What's your favorite fighter?

steelwing_2 · Post by **steelwing_2** » Tue, 7. Jul 15, 14:50

So I'm taking a break from the Terran Plot, and I decided to fly around exploring. Between capturing ships in missions and claiming the abandoned ships I've occasionally found laying about, I've had the opportunity to try out several different ship types. These are my favorites so far:

(M3) Skate Prototype - Decent turn of speed, strong hull and shields. From the moment I found the derelict, I think this became my ultimately favorite ship.
(M5) Harrier Raider - Capped from a pirate raiding party during a defense mission. I kept this ship for its speed, though there are plenty of faster ships out there (I'm keeping my eye out for a Kestrel, considering it can outrun literally anything else in space). For now, this ship is most useful during follow or scan missions.

How about you? Which are your favorite fighters?

Timsup2nothin · Post by **Timsup2nothin** » Tue, 7. Jul 15, 16:17

Discoverer...Advanced once I have it, Raider until then. While there are faster M5s, the maneuverability makes up the difference for me.

Once I get out of the M5 it's mostly just a matter of whatever comes to hand.

Honved · Post by **Honved** » Tue, 7. Jul 15, 17:22

In TC, my M5 preferences lean toward either a Disco Raider or Vanguard, or else a bailed Fujin of some sort. Both types are capable of handling "M" size cargo, which means Cargo Life Support, and capable of picking up some of the larger missiles and other valuable items that get scattered around by major fleet battles. Both are respectable in speed, and both have decent maneuverability.

The Disco can fight (and hit) other M5s with quad IREs, but the weapons aren't powerful enough to hurt anything larger than an M5. The Fujin can carry a couple of PACs for far more "first strike" firepower, but lacks the sustained weapons energy to take on anything tougher than an under-shielded M4.

I don't really care for any M4s, because most of them are either not much faster than an M3 and can't match one in a fight, or fast but sadly lacking in either firepower or shielding, so they're vulnerable to both M3 and M5 opponents.

In terms of M3s, the Argon Nova Raider (NOT the Pirate version) is my favorite "standard" model, but I also like the Advanced Perseus (not the looks, sadly) and the Skate Prototype (again, not fond of the looks).

GCU Grey Area · Post by **GCU Grey Area** » Tue, 7. Jul 15, 19:09

Was always rather fond of the Blastclaw Prototype - just like to carry a lot of stuff around with me (ammo, drones, mines, missiles, etc), with a decent amount of spare capacity left over for those moments when I suddenly feel a bit larcenous (e.g. high tech or weapons trader flies into scanner range).

Cpt.Jericho · Post by **Cpt.Jericho** » Tue, 7. Jul 15, 19:34

My favourite fighter is usually the one I happen to sit it. Although that happens rarely. I prefer sitting the captain's chair and give orders.

ancienthighway · Post by **ancienthighway** » Tue, 7. Jul 15, 19:38

The Disco Hauler is my M5 of choice until I get the Adv Disco, but the Kestrel runs a very close second.

M4s rarely make it into my fleet, and never as a personal ship for anything more than an odd mission.

The M3 is more situational than anything else for me. My M3 is usually a Nova Raider. The Adv Perseus is called upon often but the smaller cargo hold, to include size of cargo, keeps it from being my primary.

I find myself dead too much in the Mamba because I suck a combat. The Falcon is too slow for my tastes. The Perseus is out with it's limited cargo capacity. And the Barracuda , well, it's Boron,

TheDeliveryMan · Post by **TheDeliveryMan** » Tue, 7. Jul 15, 19:59

The Fujin - it can carry up to 14 passengers at a speed of 413 m/s.

Post by **Nanook** » Tue, 7. Jul 15, 20:14

Honved wrote:...
The Disco can fight (and hit) other M5s with quad IREs, but the weapons aren't powerful enough to hurt anything larger than an M5....

Sorry, but I gotta disagree with this. In my current AP game, I started out in a Jaguar with 4 IRE's. After capturing many M5's and M4's, I forced a Mamba Raider to bail. That's now my current fighter. It's really all in how you fight. Four IRE's can easily take down a couple of 25MJ shields if the ship has sufficient laser energy (Split Jaguar does).

birdtable · Post by **birdtable** » Tue, 7. Jul 15, 22:14

Chimera .... If i needed anything bigger then I had made a tactical mistake... Terran C was the Chimera entering Getsu Fune with that music .... Bliss...

