Anaconda Sensors

[Para Handy]

I'm bopping around in an Anaconda that is fully A-rated except for the sensors. I have 8D sensors fitted and have been thinking about trying to find 8A sensors (can't seem to see any around the places I am currently trading). The question: is it worth the jump range loss to fit 160t sensors instead of 64t to have 8km sensor range rather than 6km?


P.S. What 's the point in 8C sensors - 160t but same range?

 

[John Stoutbeard]

I'm doing the same as you, using the D-grade sensors.

Sorry for rambling a bit offtopic;
To be honest, I don't understand the abnormal weight ratio behind the sensors. 64t-160t is in ludicrous, isn't it?
Heavy weapons ... 8 tons (including gimbal sensors). Hm, go figure.

Anyway, agree with your decision on the 8D.

 

[h347h]

No point really in anything above D sensors as the range is 6km already.

 

[777Driver]

I'm doing the same as you, using the D-grade sensors.

Sorry for rambling a bit offtopic;
To be honest, I don't understand the abnormal weight ratio behind the sensors. 64t-160t is in ludicrous, isn't it?
Heavy weapons ... 8 tons (including gimbal sensors). Hm, go figure.

Anyway, agree with your decision on the 8D.

It's all fictional but personally I don't see those weights as abnormal. Take the Eagle for example, roughly the same as an A320, the Avionics bay on that aircraft weighs around 5T. The Anaconda is a beast

[video=youtube;N8L2BN-ZtKI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=10&v=N8L2BN-ZtKI[/video]

@Op - Personally I go for the best sensors, at the moment my Conda is configured for exploration so everything is D. For Combat I'll take A class sensors, jump range is still excellent for moving round inhabited spce

 

[goemon]

have in mind, that A class sensors will also autoresolve stealth-builds a little earlier... which is the one reason, why A class sensors on an anaconda could make sense. anaconda is slow - you will have longer fix on a running target ... but, even i fit a class sensors on smaller ships, to push their range to 6 km, i can't really see a reason for 8 km.

 

[John Stoutbeard]

It's all fictional but personally I don't see those weights as abnormal. Take the Eagle for example, roughly the same as an A320, the Avionics bay on that aircraft weighs around 5T. The Anaconda is a beast

Sorry, I wasn't implying that the Anaconda with class 8 unbalanced (too heavy) vs smaller ships.

Rather the fact that we have 8 classes of sensors, allowing the weight to get abnormally high --> Because gameplay reason dictates that bigger classes needs to be heavier.
Class 8 needs to be more expensive and 'heavier' compared to smaller classes.

But rather, why not just 3 classes (or 4) of sensors like with the weapons? Small/medium/Large/Huge?
Why not keep the range of classes & weight within reasonable believable expected ranges?
Sensor scale and weight for large Jets / Naval vessels? Hubble telescope (11t)? 2 x Patriot MIM-104 trucks?
E-3 Sentry Awacs? (76t for the plane inc sensors).

It just "feels out of proportions" comparing other 'heavy equipment', is what I try to say.
Some pretty heavy electronics there ...

 

[Eymerich]

A sensor are usefull only in a Res site...

Otherwise, stick with the D rate class: you'll be fine.

 

[xondk]

Really anaconda's biggest sensors are that heavy and only gives 8km? seriously is there a reason they are limiting sensor range like that?

 

[IronGremlin]

So, I think it's potentially important to point out that on a craft the size of an Anaconda, you're going to need several points on the hull to put your sensors, so that you can triangulate a given signal from any angle - elsewise the ship itself would block visibility.

So the total tonnage wouldn't just represent like a central radar, it'd represent something like a dozen seperate telemetry systems spaced out over the hull.

So it does make some sense that a larger ship would need more mass in equipment without necessarily getting dividends like increased range - you have to duplicate the same array several times for full visibility.

Whether or not it makes sense for that to be over 100 tons of mass is certainly debatable - doesn't seem to really make sense to me, as I'm pretty sure current tech could get 3 dimensional coverage at a range FAR exceeding 8 km for well under 5 tons.

 

[Abil Midena]

I have a lot of hours in the game, and still don't know the benefit of higher rated sensors, other than range, and weight.

Cost usually isn't a factor by the time your kitting out your conda, so I'll leave that out, other than to say the 8A is 27M.

Also, I've read they don't help 'other stuff' like gimbal/turret accuracy, or time to resolve target scan, etc.

