Best M3(s) guide?

[JonR]

Ive used boron sharks spreadsheet link below to try and work out from statistics which were the best M3s as Im going to be buying an M3 soon . I thought it may be some form of help for anyone else. Also I would appreciate if anyone knows a ship that is just plain bad despite being good on paper.

http://www.trinityholdings.org.uk/X3Ships.xls

I have ranked them on 4/5 catagories:
Shields 1 = Bad 3 = Good
Speed <150 = Bad >175 = Good
Cargo <100 = Bad >200 = Good
Weapons - Main
Weapons - Rear

I went through the database with my trusty Blue Green and Yellow highlighters marking if a ship was good -> bad
Blue (B) = Good Green (G) = Average Yellow (Y) = Bad
Ill start with a description of each races M3.

Nova - This ship is not the fastest of the selection with its speeed always below 150 m/s and so being Y however It always has very good shielding and cargo - B. Its front weapons are not the strongest - G altough you could say that an Ions + MD combo may work for capping. Its rear turret is the strongest except for possible the Falcon - B

Barracuda - This ship is on the whole well balanced on the whole, its shields range from 1 (Y) to 3 (B) Its speed is also like this Y -> B, but it is possible to get a good mix depending on what you want. Its front weapons I have rated as average - G BUT it has NO turret. This is one draw back for this ship earning it a Y for each type (Normal vanguard sentinal etc)

Perseus - This ship is always adaquetly or well shielded G/B. However Its best speed is 163 but mostly the types are Y (<150). When you also consider its tiny cargo bay of as little as 68 Y, then movement is hard as I have so far found SPPs scarce. However when you reach the part of the ship that does the talking - its guns so to speak Then this ship is a monster with BPSGs front and APSG rear earning BB. This ship is therfore good for fighting but not as an all round ship for travel too - use it when you have you bigger ships to dock it in.

Mamba - This ship was horrendously undershielded and powered in X2 and TBH i wasnt expecting much when it came to X3 however even when i just looked over the DB the mamba stood out. It now has adaquate (G) shielding of 2 x 25MJ, it is the fastest M3 even breaking the 200 m/s in one version - G/B. Its cargo is always above 200 - another B. Its weapons are the only weak spot, and even then they have the full complement up to AHEPT as well as MDs and beta of the blue weapons which at a geuss is the PBE - G. (ok my knowledge lack severly here) Only one version has a back turret and it can only be an MD G but thats still better than no turret right!? - I will talk about the raider more later


Falcon - When I first looked over this ships stats I started to think OMG its X2 again - the falcon is the most useless piece of 3U115H1T ever. Then i did a double take - WHAT THE ?! Its shields are not 1x25 MJ its 1x125 MJ B! ! - this ship shall now be reffered to as THE TANK It has a huge cargo bay B! even reaching 350 in one version. Ok its speed cant go over 100 Y! Its front guns are good with Ions and APSGs - B and if it has turrets they too seem fairly deadly B



Ok thats my *Brief* look at the different ships - now I will go into more specifics picking the best of each type before reaching a conclusion.

Nova - I have picked the Nova Raider from Omicron Lyrae with:
3x25MJ
145.35 m/s (top Nova)
212 cargo L
Main - A IRE PAC HEPT MD ION
Rear - AB IRE PAC A HEPT MD

Barracuda - I have chosen the plain ole 'cuda from Ocean of Fantasy wik:
2x25MJ
156.66 m/s
197 cargo M
Main - AB IRE PAC PBE A HEPT ION
Rear - NONE

Perseus - Not much choice here, comes down to speed vs shield
Plain perseus P Prime:
3x25 MJ
128.56 M/S
76 Cargo M
Main - AB IRE PAC PSG A HEPT
Rear - AB IRE PAC A PSG

Perseus vagaurd/raider Cardinal domain or Trinity sanctum (no difference)
2x25MJ
163.27 M/S
68 cargo M
Main - AB IRE PAC PSG A HEPT
Rear - AB IRE PAC A PSG

Mamba - Gotta go for the raider Family Pride here with turret and 200 speed:
2x25MJ
200.15 M/S
201 cargo L
Main - AB IRE PAC A HEPT MD
Rear - MD

Falcon A.K.A. TANK - gone for the hauler as you dont want to have to search for ecelss too often PTNI or Ministry of Finance.
1x125
80.92
353 cargo L
Main - AB IRE PAC A HEPT PSG ION
Rear - AB IRE PAC A PSG

So thats my top 5. So now its up to what you want.

