I'm very unhappy with the current trade ship lineup. They are slow and defenseless. Even if you add shields, they are paper thin. 4-8 Railgun hits can collapse them. That means they last for around 2-8 secs against a serious attacker. For this reason, I just skipped the shields completely on the transports. You can add them. That would reduce the cargo cap, so the ship will be closer to the cargo cap of the T-C line. That will give you +5-10 secs to live in a trade ship. Can you charge your FSD in 10 secs? If not then you will have a problem.
I assume transport pilots prefer to run and not start to Pew-Pew.
I assume the traders flies alone, without escort or other traders.
NPCs do not pose a real threat never. So this is for Open play.
As pointed out, the best defense against interdiction is to avoid the interdiction to happen. If you are pro in that, you can fly a tinfoil Zeppelin and survive.
Most attack ships have max speed around 380 or less. Speed optimized Clipper or Viper can fly in the 400-420 region. Speed optimized Cobra can do around 440, but they are pretty rare. I'm talking about CMDRs, of course.
Some alpha dmg values vs 4 shield pips. Double if you have only 2 pips at shields.
Vulture, 2 beams: 92.5 in 3.6 secs (0 pips at weps)
Cobra, 2 Med Rails, 2 light Burst : 82.7 in 3.12 secs.
FDL: Plasma, 2 med autocannons, 2 med rails: 147 in 4.59 secs
Clipper: 2 beams, 2 rails: 134 in 3.1 secs
Sidey 2 rails: 54 in 4.7 secs.
After that, things start to overheat and energy will be drained. The sustained damage is lower than this.
The trader ship designs are there for an honest price/cargo/speed COMPARISON only.
Let me introduce you the the T-C line.
1st Tier, starter: Hauler vs T-Viper
Hauler: 250k Cr, Cargo: 22t, Range: 8.9, Top speed loaded: 335
http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=60V,,2-3m3I3m2C1k2C3c,05U05U03w02M
T-Viper: 245k Cr, Cargo: 22t, Range: 8.1, Top speed loaded: 401
http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=60M,,2-3m5A5K3m5A5K3c,05U05U03w02M
With +500k Cr invested, the top speed is ~420.
Same cargo cap, same price, similar jump range. In the T-V you need to worry about Clippers, Vipers and Cobras. With A drive, only Cobras can catch you. So you are pretty safe with your cargo even in open.
2nd Tier, light: T6 vs T-Cobra
T6: 3.0m Cr, Cargo: 112t, Range: 10.8, Top speed loaded: 372
http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=60W,,2-3m6Q6u3m4s3m3c,08c08c07207205U03w03w
T-Cobra: 2.2m Cr, Cargo: 60t, Range: 11.7, Top speed loaded: 442
http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=602,,2-3m6Q6u5K4s5K3c,07207207203w03w03w
T-C is cheaper with greater jump range. It carries around half load, but you are practically invincible because you can get out of harm's way faster than your attacker can deploy hardpoints.
3rd Tier, medium: T7 vs T-Clipper
T7: 23.4m Cr, Cargo: 232t, Range: 9.5, Top speed loaded: 308
http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=60X,,2-5K7_8S6u4s5K5A,0AA0AA08c08c07207203w03w
T-Clipper: 28.3m Cr, Cargo: 184t, Range: 9.3, Top speed loaded: 410
http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=603,7My4ws4ws5QG0-80-8mpT3wo,2-6u9s8S8S9Y8S5A,0Bk7TC07207205U05U03w03w
The T-C is 5 mils more expensive and can carry 50 tons less. However, the top speed protects you from everything except Clippers and Cobras. The weapons and shields are not there to use them. It is there to look like you are a heavily armed BH. That should reduce the chance for an attack further. BHs don't carry stuff to steal. For +15m you can get an A drive and increase the speed to 421. That can protect you even from other Clippers. Your only enemy would be the Cobra.
4th Tier, heavy: T9 vs T-Conda
T9: 90m Cr, Cargo: 532t, Range: 8.5, Top speed loaded: 202
http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=60Y,,2-6uBQ9s8S9Y6u6k,0DI0Bk0AA08c07207205U05U03w
T-Conda: 159m Cr, Cargo: 340t, Range: 11.1, Top speed loaded: 253
http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=606,5...aA08SD8D85A,7WA0AA0AA0AA08c08c08c07207207203w
There is a considerable price difference and a 192 tons of cargo reduction. The T-Conda can't run, like the previous T- ships, but still can outpace a Vulture that tries to blast away the shields. It has to rely on the shields of 1260 MJ until it can jump away. It can last for around 90 secs against a usual CMDR attacker. Again, the weapons are not there to use them. They are there to look like you are a heavily armed BH. The A drive would increase the speed to 267 for +50mil.
