Version 3.5
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Author:

SteelRush

Thanks:

Stealth for test/idea bouncing.
Checkertwo/AlexYar and many other talented individuals who made many things possible for modders.

3rd Party Scripts/Mods Used:

Burianek's Economy Mod.
Rei's Xenon Models.
LV's Jumpfleets 1.7 Final.
Xai Corp's Automining Commands.
Cycrow's Bounty Hunter Plugin.
Serialkicked's Pirate Guild Plugin.
Player's High Definition Patch.
Jack's Xenon M6 model.



This mod makes too many changes to be compatible with existing games. You must start a new game to play! Gameplay is faster, so you'll have your empires sooner than you think.


Installation Instructions:

Install X2 and patch properly to 1.4 or 1.5.

Install the Artificial Life Update.

Install the Bonus Plugin Pack 1.04.01. [Install all Bonus Plugins.  They should be all working with Firelance.]
Install Firelance
Select the mod "X2 - Firelance" in the X2 launcher.
Play

Preface:

First off, Firelance does NOT try to turn X into another universe.  All the changes have been made to try and fit the lore of the universe and the personality of the races.

Firelance is a huge combat modification for X2: The Threat that makes combat much more challenging and exciting.
The entire shield, missile and laser grid has been completely redone, along with the ship statistics.  The AI
can and will offer a significant challenge now.

Special Changes:

Start as another race! Custom maps beginning with X2FL only.  This now includes Pirates!
Simulator combat missions redone!  Jump in for some instant combat there!

Gameplay Annoyances Fixed:

Ships used turn too fast to be controllable.
Combat didn't work. The ships just flew around in circles shooting each other occasionally.
OOS combat was completely off.  You often had to fly into a sector to get desired results.
Your freighters got blown up trying to cross Xenon sectors.
Of the fighters, only the M3 was worth anything in a fleet.
Weapons were too much alike and too generic.
Factories were poorly shielded.
Combat was dull, because when the shields went down, combat was over.

Universe Changes:

You may only purchase factories that produce illegal goods from the Teladi Shipyard in Ianamus Zura.
Races now control continuous areas of space thanks to several supergates, now open to the public!
All homeworld sectors get 2 additional Wharfs added.
All homeworld sectors have their Space Equipment Docks carry everything that race uses on ships.
Salvage Insurance available at all Trading Stations.
Xenon sectors 347 and 472 moved one sector. Original sectors are now Blockade sectors occupied by all 5 races (347), and (472).
Xenon sectors 347 and 472 each have a shipyard.
Over 30 new sectors inspired from X3 Reunion and X3 Terran Conflict maps.
The beginnings of the Yaki can be found deep in unknown space.

Equipment Changes:

Rudder Optimizations removed.  All ships are tuned to perform differently and uniquely.
Jumpdrives are now L cargo.  This ensures carriers are very useful.
Fighter Drones are now L cargo.
Lasertowers have had their volume increased to 250 units of XL.

Deployable Changes:
Lasertowers turning rate has been greatly increased. They now have 625MW of shielding.
Fighter Drones have had their hull increased 10x, and can sustain a little damage before being destroyed. They are capable of picking fighters apart if deployed in groups.

Ship Changes:

M1/TL Docking bays reduced.  You can no longer launch 100 fighters from a single ship.
Rudder Optimizations removed.  All ships are tuned to turn/roll differently, but still be playable with a joystick or keyboard.
The primary races now how unique Military versions of ships that require no tunings, and are not sold to the public.
All ship classes rebalanced to ensure no useless ships.
Each class has a specific purpose, and there should be no useless ships.

M1	- Carrier class (1.8GW shielding average, medium to heavy capital weaponry, anti fighter missiles)
M2	- Destroyer class (1.2GW shielding average, heavy capital weaponry, bomber class missiles)
M3	- Heavy Fighter class (75MW shielding average, medium fighter weaponry, heavy anti fighter missiles)
M4	- Interceptor fighter (50MW shielding average, heavy fighter weaponry, heavy anti fighter missiles)
M5	- Scout/Light fighter (25MW shielding average, light fighter weaponry, light anti fighter missiles)
M6	- Fighter/Missile defense ( 250MW shielding average, heavy weaponry approaching M1 levels, heavy anti fighter missiles)
TL      - Heavy Freight Transporter (375MW shielding average, medium fighter weaponry, heavy point defense missiles)
TS	- Large freight transporter (75MW shielding average, light fighter weaponry, light point defense missiles)
TP	- Passenger transporter/Medium freight transporter (100MW shielding average, medium fighter weaponry, heavy point defense missiles)

Shields:

The Teladi primarily use Argon shields, and do not have generators of their own.

