Nova

Argon Nova Class M3 Fighter Buy: Argon Accepted Advisor @ 2,420,118 Cr Speed (Min-Max) 60 - 150 m/s Acceleration (Min-Max) 10.99 - 27.48 m/s2 Steering (Min-Max) 21.51 - 53.78 RPM Hull Strength 10,000 / 20,000 (AP) Max. Shield (Total) 3 x 25 MJ (75 MJ) Shield Reactor 750 MW Cargo Class (Min-Max) 86 - 236 @ L Laser Capacitor 5,600 MJ Laser Recharge 140 MW                                                                                                          Main x 8                                                                                                          Rear x 1

Argon Nova Prototype Class M3 Fighter Speed (Min-Max) 75 - 187.50 m/s Acceleration (Min-Max) 14 - 35 m/s2 Steering (Min-Max) 25.13 - 62.83 RPM Hull Strength 10,000 / 20,000 (AP) Max. Shield (Total) 4 x 25 MJ (100 MJ) Shield Reactor 825 MW Cargo Class (Min-Max) 81 - 236 @ L Laser Capacitor 6,720 MJ Laser Recharge 168 MW                                                                                                          Main x 8                                                                                                          Rear x 1

Argon Nova Raider Class M3 Fighter Buy: Argon Accepted Advisor @ 1,607,266 Cr Speed (Min-Max) 76.2 - 190.5 m/s Acceleration (Min-Max) 13.0 - 34.0 m/s2 Steering (Min-Max) 25.2 - 62.9 RPM Hull Strength 9,500 / 19,000 (AP) Max. Shield (Total) 3 x 25 MJ (75 MJ) Shield Reactor 825 MW Cargo Class (Min-Max) 77 - 216 @ L Laser Capacitor 5,600 MJ Laser Recharge 140 MW                                                                                                          Main x 8                                                                                                          Rear x 1

Argon Nova Sentinel Class M3 Fighter Buy: Argon Accepted Advisor @ 3,066,889 Cr Speed (Min-Max) 49.2 - 123 m/s Acceleration (Min-Max) 9 - 22 m/s2 Steering (Min-Max) 17.6 - 44.1 RPM Hull Strength 10,000 / 20,000 (AP) Max. Shield (Total) 3 x 25 MJ (75 MJ) Shield Reactor 825 MW Cargo Class (Min-Max) 77 - 214 @ L Laser Capacitor 5,600 MJ Laser Recharge 140 MW                                                                                                          Main x 8                                                                                                          Rear x 1

Argon Nova Vanguard Class M3 Fighter Buy: Argon Accepted Advisor @ 2,820,656 Cr Speed (Min-Max) 66 - 165 m/s Acceleration (Min-Max) 12 - 30 m/s2 Steering (Min-Max) 22.6 - 56.5 RPM Hull Strength 9,500 / 19,000 (AP) Max. Shield (Total) 3 x 25 MJ (75 MJ) Shield Reactor 825 MW Cargo Class (Min-Max) 81 - 224 @ L Laser Capacitor 6,720 MJ Laser Recharge 168 MW                                                                                                          Main x 8                                                                                                          Rear x 1

Pirate Nova Class M3 Fighter Buy: @ 1,610,680 Cr Speed (Min-Max) 38.8 - 97 m/s Acceleration (Min-Max) 7 - 19 m/s2 Steering (Min-Max) 15.4 - 38.6 RPM Hull Strength 10,000 / 20,000 (AP) Max. Shield (Total) 3 x 25 MJ (75 MJ) Shield Reactor 660 MW Cargo Class (Min-Max) 86 - 236 @ L Laser Capacitor 3,700 MJ Laser Recharge 92 MW                                                                                                          Main x 8                                                                                                          Rear x 1

Pirate Nova Raider Class M3 Fighter Buy: @ 2,415,980 Cr Speed (Min-Max) 58.1 - 145.3 m/s Acceleration (Min-Max) 13 - 34 m/s2 Steering (Min-Max) 25.2 - 62.9 RPM Hull Strength 9,500 / 19,000 (AP) Max. Shield (Total) 3 x 25 MJ (75 MJ) Shield Reactor 825 MW Cargo Class (Min-Max) 77 - 212 @ L Laser Capacitor 5,600 MJ Laser Recharge 140 MW                                                                                                          Main x 8                                                                                                          Rear x 1

Overview

The Nova is a good all-rounder as M3 class ships go. Moderate speed, average weapon power, shields on the heavier side for Commonwealth ships and the unusual addition of a rear turret, the Nova and its variants are popular choices for pilots looking for a heavy fighter.

