Best Size 2 and Size 3 Ship Weapons in Star Citizen 4.10.1
Fit M4A Cannons at Size 2 or M5A Cannons at Size 3 for PvE targets you can track steadily. If light fighters keep slipping between your shots, switch to CF-227 Badgers at S2 or CF-337 Panthers at S3. Their faster projectiles are easier to land in brief firing windows.
For a short ballistic sortie, take the S3 Mantis GT-220 for fast physical damage or the S2 Tarantula GT-870 Mk2 for penetration against armor. Plan a rearm stop; energy guns are the more convenient choice when you want to keep taking bounties. For on-foot loadouts, use the Star Citizen FPS weapons guide.
Weapon figures are standard base stats unless a crafted weapon is explicitly identified.
Published: · Applies to: Alpha 4.10.1 LIVE
S2 and S3 choices at a glance
If you are searching for the current S2 meta guns or S3 meta guns, start with the role rather than a single universal winner: M-series cannons suit steady PvE passes, while CF repeaters are easier to land against agile targets.
| Job | Size 2 | Size 3 | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| General PvE | M4A Cannon | M5A Cannon | Strong energy damage; slower projectiles |
| Agile targets and PvP | CF-227 Badger | CF-337 Panther | Easier hits; lower sustained output |
| Balanced laser cannon | Omnisky VI | Omnisky IX | More frequent shots and higher penetration than M-series; less damage |
| High-output energy | NDB-28 | NDB-30 | Strong stats; takes more work to obtain |
| Ballistic | Tarantula Mk2 | Mantis GT-220 | Strong physical damage; finite ammunition |
| Point-blank specialist | Dominance-2 | Dominance-3 | Heavy damage if all pellets hit; wide spread and short reach |
Choose for the fight you actually have
At 1,000 metres, a Panther shot takes about 0.68 seconds to arrive; an M5A shot takes about 0.84 seconds. Against a large ship holding its course, you may land either. A light fighter changing direction makes the slower round harder to place, even though it would do more damage if it connected.
Range matters too, but the listed maximum only tells you how far a projectile can travel before it disappears. Spread still sends shots away from the target as distance grows. A scattergun's impressive damage figure assumes its pellets connect; at ordinary combat distances, many may miss.
Energy guns draw from your ship's shared weapon capacitor. Burst DPS describes the opening firing window, while sustained DPS includes the time spent refilling afterward. Treat the figures below as weapon comparisons: fitting four guns does not mean your ship can sustain four times one gun's isolated output. The full loadout shares the available power.
Ballistics avoid that capacitor cycle and offer much higher penetration values, but every burst leaves less ammunition for the next target.
Penetration also needs context. Shields, armor absorption, deflection, and hull damage reduction vary by target. A higher penetration figure helps you compare guns; it does not promise a hit on an internal component. The Star Citizen ship armor guide explains those defenses in more detail.
Before buying a mixed set, check projectile speeds. A slow cannon and a fast repeater need different amounts of lead. Matching velocities makes the fit easier to use; if you deliberately mix weapon families, put them in separate fire groups.
Current VariPuck mounts also keep the gun's size: an S2 mount carries an S2 gun, and an S3 mount carries an S3 gun. You do not need to drop from S3 to S2 to use gimbaled behavior.
Best Size 2 ship weapons
M4A Cannon: the PvE default
The Behring M4A rewards keeping your nose on a medium or larger target. Each shot deals 273.4 damage, and its isolated capacitor firing window lasts 15 seconds—enough time to work through a sustained attack pass.
The catch is its 100 RPM cadence and 1,196 m/s projectile speed. Miss a shot, and you have a longer wait for the next chance than you would with a rapid repeater.
CF-227 Badger: the anti-fighter pick
The Klaus & Werner Badger fires at 750 RPM with a projectile speed of 1,495 m/s. It deals less damage than the M4A, but landing hits is easier when your opponent keeps changing direction.
Use controlled bursts inside its 1,734 m reach. Switching from cannons means moving closer before you can open fire.
Getting a pair may take some planning. No retail seller is listed for Alpha 4.10.1 LIVE, though the Badger is craftable and comes fitted to ships such as the Drake Cutter.
Omnisky VI: the balanced cannon
If you like cannons but want less time between shots, the Amon & Reese Omnisky VI fires at 150 RPM against the M4A's 100. Its penetration is higher too, at 0.15 m compared with 0.06 m.
Those advantages come at the cost of damage. Both guns fire at a projectile speed of 1,196 m/s, so the Omnisky's shorter interval between shots does not make each round arrive sooner.
NDB-28: strong, but harder to find
The MaxOx NDB-28 combines slightly higher burst and sustained damage than the M4A with a faster 1,271 m/s projectile. At 500 RPM, you spend less time waiting for the next shot.
Finding one is the obstacle. There is a Grade 1 crafting blueprint, but no current retail seller. An unlocked blueprint or a stored NDB-28 makes it a strong option. Otherwise, buying an M4A or Omnisky VI gets you back into space sooner.
