Ships of the Universe, Part 1 (X2: The Threat Ship Guide and Reference)

This is a guide to the various ships of X2: The Threat. It is intended to help people pick the right ship for whatever they need done. Anybody who still plays X2 probably already knows this stuff, but any late-coming newbies will benefit from reading this. It also makes a handy reference. This guide is currently a work in progress, I will add images and more ships, such as the evil purple ships, later. UPDATE: The the evil purple ships have finally been added.

Please keep in mind that this guide is intended for use with version 1.5, and as such I cannot guarantee it will remain accurate for other versions of the game.

I have split the guide into three. The sections on M6s, TLs, M2s, and M1s have been moved to part two. This is now part one of the guide, and contains everything I did not move to the second part.

More Guides to X2: The Threat

I am planning to write some other guides on X2: The Threat, pertaining to weapons and equipment and such. I will link to them here.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2088317556https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3102540743

Racial Trends

The different races of X2: The Threat build their ships differently from one another, and each has its own trends when it comes to ship design. Here are my insights into those tendencies.

The Argon:
The Argon build ships that are balanced in all areas. Also worth noting is that most Argon ships can mount the Argon's signature weapon, the Mass Driver, which ignores shields, but requires ammunition. Thanks to their alliance with the Boron, some Argon ships can also mount Ion Disruptors, giving them many choices when it comes to armament. Overall, Argon ships can do any job, and sometimes they even do it better than the other races' more specialized ships.
In summary:

• Well balanced capabilities.
  
• Mass Drivers and Ion Disruptors.

The Boron:
The Boron are a race of pacifists, and it really shows in their ship designs. Boron ships are poorly armed and poorly shielded, and they don't really have much positive to show for it. The only good thing about most Boron ships is that they can mount the Boron's signature weapon, the Ion Disruptor, but Argon ships can do that too, and better than the Boron. Overall, Boron ships are inferior to the ships of their Argon aliies.
In summary:

• Poor shielding and weapons.
  
• Ion Disruptors.
  
• They suck.

The Teladi:
The Teladi, being a merchant race, have an obvious tendency to give their ships really large cargo bays, however, what is less known about the Teladi is that they arm their ships to the teeth, and heavily shield them too, to better protect their profitsssssss. The trade-off is that Teladi ships are the slowest ships in the galaxy. Overall, a Teladi ship is an excellent investment, so long as you don't need to get anywhere quickly.
In summary:

• Very slow.
  
• Very tough.
  
• Very powerful.
  
• Big cargo bay.
  
• Sometimes can mount special weapons from other races, most notably the Paranid PSG.

The Split:
The Split are warriors first and foremost, so their ships are well armed, and their prized Split engine designs make Split ships very, very fast. However, this comes at a cost, that cost being that Split ships have very poor shielding, even worse than the Boron, so the survivability of Split ships in combat is quite poor, ironically. Overall, their ships are great if you want a powerful and fast ship, but you had better be an ace pilot if you want to live for more than thirty seconds.
In summary:

• Very fast with strong weapons.
  
• Extremely poor shielding.
  
• Like most Argon ships, most Split ships can mount Mass Drivers.

The Paranid:
The Paranid have the most advanced technology of the five main races, and their ships are usually reasonably potent, however, the main reason to purchase a Paranid ship is their ability to mount the Paranid's signature weapon, the Phased Shockwave Generator, which easily shreds any foe (or friend, or piece of space debris) within range. Some other races have ships that can mount PSGs, but they are few and far between, and Paranid ships are usually better at combat than any other ship that can mount PSGs. Overall, I wouldn't really recommend purchasing a Paranid ship, because they are not specialized enough to be of much use, and the Argon have better general purpose ships, but if you absolutely, positively, gotta obliterate everybody in the same sector as you, a Paranid Odysseus with as many PSGs as you can cram on is the ship for you. Just beware of friendly fire.
In summary:

• Well balanced but usually inferior to Argon ships or more specialized craft.
  
• Phased Shockwave Generators. Destroy all in your path. Beware of friendly fire.

The Xenon:
The Xenon are a strange case. Their ships don't really tend towards anything in particular and are generally good. Sadly, they look like they were assembled from garbage, and are a hassle to capture. Xenon ships are generally not worth the effort to capture, especially since they don't hail you when they are disabled, meaning you could destroy a ship that could have been yours. The worst thing is that, while their M5s and M4s are reasonably good (looks aside.), their M3s are terrible, and the M3s of other races are better than M5s and M4s in any case. The only exception to this, in both usefulness and looks, is the Xenon K, which can be captured during extremely high dificulty Xenon defense missions, and is the best destroyer in the game, barring the Paranid Odysseus, which the K can outrun.
In summary:

• Not worth capturing except to sell.
  
• The K is so good it might actually be worth the extreme difficulty of getting one.

The Pirates:
The pirates of X2: The Threat have their own ship designs, which, like the Xenon, can only be captured, not bought. Strangely, pirate designs tend to be either completely useless (Orinoco, Mandalay), or really good (Bayamon). These ships are mostly good for selling to get quick cash.
In summary:

• They pretty much just suck, sell them for cash if you capture them.
  
• The Bayamon is one of the best M4s in the game.

The Khaak (AKA "The evil purple aliens"):
These are detailed in the third part of the guide.

M5 Class Ships (Part 1)

Ah, yes, good old M5s. Useless for just about anything, except going really fast. You also start the game with one, an Argon Discoverer. I recommend getting an M4 or M3 as soon as possible. There are about 3 uses for an M5:

• Going real fast. (I recommend the Paranid Pegasus.)
  
• Carrying one around with your M6 so you can dock with stations, since M6s are too big, and sadly M6s can only carry a single M5 around. (I recommend the Teladi Harrier.)
  
• Doing small courier missions, emphasis on small, both in terms of the job and the paycheck. (I recommend the Paranid Pegasus for this as well.)
  
• Scouting out the universe map and unexplored sectors. (Again, the Paranid Pegasus works best for this.)

But which one is the best?:
The Teladi Harrier, hands down. Great shielding, weapons, and cargo capacity, and it's still fast enough to outrun just about anything other than another M5, which it can outfight.

The Argon Discoverer (AKA "Disco"):

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 81.71 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 490.27 m/s
Acceleration: 11 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 25.00%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 150.00%
Power Generator: 100 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 10 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 50 units
Cargo Class: S
Weapons:
2 Forward Mounts (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma IREs)
Missiles: Wasp Missile, Mosquito Missile
Shields: 3 x 1 MW
How to acquire: 36,885 Credits, or capture one.

My Opinion:
The Discoverer is a decent ship for an M5, but it isn't as fast as the Paranid Pegasus, and like all M5s, it isn't very good at anything but being fast, so you might as well get a Pegasus. As far as your starting ship goes, I don't recommend getting attached to it, since you will need a better ship if you plan to actually do anything other than zip around.