Graaf · Post by **Graaf** » Tue, 7. Jul 15, 22:36

In X2 I was very fond of the Boron Mako. In X3 however I do not spend enough time in Fighters to say I have a favorite one.

jlehtone · Post by **jlehtone** » Tue, 7. Jul 15, 23:12

Honved wrote:The Disco can fight (and hit) other M5s with quad IREs, but the weapons aren't powerful enough to hurt anything larger than an M5.

I do agree with Nanook on Disco being dangerous. I have hunted Pirate M3's with it just fine (X3R, X3TC, X3AP).

I had a "fail" experience once. In X2 the Threat. Disco with only two guns (as was the X2 style). Nicely at the tail of a Kha'ak M3. In that game the shields of M3 were too much for Disco. From X3R on, however, the armament and the weapon/shield damage has been different.

Cpt.Jericho wrote:My favourite fighter is usually the one I happen to sit in. Although that happens rarely.

Pretty much this. It is so easy to get a bigger gun[1] on X3TC/AP. I do like the Split line of thought though.

[1] Standard Split procedure.

Zaitsev · Post by **Zaitsev** » Wed, 8. Jul 15, 11:34

Let's see ...

My favorite M5 has to be the Kestrel, because at 605 m/s there are very few things that can catch me, and those things that can will be dealt with by my rear turret.

M4s are something I usually can't be arsed to use, as they tend to lack either the speed, firepower or both to be any kind of useful. The only exceptions I have found are the Asp and the Solano, but since they lack a rear turret and I have a tendency to forget to restock on mosquitos, death by missile occur far too often.

Favorite M3 is a tie between the Chimera and the Tenjin. Both have decent shields, turrets to cover my butt from missiles, good speed for an M3 and good armament, plus the generator to support liberal use of said armament.

Hemmingfish · Post by **Hemmingfish** » Wed, 8. Jul 15, 11:50

My favourite M3 is the Cutlass, although because Terran ships are terrible for using to capture things I usually wind up flying a Skate. The cutlass is an absolute joy to fight in - after doing that bit in whatever plot where you wind up in a bit of a scuffle and are given one to fly I decided "I WANT ONE" and bought myself one afterwards.

I tend to avoid M4s, but if I'm in one my choice is the Buzzard. It's not that fast but 20mj shields are nice and it can use FBLs for a bit of an edge if needed.

I haven't flown an M5 since X2.

EDIT: typo - "given", not "giving"

Rive · Post by **Rive** » Wed, 8. Jul 15, 12:01

Well...

M5: Fujin Sentinel. Can mount PAC-s, has decent speed and shield in its class. Also: M size cargo. Weapon energy is a bit low, but at that speed it's acceptable anyway...

M4: pirate scorpion. Still has speed, and shields are not the worst - usually don't last long.

M3: Mamba or Mamba Vanguard. Speed and some shields...

M3+.: Blastclaw, of course

astreus · Post by **astreus** » Fri, 10. Jul 15, 16:30

Luckily there are so many things/task you can do and luckily there is no all-purpose best ship!

But there might be some pattern which is for most of us useful:

For player ship you travel around until you came upon something which takes your attention: A new mission, a fine ship (to board/bail?), nice group of enemies to fight with...

So I am not a friend of slow movment. The Kerstel is my choice when it comes to travel 'by foot', this ship get me fast through the sectors, watching what is going on.
But when it comes to fight with Novas up to Q's - I have to call another ship to jump in. Or when on need to jump me to a distance sector. On low budget, this will be a TM with a M3 (Venti or later the Amon Proto will be my favorite).

Sometimes you take what you get by chance and be happy with it:
At Lost Lar, I bought in terran space a M5 and later, at the first try (no reload), I was lucky to get a Mamba Vanguard bail out after I shoot a couple of Poltergeist (had no laser- no money, no rep to buy), just after the MV went from Scale Plate Green to Xenon Sector where I get no probs with the Teladi for shooting friends. The MV turned out to be a very fine and fast M3. Just the lack of a back turret against missles is a (dangerous) disadvantage.

Still favored speed, in a final step the Springblossom is the best(?). With turbo faster than 600.
And it can defeat up to Q's! (best with PSSC) and is very fine to destroy all the J's escort. Plus good storage, this gives also good jump possibilities.

And if I just sit down anywhere and look at the menue, control my assets, I don't have to be afraid to be killed by the first shoots of a fast M5/4 who approaches unexpected (which would dangerous for the Kerstel). Oh, yes - the SB is not a fighter anymore, it's a M6, but you could fly it close as a fighter.

