53.59ly from a Mandalay? Really?
- Thread starter CMDR Rusty Dog
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The diamond back explorer pound for pound atm is the best jumper not stripped out or lacking boost or overall strength.
No weapons though and default hull which you can engineer at no extra weight gain.
Even with shields it'll jump 80+ly
But the fuel scoop situation means a 4a max so a waiting period spent fuel scooping.
Atm its my goto runabout.
But add stuff and obviously it's range drops.
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No weapons though and default hull which you can engineer at no extra weight gain.
Even with shields it'll jump 80+ly
But the fuel scoop situation means a 4a max so a waiting period spent fuel scooping.
Atm its my goto runabout.
But add stuff and obviously it's range drops.
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#confidentlywrongFrom what I've heard, a fully engineered D-Rated Mandalay with Guardian FSD Booster and outfitted as you would expect an exploration ship to be, is around 53.59ly jump range. Is this right?
If so, then FDev have royally screwed up IMO.
Didn't they say it would be on par with or just beat the Anaconda? Did they mean stock?
The absolute maximum jump range of the Mandalay is 91.53LY. This just pips the highest known Anaconda jump range (91.50LY). So it does indeed out-jump the Anaconda (just).
Of course the real benefit is not an extra 0.03LY, but having jump range comparable to the Anaconda in an exploration-focused ship.
Of course the real benefit is not an extra 0.03LY, but having jump range comparable to the Anaconda in an exploration-focused ship.
The thing is, to many it's all about range.
All other considerations secondary.
Crew expendable.
Yes, certainly.
The Anaconda won't get 90LY either if you actually stick modules on it.
Compare these three Krait Phantom builds
https://s.orbis.zone/qAkP - 80.56 LY on fumes, has a 2D overcharged power plant (toasty!) to squeeze out just that tiny bit of extra range, etc.
https://s.orbis.zone/qAkQ - a paper explorer build, there's room to optimise the weight a bit more, but it's down to 74.65 LY range
https://s.orbis.zone/qAkS - make the shields a bit less papery (and the power plant bigger to cope), and it's down to 67.56 LY
(I haven't bothered adding AFMUs to any of these, since they don't weigh anything anyway, but there's space)
With less of the Mandalay's mass being "fixed" on the hull itself, it's going to be a bit more sensitive than the Anaconda is to the actual loadout. 53 LY with a Guardian FSD booster seems surprisingly low nonetheless for a class 5 FSD on a 230t hull - maybe they weren't undersizing as many modules, or had decided to take something heavy with them because 53 LY is still a good range?
That's different for everyone, as there even is no agreed upon definition for "exploration". For me, anything over 50 ly single jump range is luxury. Sure, nice to have if you want to get somewhere in a hurry, but not really necessary. I'd rather have:
- robust hull (ok, that one is free, as heavy duty on zero mass doesn't add any mass)
- A rated life support
- A rated, armoured power plant (you can't repair the PP, also adds a little bit of effciency)
- A rated FSD
- Thrusters, PD and Sensors no fixed preference, that depends on the specific performance after engineering in the respective ship.
- fuel tank often downgraded, 3 full range jumps is usually sufficient.
- Guardian FSD booster
- don't forget the DSS!
- a backup SRV
- a mining lance (alternatively, minig laser and a small beam)
- some people also used to take a plasma slug gun (to fine tune carried fuel)
- bumper shields that should survive at least one automated landing...
- selection of limpet controllers (repair, refuel, collector - in that order, depending on remaining open slots)
- an AFMU (one is sufficient)
- limpet controller also implies a small cargo rack
- some people like to take one or two heatsink launchers, I haven't yet seen the need for those
- if I use a sufficiently large ship: a fighter hangar. For fun planetside, and for reduced risk when approaching unknown stellar phenomena (should you be lucky enough to find one)
As an anecdote on this one...
My last long range exploration trip, I was happily going along, took a detour to a nearby tourist beacon ... and then remembered that I was in the "wrong" exploration ship and the one with the recon limpets and manifest scanner was in a dock tens of thousands of LY away (I'd expected the research limpets to be more likely to be useful, and then never actually used them...).
