[X3TC] Missile Guide

[nipplefish]

Hey everyone...
I've been looking all over the place for some info on the missiles in X3TC. All I managed to dredge up were little tidbits here and there and some ancient threads from previous games. There are plenty of charts showing the stats of the missiles but nothing giving any info as to how they actually work. So I decided to take it upon myself to try to compile all this info into a little guide.

I've been playing for a while but just recently have begun to really like missiles. I've been making an effort to try all of them at least once, but I'll need some help getting all the info together. Especially the Terran missiles which I have no experience with. So any insight in the replies will be added to the guide.

If you see something wrong or have an idea of something to add, just let me know.

I'll start with all the specs from the Encyclopedia and add onto it as I play and as you post.
So, here goes nothing:

Missile Types Description:
Image Recognition: Basically fire and forget. Target the enemy ship and fire away. The missile will follow the target until it hits, is shot down, or runs out of fuel.
Dumbfire: Point and shoot. No targeting computer in the missile, so it will just fly in a straight line.
Swarm: The missile splits up into several smaller warheads, good for confusing turrets and wreaking general havoc.
Note:The damage listed in the Encyclopedia for Swarms is PER WARHEAD, not total. (thanks kurush)
Proximity Detonation: Has an area-of-effect explosion that is triggered near an enemy ship.
Heat-seeking: These do not require a target; just toss 'em in the general direction of the enemy and they'll track his exhaust.
Special: There are a few missiles with unique properties; see the individual descriptions for details.


Low-Yield Missiles

Mosquito Missile
Missile Type: Image Recognition
Range: 14.7km
Speed: 590m/s
Ware Size: S
Volume: 1
Average Price: 168
Max Damage: 200
Mountable On: Basically all Commonwealth ships
The Mosquito is the lowest-yield missile in the X Universe. It is not particularly useful as a combat missile. This does not make it useless, however. The Missile Defense Mosquito command allows a ship with Mosquitos in its cargo bay (not necessarily equipped) to use them to automatically shoot down incoming missiles. They are perfect for this task with their high speed and homing ability. Mosquitos are cheap and plentiful.

Rapier Missile
Missile Type: Homing Missile
Range: 100km
Speed: 657m/s
Ware Size: S
Volume: 1
Average Price: 1348
Max Damage: 1 000
Mountable On: Most Commonwealth ships
The Rapier is both the fastest and the longest-ranged missile in the Universe. Good for picking off fast M5s that have flown past you while you're fighting their larger brothers.



Firefly Missile
Missile Type: Dumbfire / Proximity
Range: 25km
Speed: 576m/s
Ware Size: S
Volume: 1
Average Price: 224
Max Damage: 1500
Mountable On: Most Commonwealth ships
These are pretty much useless IMO. They're dumbfire so it's nearly impossible to hit fast-moving targets and they're too weak to hurt larger, slower ones. Plus they have a very low selling price so it's not even really worth picking them up as salvage.


Sting
Missile Type: Homing Missile / Proximity
Range: 40km
Speed: 257m/s
Ware Size: S
Volume: 1
Average Price: 3368
Max Damage: 4000
Mountable On: Kha'ak Ships


Firelance Missile
Missile Type: Dumbfire / Proximity
Range: 50km
Speed: 500m/s
Ware Size: S
Volume: 1
Average Price: 2696
Max Damage: 4500
Mountable On: Most Commonwealth ships
Another dumbfire missile without much combat use, but they're at least worth something at the equipment docks.



Dragonfly Missile
Missile Type: Image Recognition / Proximity Detonation
Range: 18.7km
Speed: 250m/s
Ware Size: S
Volume: 1
Average Price: 1012
Max Damage: 5000
Mountable On: Most Commonwealth ships
Not bad, not all that great, just somewhere in between. It'll kill M5s if they aren't too fast for it and give a decent smack to M4s.


Disruptor Missile
Missile Type: Image Recognition
Range: 40km
Speed: 514m/s
Ware Size: S
Volume: 1
Average Price: 3368
Max Damage: 6000
Mountable On: Most Commonwealth ships M4 or larger
A very fast homing missile that will lay the smack down on small fighter craft. This missile has the distinction of being impossible to buy anywhere, nor can a Disruptor factory; it can only be found as salvage.