The Raider variant is widely regarded as the variant of choice, in part because of the significant reduction in cost when compared to the other Nova variants. This makes it ideal for cheaply equipping large wings of M3's.

If you can get a hold of one, the Prototype variant is easily the best version thanks to its well-balanced stats and addition of one more 25 MJ shield, despite the lack of an ability to mount the PBG.

Background

When the long serving Argon Elite was originally retired, the Argon military was left without an M3 fighter, until a group of shipwrights in Omicron Lyrae came up with plans for a new type of ship. Shortly afterwards, the Nova was born, and after two years of testing virtually all of the older Elite class ships had been replaced with this new craft.

Variants

Nova

This version is the unembellished variant of the Nova. It features average speed, heavy shields, and good firepower for a heavy fighter.

Nova Prototype

The Nova Prototype is not available for sale. However, this is widely regarded as the best version, since it combines the Raider's speed, the Sentinel's shield recharge rate, the Vanguard's energy weapon recharge rate, and the regular variant's cargo capacity all into one package, while adding one more 25MJ shield mount, giving it greater endurance compared to its other variants. Given time and money and reverse engineering its blueprints into the player Headquarters, this also makes it quite capable of being fielded in numbers as a carrier fighter, extending the versatility of this craft as more than just a personal player ship. The Prototype, however, does lose its ability to mount the PBG, which is its only downfall. Otherwise, an excellent all-rounder.

Nova Raider

The Nova Raider remedies the primary deficiency in the Nova design, speed.
It is a great ship of choice, with powerful shielding and weaponry. Players generally stuff the front with HEPT, and back with PAC to shoot missiles. However, this ship is not as agile as the Mamba, and so many players choose to instead hand off their Nova Raider to NPCs.

Nova Sentinel

The Sentinel features greater energy capacity for shields at the cost of speed and cargo capacity. Unfortunately, unlike most Sentinel variants, this version of the Nova does not include an additional shield slot, therefore making it the second worst and most avoided variant of this craft.

Nova Vanguard

The Vanguard features greater speed, weapons and shield capacity at the cost of cargo capacity.

Pirate Nova

This version is widely regarded as the worst and most avoided variant due to sacrificing more energy and even more speed, making it even slower than the Teladi Kea. Often treated as cannon fodder, despite the ability to mount a PBG.

Pirate Nova Raider

Slower than the Argon Nova Raider. Similar characteristics to standard Argon Nova.

Physical Characteristics

The Nova has the typical symmetrical airplane-like design of most human-made spacecraft, except for the location of the cockpit, which is mounted in the rear of the craft instead of the usual front-faced designs that most spacecraft come with. Its frame reeks of rust while it sports incomplete paintwork and vaguely vivid scorch marks that make it appear to be like it was somewhat rushed in its production. Curiously, it resembles the Discoverer frame-wise, but much larger in size while sporting straightened wings and a single empennage as well as more weaponry.

Combat

Combat in the Nova is simple; point and shoot. The rear turret is used by most players in missile defense mode with a light weapon such as the IRE installed but it can be used with a bigger gun to provide a little more fire support in a dogfight.

Equipment

Missiles

Mosquito Missile Wasp Missile Dragonfly Missile Silkworm Missile

Disruptor Missile Firefly Missile Thunderbolt Missile Tempest Missile

Hurricane Missile Cyclone Missile Tornado Missile Aurora Missile

Remote Guided Warhead Beluga Missile Hammerhead Missile Rapier Missile

Firelance Missile Wildfire Missile Windstalker Missile Banshee Missile

Lasers

Impulse Ray Emitter Particle Accelerator Cannon High Energy Plasma Thrower

Mass Driver Phased Repeater Gun Ion Disruptor

Energy Bolt Chaingun Plasma Burst Generator

Availability

The Prototype, Pirate Nova, and Pirate Nova Raider are not sold at shipyards and must be captured or purchased in space or bought from used ship sellers.

In Albion Prelude, the Argon Peacekeeper starts with a Nova Prototype.

Availability

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

Suggested Roles

Good As

Space Superiority Fighter

Fighter escort

Corvette Killer

Sector Patrol

Player ship

Poor as

Capital ship killer, unless it carries a good amount of Hammerhead missiles.

Interceptor, due to its usually low speed, unless it's the Raider or Prototype variant.

Point Defense fighter

Prolonged Dogfighting

See Also

• M3+ Heavy Fighter;
  • Argon Eclipse

Ships by Class

M3 Ships