Discoverer

Argon Discoverer Class M5 Scout Buy: Argon Confirmed Friend @ 88,041 Cr Speed (Min-Max) 98.9 - 346.1 m/s Acceleration (Min-Max) 42 - 150 m/s2 Steering (Min-Max) 18.4 - 64.6 RPM Hull Strength 1,000 / 2,000 (AP) Max. Shield (Total) 3 x 1 MJ (3 MJ) Shield Reactor 100 MW Cargo Class (Min-Max) 10 - 50 @ M Laser Capacitor 1,000 MJ Laser Recharge 25 MW                                                                                                          Main x 4

Argon Discoverer Advanced Class M5 Scout Speed (Min-Max) 125 - 437.5 m/s Acceleration (Min-Max) 54 - 190 m/s2 Steering (Min-Max) 21 - 73.5 RPM Hull Strength 1,000 / 2,000 (AP) Max. Shield (Total) 4 x 1 MJ (4 MJ) Shield Reactor 150 MW Cargo Class (Min-Max) 10 - 67 @ M Laser Capacitor 1,200 MJ Laser Recharge 30 MW                                                                                                          Main x 4

Argon Discoverer Hauler Class M5 Scout Buy: Federation Associate @ 93,447 Cr Speed (Min-Max) 103.8 - 363.4 m/s Acceleration (Min-Max) 45 - 157 m/s2 Steering (Min-Max) 18.4 - 64.6 RPM Hull Strength 1,000 / 2,000 (AP) Max. Shield (Total) 3 x 1 MJ (3 MJ) Shield Reactor 100 MW Cargo Class (Min-Max) 13 - 67 @ M Laser Capacitor 1,000 MJ Laser Recharge 25 MW                                                                                                          Main x 4

Argon Discoverer Raider Class M5 Scout Buy: Federation Associate @ 130,753 Cr Speed (Min-Max) 125.6 - 439.6 m/s Acceleration (Min-Max) 54 - 191 m/s2 Steering (Min-Max) 21.6 - 75.6 RPM Hull Strength 1,000 / 2,000 (AP) Max. Shield (Total) 3 x 1 MJ (3 MJ) Shield Reactor 110 MW Cargo Class (Min-Max) 9 - 45 @ M Laser Capacitor 1,000 MJ Laser Recharge 25 MW                                                                                                          Main x 4

Argon Discoverer Vanguard Class M5 Scout Buy: Federation Associate @ 101,518 Cr Speed (Min-Max) 108.8 - 380.7 m/s Acceleration (Min-Max) 47 - 165 m/s2 Steering (Min-Max) 19.4 - 67.8 RPM Hull Strength 1,000 / 2,000 (AP) Max. Shield (Total) 3 x 1 MJ (3 MJ) Shield Reactor 110 MW Cargo Class (Min-Max) 9 - 47 @ M Laser Capacitor 1,200 MJ Laser Recharge 30 MW                                                                                                          Main x 4

Overview

The Discoverer is aptly named, given that it fills the scouting role in the Argon military. Classed as an M5, the Discoverer has limited combat capability, but some particularly daredevil pilots have been known to challenge M3s in these tiny craft. While few have survived, some have proven that speed can make all the difference.

The Discoverer can carry the Triplex Scanner, making it an excellent choice for the scouting role.

There are four variants of the Argon Discoverer; Advanced, Hauler, Raider and Vanguard.

Background

The Argon Discoverer compared to other ships in the Argon Fleet, is relatively young. Lightly armed, it is versatile, and very manoeuverable. It is also the preferred training fighter for Argon pilots with the more experienced being promoted to fly the more exacting Buster and Nova. Today they are also used for scouting and it is quite common to find a small wing of these ships accompanying an exploration carrier.

Thanks to the efforts of the Argon Secret Service, it was discovered that the Xenon were apparently building some kind of ‘super ship’. In response the Argon shipwrights constructed their own answer to the threat, the Argon One, and also a brand new scout to help locate the Xenon super ship. Built with surplus budget from the Argon One program - but benefiting from several of the advances made by the Argon scientists working on it - the Discoverer was produced in a narrow timeframe to be the new M5 class fighter of the Argon Federation.