Hurricane Missile
Missile Type: Image Recognition / Proximity Detonation
Range: 30km
Speed: 471m/s
Ware Size: S
Volume: 3
Average Price: 4044
Max Damage: 6000
Mountable On: Most Commonwealth ships M4 or larger
A bit slower than the Disruptor, a bit shorter-ranged, takes up a bit more space in the cargo bay. Has an area-of-effect explosion. Not bad for small targets if space isn't an issue.



Needle
Missile Type: Seeker
Range: 26.7km
Speed: 174m/s
Ware Size: S
Volume: 2
Average Price: 6740
Max Damage: 7450
Mountable On: Kha'ak Ships


Wasp Missile
Missile Type: Seeker / Swarm
Range: 18.1km
Speed: 560m/s
Ware Size: S
Volume: 1
Average Price: 1348
Max Damage: 1000 per warhead / 8000 total
Mountable On: Most Commonwealth ships
The smallest of the Swarm missiles, this is a high-speed weapon good for taking down those pesky M4s and M5s. Can be very useful for distracting turrets away from bigger missiles or for a strafing run.



Aurora Missile
Missile Type: Dumbfire / Manual Trigger
Range: 18.7km
Speed: 589m/s
Ware Size: S
Volume: 3
Average Price: 2020
Max Damage: 8000
Mountable On: Most Commonwealth ships
A dumbfire missile with a pilot-activated trigger. Basically, press fire, then press fire again to explode the missile. Sounds cool, but isn't very useful.

Poltergeist Missile
Missile Type: Swarm
Range: 12.5km
Speed: 250m/s
Ware Size: S
Volume: 2
Average Price: 3368
Max Damage: 1 500 per warhead / ? total
Mountable On: ATF/USC ships of all sizes

Medium-Yield Missiles


Wildfire Missile
Missile Type: Seeker
Range: 33.3km
Speed: 246m/s
Ware Size: S
Volume: 1
Average Price: 3386
Max Damage: 15000
Mountable On: Most Commonwealth M4 or larger ships
A decent, reasonably quick missile with good range. Will one-shot M5s and do a pretty good number on most M4s or M3s.


Thorn
Missile Type: Seeker
Range: 17.7km
Speed: 158m/s
Ware Size: M
Volume: 3
Average Price: 13476
Max Damage: 15000
Mountable On: Kha'ak Ships


Silkworm Missile
Missile Type: Image Recognition
Range: 28.4km
Speed: 190m/s
Ware Size: S
Volume: 2
Average Price: 5052
Max Damage: 19000
Mountable On: Most Commonwealth ships M4 or larger
Another pretty good seeker missile for fighting M4s and M3s.


Cyclone Missile
Missile Type: Seeker / Proximity Detonation
Range: 60km
Speed: 148m/s
Ware Size: M
Volume: 3
Average Price: 20216
Max Damage: 23000
Mountable On: Most Commonwealth M3 or larger ships
Has very good range, but is also pretty slow. Can be useful vs. slow M3s, but is better fit for the equipment dock.


Windstalker Missile
Missile Type: Dumbfire, Manual Trigger
Range: 22.2km
Speed: 179m/s
Ware Size: S
Volume: 1
Average Price: 6740
Max Damage: 30000
Mountable On: Most Commonwealth M3 or larger ships


Flail Barrage Missile
Missile Type: Homing / Swarm
Range: 58.3km
Speed: 486m/s
Ware Size: M
Volume: 5
Average Price: 2696
Max Damage: 5000 per warhead / ? total
Mountable On: Commonwealth M7Ms


Ghoul Missile
Missile Type: Swarm
Range: 56.3km
Speed: 450m/s
Ware Size: M
Volume: 3
Average Price: 33692
Max Damage: 6500 per warhead / ? total
Mountable On: ATF Skirnir

Tempest Missile
Missile Type:
Range: 62.4km
Speed: 195m/s
Ware Size: M
Volume: 5
Average Price: 13476
Max Damage: 60 000
Mountable On: Most Commonwealth M3 or larger ships

Banshee Missile
Missile Type: Image Recognition
Range: 14.8km
Speed: 153m/s
Ware Size: S
Volume: 1
Average Price: 13476
Max Damage: 74 000
Mountable On: Most Commonwealth M3 or larger ships
Good damage but slow and relatively short-ranged. These are common finds on pirate ships; they are often what the pirates are firing when they are killed by their own missiles exploding in their face.