The utility of the SCO to dump fuel can't be overstated.
Using Plasma Slug makes me look forward to watching paint dry with excitement. (One of the reasons why I stopped plasma slugging, in fact).
Yes - I should clarify that the absolute maximum of 91.53LY is a ‘one-jump wonder’:
- 2D power plant (Overcharged + Stripped Down)
- 4D thrusters (Clean/Dirty + Stripped Down)
- 5A SCO FSD (G5 Increased Range + Mass Manager)
- 1D power distributor (Charge Enhanced + Stripped Down)
- 5D sensors (G5 Lightweight)
- 5H Guardian FSD booster
You can synthesize life support refills. A D-rated an an A-rated life support use ther same mats for a refill, but the A-rated refill gets you much further.
I thought people were getting 91 and a bit from the stripped out Mandalay.
Just because he knows better than to use a D rated FSD doesn’t mean that he hasn’t used one for reasons.
Maybe he was working with the standard version not the Stellar and it didn’t come with the A rated SCO but the D rated one and was showing what you could do without losing the free rebuy.
Not sure I qualify but this is my current and most used for exploration build.
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Any ship can be an explorer. I pick my cabin and then engineer from there, I have decent thrusters where I can outrun PvP with fairly decent shields ( I crash a lot when canyon running) max jump range is what I get when I have put all my stuff in . If it's above 50 then it's good and I'm happy .
A lot of builds you see for explorers are paper thin, which is "ok" for solo or PG.
Like others have mentioned, I also build explorers to be a bit more sturdy while sacrificing a small amount of jump range.
I don't see bi-weaves being useful for exploration, much prefer to use a smaller prismic, reinforced, with an e rated thermal booster. Generally equates to much, much, tougher shields.
Same for hull, Lightweight Reactive, with a single HRP engineered for thermal.
Also, almost all of my non combat ships use Engine enhanced engineering on the PD, which means I can always boost after 5s even with a smaller PD. No idea why people use charge enhanced, unless I'm missing something.
A rated engines are also a must, mainly because I don't want to fly like a snail when on a planet, plus has the added benefit of escaping an NPC or PvP combat scenarios.
As an example, taking Ian Doncasters Krait Phanton builds above, I would go for more something like this: https://s.orbis.zone/qAlD
Sure, it's lost 6ly jump range, but huge gains in shields, hull, top speed and boost. More survivable, certainly in Open mode.
At the end of the day build and engineer a ship that suits your flying/playing style. No one build is right, or wrong.
Like others have mentioned, I also build explorers to be a bit more sturdy while sacrificing a small amount of jump range.
I don't see bi-weaves being useful for exploration, much prefer to use a smaller prismic, reinforced, with an e rated thermal booster. Generally equates to much, much, tougher shields.
Same for hull, Lightweight Reactive, with a single HRP engineered for thermal.
Also, almost all of my non combat ships use Engine enhanced engineering on the PD, which means I can always boost after 5s even with a smaller PD. No idea why people use charge enhanced, unless I'm missing something.
A rated engines are also a must, mainly because I don't want to fly like a snail when on a planet, plus has the added benefit of escaping an NPC or PvP combat scenarios.
As an example, taking Ian Doncasters Krait Phanton builds above, I would go for more something like this: https://s.orbis.zone/qAlD
Sure, it's lost 6ly jump range, but huge gains in shields, hull, top speed and boost. More survivable, certainly in Open mode.
At the end of the day build and engineer a ship that suits your flying/playing style. No one build is right, or wrong.
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What a nonsense. That 53 ly mandy is not an exploration bulid, its more like random PVE bulid, that happen to be able to also explore, but certianly not optimized for sake of exploration by itself.From what I've heard, a fully engineered D-Rated Mandalay with Guardian FSD Booster and outfitted as you would expect an exploration ship to be, is around 53.59ly jump range. Is this right?
If so, then FDev have royally screwed up IMO.
