Turner Class

Turner Class
Maximum gross mass	29t
Empty mass	1272t
Payload	1243t
Main thruster accel	24.2g
Retro thruster accel	9g
Gun mountings	1
Missiles	6
Crew	1
Hyperdrive ranges	Class 4 Military:94.33 Class 5:5.89 Class 6:8.49 Class 7:11.55
Standard drive	Class 4 Military
Fuel scoop	yes

Overview

A revolution in ship design, the Turner Class ship was the result of several years of intense R&D at the AAAI shipyards. It carries the largest and most powerful commercial hyperdrive known to humanity - the Class 4 Military.

Only four of these ships were ever produced; for the founders of AAAI, Mic Turner and Meredith Argent and their close friends.

the first Turner class ship, the Turner's Quest, is destroyed in battle with INRA in 3253. The second, Argent's Quest travels beyond the rim of known space, while the remaining two enter private service.

Purchasing (SPOILERS)

This ship is not for sale. However, it is possible for the player to fly the Argent's Quest. When A requiem is held in Alioth for the deceased explorer Mic Turner, the player must donate a sizeable amount of money to the Requiem fund. The player must first have an ELITE ranking of 'Competent' or greater to be offered an opportunity to avenge Mic Turner

If the player accepts the mission, then the hand coded 'Thargoid Missions' begin.

Notable Features

Carries a Class 4 Military drive, the only class of ship to do so.

Turner class vessels are equipped with the Stowmaster escape capsule, which is fitted with a hyperdrive and a laser.

The Argent's Quest also carries an Inter-species translator, useful for encounters with Thargoids.

Disadvantages

Turner Class ships cannot be bought, so obtaining one is difficult.

Despite being large ship, it has no turrets, meaning it must be piloted like a smaller ship during combat. This disadvantage is alleviated by the superior drive and thruster technology embedded in the ship.

Once you have completed the 'Thargoid Missions', you cannot keep the craft. You must either accept a new Thargoid vessel, which is vastly superior, or return the ship to its owners.

One alternative is to avoid Alioth forever. Another is to sell the Argent's Quest at any other Alioth port, fly to New Rossyth where your trade in is replaced by your old ship then fly back to where you sold the Quest and buy it back. The only catch is that it won't have its equipment: you'll never see the Interspecies Translator or the StowMaster Escape Capsule again.

The big draw back is that despite the impressive weaponry the Turner Class ship can carry, the Thargoid missions don't involve much fighting. Once you beat the missions you get a Thargoid Warship which is even bigger, jumps yet further and is equipped with Thargoid lasers which are essentially green plasma accelerators. You don't really get to use it.

Verdict

Having a huge capacity while still being able to jump great distances makes it a serious contender for 'Best Ship in the Game'. At least for the time it takes you to beat the Thargoid missions. Then it's second best.