[Fighter Blueprint] Split Mamba M3 [X3]
When the Split Mamba first entered service, its design process had been such a well-kept secret that other races’ shipboard computers weren’t even able to recognize it. This period was short-lived, as the Mamba quickly made a name for itself with its lethal combination of firepower and speed, eventually becoming one of the most recognizable heavy fighters in Commonwealth space. When the Split government at last began selling the Mamba to private parties, a swarm of mercenaries and bounty hunters were at the ready, itching to get their hands on one.
The nimble Mamba can mount the High-Energy Plasma Thrower, Pulsed Beam Emitter, and Plasma Burst Generator, allowing it to deliver a devastating punch while carrying a good enough laser capacitor to stay on top during longer engagements. Its impressive missile selection includes the Split-designed Thunderbolt heat-seeker and the hard-hitting Tornado cluster missile. The one performance tradeoff comes in the form of shielding. The Mamba is only lightly shielded by M3 standards and it relies on its speed to evade enemy weapons fire. Skilled Mamba pilots know to avoid any weapons that they can’t reliably evade, such as certain missiles, flak weapons, or the Kyon Emitters of the Kha’ak.
In addition to the standard model, several other variants of the Mamba exist. The "Raider" variant is popular among elite pilots, who are happy to trade even more of the ship’s shielding for extra speed, while the "Vanguard" variant trades some cargo space for even better energy reserves. It is rumored that the Split government is testing an "Advanced" variant that outclasses all existing models, but few other details are available.
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This build of the Split Mamba is based on its appearance in X3:TC. It is exactly 200 blocks. I’m a lot happier with this one than I was with the Asp.
Screenshots (besides the auto-generated preview image) show fighters at true scale – when you use this blueprint to produce fighters, that’s the level of detail you can expect from the final product.
This ship is intended for use as a fighter blueprint, as it lacks the critical ship components necessary for player control.
Suggested weapons: Laser, plasma gun, launcher, bolter
