Newcomer / Intro So I want an Anaconda...

[JetsonRING]

I'm currently sitting, with about 6mil in the bank, in a Cobra MKIII. So I need to score me megabucks. I have petty officer status with Federation (just had to see sol system) and I'm allied with one minor power, friendly with a bunch and cordial with tons of others, given that I get most of my income from flying data and cargo missions, which I can generally score around 80-100k for the data and 150-250k for the cargo.

My question is, what's the best way to go from here to get enough in the bank for a conda? If I up my fed rank will I get bigger paychecks on the missions or maybe I need to up some other stats? Does the MP relationship impact mission rewards at all? Don't see much diff between friendly and allied, tbh. If I could get my average mission payoff around a million creds, I'd be much happier. Even more would be good. What's a realistic target? Maybe I should buy a bigger freighter and switch to trading? Maybe the only way to bag a cool mil per mission is to switch to assassination or something?

(1) Payouts appear to have no connection to mission REP or RANK value.

(2) Upgrade Asp-X FSD and PD (optional) to A-rated, remove weapons, fill ship w/cargo racks of maximum capacity, choose the smallest PP that will run it all. Shields at your own discretion: more cargo vs. no protection.

Fly to Ceos (New Dawn), in SOLO mode unless you do not fear death. Accept all cargo and data delivery missions for Sothis (Newholm & Sothis Mining). Run cargo & data delivery missions back and forth between New Dawn, Newholm and Sothis Mining. Meanwhile, cherry-pick the best long-range (>400 LY) cargo delivery missions as they appear on the boards (spam boards at each stop). The best missions will pay well for smaller amounts of cargo (100-150k/ton) and go to the same stations/systems or at least same region of space in the bubble. I accept a somewhat lower payout when 2 or more missions go to the same station. Try to finish collecting missions at Newholm so you can (if necessary) fill the corners of your hold with rare Sothis Crystalline Gold, worth ridiculous credits back in the bubble. BTW hauling rares back out to Ceos/Sothis and selling there also increases REP. In SOLO mode and with a full cargo hold head back to the bubble and deliver! If interdicted RUN FORREST, RUN!! NPCs are easy to outrun. Easy to kill, too but that is another thread. Since for now you are now a cargo ship, do not try to fight, RUN! Save fighting for when you are in an A-rated Vulture with huge weps and no cargo. The A-rated FSD will knock the # of jumps to the bubble down to a reasonable number (in the high 20's for a "base" Asp-X or an engineer-upgraded Anaconda).

Using this method and doing almost nothing besides deliveries I have made well over 600 million (liquid) credits in a couple of months, purchased and sold a dozen ships. Currently own several ships all A-rated, flying an Anaconda and grinding Federation rank because I want a Corvette. See you out there . . .

PS: Don't go buying an Asp-X until you can afford the hull, outfitting and AT LEAST one insurance re-buy (10%?), preferably two. The forums are full of sad-sack stories told by pilots who got all big-eyed and bought new ships just because they had enough credit, then got blown out of space and had to start all over with a Sidewinder. Just saying . . . grind.

(3) BTW an Anaconda does not cost the 189 million you see in the shipyard. An A-rated (read "capable") Anaconda will run you 400 million and up depending on outfitting. You can save 10% by grinding missions until your "Founders World" permit is achieved. All ships and modules at Jameson station are 10% off and almost, if not all modules are available there. 10% of 400 million is a significant amount, enough for several less expensive ships.

Don't get discouraged by the amounts. Grind, and the credits will flow . . .

 

[Kellan Fell]

Cheers, man, I'll keep that in mind. While we're on the subject, I just noticed that the values they give for things like jump range and cargo capacity in the ship suppliers are total bunk and only based on whatever basic loadout they have on the ship you're buying. Is there some way to find out what those values would be with an A-rated component before I buy? I was holding off on some of the bigger ships cos the FSD was saying stupid things like 10LY but then I noticed my mkIII Cobra is only rated at about that and I'm jumping twice that with the A-class FSD and engineer mod.

Best tool I've found is Coriolis. You can experiment with ship builds and check out the costs and ranges.

