighter craft in your M6, fire your weapons! Usually, they will blow up, however, if they don't...

2: Forget-about-it!
If you can't kill a fighter on the first pass, Forget-about-it! By the time you've turned around, they'll have stripped your shields with their PACs! Instead, activate your jumpdrive and leave the sector! You can't win!

Also, if you encounter a capital ship, employ Forget-about-it immediatly! You can't win! Your weapons suck, and you're a huge target for theirs! Forget-about-it!

3: Fire, then run like hell!
If you happen to get in a tangle with an M1 or M2, and have Firestorm Torpedos onboard, aim in the vague direction of your opponent, Fire the Firestorm, then run like hell! The optimum distance from your target after fireing a Firestorm is in the region of 12 sectors. Remember: You can fire torpedos, but if they explode anywhere near your M6, you'd better know how to duck-and-cover in your spacesuit!

The Three Dos:

1: Do stop to admire your paintwork.
After all, it's so expensive, it must be worth it!

2: Do take plenty of Screenshots!
It's important to remember each sector you pass through, as you never know when a stray M4 might utterly destroy your beloved M6.

3. Do take out life insurance.
You're family might as well be happy after you meet anything hostile at all!

The Three Don'ts

1: Don't expect to win.
Ever. You are slow, and big and can't turn properly. You're the spaceship equivalent of John Prescot - sure, if you hit them, they will die, but anything out of your direct field of view is just utterly beyond you.

2: Don't try to do anything usefull with an M6.
M6s are eyecandy - take screenies, test your weapons, but for the love of Nathen R. Gunne don't do anything stupid like... enguage something!

3: Don't Bother.

This concludes the post.

Remember, stay pretty!

This has been a Cow Empire Public Service Announcement, paid for in part by the Nova Owner's Association of Argon Prime.

Sandalpocalypse · Post by **Sandalpocalypse** » Mon, 19. Dec 05, 00:33

use missiles to pot fighters if you're having problems

Rad Jeebus^ · Post by **Rad Jeebus^** » Mon, 19. Dec 05, 00:34

Wow, that all sounds really negative, and abig bummer when compared to how great m6's were in X2 (do NOT turn this into another Dragon/Osprey debate please)

So are they really this bad?

Jeebs

Deleted User · Post by **Deleted User** » Mon, 19. Dec 05, 00:35

lol, very nice.

But yeah, are they really that bad? In X2 they where quite good. (I havn't got X3 yet)

Lidza · Post by **Lidza** » Mon, 19. Dec 05, 00:39

M6 are a fine ship (specially the Centaur)

Go with 3 or 4 Centaurs against 7 falcons + 2 Novas + 3 or 4 Busters and you will win the fight. You would not lose any M6 (Centaur).

Go with 6 Centaus against 3 Xenon L + 6 Xenon M + 4 Xenon N and you will feel the heat in your own Centaur but your battlegroup will gank all Xenon group. (the thrill factor is very nice)

So what is the problem with M6?

Well one of them is Centaur seem the only good M6, probably the 2nd good is the Dragon (due to its speed and change to add powerfull weaponary)

All other M6s (Boron/Paranid/Teladi) can be removed from the game to reduce memory and disk space... because for me, they are useless

Tsar_of_Cows · Post by **Tsar_of_Cows** » Mon, 19. Dec 05, 00:42

Rad Jeebus^ wrote:Wow, that all sounds really negative, and abig bummer when compared to how great m6's were in X2 (do NOT turn this into another Dragon/Osprey debate please)

So are they really this bad?

Jeebs

Actually, they arent as bad as I made out, I just felt really sarc-y and annoyed after watching my dragon go boom-boom for about the 10th time in a row during a Deathmatch. (courtesy of LV's mods IIRC).

But they are big, and slow, and unweildy and really just not great at anything.

I mean, you can kill an M3 on the first pass, but if there's more than one, you're pretty much scuppared, as you have to strafe, spin and turn to avoid incoming fire, and despite having 250MJ of shielding, I might as well be flying about in my birthday suit, as HEPTS will strip that in seconds.

Oh, and did I mention how difficult it is to actually shoot anything when strafing, spinning and turning?