The Boron Octopus:

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 270.27 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 540.54 m/s
Acceleration: 184 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 170.49%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 681.99%
Power Generator: 100 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 5 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 15 units
Cargo Class: S
Weapons:
3 Forward Mounts (Alpha and Beta IREs)
Missiles: Wasp Missile, Mosquito Missile
Shields: 2 x 1 MW
How to acquire: 56,146 Credits, or capture one.

My Opinion:
This ship is horrible. It has almost no shielding, almost no cargo space, and can only mount weak IREs, which are not enough even though it gets three of them. The worst thing about this ship is that the one selling point, its extreme maneuverability, actually makes the ship difficult to control, and its starting maneuverability is so ludicrously high that even unupgraded its steering is still way too strong. The only good things I can say about it are that it looks sort of cool, and that it's a joy to fly if you can actually control it, thanks to its ridiculous steering and acceleration. Still, why fly a useless ship?

The Teladi Harrier:

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 174.77 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 349.54 m/s
Acceleration: 60 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 44.99%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 89.99%
Power Generator: 150 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 19 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 104 units
Cargo Class: S
Weapons:
2 Forward Mounts (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma IREs, Alpha PAC)
Missiles: Wasp Missile, Mosquito Missile
Shields: 1 x 5 MW
How to acquire: 63,733 Credits, or caoture one.

My Opinion:
This ship is definitely the best M5 in the game. Strongest shields in its class, weapons unmatched except by the Split Jaguar, and the biggest cargo bay out of the M5s. It even has good acceleration! This is the ideal ship's launch for your M6, thanks to its big cargo bay for energy cells to fuel your jump drive. If you must fight in an M5, this ship is your best bet.

The Split Jaguar:

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 135.13 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 540.54 m/s
Acceleration: 45 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 41.99%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 117.59%
Power Generator: 100 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 10 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 30 units
Cargo Class: S
Weapons:
2 Forward Mounts (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma IREs, Alpha PAC)
Missiles: Wasp Missile, Mosquito Missile
Shields: 2 x 1 MW
How to acquire: 32,965 Credits, or capture one.

My Opinion:
Not a great ship. Sure, it's way better than the Boron Octopus, and has weapons to match the Teladi Harrier, but it isn't as fast as the Paranid Pegasus, and has far worse cargo space and shielding than the Teladi Harrier, so you might as well just get one of those.

The Paranid Pegasus:

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 252.25 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 1009.00 m/s
Acceleration: 45 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 100.00%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 200.00%
Power Generator: 50 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 5 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 10 units
Cargo Class: S
Weapons:
2 Forward Mounts (Alpha and Beta IREs)
Missiles: Wasp Missile, Mosquito Missile
Shields: 3 x 1 MW
How to acquire: 59,960 Credits, or capture one.

My Opinion:
Real fast. That's it. If your task requires anything other than speed, use another ship, because this thing has worse weapons and less cargo space than the Boron Octopus does. It is still useful for scouting unexplored sectors, and as a personal transport within sectors. Since it can only carry S class cargo, it cannot mount a jumpdrive, so use another ship for long distance transport.

M5 Class Ships (Part 2)

Due to the character limit on guide sections on the Steam community, I had to split M5s into two parts.

The Pirate Mandalay:

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 130.09 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 260.18 m/s
Acceleration: 27 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 25.24%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 75.74%
Power Generator: 50 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 20 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 90 units
Cargo Class: S
Weapons:
2 Forward Mounts (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma IREs, Alpha and Beta PACs, Alpha PSG)
Missiles: Wasp Missile, Mosquito Missile
Shields: 4 x 1 MW
How to acquire: Cannot be purchased, only captured.

My Opinion:
This ship is like a poor man's Teladi Harrier, appropriately enough for the pirates. Interestingly, it can mount even more powerful weapons than the Teladi Harrier and Split Jaguar, but unlike the Teladi Harrier it doesn't have a big enough generator to effectively power them. Overall, not very useful, especially considering that you need to capture one to use one. The Teladi Harrier can do anything it can do, but better, except for mounting PSGs, but if you are going to fight, why use an M5?

The Xenon N:

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 92.83 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 464.18 m/s
Acceleration: 16 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 75.49%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 301.98%
Power Generator: 100 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 12 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 62 units
Cargo Class: S
Weapons:
2 Forward Mounts (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma IREs)
Missiles: Dragonfly Missile, Wasp Missile, Mosquito Missile
Shields: 1 x 5 MW
How to acquire: Could theoretically be purchased at Xenon shipyards, but because the Xenon hate everyone you cannot buy from them, so you will have to capture one if you want one.

My Opinion:
The Xenon N is notable for matching the Teladi Harrier's shield strength, and can use Dragonfly Missiles, which give it a big punch for its size. However, the Xenon N is difficult to obtain, since it must be disabled to capture it, which can be very irritating due to the fact that the Xenon do not have pilots, and therefore do not give any warning when they "bail out". This ship is potentially much stronger in combat than the Teladi Harrier, thanks to its speed and missile advantage, but being an M5, the Xenon N is a poor fighter regardless, and it has inferior utility compared to the Teladi Harrier thanks to its smaller cargo bay. Overall, I wouldn't recommend going through all the trouble required to get one. Just get a Teladi Harrier.

M4 Class Ships (Part 1)

Now these are some ships that can actually do something. Once you have the money, getting one of these guys might not be a bad idea. In particular, these ships are actually capable of doing and taking damage without exploding instantly, unlike M5s. These are the kind of ships you might go pirate hunting in early in the game. Later in the game some of them have some use as budget fighter escorts, but M3s are almost always better, if more expensive.
Here are some uses for M4s:

• As an early game pirate hunter. (I would recommend the Paranid Pericles, but Paranid ships are difficult to obtain early game, and the Argon Buster works almost as well. Of course, the Pirate Bayamon works better than either of them if you can capture one in usable condition, ironically enough.)
  
• As budget fighter escorts. (The Paranid Pericles works well for this too, but the Buster is arguably more lethal thanks to its Mass Drivers, so if you can afford to keep them stocked with ammo the Buster might work better in some circumstances.)

But which one is the best?:
Either the Paranid Pericles or the Argon Buster. Both are great fighters for their class, it really just comes down to whether you want Mass Drivers, and what range you want. If you want Mass Drivers, get a Buster. if not, get a Pericles. If you want range, get Buster with a jumpdrive. If not, get a Pericles. I personally prefer the Buster for its jump capability, and its ability to mount a triplex scanner.