 

[Kellan Fell]

This is only about 30% true: which is to say the purchase price of the Anaconda is only about 30% of the actual COST of the Anaconda most people "want it to be". Top end power plant and hull upgrade EACH cost the same if not a little MORE than the ship itself.. and that's just two components!

However, if you D spec it out and load it up with cargo racks and a decent fuel scoop you can make 40 mil + in a single Sothis run.



http://roguey.co.uk/elite-dangerous/ships/

This is the site I use. There are others out there, but this one seems really fast for a quick n' dirty look.

Here's my Anaconda that I use for trading/Sothis runs, Unbearable Lightness of Wallet. I've spent a lot of money on her, plus every weapon is engineer modded to at least level 2, every shield booster has a level 1 mod, the FSD has a grade 4 extended range mod and the power plant is modded for over-charge. She can earn me 40-50 million for a Sothis run, but even with that money earning potential I rarely do more than one run a week as the jump/rinse/repeat of the trip back can get grindingly dull. However being interdicted by anything less than a Python is "party time".
The bounty payments and exploration data sales add another million or 2 to each Sothis run. 2 runs bought me a Fer de Lance which I use to go bounty hunting to relax between trading trips

 

[CMDR Mr. Boombastic]

I hope you are joking! I have an ASP for several month now and I never ever got more than 300K per run, with a miximum of 1M for a long haul...

If you don't fancy doing a long haul a few trade runs in an AspX during a community goal (CG) can earn you millions (or 10s of millions) in bonuses.
It's how I made most of my money in an AspX. Just need to keep an eye on the CGs when they are announced every Thursday afternoon at 15:00 UTC (on the Mission board or launcher or Galnet).
CGs are basically like a weekly high paying salary for very little effort.

 

[JetsonRING]

You wont earn much initially, but you will start to earn enough to get an ASP, and then you can start making 5-20m per run

very easy to get > 1m by doing sothis/ceos runs back to bubble. Bio waste missions pay that

AB

Asp-X is first real money-maker in game. Running a single stack of long-haul delivery missions from Ceos/Sothis to the bubble nets around 15-25 million per run in a cargo-fitted Asp-X (no shields). In an Anaconda, 30-60 million. Run the smaller "data delivery" missions at first between Ceos and Sothis to gain REP. Once you are ALLIED to the local factions at Ceos and Sothis the multi-million credit long-haul delivery missions will start appearing and the credits will flow. By board-spamming and cherry-picking missions a pilot can sometimes completely fill their cargo hold with missions for the same system, even the same station!

 

[sbdags]

Took me a year of regular playing to go from a Cobra MkIII to an Anaconda. But that was in the olde days before mega bucks CGs.

 

[CMDR Mr. Boombastic]

Took me a year of regular playing to go from a Cobra MkIII to an Anaconda. But that was in the olde days before mega bucks CGs.

I thought it was possible to go from a Sidewinder to Anaconda in 24 hours pre-Horizons. [hotas] Well at least that was the theory from that infamous YouTube series from last year - before I started flying.

 

[P3nT4gR4m]

Okay, so I'm resigned to switching to an ASP-X and developing the cowardly habit of running away from interdicts :O Here's a quick stab at a build on Coriolis. Lemme know if it looks okay or needs tinkering. Personally I'd rather have kept the docking computer - I can land myself but I'm lazy and the DC is quicker than me for the fiddly bit at the end)

 

[Ranualf]

Okay, so I'm resigned to switching to an ASP-X and developing the cowardly habit of running away from interdicts :O Here's a quick stab at a build on Coriolis. Lemme know if it looks okay or needs tinkering. Personally I'd rather have kept the docking computer - I can land myself but I'm lazy and the DC is quicker than me for the fiddly bit at the end)

So you want an Anaconda eh??

This is more in line what you need, as in your build you stuck a huge power plant onto it, umm why? As you are running bare systems.. just wasted cash and jump range tbh.
A AMU, again, you are not going out into the void for a few weeks/ months are you? then no real need for it, as if you get interdicted, submit, and boost away, counting down from 10,9, 8... jump. If you fight it off and loose, change that number to 45..