Then when you take on M1s and M2s... well... you wither go about it bybeing a Mass Driver [Woman-Of-Ill-Repute], or you go about it in a slow and difficult way with a mix of weapons chipping away for around half an hour, only to get blown up by your own bleeding Firestorm Torpedo.

I might as well have riden it into the target, as being within about 1Km of the torp when it blows will destroy you, if it hits the target, well, it makes a sizeable dent in an M1 or M2's shields, but its a hell of a risky thing to try, as I found about 4 out of 5 times the torp got taken out by my turret or the enemies resulting in my immediate demise.

use missiles to pot fighters if you're having problems

I could do that, or I could pilot an M3 and obliterate them.

Which would be cheaper and easier.

Harabec Weathers · Post by **Harabec Weathers** » Mon, 19. Dec 05, 00:44

Tsar_of_Cows wrote:2: Forget-about-it!
If you can't kill a fighter on the first pass, Forget-about-it! By the time you've turned around, they'll have stripped your shields with their PACs! Instead, activate your jumpdrive and leave the sector! You can't win!

Space is 3D, so you can actually "turn around" pretty darn quick. If they're behind you, hit roll 90 degrees to the side and pitch up 90, and the turrets on the top of your ship should be able to see/fire on the pests

Tsar_of_Cows wrote:This has been a Cow Empire Public Service Announcement, paid for in part by the Nova Owner's Association of Argon Prime.

I laughed.

Tsar_of_Cows · Post by **Tsar_of_Cows** » Mon, 19. Dec 05, 00:49

Harabec Weathers wrote:
Tsar_of_Cows wrote:2: Forget-about-it!
If you can't kill a fighter on the first pass, Forget-about-it! By the time you've turned around, they'll have stripped your shields with their PACs! Instead, activate your jumpdrive and leave the sector! You can't win!
Space is 3D, so you can actually "turn around" pretty darn quick. If they're behind you, hit roll 90 degrees to the side and pitch up 90, and the turrets on the top of your ship should be able to see/fire on the pests
Tsar_of_Cows wrote:This has been a Cow Empire Public Service Announcement, paid for in part by the Nova Owner's Association of Argon Prime.
I laughed.

Yes I know, I have actually had quite a few kills in my Dragon, but this post is just taking all my minor gripes to an extreme. *read abouve post*

And I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Lidza · Post by **Lidza** » Mon, 19. Dec 05, 00:50

The only tactic for Dragon M6 is hit-and-run

It can't take much heat, beside Dragon lacks of one "very useful" turret (back turret that Centaur has)

Basically Split/Teladi/Boron/Paranid M6s are crap because only have "up turret", where Centaur have back, sideways and front turrets (which covers almost 360 degrees field)

Even with the lack of turrets, Dragon escapes to 2nd place as good M6 due to its speed... but sometimes speed isn't enough against fast fighters...

Against fast fighters turrets are the answare and Centaur seem to be the only valide M6 in the game just for this reason.

Edit -----

I would only use the Dragon if I would need to hit something that moves slowlly and doesn't have fast escorts...

Or other way is... "hit-and-run" take out the escorts 1st then concentrate fire on slow target

Anyway my battlegroup has just Centaurs and I'm very happy with this M6... all others M6 (Boron/Teladi/Split/Boron) I had, tested and sold

Tsar_of_Cows · Post by **Tsar_of_Cows** » Mon, 19. Dec 05, 00:57

Lidza wrote:

The only tactic for Dragon M6 is hit-and-run

It can't take much heat, beside Dragon lacks of one "very useful" turret (back turret that Centaur has)

Basically Split/Teladi/Boron/Paranid M6s are crap because only have "up turret", where Centaur have back, sideways and front turrets.

From that lack of turrets Dragon escapes to 2nd place as good M6 due to its speed... but sometimes speed isn't enough against fast fighters...

Against fast fighters turrets are the answare and Centaur seem to be the only valide M6 in the game just for this reason.

I dunno, Dragons arent all that much faster than your average M3, so Hit-and-run just isnt satisfactory.

Against another M6, it works wonders, but M3s will just obliterate you when you start flying in the oposite direction.

