X3 AP: why do M7C ships, have built in Drone Haulers?!

[Silverblade The Enchanter]

been away from game for a while, since before 2.0 patch
started again today and noted when I bought an Ariadne, one of new M7C class, that the ship has a built in drone hauler
eh?!

and what good are these ships?
the lore states they are DRONE carriers, but you cannot buy the "drone hauler" that I can see, so can only use standard drones? do they not have special new ocmmands to use such or AI or what??

Feels very poorly or half-done

as noted in prior threads and many grumps by folks, fighters = useless at later levels due to complexity of equipping/cost of losses
so was hoping for proper drone carriers
plus fits with the game lore
and I have keis and MKII drone fabs

Ariadne sweet looking ship
Also bought a cormorant, hey, dual gaus cannon up front isn't to be sniffed at.

So it can carry TP and TS ships? only one or maximimum loading of 24?

[Jumee]

its probably just a left-over from XTC, these "drone carriers" are normal light carriers with no special abilities

Ariadne and I think Guppy can carry 1 TS/TP each

[Silverblade The Enchanter]

[Sylthos]

XTC is an expansion mod made for TC.

You can find it here.

[ConCorDian]

i'd like them to even add the Drone Hauler class as a purchasable ship... they could make decent "throw-away" M4 fighters, and would fit well with role playing. even if they could only be docked at the M7C class and nothing else to give the M7C a specific role.

im probably going to regret saying this but the M7C needs something done with it... i know it fills a role as an step up from TM as a player carrier, and i do like the class... but you cant really argue with the fact that they have a very limited window of use.. if you got the money flowing in, youd buy a Panther or an M1. once that happens what can the M7C truly do that the Panther cant do better... or an M1? i know they are a lot more expensive but if you look at cost effectivness the M7C doesn't really compair to them once your making that kind of money.

if they could fit a dirt cheap, m4 fitted with EBC's (which the model veiwer says the Drone Haulers can fit 4 EBC) and its single 5Mj sheild that would give them something to do... even if those drones are say 250-300k credits each but come equiped with the EBC's and initial 10-15 crates of ammo. (EBC's could not be removed in anyways, they would be "integrated" properly with the Drone... and under no circumstances be player pilotable) you could dump these things off for cheaper than an normal M4... in most cases packing more damage than the average M4. and leave them... if some survive then jump back and collect them, reload their EBC ammo compliment and replace what youve lost.... that would give the M7C a decent purpose for even end game play!!

[Sk_2013]

I've used cheat engine to get these Drone Haulers In-game, and they do make excellent throwaway fighters. They're tiny, but if they could come automaticly with their 4 weapons, plus shields and a few missiles (each race has a specific drone hauler i.e. different design, etc.). Terran Drone Haulers look like itty bitty Rapiers with EMPCs. Boron Drone haulers are clearly boron, complete with ISRs. They all also have the ability to stock about five missiles.

Now, assuming EGOSOFT allows one to buy these at a fairly cheap price, complete with all equipment, and this could solve the problem of fighter classes sucking late game (hard to equip, pain to find the mats., expensive), and they would make carriers one hell of a force to be reckoned with. The DPS isn't a problem (The drones are great: fast, powerful, maneuverable), but I'm concerned about ease of use and price.

[Baddieus]

[ConCorDian]

yeh, its there to make you THINK