I am sold, it is engineered quite a bit and it is awesome. I was not able to fully engineer the FSD, but I think I have another the right size that is so I am at 51LY, I hope to get a little more out of it.
What is your favorite ship, or favorite ships, for exobiology?
- Thread starter Aaron T
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For me the small ships are not worth the hassle of dying if there are 2 stars in a row that are not scoopable, using the economy (I think?) short jumps, or adding tanks and still using a lot of fuel per jump, and taking forever to scoop.
By the time I do all that to get to some Stratum Tectonicas, I could have been on a planet in my Cobra MKII, the Type 6, Asp X, DBX, Phantom, or Python MKII and landed and driven the Scorpion if I could not land close enough, for 3 samples and be on toward another planet.
I do not recommend the smaller ships at all.
Are the ones saying they are fine if using a carrier jumping the FC into each system?
If so that might work but would be way too many FC jumps.
By the time I do all that to get to some Stratum Tectonicas, I could have been on a planet in my Cobra MKII, the Type 6, Asp X, DBX, Phantom, or Python MKII and landed and driven the Scorpion if I could not land close enough, for 3 samples and be on toward another planet.
I do not recommend the smaller ships at all.
Are the ones saying they are fine if using a carrier jumping the FC into each system?
If so that might work but would be way too many FC jumps.
I'm jumping my FC into the general area, but from there I take my Sidey alone. Of course the carrier can jump in if I ever miscalculate. Planets rich with life tend to be around scoopable stars anyway.
My current range with an SCO 4A fully engineered and with Mass Manager is 58.6ly, I could get more by cutting down on stuff but I think a class 3A shield and boosters are essential for when you are occasionally interdicted by NPC's
I do not recommend small ships for Cherry Picking Stratum Tectonicas either, it could be done in any old Cutter or T9.
I also don't recommend jumping a carrier into each system.
I use for general exploration and travel an Asp X, I keep my carrier behind me exploring with the Asp and jumping the carrier remotely so that it stays within 500ly of my position.
When I find something that could be better handled by another ship in my on carrier fleet, be it a small footprint Bio hunter or a dedicated mining ship I will jump the carrier to the planet or ring and meet it there.
I also keep on my carrier a range of spare ship modules so that I can optimise a ship for a specific task as needed.
This is what a few of us old timers call "making the most of what you have got",
I use a Hauler without SRV hanger with a 2 tonne extra fuel tank and size 3 fuel scoop and guardian booster which adds ~7Ly, I jump the carrier 500Ly ahead and chase it in the Hauler which is around 11 jumps in fastest any where and near the core well over 200 jumps in economical. The fuel tank is mainly because of in system fuel usage not jumping.
The Hauler which has the second smallest landing footprint in the game is up at number 5 in the list of long jump range ships as standard.
I’ve loved the Phantom since I first flew it. My alt has been in the galactic core / Colonia region by himself, while my main is out near the edges with a carrier.
I’ve got a Spansh route for my eventual destination (30-40 more carrier jumps to go) but at my current rate will get there sometime in 2029. I had been doing the “jump the FC ahead and catch up” method, but about two jumps ago decided to switch to economical routing. What had been 5-10 jumps per leg is now closer to 40. I leave the carrier behind until I’m halfway to the next point, then jump it forward. Every couple of days, I’ll do a fast trip back to the carrier to sell, then jump back and continue.
Yes, the Phantom can be challenging in the mountains, but I think I’ve only abandoned the search 2 or 3 times. Switching up between landing on top of a sample, bunny hopping over an area, and taking the SRV out keeps things from getting too stale or frustrating.
I’ve tried using the iCourier (fun, but stopped using it after I had to refuel after only getting through half the system) and the Dolphin (love the ship, but really missed the Phantom’s lower view). I also prefer the front exit of the Phantom.
Now that I’ve switched to economical with my main, maybe it’s time to try shorter-range small ships again for awhile.
I’ve got a Spansh route for my eventual destination (30-40 more carrier jumps to go) but at my current rate will get there sometime in 2029. I had been doing the “jump the FC ahead and catch up” method, but about two jumps ago decided to switch to economical routing. What had been 5-10 jumps per leg is now closer to 40. I leave the carrier behind until I’m halfway to the next point, then jump it forward. Every couple of days, I’ll do a fast trip back to the carrier to sell, then jump back and continue.
Yes, the Phantom can be challenging in the mountains, but I think I’ve only abandoned the search 2 or 3 times. Switching up between landing on top of a sample, bunny hopping over an area, and taking the SRV out keeps things from getting too stale or frustrating.
I’ve tried using the iCourier (fun, but stopped using it after I had to refuel after only getting through half the system) and the Dolphin (love the ship, but really missed the Phantom’s lower view). I also prefer the front exit of the Phantom.
Now that I’ve switched to economical with my main, maybe it’s time to try shorter-range small ships again for awhile.
