Debating selling 5A shields and going back to a Viper

I'm starting to miss my kitted Viper. I've been flying around in a fully upgraded vulture for a while now and while it is a truly competent combat ship, there is just something about the Viper that is just so much fun. I could sell just my 5a shields on my Vulture and have a fully upgraded viper without having to use any of my current credit balance. Suggestions anyone? Is there something else I should try and fit for combat instead? Already did the Cobra, not a fan, and diamond scout is my exploration ship, didn't like it much for combat.

I'm confused for a couple reasons, 1- r u using. DBS or a DBE for exploration? 2- ive honestly never met a vulture pilot that didn't like the DBS, 3- if pilots are both on same ccombat competency level, DBS will smash a viper any day, all day in combat. The DBS does literally everything better than the viper.
 
I'm confused for a couple reasons, 1- r u using. DBS or a DBE for exploration? 2- ive honestly never met a vulture pilot that didn't like the DBS, 3- if pilots are both on same ccombat competency level, DBS will smash a viper any day, all day in combat. The DBS does literally everything better than the viper.

I'm using the scout for exploration. I just enjoyed the way the Viper flew in combat more so than they scout. I love the scouts open canopy but that's why it is now my exploration ship.
 
The FDL is basically the up-graded Viper. I learned that from a forum conversation recently. That's why I haven't bought one. I could never get on with the Viper. I prefer the flight characteristics of the Vulture.
 
Cobra 4 life.

I had a vulture for a while. I got insanely bored with it. The combat felt like it had no real stress, challenge, or interesting options, and to top it off, the vulture has no module space for anything but pew-pew.

The cobra is just astronomically more fun to fly in every way.

I recommend trading up to an Asp if you just really need to fly a bigger ship - it's not as good at killing the bigger ships, but it packs a fair punch, and best of all, you don't have to buy other ships if you feel like doing something else for awhile.
 
Your Vulture is too heavy and over shielded for what you attack in RES. Best to shed weight and gain speed by dropping to Class 4A Shields and put in a Class 5A SCB instead. It gives you 3 x full 3 rings regain instead of the weaker smaller SCBs. Also get Thrusters, Powerplant, Class A, LifeSupport D. Anything to reduce weight and even no Cargo if going combat. No need for long range FSD even and no Fuelscoop - just use the old Sidey Crash exploit to rid the odd 400 WANTED bounties. It makes the Viper rather dull and the Clipper a grind to acquire.
 
Your Vulture is too heavy and over shielded for what you attack in RES. Best to shed weight and gain speed by dropping to Class 4A Shields and put in a Class 5A SCB instead. It gives you 3 x full 3 rings regain instead of the weaker smaller SCBs. Also get Thrusters, Powerplant, Class A, LifeSupport D. Anything to reduce weight and even no Cargo if going combat. No need for long range FSD even and no Fuelscoop - just use the old Sidey Crash exploit to rid the odd 400 WANTED bounties. It makes the Viper rather dull and the Clipper a grind to acquire.

Thank you for the info I'll try that tonight I just figured 5a shields are the best so why not but I can see how switching it around would be of benefit. I never thought about weight either I just slapped on the best fsd cause I shut it down via power priorities anyway so power isn't an issue. Weight however, might be. Cheers.
 
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Thank you for the info I'll try that tonight I just figured 5a shields are the best so why not but I can see how switching it around would be of benefit. I never thought about weight either I just slapped on the best fsd cause I shut it down via power priorities anyway so power isn't an issue. Weight however, might be. Cheers.
I've seen it mentioned quite a few times here about lowering Shield Class but I then realized how best to use the Class 5 slot after trying 3 different small fiddly SCBs which all then required manual switching. For my 5A SCB I must retract weapons but is fine whilst turning away to recover. I also use 2 x Chaff which only uses at each time so you got 20 uses. Just 1 Shield Booster + KWS + 2 Large* Pulse Lasers which never ever run out of power any time at all on 4 pips. It simply kills.
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http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=70N,5TP5TP01Q01Q3wA0_g,2-6Q7_6u5K7_6Q5A,7iq7RA
then add if needed.
 
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I've seen it mentioned quite a few times here about lowering Shield Class but I then realized how best to use the Class 5 slot after trying 3 different small fiddly SCBs which all then required manual switching. For my 5A SCB I must retract weapons but is fine whilst turning away to recover. I also use 2 x Chaff which only uses at each time so you got 20 uses. Just 1 Shield Booster + KWS + 2 medium Pulse Lasers which never ever run out of power any time at all. It simply kills.
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http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=70N,5QR5QR01Q01Q3wA0_g,2-6Q7_6u5K7_6Q5A,7iq7RA then add if needed.



Wait... U run medium hardpoints on a vulture?
 
The Viper is a fun ship to fly. The engine sounds like a big block V8, and the small profile of the ship almost feels like you're flying an A-Wing. It's still a little big to fit that small interceptor role, although the f63 might be Elite's A-Wing. As far as firepower goes, the Cobra can fit bigger weapons, and the DBS has better hard point placement as well as bigger weapons. Also, you have more freedom of travel with both the Cobra and DBS, at the expensive of a slightly bigger target. The Viper is just a harder target to hit, but I found that anytime I relaunch a Viper, I end up missing my Cobra. Maybe it is just the way I fly, but I have the same level of success flying a Cobra than I do flying a Viper. I guess I just like being able to boost to 430 anytime I want, and then make a 20 ly jump somewhere else. I know it is subjective, but I feel that if the Viper is an 8/10 in terms of combat capabilities, then the Cobra and DBS are about a 7.8/10, but by sacrificing something trivial that can be worked around with piloting, you gain utility, jump range, and more fire power.

To be honest though, I'm currently I'm in a Vulture, and it has sort have been my end game ship for now. I know it is sort of an OP ship for PVE for the price, and to some people that means it is boring. I just haven't felt the need to go back to my Viper, even for PVP. The Shields on a Vulture are in the range of a Python if you stack boosters and an A5 Generator. The only thing I miss is the jump range and not having multiple module slots of the same class. With a Cobra you can fit 3 shield cell banks and leave two disabled. With the Vulture, you have to either roll with a class 4 bank, or roll with a weird shield stacking layout of 4, 2, 2, 1 or something like that. It is just a little awkward, but the shield tanking makes up for it.

Anyways, I know this thread wasn't about the Vulture haha. The Viper is still a good ship and hasn't been completely replaced. In PVP I would probably still fly it if my group already had Cobras. Hopefully there will be future updates that give the Viper a new role compared to the Vulture, maybe with CQC.

TL;DR: I prefer the Cobra, but the Viper was fun to fly, and it's engine screamed.
 
Vulture? I'd go farm a CZ for an hour.
Bang, you've got enough cash to A-rate a viper for some fooling about in.

Haha ya that's what I did but then I just made a few changes on my Vulture based on X-Terminator's suggestions. So far with a5 thrusters, reinforced instead of military bulkheads and 5c shield to offset the power requirements of the thrusters flying has become more fun in the vulture again. Can still tank pretty well with 5c shields and the thrusters have vastly improved mobility. Thanks everyone for your input. +rep to you all.
 
I just wasted a Viper in 10secs ;) Just wracked up 1.2mil in a day over 1hour. Not even on an Pythons/Condas. Biggest in RES is mostly Clipper. No match for a Vulture with downgraded Shields.
 
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