These ships can actually survive engagements in Open. No need to play in the minor league of Solo or Private.
I assume transport pilots prefer to run and not start to Pew-Pew.
I assume the traders flies alone, without escort or other traders.
NPCs do not pose a real threat never. So this is for Open play.
As pointed out, the best defense against interdiction is to avoid the interdiction to happen. If you are pro in that, you can fly a tinfoil Zeppelin and survive.
Most attack ships have max speed around 380 or less. Speed optimized Clipper or Viper can fly in the 400-420 region. Speed optimized Cobra can do around 440, but they are pretty rare. I'm talking about CMDRs, of course.
Some alpha dmg values vs 4 shield pips. Double if you have only 2 pips at shields.
Vulture, 2 beams: 92.5 in 3.6 secs (0 pips at weps)
Cobra, 2 Med Rails, 2 light Burst : 82.7 in 3.12 secs.
FDL: Plasma, 2 med autocannons, 2 med rails: 147 in 4.59 secs
Clipper: 2 beams, 2 rails: 134 in 3.1 secs
Sidey 2 rails: 54 in 4.7 secs.
After that, things start to overheat and energy will be drained. The sustained damage is lower than this.
The trader ship designs are there for an honest price/cargo/speed COMPARISON only.
Let me introduce you the the T-C line.
1st Tier, starter: Hauler vs T-Viper
Hauler: 250k Cr, Cargo: 22t, Range: 8.9, Top speed loaded: 335
http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=60V,,2-3m3I3m2C1k2C3c,05U05U03w02M
T-Viper: 245k Cr, Cargo: 22t, Range: 8.1, Top speed loaded: 401
http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=60M,,2-3m5A5K3m5A5K3c,05U05U03w02M
With +500k Cr invested, the top speed is ~420.
Same cargo cap, same price, similar jump range. In the T-V you need to worry about Clippers, Vipers and Cobras. With A drive, only Cobras can catch you. So you are pretty safe with your cargo even in open.
2nd Tier, light: T6 vs T-Cobra
T6: 3.0m Cr, Cargo: 112t, Range: 10.8, Top speed loaded: 372
http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=60W,,2-3m6Q6u3m4s3m3c,08c08c07207205U03w03w
T-Cobra: 2.2m Cr, Cargo: 60t, Range: 11.7, Top speed loaded: 442
http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=602,,2-3m6Q6u5K4s5K3c,07207207203w03w03w
T-C is cheaper with greater jump range. It carries around half load, but you are practically invincible because you can get out of harm's way faster than your attacker can deploy hardpoints.
3rd Tier, medium: T7 vs T-Clipper
T7: 23.4m Cr, Cargo: 232t, Range: 9.5, Top speed loaded: 308
http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=60X,,2-5K7_8S6u4s5K5A,0AA0AA08c08c07207203w03w
T-Clipper: 28.3m Cr, Cargo: 184t, Range: 9.3, Top speed loaded: 410
http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=603,7My4ws4ws5QG0-80-8mpT3wo,2-6u9s8S8S9Y8S5A,0Bk7TC07207205U05U03w03w
The T-C is 5 mils more expensive and can carry 50 tons less. However, the top speed protects you from everything except Clippers and Cobras. The weapons and shields are not there to use them. It is there to look like you are a heavily armed BH. That should reduce the chance for an attack further. BHs don't carry stuff to steal. For +15m you can get an A drive and increase the speed to 421. That can protect you even from other Clippers. Your only enemy would be the Cobra.
4th Tier, heavy: T9 vs T-Conda
T9: 90m Cr, Cargo: 532t, Range: 8.5, Top speed loaded: 202
http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=60Y,,2-6uBQ9s8S9Y6u6k,0DI0Bk0AA08c07207205U05U03w
T-Conda: 159m Cr, Cargo: 340t, Range: 11.1, Top speed loaded: 253
http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=606,5...aA08SD8D85A,7WA0AA0AA0AA08c08c08c07207207203w
There is a considerable price difference and a 192 tons of cargo reduction. The T-Conda can't run, like the previous T- ships, but still can outpace a Vulture that tries to blast away the shields. It has to rely on the shields of 1260 MJ until it can jump away. It can last for around 90 secs against a usual CMDR attacker. Again, the weapons are not there to use them. They are there to look like you are a heavily armed BH. The A drive would increase the speed to 267 for +50mil.
These ships can actually survive engagements in Open. No need to play in the minor league of Solo or Private.
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