I did not know we could do remote jumps with the carrier, I will check that out. I use a third party app that shows me planets that meet the requirements to have biology on them and may have 100 systems to check close to my carrier. Of the known locations it frequently turns out they were scanned but nothing further, by an explorer at some time, but no one made first foot fall.
Plus, I also check out any undiscovered systems completely to see what I can find. My first exobiology trip I went out 3500 LYs and made 4 billion in as week just messing around.
I landed in one area that every system I went into was undiscovered and others where there was nothing for many jumps.
Having said that, it might be handy to call my carrier to me here and there.
Plus, I also check out any undiscovered systems completely to see what I can find. My first exobiology trip I went out 3500 LYs and made 4 billion in as week just messing around.
I landed in one area that every system I went into was undiscovered and others where there was nothing for many jumps.
Having said that, it might be handy to call my carrier to me here and there.
I have used a Krait Phantom for general exploration for ages and it's not likely to change. However, I also have a concept of "near explorer" that is supposed to go check out all the interesting bio signals near the carrier base camp. For a time, I used my leftover Viper mk.IV for that, but the cockpit view wasn't the most satisfying for landing's and such. When the C-grade SCO came, I built a DBX for the role. Now that the SCO FSD is A-grade and engineered, the jump range is unnecessarily good, but I guess it's a nice problem to have. Perhaps I shall reinforce the lithobraking capabilities and make it heavier. Big extra fuel tank is an obvious thing to add too.
Right hand panel, button right of codex.
If you want to jump carrier to your ships location go to ship galaxy map -click on your location - bottom right button - copy target name, then go to carrier management - galaxy map - click on search the galaxy then CTRL-V to paste in your location, if needed you can then view system map and pick location of choice.
This is the reason that I tow my carrier rather than sending it ahead as some do, If you have never been to a system then you have to jump your carrier in blind and if you send your carrier ahead of you then you are wasting fuel if you have to call it back to you.
I also mine rings, both for goods and Tritium, so if I feel like a break from exploring or need more Tritium then I go mining for a while.
tHIS WI8LL BE A GOOD WAY TO GET EXTERIOR VIEW OF THE CARRIER JUMPING IN AND OUT AS WELL AS THE INTERIOR CAPTAINS SEAT VIEW.
Sorry for caps, I have been copy pasting and needed caps, and my hands are in pain so I cannot bear to retype.
Where would I position a ship if having the carrier jump to me to catch it on video?
I have seen videos of a carrier jumping into a system and be pretty close to their ship.
Sorry for caps, I have been copy pasting and needed caps, and my hands are in pain so I cannot bear to retype.
Where would I position a ship if having the carrier jump to me to catch it on video?
I have seen videos of a carrier jumping into a system and be pretty close to their ship.
Perfect, thank you.
Both sending your carrier off and then chasing it or heading off and calling your carrier to you are great strategies for exploration, but with the their pros and cons.
The cons of calling the carrier to my mind are if you get too caught up in the exploring you could get out of range and have to head back or double jump the carrier, which are miner points. The major point is the volume of the background music etc when in the remote operations screen seems to be bugged and while probably not causing damage is uncomfortably loud.
The cons of chasing the carrier are you either spend longer finding a system a suitable distance away or you use a tool which guarantees that system is not going to be first discovery, if you run into trouble you might have to call the carrier back.
I prefer the chase not just due to the volume issue but I like having a target.
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It never showed up in the navigation list, so I waited ands nothing, but I got a marker for it aftewr it evtered the system, targeted it and flew to it.
Edited to add: In the navigation filter I guess Fleet Carriers was not checked by default, I fixed that and will try again lol.
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Its whatever a person is comfortable with, I can explain why I do things my way but if another person prefers to do it another way that is their choice and they are perfectly free to do it there way,
I have also got targets, I am actually in the process of scanning a specific group of systems with a couple of other Cmdr's, I am doing it in a way that I scan and collect system and Bio data as I go rather than a headlong rush.
I am retired now but first started playing when I was still on the road (lorry driver) and needed something to wind down with after work before bed that was quiet and did not wake everyone else up.
If it does not show on the navigation list close it and re-open it a couple of min later, I do not think the navigation list updates while it is open
Exactly, you have make an to estimate. That is why, over the long run, I prefer the Phanthom. I used my ASPX too, as she is less wide so easier to land, I was sure the DBX would be the best exobio ship, but I came back to the front-loading Phantom.Not really, A lot of the time in my Asp I fly over and land so that Bio's like Bacterium and Tussock are at my feet when I dis-embark, don't even have to step to scan
I agree, but I said "top Exploration/Exobiology capable ships". To make real money and discoveries in exobio, you will actually need to go pretty far.
Well you convinced me to drag my old T6 out of mothballs and refit it for exobio. She isn't bad and can mount extra lighting from the Hazard/Extraction kit.