Advice for ship progression

[Xariann]

EDIT: update on post 37 of this thread - 27/05/2015

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Hi all!

To start, this isn't really a "what ship is better" thread, I am more looking for advice for people with similar experience.

I have a day job and such, so my time for playing this game is fairly limited. What tends to happen right now is that I log on, do a bit of trading while maybe watching something on the side and then log off.

I started off this way: Eagle (backer, skipped the Sidey which I used extensively in beta...), then sold the Eagle for the Viper as people were saying the Viper is the straight up upgrade and "manoeuvrable" etc. Felt cheated, as actually it was harder for me to kill 'Condas with the Viper, because I could exploit their blind spot with the Eagle a lot easier. I wasn't necessarily digging the hardpoints compared to the Eagle either. Anyway, sold the Viper and got a Cobra. Cobra could actually jump more than 3 meters and could carry more than a pack of Kleenex.

Then the community goal came and decided I'd give it a go. But the Cobra wouldn't have really netted me much in terms of contributions, so I sold the Cobra and bought a Type 6 (which immediately got blown up by a player who was camping the areas where the superconductors are). After a few expletives, I went and bought another Type 6, and switched to solo mode, where the NPC pirates have no brains and started to do the trading. I figured that it was faster to sell the Cobra and make the money back while doing the CG with a ship that had almost 3 times the cargo capacity. So yes, now I have more than enough money to get a Cobra again.

What I have realised in all this, is that I want to do a bit of everything in the game. I started off thinking I wanted to be an explorer. Then I started to shoot stuff with the Eagle and loved it. And then I did trading, maybe not so fun but, hey it pays the bills. I think I feel the Eagle was by far the ship I had the most fun fighting with, and the Cobra was the one that gave me the most freedom. I don't think I will go back to the Viper.

I have my eyes set on the Clipper at the moment, as I can do about everything with it (when I read about the Fer De Lance, even just for combat I see more people favouring the Clipper).

However I don't want to keep trading until I have 22 million + insurance + some basic equipment. It will just kill the fun for me.

So I was looking at either buying a Vulture (Eagle's big brother) or buy my Cobra back and then do a bit of shooting, a bit of trading (keeping the Lakon Type 6) and get me a Clipper.

The problem I am having is the time (lack of), as I said I work during the day. If I go for the Vulture (which due to the manoeuvrability I will almost certainly prefer to the Cobra and I already have the Type 6 for trading) I will wind up spending about 20 million to upgrade it. Which is almost what the Clipper costs without upgrades.

Which is why I am considering the Cobra again, as I would be doing some shooting while earning the money for my Clipper. I do wonder however, when you sell an existing ship, how much money do you lose? Because it might just be worth to get that Vulture, sell it when I have the money and swap to Clipper.

...Or get the Vulture, sell the Type 6 when I have the money and swap to Clipper. With the downside that the Type 6 isn't anywhere near 22 million, so that will not cut off any time from my very busy schedule.

Help me here. Tell me I get more chocolate for doing one thing instead of the other. I don't know! Just anything to prevent my head from exploding.

Thanks.

 

[testmate]

You did not mention the Asp!

Would be a great ship for you, I think. Not that expensive as a clipper, but it's a really nice allround ship! Not just for explorers.

You can do rare-trade runs or just trade, explore, fit it for combat .... try it!

(Edit: you can sell your T6 if buying an asp)

 

[Xariann]

Asp hmmm... Where are the hardpoints on that ship?

 

[Shanaeri]

the asp has 2 X class 2 and 4 X class 4, all sort of clustered around the cockpit area. I.e Very good.

If I didn't have much time and wanted to do a bit of everything the Asp is what I would go for

 

[Midian Cabal]

I went almost the same route as you: Sidey->Viper->Cobra->T-6 and then switched to Asp. I could do everything with Asp, I could explore, do rare trading and BH in RES. Asp earned my a Clipper.

