[TC] M7 class

Painman · Post by **Painman** » Tue, 25. Nov 08, 11:24

I've looked over the M7s and tried a few, but keep coming back to the Panther... if you can source the IBLs for its frontal array, it makes the M1 class obsolete.

I'm not sure why Ego decided to make it such a hassle to get IBLs in most games (those in which the Loo's IBL forge gets wasted); with the amount of credits to be made from combat, I imagine lots of folks foregoing the M7 class and just buying any of the major race M2s, which are, ironically, far easier to equip for heavy combat. All races make PPCs. While only the Teladi make FLAK, they aren't sellable to any EQ dock by the AI, so they tend to sit around at the forges until you buy them up. Both times I've gone out to furnish a Boreas with 16 FLAKs I had little trouble finding them in a fully explored Universe.

RedLeader · Post by **RedLeader** » Tue, 25. Nov 08, 17:40

Silly greenhorn me

I got a whole batch of PPCs, which don't exactly fit in Cerberus. Guess I didn't remember it's specs well enough

So I reloaded and now i'm in a bit of dilemma:

buy Cerberus and find & get some big punchers for it (other turrets are easy, flak arrays and cluster flak arrays are the obvious way to go) or

save for a full battleship or

better invest those 45 mil in a growing trading & production empire to get cash rolling in. That way cash flow would be easier in the future, only it would require trial & error as I suspect.

It is an obvious idea to explore more and try out other ship types and I'm gonna do that anyway (too bad that only argon and human rep is stellar, some of the other races are mildly angry because of some assasination missions). Oh well, that Panther just deserves a closer look.

Continuing on Terran plot also seems a good idea for its freebies. That could be the answer to getting some power (Vidar) while conserving money.

So while project Cerberus is shelved for immediate future, I kinda like its sleek design and will surely add to my taskforce sooner or later.

RedLeader · Post by **RedLeader** » Tue, 25. Nov 08, 20:30

I read in some X3R discussion that some M7s (Cerberus etc) can attach a single M6. Is this still true in X3TC?

Painman · Post by **Painman** » Tue, 25. Nov 08, 20:32

RedLeader wrote:I read in some X3R discussion that some M7s (Cerberus etc) can attach a single M6. Is this still true in X3TC?

There was only one M7 in X3:R (the Hyperion, which is now an M6 in X3:TC). It could dock 2 fighters up to M3+ class, and this is still the case.

DarthVodka · Post by **DarthVodka** » Tue, 25. Nov 08, 20:36

My vote for best M7 is going to the Agamemnon.

I had a Cerb at first... nice starting M7 but I found it to be a little too light on the shields.
Then I tried the Yokohama and loved it! Very small size for an M7 making it much easier to avoid incoming fire. But eventually I found its main weakness to be the lack of anti-capital weapons. M/AMs are fantastic guns... just not for dealing with M2s. Same goes for the Aegir (managed to cap my first last week with a boarding pod

) If you like the Yokohama then you really got to try one of those!
After that I went with a Panther and then the Tiger. I didn't like having nothing for my trigger finger to do when flying the Panther, and found both to be a wee bit too long when turning, causing me to sweep up half the sector's traffic

Now I'm onto the Agamemnon, and I love it! It's a little slower than the Split M7's but makes up for this by being much smaller, and better shielded. Also, as well as its 8 main guns, it has a front turret with 4. Plus 4 on the left and right, and 2 on the back. You can mount FAAs or IBLs in the front, right and left turrets making it a ship that's great for clearing both fighters and capitals. And if you're feeling really mean, it mounts PSGs all round.

Best of all, it's completely free! Well almost. Cost me two marines.

RedLeader · Post by **RedLeader** » Tue, 25. Nov 08, 20:51

Hmm, another option to consider. Options, choices, and more options

RedLeader · Post by **RedLeader** » Thu, 27. Nov 08, 21:42

What are good frigate-class weapons for main gun use?

pjknibbs · Post by **pjknibbs** » Fri, 28. Nov 08, 08:51

RedLeader wrote:What are good frigate-class weapons for main gun use?

There aren't really any frigate-class guns as such. You get corvette-class guns like the CIG and the HEPT, and the next step up are capital class guns (PPC, Ion Cannon, Gauss Cannon, and IBL). My Deimos has a full set of CIGs on the front because they do slightly greater damage than HEPTs, but nonetheless it struggles against true capital ships because of the relatively low damage (8xCIG does about the same shield damage as 2xPPC).

Esgaro · Post by **Esgaro** » Fri, 28. Nov 08, 18:10

M7 is probably my favorite ship class to play. While M2s are undeniably more powerful, especially with MARS, due to having huge arrays of high power weapons and a lot of laser energy, they make me feel like more of an observer than an actual player. M7s give you the benefit of good shielding, good weapon support, and in all but one case a forward battery of guns to aim. The downside is that the weaponry in some M7s leaves you feeling a little underpowered when you are facing swarms of real cap ships.

M7s also have a good variety of ship classes to chose between. You have the thresher which can equip M2 style guns on its forward battery. You have the tiger, a fantastic little mini-carrier. You have the Deimos/Agamemnon, with truly excellent shielding and the ability to equip PSGs, and some light carrier capacity in the case of the Deimos. You have the Shrike, an affordable M7 which can equip Gauss cannons on its side turrets (oh, if only more M7s could do this) and a respectable hanger.

