Interface shuttles, so we see NPC traffic between stations and the planets.
Wolf Mk II for the Alliance ship (roughly like a Cobra)
Alliance Destroyer so all three superpowers have a heavy navy ship.
Well, with the trend of making Imperial variants of regular ships
Imperial Asp
Imperial Cobra
Imperial Adder..
This!
http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/elite-dangerous/images/8/89/443372868max.jpg
I hope it'll be medium sized, or at least Vulture sized.
Also - Mamba and medium sized version of Imperial Clipper/Courier, Moray Starboat.
a) Diamondback Explorer Mk. II:
Updated internals to make it better at combat, higher maneuverability somewhere in the middle of the current DBX and the DBS, higher speed close to the DBS. Around the same jump range.
That would make it a unique multipurpose ship in the range of the Vulture without being a Vulture and without making the Asp useless. It's small cargo space would not turn it into a trader, the small scoop not into a better explorer than the Asp, the shields, armor and lower maneuverability won't make it a better or equal fighter than the Vulture. It would be a good smuggling and mission running ship (maybe add long distance missions).
b) MCOMS "Medium sized Combat Oriented Multipurpose Ship":
Bigger than the Asp but smaller than the Clipper or Python, closer to the Asp. Enough internal space to fit different things, but not enough to make it a real trader. Focus on speed, maneuverability and combat while sacrificing cargo space. Medium jump range. Decent weapons so it can compete in combat with a FDL, Clipper or Python, but without being better. Not the firepower of a FDL, not the cargo and SCB space of the Clipper, not the firepower and cargo of the Python. Sleek utilitarian design (cross between Cobra and DBX) with absolutely no trace of Imperial ship design. A workhorse ship.
Your (a) idea sounds like a Cobra Mk III only with a Diamondback Explorer's jump range - that would pretty much make the Cobra Mk III obsolete.
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This!
I hope it'll be medium sized, or at least Vulture sized.
Also - Mamba and medium sized version of Imperial Clipper/Courier, Moray Starboat.
Not exactly, the Diamondback Explorer doesn't have the cargo space of a Cobra. The Diamondback Scout is already the combat equivalent of the Cobra with longer jump range. A DBX Mk II would be one step above the Cobra. It would be close to the Vulture.
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Something like a DBX with better manouevrability (which is the DBX's biggest drawback and then its low speed) and nearly DBS speed would have better hardpoints than a Cobra and nearly as good speed with very comparable internals... and roughly the same ship mass, plus more utility slots. …
The Cobra costs ~380 kcr and has 3 c4 and 3 c2 internal compartments. The hull weights 180t. It has the advantage of 1 additional c4 slot.
The DBX costs ~ 1.890 kcr. and has 2 c4, 2 c3 and one c2 internal compartment. The hull weights 298t (btw more than the Asp) - I wouldn't call 100t difference roughly the same (combat ready it weights around 400t).
Currently the DBX simply is a broken ship design. It could fit a special role, its niche in the game, but for that it needs to be faster and more maneuverable. How much faster and how much more agile it something that needs to be balanced.
I'd like a specialised explorer type vessel.
The Asp has too many hardpoints and too large a cargo hold to qualify, it's an all-rounder with a large jumpdistance.
The Dragonball Explorer is just plain silly.
It has to have a big tank and a big scoop bay. 2 medium sized hardpoints at most. Very little room for anything else but a shield and an AFMU.
edit: And it has to look good in screenies and have a great all around view.
Lynx Bulk Carrier
Panther Clipper
Lion Transport
Boa Freighter
Imperial Trader
Lynx Bulk Carrier
Lifter
to name a few..