 

[Xariann]

Okay guys/gals. Thank you. That's excellent advice so I will be doing that.

 

[kingchub]

the asp has 2 X class 2 and 4 X class 4

incorrect, it has 2 x class 2 and 4 x class 1

 

[Captain w00t]

the asp has 2 X class 2 and 4 X class 4, all sort of clustered around the cockpit area. I.e Very good.

If I didn't have much time and wanted to do a bit of everything the Asp is what I would go for

The Asp has 4 small and 2 medium, i.e 4x class 1 and 2x class 2


Edit: Ninja'd! Fast going kingchub

 

[dryjoy]

Okay guys/gals. Thank you. That's excellent advice so I will be doing that.

Would love to hear how you get on with the Asp. I'm in a similar position - currently got a T6 and a Cobra, and a full-time job and family - and thinking about what my next ship move might be. Not that I'm in a hurry, but the next ship is in the back of my mind.

 

[Bokugo]

Yeah the asp should serve you well. You won't need as much agility with that many guns :T

The loadout choices that brings always keep it interesting too.

 

[Commanderhumpster]

Okay guys/gals. Thank you. That's excellent advice so I will be doing that.

The Asp is a wonderful craft and as others have metioned its a great all rounder, you may need to use FA off quite a bit in combat, but7 i had an A graded one for a long time and it served me well.

 

[Xariann]

Would love to hear how you get on with the Asp. I'm in a similar position - currently got a T6 and a Cobra, and a full-time job and family - and thinking about what my next ship move might be. Not that I'm in a hurry, but the next ship is in the back of my mind.

I shall keep you posted. Need to get some more money but I will trade in the Lakon 6 I think.

 

[TriumphANT]

The Vulture is dramatically more versatile than most people give it credit for:
http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=60N,5DS5DS0mI,2-6Q8I6Q5U7_6u5A,08c7RA03w
12 Million Cr for a beasting fighter with 36T of Cargo, and I've left the size 1 slots free, so you can go up to 40T or add in Exploration options or a 1A Fuel Scoop. 16-18Ly jump range, so it can do the Lave->39 Tauri run in a few jumps, chew up at RESs and Nav Beacons, and it's a riot to fly.
If you've got the KS thing, you can buy at Shinrarta for 10% discount. Try it. If you don't like it, sell the modules and you'll only lose 500KCr on the Vulture itself. I guarantee it'll have made you that even if you don't like it.

I love the Vulture, but doing the above (let's say Cobra-fying it) gives it a different slant completely to the "big guns, big defence" loadout that is de facto.

 

[Dash]

I did the T6 and Vulture route - mainly because I wanted the great combat ability of the Vulture - but that's all it is. In the end I sold both and got a clipper in the sale the other week. I now have loads of cargo space and have done nothing apart from combat... go figure.

Still, it's a lot better than having to make dozens of jumps to go back to where your other ship is. Until they put in some way to transport ships (or become a passenger) then multiple ship ownership is a bit of a chore.

 

[Ingulf]

You did not mention the Asp!

Would be a great ship for you, I think. Not that expensive as a clipper, but it's a really nice allround ship! Not just for explorers.

You can do rare-trade runs or just trade, explore, fit it for combat .... try it!

(Edit: you can sell your T6 if buying an asp)

^ This ^

Then make money for Vulture + T-7 for a while...then Python alone! Profit, you are ready to do anything anytime fitting it for BH or massive trading depending on the mood (plus, being able to dock at outpost on M pad is a big advantage imho)

 

[TriumphANT]

I did the T6 and Vulture route - mainly because I wanted the great combat ability of the Vulture - but that's all it is. In the end I sold both and got a clipper in the sale the other week. I now have loads of cargo space and have done nothing apart from combat... go figure.

Still, it's a lot better than having to make dozens of jumps to go back to where your other ship is. Until they put in some way to transport ships (or become a passenger) then multiple ship ownership is a bit of a chore.

