Summary

Raise the ARC-170’s chassis mass from 125,000 to **~185,000 **to bring it into parity with other three-gun starfighters while preserving its crewed-ship identity and balance in both PvE and PvP. The ARC-170’s current mass (125k) is dramatically lower than peers like the Kimogila (~210k), Rihkxyrk (~190k), and Havoc (~184k)—all of which mount three projectile weapons and can field markedly heavier fittings.

Problem Statement

Despite being a 3-gun platform with two gunner positions, the ARC-170’s 125k mass limits standard endgame builds (reactor/cap/shields/armor + 3 viable guns + ordnance) unless pilots accept severe downgrades. By contrast, other 3-gun vessels comfortably support heavier engines/shields and higher-tier weapons, yielding a sustained DPS and survivability gap that is not offset by the ARC’s crew requirement.

Comparative Data (3-Gun Starfighters)

• ARC-170 — Mass 125k; 3x projectile mounts; 2× turrets (crew: pilot + 2 gunners).
• Kimogila — Mass ~210k (Legends: 289k); 3x projectile; 2x ordnance; pilot-only.
• Rihkxyrk — Mass ~190k (Legends: 269k); 3x projectile; 1x ordnance; pilot-only.
• Havoc — Mass ~184k (Legends: 210k); 3x projectile; 2x ordnance; pilot + gunner.

Takeaway: The ARC-170 lags ~60k–85k mass behind comparable 3-gun ships, despite its heavier crew footprint and multi-turret complexity.

Proposed Change

• New chassis mass: increase from 125,000 → 185,000.
• No change to hardpoints, handling, or speed modifiers.

This preserves ship identity while enabling typical endgame fits: e.g., RE8–10 primary gun + two viable turrets, competitive reactor/capacitor, and durable shields/armor without extreme compromises.

Rationale

• Parity Among 3-Gun Frames: Kimogila/Rihkxyrk/Havoc all exceed 180k mass and comfortably field high-tier components. The ARC-170 should not be the only 3-gun platform forced into low-tier compromises.
• Crewed-Ship Tax: The ARC’s two turret stations require additional weapon mass allocation. Raising chassis mass acknowledges that “crewed” complexity while keeping pilot-only 3-gun frames (Kimo/Rihkx) as the raw DPS kings when fully min-maxed.
• Healthy PvE Progression: More viable ARC builds improve group composition diversity for capital-ship encounters and high-tier space content (currently dominated by high-mass frames).
• PvP Balance: A 185,000 gives the ARC sturdiness and sustained fire without eclipsing 4-gun heavies like the B-Wing (~240k) on raw alpha.

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