FDL sucks

[The.Doover]

FDL or Python... Python. I may not look sexeh flying it but I can do so much more.

FDL is a glorified Viper nothing more.

Glorified viper? You have my attention now!

 

[Lord Lucan Onion Head]

Glorified viper? You have my attention now!

Well...I respect this opinion but I would say the Vulture is more Viper-like, and the FDL more combat-Python-like. In terms of manoeuvrability.
.

 

[Poseidal]

Well...I respect this opinion but I would say the Vulture is more Viper-like, and the FDL more combat-Python-like. In terms of manoeuvrability.
.

In regards to their relation to each other, the Vulture and FDL are kind of like an overgrown Eagle and Viper. The former is slower but more manoeuvrable, the latter is tougher and faster but doesn't turn as well.

 

[lolanon]

Also, buy an additional fuel tank when 1.3 goes live.

Not had FDL yet, still exploring. But i was going to suggest exactly this.

 

[xondk]

Well, the FDL is a combat ship, so it isn't intended to have a need for a big tank or long jump range?

 

[Lord Lucan Onion Head]

Well, the FDL is a combat ship, so it isn't intended to have a need for a big tank or long jump range?

Unless you need to travel 200 LY to get to a CG.

 

[xondk]

Unless you need to travel 200 LY to get to a CG.

Eco route? they save a lot on fuel, yes it is more jumps but its not like that takes a lot of time to do if not exploring.

 

[Jackie Silver]

Haven't tried the PA in it yet, though.

Good when it hits (you can pretty much take out annoying Eagles with one hit) but it's difficult to aim when you're using fixed lasers in the upper slots - unless you're dead straight on either you're pointing the lasers at the target or you're leading for the PA but not both. Good against big ships but so's the gimballed huge cannon. And you have to compromise in other areas as it consumes a lot of power.

 

[robrecht]

How do you filter the galaxy map? I don't have the option

 

[Lord Lucan Onion Head]

Eco route? they save a lot on fuel, yes it is more jumps but its not like that takes a lot of time to do if not exploring.

That's not the problem. Scooping very star takes time. Time is money. ;-)

 

[fergal]

Never been stranded in my FDL and have often covered thousands of light years in a day with it.

Something as small as an A2 scoop is sufficient for economy routes, and an A4 or A5 scoop make even the longest trips relatively painless as long as you make sure you avoid long stretches of unscoopable stars.

A4 does an excellent job, I think it maxes out at 375 or 380.
I don't know what else you would want to put in the size 4 internal slot, a second cargo bay maybe? Perhaps some people can power a shield cell bank.

 

[InMemoriamSirocco]

Sold back my FDL today. That fuel tank is just stupid. Even with scooping at each viable star, I found myself in constant fear of being stranded. A few bad jumps and I'd be left with a 4 million credit bill due to having to self destruct. Rant over.

Oh that's cute...

View attachment 30156

... come back when you have been exploring beyond 500 ly from SOL in a Vulture

 

[Wilhelm Scream]

Long distance travel with fdl

1: Sell fdl.
2:buy cobra with best fsd
3:travel
4:sell cobra
5:buy fdl

Quicker than scooping

 

[Lord Lucan Onion Head]

Long distance travel with fdl1: Sell fdl2:buy cobra with best fsd3:travel4:sell cobra5:buy fdlQuicker than scooping

I was seriously thinking of doing that with a Hauler.

 

[Vagabond]

Love my FDL.

Experimented with a huge gimbaled cannon. Found it to be too unreliable at hitting subtargets. Now field a large fixed beam. My 'death scalpel'. Not going back to a Clipper.

 

[marktay]

I found having a thermal weapon on the huge hard-point gave power and heat problems in my FDL. 4 F2 Gimballed Pulse lasers and a B3 Fixed Canon works very well. I only use the cannon on big game, and a quick tip up of the nose then fire is fine for finding their power-plants or drives, and 3 hits with it kills anything. Turn rate sucks compared to small ships, but gimbals and flight assist off helps there, and a B4 Fuel Scoop and some sensible route planning got me 260 LY to a CG yesterday with no drama.

 

[Poseidal]

Love my FDL.

Experimented with a huge gimbaled cannon. Found it to be too unreliable at hitting subtargets. Now field a large fixed beam. My 'death scalpel'. Not going back to a Clipper.

Ha, I actually ran the Clipper as a 'death scalpel' using a fixed C3 beam, with the other Gimbaled (tempted to try a turret there too). If I ran the FdL like that it would be too similar, though I would say it was more practical.

So I put the huge PA on, because Fer de Lances with PAs have more fun.

 

[sorcer3r]

My FDL is a flying C4 plasma accelerator. (+ 2x c2 beam and 2x d2 cannons for small targets ).

 

[Mnemoch]

Its just an unnecessary pain. Why would a luxury bounty hunter have such a small fuel tank?

I dont mean to be offensive here, but I fail to see how anyone could fear being stranded in civilised space past your first few days of play.

Its VERY easy to plan your route in stages if needed, but even plotting directly to your destination, there will often be convienient stars to scoop along the way.

Those who fail to plan, plan to fail. A little less laziness goes a long way, plan your route, you are travelling light years, not going around the city block.

 

[xondk]

Its just an unnecessary pain. Why would a luxury bounty hunter have such a small fuel tank?

Weight? size? they want a very very maneuverable ship? part of that is making sure nothing is in the way, and I would guess a bigger tank would be? it would add more weight, need more structure place and such?