Heavy Centaur

Argon Heavy Centaur Class M6+ Heavy Corvette Buy: Federation Guardian @ 14,377,642 Cr Speed (Min-Max) 57.5 - 115 m/s Acceleration (Min-Max) 4 - 8 m/s2 Steering (Min-Max) 1.6 - 3.3 RPM Hull Strength 67,000 / 268,000 (AP) Max. Shield (Total) 4 x 200 MJ (800 MJ) Shield Reactor 2,800 MW Cargo Class (Min-Max) 500 - 975 @ XL Laser Capacitor 14,500 MJ Laser Recharge 435 / 1,750 (AP) MW                                                                                                          Main x 6                                                                                                          Right x 2                                                                                                          Rear x 2                                                                                                          Left x 2

Argon Heavy Centaur Prototype Class M6+ Heavy Corvette Speed (Min-Max) 77 - 154 m/s Acceleration (Min-Max) 5 - 10 m/s2 Steering (Min-Max) 1.62 - 3.24 RPM Hull Strength 67,000 / 268,000 (AP) Max. Shield (Total) 4 x 200 MJ (800 MJ) Shield Reactor 2,900 MW Cargo Class (Min-Max) 500 - 690 @ XL Laser Capacitor 16,500 MJ Laser Recharge 485 / 2,000 (AP) MW                                                                                                          Main x 6                                                                                                          Right x 2                                                                                                          Rear x 2                                                                                                          Left x 2

Overview

A vastly improved version of the basic centaur design, improving on almost everything apart from turning, speed and cargo space. A much appreciated design improvement is its increased range of weapon choices and its impressive angle of turret coverage.

Background

Argon naval draughtsmen spent months asking themselves how to improve the Centaur. With better shields, weapons and engines and absolutely no frills, the new 'Heavy' Centaur is their response.

Variants

Heavy Centaur

The basic heavy centaur is much like the regular centaur, but with better firepower and protection. It has an extra 200MJ shield slot, but, more importantly, it has a largely improved energy reserve and recharge rates, giving it much better damage potential. In terms of speed it is slightly slower. While the standard version packs a nasty punch for its size it does suffer from low top speed which is comparable to many M7 class craft. If it enters a heavy firefight it does not lend itself well to conventional escape; it must rely on its Jumpdrive.

Heavy Centaur Prototype

Built for testing before full production, this design proved to be far too expensive and sacrifices were made to its engines, shield and laser batteries to reduce production costs. Some examples can still be seen flying in space, but are operated by the Argon military and are not for sale. It eliminates the major flaw of the standard design; instead of being relatively slow for an M6 it is one of the fastest. This version is favored by players because of its speed and versatility, however its cargo space is even more limited.

Physical Characteristics

Apart from having similar lines, the design team threw out the original hull and started anew. Its main characteristics is its vastly increased engine/thruster design, rotating radar/Ldar scanner array and moving twin barrelled turrets on both port/starboard and aft behind the conning tower. Note the bridge/pilot is situated on the front of the conning tower and not on the front prow (unlike the original centaur).

Combat

The ship's most major flaw is a blindspot directly below its undercarriage which its turrets cannot bear on. Using the roll thrusters is a quick and effective way around this problem, and when used to good effect, the Heavy Centaur will have the upper hand against most ships in its class and all ships it outclasses. Much like the Centaur, the ability to fit Plasma Burst Generators can often provide fearsome offensive potential well in excess of most M6/M6+ vessels. As an improvement over the Centaur, the Heavy variant can fit them on every turret, making the ship incredibly lethal to frigates, and over time, just as lethal to capitals that outclass it. The only trade-off is a loss of 2 frontal turrets, compared with the Centaur. However, this is counterbalanced by the fact that now, when passing a ship or strafing by it, the pilot can continue raining down plasma fire. A Heavy Centaur fitted with nothing but PBGs can destroy a Xenon Q in short order, and many other capitals that have blind spots or otherwise easily dodged weaponry.

Equipment

Missiles

Mosquito Missile Wasp Missile Dragonfly Missile Silkworm Missile Hornet Missile

Disruptor Missile Firefly Missile Thunderbolt Missile Tempest Missile Hurricane Missile

Cyclone Missile Tornado Missile Typhoon Missile Firestorm Torpedo Aurora Missile

Remote Guided Warhead Beluga Missile Hammerhead Missile Rapier Missile

Firelance Missile Wildfire Missile Windstalker Missile Banshee Missile

Availability

Heavy Centaur basic variant can be purchased from the Argon Federal Shipyard in Legend's Home.

The Prototype variant of the Heavy Centaur is a reward for reaching rank 10 with either Plutarch or Jonferco.

Suggested Roles

Because of its impressive range of weapons choice and turret coverage, it can be made as a pure anti corvette or a pure anti fighter class of M6. With specific fittings, it can take on some capital vessels as well (see above section: Combat)

Excels as:

Anti-Fighter Vessel

Anti-Corvette Vessel

Good as:

Freighter Escort

OOS Patrol ship

Poor as:

Anti Capital ship vessel (with exceptions, see above section: Combat)

Lone Vessel

Refueling ship

Jump-Drive ship (Due to the low cargo capacity, although its capacity still allows a moderate amount of jumping around/turbo-boosting before refueling is needed)

Missile frigate

See Also

• Argon Centaur

Ships by Class

M6+ Ships

Argon	Heavy Centaur (Prototype)
ATF	Vali
Boron	Heavy Hydra
Goner	none
Kha'ak	none
OTAS	Skiron
Paranid	Heavy Nemesis • Hyperion
Pirate	none
Split	Acinonyx Prototype • Heavy Dragon
Teladi	Heavy Osprey
Terran	none
Xenon	PX
Yaki	none