This build is a few million creds cheaper, it is faster(aka A rated thrusters for quick run away vs your slow stock E rated ones), and has no AMU, just more cargo- for more money
https://coriolis.io/outfit/asp/1p5tfFflidfsnf5--kpkp--0200--05042t0202012f.AwRj4yvI.Aw18WQ==?bn=P3nT4gr4m%20Asp-X
Just remember that it has a "bump shield", treat it as such. Look at the shield max mass, and your full laden weight- also remember that the Asp suffers from c paper thin shields.

Do not be in a hurry to "get to da conda!!".
As many failed experiments have lead to the rebuy screen, remember you will need a cash float of 15 million for trading + 2-3(min) rebuys for it. The more stuff and shinies you stick on it increase the base value, so add more cash to that equations.
Base rule of thumb, take the rebuys cost and x 4-5 for a "safe threshold". Yes you can go less, or even no insurance(just don't cry when you die).

Here is a quick "entry level trade conda", it has all the basics to make you a lot of cash.
https://coriolis.io/outfit/anaconda/0pitnFklndksxf5------kpkp0002------0605050504043703034501.AwRj4yuqg===.Aw18ZlA=?bn=Basic%20trade%20conda

Remember it is a BASIC model, and treat combat as such, it is NOT a tank...Also remember you will need 45+ million in your back pocket to keep your mind demons at peace(OMG i have NO MONEH!)... the larger this number, the more at ease they will be


Welcome to the CEOS club cmdr.
Fly safe, submit and run

 

[P3nT4gR4m]

Hah! Just realised I was reading the power usage bars wrong. Hence the huge power plant - I was trying to keep it under the line in the middle which I just realised is only 50% [haha]

Also the AMU was an accident, it came with the default and I never noticed it there. Cheers for the help, tho, save myself a couple of mil your way [up]

"Fly safe, submit and run" I'll Need to staple this to my head since "Submit and kill" has been my mantra since I got the cobra.

Also, my plan is to keep grinding until I have enough cash for a fully tooled Multipurpose Conda + insurance. Half a billion or bust. All will depend on if I have the stomach for all that running away from bounty credits

 

[JetsonRING]

Best tool I've found is Coriolis. You can experiment with ship builds and check out the costs and ranges.

You can purchase and install modules, then check your adjusted jump range values in the outfitting tool, I think that is why Outfitting buys modules back for 100% value but the Coriolis Shipyard (coriolis.io) is much quicker, easier and requires no purchases real or imaginary. Remember though, that while your ship can make (for example) a 30 LY year jump now, with a half-tank of fuel and no cargo, once loaded up to the ceiling with tons of cargo and fully fueled you will be lucky to get more than two-thirds of that range per jump. By default, the map shows your range now, with whatever you currently have loaded. If you plan to add more cargo, fuel, etc. you must adjust the tonnage slider in the Galaxy Map before plotting a course or accepting the mission to make sure you can actually still complete all the jumps to your destination once the cargo is in fact loaded onto your ship.

 

[Kellan Fell]

Okay, so I'm resigned to switching to an ASP-X and developing the cowardly habit of running away from interdicts :O Here's a quick stab at a build on Coriolis. Lemme know if it looks okay or needs tinkering. Personally I'd rather have kept the docking computer - I can land myself but I'm lazy and the DC is quicker than me for the fiddly bit at the end)

Shock mines don't actually damage an opponent, they just push them away. Here's my Sothis Runner Asp build that I used to get some serious cash together.

 

[JetsonRING]

If you don't fancy doing a long haul a few trade runs in an AspX during a community goal (CG) can earn you millions (or 10s of millions) in bonuses.
It's how I made most of my money in an AspX. Just need to keep an eye on the CGs when they are announced every Thursday afternoon at 15:00 UTC (on the Mission board or launcher or Galnet).
CGs are basically like a weekly high paying salary for very little effort.

Grinding for (usually) a week to make (maybe) 10-20 million credits (maybe more,maybe less), when I can earn 30-60 Million credits in a single run (about 40 minutes) from Ceos/Sothis to the bubble? Pass. Plus, later on I have to fly halfway across the galaxy to collect my reward unless I want to wait a couple of weeks for it. In the 30th (whatever) century we don't have Direct Deposit?

Happy to haul biowaste. [big grin] Doo-doo never $melled so $weet.