The Argon Buster:

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 55.04 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 176.14 m/s
Acceleration: 8 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 16.49%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 74.24%
Power Generator: 100 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 23 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 108 units
Cargo Class: M
Weapons:
2 Forward Mounts (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma IREs and PACs, Mass Driver)
Missiles: Silkworm Missile, Dragonfly Missile, Wasp Missile, Mosquito Missile
Shields: 3 x 5 MW
How to acquire: 278,950 Credits, or capture one.

My Opinion:
The Buster is a good ship, and a much better ship than the Disco in any case. Like all Argon ships, the Buster is well rounded in its capabilities, and is very much at home fighting pirates. The true strength of the Buster, and one of its few edges over the Paranid Pericles, is its ability to mount Mass Drivers, letting it ignore shields and just rip enemies apart. Not good very capturing anything though, so the Buster is best employed where lethality is a non-issue, and you can afford to keep it stocked with ammunition. Or you could save up for a Nova instead.

The Boron Mako:

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 70.00 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 245.00 m/s
Acceleration: 10 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 50.00%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 110.00%
Power Generator: 150 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 28 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 108 units
Cargo Class: M
Weapons:
2 Forward Mounts (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma IREs and PACs, Ion Disruptor)
Missiles: Silkworm Missile, Dragonfly Missile, Wasp Missile, Mosquito Missile
Shields: 2 x 5 MW
How to acquire: 218,760 Credits, or capture one.

My Opinion:
The Boron Mako is, like most Boron ships, pretty bad. It has poor shielding, and while it is fast, it isn't as fast as the Split Scorpion. The only selling point of this ship is its ability to mount Ion Disruptors, but the Bayamon can do that better too. And to top it all off, it's ugly. Really ugly.

The Teladi Buzzard:

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 69.81 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 181.53 m/s
Acceleration: 45 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 44.99%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 116.99%
Power Generator: 150 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 35 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 140 units
Cargo Class: M
Weapons:
2 Forward Mounts (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma IREs and PACs)
Missiles: Dragonfly Missile, Wasp Missile, Mosquito Missile
Shields: 3 x 5 MW
How to acquire: 313,185 Credits, or capture one.

My Opinion:
While it may have looked pretty cool in the intro, and on paper it seems like a decent ship, the problem is that it is a decent ship, and nothing more. It has good shielding, decent speed, a nice cargo hold, and good weapons with a powerful generator, but anything it can do can be done better by another ship. It is a general purpose ship, but the only advantage it has over other ships is its cheapness, and sometimes not even that. Overall, I wouldn't recommend purchasing one, since there are other, better ships you could save up for.

The Split Scorpion:

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 109.95 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 329.86 m/s
Acceleration: 15 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 59.99%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 239.99%
Power Generator: 100 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 38 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 108 units
Cargo Class: M
Weapons:
2 Forward Mounts (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma IREs and PACs, Alpha HEPT, Mass Driver)
Missiles: Dragonfly Missile, Wasp Missile, Mosquito Missile
Shields: 1 x 5 MW
How to acquire: 187,806 Credits, or capture one.

My Opinion:
The Split Scorpion is a bad ship. Supposedly the Split Scorpion is designed to excel at combat, but it fares very poorly in practice. While it is the fastest M4, and is capable of mounting the mighty Alpha HEPT, it can't use Silkworm Missiles which most of the other M4s can, and it has horrible M5 level shielding. Also, if you can afford Alpha HEPTs, you should probably be looking for an M3. I would recommend not purchasing this one. Buy a Buster instead.

The Paranid Pericles

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 74.77 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 209.36 m/s
Acceleration: 12 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 19.99%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 65.99%
Power Generator: 150 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 30 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 110 units
Cargo Class: S
Weapons:
2 Forward Mounts (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma IREs and PACs, Alpha PSG)
Missiles: Silkworm Missile, Dragonfly Missile, Wasp Missile, Mosquito Missile
Shields: 3 x 5 MW
How to acquire: 344,020 Credits, or capture one.

My Opinion:
The Paranid Pericles is unmatched in its class when it comes to pure combat. It has an excellent balance of speed, cargo space, weaponry, and shielding. This is the ship you want if you need a general purpose M4 fighter. The only bad thing about it is that it can only carry S class cargo, making it incapable of carrying certain cargoes. This also makes it unable to mount a triplex scanner or jumpdrive, limiting its role considerably. Overall, I would recommend it for short range operations that require a strong M4 fighter.

M4 Class Ships (Part 2)

Due to the character limit on guide sections on the Steam community, I had to split M4s into two parts.

The Pirate Bayamon:

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 103.06 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 206.12 m/s
Acceleration: 8 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 44.99%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 134.99%
Power Generator: 50 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 38 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 158 units
Cargo Class: M
Weapons:
4 Forward Mounts (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma IREs, Alpha and Beta PACs, Alpha PSG, Ion Disruptor)
Missiles: Dragonfly Missile, Wasp Missile, Mosquito Missile
Shields: 2 x 5 MW
How to acquire: Cannot be purchased, only captured.

My Opinion:
Ah yes, the infamous Pirate Bayamon. Able to capture anything in the game with its 4 Ion Disruptors, supposedly. While the Pirate Bayamon is spectacular at capturing thanks to its four forward weapons mounts, one would be well advised to steer clear of enemy fire due to its poor shielding. Other than that, though, the Bayamon is well worth the trouble of capturing one, at least until you can get a Split Iguana. It has incredible forward firepower, obviously, but it is also reasonably fast, and has the biggest cargo bay of any M4. Overall, I would recommend the Pirate Bayamon to any prospective privateer.

The Xenon M:

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 76.57 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 229.72 m/s
Acceleration: 13 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 52.49%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 209.99%
Power Generator: 150 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 39 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 114 units
Cargo Class: S
Weapons:
2 Forward Mounts (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma IREs and PACs)
Missiles: Silkworm Missile, Dragonfly Missile, Wasp Missile, Mosquito Missile
Shields: 4 x 5 MW
How to acquire: Could theoretically be purchased at Xenon shipyards, but because the Xenon hate everyone you cannot buy from them, so you will have to capture one if you want one.

My Opinion:
On paper, the Xenon M seems amazing. Best shields in its class, fast, good cargo space, decent weaponry, and a strong power generator, but in practice it isn't worth the trouble of getting one. Capturing Xenon ships is irritating, and M4s are not very good personal ships anyhow, so it's generally better to just get an Argon Buster or Paranid Pericles, or save up for an M3. Overall, I would not recommend going after one, except possibly as a trophy, or to sell. Also, who wants to fly a ship that looks like garbage?

M3 Class Ships (Part 1)

These ships are the ones with the biggest guns and best protection out of all the fighters. If you want to fly a fighter around as your personal ship, get an M3. They kick serious butt.
Some uses for M3s:

• Bounty hunting. (I recommend the Argon Nova for this.)
  