Tarantula Mk2: the ballistic pick
The Gallenson Tactical Systems Tarantula Mk2 brings 2.55 m penetration and 2,703 m reach to fights against armored ships. Check what remains of its 327-round supply before taking on another opponent.
The Deadbolt II carries more ammunition at 393 rounds and hits harder per shot. Its lower 233.3 DPS and 0.51 m penetration make it a more specialized choice when individual shot damage is your priority. For the broader armored-target role, take the Tarantula.
| S2 weapon | Damage per shot | Burst / sustained | Speed / reach |
|---|---|---|---|
| M4A Cannon | 273.4 | 455.6 / 283.8 DPS | 1,196 m/s / 2,165 m |
| CF-227 Badger | 26.2 | 328.1 / 168.3 DPS | 1,495 m/s / 1,734 m |
| Omnisky VI | 145.8 | 364.5 / 193.5 DPS | 1,196 m/s / 2,165 m |
| NDB-28 | 57.0 | 474.8 / 289.4 DPS | 1,271 m/s / 2,160 m |
| Tarantula Mk2 | 91.3 | 304.2 DPS | 1,196 m/s / 2,703 m |
Best Size 3 ship weapons
M5A Cannon: the PvE default
The Behring M5A deals 410.2 damage per shot, with a 15-second isolated capacitor window. Line up a clean pass on a medium fighter, gunship, or larger hull to put that damage to work.
At 100 RPM and 1,184 m/s, it leaves less room for error when the target keeps turning out of your shots.
CF-337 Panther: the dogfighting default
The Klaus & Werner Panther fires at 750 RPM with a 1,480 m/s projectile. When a fighter crosses your sights, those faster rounds are easier to land before it turns away.
Work within its 1,924 m reach. The trade-off is lower sustained damage than the M5A.
Omnisky IX: the balanced cannon
The Amon & Reese Omnisky IX fires follow-up shots sooner at 150 RPM. Its 0.17 m penetration also exceeds the M5A's 0.07 m, though each hit does less damage and its overall output is lower.
Both cannons use 1,184 m/s projectiles and reach about 2,404 m, so the choice comes down to cadence and penetration versus heavier hits.
NDB-30: high output, extra legwork
The MaxOx NDB-30 fires at 500 RPM and leads the base S3 energy guns here in both burst and sustained damage. Its 1,258 m/s projectile is still slower than the Panther's, so that extra output does not automatically make it a better dogfighting gun.
NDB-30s are craftable, and you can loot them during "Gilly's Combat Gauntlet #5." The steps below explain how to collect a set without a shop purchase.
Mantis GT-220: the short-sortie pick
The Gallenson Tactical Systems Mantis delivers 853.3 DPS at 1,600 RPM, with 1.70 m penetration. It suits a fight where fast physical damage is worth a rearm stop afterward.
Its 4,314 rounds look generous beside a ballistic cannon's supply, but the firing rate uses them quickly. For deliberate cannon shots against armor, the Tarantula Mk3 offers 2.89 m penetration and 2,996 m reach, with a much smaller supply of 324 rounds.
| S3 weapon | Damage per shot | Burst / sustained | Speed / reach |
|---|---|---|---|
| M5A Cannon | 410.2 | 683.6 / 415.8 DPS | 1,184 m/s / 2,404 m |
| CF-337 Panther | 43.7 | 545.6 / 278.9 DPS | 1,480 m/s / 1,924 m |
| Omnisky IX | 218.7 | 546.8 / 290.3 DPS | 1,184 m/s / 2,404 m |
| NDB-30 | 85.5 | 712.5 / 433.3 DPS | 1,258 m/s / 2,403 m |
| Mantis GT-220 | 32.0 | 853.3 DPS | 1,332 m/s / 2,398 m |
Where to find NDB repeaters
Loot NDB-30s from Gilly's Combat Gauntlet #5
Take "Gilly's Combat Gauntlet #5" from the mission manager and watch for the Freelancer in the second wave. It has an estimated 40% chance of carrying NDB-30s on its upper rear turret, so expect that you may need more than one attempt.
If you are there for the guns, leave enough of the ship intact to remove them. Strip its shields, then disable it or put it into soft death instead of destroying it completely. Distortion weapons can help with that approach.
- Approach the downed Freelancer and secure the ship.
- Unlock its component ports if the weapons are still locked to their mounts.
- EVA with a handheld tractor beam.
- Remove the NDB-30s from the upper rear turret.
- Move the guns into your ship before the wreck despawns or suffers a final explosion.
Check the turret before heading out to collect the weapons. Completing the mission does not guarantee NDB-30s; they must be fitted to that particular Freelancer. If it carries different guns, repeat the scenario.
Craft or trade for the NDB-28
The S2 NDB-28 takes a different route. It has a Grade 1 crafting blueprint and no retail listing in Alpha 4.10.1 LIVE. Craft it if you have the blueprint unlocked, or arrange a player trade.