 

[Alec Turner]

One really good way to earn big money (potentially HUGE money) is to make a minimum contribution to every single community goal that pops up (although be careful not to get sucked into grinding for the next level unless you're enjoying it). You can usually get yourself into the top 75% (certainly the top 100%) with very little effort (e.g. a single trade run, even in a Cobra, or a couple of bounty kills). In the recent "More Imperial Warships" CG (which involved transporting easily available goods from very nearby stations) the top 75% pay out was 69 million credits (and I made 138 million from top 50% for not much more effort). OK, this particular CG was exceptional but 5-10 million payouts are not that unusual.

That payout (along with the 75 million I already had in the bank) finally got me the Anaconda I've been casually working towards since I started playing 21 months ago. Oh, and as has already been pointed out, you'll need at least double the purchase price to outfit and run the thing. My Anaconda is currently in dry dock with zero weapons fitted and pretty much all my money has gone. I'm back in the Python for now.

For the latest CG details this excellent thread is always the best source of information and gossip ..

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/245756-Active-Community-Goals-Thread-6

 

[CMDR Mr. Boombastic]

Grinding for (usually) a week to make (maybe) 10-20 million credits (maybe more,maybe less), when I can earn 30-60 Million credits in a single run (about 40 minutes) from Ceos/Sothis to the bubble? Pass. Plus, later on I have to fly halfway across the galaxy to collect my reward unless I want to wait a couple of weeks for it. In the 30th (whatever) century we don't have Direct Deposit?

Happy to haul biowaste. [big grin] Doo-doo never $melled so $weet.

No grinding here....killed 3 ships in about 25 minutes in last week's bounty hunting CG and made the Top 50% which made me 16 million Cr bonus.
My point was if you are limited in time (e.g. playing less than an hour a couple of days a week) and you are not rushing/grinding for credits to get that big, shiny new ship as soon as possible, then CGs are an easy way to top up your credits. Plus you get to try different aspects of the game, which means very little grinding, if at all. Of course depends on how obsessive you get in trying to reach the higher percentage ranks.

Personally I find jumping all the way to Ceos/Sothis a little repetitive and boring but if you prefer carrying doo-doo that's your preference, and life would be boring if everybody had the same opinion.
Although the smell is bound to attract some swarming insectiods of the green variety around your ship. [alien]

 

[JetsonRING]

No grinding here....killed 3 ships in about 25 minutes in last week's bounty hunting CG and made the Top 50% which made me 16 million Cr bonus.
My point was if you are limited in time (e.g. playing less than an hour a couple of days a week) and you are not rushing/grinding for credits to get that big, shiny new ship as soon as possible, then CGS are an easy way to top up your credits. Plus you get to try different aspects of the game, which means very little grinding, if at all. Of course depends on how obsessive you get in trying to get into the higher percentage ranks.

Personally I find jumping all the way to Ceos/Sothis a little repetitive and boring but if you prefer carrying doo-doo that's your preference, and life would be boring if everybody had the same opinion.
Although the smell is bound to attract some swarming insectiods of the green variety around your ship. [alien]

I agree. Not all CG are "bring stuff here". That's just how I play the game (for now) because of my own goals and current style of play. As my goals change/evolve, as my ADHD kicks in the way I play will evolve also. To me that is one of the great things about ED, that everyone can do their own thing and if they get bored, can do something else. For me, right now, I want a shiny new Corvette so I am grinding FED rank. Once I have one I will set a new goal. I have enough credit, maybe I will park the Corvette and go exploring, or gather materials, etc. for the Engineers, or grind Empire rank and get a Cutter. I tried the Akimba CG, made a bunch of credit with a single delivery but since my goal at the time was earning as much credit as possible as quickly as possible I wound up back at Ceos/Sothis.

 

[JetsonRING]

Okay, so I'm resigned to switching to an ASP-X and developing the cowardly habit of running away from interdicts :O Here's a quick stab at a build on Coriolis. Lemme know if it looks okay or needs tinkering. Personally I'd rather have kept the docking computer - I can land myself but I'm lazy and the DC is quicker than me for the fiddly bit at the end)

When flying a CARGO ship it is not "cowardly" to run from gun-toting pirates, it is prudent.