• Capturing pirates and Xenon. (The Argon Nova is really good at this too.)
  
• Fighting the evil purple aliens. (Argon Nova again.)

But which one is the best?:
Definitely the Argon Nova. It's only disadvantage is its slightly below average speed, other than that, it kicks the other M3s to the curb.

The Argon Nova:

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 65.31 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 163.28 m/s
Acceleration: 12 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 19.99%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 99.99%
Power Generator: 150 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 86 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 236 units
Cargo Class: L
Weapons:
2 Forward Mounts (Alpha IREs, Alpha and Beta PACS, Alpha and Beta HEPTs, Mass Driver, Ion Disruptor)
1 Rear Turret (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma IREs and PACs, Mass Driver)
Missiles: Hornet Missile, Silkworm Missile, Dragonfly Missile, Wasp Missile, Mosquito Missile
Shields: 3 x 25 MW
How to acquire: 816,600 Credits, or capture one.

My Opinion:
The Argon Nova is, without a doubt, one of, if not the best ship in the whole game. While it is fairly slow, its cargo capacity is good, it has strong shields, a good generator, and a large number of weapon choices, from the non-lethal Ion Disruptor, to the shield-bypassing Mass Driver, to the powerful Beta HEPT, the Argon Nova has it all. It even packs anti-capital ship Hornet missiles, which can also be used to blow up asteroids. However, the main selling point of the Argon Nova is its rear turret, which, with the help of some combat software upgrades, can be set to shoot down incoming missiles in its rear facing firing arc. This makes the Argon Nova much tougher since it is difficult to hit with missiles from behind. Overall, an excellent personal ship. Kit out one of these and you can finish the entire plot of the game.

The Boron Barracuda:

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 60.00 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 204.0 m/s
Acceleration: 9 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 19.99%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 79.99%
Power Generator: 250 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 63 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 208 units
Cargo Class: M
Weapons:
2 Forward Mounts (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma IREs and PACs, Alpha and Beta HEPTs, Ion Disruptor)
Missiles: Hornet Missile, Silkworm Missile, Dragonfly Missile, Wasp Missile, Mosquito Missile
Shields: 2 x 25 MW
How to acquire: 849,064 Credits, or capture one.

My Opinion:
The Boron Barracuda is actually not too shabby for a Boron ship, but it is effectively a worse Argon Nova. It has better speed, and a huge power generator, but it doesn't have a L class cargo bay like the Argon Nova, and it can't mount Mass Drivers, lacks the Argon Nova's rear turret, and just to make things even worse, it has worse shielding than the Argon Nova as well. If you have the money for a Boron Barracuda, get an Argon Nova instead.

The Teladi Falcon

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 71.53 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 135.90 m/s
Acceleration: 7 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 22.49%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 101.24%
Power Generator: 150 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 53 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 283 units
Cargo Class: L
Weapons:
2 Forward Mounts (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma IREs and PACs, Alpha HEPT, Alpha PSG, Ion Disruptor)
Missiles: Hornet Missile, Silkworm Missile, Dragonfly Missile, Wasp Missile, Mosquito Missile
Shields: 3 x 25 MW
How to acquire: 1,076,296 Credits, or capture one.

My Opinion:
The Teladi Falcon is an decent fighter, but like the other M3s, it is outmatched by the Argon Nova. The main problem with the Teladi Falcon, however, is that it is very, very slow. Almost everything in the entire game will outrun you, even if you have full engine upgrades. This can be a serious problem if you need to chase someone down or escape a bad situation. Overall, I recommend using the Argon Nova instead of this ship.

The Split Mamba:

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 114.45 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 286.14 m/s
Acceleration: 11 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 25.00%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 100.00%
Power Generator: 200 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 84 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 224 units
Cargo Class: L
Weapons:
2 Forward Mounts (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma IREs and PACs, Alpha and Beta HEPTs, Mass Driver)
Missiles: Silkworm Missile, Dragonfly Missile, Wasp Missile, Mosquito Missile
Shields: 1 x 25 MW
How to acquire: 1,206,144 Credits, or capture one.

My Opinion:
This M3 is fast. Very fast. That is about the only good thing about it. It can't use Hornet Missiles like most other M3s, it has horrifyingly bad shielding, and its weapon options are worse than the Argon Nova's. I would recommend passing this one over for an Argon Nova.

The Paranid Perseus:

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 105.10 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 210.20 m/s
Acceleration: 15 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 20.49%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 75.84%
Power Generator: 200 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 60 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 76 units
Cargo Class: M
Weapons:
3 Forward Mounts (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma IREs and PACs, Alpha HEPT, Alpha and Beta PSGs)
Missiles: Hornet Missile, Silkworm Missile, Dragonfly Missile, Wasp Missile, Mosquito Missile
Shields: 3 x 25 MW
How to acquire: 946,448 Credits, or capture one.

My Opinion:
The Paranid Perseus is like a bigger, meaner Paranid Pericles. It has good speed, good shielding,
and a strong power generator, but the most impressive thing about the Paranid Perseus is its ability to mount three Beta Phased Shockwave Generators, which are capable of easily annihilating everything in front of you. However, unless you are taking advantage of its three Beta PSG configuration, the Paranid Perseus is a poor choice due to its vanishingly small cargo space, which limits its jump range considerably. I would recommend not buying it and getting an Argon Nova instead unless you are specifically planning to use PSGs.

M3 Class Ships (Part 2)

Due to the character limit on guide sections on the Steam community, I had to split M3s into two parts.

The Pirate Orinoco:

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 76.03 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 174.88 m/s
Acceleration: 7 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 22.99%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 68.99%
Power Generator: 100 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 124 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 374 units
Cargo Class: L
Weapons:
2 Forward Mounts (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma IREs and PACs, Alpha HEPT, Alpha and Beta PSGs, Ion Disruptor)
Missiles: Silkworm Missile, Dragonfly Missile, Wasp Missile, Mosquito Missile
Shields: 2 x 25 MW
How to acquire: Cannot be purchased, only captured.

My Opinion:
The Pirate Orinoco is not very useful. It can't use Hornet Missiles, has poor shielding, and can't mount as many Beta PSGs as the Paranid Perseus. It's only advantage is its enormous cargo bay, which doesn't help because it's much easier to just buy a TS class ship than it is to capture enough Orinocos to carry the same amount. I would recommend selling any of these that you capture.

The Xenon L:

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 69.36 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 159.54 m/s
Acceleration: 11 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 45.49%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 181.99%
Power Generator: 200 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 74 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 234 units
Cargo Class: L
Weapons:
2 Forward Mounts (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma IREs and PACs, Alpha HEPT)
Missiles: Hornet Missile, Silkworm Missile, Dragonfly Missile, Wasp Missile, Mosquito Missile
Shields: 3 x 25 MW
How to acquire: Could theoretically be purchased at Xenon shipyards, but because the Xenon hate everyone you cannot buy from them, so you will have to capture one if you want one.