Thunderbolt Missile
Missile Type: Heat Seeking
Range: 78km
Speed: 195m/s
Ware Size: M
Volume: 6
Average Price: 8424
Max Damage: 75000
Mountable On: Most Commonwealth M3 or larger ships
Good for taking down M3s, but takes up a lot of cargo space.

High-Yield Missiles

Remote Guided Warhead
Missile Type: Special: Guided by player
Range: 80km
Speed: 142m/s
Ware Size: S
Volume: 3
Average Price: 26952
Max Damage: 100 000
Mountable On: Most Commonwealth M4 or larger ships, even a few M5s
This is supposedly a missile that can be steered by the player. I have not figured out how to do this; it appears to act like a normal seeker missile. As a normal missile it has decent damage but is very slow-moving and easy to shoot down.


Beluga Missile
Missile Type: Seeker
Range: 90km
Speed: 211m/s
Ware Size: M
Volume: 1
Average Price: 26952
Max Damage: 100 000
Mountable On: Most Commonwealth M3 or larger ships




Hornet Missile
Missile Type: Image Recognition
Range: 31.23km
Speed: 186m/s
Ware Size: M
Volume: 3
Average Price: 10108
Max Damage: 200 000
Mountable On: Most Commonwealth M6 or larger ships
A great missile for attacking larger ships like M6 and M7s. Also will splatter an M3 with a single hit. Decent speed and range, and cheap for the amount of damage it does.


Typhoon Missile
Missile Type: Homing Missile / Swarm
Range: 75km
Speed: 195m/s
Ware Size: M
Volume: 3
Average Price: 80856
Max Damage: 30 000 per warhead / ? total
Mountable On: Most Commonwealth M6 or larger ships


Spectre Missile
Missile Type: Homing / heat seeking/ proximity
Range: 24.7km
Speed: 190m/s
Ware Size: M
Volume: 5
Average Price: 7860
Max Damage: 260 000
Mountable On: USC/ATF ships M3 and larger


Anti-Capital Ship/Anti-Station Missiles


Hammer Heavy Torpedo
Missile Type: Proximity Detonation
Range: 75.9km
Speed: 253m/s
Ware Size: M
Volume: 20
Average Price: 50536
Max Damage: 300 000
Mountable On: Commonwealth M7Ms


Tornado Missile
Missile Type: Swarm / Dumbfire
Range: 25km
Speed: 312m/s
Ware Size: M
Volume: 8
Average Price: 16844
Max Damage: 50 000 per warhead / ? total
Mountable On: Most Commonwealth M3 or larger ships

Tomahawk Heavy Missile
Missile Type: Missile
Range: 43.12km
Speed: 196m/s
Ware Size: M
Volume: 2
Average Price: 22460
Max Damage: 625 000
Mountable On: Commonwealth M8s

Wraith Missile
Missile Type: Swarm / homing / proximity / heat seeking
Range: 51km
Speed: 170m/s
Ware Size: L
Volume: 1
Average Price: 33692
Max Damage: 125 000 / 625 000 total
Mountable On: ATF/USC ships M6 or larger (also Hyperion Vanguard)


Phantom Missile
Missile Type: Proximity Detonation
Range: 53km
Speed: 212m/s
Ware Size: M
Volume: 1
Average Price: 22460
Max Damage: 650 000
Mountable On: USC Claymore M8

Shadow Missile
Missile Type: Swarm / Proximity
Range: 80.85km
Speed: 245m/s
Ware Size: L
Volume: 18
Average Price: 53344
Max Damage: 755 000 per warhead / ? total
Mountable On: ATF Skirnir M7

Firestorm Torpedo
Missile Type: Homing Torpedo
Range: 99km
Speed: 165m/s
Ware Size: M
Volume: 7
Average Price: 80856
Max Damage: 1 000 000
Mountable On: Most Commonwealth M6 or larger ships



Hammerhead Missile
Missile Type: Seeker
Range: 86km
Speed: 172m/s
Ware Size: M
Volume: 1
Average Price: 80856
Max Damage: 1 250 000
Mountable On: Most Commonwealth M3 or larger ships
The ultimate big BOOM missile. You want to have some distance between you and this thing when it goes off; definitely do not fire it if you are under enemy fire! Will take down a TL in one shot and a few of them will make short work of capital ships.

