Planning to explore for large profit - Buy Asp or stay with Cobra?

AluminumAlloy

AluminumAlloy
I'm currently making credits from the hundred thousands to the millions by mining, bounty hunting, smuggling, piracy against NPC's in anarchy systems, ect. My future goal is to begin exploring boldly where no player has gone once I reach a bit over 1m, is to either buy an Asp and begin grinding more for exploration equipment, or not spend too many credits and time by keeping my Cobra and equip it with an expensive frame shift drive, an advanced discovery scanner and a detailed surface scanner. I'm sure many of you use the Cobra as a combat ship, but is however, as we all know, a multi-purpose ship. In that case I will use it as an exploration ship in the future until I head back to colonized space. The one downside to the Cobra when I am exploring, is that the cockpit view is limited, but is not a problem for me since I don't use the Oculus Rift. Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Aluminium

EDIT: Not only am I exploring for profit, but also for the fun of it.
 
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Mr_Blastman

Mr_Blastman
The first problem you have to contend with is not what ship to pick, it is the large profit part. From my understanding (and experience) exploration leads to anything but large profit. You do it for fun. Not for money.
 

Skuli

S
T6 is my favorite exploration vehicle. View is 90% as good as the Asp plus a heck of a lot cheaper to kit out for exploration, and faster to fill up at star systems.
 

Shockwave Rider

Shockwave Rider
So far my Cobra has done very well as exploration ship. I've made several trips. Going thousands of light years. Still in one piece. (knock on wood)

Good luck in whatever ship you choose.
 

Vikinger

Vikinger
I returned from a long exploring tour in my ASP. Sold of about 1000 systems and made 9 mil in profit.
So exploring is nothing you get rich at doing consider the time you invest.
The profit is just a side issue. :)
In a correct equipped ASP you can get about 32-33LY jump range so atm I think that's the best ship to use.
And to save time you maybe want to swap out the 64 ton cargo rack and fit an class 5-6 fuel scoop. But those are darn expensive.
 
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Skyfire

Skyfire
Asp is the 'traditional' explorers ship, mainly because it can be kitted out to have the longest jump capability of all ships. I think you can get 35ly's and push it even further to something like 37 or 38ly's if you scrimp on some gizmos.

Surprisingly, according to Nutter and his very interesting and informative Explorers thread (see here https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=81653 ) , the Hauler is actually the second best Explorer ship. I think he reckons on being able to kit it for nearly a 30ly jump!

If you are going towards the galactic core then other ships will probably be fine, as long as the jump range is reasonable, as most starss do get quite close together. Further out there are fewer and tend to be further apart, hence the need to jump range above all else!

Essential kit for an explorer though is:

1. Biggest FSD you can get! - bigger should mean longer jump range

2. Fuel scoop - obvious hopefully, as there are NO STATIONS out beyond the inhabited systems! Get the BEST you can buy within reason, better ones tend to scoop faster. Good if your are in the first 500ly range away from settled systems, where you could still be interdicted by NPC's! Edited to add: Don't forget, not ALL stars are scoopable for fuel! Learn which you can and can't - see Nutter's and other threads for that

3. Discovery Scanner - Advanced version picks up ALL objects in the system at one sound of the Star Trumpet! Others only pick things up within range.

4. Detailed Surface Scanner - Useful to pick up the extra, sometimes large, bonuses for finding those special objects - black holes, neutron stars, water worlds etc etc

After that, it depends how you want to kit your ship. More equipment, means heavier ship, and cuts your jump range - but remember that first 500ly where interdictions could happen! That is both on the way out ... AND COMING BACK! Unless you make it back alive you won't have all that hard earned data to sell!
 
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Skyfire

Skyfire
PotatoOverdose said:
Not the longest. See: Anaconda. Still, if you can get an asp over a cobra, definitely do it.
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Wow! Hadn't worked that Anaconda build! That's an impressive jump range of up to 41ly's! However, take any damage for wear and tear or anything else, and you may not make much of a profit from your exploration, once you've paid for those repairs!
 

Jackie Silver

Jackie Silver
Mad Mike said:
Hi.

Is anyone elite on the explorer rank yet? Just wondering if these jaunts to deepspce will get me to elite any time soon?.

Thanks
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Zion Ravescene is Elite, but AIUI made it by selling data from Sag A* before its payout was reduced. I don't know of anyone else who is Explorer Elite; we suspect it requires around 100 MCr in returned data based on the progression through the earlier ranks.
(I'm Pioneer rank (a.k.a. Starblazer) with about 48 MCr returned.)
 

Surly_Badger

Surly_Badger
I explore in my cobra. It's nice b/c if you get interdicted by NPCs on the way in or out you can just submit out of supercruise, bang the boost and jet away, then jump off -- it won't work against a CMDR but I have yet to encounter an NPC that does more than get a shot or two off. (I explore with shields)
 

Xexexh

X
A nicely upgraded Cobra is way better than a basic ASP, only buy the ASP when you can afford some decent upgrades immediately
 

Elpapo

Elpapo
Skyfire said:
Wow! Hadn't worked that Anaconda build! That's an impressive jump range of up to 41ly's! However, take any damage for wear and tear or anything else, and you may not make much of a profit from your exploration, once you've paid for those repairs!
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Anaconda's wear & tear costs are not that high as many think it is... But hull repair cost 400k for each 10%, so if carefull with usage at greater travels, still can make nice money. Just be carefull, to not damage hull. Not going over 100% with heat, dont travel more than 100k ls... keep with that, and youre not gonna pay much for repairs even if you circle entire milky way.
 
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chaseydog

chaseydog
Skuli said:
T6 is my favorite exploration vehicle. View is 90% as good as the Asp plus a heck of a lot cheaper to kit out for exploration, and faster to fill up at star systems.
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Planning on starting my exploration career with T6 as well. Another Rares run or two and I'll have the upgrades I want.
 

Flyinpiranha

F
So if money was no object, would an Anaconda be the best explorer? That particular one seems highly vulnerable, but I have just begun researching what to go out in.
 

Surly_Badger

Surly_Badger
Flyinpiranha said:
So if money was no object, would an Anaconda be the best explorer? That particular one seems highly vulnerable, but I have just begun researching what to go out in.
Click to expand...

I think speed equals survivability. You can fit just the right amount of stuff in a Cobra, with room for a few tons of beer and food cartridges.
 
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