X3 TC v.3.0 Finding the Aran (spoilers)

[ThommoHawk]

I understand the Aran is found in the UFJD sectors - and I have made a fair few jumps without seeing it anywhere, and would like to know what other players experienced when first finding it ie:

Is it easy to spot? and if not, then what to look for, the type of sector it was in, approx locations on the xyz coordinates (ie: '50 km above 0 on the ecliptic' or something) - could it be seen just by scanning around with the video xpansion goggles? Or was it necessary to do a full sector exploration? I know it is a randomly generated sector / ship etc. I just want a rough idea of how far out I need to go to find it.

I hardly ever use the UFJD - exept now I'm trying to find the ship - so am hoping it is not necessary to make a full sector exploration everytime I go there.

EDIT: I found one and capped it with 5 marines from my Hyperion Vangaurd. Myth Busted? 'can't cap the Aran using and M6 anymore ...'

[Rogue]

I've only found one so far, What I was doing was jumping in dropping an Adv sat then going to sector map and pressing K to check for the shillouette and then a quick visual scan around my ship and out.

When I did find it it was well outside of sattellite range but still very visible. Directly behind my ship

[Kirlack]

The only one I ever found (and subsequently couldn't capture since I was flying my Hyperion *sigh*) was ~90km below the ecliptic and ~100km north of centre.

I got lucky in spotting it whilst I was out that way blasting Xenon and picked up the running lights with my vid-gogs.

Apparently you can make the search far easier by dropping Advanced Sats and using the remote viewing to scan around the sector, but I've not yet tried this personally (too busy playing my pirate games lately ).

Good luck in your hunt

[imperium3]

In general it's quite easy to spot because it's fairly large, distinctive and lit up like a Christmas tree - so a scan around with video enhancement goggles (and a little excursion to check behind asteroids if there are large ones close by) is all that I needed. The tricky bit is that it can be quite capricious in how often it turns up - I found two after a number of jumps (though the first was right next to a Khaak station and impossible for me to acquire with the relatively limited firepower of a Hyperion) but some people find loads easily, and others have searched for hundreds of jumps and never seen one.

@Kirlack Yes it is possible to take an Aran with a Hyperion (though this was before boarding got a lot harder so it's probably near-impossible now, though still doable). M7M does of course make it a lot easier provided you remember to bring along some Flails and Hammers in case of nasties.

[Kirlack]

I know it was possible pre the 2.6 patch, but i was just really, really unlucky, in that I'd patched to 2.6 and then completed the Goner plot *sigh* I've long since started over and will go Aran hunting soon, just need some more mercs to fill my Kraken

[ThommoHawk]

I know it was possible pre the 2.6 patch, but i was just really, really unlucky, in that I'd patched to 2.6 and then completed the Goner plot *sigh* I've long since started over and will go Aran hunting soon, just need some more mercs to fill my Kraken

does completing the goner plot affect if you can board the Aran? not sure what you meant there ...

[Jawms]

I know it was possible pre the 2.6 patch, but i was just really, really unlucky, in that I'd patched to 2.6 and then completed the Goner plot *sigh* I've long since started over and will go Aran hunting soon, just need some more mercs to fill my Kraken

does completing the goner plot affect if you can board the Aran? not sure what you meant there ...

he meant he patched before completing the plot, therefore not able to roll-back the changes.

[Snafu_X3]

does completing the goner plot affect if you can board the Aran? not sure what you meant there ...

Well, yes: until you complete the Goner plot you don't have a UFJD

[Omini]

I've found 3 but only ever capped 1.

They are very easy to spot by your own eye. Though if there are asteroids present in the sector, target them and press F3 to switch video feed to the asteroid, then zoom out and look around that way.

2 of the 3 I've found were close around the middle of the sector, though there was 1 that was 100 km away from the nearest asteroid. The Aran is massive, remember it needs to be big enough to dock an M2 at So first focus on in and around the middle of the sector, then when that seems empty then have a visual glance around in the distance. If you spot something that seems a little out of place, investigate with the goggles.

[Fith]

As Omini has said.

The easiest way that I have found to search a sector is to target an asteroid close to the centre of the sector. Press F3 and using the Keyboard Number Pad zoom out with the +/- keys. Centre the view with the 5 key, then swivel left and right with the 4/6 keys. Finally use the 8/2 keys to raise and lower the view for complete scan.

Points to remember:

Bind the UFJD to a key and use SETA to speed up the jump delay.

The larger the asteroid/object the further out you can zoom.

The Aran is LARGE!. When zoomed out look for interference/sparkle [its a 3d model after all] in the back ground. Some of the smaller roids may look a bit like a ship but closer inspection / movement will show them as rocks. Most importantly if you looked all around and you missed it, it wasnt there!

I had over 100 jumps before the first Aran. Way out on the edge of the sector. The second was 20 jumps later.

Use an M7m, you don't want to miss the opportunity because you cant get enough bodies in.

Salvage insurance so you can save in sector.

Deal with the enemies that follow you. You want piece an quite to 'Repair' the Aran before boarding. My Marines kept abandoning ship on the second Aran as it was about to fall apart. You will have to space walk unless you script in a repair laser [thank you Cycrow scripts].

To stop the monotony, accept BUILD Missions. I found that on return to normal space, available missions had significantly increased. So I would select a sector that needed development, make 10 or so UFD jumps and accept the Build missions [you will need some time to board the Aran if it appears]. After 10 jumps, complete the missions, then rinse and repeat. (Never accept more than 30 mission at a time!)

Make sure you have enough energy on board to get back. [The only time I didn't, none was spawned in sector....]

