To Upgrade?

[Solestine]

So I've been operating in my Viper for a little bit now and I am wondering. Should I move up to a Cobra III or should I continue to save the money I've been making till I can afford something larger? With the Python at 56Mil and Anacondas at 225Mil it looks like whatever I get into next I'm going to be there a while. So, any recommendations?

Thank you for you time.

 

[tarks382]

Do some trading. Rack up those credits. Try a Type-6. It'll bring the Python into better focus.

 

[PhazonAran]

Or a Vulture, if you want only to fight.

 

[Red Kite]

The Cobra is good for a bit of everything. Try some exploring or trading (good for rare runs), put enough armament on to make it a decent bounty hunter, let the credits tick over steadily in the background.

 

[Kastor]

You speak like the snakes are the only valid ships.

What do you want?

If your a combateer moving to a Cobra III isn't really a upgrade. There are arguments both ways but the Viper is a marginally better combat ship (I stress "marginally", it needs a bit of it's old speed back). But if you want to trade on the side that's a different story.

The next upgrade for a combateer is a Vulture. Slower but with bigger guns, shields and turns like cream left in the sun.

And before anyone says anything about power plant issues, that's just part of the decent combat ships. Redlined power use or nothing.

 

[quintonnel]

Do some trading. Rack up those credits. Try a Type-6. It'll bring the Python into better focus.

Why is the answer immediately to GRIND?

Rather ask what's he's playing style and then recommend.

So Solestine, how do you play ED?

Trader, Bounty Hunter/Pirate, Miner, Background Simulation, Exploration?

From your current ship I reckon your are a Bounty Hunter/Pirate?
Then I would recommend the Cobra. Its an excellent all rounder and you can focus on more than one area.

 

[Philip Coutts]

I'm guessing that if you are flying a viper you like a bit of bounty hunting? My advice is to go for a Vulture if that's the case. If you want to do a bit more trading and a bit of bounty hunting then go for a Cobra. It really depends on what you like doing.

 

[Ydiss]

The cobra is only an upgrade if you want to do more than purely combat. For combat, it's a side grade.

 

[Solestine]

Some good points there. I prefer to Bounty Hunt, but I am not opposed to Trading.

 

[Vandaahl]

Some good points there. I prefer to Bounty Hunt, but I am not opposed to Trading.

So you want a cobra

*edit*
Or an Asp or a Python, as they are all multi role ships.

 

[v01i0]

Some good points there. I prefer to Bounty Hunt, but I am not opposed to Trading.

Then I'd recommend to go either for Cobra or even Asp if you can bear the credits for it. In my opinion and experience, Asp is a decent multirole ship and I've won 2 vultures (losses 0) in PvP with a multipurpose setup. Cobra is also a good option and cheaper than Asp, naturally. However, cobra isn't very efficient trader since it is rather small.

-v

 

[uncle bulgaria]

Then I'd recommend to go either for Cobra or even Asp if you can bear the credits for it. In my opinion and experience, Asp is a decent multirole ship and I've won 2 vultures (losses 0) in PvP with a multipurpose setup. Cobra is also a good option and cheaper than Asp, naturally. However, cobra isn't very efficient trader since it is rather small.

-v

Yup regular commodity trading with a Cobra to reach a T6 is a bit of a slog. For multi-role I use an Asp and I have a Vulture for combat. The OP could switch to a Cobra and not be completely gimped in a RES (I really dislike the Cobra's hardpoints which for me makes the Viper the better combat ship) and do a bit of rare running on the side, that should see him into an Asp before too long. If long term a Python is the target then for me I'd get to the Asp then work towards a T7 (or Clipper if you're onside with the Empire) and regular trade with that would probably be the quickest (if less fun) way to get there.

 

[TriumphANT]

Some good points there. I prefer to Bounty Hunt, but I am not opposed to Trading.

It depends on how much free cash you've got. A T-6 is really, really cheap and you can do some normal trading and rares runs in a 1.4MCr ship and make about 2MCr per hour or so. A bit of a grind. But the logical upgrade would be to get 12MCr together, sell the Viper and buy and build a combat Vulture. Keep both the T6 and the Vulture. You can always switch roles without boredom, and you're not in a general purpose ship like a Cobra, which is a REALLY nice ship but has combat limitations compared to the Viper/Vulture and trading limitations compared to the T6. Having two dedicated ships is actually a LOT more fun. I have a combat Vulture and exploration Adder and love them both. Switching roles gives a real feeling of gameplay.