My Opinion:
Unlike the other two Xenon fighters, the Xenon L is shockingly terrible for its class, and is pretty much completely useless. An Argon Nova has a better armament, carries more cargo, and is faster than the Xenon L, and the Xenon L has nothing good to say about it. I recommend selling these as soon as you capture them, if you even bother to do so.

TS Class Ships (Part 1)

These ships are the workhorses of X2. If you need cargo moved, these ships have your back. They will be your prime money makers in the early game, and they will continue to be an essential part of your trade empire all the way to the end.
Here are some uses for TS class ships:

• Moving stuff. (I recommend the Split Caiman for quickly transfering wares.)
  
• Trading. (I recommend the Split Caiman due to its speed. Early Teladi gets the profitsssssss.)
  
• Storage. (I recommend the Boron Dolphin. It is excellent at this thanks to its vast cargo bay.)
  
• Mining. (I recommend the Teladi Vulture for this since it has a nice big cargo bay to hold all those rocks.)

But which one is the best?:
Definitely the Split Caiman. It's speed is invaluable for making profitsssssss as quickly as possible.

The Argon Mercury:

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 50.00 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 150.00 m/s
Acceleration: 12 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 5.99%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 23.99%
Power Generator: 500 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 900 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 1800 units
Cargo Class: XL
Weapons:
1 Rear Turret (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma IREs, Alpha PAC, Alpha PSG, Ion Disruptor)
Missiles: Mosquito Missile
Shields: 3 x 25 MW
How to acquire: 103,939 Credits, or capture one.

My Opinion:
The Argon Mercury is a well balanced trader, with good shielding, a good cargo bay size, and good speed. However, it doesn't have as much space as the Boron Dolphin, and isn't as fast as the Split Caiman. It can't mount a mining laser either. I do not recommend purchasing one since other TS class ships do its job better than it does.

The Boron Dolphin:

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 46.46 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 120.81 m/s
Acceleration: 3 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 2.49%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 7.49%
Power Generator: 100 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 2000 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 3000 units
Cargo Class: XL
Weapons:
1 Rear Turret (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma IREs, Alpha PSG, Ion Disruptor)
Missiles: Mosquito Missile
Shields: 3 x 25 MW
How to acquire: 165,877 Credits, or capture one.

My Opinion:
The Boron Dolphin is often called the best trader in the game due to its huge cargo bay, however, this is not the case. The people who praise the Boron Dolphin forget that it is incredibly slow, and therefore misses deals frequently. I personally have made profitsssssss much faster with the Split Caiman. The Boron Dolphin is not without its uses, however. It acquits itself very well as a mobile storage container, since it has the largest cargo bay of any small craft. I recommend purchasing a Boron Dolphin whenever you need to store a large number of goods, such as using one to carry extra energy cells for your M2 or M1 class ship, or to carry extra missiles or mass driver ammunition.

The Teladi Vulture:

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 49.49 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 123.73 m/s
Acceleration: 3 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 4.49%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 8.99%
Power Generator: 100 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 1600 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 2500 units
Cargo Class: XL
Weapons:
1 Rear Turret (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma IREs, Alpha PSG, Mobile Drilling System)
Missiles: Mosquito Missile
Shields: 2 x 25 MW
How to acquire: 118,074 Credits, or capture one.

My Opinion:
The Teladi Vulture is the ideal mining ship, thanks to its spacious cargo hold, capable of holding many asteroid chunks. Definitely an excellent source of profitsssssss early game, although the Vulture doesn't hold up when trading due to its slow speed. I would recommend this ship to any prospective belters looking to mine seriously.

The Split Caiman:

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 75.67 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 189.18 m/s
Acceleration: 4 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 6.49%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 11.69%
Power Generator: 200 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 600 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 1500 units
Cargo Class: XL
Weapons:
1 Forward Mount (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma IREs)
1 Rear Turret (Alpha IRE, Alpha, Beta, and Gamma PACs, Mass Driver, Mobile Drilling System, Ion Disruptor)
Missiles: Mosquito Missile
Shields: 2 x 25 MW
How to acquire: 138,978 Credits, or capture one.

My Opinion:
The Split Caiman is the best trader in the game, thanks to its powerful Split-designed engines, which give it the fastest speed out of all the TS class ships. While its cargo bay might seem small, 1500 units is more than enough to clear out most stations due to their rather limited capacities. The Split Caiman can also be used as a miner, and does quite well in this role, although I find that its limited cargo capacity can occasionally be a nuisance, so I prefer the Teladi Vulture. Overall, I recommend this ship to any trader or factory owner looking for fast profitsssssss.

The Paranid Demeter:

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 58.55 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 175.67 m/s
Acceleration: 3 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 5.99%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 17.99%
Power Generator: 200 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 999 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 1665 units
Cargo Class: XL
Weapons:
1 Forward Mount (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma IREs, Alpha PSG, Mobile Drilling System)
1 Rear Turret (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma IREs, Alpha PAC, Alpha PSG, Mobile Drilling System)
Missiles: Mosquito Missile
Shields: 3 x 25 MW
How to acquire: 103,939 Credits, or capture one.

My Opinion:
The Paranid Demeter is not specialized enough to be worth purchasing. It has slightly more cargo space than the Split Caiman, but not nearly as much as the Teladi Vulture, and it's faster than most other TS class ships, but it's slower than the Split Caiman. In other words, it can mine, but not as well as the Teladi Vulture, and it can trade, but not as well as the Split Caiman. I wouldn't recommend this ship to anyone since there are other ships better worth the investment.

TS Class Ships (Part 2)

Due to the character limit on guide sections on the Steam community, I had to split TS class ships into two parts.

The Pirate Ship:

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 56.30 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 168.91 m/s
Acceleration: 4 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 4.99%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 14.99%
Power Generator: 200 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 500 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 1000 units
Cargo Class: XL
Weapons:
1 Forward Mount (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma IREs and PACs, Alpha and Beta HEPTs, Ion Disruptor)
1 Rear Turret (Alpha and Beta PACs, Alpha and Beta PSGs, Ion Disruptor)
Missiles: Hornet Missile, Silkworm Missile, Dragonfly Missile, Wasp Missile, Mosquito Missile
Shields: 1 x 25 MW
How to acquire: Cannot be purchased, only captured.