Whatthe Dragon Really needs is one of two things:
1: a massive increase in speed an manuverability
2: more turrets.

This is the point I've argued for a while and I'm continuing here: M6s are out in the middle of nowhere just now - they don't have the firepower to be a threat to a capital (besides, they're too big and easy to hit wiht GPPCs), and they are too slow and unmanuverable with (generally, obviously the Centaur being the exception) too few turrets to enguage fighters.

I'm now flying a Dragon, basically because I wanted one and I think they look cool, so I want my 10 million's worth. I suppose I could have bought a Centaur, but the Dragon was where my heart was.

Maybe one day I'll hit on a fantastc way to use them, but at the moment I feel kind of what I imagine John Perscot would feel like at a martial arts tournement against President Putin:

"Hold still ya scrawny little ****, so I ca'n deck ya!"

Sandalpocalypse · Post by **Sandalpocalypse** » Mon, 19. Dec 05, 00:59

There's plenty of people who have modded ships to have more turrets. I don't think any have released mods but im sure some people would if asked.

Tsar_of_Cows · Post by **Tsar_of_Cows** » Mon, 19. Dec 05, 01:00

Sandalpocalypse wrote:There's plenty of people who have modded ships to have more turrets. I don't think any have released mods but im sure some people would if asked.

Yeah, then we're back to the gamers having to do Egosoft's work for them arent we?

To put it rather bluntly.

Sandalpocalypse · Post by **Sandalpocalypse** » Mon, 19. Dec 05, 01:05

:rolleyes:

Egosoft can't please everyone. It's a single player game. Change it as you see fit.

Lidza · Post by **Lidza** » Mon, 19. Dec 05, 01:09

Tsar_of_Cows

You touched my point...

Lack of turrets on Split, Boron, Teladi, Paranid M6...

All are copy-past ship design where the only thing that changes are or shileds, energy for weapons and speed... but all have the same number of turrets and same location.

I personally disagree with "a massive increase in speed an manuverability" they seem fine as they are at moment.

I would suggest just 2 things... more energy for weapons and turrets (more or in different places rather than up) on other M6 (exception for Centaur).

As tip...

Get a Centaur, equip it with Beta HEPTs/Mass+Ions and go alone to Khaak space ... once there fly fast

at 104 in straight line far from Khaak destroyers and leave it running alone

BTW set your lateral turrets for "attack all enemies" and the back turret for "Missile Defense"

Don't reduce the speed and change direction, slowly when you need or if you start to feel the heat (so to avoid the lasers)...

grbaker · Post by **grbaker** » Mon, 19. Dec 05, 01:10

Last Xeon Invasion at Black Hole Sun I scored 84 kills with my Split Dragon M6. She maybe fat and slow turning but if you stroke her sides she can purr like a kitten.

Hint: Try flying slower than the L your trying to kill. It will shorten your turning curve.

Tsar_of_Cows · Post by **Tsar_of_Cows** » Mon, 19. Dec 05, 01:14

Sandalpocalypse wrote::rolleyes:

Egosoft can't please everyone. It's a single player game. Change it as you see fit.

I know, but I'm special.

janonol · Post by **janonol** » Mon, 19. Dec 05, 03:45

i agree that the m6 needs some tuning. the centaur's multiple turrents should be standard on all m6's (though not necesarrily in same locations).

as far as speed and truning rates go i experiemented a bit and found the following worked well. adding about 30% to m6 speed across the board and doubling the turning rates (which is still quite slow but much better).

more laser charge OR faster laser recharge would also be useful. I'd go with MORE because that fits in with the m6 being a vehicle able to deliver more damage than an m3.

RagX · Post by **RagX** » Mon, 19. Dec 05, 04:34

Cows is at it again

wonderful work man, pity M6's are borked in X3 as of now :/

-XTM- · Post by **-XTM-** » Mon, 19. Dec 05, 05:02

A very very funny operating manual

On a somewhat more serious note;
I think things might go wrong with the term corvette being applied to the total m6 class.
Basically, the only m6 which earns those credits is the Centaur because it does wonders in OOS and is a good allround-balanced craft, no superspots (well, it's firearc's maybe) but certainly no weakspots as well.

