X3AP: Phantom

Max1045 · Post by **Max1045** » Sat, 25. Feb 12, 22:56

Could someone explain to me the purpose of the phantom? I don't understand why it has TEN weapons slots capable of mounting only PRGs and FBLs, and yet only has 1,250 MJ of energy.

It's an awesome looking ship, and its stats are great otherwise. I really WANT to use it, but I can't bring myself to with such low weapons power. Am I missing something, or was it just an oversight?

Catra · Post by **Catra** » Sat, 25. Feb 12, 22:59

its a more heavily armed / shielded TP. the guns are for light suppression so marines can get into the ship they are trying to hijack, not full on brawls.

LV · Post by LV » Sat, 25. Feb 12, 22:59

Sexy marine transporter, pleasure crusier, if you want power go for the geochen

pjknibbs · Post by **pjknibbs** » Sat, 25. Feb 12, 23:00

It's a personnel transporter--it's not *supposed* to be good in a fight. The guns are there to discourage enemies, not allow you to own them!

wRAR · Post by **wRAR** » Sat, 25. Feb 12, 23:02

The question is, why we need TP+ at all, and why they have more weapons (more shields is OK).
But I've bought the Phantom only for its design.

MarineMarauder · Post by **MarineMarauder** » Sat, 25. Feb 12, 23:03

All TP's and TP+'s have bad weapon generators so if you want to use them in an active combat role your best bet is the Geochen as it can mount 8 EBC(ammo based so no energy issues) and 2 HEPT's with 200MJ shielding.

Edit:If youre going for the looks just stay away from anything teladi.

Jumee · Post by **Jumee** » Sat, 25. Feb 12, 23:03

wRAR wrote:The question is, why we need TP+ at all, and why they have more weapons (more shields is OK).
But I've bought the Phantom only for its design.

i boarded cobra with phantom

have no idea why I'm saying it though

anyway it looks great so when you are doing taxi missions you can turn on external view or something I guess

Max1045 · Post by **Max1045** » Sat, 25. Feb 12, 23:08

pjknibbs wrote:It's a personnel transporter--it's not *supposed* to be good in a fight. The guns are there to discourage enemies, not allow you to own them!

Thanks for responding so fast.

I understand that, and I get why the weapons generator is so weak. I guess what bugs me is that it is unable to mount the standard low end weaponry, like IREs and PACs. Also, because it's an Argon ship, I think it should be able to mount Mass Drivers, like the Zephyrus. Based on its size and speed, you could almost turn it into a really cool light m6 by boosting its generators to 10000 MJ. Anyway, I digress.

EDIT: Actually, light m6 is the wrong description. What it reminds me of is a gunboat. Lighter than a corvette, with a lot of turreted weapons. It's not a necessary gap that needs to be filled, but it would be a cool role to fill, kind of like the light escort carriers.

Catra · Post by **Catra** » Sat, 25. Feb 12, 23:09

wRAR wrote:The question is, why we need TP+ at all, and why they have more weapons (more shields is OK).
But I've bought the Phantom only for its design.

because regular TPs were under armed and under shielded for the secondary function they were performing =P

sharkball · Post by **sharkball** » Sat, 25. Feb 12, 23:17

MarineMarauder wrote:
<snip>
...as it can mount 8 EBC(ammo based so no energy issues)
<snip>

PLEASE stop perpetuating this myth! EBC take 6 energy/sec... the Geochen can't mantain more than one of it's turrets for sustained firing... and caps itself out quickly while firing it's main guns...

Again, to summarize: EBC, although ammo based, uses ALOT of energy compared to the generators on the TP+ and will quickly cap it out.

TL;DR - EBC uses energy, so can have energy issues

Raize · Post by **Raize** » Sat, 25. Feb 12, 23:22

sharkball wrote: TL;DR - EBC uses energy, so can have energy issues

Have you actually tested that? I notice Mass Driver also takes 12/s but I have never heard of anyone capping out when using those.

sharkball · Post by **sharkball** » Sat, 25. Feb 12, 23:25

Yes... while flying either the geochen or the ocelot, using only EBCs (not even IREs in the geochen's rear turret - I left it empty) I capped myself out very quickly... the ocelot's recharge is fast enough to support it's 2 turrets (but not the 8 to the front... not even close) and the geochen's is less than that...

Again... I've actually confirmed it... EBC take energy (albeit low amount) that cap out TP+s (though the geochen and the ocelot are still great crafts)

pulzarokkit · Post by **pulzarokkit** » Sat, 25. Feb 12, 23:28

Yeah Ocelot is still the best taxi mission craft.
AS for the phantom i only used it till i bought an Ocelot for missions and Geochen for boarding.

lordmuck · Post by **lordmuck** » Sun, 26. Feb 12, 05:01

its also neat for holding 40 marines ! and you can do some piracy also with it.. which I have just to start me off

A5PECT · Post by **A5PECT** » Sun, 26. Feb 12, 05:23

Raize wrote:Have you actually tested that? I notice Mass Driver also takes 12/s but I have never heard of anyone capping out when using those.

Yes, EBCs do use energy. One EBC uses about as much energy as a single IRE.

Install 9 EBCs and 1 IRE on the front of a Venti and fire only the EBCs. You can see the laser generator being taxed.

Granted it's a very low rate of energy consumption. But as pointed out above, it becomes an issue with weak generators like the ones on TP+s.

LV · Post by LV » Sun, 26. Feb 12, 13:54

doesn't the range balance that out? e.g. MD's have a tiny firing range therefore won't be firing at all times

TP+ are designed to be more
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than

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lordmuck · Post by **lordmuck** » Sun, 26. Feb 12, 18:14

LV wrote:doesn't the range balance that out? e.g. MD's have a tiny firing range therefore won't be firing at all times

TP+ are designed to be more
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than

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EPIC LOL!!!

ConCorDian · Post by **ConCorDian** » Sun, 26. Feb 12, 21:56

the Ocelot has became pretty much the premier Taxi, fast enough to do 90% of taxi missions, looks decent (especially for a split design) and it can also do those pesky missions you NEED a TP for.

Max1045 · Post by **Max1045** » Sun, 26. Feb 12, 22:13

LV wrote:doesn't the range balance that out? e.g. MD's have a tiny firing range therefore won't be firing at all times

TP+ are designed to be more
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than

[ external image ]

Precisely my point. Mass Drivers would allow the Phantom to defend itself, while not becoming an actual threat. It lets it remain in its current role of being the best looking ship in the galaxy, being lightly armed, moderately shielded, fast, and decently sized. All in all, with Mass Drivers, I think it would take the place as the coolest ship in the galaxy.

Radical Concept:

I know this is really unlikely, but hear me out. The phantom should be able to carry a single M5. I say this for three reasons:

1. It wouldn't really overpower it; M5s, are, after all, extremely weak.

2. On the bottom front of the ship, there is what appears to be a hatch. I assume at the moment it is dysfunctional, but it LOOKS like an awesome spot for an M5 to drop out.

3. This is meant to be a luxury yacht, right? How awesome would it be to have an escape pod of sorts? You run into pirates, your shields are down to 15%, you jump into a kestrel and speed away, saving your own life in the most badass way possible. I mean, this is supposed to be for the fat cat "entrepreneurs" (to quote) of the galaxy, right? Don't you suppose they'd like a way to bail themselves out of a fire?

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X3AP: Phantom

X3AP: Phantom