I probably wouldn't use HEPTs on an M7 though, as mentioned previously, except in the cases of turrets with very limited compatibility. I feel that ISRs generally fill that role better.

All in all, my personal favorite is probably the Deimos/Agamemnon though. Very similar ships. One gets a hanger while the other gets a more useful turret placement. The decent speed for an M7, the almost M2 power shielding, and the ability to equip PSGs (even on your main battery!) make them a lot of fun to fly. Get some flak, ISRs, PSGs, and IBLs for MARS to switch between on the turrets, load up the main battery with PSGs or ISRs, depending on what you want to do, and have at it. For anybody looking at a first time purchase/pirate of an M7 class ship, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this one.

DeBernd · Post by **DeBernd** » Sat, 29. Nov 08, 00:36

I'd go with the Deimos,
Its a great M7, lots of Shieds AND docking spots.
Equip with some CIG, HEPT in front -

Second Choice would be The Terran M7, with starburst cannons. Lethal To fighters, an with N/AM even to M2 if you are a little Patient.
But I use M7 for anti Fighter (including M6) only.

I have a Panther too, but it doesnt pack a punch like the Deimos...

By the way, i recommend the MARS Turret script for your new m7- awesome...

LTerSlash · Post by **LTerSlash** » Sat, 29. Nov 08, 00:43

ATF Skinir.... M7M, 8GJ, dual front laser turrets capable of loading 8x Starburst or M-A/M Launchers each and a rear one with 4x...

Still is an M7M, no boarding, but it can carry the big missiles.

Malkuth74 · Post by **Malkuth74** » Sat, 29. Nov 08, 06:51

Lots of people suggest the panther. I ended up selling mine. In the long run it cost you too much and can not take on a K without its fighters.

And when you start getting higher combat missions with 1-2 Ks per wave its totally outclassed.

Reason is that it really does not have good weapons... And every mission will cost you 20 million in new fighters you have to buy to replace the ones that were destroyed.

Save up for an M2.

LTerSlash · Post by **LTerSlash** » Sat, 29. Nov 08, 07:22

The Panther is not an M7 for taking on capitals... is a light carrier...

If you whant to take on capitals try the Tresher, it can load PPCs on front...

Or the Yokahama, with M/A-M Launchers and starbursts.

Or the Truelight seeker with Gauss Cannons haha... 2x200MJ

Esgaro · Post by **Esgaro** » Sat, 29. Nov 08, 07:22

The Panther/Tiger ships can take out Ks with a bit of strafing, but they really need IBLs on their main guns/turret in order to be able to do it. If you don't have them, the ship loses a lot of its forward power.

LTerSlash · Post by **LTerSlash** » Sat, 29. Nov 08, 07:32

Well, the Shrike has 4GJ, 8ship hangar, 96m/s IBL on main, Gauss Canons on left and right, very weak laser generator trought... if you whant an M7 to destroy capitals is that ship... if not bugged...

Evil_Dude · Post by **Evil_Dude** » Sat, 29. Nov 08, 07:37

My Paranid Deimos has been invaluble, even after i get an M2 (Boron Ray). One aspect that hasn't really been mentioned is that they can mount PSG's, which are especially useful if you find yourself getting overwhelmed by small fighters (think khaak clusters).
Combine that with a reasonable hangar bay, competative speed and maneuverability, and 6GJ shields, and you have an excellent platform for dealing with just about any situation that doesn't involve capital ships.

Oh, and is MARS really that good? Playing with anything other than vanilla seems like cheating to me, so I've been avoiding any scripts. Even if the AI is pants-on-head stupid...

Soulstar · Post by **Soulstar** » Sat, 29. Nov 08, 08:29

20 Xenon Ks & Js plus whatever Ps vs my Tiger with 8xIBL and 10xFAA = I win without any great challenge. Same situation in an M2 and I'm dead within a few minutes. IMO the Tiger is the best player ship for combat in the game. I use M2s only as support. What is best really comes down to your tactics though. I haven't been in the same situation vs Khaak yet, as they seem to have disappeared from my patrol missions. The Thresher looks great on paper but it's really quite crap due simply to its laser generator being too weak. Try them all

money is easy to come by.

LTerSlash · Post by **LTerSlash** » Sat, 29. Nov 08, 08:32

th e Shrike turrets are bugged right? i wonder how those gauss cannons will do...

Soulstar · Post by **Soulstar** » Sat, 29. Nov 08, 09:31

LTerSlash wrote:Or the Truelight seeker with Gauss Cannons haha... 2x200MJ

Lol, and watch the universe bow before your holy might

Sam L.R. Griffiths · Post by **Sam L.R. Griffiths** » Sat, 29. Nov 08, 10:21

Soulstar wrote:
LTerSlash wrote:Or the Truelight seeker with Gauss Cannons haha... 2x200MJ
Lol, and watch the universe bow before your holy might

Hmmm... why not IBLs or PSPs

egosoft.com

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[TC] M7 class