Here is how the races break down for shields:

Split	- Fastest recharge, low shielding amount.
Argon	- Average all the way around.
Paranid - Heavy shielding, moderate recharge.
Boron	- Heavy shielding, fast recharge.

Rockets:

Rockets are no longer capable of breaking asteroids.
Some rockets may not be equippable via the missile hotkey.  You may need to equip them in the ship menu.

Here's how the races break down for rockets:

Teladi	- Cheap, fast missiles with the least destructive power
Boron	- High shield drain, relatively low hull damage
Argon	- Average all the way around
Paranid	- Moderate shield drain, heaviest hull damage
Split	- High shield drain, heavy hull damage

Lasers:

Here's a basic overview of how racial weapons are:

Teladi	- Lightest, cheapest weaponry with traded weapons from Paranid and Split primarily
Boron	- High shield drain, lowest hull damage
Argon	- Average all the way around
Paranid	- Moderate shield drain, highest hull damage
Split	- High shield drain, heavy hull damage

Race Stats:

Argon/Boron

Lasers
Ion Accelerator Cannon      - M5/TP
Photon Energy Cannon        - M4/TL/TS
High Energy Photon Cannon   - M3
Ion Disruptor (Boron)       - M6 - Area of Effect (Bounces from nearby targets)
Ion Ray Cannon              - M1/M6/M2 - Beam Weapon
Mass Driver                 - M1 - Ignores Shields
Ion Pulse Cannon (Boron)    - M2
Photon Pulse Cannon (Argon) - M2

Shields

Argon
25MW                        - TS/TP/M3/M4/M5
125MW                       - M6/TL
625MW                       - M1/M2

Boron
35MW                        - TS/TP/M3/M4/M5
175MW                       - M6/TL
875MW                       - M1/M2

Rockets

Argon
Thunderbolt Missile         - M5/TL/TS/TP
Cyclone Missile             - M4/M3/M6
Banshee Missile             - M2/M1

Boron
Tempest Missile             - M5/TL/TS/TP
Hurricane Missile           - M4/M3/M6
Tsunami Missile             - M2/M1

Paranid

Lasers
Pulse Driver                - M5/TP
Particle Accelerator Cannon - M4/TL/TS
Pulse Accelerator           - M3
Phased Shockwave Generator  - M6/M1/M2 - Area of Effect weapon
Particle Disruptor Cannon   - M1
Phased Particle Accelerator - M2

Shields

30MW                        - TS/TP/M3/M4/M5
150MW                       - M6/TL
750MW                       - M1/M2

Rockets

Apollo Missile              - M5/TL/TS/TP
Vulcan Missile              - M4/M3/M6
Aurora Missile              - M2/M1

Split

Lasers
Plasma Pulse Thrower        - M5/TP
Plasma Disruptor            - M4/TL/TS
High Energy Plasma Thrower  - M3
Plasma Shockwave Thrower    - M6/M1/M2 - Area of Effect weapon
War Driver                  - M1 - Ignores Shields
Plasma Ray Thrower          - M2 - Beam Weapon

Shields

20MW                        - TS/TP/M3/M4/M5
100MW                       - M6/TL
500MW                       - M1/M2

Rockets

Wildfire Missile            - M5/TL/TS/TP
Firelance Missile           - M4/M3/M6
Firestorm Missile           - M2/M1

Teladi

Lasers
Impulse Ray Emitter         - M5/TS
Particle Accelerator Cannon - M4/TP (Paranid)
High Energy Plasma Thrower  - M3 (Split)
Phased Shockwave Generator  - M6/M1/M2 (Paranid)
Impulse Ray Disruptor       - M1 - Beam Weapon
Impulse Disruptor           - M2

All Impulse Lasers are universal and can be used by all races

Shields

25MW                        - M3/M4/M5 (Argon)
125MW                       - M6/TL (Argon)
625MW                       - M1/M2 (Argon)

Rockets

Mosquito Missile            - Universal
Wasp Missile                - Universal
Dragonfly Missile           - M5/TL/TS/TP
Silkworm Missile            - M4/M3/M1/M6
Hornet Missile              - M2

All Teladi Missiles are universal and can be used by all races

Legal:

This modification is provided "as is" and has no warranty.  You assume all responsibility and use it at your own risk.
