Manticore

"They zip in when the target's almost done, and clean up before the frakkers make an emergency jump to live another day."

- Admiral Mckennelly, Colonial Fleet Command

Manticore is a Colonial capital ship in .

Background
First developed at the Scorpia fleet shipyards just a few short years before the outbreak of the first Cylon war, the Manticore class Corvette, was considered to be a fairly unremarkable design for the earliest years of its career. With many of the colonies feeling that the small vessels were not sufficiently intimidating to serve as an effective military deterrent.

Predominantly used for hit-and-run tactics and scouting missions, the Manticore also serves well in larger strike groups as a flanking element. Long-range compatible missile tubes and an uncommon aft-facing turret configuration makes this a versatile fighter.

Weapons layout and performance
The ship has a 20% base damage reduction and 100% base subsystem repair rate. Its firewall regerates at a rate of 100/s.

Strategy
One effective strategy is pairing the Manticore with Nuclear Missiles once they are unlocked. The Manticore's fast speed and agility make it ideal for entering into close enough range to increase the chances of a hit before quickly disengaging once the missile has been launched. Combining the Manticore with a Celestra loaded with further nukes will increase the Manticore's lethality dramatically at the cost of additional tylium spent in the deployment phase.

A fleet of manticores equipped with guided missiles/ armor piercers can kite from long distance, with a single ship or raptor from an Adamant going straight at the enemy fleet to reveal it, then the rest of the manticores using their speed to stay out of range while bombarding the enemy fleet with missiles. This can be a great counter for Cerastes and Revenants in particular. Note this tactic does tend to leave other classes behind, including support ships.

In campaign mode, fleets comprised of single manticores can be used to scout an enemy before either jumping in or defending with a main fleet. These manticore scouts can jump in, scout, and retreat before getting destroyed, allowing a preview of any forces present. Armed with nukes, these scouts can also take out a ship before departing. While this strategy is does cost tylium, the data gathered is invaluable, allowing a player to know in advance exactly what to expect, whether a fleet is worth attacking and plan strategies before the battle’s start.