Discoverer

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Argon Discoverer
ClassM5 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 Strength1,000 / 2,000 (AP)
Max. Shield (Total)3 x 1 MJ (3 MJ)
Shield Reactor100 MW
Cargo Class (Min-Max)10 - 50 @ M
Laser Capacitor1,000 MJ
Laser Recharge25 MW
                                                                                                         Main x 4
Argon Discoverer Advanced
ClassM5 Scout
Speed (Min-Max)125 - 437.5 m/s
Acceleration (Min-Max)54 - 190 m/s2
Steering (Min-Max)21 - 73.5 RPM
Hull Strength1,000 / 2,000 (AP)
Max. Shield (Total)4 x 1 MJ (4 MJ)
Shield Reactor150 MW
Cargo Class (Min-Max)10 - 67 @ M
Laser Capacitor1,200 MJ
Laser Recharge30 MW
                                                                                                         Main x 4
Argon Discoverer Hauler
ClassM5 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 Strength1,000 / 2,000 (AP)
Max. Shield (Total)3 x 1 MJ (3 MJ)
Shield Reactor100 MW
Cargo Class (Min-Max)13 - 67 @ M
Laser Capacitor1,000 MJ
Laser Recharge25 MW
                                                                                                         Main x 4
Argon Discoverer Raider
ClassM5 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 Strength1,000 / 2,000 (AP)
Max. Shield (Total)3 x 1 MJ (3 MJ)
Shield Reactor110 MW
Cargo Class (Min-Max)9 - 45 @ M
Laser Capacitor1,000 MJ
Laser Recharge25 MW
                                                                                                         Main x 4
Argon Discoverer Vanguard
ClassM5 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 Strength1,000 / 2,000 (AP)
Max. Shield (Total)3 x 1 MJ (3 MJ)
Shield Reactor110 MW
Cargo Class (Min-Max)9 - 47 @ M
Laser Capacitor1,200 MJ
Laser Recharge30 MW
                                                                                                         Main x 4

Overview[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

Discoverer[edit]

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

Discoverer Advanced[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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

Physical Characteristics[edit]

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

Combat[edit]

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[edit]

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
Discoverer Advanced Missiles

Availability[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]


Ships by Class
Capital  M1M2 / M2+M7 / M7M / M7C
Escort  M6 / M6+M8
Fighter  M3 / M3+M4 / M4+M5
Transport  TLTS / TS+TPTM
M5 Ships
Argon  ArrowDiscoverer (Hauler) (Raider) (Vanguard) (Advanced) • Starburst
ATF  Valkyrie
Boron  Octopus (Raider) (Sentinel) (Vanguard)
Goner  none
Kha'ak  Kha'ak Scout
OTAS  none
Paranid  Pegasus (Raider) (Sentinel) (Vanguard)
Pirate  Pirate Harrier (Hauler) (Raider) (Vanguard) • Pirate Kestrel
Split  Jaguar (Hauler) (Raider) (Vanguard) (Enhanced)
Teladi  Harrier (Hauler) (Sentinel) (Vanguard) • Kestrel (Advanced)
Terran  Rapier#deca.fade
Xenon  N
Yaki  Fujin (Raider) (Sentinel)
Argon Navigation
Core Sectors Argon Prime | Herron's Nebula | Home of Light | Legend's Home | Light of Heart | Montalaar | Omicron Lyrae | Red Light | Ringo Moon | The Wall
Border Sectors Aladna Hill | Albion Alpha | Albion Beta | Albion Delta | Albion Gamma | Akeela's Beacon | Antigone Memorial | Argon Sector M148 | Belt of Aguilar | Black Hole Sun | Cloudbase North West | Cloudbase South East | Cloudbase South West | Circle Of Labour | Elena's Fortune | Elysium of Light | Interworlds | Getsu Fune | Midnight Star | Nathan's Voyage | Nyana's Hideout | Ore Belt | Power Circle | President's End | The Hole | Three Worlds | Treasure Chest | Wastelands
Capital Ships M1: Colossus | M2: Titan | M2+: None | M7: Cerberus | M7C: Griffon | M7M: Minotaur
Fighters M3: Nova | M3+: Eclipse | M4: Buster | M4+: Elite | M5: Arrow, Discoverer, Starburst
Escort Ships M6: Centaur | M6+: Heavy Centaur | M8: Gladiator
Transports TL: Mammoth | TM: Magnetar | TP: Express, Phantom | TS: Mercury | TS+: Lotan
Shipyards Argon Prime | Argon Sector M148 | Cloudbase South East | Legend's Home | Light of Heart | Omicron Lyrae
Racial Wares Argnu Beef | Cloth Rimes | Meatsteak Cahoonas | Space Fuel