 

[tarks382]

Why is the answer immediately to GRIND?

Rather ask what's he's playing style and then recommend.

So Solestine, how do you play ED?

Trader, Bounty Hunter/Pirate, Miner, Background Simulation, Exploration?

From your current ship I reckon your are a Bounty Hunter/Pirate?
Then I would recommend the Cobra. Its an excellent all rounder and you can focus on more than one area.

To Quintonnel - Hey, it's a viewpoint.
To Solestine - Pros: moves you on quickly, trade-route plotting has its own charm. Cons: Hard work, sometimes tedious. Just think "deferred gratification".
Bounty hunting is fun, but versatility is also good, yes?

 

[hoopy]

Vulture and Type 6 will both earn a million an hour if you go to a RES or trade (don't take the T6 to a RES, don't trade in the Vulture!). A Cobra trading rares is probably pretty similar. Cobra is also pretty decent for exploring if that interests you.
So do whichever you think will be most fun!
A base vulture or T6 doesn't need much spending on it for it to be perfectly adequate. bigger cargo racks for the T6 and gimballed pulses for the vulture.

A python is a LONG way off if you're only using a cobra to get there. If you're trading then going T6->asp->T7 will get you there much quicker. And you can always refit the asp for exploration for a break in the middle.

 

[AlexRyder]

Sorry but you can't play Elite and NOT fly a Cobra... Even if you have to wait and then buy one when you have the spare change.

My advice is get one, max out the jump range and use it to trade rares for a bit before getting into a properly fitted Type 6 for trading or a properly outfitted fighter craft if that's what you want to get.

 

[GunnerBill]

I really enjoyed my Cobra and had great fun bashing my local RES until I could outfit a Vulture properly. Perhaps PvP a combat Cobra may suffer but you'll learn good fighting skills in it.

 

[OrLoK]

Hello there

Im a long time Viper lover and have downgraded from a vulture to a Cobra.

I *feel* i ought to be flying a Cobra but, to me the Viper is such a nice feeling combat ship.

Whilst I know the Cobra is a Jack of all trades, I feel hamstrung when using it for whatever purpose.

That said, it is dirt cheap in comparison to its bigger siblings and Im not overly upset if I loose one.

Id like to see the cobra get a little love to make it the standard ship for many.

My final say is get a Cobra but Keep the Viper.

Rgds

LoK

 

[Anarky]

Some good points there. I prefer to Bounty Hunt, but I am not opposed to Trading.

The Cobra isn't really an uprade then. It definitely won't feel like one if you've been flying a Viper. It may be a good way to get either a Vulture and/or Asp though, as the Cobra is a good little trading ship.

The next combat upgrade would be a Vulture, which flies like a dream with great fire power. Flying a Vulture alone will keep you occupied for a long time because it's so fun (if you like bounty hunting). Getting a Vulture and kitting it out reasonably well will cost about 12.5 mil with insurance. It won't really be at it's full potential though.

If you're not adverse to trading then a good way to get credits is in an Asp. When you buy one don't trade-in your Viper, but do sell and downgrade the Viper parts (why will be explained below). To equip an Asp with D-grade modules, taking out the shield and throwing in cargo racks, will cost around 7.7 mil with insurance. D-grade modules with an A-grade FSD for maximum jump distance will cost around 13 mil with insurance.

As you can see, a reasonable Vulture and a full trading Asp cost about the same. A reasonable trading Asp is around 5 mil cheaper than a reasonable combat Vulture.

If you do go the Asp route you can make credits pretty quickly with rare and/or commodity trading. If your Viper is parked in a good outfitting station near plenty of RESs (like Gende) you should be able to get back to it pretty quickly in an Asp, then use your profits to outfit your Viper again for bounty hunting if you feel like a change. You could even use your Asp, which is pretty decent for PvE combat (depending who you talk to).

Bounty hunting in a toned down Vulture will be slower in amassing credits, but possibly more fun. It could arguably be quicker getting to a full combat Vulture via buying and then trading in an Asp, rather than bounty hunting in a Viper and then a toned down Vulture. Getting an Asp will offer more play-styles. Choice is yours though.

If you're aiming for a Python, I'd definitely recommend at some point straight out owning both an Asp and Vulture, as then you'll have all your bases covered - trade, exploration and combat - and can dip into any part of the game you feel like, when you feel like.