Asp Explorer Krait Krait Phantom & Asp Explorer: Museum pieces? Junkyard pieces? Nostalgic collectibles?

[Lhorndra]

Here am I with a truly First-World(s) Problem: I now have three ships standing around that are somewhat similar, at least in terms of their internals, performance, and suggested roles. Yes, I know, I know, you should always fly what you really like, it's not all about the specs and the cold data, you do you, and all the other well-intentioned advice.

Be that as it may. I would like to know from the (presumably) very happy Mandalay owners here: what are you doing with your Asp Explorer and your Krait Phantom now, should you own one of those? I really, honestly don't know why I should continue to use these two ships, except for nostalgic reasons or personal taste. Everything I did with my Asp and my Phantom, I now do with my Mandy: material gathering, exobiology, exploration, visiting Guardian ruins...

So can you help me to fill my first-world(s) void in that matter?

(I don't even have much use for my DBX anymore, but the DBX at least has the advantage of being able to use small landing pads.)

 

[GroG79]

Over time you will get bored of flying the mandalay all day

Yes the new ships made a lot of others totally redundant. It might help a bit if SCO handling would improve for existing ships. Something that a CG might fix. Not untill everyone has spend their ARX on the new ships of course

 

[Darrack]

Fleet Carrier means all these ships can still be used out in the Black, i still love flying them all and can swap daily to a different one.

O7

 

[Surprize960]

When you start thinking about the Phantom in a different way, you‘ll notice that the 2xClass 3 hardpoints and the class 7 Distributor and Powerplant make her a very capable heat efficient armed mission runner with still 55+ Ly of range and 100+ tons cargospace. She is also relatively good in SCO-boosting.

 

[Brammmers]

Sold my phantom yesterday. Stripped it for modules and off she went.

RIP... She made me a good few billions in bio on various trips to the black.

J

 

[Lhorndra]

She is also relatively good in SCO-boosting.

Aha! I didn't even try to test that. Thanks!

 

[Tifu]

When you start thinking about the Phantom in a different way, you‘ll notice that the 2xClass 3 hardpoints and the class 7 Distributor and Powerplant make her a very capable heat efficient armed mission runner with still 55+ Ly of range and 100+ tons cargospace. She is also relatively good in SCO-boosting.

It's funny but I fell in love with the AspX recently when I turned it into a PP mission runner. 75-90 tons freight capacity, 400+ m/s boost, bristling with weapons, utilities & shock mines. And strangely enough, it handles SCO better than my DBX can.

PP 2.0 gave a lot of small ships meaning again - it's the perfect time to introduce the Cobra Mk5

 

[CptMarkHarlock]

Greetings CMDRs -
Would like to share my personal feelings about the Krait Phantom and the Mandalay, having travelled with both since a while for exploration (my favourite playstile by far) in the distant regions of the galaxy.
The Phantom has been my favourite exploration ship for several years, travelled with her fully engineered.
When the Mandalay pre-engineered for space exploration has been released, I happily bought her (glad to support the ongoing ED developments) and travelled for a couple of months beyond the galactic center and back.
I have now returned to the bubble and to my Phantom, got the double pre-engineered FSD SCO and increased her jump range slightly higher than 80 Ly. As result, I think will continue to explore with my old faithful ship.
Sure, the Mandalay outperforms the Phantom in most respects (jump range, stability during SCO, maneuvrability, landing spot size, just to name some)… she is so good than may feel boring.
The Phantom has compatable jump range, slower maneuvrability, is much less stable during SCO and consumes fuel very much faster, is less stable during planet glide descent and hovering… all of this requiring more attention when piloting and giving her a ‘character’ that honestly I do not ‘feel’ when piloting the Mandy.
Of course, this is just my opinion, would like to hear yours
o7 CMDRs

 

[Lhorndra]

Sure, the Mandalay outperforms the Phantom in most respects (jump range, stability during SCO, maneuvrability, landing spot size, just to name some)

Yes, the Phantom needs a rather large landing spot. I can be a rather stubborn exobiologist and would like to find the very last Fungoida hidden in rugged mountains, so the Phantom was never my first choice for that. But ...

all of this requiring more attention when piloting and giving her a ‘character’ that honestly I do not ‘feel’ when piloting the Mandy.

... that's an interesting point. I have yet to take the Mandy on a really long exploration trip, but I think I might feel the same way as you then.

 

[DjVortex]

(I don't even have much use for my DBX anymore, but the DBX at least has the advantage of being able to use small landing pads.)

The Cobra Mk V has largely taken its role in that respect as well. Anything that you do that may require landing on small-landing-pad-only surface settlements, the Cobra is likely to do better than the DBX. The only advantage that the DBX has is the larger jump range, but for bubble-running that isn't such a huge concern (especially since the Cobra itself can also reach pretty decent jump ranges, up to 70 Ly when fully optimized.)