Python or Fer de Lance

Aesthetics is the last piece, I really like the look of the Python. The FDL looks like an overgrown Adder to me. But others might prefer the look of the FDL.

Has anyone flown and fought in both? What’s their opinions?

Python is a space Volvo, with all the positive and negative connotations that come with that label. Even from behind, they look somewhat similar. You can make the Python a 284 trader, and still have pretty hefty shields.

The Fer-de-Lance is like an Italian sports car, and the styling of ZPG ships are like the classic space-planes of the early years of Space travel, and have pretty nice interiors too.

If you could liken space travel to the human body, Faulcon deLacy is the brain, Gutamaya is the face, Lakon is the stomach but Zorgon Peterson is the heart and soul.
 
Hi just getting ready soon to purchase my next ship & was not sure what the crew complement was on a Python ? Fyi I did try to look this up but no dice.
Also am aware Fer de Lance is a man ship. Thanks for any info or advice.

Shadowma

Depends on what you want to do:
If you want a good multitask vessel with average jump range, good firepower, average cargo space (if you use SCB, Scoop or Interdictor), then Python.
If you want a deadly big fighter then FDL.
 
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Depends on what you want to do:
If you want a good multitask vessel with average jump range, good firepower, average cargo space (if you use SCB, Scoop or Interdictor), then Python.
If you want a deadly big fighter then FDL.

FDL is more a hunter than a worrier. I would bring a python to a CZ.
Edit: warrior
 
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Python is a space Volvo, with all the positive and negative connotations that come with that label. Even from behind, they look somewhat similar. You can make the Python a 284 trader, and still have pretty hefty shields.

The Fer-de-Lance is like an Italian sports car, and the styling of ZPG ships are like the classic space-planes of the early years of Space travel, and have pretty nice interiors too.

If you could liken space travel to the human body, Faulcon deLacy is the brain, Gutamaya is the face, Lakon is the stomach but Zorgon Peterson is the heart and soul.

+1 rep for you from an Alfa Romeo sport car owner, FdL owner and Italian as well :)
 
Also am aware Fer de Lance is a man ship.

Shadowma

FDL is actually known as the "Clown Ship." the only part that's missing on his clown uniform is the red noise.
The python is truly the better ship between the two, its an all-round ship and a progression along the way to the Conda.
 
My combat FDL has ~1400 MJ of SCB charges, all powered with hardpoints deployed.

People that don't read posts properly these days :/
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I said, that a fer-de-lance will not be able to refill a 6 times boosted shield with 1 cycle of shield cell banks, so you might as well deactivate your shield boosters when you begin to use your banks as they are just using power for no benefit.
 
If you could liken space travel to the human body, Faulcon deLacy is the brain, Gutamaya is the face, Lakon is the stomach but Zorgon Peterson is the heart and soul.

Dems dere sum fightin words son!

I'm a Python pilot if it isn't obvious after that statement. For me it's the Python hands down, every time. Keep in mind however that my judgement comes from a perspective of "What will this ship give me, if I put every credit I possibly can into it?"

Python Pros
  • 7A Power Plant & Distributor allow for extreme versatility in both weapons and equipment loadouts with no sacrifice beyond advanced power management.
  • 9 Internal Compartments, only beaten out by the Anaconda. This ship can be fit to do almost every thing in the game simultaneously and still have a decent cargo bay. (3xC6, 2xC5, 1xC4, 2xC3, 1xC2)
  • Aggressive weapons arrangement that is both fixed and turret friendly.
  • Medium pad friendly (irrelevant when compared to the FDL, but makes the Python a clear winner over the Anaconda in my book.)
  • Massive tank. I've tanked a total of 15 players in a combat zone (they weren't targeting subsystems) long enough to escape via low wake, getting mass locked by them and many NPC's, most of whom where shooting me.

Python Cons
  • Slow. Mine clocks in at 259M/S and 338M/S with boost.
  • Heavy when pimped out. Mine is sitting at 892 tonnes, which negatively affects maneuverability. My turrets are actually a big help against the smaller faster ships.
  • High running costs. Before I sought out and claimed every discount I could, my Python was sitting at about a 16m rebuy. Now my ship and all modules have a 15% or higher discount and I'm sitting at a 12m rebuy.
  • Vulnerable to ramming (a tactic I've seen used by clippers to drop my shields since I would outgun and outlast even two clippers attacking me simultaneously)




Python.png
This picture is fully A-Rated across the board, using this fit. Her name is Sojourn, and she is white.


No matter what, both ships have something going for them and that's the ability to mount a Class 3 Particle Accelerator. Once I got the PA's usage down, it got real, real fast. Even in the Python with slow maneuvering, I can hit ships such as Cobras and Vipers with about a 50% success rate with the PA, which is an absolutely devastating blow.

P.S. I don't mind flying the brains. But to be honest it's hard not to feel like my Python is all heart and soul. She's done everything I've asked of her and more.

P.P.S. I am of the "One ship" mindset and don't like owning more than one, which is why the Python is my go-to for 90% of my gameplay.
 
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My combat FDL has about the same shielding as my combat Python, just fewer SCBs

This is not possible, more so if you have less SCB. The absolute shield value of a maxed shield python is almost 3 times as strong as a fer-de-lance. It is senseless to not count your SCB's in your total shield value.
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2 class 4 SCB, 1 class 2 and 1 class 1 SCB of the fer de lance against 2 class 6, 2 class 5, 1 class 4, 2 class 3 and a class 1 SCB; what you are saying makes no sense.
 
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This is not possible, more so if you have less SCB. The absolute shield value of a maxed shield python is almost 3 times as strong as a fer-de-lance. It is senseless to not count your SCB's in your total shield value.

This puts my Python at 3582MJ, roughly with a total of 8 full refills to shields.
 
This puts my Python at 3582MJ, roughly with a total of 8 full refills to shields.

Well, I was just a bit ticked off that someone has bended my words to make it sound like I said something else from what I actually said.
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Edit* I didn't mean you, but the previous person I quoted.
 
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Fer De Lance is the best run away machine when things get too hot. I've only killed one so far but lots have run.
 
Just something to take into account in a climate of increasing pvp - my A class FDL was 80 million, my A-class Python is 170 million. FDL rebuy 5 million, Python rebuy 8 million
 
Python is a space Volvo, with all the positive and negative connotations that come with that label. Even from behind, they look somewhat similar. You can make the Python a 284 trader, and still have pretty hefty shields.

The Fer-de-Lance is like an Italian sports car, and the styling of ZPG ships are like the classic space-planes of the early years of Space travel, and have pretty nice interiors too.

If you could liken space travel to the human body, Faulcon deLacy is the brain, Gutamaya is the face, Lakon is the stomach but Zorgon Peterson is the heart and soul.

Nicely put!
 
I own both but I use my Python for (heavily armed) trading which is really what it's designed for. Don't get me wrong it will get the job done in a fight, and it's nice that when I get bored I can drop in to a nav beacon with my hold full of expensive cargo and shoot pirates with relative impunity, but I personally find it a bit too slow and unresponsive for serious combat.

The FDL demands a high level of skill to fly properly. More skill than I currently have to be quite honest, but I'm improving. It demands that you become a better pilot to unleash its true potential. The Python won't challenge you like that.

Also there's fun factor. This is a big one for me. If you want to kill anything stupid enough to get in front of you with the minimum of fuss buy a Python. If you want to scream in sideways at 400 m/s and split a 'conda in half with your mighty cannon before disappearing in a glorious howling storm of engine noise like a TOTAL BOSS get an FDL.
 
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