[ThommoHawk]

Well, I found one (42 jumps), piloting a hyp vangaurd - and got it with five marines. So much for the myth that you can't cap them with a m6 anymore in TC v.3. I was surprised to find the Aran is an M1 though I thought it would be some sort of a XL sized TL. This now means I can deploy my HQ in sectors that are not close to jumpdrive outlets, and still be able to quickly get my manufactured big ships over to them etc.

note: Sad that it has been completely gutted as to having zero laser and missile compatibility (completely opposite to the Truelight Seeker, which has universal wep. compatibility, but weak shields and poor cargo space).

When I realised it had a 34,200MJ shield generator for its 6x2GJ shields, I thought 'maybe this is it's weapon - shields recharging at twice the rate of an Osaka's (18,720 MJ), must be pretty good ...' but not really - jumping into a Khaak sector to see what punishment it could take, I found it lasted about 90 seconds before destruction - and that was just from fighters and a few corvettes, without a M1, or M2 in sight.

The Aran has no defence capacity at all. The Egosoft Balance Boys should have at least included mosquito missiles for missile defence, and mining lasers - so this could be the ultimate large capacity mining base ship. It should have been re-classified as an TXL (reather than M1) imo. Well, the capacity to transport big ships is fantastic.

[Gold Dragon]

Perhaps. But think on this abit, too, Thommohawk.

The original purpose of the Goner M1 Aran was for Mobile Ship-building (X3:R XTM). And Goners are Pacifists. Unless you are preventing them from building temples.

[ThommoHawk]

Perhaps. But think on this abit, too, Thommohawk.

The original purpose of the Goner M1 Aran was for Mobile Ship-building (X3:R XTM). And Goners are Pacifists. Unless you are preventing them from building temples.

That's interesting - so why did the Goners class it as an M1 then? This makes my feeling a lot stronger that it really should be classified as TXL (Transport Extra Large), or in light of this information, FSXL Factory Ship Extra Large. It is not a Military ship at all.

[mangar]

Just some input, I found my first half a dozen Arans with Krakens and cobras. noothing the first 40 jumps. I restarted my computer and the first UFJ there she was, after the 11 jump another, 8 ufj later another, 37 another.

Then I thought it would be great to use a skrikos the ship that holds 30 marines, wow I thought 30 marines one shot boarding experience. Over 150 UFJs not one aran? Ok I thought, I went back to my cobra and the first UFJ, another aran hidding behind an roid.

Not sure but it seems when you get greedy to take more than 20 marines I never found one? I have over 1000 UFJ, have reloaded a few times so only 200+ registar with my uplink. I think I have close to 12 Arans now if not more.

Also wonder why when I first boot my computer some days would be aran after aran, other days not one in sight. Kind of makes me wonder if a % of chance is loaded everytime the game starts? I am not sure but if I would go more than 50 jumps I would reboot the game and then would get one after the other?! then reboot the next day and nothing. I am really not sure but after a year or so of actual game play and three restarts that is one thing I have noticed.

[ThommoHawk]

yeah, probably - I have found the same thing in boarding ops - where you are trying for ages reloading to get all of your marines through a level without them getting toasted with no luck, and then suddenly they manage to do it. Its like a pendulum swinging from yes/no/yes/no ....

[Ravna]

and then suddenly they manage to do it. Its like a pendulum swinging from yes/no/yes/no ....

SETA x 1000% once they're through the hull. 5 in 4 out

Towing the bugger in is another story . . . .
Do yourself a favor and transfer a docking computer, this thing is as maneuverable as 10 dead whales.

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If you have trouble finding one - Jump in and DON'T MOVE.
Switch to external view and pan in all directions.
It's BIG, I saw my last one at +70 km distance.
If you don't see it, it most likely isn't there.

[Lelouch]

If you don't see it, it most likely isn't there.

Or the sector is cloudy and you actually don't see objects after 20 or so kilometers.

Large sectors with a big galaxy in the background are relatively easy to scan. The Aran may spawn in sectors without hostile activity, but so far I've not found it in non-Xenon / non-Kha'ak infested sectors.

[Ravna]

Or the sector is cloudy and you actually don't see objects after 20 or so kilometers.

That doesn't seem to matter. I got my last in one of those "Red Mist" sectors.
The Aran was clearly visible 70Ks out.

I never saw any activity, hostile or otherwise, when there was an Aran to claim.
Got there, tickled it, marines in, dock, jump, dock to HQ, recycle.
Piece of cake really.
I seem to be very lucky when it comes to finding Arans, I see one about every 10th jump.
Mostly without a single marine aboard . . .
One strange thing is that you can pull it without owning it.
I tried to tractor-jump it out but that didn't work.

[ThommoHawk]

Well, so far I got 6 of them, the last one being just 26km from centre. But the one which was furtherest to date, was 156km off from point zero. bear that in mind when Aran seeking. This would NOT be easily visible at all, if against 'normal' space backdrop, and I only spotted it because it was a very well defined, but tiny sillouette against a bright galaxy, and in a clear sector. So it is big enough to spot that far away if lucky. I wonder what the record is for 'distance away', the aran is..

[Spaceweed Adict]

Well, so far I got 6 of them, the last one being just 26km from centre. But the one which was furtherest to date, was 156km off from point zero. bear that in mind when Aran seeking. This would NOT be easily visible at all, if against 'normal' space backdrop, and I only spotted it because it was a very well defined, but tiny sillouette against a bright galaxy, and in a clear sector. So it is big enough to spot that far away if lucky. I wonder what the record is for 'distance away', the aran is..

Well all I can say is I an't letting no Gonars fly my ships.
Seems those guys can get lost in there own back yard.