The warrior-philosopher Sun-Tzu said: "He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight".
He also said:
“The art of using troops (force) is this:
When ten to the enemy’s one, surround him;
When five times his strength, attack him;
If double his strength, divide him;
If equally matched you may engage him; (In a COMBAT ship but NOT in a CARGO hauler!)
If weaker . . . be capable of withdrawing; (THIS ONE!)
And if in all respects unequal, be capable of eluding him, (AND THIS ONE!)
for a small force is but booty for one more powerful.” (TRUTH!)

When you are in a COMBAT-outfitted vessel and spoiling for a fight, then FIGHT! When you are in a CARGO-outfitted ship and loaded with cargo: RUN FORREST, RUN!

Choose your fights.

My Asp-X, for hauling cargo/smuggling, your mileage may vary: All A-rated except sensors and life support. The biggest shield gen and fuel scoop that would fit (huge hit to cargo cap but I can tank-up in just a very few seconds), one shield booster, one chaff-launcher, one heat-sink. One medium mine-layer and one medium gimbal multi-cannon (left the two small hard points empty). If brave, remove the shield gen and double your cargo cap. EDIT: I forgot, I changed it up a bit: TWO multi-cannons, TWO mine layers and installed a couple of gimbal pulse lasers to the two small hard-points.

 

[P3nT4gR4m]

Yeah, I get discretion being the better part of valour, mate but I know I'm going to miss that feeling I get from "Oooh some nice fellow is hauling me out of hyperspace. I wonder what he wants. It must be very important. What's that? You want my cargo? Why yes of course let me see what I have for you. Oh it must be your lucky day, I have a couple of tons of full metal jackets, free to a good home. What's that? You don't want my cargo after all? Well make up your mind, sir, I'm a busy man. Hello? Didn't your mother tell you it's rude to explode when people are talking to you?"

What I'm looking forward to now is Sinistar yelling "RUN COWARD" and me running away with my tail between my legs. Intellectually this makes perfect sense but my inner yeti doesn't speak common sense and he's going to be none to happy, I can tell ya

 

[aRJay]

Yeah, I get discretion being the better part of valour, mate but I know I'm going to miss that feeling I get from "Oooh some nice fellow is hauling me out of hyperspace. I wonder what he wants. It must be very important. What's that? You want my cargo? Why yes of course let me see what I have for you. Oh it must be your lucky day, I have a couple of tons of full metal jackets, free to a good home. What's that? You don't want my cargo after all? Well make up your mind, sir, I'm a busy man. Hello? Didn't your mother tell you it's rude to explode when people are talking to you?"

What I'm looking forward to now is Sinistar yelling "RUN COWARD" and me running away with my tail between my legs. Intellectually this makes perfect sense but my inner yeti doesn't speak common sense and he's going to be none to happy, I can tell ya

While not as satisfying as introducing such characters to all the bullets and photons in my ammo lockers there is a distinct pleasure in watching interdictors trying to chase you through the mines you have left for them and in the display watching their shields go down and the damaged module warnings appear whilst their hull approaches zero, so much so that I have not bothered with waking out ASAP so I can watch their end, the bounty is almost unnecessary.

My Asp X when in hauling configure had 4 small mine launchers my Python has all weapons as mines, wonderful things on the right pads with their 3 shots then reload cycle you don't run into serious energy/heat problems so pips can be mostly in systems and engines. Just watch out for interfering police showing up to help, if they close in to your attacker/victim before he has gone they are daft enough to hit a mine and spill their coffee and donuts which will put you on a bounty.

 

[pipo zelvelder]

While not as satisfying as introducing such characters to all the bullets and photons in my ammo lockers there is a distinct pleasure in watching interdictors trying to chase you through the mines you have left for them and in the display watching their shields go down and the damaged module warnings appear whilst their hull approaches zero, so much so that I have not bothered with waking out ASAP so I can watch their end, the bounty is almost unnecessary.

My Asp X when in hauling configure had 4 small mine launchers my Python has all weapons as mines, wonderful things on the right pads with their 3 shots then reload cycle you don't run into serious energy/heat problems so pips can be mostly in systems and engines. Just watch out for interfering police showing up to help, if they close in to your attacker/victim before he has gone they are daft enough to hit a mine and spill their coffee and donuts which will put you on a bounty.

funny, I tried that in my ASP, but never ever got an interdictor to fly into the mines, so after ten interdictions (one of it lethal), I switched back to lasers