[kurush]

You might want to add that for multiple-warhead missiles the damage is specified per warhead. That changes the picture significantly.
For Wraith the # of warheads is 5 (I think) and for Shadow Missile - 7 or 8. This is something not really apparent from the encyclopedia.

[Kapakio]

Very nice, but there's one feature that need to be added. The ability to select another target if the original is destroyed.

[Gothsheep]

I always found it funny that the Beluga and Hammerhead missiles are Terran missiles (it says so in the description) which can not be fired by Terran ships.

I guess the USC just felt the universe wasn't dangerous enough, so they started developing powerful missiles for Commonwealth ships and sending them off to pirate clans.

[Geek]

As suggested above, the info is wrong for all swarm missiles. IE wasp : each warhead does 1000 damage, up to 8000 total.

[nipplefish]

Thanks for the info, updated. I haven't used a lot of the swarms, so if anyone can confirm the number of warheads in some them I'd appreciate it.

[NUKLEAR-SLUG]

All swarm misssiles are 8x warheads

[Snowship]

I always found it funny that the Beluga and Hammerhead missiles are Terran missiles (it says so in the description) which can not be fired by Terran ships.

I guess the USC just felt the universe wasn't dangerous enough, so they started developing powerful missiles for Commonwealth ships and sending them off to pirate clans.

Supply arms to the enemy of your enemy is a long military tradition

(remember at the start of TC the Terrans weren't "friends" with the commonwealth races

[Gothsheep]

Heh. I kid, but this kind of thing is honestly a very amateurish mistake. I feel bad for whoever Egosoft's Quality Assurance people are.

[Kapakio]

You're still missing the re-target capable missiles.

[kurush]

All swarm misssiles are 8x warheads

Are you absolutely sure? I think I see only 5 for Wraiths and I already fired like 300 of them... And Flail certainly seems to be more than 8...

[Seleucius]

Don't use Wraiths myself, but I can promise you Flails have precisely 8 warheads.

[Shadowfront]

I suppose I'll ask it here.

From what info I read in encyclopedia, swarm missiles, like Wasps, can engage multiple targets. So, is it actually like I have a dosen of Khaak scouts in front of me, I shoot a Wasp at one of them, and each of 8 warheads goes for it's own target? Or do they all go for the one I targetted?

[Geek]

All the warheads engage one target at a time. However, some missiles (swarm type or not) can acquire another target if the first one is destroyed, as pointed above.

[brucewarren]

Good idea for a guide

The disruptor missile famously cannot be bought, but I don't
think they unique in this (feel free to correct me)

Might I suggest that as information becomes available, you include for
each missile

a) which race(s) sell the missile (if any)
b) which races(s) sell the factory to make them (if any)

Oh, and firestorms are also dangerous to the player if fired at close range.

[Killjaeden]

Aurora Missile:
The silly trigger prevents you from spamming so they are just crap...

Tornado Missile:
very usefull against capitalships if you are in a fighter. Strafe and fire if you are flying towards the enemy. Beware enemyturretfire or you get toasted.

Tempest Missile:
Very good if you are spamming them against big groups of enemy M3.
If the target gets destroyed they seek for the next one so they are not wasted. Fire your missiles at a target that don't has turrets or flies towards you.

Remote Guided Warhead:
Don't think you can guide em. I use them against PTDclusters that spawn in commonwealth sectors. Slow but they don't get shot down and have good range so i can shoot from the other side of the sector if my adv.sat. scouted one. Instand death to the cluster. Dropped quite often by Military Patrols/ Pirateconvois and Hightech/Weapontrader M3's.

Typhoon Missile:
Pure M6 Killer. Also good to remove the last few percent off enemyshields if you try tp capture a M7 or bigger with a M6 and a M8. A bit overkill for M3/M3+, Eclipse and some Falcon types excluded.

[Shadowfront]

Ah, like one warhead destroys the target, and other seven aquire another one and so on? So which of the swarms can actually do that? I think the Khaak got me pissed enough to start using missiles after all...

[NUKLEAR-SLUG]

Self-seeker swarm missiles is limited to Wasp, Flail and Poltergeist

[Shadowfront]

Thanks, good enough. Guess I'll start spamming wasps at those stupid pyramid things.

[dalin80]

i dont think that rapier missiles can be either purchased or constructed.

might be wrong but i have to find a fab.