Depends where you want to go. I went with Anaconda and get 39ly* jump range with ADS + DSS, shields, 8 heat sinks, and plenty of AFMU's. Great if you're going to the outer arms, or up/down. Also great to get back quickly.
Other big advantage is you can fit a huge fuel scoop, so you spend a lot less time refueling than the biggest scoop the Asp can fit.
I did add extra fuel tank, but when tank is full range drops to about 36ly. Also, I think when i plotted an economical route from the bubble, it's range was around 1000ly.
The biggest downside with Anaconda is its poor turn speed in supercruise, but that isn't too much of a problem.
*The max jump I managed from scooping just enough fuel was 39.8ly
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I don't know if I agree, respectfully. I still think that the ASP is the better choice, greatly because it is infinitely more manueverable than the Anaconda, and you spend your entire time flying around in Supercruise. I fitted my ASP for a few week excursion exploring with a Size 6 Fuel Scoop, and it took maybe a second to refuel. I also fitted it out with the heatsinks, and the repair module, which is a must for those situations you WILL run into. Most important, it costs infinitely less than an Anaconda, well... at least a great deal less than the Anaconda and is fast enough to escape any attack threat.
You will still get a 30+ jump range, so it may be less than the Anaconda, but I think everything else that the ASP has to offer makes it not only more economical, but more practical.
i think it comes down to the following:
- do you want to go somewhere "as fast as possible", and mainly honk systems? -> take an anaconda for jumprange
(e.g.: you want to make a trip to the other side of sag A* and not scan a lot of bodies)
- do you want to explore regions of space, and scan bodies regularly -> take an Asp (for it's better supercruise handling)
the anaconda get's around 10%-15% more jumprange. usefull in regions with very low stardensity. usefull if you want to get somewhere far away really fast. not as usefull as one thinks. difference in buckyball runs to sag A is less than 30 min between Asp and Anaconda ;-). not usefull if you scan bodies.
- do you want to go somewhere "as fast as possible", and mainly honk systems? -> take an anaconda for jumprange
(e.g.: you want to make a trip to the other side of sag A* and not scan a lot of bodies)
- do you want to explore regions of space, and scan bodies regularly -> take an Asp (for it's better supercruise handling)
the anaconda get's around 10%-15% more jumprange. usefull in regions with very low stardensity. usefull if you want to get somewhere far away really fast. not as usefull as one thinks. difference in buckyball runs to sag A is less than 30 min between Asp and Anaconda ;-). not usefull if you scan bodies.
I'd say both are equally safe when set up for exploration; there's not much that can really hurt you short of bugs and losing your canopy after one emergency stop too many. Overall I think the Anaconda only has the jump range over the Asp (plus people love 'em for selfies), while the Asp is a bit more maneuverable in SC. Other than that, both ships are good choices and aren't lacking in internals, allowing you to bring anything you want on both.
Well, my Anaconda will do 39.96ly, if you get the fuel exact (the longest jump i've managed is 39.8ly):
- Lightweight hull
- A4 Power Plant
- D5 Thrusters
- A6 Fuel Scoop (I couldn't find a larger one at the time I wanted to head out)
- A6 FSD
- D1 Power Distributor (Cannot boost)
- D5 Life Support
- D8 Sensors
- D3 Shield Generator
- Advanced Discovery Scanner
- Detailed Surface Scanner
- A7 Auto field-maintenance Unit
- A6 Auto field-maintenance Unit (x2)
- B5 Auto field-maintenance Unit (x2 - Station didn't have A5 available)
- 16T Cargo
- Additional Fuel Tank (I think it was 32T, but might have been 16T)
- Heat Sink Launcher (x8)
anaconda = king! for pve, pvp etc
InMemoriamSirocco
Banned
Well, do you wanna pay between 20-30 millions or between 150 and 250 million credits for your exploration craft?
You can pay about 13 mil for a DBX and still have over 30Ly Jump range. If you are really Poor grab a T6 for 3-7mil.(depends on size of scoop and how many AFMUs you want to shove in it Jump range is just above 29 without extra fuel tanks. If you are new to the game i guess you can grab a hauler for around 400k to explore in.
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I don't know.. I've flown over 100k Ly on this trip so far, and have yet to truly need a heat sink or AFMU. My most damaged module is at 86%, as is my hull. Most of that damage was form me screwing around and pushing the limits of my Asp, and also just messing around (I was a newb to exploration when I set out) and have not taken any damage in 75k Ly.
heck, I jumped smack bang into the middle of two A class stars yesterday, just a few Ls apart, seeing aa I learned to pay attention to my jumps, I already knew where to go to get out of the heat trap, I didn't even hit 90% heat before temps started to drop. you can see where the stars are as you arrive in the system, so it should be fairly easy to know which way to point the ship before applying full throttle.
Also, making throttling back to 0% as the countdown starts is probably the biggest damage saver there is. It only took one Neutron to learn that lesson.
I'm not trying to troll, but some of the builds I am seeing with what looks like dozens of AFMU's and heat sinks seem like overkill.