Didn't they say it would be on par with or just beat the Anaconda? Did they mean stock?
Donno whom you heard that, but whoever that person was, they dont know how to make bulid, and my suggestion is to look elsewhere for more proper info, with cmdrs who actually know how to bulid proper exploration ship.
Ive seen reports and vids already, that properly outfitted mandy for exploration has like 67 ly in range, with anything needed for exploration, shielded, with max sized A rated thrusters,plant and distro, including two SRV's, and even repair limpets.
It can easly reach way more than that, if downsizing would be used. 75+ is more than possible, with keeping bare minimum needed for exploration.
I'll go through this too just for fun...
I never think about this, but yes.
Easier choice when you have access to G5 lightweight, but I also always go with A here.
I want to be as cool as possible, so I choose Low Emissions. Fuel scooping is what explorers tend to do a lot, so there shouldn't be a slightest chance of overheating. I'm not very worried about PP integrity. In a long haul I might make a couple of mistakes and lose a few %, but never more than that. I'm more likely to misjudge gravity and slam on the surface, losing all my hull before I wear out my PP.
Given.
Generally D-rated. There might be cases where I A-rate PD, but it's pretty rare.
I'm the opposite. I never undersize that, and if there's space left over after everything else I might even carry an extra tank. Allows more jumps on the ol' neutron stars before having to stop to scoop. Now that there is SCO gulping up fuel, there is even more need for it. I'm pretty sure I will have one on the Mandalay.
I rarely lose my SRV, unless I decide to jump on brain trees or something. Even when I do, there's bases and carriers everywhere in the black in these days, so getting a new one isn't a big deal. Single SRV for me.
Never did the mining laser thing, but carrying a small beam just in case I come across something like the Guardian beacon is something I have done. I've also used a lightweight missile launcher to shoot Guardian and Thargoid drones on the ground. Now I'd probably just use lw plasma slug rail or hammer and hope it also does enough thermal damage to interact with any Guardian artifact that requires shooting. On the other hand, one can burn excess fuel with SCO, so plasma slug weapon is not so necessary.
Yup, helps with lithobraking, intended or otherwise. I've actually used my stockpile of prismatics for this. Heavier, but not so much so in the smallest slot they can work, ELP engineering and probably helped me survive when that one ganker tried to kill me at Beagle Point.
D-rate class 1 repair limpet controller is a must for a long range explorer in case hull damage happens. A research limpet controller is a maybe. Since Mandalay has all those class 1 slots, I guess I'm taking both. Don't need those other ones outside the bubble.
Yes, though I prefer to make it as large as feasible for more ammo. Power usage is no concern because it only needs to be on when I'm repairing stuff and I can turn my thrusters off for that.
Indeed and mine can be bigger if there's room. Doesn't weight anything when it's empty, but I do get bored and collect all sort of knickknacks from planet surfaces. I try to limit this behavior to when I'm heading for an asteroid base or something like that. Also, my exploration ships traditionally double for harvesting Thargoid stuff and such, so I like to make my cargo space corrosion resistant, at least partly.
I carry 1 lightweight one for hypothetical emergencies, which are very rare considering how cool I like to build my ships. Then on my current exploration ship has a lightweight PD because doubling up for Guardian sites thing and E-rate thermal resist shield booster. Pure indulgence, but perhaps that also helped me at Beagle Point, and removing it would give me just 0.1 ly increase to jump range.
I haven't built a large explorer, but I suppose I would also put one in. Some people seemed to want it for Mandalay too and I really don't see the point.
Engineered hull; IIRC the collision damage is a % of your hull strength so engineering it actually works against you making it more expensive to repair whilst no actually providing greater protection.
Shield; D rated is insufficient as I found out early on. I'm not wasting a month of my life for prismatics and prefer a biweave to restore shielding quickly when it does get knocked down for whatever reason.
Shield; D rated is insufficient as I found out early on. I'm not wasting a month of my life for prismatics and prefer a biweave to restore shielding quickly when it does get knocked down for whatever reason.