An event or NPC hull may also provide one: inspect the mount before taking the gun. The Gilly Freelancer method above is specifically for the NDB-30, so do not use it to farm the S2 version.
When to use specialist weapons
Distortion weapons help leave a ship available to board or strip for components, including on the NDB-30 run. Their short reach and heavy resistance from some targets limit their usefulness as a full PvE or PvP loadout. For a ship built around pursuit and interdiction, the Sabre Raven EX guide covers its catch-and-kill loadout.
Dominance scatterguns ask you to get much closer. If every pellet connects, a shot deals 792 damage at S2 or 1,116 at S3. But a 4° spread, projectile speeds below 900 m/s, and roughly 1.1–1.2 km reach make that difficult outside point-blank attacks on large targets. Choose them only when you can create that kind of firing opportunity.
Be careful with older ballistic recommendations too. Alpha 4.9 greatly reduced ballistic-repeater damage, and the documented ballistic-gatling correction in Alpha 4.10 applied to Size 4. It did not cover the S2 and S3 guns compared here.
Where to buy the recommended guns
These prices and sellers were checked for Alpha 4.10.1 LIVE on 21 September 2026. Before making the trip, check the Erkul loadout calculator for any inventory changes.
| Weapon | Where to buy | Base price |
|---|---|---|
| M4A Cannon | Ship Weapons at HUR-L3, HUR-L5 or MIC-L2 | 33,400 aUEC |
| Omnisky VI | Ship Weapons at Pyro Gateway (Stanton) or ARC-L2; Cousin Crow's in Orison | 31,730–33,400 aUEC |
| Tarantula Mk2 | Ship Weapons at HUR-L3, HUR-L5 or MIC-L2 | 26,720 aUEC |
| M5A Cannon | Ship Weapons at CRU-L5 or HUR-L5; Crusader Showroom in Orison | 75,145 aUEC |
| CF-337 Panther | CenterMass in Area18 or New Babbage; Ship Weapons at Pyro Gateway (Stanton) | 36,308–40,580 aUEC |
| Omnisky IX | Cousin Crow's in Orison; Ship Weapons at CRU-L5 or HUR-L5 | 75,145 aUEC |
| Mantis GT-220 | Cousin Crow's or Crusader Showroom in Orison; CenterMass in Area18 | 24,045–28,116 aUEC |
| CF-227 Badger | Craftable; also fitted to the stock Drake Cutter; no current retail seller listed | — |
| NDB-28 | Craft with an owned blueprint or obtain through player trade | — |
| NDB-30 | Craft, or salvage it from the Gilly #5 Freelancer's upper rear turret | — |
| Tarantula Mk3 | Craftable; no current retail seller listed | — |
If your quantum drive refuses to engage during the shop run, see the quantum-drive engagement workaround. If the drive itself is next on your upgrade list, the Best Quantum Drives guide compares your options.
Recommended fits for common ships
Drake Cutter
Keep the two stock S2 Badgers on the Cutter's S2 VariPucks for light targets. Fit two M4As when steadier PvE passes let you use their heavier hits.
Aegis Gladius
Equip the Gladius's three S3 VariPucks with matching Panthers for dogfighting, or three M5As for slower targets. Either set keeps your guns' projectile speeds consistent.
Drake Cutlass Black
Use M5As on the four pilot-controlled S3 mounts for stable PvE passes, or Panthers for fighters. Matching all four removes the different lead requirements of the mixed stock guns. See the Cutlass Black loadout guide for the rest of the setup.
Avenger Titan
The Titan's S3 wing VariPucks carry Omnisky IX cannons, with a separate S4 mount on the nose. Those wing guns are already a sound balanced choice. Switch them to Panthers for easier hits against fighters, or M5As for heavier PvE shots.
Before changing the wings, check the nose gun's projectile speed as well. Decide whether the weapons can work together in one firing group or need separate groups for different shots.
Choose the weapon family before upgrading the craft
Better crafting materials can improve damage, rate of fire, integrity, or impact behavior. They still leave you with the same basic choice about how you want to fight. A crafted M5A fires a slower projectile than a Panther, and a crafted ballistic still needs ammunition.
Start with the family that suits your targets, then use a high-quality craft to improve that fit. All comparisons above use base statistics, so you can compare ordinary weapons without mixing in the performance of a perfect-quality craft. After a patch, check the live figures before replacing a loadout that already works for you.
Sources
- RSI Alpha 4.10 patch notes — documented weapon changes and the sizes they apply to.
- RSI Alpha 4.9 patch notes — the ballistic-repeater rebalance carried into this comparison.
- Erkul Games — weapon, mount, penetration, ammunition, and loadout data for Alpha 4.10.1.
- Citizen Starter Guide's ship-weapon calculator — range-aware burst, sustained, and capacitor comparisons.
- Star Citizen Wiki's NDB-30 record — where to find NDB-30s on the Freelancer in "Gilly's Combat Gauntlet #5."