8A 160t 8 Km 2.07 pwr.
8B 256t 7 Km 1.14 pwr.
8C 160t 6 Km 0.69 pwr.
8D 64t 6 Km 0.62 pwr.
8E 160t 5 Km 0.55 pwr.

Given that, why would anyone ever use 8C sensors?
The only two choices that make any sense are D and A. D if you want jump range, and A for 8Km. Although, I have never seen a need to have 8Km range over 6Km. And at almost 4X the power draw of D, I just don't see a compelling reason to go for A, but that's me.

 

[Serpentstar]

Sorry, but everyone seems to be missing the point for the higher grade sensors. It isn't only distance (although it makes no sense why ship sensors keep getting heavier with no increase in functionality) but sensors also drive gimballed and turreted weapons. The better the sensors the better the chance to lock on and keep on target.

Or at least that is what I read in the past...

 

[Darth Ender]

sensors on any ship is a waste of money other than D.

Maybe one day in the future when/if they tie sensors to auto-targeting subsystems on weapons. Until then, who cares about seeing an extra couple km's.

 

[Jypson]

sensors also drive gimballed and turreted weapons. The better the sensors the better the chance to lock on and keep on target. Or at least that is what I read in the past...

I remember people saying that in the past, and then it was refuted, but I don't remember seeing anything from the devs on this one. Clarification would be awesome.

 

[goemon]

I remember people saying that in the past, and then it was refuted, but I don't remember seeing anything from the devs on this one. Clarification would be awesome.

well, sensors DO increase sensibility for heat signature. so, yes, the target is resolved more early. that is hat i meant by: a class sensors against stealth-builds. in that sense they are connected to turrets/gimbals. without your sensors resolving heat signature, you can't lock on target. if you follow threads on stealth builds, people are complaining silent running/ running cold often fails against npc anaconda. i think it's because of anacondas extraordinary sensors. if anyone interested, we can do some tests (i have two or three ships running cold, for exploration or smuggling).

 

[Crescendo]

The sensors definitely DO NOT affect gimballed or turreted weapons in any way. I don't have a link to the post from the dev but he said that he wished that mis-information would just disappear. If I find the link, I'll edit my post and include it!

 

[MarcusKross]

Sorry, but everyone seems to be missing the point for the higher grade sensors. It isn't only distance (although it makes no sense why ship sensors keep getting heavier with no increase in functionality) but sensors also drive gimballed and turreted weapons. The better the sensors the better the chance to lock on and keep on target.

Or at least that is what I read in the past...

Sadly sensors play no part in turret and gimbal targeting and even a dev cleared that in the forums. Horrible decision if you ask me.

 

[Banjax]

This is my build, I run everything A class except LS. I can live with the 160T and I like to know where everyone is before they see me

Overwatch

Just some background, I am a pure combat pilot, so my mileage might vary from yours but I got to the conda through bounty hunting it 99.9% and felt that just that fraction more range in the sensors gave me a bit more time to react (I'm a creaky old fart so i need every edge i can get )

 

[Bokugo]

It's because FD just slapped the same general formula for all modules and their class differences instead of taking a bit of time to actually balance them individually.

I'm sure it's just more placeholder stats until they get around to actually balancing it, which let's hope that's what 1.5 has

 

[Kubicide]

The sensors definitely DO NOT affect gimballed or turreted weapons in any way. I don't have a link to the post from the dev but he said that he wished that mis-information would just disappear. If I find the link, I'll edit my post and include it!

Please find the post from the dev if you can as ever since beta last fall its been known that higher level sensors do improve targeting. I haven't done a comparison in some time but when I compared D to A there definitely was increased range for turreted and gimbaled weapons. (And ask yourself this if there was no difference then why have A type as an option?)

 

[vindicator jones]

I want to put a sideys A class sensor on my battleconda.. I dont see why I need more tonnage for a sensor that works perfectly fine on a sidewinder..

Very bad mechanics for the game...

As for A grade Sensors picking up stealth ships faster, trust me, the difference is negligible .. I did some testing on my anaconda for that exact purpose.. made little to no difference TBH The excessive extra tonnage and cost is not worth it.

- - - Updated - - -

Please find the post from the dev if you can as ever since beta last fall its been known that higher level sensors do improve targeting. I haven't done a comparison in some time but when I compared D to A there definitely was increased range for turreted and gimbaled weapons. (And ask yourself this if there was no difference then why have A type as an option?)

This was confirmed a while ago. sensors do not affect turret or gimballed accuracy, if they did, then I would gladly put a grade sensors into my anaconda, then it WOULD be worth it.