Triaxx2 · Post by **Triaxx2** » Fri, 10. Jul 15, 23:29

M5, I'm definitely a fan of the Pirate Kestrel. There's two missiles in the game fast enough to catch me, and with a Turbo Booster, I can out run anything.

M4, I really like the Buster Raider. I can kill anything up to the size of an M7 with a full load of Mass Drivers. The Scorpion Raider is hilariously strong if you're able to avoid incoming fire. The Pike is surprisingly awesome as a carrier fighter, though I haven't flown it myself nearly enough though.

M3... I love the Advanced Eclipse. It's just kind of awesome. The Tenjin is a complete beast. Nine forward guns and two turrets for turning fights? Yes please. Mamba Raider is pretty fun as well.

Imgran · Post by **Imgran** » Sat, 11. Jul 15, 14:45

I don't use M5's as fighters. My idea of the purpose of an M5 is to tool around the galaxy at speed doing missions where speed is the only prerequisite, such as asteroid scanning.

My favorite M4 is the OTAS Solano and my favorite M3 is the OTAS Venti which is a beautiful fighter thanks to 10 weapons hardpoints, compatibility with EBC and PBG, as well as 4/25 shields Venti is a capship killer

Cursed Ghost · Post by **Cursed Ghost** » Sat, 11. Jul 15, 18:47

My favourer fighters humm…

I like the LX despite the fact that its quiet slow by comparison to other fighters and despite the fact that it got an unjustified nurf it’s still a very tough and capable fighter which can marmalize any other fighter out there and can be a serious threat to even m6s when flown by a competent pilot them PBE’s are lethal it’s also a grate ship for forcing a bale

I also like the Tenjin while its not as well shielded it’s stats speak for its self its shield reactor and weapons power plant are nearly as strong as an LX and it has the advantage of having a better selection of weapons including the extremely deadly PBGs, mass drivers and PBE’s which give it the capability to take on almost any target in the game including capital ships if you are completely crazy and/or suicidal

I also like the mamba or if you can get one the advanced mamba while the stock mamba is not well shielded and it has a relatively poor power plant for both shields and guns which is unusual for split ships as split ships usually have strong weapons generates due to there militaristic nature its fast and has compatibility with PBG’s and PBE’s making it extremely dangerous when flown by the player

the advanced mamba on the other hand is a different kettle of fish as the advanced mamba improves on every aspect of the stock mamba making it a very capable and very powerful m3 that is easily a match of any other fighter out there and them PBG’s give it the ability to tackle any target up to M7 as long as you can find a blind spot about the only thing the advanced mamba is missing is a rear turret for shooting down incoming missiles the advance mamba is one of them ships that can out run anything it can’t out fight

the Nova, OTAS Notus Hauler and Aamon are all very solid fighters and are in essence the same ship a Notus Hauler being an upgraded nova and Aamon being an upgraded Notus Hauler and as is the case with most argon ships they are all well rounded ships that doesn’t really suffer any serious weaknesses my only real gripe with the Aamon, Notus and Nova is no compatibility with PBE’s

The Terran Spitfyre is also a reasonable fighter PMAML’s give it the ability to take on m6s and if you are a competent pilot m7s as well I wouldn’t recommend trying to take anything bigger then an m7 though the Spitfyre doesn’t have enough shields for that

my issue real issue with the Spitfyre is 2 fold 1 lack of cargo capacity to effectively make use of it’s PMAML’s and 2 like all Terran fighters it’s somewhat underpowered due to the Terrans extremely limited selection of weapons while Electro-Magnetic Plasma Cannon are efficient there not very powerful and struggle again anything that has decent shielding unless you have a small wing of ships helping you and while MAML are powerful they struggle against small fast targets so again its not really ideal but overall when flown by the player the Spitfyre has decent combat capabilities

I would include the Venti on this list but that ships has some really serious design defects that render it useless chief among them being a power plant that is so laughably underpowered and woefully inadequate that I have to wonder if ego put that ship in the game as an april fools joke not to mention the tiny and totally inadequate cargo bay which prevent it from effectively using Energy Bolt Chainguns

The Venti needs a serious overhaul to give it a significantly stronger power plant significantly stronger recharge rates and a much bigger cargo bay having said all this PBG’s are energy efficient and when using 10 PBG’s this ship can be obscenely dangerous and can massacre even capital ships if you are crazy and completely suicidal

Similarly the XShuttle suffers the same basic design defects as the Venti a power plant that is woefully inadequate, recharge rates that are way to slow and a cargo bay that really is too small