Due to time and budgetary restraints, the original mark of the Discoverer wasn’t able to make use of recent Boron advances in propulsion systems and power plants until several jazuras later. Being low-cost and easy to produce, the Discoverer began it’s service as the training fighter for almost all Argon pilots. The Argon military found use for it as a Police, Customs, Courier and Reconnaissance vessel, and it became increasingly popular with merchants for it’s speed and cargo bay. However, the Discoverer remained virtually untested in combat, with nothing more than brief skirmishes with pirate and Xenon light fighters, until the arrival of the Kha'ak.

Against the Kha'ak scouts the Discoverer had a baptism of fire, the light fighter squadron in President's End claiming only three confirmed kills before they were overwhelmed. The latest marks of the Discoverer benefit from enlarged internal storage bays, allowing it to carry M class cargo, and an improved combat performance thanks to extra gun bays and the third shield slot.

Variants

Discoverer

Not featuring any fancy title, the basic version of the ship is the standard by which other variants are measured.

Discoverer Advanced

Advanced variants of ships are rare, and usually possess equal or improved stats in every area over their regular versions. The Advanced Discoverer is fast, with greatly improved shields and cargo capacity. It is obtained as a reward during the Terran plot. It is able to carry the Remote Guided Warhead and the Silkworm Missile, which makes it surprisingly dangerous to M4s, M3s, and even M6s. The Advanced version is also one of only three M5s to carry the RGW and the Silkworm, the other being the Teladi Kestrel and the Yaki Fujin.

Discoverer Hauler

Hauler variants of ships tend to have larger cargobays and sometimes tougher defences, trading off offensive combat attributes. The Discoverer Hauler is faster and has a larger cargo bay than the standard version, and is identical in all other aspects. It is available at the same Shipyards and only marginally more expensive, leaving little reason ever to buy the standard version.

Discoverer Raider

Raider variants are faster and usually have a higher shield generator power than their regular counterparts, but trade off cargo capacity and some have reduced shield capacity despite the more powerful generator.

Discoverer Vanguard

Vanguard variants of ships are slightly faster and have bigger weapons generators than their regular counterparts.

Physical Characteristics

The Discoverer is a very small ship, and is very fast, making it very hard to hit with medium or heavy weapons.

Combat

The Discoverer is an M5 class scout ship. Whilst capable of taking on other M5s, engaging bigger targets is ill advised for all but the most brave or foolhardy pilots. An additional downside is its low top speed, meaning it will have difficulties outrunning other M5s when necessary without using a Jumpdrive.

Its most useful role in a fight is as a point defense fighter, running the Mosquito Missile Defence script.

A skilled pilot can also make use of its high speed to evade enemy fire, however due to its limited arsenal, the Discoverer has significant difficulties in taking down the better Equipped M4s.

Equipment

The Discoverer is not a particularly impressive fighter, but it is one of only a handful of M5s that can carry a jumpdrive and other M class cargo items.

Missiles

Mosquito Missile Dragonfly Missile

Firefly Missile Aurora Missile

Rapier Missile Firelance Missile

Discoverer Advanced Missiles

Mosquito Missile Wasp Missile Dragonfly Missile

Silkworm Missile Disruptor Missile Firefly Missile

Hurricane Missile Aurora Missile Remote Guided Warhead

Rapier Missile Firelance Missile Wildfire Missile

Availability

The Discoverer is available at Argon shipyards in Legend's Home, Cloudbase South East, Argon Sector M148 and in Argon Prime.

Availability

Variant	Argon Prime	Cloudbase South East	Omicron Lyrae	Light of Heart	Legend's Home	Argon Sector M148
Discoverer	x	x			x	x
Discoverer Hauler	x	x			x	x
Discoverer Raider		x		x	x
Discoverer Vanguard			x

Suggested Roles

The Discoverer does well at chasing down and destroying other M5s, as well as being a popular choice for moving low-volume, high-value goods or ferrying components and upgrades to ships in the field, taking advantage of its M-container carrying ability.

See Also

Ships by Class

M5 Ships