Agreed, and that's why I went down the multi-role Vulture route. If you've got the Cr, and the ranking, then a multi-role Clipper is just the same thing. But shinier! I only have my Vulture and my exploration Adder at Shinrarta, but piloting an unarmed Adder through populated space on the return from an exploration mission is pretty exhilirating. (Don't worry, I sell my data at Kumbaya! I'm not risking my Adder AND my data!) I like Shinrarta's position overall anyway. Close enough to the "top" edge of populated space, the main rares loops and the 10% discount puts the cherry on top. There are a fair number of CMDRs there, but I've never had anything other than a "Hi there!" from anyone anywhere.

 

[Eloy]

Don´t forget to completely strip your ships before selling them!
Youll get the full price for the sold modules but only 90% for the ship with fitted modules.

I´d recommend the ASP too.
My history is: Sidewinder - Hauler - Cobra - T6 - T7 (tradegrinding) - ASP - Clipper

 

[Xariann]

The Vulture is dramatically more versatile than most people give it credit for:
http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=60N,5DS5DS0mI,2-6Q8I6Q5U7_6u5A,08c7RA03w
12 Million Cr for a beasting fighter with 36T of Cargo, and I've left the size 1 slots free, so you can go up to 40T or add in Exploration options or a 1A Fuel Scoop. 16-18Ly jump range, so it can do the Lave->39 Tauri run in a few jumps, chew up at RESs and Nav Beacons, and it's a riot to fly.
If you've got the KS thing, you can buy at Shinrarta for 10% discount. Try it. If you don't like it, sell the modules and you'll only lose 500KCr on the Vulture itself. I guarantee it'll have made you that even if you don't like it.

I love the Vulture, but doing the above (let's say Cobra-fying it) gives it a different slant completely to the "big guns, big defence" loadout that is de facto.

That is quite an interesting set up...

- - - Updated - - -

Don´t forget to completely strip your ships before selling them!
Youll get the full price for the sold modules but only 90% for the ship with fitted modules.

Hah! Thanks for the tip.

 

[uncle bulgaria]

Another +1 here for the Asp. You can save for one by trading with the T6 then you can fit out an Asp for trading and gradually upgrade it to be a pretty solid all rounder. Due to the number of class 5 modules it's expensive to kit out but it makes a brilliant rare runner. My advice would be to fit it out as a rare runner and do a spot of bounty hunting at the and RES/nav beacons in systems where you're stopping off.

 

[Philip Foster]

Interesting thread. I am in exactly the same position, family, job, only get to play once or twice a week, like to do a bit of everything. After a bit of research the Asp was a no brainier for me, a natural progression from the Cobra which I loved and I haven't looked back. I've played since just before 1.1 and I have an almost top rated Multi role combat trader Asp, 5A power plant, thrusters, shields, 4A power distributor. (Best you can get for the Asp and it's perfectly good). Just need to upgrade from 5B FSD and wow. The E class Asp isn't going set your hair on fire performance wise but an A class just might.

I can do single ~20LY jumps with 64t of rares (Or more. I have stuck with a single 64t rack but I still have a lot of empty modules) out to 200LY or more without having to stop or slow down for fuel. It'll do 24LY jumps when I upgrade the FSD and nearly 30LY unladen.

4xclass 1 hard points and 2x class 2, all closely grouped on the front of the ship are devastating when you get the combo how you like it. And class 5A shields are worth every penny of the ~5m cr price tag. Before I learnt how to get out of the way properly I'd often get into nose punching contests with drop ships, Pythons and Anacondas who would fire everything they had at me for long seconds and still couldn't bring my shields down.

With 5A thrusters you can boost to nearly 400m/s and cruise at over 350. She accelerates a lot faster too and responds a lot better in the turn but she is still a boom and zoomer rather than a turn and burner.

I haven't gotten around to exploring yet but the Asp is well know for that too.

Sounds like the Asp is the one for you.