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Apricot Gunbus Mod V2

Version 2 of the Apricot Gunbus Mod is now available.
This is fully compatible with the X3 version 2 patches.

3 New ships are included :

Apricot BigMother : Colossus Hull modified to be a proper mothership.
Apricot Masterdon : Mammoth modified to carry more.
Apricot Mule          : Disco modified for large load transport.

All ships have expanded speed, shielding, rudder and gun options.
PBE's, lasertower gun and tractor beam all have longer range.
All classes of ships can be ST/UT.
M6 and M7 can collect wares in sector.
New ships are cheaper than the originals.

Download :
Standard Mod : http://circleofatlantis.com/games/X3/Apricot_Gunbus_Mod_v2.zip
XTM Version : http://CircleofAtlantis.com/games/X3/Apricot_Gunbus_V2_for_XTM.zip
XTM version installs as a Mod compatible with XTM loaded as a false patch.

Alternate Start Save File
Webpage Version : http://circleofatlantis.com/games/X3/alternate.html            


Download Extended M6 Commands :  (Not yet updated with new script)
http://circleofatlantis.com/games/X3/apricot.html
http://www.respawn.co.uk/content/view/324/0/

Download Tractor Beam Range Extension Mod (included in Gunbus mod)
http://circleofatlantis.com/games/X3/apricot.html
http://www.respawn.co.uk/content/view/324/0/

Thanks to Giscard for mirror hosting

Cycrow Installer versions of ships are now available for Beta testing, thanks to some speedy work by Jakesnake5.
(From the HQ Download Link above.)

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Apricot Mapping Service.
External Memo.
From : John Slice CEO
To : Julian Brennan
Subject : The Gunbus and Camel

Julian my friend, how are you keeping ?

I just wanted to let you know that The Apricot Mapping Service made a bulk purchase with the Argon for some outdated M6 Centaur's and another bulk purchase from the Teladi of some outdated Osprey's.

I got so sick of losing our freighters and their experienced pilots to Khaak, Xenon and Pirates, that I went looking for an alternative.

The Centaur's and Osprey's nicely fit the bill. Bob Derr, our erstwhile and excentric Chief Mechanic, has been having a lovely time modifying them. Never seen him look happier !

The object of the exercise was to have a freighter that was capable of enough speed to elude most enemies, while being armed to the teeth and quite capable of handling itself against any group of enemies up to a small fleet or capital ship. What it cant defeat, it can run away from.

The specs are impressive, even by your standards !

Its not the sort of thing I would normally allow, but desperate times need desperate actions. They are expensive ships, but a lot cheaper in the long run than losing multi-million credit freighters with multi-million credit cargos on a regular basis.

The pilots like them. They perform like a fighter, and can escape everything but the fastest M5's, but an M5 isnt going to make a dent in these babies unless the pilot is asleep.

The clients like them, because the cargo bays can hold as much as the largest freighters and get the goods safely to where its wanted.

They were named Gunbus (for the Centaur) and Camel (for the Osprey) after our mad Goner freind told Bob about a reference in the Goner archives of some of the first flying machines on old Earth that mounted fixed guns. I thought them appropriate names since they reflect carrying loads as well.

We have made an arrangement with Argon shipyards to allow sale of some of them to a few select Apricot freinds such as your good self. They are still more expensive than a Centaur, but I think you will agree when you see one that the extra is well worth it.

We have also equiped them with the ability to run Trade Mk.3 Software and Collect Wares in Sector Command.

Enjoy !

John.

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Apricot Gunbus

Modified Centaur M6. - 11 guns, 8 main, 3 single gun turrents, rear, left, right.
Redesignated Heavy Transport.
Cargo bay 10,000 to 20,000
Speed - 85 upgrades.
Rudder - 35 upgrades.
Acceleration and handling improved to match speed.
Ability to mount guns dramatically improved.
Mounts all missiles.
Mounts Tractor beam in main guns and turents. Range extended to 8km, making it much more stable at 3km from tow.
PBE's range extended to just over 2km and hit a bit harder.

Uses Slot 212 in tships file.
Uses 4515 and 4516 in file 448686.

Apricot Camel

Modified Osprey M6. - 11 guns, 8 main, 3 single gun turrents, rear, up, down.
Redesignated Heavy Transport.
Cargo bay 10,000 to 20,000
Speed - 85 upgrades.
Rudder - 35 upgrades.
Acceleration and handling improved to match speed.
Ability to mount guns dramatically improved.
Mounts all missiles.
Mounts Tractor beam in main guns and turents. Range extended to 8km, making it much more stable at 3km from tow.
PBE's range extended to just over 2km and hit a bit harder.

Uses Slot 213 in tships file.
Uses 4517 and 4518 in file 448686.

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Player Choices :

The ships were designed to give you choice. Some like speed, others dont. Some want huge cargo, some dont. So the choices are there for you to make.

The speed the ship does is dependent on how many speed upgrades you install. Choose.
The rudder the ship has is dependent on how many rudder upgrades you install. I recommend 30, but Choose.
The cargo bay is 10,000 on purchase, but expandable to 20,000 according to how many expansions you install. Choose.
Gun choice is very wide. You can go for heavy guns, a mix or just normal M6 guns. Choose.

The end result is up to your Choices, so experiment and find a ship design that suits your gameplay. If you dont think something available is not appropriate due to your sense of game balance or otherwise, then simply dont use that feature of the ship and pretend it isnt there. This ship is not available to the AI, so the only effects are in your own use of the ship.

Install :

Unzip download file to X3 directory.
Delete the file called setup.plugin.autotrade.pck from the \scripts directory as this is being replaced. (its a wicked file, it sometimes returns.)

Select Apricot Gunbus Mod before starting X3.

If you just wish the scripts for extending the M6 comands, do not select the mod before starting X3, and/or delete the mod from the \mods directory.

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From:	FlyingBarMitzvah
To:	apricotslice
Posted:	Mon Aug 07, 2006 7:22 pm
Subject:	Gunbus
I just installed your gunbus mod, and man, boy did that put the fun back in the game. I had bought the Centaur in vanilla, and boy what it was a beautiful ship. But it flew like a brick, I don't know how the devs expected you to hit anything with a turning speed like that. So I installed the Gunbus, and now it flies like a fighter, and like you said, I FEEL THE NEED FOR SPEED! Still trying to figure out what weapons to mount on it though, you gave me so many choices...