Physical dimensions of ships + smallest TL?

soulmata · Post by **soulmata** » Wed, 28. Nov 12, 00:27

I've searched the forums, searched google and searched a few X3-related wikis and haven't come to a clear consensus about the physical size of certain ships. There's a lot of statements revolving around it, like "The Orca is fat", but I am wondering where I can find some more concrete specifics.

Basically, I'm looking for the smallest TL - more specifically, the one where the length to the farthest extremity is the least. So X/Y/Z are all considered. Even better would be listings of physical dimensions in game terms, like "The Elephant is X meters long at peak, Y meters tall at peak, Z meters wide at peak".

Suggestions on where I can dig that up?

ITFUncleDave · Post by **ITFUncleDave** » Wed, 28. Nov 12, 01:31

Check out this thread. It's for TC but if you're playing AP the TLs haven't changed to my knowledge.

Triaxx2 · Post by **Triaxx2** » Wed, 28. Nov 12, 01:42

Smallest in all dimensions is actually the Argon Mammoth. Next in line is the Teladi Albatross, then the Hercules, Orca, and MMBL. The Atmosphere Lifter is comparatively huge.

Post by **Geek** » Wed, 28. Nov 12, 11:31

The Elephant is the smallest TL overall.
The Hercules is shorter but wider.

soulmata · Post by **soulmata** » Wed, 28. Nov 12, 19:59

Looks like the only ones I'll want to avoid, really, are the Orca and the Atmospheric Lifter. After numerous IS-acrobatics and jumps with an Elephant at 1000% SETA, the auto pilot seems to be pretty good about not smashing it into things, and when lined up against the Mammoth it has a similar profile, so an Elephant+Mammoth it is!

Thanks everyone.

One further question: When telling a remote ship to jump, it often appears to delay itself based on the status of the destination gate. I'm playing a DiD game, so avoiding explosion on jump is something I'd like to try myself - is there a way for the ship I'm piloting to use the AI routine for delaying a jump until a gate is clear, or are satellites the only real way to be sure?

Storm666 · Post by **Storm666** » Wed, 28. Nov 12, 21:28

goto your ships commands and you'll find a few - jump tp position / jump to sector (no control over which gate is selected) / Jump to station etc

Post by **Nanook** » Wed, 28. Nov 12, 21:36

Storm666 wrote:goto your ships commands and you'll find a few - jump tp position / jump to sector (no control over which gate is selected)...

Not true. The 'jump to sector' command gives you the option of choosing which gate to enter. The only time you get no option is if it's a gateless sector (such as the Kha'ak sectors in TC), or if you're returning from UFJD space.

Storm666 · Post by **Storm666** » Wed, 28. Nov 12, 21:39

Nanook wrote:
Storm666 wrote:goto your ships commands and you'll find a few - jump tp position / jump to sector (no control over which gate is selected)...
Not true. The 'jump to sector' command gives you the option of choosing which gate to enter. The only time you get no option is if it's a gateless sector (such as the Kha'ak sectors in TC), or if you're returning from UFJD space.

Ah couldnt remember... thanks for the correection Nanook, im a shift J addict so never use them for the player ship.

DiArmada · Post by **DiArmada** » Thu, 29. Nov 12, 11:20

http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=235903

there's a 3D modelviewer in which you can have several windows open.
you can check 4 ships simulatiously for example.
there's an option to see them all in perspective.
then you can see which one is the smallest.

Gosnell · Post by **Gosnell** » Thu, 29. Nov 12, 23:26

The elephant with its 12 ship docking bay is ideal for shoot and loot pirates.

pjknibbs · Post by **pjknibbs** » Fri, 30. Nov 12, 07:40

GOSNELL wrote:The elephant with its 12 ship docking bay is ideal for shoot and loot pirates.

Is that a different one from the normal Elephant which can dock 14 ships, then?

soulmata · Post by **soulmata** » Fri, 30. Nov 12, 11:11

I've been using my Elephant, named MCC Nostromo, to great effect. I'm only allowing myself to build my own stations in Unknown sectors (west of PTNI HQ and north of Argon Sector M148), but doing such seems to encourage the local pirate economy to flourish - between my stations and the stations the pirates ask me to build, both of those sectors have about 40 stations each and a beautiful economy.

MCC Nostromo has paid for itself ten times over with how much I've been paid doing Build Station missions. I love that thing. It's fast enough that I've been able to fulfill 5+ build missions at once or even sneak into restricted sectors like Argon Sector M148 to complete missions. Jump in, grab a quest, build the fab, jump out as all the local military junkies get pissed and start shooting - despite having hired me for the job.

The limited cargo bay of the Elephant is a little annoying at times, but I'd rather spend cash immediately to build more infrastructure than delay expansion for the sake of getting a Mammoth just yet.

Also, the non-stop Xenon migrations in nearby sectors keeps my traders (and my competition) on their toes.