Unlike the Venti however the XShuttle doesn’t have the option of energy efficient PBG’s or Energy Bolt Chainguns and thus must rely on the much less powerful Electro-Magnetic Plasma Cannon if you want to have any soft of longevity in a fire fight which is not going to happen due to the inadequate power plant which means that under fire your shields simply recharge to slowly

The khaak m3 was also a pretty decent fighter well that is until ego nurfed kyon emitters now it’s pretty much defunk because it cant hit the board side of a barn and kyon emitters are weaker then HEPTs and without the 100% accuracy they had in x2 The khaak m3 is no longer useful as its been superseded

The Fenrir is also a decent fighter if you can find one flying a Fenrir is like flying a cutlass only better as the Fenrir has 8 from guns instead of 4 and its also faster but it doesn’t really sacrifice anything for these improvements making the Fenrir one of the terrans best fighters

As far as M4s go I can only recommend 2

The Solano for an m4 it’s a pretty tough little ship with as much shielding as a nova it’s also faster then most other m4s the main issue with the Solano is its weak power plant it cant maintain fire from 6 PRG’s it simply doesn’t have the power for it and unfortunately the story isn’t much better when using PAC’s while the reactor capacity is among the strongest of the m4 class the recharge rates are completely inadequate which is why it struggles having said this if using mass drivers this ship can be extremely dangerous even with its relatively small cargo bay

The other m4 I’d recommend is the Tonbo while at first blush this ship might seem weak what makes it dangerous is its ability to use PBE’s combined with its high speed there are only about 4 or 5 m4s that are faster than the tonbo so when the tonbo gets on an opponents tale they are in serious trouble coupled with a load out of PAC’s the tonbo can punch well above its weight and can take out m3s if flown by a skilled pilot and can even be a threat to the weaker m6s the other advantage of the tonbo is its M size cargo class which allows it to use a triplex scanner and jump drive

For m5s I guess it depends on what you are doing if you are looking for a remote recon drone then the Kestrel is the ship of choice as it’s the fastest m5 in the universe and it can carry a triplex scanner and jump drive

If you are looking to conduct combat in an m5 then your best bet is an ATF Valkyrie as 5 EMPC’s easily give the Valkyrie firepower that rivals most m4s it also has M sized cargo class giving it the ability to use a triplex scanner and jump drive its also among the best shielded m5

Earth Ultimatum IV. · Post by **Earth Ultimatum IV.** » Sat, 11. Jul 15, 20:23

My logic is always to take the best looking ship, and learn to play with it.
In X: Tension, the pirate Mandalay is a really good ship, spent most of my time in it.
For X2, it's definitely the Buzzard. It looks soooo good.
In X3, it's the Buster, Xenon M. Then there's the Sabre, the Cutlass.... And, of course, the Scimitar.
Pirate Buzzard/Scorpion with purple/blue flames. Quite beautiful.
Then there's the Blastclaw with flamethrowers. You don't argue with that, or whole fleets go missing.

Big credit goes to Falcon Hauler for the ability to carry XL goods. Always keep a few of those on your capship.
Even though, cargolifter drones completly replaced those for me, nowadays.

astreus · Post by **astreus** » Mon, 13. Jul 15, 20:07

Still wondering.
There might be a best ship if you drop down to a special task, special goal.
But all purpose? Then you have to end with a compromise.
THIS is very realistic with real life (even for a game it has not to be)

Some guys mention the Venti. Let's analyse. Yes, poor laser engine. Full equipped with HEPT you run out of energy very fast, which let you 'hang' in a battle close to gunless.

Still, it depends what you want! Just killing the enemy? Fine - install 10x mass driver in front and count the few seconds till a M6 explode under your fire.
On M3 targets.......just like killing flies.
Used remote IS, the mass driver forces the AI to go close range which makes the hit effency much better. For remote IS the AI waste much ammunition/energy on long range.
Or 10x PBG? Oh what a .... .. where are my auxiliary (and rep) now?

But this is useless if you like to force them to bail out.
Therefore 4x HEPT are enough and no constant fire needed.

With turbo or ...some found engine upgrades......

Anything else?

Or does anybody like to design / have a game killer?
Ok: The shape(I like it) & rudder of the Venti with 10x up to SPP in front, speed of a Kerstel, the shield of the Valhalla (with reload time of 2 days?), the cargo of a Boron XL TS (no, not a TL let's do it smart) and 1 hanger bay where the Venti could dock & hide itself when it comes too hard (tactic like a ostrich)

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What's your favorite fighter?

What's your favorite fighter?