I find cargo racks more useful, to be honest, as it means I can adjust the cargo slider in the galaxy map and give myself more economical routes without actually selecting "economical routes" and flying 1000Ly in 400 <5Ly steps (yes, it's possible).
As for the actual question in the OP - the Asp *IS* the better explorer in every way, except jump range - so, if you are going to the outer rim, then an Anaconda with max jump range allt he way. Anything else, Asp.
Z...
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For short range range exploration (local nebulae) I would always take the Asp, for anything longer I still believe the Anaconda is infinitely better. The ship is much tougher, when have you heard a Anaconda driver ask 'Should I turn back, my canopy looks a bit dodgy?' She also holds more utility's, scoops faster, will be able to carry a fast shuttle for those canyon runs on airless moons and planets in Horizons. The view is fine (At least in the rift) maneuverability is more than enough, in my view these heavy ships are a bit too maneuverable.
Was never a big fan of the Anaconda, since the horizons announcement I've been taking my explorer conda on small trips out to Orion/pleiades, it's an absolute beast of a ship. Ideal for long trips into the void, have literally been asking myself why I never flew this ship more.
Was never a big fan of the Anaconda, since the horizons announcement I've been taking my explorer conda on small trips out to Orion/pleiades, it's an absolute beast of a ship. Ideal for long trips into the void, have literally been asking myself why I never flew this ship more.
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I agree with the heat sinks and AFMU's. I havn't used them yet, in nearly a 15kly trip. The main reason for putting lots of AFMU's in there is because I can, to fill up the extra unneeded internal module space. They add nothing to mass, so do not affect jump range. The added benefit is they are there if you do need them.
I did add 16T of cargo racks just in case, however, outside 1500ly I have not seen a single signal source. I expect there will be more to find after the updates, so then I will probably swap some AFMU's for extra cargo racks. You will just have to make sure you can still make the jumps to get back with the extra tonnage.
I am hoping there will be at least one ship with a much greater jump range in 1.5. There is one designed system I have heard about that requires a 50ly jump range, I would like to go there with shields and weapons (just in case).
With regard to route planning, I have actually found it is quicker and less risky to plan jump by jump, that way you can always avoid binary star systems (if you choose to), land on a scoopable star (if available), and run pretty much run on fumes to get the max jump range each time if you need to (Currently I am trying to get back to the bubble asap, managed nearly 2000ly in around 1 to 1.5 hours).
The Asp is more manouverable (this is more important some people, I don't mind either way)
The Asp does have a better view, Hard to see down in the Anaconda (Again, I don't mind. If I really want to look at something I can use the Debug Camera)
The Asp can land on outposts.
The Asp is significantly cheaper. My Anaconda rebuy is about 12Mcr, you can buy and kit out a whole new Asp for that.
So in conclusion I would say it really depends on:
* Where you want to go
* How rich you are.
* How important you find visibility
* How important you find manouverability
So unless the first two points make either the Anaconda unaffordable or a necessity to get to the destination, it is really subjective, and everyone has their own opinions and preferences. The advantages/disadvantages are minimal either way.
Detailed Surface Scanner gives better payouts for scanning individual bodies.
All the others detect the bodies within their range. Advanced has infinite range, so best to just shell out on that to make sure you get everything.
Heatsinks and AFMUs are something I've got mixed feelings about. If you mess up they can come in handy. That being said the big problem with heatsinks is that you can't use them in supercruise. If you're careful you won't need either but if you fly while drunk or tired, well accidents happen.
I have explored in both. But the Conda only once. Why? because its so thirsty compared to the Asp. Yea I know, fuel tanks can now be added, and size 7 fuel scoops are fast. But when you make that 33 Ly jump, you use a whole quarter of your fuel tank, you get a feeling that hey what if I dont plan right and run out of fuel?, because you will in two more jumps if you cant find a star to fuel from. Yea this can all be managed by being a clever fellow and planning. But just that creeping feeling at the back of your mind is unnerving. And there is nothing worse when exploring, than having second thoughts, and getting the "fear". Cos these things make you turn round.
We can all admit exploring requires higher levels of emotional commitment than the other trades in the game. Its lonely out there. And keeping your cool and not letting the emptyness get to you is hard sometimes. In an Asp, the slightly shorter jumps use much less fuel. You have a confidence that your piloting a dedicated explorer craft. Designed from the floor up, to explore. The Conda is a fine ship, a rich man's frigate if you will. Jumping in the Asp, and seeing only a fraction of your tank reduce is comforting.
We can all admit exploring requires higher levels of emotional commitment than the other trades in the game. Its lonely out there. And keeping your cool and not letting the emptyness get to you is hard sometimes. In an Asp, the slightly shorter jumps use much less fuel. You have a confidence that your piloting a dedicated explorer craft. Designed from the floor up, to explore. The Conda is a fine ship, a rich man's frigate if you will. Jumping in the Asp, and seeing only a fraction of your tank reduce is comforting.
basically the Asp can do full 6 jumps with standard fueltank, while most ships (including the anaconda) do 4 full jumps. that's why i have reduced the fueltank-size on my Asp :-D ... an anaconda with an additional fueltank for full 6 jumps like the "original" Asp will still have a jumprange of +2 ly (e.g. 7% ?)