My Opinion:
This rather uncreatively named ship is noteworthy for being by far the most well armed TS in the game, capable of carry Beta PSGs both up front and on the rear, or swapping out the frontal Beta PSG for a Beta HEPT. It is also capable of using Hornet Missiles, which it can carry many of. However, it has very poor shielding for a trader, and while it is well armed, any competent opponent in an M4 or M3 will make short work of it anyway thanks to the aforementioned poor shielding. Better to invest in a Split Caiman with 50 MW of shielding and maxed out engines than to spend time trying to capture one of these. I recommend selling any of these you may capture.

TP Class Ships

These ships are supposedly designed to transport passengers from one place to another, however, there is no passenger business in X2: The Threat, occasional space tour mission aside, so these ships are mostly useless for their intended purpose. Nevertheless, they are detailed here.
Some uses for TP class ships:

• Doing those boring passenger missions if you feel like it. (I have never bothered to try them myself, but I imagine the Split Iguana would be best for this since it is the fastest TP.)
  
• Trading? (The Boron Manta and Teladi Toucan used to be good for this, but they were nerfed in patch 1.4, and can no longer carry XL class cargo. The same patch also gave all the TS class ships larger cargo bays and higher speeds, so TS class ships are much better for this anyway.)
  
• Capturing? (The Split Iguana is surprisingly good at this, even better than the Argon Nova or Pirate Bayamon.)

But which one is the best?:
The Split Iguana, thanks to its speed and armament. It is well armed and maneuverable enough to serve as a less expensive, faster M3 with a much bigger cargo bay.

The Argon Express:

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 120.00 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 216.00 m/s
Acceleration: 10 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 11.99%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 23.99%
Power Generator: 250 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 750 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 750 units
Cargo Class: L
Weapons:
1 Rear Turret (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma IREs, Alpha and Beta PACs, Alpha PSG)
Missiles: Mosquito Missile
Shields: 3 x 25 MW
How to acquire: 236,570 Credits, or capture one.

My Opinion:
The Argon Express is boring and useless. Sure, it's faster than a Split Caiman, but it has only half the cargo space, and is way more expensive. And anyway, even if you are truly committed to using passenger transports as cargo shuttles, the Boron Manta or Split Iguana make better choices. I would not recommend wasting money on this useless ship.

The Boron Manta:

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 72.07 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 216.21 m/s
Acceleration: 5 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 5.49%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 10.99%
Power Generator: 200 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 1000 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 1000 units
Cargo Class: L
Weapons:
1 Rear Turret (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma IREs, Alpha and Beta PACs, Ion Disruptor)
Missiles: Mosquito Missile
Shields: 2 x 25 MW
How to acquire: 376,416 Credits, or capture one.

My Opinion:
The Boron Manta used to be legendary as the best trader in X2. It had just the right amount of cargo space, and was faster than any TS. Then patch 1.4 came and took away its XL class cargo bay, and made all the TS class ships faster and more spacious. With its advantages over the Split Caiman more or less gone, the Boron Manta is no longer the best option for trading. I would recommend not buying a Boron Manta, the Split Caiman is far cheaper and can trade better than the Boron Manta can.

The Teladi Toucan:

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 90.09 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 180.18 m/s
Acceleration: 13 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 8.99%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 17.09%
Power Generator: 100 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 900 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 900 units
Cargo Class: L
Weapons:
1 Rear Turret (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma IREs, Alpha and Beta PACs, Alpha PSG)
Missiles: Mosquito Missile
Shields: 3 x 25 MW
How to acquire: 313,185 Credits, or capture one.

My Opinion:
The Teladi Toucan, like the Boron Manta, was able to carry XL class wares before patch 1.4. Before patch 1.4, it was useless, since the Boron Manta was faster and had more cargo space. After patch 1.4, it is now even more useless, as it is still the slowest of the TP class ships, and TS class ships have been buffed considerably, making TPs obsolete for the purpose of trading. This ship is a waste of your hard-earned money.

The Split Iguana:

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 162.16 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 308.10 m/s
Acceleration: 8 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 7.99%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 15.19%
Power Generator: 200 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 450 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 450 units
Cargo Class: L
Weapons:
3 Forward Mounts (Alpha and Beta IREs, Alpha, Beta, and Gamma PACs, Ion Disruptor)
1 Rear Turret (Alpha and Beta IREs, Alpha, Beta, and Gamma PACs, Ion Disruptor)
Missiles: Mosquito Missile
Shields: 2 x 25 MW
How to acquire: 278,950 Credits, or capture one.

My Opinion:
This ship, ironically enough, is an excellent combat ship, unlike actual Split combat ships. With more firepower than most M3s and a rear turret, it is capable of taking down anything in the game one on one, so long as its pilot is skilled and the ship is outfitted appropriately. I highly recommend outfitting this ship with Ion Disruptors and hunting down whatever you want with it. With three Ion Disruptors, it is the best capturer in the game.

The Paranid Hermes:

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 67.56 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 250.00 m/s
Acceleration: 9 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 17.99%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 66.59%
Power Generator: 250 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 697 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 697 units
Cargo Class: L
Weapons:
1 Rear Turret (Alpha and Beta IREs, Alpha, Beta, and Gamma PACs, Ion Disruptor)
Missiles: Mosquito Missile
Shields: 3 x 25 MW
How to acquire: 282,371 Credits, or capture one.

My Opinion:
The Paranid Hermes is just as useless as every other TP class ship that is not the Split Iguana. There isn't anything good to say about it. Just do not buy it, and save your money for something useful.

M6s, TLs, M2s, and M1s

Steam couldn't withstand a guide of this magnitude, so I had to split the the guide. As a result, the sections on M1s, M2s, TLs, and M6s have moved to the second part of the guide.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2088317556

Extra Ships

These are ships and other objects which do not fit into the other categories, like the Goner ship and lasertowers.

The Goner Ship (Class: GO):

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 54.05 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 216.21 m/s
Acceleration: 3 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 39.99%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 119.99%
Power Generator: 100 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 180 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 430 units
Cargo Class: L
Weapons: None
Missiles: Mosquito Missile
Shields: 3 x 25 MW
How to acquire: Cannot be purchased, only captured.

My Opinion:
The Goner Ship is a bit like an M3, but it has no weapons other than the mosquito missile, and while it is quite fast and has a large cargo bay, the Split Caiman or even the Split Iguana are more suited to hauling cargo than the Goner Ship. I wouldn't recommend going out of your way to get ahold of one of these ships, as they can only be captured from the Goners, who are friendly and harmless, so you have little reason to fight them.

