GTF Ares

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The GTF Ares

The GTF Ares is a heavy fighter class during the Second Shivan Incursion. It is an upgraded version of the GTF Hercules Mark II with more missiles and thicker armoring. The Ares's production was limited because of its high specifications and maintenance cost.

Description:

FS2 Tech Room Description

The GTF Ares class of fighters is a radical upgrade of the Hercules II fighter. The power plant has been completely replaced with the newer, more powerful Nankam NA-27f model. Depleted uranium shielding has been added atop critical subsystems, making the Ares harder to incapacitate. Two primary weapon banks have been added, for greater firepower than the Herc II. This greater punch and protection come at a cost, however, as the Ares handles like a potato.

Developer Notes

None

Veteran Comments

The Ares is for those times when you just want to sit back and lob missiles at people. It also makes a decent bomber substitute against heavily defended convoys of transports and cruisers. Standard usage of an Ares defensively is to load up with GTM Trebuchets, park next to what you're defending, and blow people away with paired hits at maximum range. Never try to dogfight; it is an exercise in futility.

This fighter is ideal for those who need firepower instead of maneuverability and speed. It can be armed with more missiles and is much tougher than the GTF Hercules Mark II. In fact, this fighter is tough enough to survive a glancing hit from the main beam of a Fenris at lower difficulties. Being a heavy attack fighter, it is vulnerable against faster-moving fighters. The Ares needs fighter escorts otherwise they are easily destroyed by more agile opponents.

The Ares is compatible with a wide range of weapons, including the most destructive GTW Maxim and GTW UD-8 Kayser.

When using this fighter, think mobile sentry gun if you're going to go attack other fighters. It is truly atrocious in handling, and will be a severe detriment in dogfighting, so if you want to, try and sit still and take out fighters with harpoons. However, the good firepower, great missile capacity, and armour makes this good for attacking warships.

Don't choose this one for the final missions. You almost always never make it to the node, and the sluggishness is just too much. You're constantly rearming with Trebutchets... no fun. :(

This fighter is essentially tailor-made for the final missions of the main FS2 Campaign, where large numbers of bomber waves predominate, as these missions are more-or less written for the player to respond to nearly everything with massed GTM Trebuchet fire and finish off the crippled survivors with GTW UD-8 Kaysers. In most respects however the Ares is actually more a light bomber than a fighter.

Excellent against Bombers (especially Seraphim and Nephilim) and Cruisers, but never, NEVER dogfight with this 'Fighter'. The Ares handles like a log of wood and can easily be outmaneuvered by any real fighter.

This fighter feels like a Herc MKI, in fact, it is a Herc MKI with better shields and armor. If you liked the Herc MKI but hated the Herc MKII, you will love this fighter.

There is something special about this fighter,first of all, its .pof file is called Bonus... second of all, You only get it if you complete the Into the Lion's Den SOC Mission (which probably everyone has done).

You can defend a ship against almost unlimited numbers of bombers in this ship. Hit B, lock on, fire Trebuchets, hit B again, lock on, fire, repeat until everybody dies. Forget interceptors, this is a bomber's worst nightmare.

Although it handles like a log, the sheer shielding, armor and firepower more than make up for it. This ship is death incarnate in the right hands - nothing can stand before you. Six GTW UD-8 Kaysers will turn any enemy into space dust. If you're not a good shot and have trouble with faster fighters, it's generous secondary capacity will solve the problem. Either way, the best fighter in-game for me.

Performance:

Statistics

Type	Strategic Assault
Manufacturer	Nankam Aeronautical
Manuverability	Poor
Max Velocity	50.0 - 62.0 mps
Max Afterburner Velocity	120.0 mps
Armor	Ultra Heavy
Hitpoints	425
Shields	650
Length	20 m

Armaments

• Gun Mounts

Freespace 2
Bank	Guns	Standard Loadout
1st	2	Subach HL-7
2st	4	Prometheus R
Compatible Primaries
Subach HL-7, Akheton SDG, Prometheus R, Prometheus S, Morning Star, UD-8 Kayser, Lamprey, Circe, Maxim

• Missile Banks

Freespace 2
Bank	Capacity	Standard Loadout
1st	90	Harpoon
2nd	100	Hornet
Compatible Secondaries
MX-64, Emp. Adv, Harpoon, Tempest, Hornet, Tornado, Trebuchet, Infyrno