Clipper or Dropship? Which Faction should I choose if I like Hunting?

[Scarcity]

Please excuse my ignorance, but my buddy and I have been bounty hunting for about 30 million dollars in our Vultures now and it's getting kinda boring. I don't want to sound like those whiners that always complain about the game missing content, I just want to see if anyone out there has any advice regarding which faction, and therefore, which ship I should subscribe to?

I like the Vulture and I have it maxed out on everything. However, it only has a #4 power supply and 2 Large hardpoints. I was thinking that the Federal Dropship might be more fun for shooting stuff, exploration, and hauling combined.

Any help making this decision would be appreciated.

 

[Raf von Thorn]

Dont be stupid. Join the Empire, we got cookies and the Imperial Clipper.

Dropship is worse in alsmost everything. Its only advantage is slightly stronger shields, hull and the harpoints placement. Clipper is MUCH faster, more manouverable, and can haul 240 tons of cargo (with weak shields, of course).

 

[jockmcplop]

I see a lucrative future for the dropship completing community goals by transferring troops around.

 

[Mr Duffo]

Go for clipper first. Dropship has no purpose now.

 

[StewartScott]

Dont be stupid. Join the Empire, we got cookies and the Imperial Clipper.

Dropship is worse in alsmost everything. Its only advantage is slightly stronger shields, hull and the harpoints placement. Clipper is MUCH faster, more manouverable, and can haul 240 tons of cargo (with weak shields, of course).

I think this video might be a direct contradiction to that

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VX2AFaVAa8

PLUS the dropship can land on outpost where the clipper can't. That can can a great advantage at times as well.

 

[Ancipital]

The Clipper's not a great combat vessel, but it's worth having in any case as a solid medium capacity trader. The Dropship looks impressive in an aggressively ugly way, but is generally pants in all areas as it currently stands. If you're ranking up for the ships rather than just the sheer hell of it, Imperial is the obvious choice.. However, you could do both, just for entertainment.

I think this video might be a direct contradiction to that

You can kill terrible players flying almost anything, it's largely meaningless. Given that the poster of the video is using turrets in some spots, yet still manages to wipe the floor with his opponent, the itemisation and flying baseline would appear to be extraordinarily low all-round. I fear that even I could kill that Clipper

Normally Clipper vs Dropship should be more like this:

 

[Tryst]

I think this video might be a direct contradiction to that

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VX2AFaVAa8

PLUS the dropship can land on outpost where the clipper can't. That can can a great advantage at times as well.

The video means nothing, that Clipper pilot wasn't even trying, I've seen Competent NPC pilots fight better than that.

Against a 'Dangerous' NPC for my Federal ranks, I have taken out a Dropship with a Cobra. With a Clipper, I would have made dog meat out of him in less time than it took to jump to the system.

I have since flown both the Dropship and the Clipper. If you like flying something with all the agility of a housebrick on tranquillisers in half set concrete, the drop ship is your best bet. I kept the Clipper because the Dropship just isn't worth a damn for combat.

 

[CMDR Holycow]

The Clipper is the better ship. But outfitted, it's also WAY more expensive. I am currently flying a clipper. I think I have 60m in mine, and am not fully kitted yet (still need A6 sheilds)

 

[Poseidal]

The Clipper is the better ship. But outfitted, it's also WAY more expensive. I am currently flying a clipper. I think I have 60m in mine, and am not fully kitted yet (still need A6 sheilds)

Tried running D7? Almost as strong, much lower power consumption and lighter(!). Takes up your 7 slot, but when I'm running like this I'm not hauling massive amounts anyway (maybe some missions en-route to fighting locations, or running rares).

 

[Scarcity]

The video means nothing, that Clipper pilot wasn't even trying, I've seen Competent NPC pilots fight better than that.

Against a 'Dangerous' NPC for my Federal ranks, I have taken out a Dropship with a Cobra. With a Clipper, I would have made dog meat out of him in less time than it took to jump to the system.

I have since flown both the Dropship and the Clipper. If you like flying something with all the agility of a housebrick on tranquillisers in half set concrete, the drop ship is your best bet. I kept the Clipper because the Dropship just isn't worth a damn for combat.

that's what i was looking for. Good combat maneuverability.

 

[Scarcity]

Thank you

thank you to everyone who replied. I'm still on the fence but this has definitely opened up a dialog that should take me in the right direction.

I guess having to sink over 60 million credits into the Clipper should give me something to do for a while.

However, if i decide to run cargo the Dropship appears the way to go.

Now I just have to do a bunch of crappy missions to gain favor with the factions.