The Lasertower (Class: OL):

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 0.00 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 0.00 m/s
Acceleration: 0 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 5.99%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 5.99%
Power Generator: 1000 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 50 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 50 units
Cargo Class: XL
Weapons:
1 Forward Mount (Lasertower Weapon)
Missiles: None
Shields: 1 x 25 MW

My Opinion:
Lasertowers are the static defenses of X2. Having one of these near your station is a bit like guarding it with an immobile, but well shielded, cheap, and very heavily armed M4. If you are using these, I personally recommend using more than one, and placing them in small groups of around 3. They are good at keeping pirate raids and Xenon attacks at bay, but the evil purple aliens are much more dangerous and will shred defenses that would do just fine against ordinary threats. Another good use for them is fortifying gates, particularly gates that lead to Xenon sectors, like the one in Scale Plate Green. I would generally recommend using lasertowers to defend stations of moderate importance that do not warrant a wing of M3s.

The Advanced Satellite (Class: SA):

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 0.00 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 0.00 m/s
Acceleration: 0 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 0.00%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 0.00%
Power Generator: 10 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 1 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 1 units
Cargo Class: S
Weapons: None
Missiles: None
Shields: 1 x 1 MW

My Opinion:
Advanced Navsats are basically better navsats. Contrary to the ingame description, advanced navsats are exactly the same as regular navsats in every way except one: advanced navsats have a considerably greater sensor range. This means that if money is no object for you, you should always use advanced navsats, since they are better. Any sector that you need a complete picture of should have an advanced navsat in it. They are still just as defenseless as regular navsats though, so try to place them in safe sectors.

The Navigation Satellite (Class: SA):

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 0.00 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 0.00 m/s
Acceleration: 0 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 0.00%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 0.00%
Power Generator: 10 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 1 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 1 units
Cargo Class: S
Weapons: None
Missiles: None
Shields: 1 x 1 MW

My Opinion:
Navsats, as they are called, are as useful as they are irritating. They are a good, cheap way to monitor a sector, but since they are immobile and defenseless, they tend to get destroyed often. This cycle of placing a satellite, the satellite getting destroyed, and replacing the satellite can get annoying. I highly recommend them for surveillance of any reasonably safe sector. It is only a matter of time until some pirate, Xenon, or evil purple alien comes along and destroys it though, so be ready to replace it when that happens.

Enemy Only Ships

Certain enemy ships cannot be bought or captured, and thus can only be used by the Xenon and the evil purple aliens. The player cannot obtain these ships, except by using the script editor. The only exception to this is the Xenon K, which can be captured during very high difficulty Xenon defense missions if it appears.

The Xenon J (Class: M1):

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 72.07 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 158.55 m/s
Acceleration: 1 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 2.99%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 11.99%
Power Generator: 10000 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 2900 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 2900 units
Cargo Class: XL
Weapons:
1 Forward Turret (Gamma IRE, Beta and Gamma PACs, Alpha, Beta, and Gamma PPCs)
1 Right Turret (Beta and Gamma HEPTs, Alpha, Beta, and Gamma PPCs)
1 Left Turret (Beta and Gamma HEPTs, Alpha, Beta, and Gamma PPCs)
1 Dorsal Turret (Gamma IRE, Gamma PAC, Beta and Gamma HEPTs, Alpha and Beta PPCs)
1 Ventral Turret (Gamma IRE, Gamma PAC, Beta and Gamma HEPTs, Alpha and Beta PPCs)
1 Rear Turret (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma IREs, PACs, and HEPTs, Alpha PPC)
Missiles: Hornet Missile, Silkworm Missile, Dragonfly Missile, Wasp Missile, Mosquito Missile
Shields: 6 x 125 MW
Hangar: 100 M5, M4, M3, TS, or TP
How to acquire: You cannot acquire this ship unless you use the script editor.

My Opinion:
The Xenon J is a very unremarkable carrier. It is not bad at anything, but at the same time is not very good at much. The main area where this ship stands out is in maneuverability, as it is even more maneuverable than the Teladi Condor. There isn't really anything very desirable about this ship, which is good because unless you cheat you cannot get one. As for facing enemy Xenon Js in combat, I recommend focusing on the fighters that are escorting the ship first. Once the fighter screen has been eliminated, the ship is wide open for attack. Just try not to get too close to it, or it might use its maneuverability to perform the most classic of Xenon maneuvers: Ramming.

The Xenon K (Class: M2):

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 180.18 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 306.30 m/s
Acceleration: 28 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 1.99%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 7.99%
Power Generator: 10000 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 3500 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 3500 units
Cargo Class: XL
Weapons:
3 Forward Turrets (Gamma IRE, Beta and Gamma PACs, Alpha, Beta, and Gamma PPCs)
3 Right Turrets (Beta and Gamma HEPTs, Alpha, Beta, and Gamma PPCs)
3 Left Turrets (Beta and Gamma HEPTs, Alpha, Beta, and Gamma PPCs)
3 Dorsal Turrets (Gamma IRE, Gamma PAC, Beta and Gamma HEPTs, Alpha and Beta PPCs)
3 Ventral Turrets (Gamma IRE, Gamma PAC, Beta and Gamma HEPTs, Alpha and Beta PPCs)
3 Rear Turrets (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma IREs, PACs, and HEPTs, Alpha PPC)
Missiles: Hornet Missile, Silkworm Missile, Dragonfly Missile, Wasp Missile, Mosquito Missile
Shields: 5 x 125 MW
Hangar: 5 M5, M4, or M3
How to acquire: The Xenon K may only be captured during highly difficult Xenon defense missions accepted at the bulletin board. Only Xenon Ks that spawn as part of the mission may be captured.

My Opinion:
The Xenon K is actually a very good destroyer, arguably one of the best in the game, and should be engaged with extreme caution. This ship can potentially go faster than anything short of an M5, is by far the most agile destroyer, and still packs just as big a punch as the rest. The hangar and cargo bay are nothing to scoff at either. Just to make things even more difficult, Xenon Ks are often escorted by Xenon fighters. Give Xenon Ks a very wide berth unless you are fully prepared to fight it and the fighters escorting it. If a Xenon K engages you when you are not prepared, run, and hope that the Xenon have been skimping on engine upgrades.

Unused Ships

This section is for ships that do not appear in the game unless you use the script editor to spawn them. I am only including ships that are at least mostly functional in this section for the time being.

The Terran Xperimental Shuttle (Class: M3):

Technical Data:
Starting Max Speed: 90.00 m/s
Maximum Upgraded Max Speed: 306.00 m/s
Acceleration: 11 m/s per second
Starting Steering: 39.99%
Maximum Upgraded Steering: 159.99%
Power Generator: 200 MW
Starting Cargo-bay: 58 units
Maximum Upgraded Cargo-bay: 128 units
Cargo Class: M
Weapons:
2 Forward Mounts (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma IREs and PACs, Alpha and Beta HEPT)
Missiles: Hornet Missile, Silkworm Missile, Dragonfly Missile, Wasp Missile, Mosquito Missile
Shields: 2 x 25 MW
How to acquire: You cannot acquire this ship unless you use the script editor.