Things go downhill from there fast.

The Nemesis is a great capping-bird due to it's BPSG-mounts but you'll first have to lure whatever nmi you engage away from anything else or you'll end up with a very angry crowd you came to rescue at first.

The Hydra should be ok but sucks due to it's very mediocre lasergen, depriving it of solid BPBE-burst thus effectively downgrading it's max weapon's to AHEPT's and APBE's in which the first win's by a huge margin at about anything and since there are better m6's around to support the same weapon it's totally useless per fact imo.

The Osprey, apart from being a very nice looking model (the newly modded-in one, not the Boron Hydra-clone) is just too bad for it's money.
15 mil for 1 extra 125mj and -20 on speed? don't make me laugh.
You must have a serious deadwish if you're going to fly one of these around.

Then to something good, finally > The Dragon.
Actually this IS the best M6 in the game, even with it's poor aft-coverage.
Yes it turns like a brick but it's a great capital-ship buster.
It CAN evade any APPC or heavier burst by proper strafing (not that hard realy) and it's got the best lasergen of them all.
The APPC's it's support itself are overkill, they'll deplete anything soon so I'd advise equipping it with 9 AHEPTS for guns only.
Also, put aft turret on attack-nmi, NOT missile defense or protect-ship...both suck arse for M6's....they'll work, but they don't do the proper dammage-type, that's the type that kills fighters fast.

Last but not least, and without this one any M6 is indeed doomed against anything more then 3 m3's, missiles!
Not just any missiles, just thunderbolts will do.
One well aimed thud will take out just about any m3...and those that survive will only need a friendly tap on the back of a AHEPT to explode like you mean them to do so.

I'm flying around in my Dragon for ages now, 9 AHEPT's and 50 thuds under my triggerfinger constantly.
If I feel like fooling around I'll take some squashmines with me.
Also got the odd APPC loadout, 4 spares, just incase I need them but I still think they are weapons to equip above the M6 level.

Long story eej?.....my point, use anything but the Centaur as a heavy fighter-bomber and you should be just fine.
But think of your M6 as a beefed-up Nova and you won't.

Remember:

- If you want to loose money fast, put some Dragons on OOS...I will personally guarantee that within the first hour you'll loose them to a Buster.

- Good OOS M6 > Centaur...will win against incredible odds.
- Better OOS M6 > 2 Centaurs !!!
- Best OOS M6 > 40 Centaurs with 300 Nova Raiders !!!!!!!!

- Best Capping M6 > Nemesis, realy they'll jump like flies with those BPSG, but beware, so will anything else that vaguely is in it's neighbourhood....can be tricky to master....but very nice for capping Xenon L's for example.

- Worst M6 > Osprey, if you want to die realy fast, buy this one...you'll loose 15 mil in the proces as well so it's a dubbel bonus.
> Dragon's on OOS.

- Best player M6 > Dragon > speed, lasergen, shieldgen, weapon-support, baysize...all are nice to very nice....learn to handle it and you'll probably don't want anything else anymore.

-UBER M6 > Nemesis Vanguard > thats a Nemi with 180 speed...hahaha.

Toowizard · Post by **Toowizard** » Mon, 19. Dec 05, 05:10

My fully kitted dragons have been rocking in OOS combat, but if i'm in the same system, they do seem lacking.

So i use them to patrol sectors my UT's are frequently massacred in [*cough* teladi space *cough*]. They earn their keep by keeping my $1.8M traders unmolested. The pirates don't even usually scratch the sheilds before they instantaneously dissapear from the map.

But when i'm in sector, i'm usually scrambling to jump out as the sheilds of the dragon goes byebye while the APPC turrets just keep missing their targets!

The odd thing is that my fully kitted out centaur needed fighter wingmen to accomplish the same goal.

egosoft.com

egosoft.com

How to Fly an M6, or "How I learned to stop worrying and love the Torpedo"

How to Fly an M6, or "How I learned to stop worrying and love the Torpedo"

Re: How to Fly an M6, or "How I learned to stop worrying and love the Torpedo"

Re: How to Fly an M6, or "How I learned to stop worrying and love the Torpedo"