Is there anything in particular I should look for on the bulletin board?

 

[whataboutbob71]

thank you to everyone who replied. I'm still on the fence but this has definitely opened up a dialog that should take me in the right direction.

I guess having to sink over 60 million credits into the Clipper should give me something to do for a while.

However, if i decide to run cargo the Dropship appears the way to go.

Now I just have to do a bunch of crappy missions to gain favor with the factions.

Is there anything in particular I should look for on the bulletin board?

Make sure you're in a Federation controlled area and only select mission from factions that are aligned with the Federation, ignore all missions from the independent factions.

 

[nazartp]

thank you to everyone who replied. I'm still on the fence but this has definitely opened up a dialog that should take me in the right direction.

I guess having to sink over 60 million credits into the Clipper should give me something to do for a while.

However, if i decide to run cargo the Dropship appears the way to go.

Now I just have to do a bunch of crappy missions to gain favor with the factions.

Is there anything in particular I should look for on the bulletin board?

To get a Clipper and outfit it enough to take it on a maiden voyage successfully, plan to have approximately 35-40 mil cr. That will take care of upgraded weapons, A-rated distributor, A-rated FSD, max cargo, fuel scoop and the rest of components upgraded to D-rating. It will leave you with some cash to cover re-buy and have spare change for cargo.

BTW, it hauls much more than Dropship.

For rank progression guidance, search these boards - there are numerous discussions and guides.

 

[sasani]

I'm a Federation fan myself, though I must admit the dropship is poor right now, there is no use for it. The clipper looks good but it depends what you want to do next in the game... from all I have read it wont be better than your vulture for combat, it's good as a trader that can protect itself, or as a pirate ship perhaps.. to kit it out for fighting i doubt 30 mil will be enough...

If you want to fly something a little different and very versatile you could try Asp - if you want to trade then perhaps you can go for the clipper (or a dedicated trader), you can grind your way towards a python..

If you want to base the faction you join on what cool ships you may get I would go Federation, not because of the dropship but the corvette - most people on the forum think it will come out with the next update... I certainly hope so and am halfway to the top Fed rank in anticipation.

 

[Sgt Doom]

If you want to base the faction you join on what cool ships you may get I would go Federation, not because of the dropship but the corvette - most people on the forum think it will come out with the next update... I certainly hope so and am halfway to the top Fed rank in anticipation.

That looks like the child of an Anaconda and a Farragut, it's wonderful.

 

[Scarcity]

I'm a Federation fan myself, though I must admit the dropship is poor right now, there is no use for it. The clipper looks good but it depends what you want to do next in the game... from all I have read it wont be better than your vulture for combat, it's good as a trader that can protect itself, or as a pirate ship perhaps.. to kit it out for fighting i doubt 30 mil will be enough...

If you want to fly something a little different and very versatile you could try Asp - if you want to trade then perhaps you can go for the clipper (or a dedicated trader), you can grind your way towards a python..

If you want to base the faction you join on what cool ships you may get I would go Federation, not because of the dropship but the corvette - most people on the forum think it will come out with the next update... I certainly hope so and am halfway to the top Fed rank in anticipation.

That is exactly what I want to do . Thanks for the tip.

 

[Ancipital]

thank you to everyone who replied. I'm still on the fence but this has definitely opened up a dialog that should take me in the right direction.

I guess having to sink over 60 million credits into the Clipper should give me something to do for a while.

However, if i decide to run cargo the Dropship appears the way to go.

No, that's not what was said at all. The Clipper is a much better cargo hauler too- and you can fit one out for that for under 30M. The Dropship literally has no advantages over the Clipper right now.

 

[Pyrion]

Since a mission overhaul is already announced for 1.3, i hope that we get passenger missions, making dropship and orca usefull. I tried an orca already, and its not half as bad as the dropship (at least its fast). And its beautifull. Would be nice if it would have a purpose.

 

[Mister5150]

lol I'll invite any of you clipper owners to a bit of pvp vs my dropship.

 

[Alex Du'Volle]

Dropship is not nearly as bad as people are making out, but it does suffer from weak shields/massive armor hitpoints, which with the current meta/subsystem targeting thing makes it pretty unforgiving in an ambush/one-on-one situation against other players.

Forward firepower on the dropship is pretty brutal with the right setup, and you can yaw surprisingly hard with FA off. I'd say It's a nice ship to have in a wing, but pretty dicey if you want to do anything alone in it. If you can actually aim, railgun setups are very solid, as it has the powergrid and heat tolerance to run them without making sacrifices elsewhere.