My Opinion:
The Terran Xperimental Shuttle has seen better days since it was disassembled after the events of X: Beyond the Frontier. The ship was apparently reassembled at some point, but it seems to have lost some of its potency. It can no longer mount Gamma HEPT or 125 MW shields, and its cargo bay is lacking for an M3, especially since it can now only carry M class cargo. Seeing as it was never fully implemented in X2: The Threat, the Terran Xperimental Shuttle does have some visual issues, but is otherwise functional if spawned with the script editor.

The End

The guide is over. Feel free to comment, offer some constructive criticism, or point out typos. May your time in X2: The Threat be pleasant and filled with profitsssssss.

Version History:

• 30/4/2018: Version 1.0: Guide published.
  
• 3/1/2019: Version 1.1: Screenshots added for Argon ships.
  
• 4/1/2019: Version 1.2: Screenshots added for Boron Ray and Boron Shark. Guide renamed from "Ships of the Galaxy"
  
• 5/1/2019: Version 1.21: Screenshots added for Pirate ships, Teladi ships, Split ships, and remaining Boron ships. Pricing information added to Boron and Split ships. Added acquisition information for Pirate ships and Xenon fighters. Added race insignias(from X-Tension, courtesy of klarix's X site.) to Racial Trends section. Moved old Argon Discoverer image to The End.
  
• 6/1/2019: Version 1.22: Screenshots added for Paranid ships.
  
• 8/1/2019: Version 1.23: Pricing information added for Paranid ships.
  
• 9/1/2019: Version 1.24: Screenshots added for Xenon fighters.
  
• 21/1/2019: Version 1.25: Changed description for the Split Elephant. The old description compared it poorly to the Paranid Hercules without really saying much about the ship. I actually have used one myself, so I should have gotten around to showing it's merits earlier.
  
• 7/5/2020: Version 1.26: Split the guide in two. Moved M6s, TLs, M2s, and M1s to part two. Added part two to the links section. Took a new screenshot for the Xenon J, apparently Steam hated the old one and was refusing to display it. Also added a screenshot for the Xenon K.
  
• 8/5/2020: Version 1.27: Added descriptions for the Xenon J, Xenon K, lasertowers, navsats, and advanced navsats.
  
• 9/5/2020: Version 1.3: Added screenshots for the Goner Ship, the Xperimental Shuttle, navsats, advanced navsats, and lasertowers.
  
• 18/11/2023: Version 1.31: Long time no see! Corrected typos.
  
• 3/12/2023: Version 1.4: Added Part 3. Better late than never. Happy 20th anniversary X2!
  
• 6/9/2024: Version 1.41: Corrected an old sentence that implied the Kha'ak had not yet been added to the guide. Happy 25th anniversary X-series!

[Canuckistanian]

@Whatshock
The Paranid Demeter is a good ship. It is certainly the second-best TS in the game for trading after the Split Caiman, and pretty close to the Teladi Vulture in mining. As a general-purpose ship, it is generally superior to the Argon Mercury. It even gets MDS on the front. And Alpha PSG on the rear turret as you mentioned. But I usually use the Vulture for mining and the Caiman for trading. I don't use the Demeter much.

The opinion section for the Paranid Demeter might be too critical. I might revise it. If only Steam guides had more space. Sometimes I feel my opinion sections would be more balanced if I could say more. Unfortunately I already had to split this one guide into three due to the space limits, so I am already stretching the limits of the system even with brief descriptions. I can hardly imagine making an equivalent guide for the newer games that have so many more ships!

I am glad that you found this guide helpful! Thanks for contributing to the discussion!

[Der Kommissar]

Well I think that Paranid Demeter is actually pretty solid TS, if not the best. It has a good speed, solid cargo-bay and it's cheap. Compare to the Split Caiman - it can carry PSG (which is pretty useful for Khaak's raids) and it has 3x 25MW. I've found this TS very reliable, especially if you don't have any patrol ship in the sector. Your opinion?

By the way thank you for those guides for this game. It's so helpful! :)

[ReD2222 [Poor quality user]]

I believe Orinoco is much better than this that you said in the guide. Alpha PSGs are more than enough to shred every ship except large purple evil guys, it can use Ion distruptors as well and with such large cargo hold it can be ultimately mobile with a full hold of batteries + Jumpdrive. Though it's speed is pretty low on it's own - still better than Nova's speed. :D With such a ton of batteries player can use Orinoco to be everywhere and nowhere at the same time in the known galaxy, doing assassination missions and protecting own stuff from random aggroed enemies here and there. But that's just IMO and your guide is pretty well made. Good job, Pilot :)

[Nobody’s Home]

@Canuckistanian
You also excuse me for my English)
Silicon, of course. I just wanted to say that you don’t need to advise selling the Pirate ship to those who want to try open-cast mining of silicon at the beginning of the game.
It is very profitable.

[Canuckistanian]

@Stardust Filter Ah, sorry about that. I have just never heard the term "cremnium" before. Pirate ships are totally fine for early game mining, I just find restocking hornet missiles irritating.

[Nobody’s Home]

@Canuckistanian
I did not say a word about Nividium.
I talked about the early and not dangerous money , the cremnium mining and the cost of dubious toys like MDS with suitable TS...

[Canuckistanian]

@Stardust Filter I assume you are talking about nividium mining in dangerous sectors? That is indeed a legitimate use of the Pirate Ship, but I find that in the long run using a Mobile Drilling System equipped TS is more profitable.

The Paranid Demeter is an excellent choice for this, having access to Alpha PSGs and MDS in both the front and rear, being quite fast, and also having a decently sized cargo bay. The Paranid Demeter also has 75 MW of shields as well, making it much more survivable. That being said, it is slightly harder to capture a Paranid Demeter in the early game than it is to capture a Pirate Ship, and both of them are good options for a trader or miner in need of armament, so the choice, as always, depends on one's priorities.

[Nobody’s Home]

Thanks to the author for the detailed and well designed guide.

But there is one remark:
The Pirate Ship is the only way to the early mining of cremnium manually. All is needed - obtain the hornets, what is pretty simple.
You ignoring a unique usage of this TS for early game (it also may stop M3 invders for a price).
Words about "poor shielding for a trader" is a heresy for anyone who saw a usual & routine massacres of a well shielded NPС's TS ...

[Revan]

@Canuckistanian well if it as detailed as this I look forward to it

[Canuckistanian]

@Revan Thank you for the compliment. I have been playing a lot of X3 lately, and I have been putting off both the updating of this guide, and the making of the other guides to go with it. I am going to finish this guide completely. Whether or not I make the other guides I originally planned remains to be seen, but I think I will at least create a basic guide to the weapons of X2.