If speed is an issue then go for the mamba (my fav)
If you want an M3 thats is an M6 in disguise go for the falcon (didnt see that 1 comin)
If you want to annialate everything and dont mind travel go for the Perseus
Dont mind missing a turret - Cuda
Big dogfights, dont mind no speed - Nova

Well thats my view point on it all neway.

Comments?

Edit: Forgot to add that pirates seem to mod their ships in interesting ways - Im always on the lookout for a falcon going 100+m/s

No L & KM3 info as I didnt have it


... Ok the mamba raider only has 1 shield - db I used was wrong but oh well, still a good ship. Shame it looks nothing ike in X2.

[shabbyj]

Argon Nova Raider or Split Mamba Raider

The former is tough, the latter is fast.

[Sandalpocalypse]

the barracuda is at first glance exactly like the mamba except worse in most ways,

but it has a secret weapon. it can mount pulse beam emitters, which are awesome fighter weapons when used along with other, hull damage guns.

expensive tho.

[pmg102]

Don't forget the L

Was my M3 of choice, until I had the credits/rep to buy a Nova Raider.

[Rozgilious Taralius II]

Falcon Sentinel. Nuff said

[RagX]

PBE's rock on a 'Cuda

[JazB]

Got bored of the Nova (made everything a bit too easy...) been using the Mamba recently. I've looked at all the specs, the standard Mamba can equip BPBE's and has 2*25Mw Shields top speed of 157kph, no rear turret though. The Raider version although capable of 200kph can fit AHEPT's, 1*25Mw shield and a MD for rear turret.

Personal preferance - Mamba Raider just cos its faster!

[ww99]

I fly 4 m3s
1) The mamba raider, fast (nuff said). This ship in my opinion takes the most skill to fight in because you cannot just sit around getting hit as you shields are very weak. But can out run missiles or shot them down with a MD in the rear turret. I use when I need a fast and powerful fighter.

2) The normal mamba. I use this as one of my all round fighting ships. PBEs, Hepts, MDs. PBEs great against M5s. Hepts green death . MDs excellent when you are low on power. Good speed and cargo bay space.

3) Nova raider (the pirate version looks better). Good shields, reasonable speed, rear turret for missile defence. I use this ship when I am expecting to run into PSGs as the shields last longer than the Mambas.

4) Persus. PSGs, PSGs and PSGs that's all. Useful when no allies are around.

Overall the best all rounder is the Mamba in my humble opinion

[JonR]

Thanks for the feedback. I didnt have info for L and KM3 so couldnt do those. Also i have no experience of PBEs as I dont have an M3 yet but by the sounds of it they are a weapon I should get to kno

Unfortunatly there is no Falcon sentinal ... Otherwise ... BOOM

[tphater]

Very nice work.
I agree on mostly everything.

[Darth Malice]

I prefer the mamba raider, because its fast and free. I played x2 in a Nova, but it is almost indesturctible and made the game to easy

[Looney]

The ship spread sheet.... Says there is a merc tanker 2 that has a speed of 100, 5 x 25mj sheilding. I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS IN THE CURRENT GAME? can anyone confirm?

Great spreadsheet thanks.

Loons

[nNemethon]

The ship spread sheet.... Says there is a merc tanker 2 that has a speed of 100, 5 x 25mj sheilding. I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS IN THE CURRENT GAME? can anyone confirm?

Great spreadsheet thanks.

Loons

Yup, can do... sort of...

I know that you can buy the Merc super tanker version thngy, carries 5x25's but I thought top speed was like 58m/s or so. If it can 100, hell, ima buy heaps of em for uni-traders,

[Looney]

yeah i know.....

i have been looking for this elusive ship for ages now.
i still cannot find one that does 100 in speed

[JTressy]

Yup good guide! Mamba Raider works fine for me, the only thing I dislike is its weak shielding, trying to dogfight with a Nova that has an A-HEPT in the rear turret can get hairy! And also that it can only take an MD in the rear turret - I'd much rather just stick an A-IRE on missile defence and be done with it...