New explorer, would love some tips from experienced commanders

[GreyAreaUK]

Well AMFU's are essential if you want to take advantage of Neutron boosts. you can get by with one if you can land and recharge it. If you cant land it's good to take 2.
Take weapons?
please provide links where others have "suffered for it"
And what "Things" that are confirmed... All I've seen is the big flower scan. Are you saying deep space explorers are being killed?
That may happen but I don't see anything like it now.
And weapons have 0 defensive value in ED.
Explorer ships have minimal shields and thin armor.
Lets face it. A deep space explorer is not going to turn and fight. (especially against an alien) you are gonna run like hell.
Boost Boost & high wake.



The other 2 points are spot on.

In my case I have zero weapons (there's nothing to shoot at you out there...currently) but I do have shields, mostly because my landing technique tends towards 'bouncing my Asp off the ground while chanting "Land...land...land...LAND YOU TUB OF SH*THUMP!*"'

Which is why I'm currently on 93% hull and not 3% hull...

 

[Qohen Leth]

You will always hear someone tell you you need this, or that, or blah. But the particular case of neutron boost aside, you basically don't *need* anything.

Start by learning your ship, how it handles, how to anticipate its reactions, until you feel perfectly natural with it. Then modules will bring some comfort during the trip. But startiing with too much comfort and you probably won't ever master your ship or be able to do without the help.

I've flown for months without shield, without AFMU, without heat sink, and never died for lack of those. Know your ship and keep focus.

 

[popuptoaster]

please provide links where others have "suffered for it"

Have had the same smart-alec replies to the suggestion to carry weapons for years, there have been multiple threads about explorers jumped by other players, if you are in open you should be armed or risk losing any and all data you collect. You have to get back somewhere to sell the data and the mere fact of being armed CAN save your skin from some players.

Here is the famous one.

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showt...n-Open-take-care?highlight=killed+Sagittarius

 

[Straha Yeagar]

Have had the same smart-alec replies to the suggestion to carry weapons for years, there have been multiple threads about explorers jumped by other players, if you are in open you should be armed or risk losing any and all data you collect. You have to get back somewhere to sell the data and the mere fact of being armed CAN save your skin from some players.

Here is the famous one.

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showt...n-Open-take-care?highlight=killed+Sagittarius

I think I'm going to have to disagree on this one. What weapon could an exploration ship be fit with that would serve it better in survival than reduced mass in straightline speed? I would also submit that fitting small weapons on an exploration vessel has the potential to make it more likely one will die. Far more likely to have that split second of indecision between running and fighting...when there is absolutely nothing that the explorer could beat in a fight that it couldn't also easily outrun. Now...that is with one big caveat of course...once a ship is fit with any meaningful firepower, it moves from the explorer realm into the multi role realm.

 

[GreyAreaUK]

I think I'm going to have to disagree on this one. What weapon could an exploration ship be fit with that would serve it better in survival than reduced mass in straightline speed? I would also submit that fitting small weapons on an exploration vessel has the potential to make it more likely one will die. Far more likely to have that split second of indecision between running and fighting...when there is absolutely nothing that the explorer could beat in a fight that it couldn't also easily outrun. Now...that is with one big caveat of course...once a ship is fit with any meaningful firepower, it moves from the explorer realm into the multi role realm.

Plus, if you're that concerned then fly back in a private group like FleetComm (which has a strict 'no PvP' rule), or Solo.

 

[Qohen Leth]

fitting small weapons on an exploration vessel has the potential to make it more likely one will die. Far more likely to have that split second of indecision between running and fighting...

Spot on. An explorer runs, period. If you can fight, you're just an armed traveller.

 

[Goobertech]

Can't imagine bringing weapons. Any scenario where I felt threatened I'd turn and run w/o even thinking twice. It's an interesting profession, or lifestyle, and I'm excited to see where Frontier takes it. I have no idea what their plans are but I think it'd be amazing to land on a water planet with polar ice caps, or even to be able to fly over the waters and see the wake behind me. I think I heard someone say they were considering letting us land on lava planets?

 

[iain666]

They're planning on letting us land on everything, it's just a matter of implementing the planet surfaces. As each new element of planets - lava, oceans, atmosphere, weather, life, etc. - is fully realised by the dev team we'll get the planets that all the elements exist for added to the suite of what we can land on.

 

[Macros Black]

Regarding weapons, almost never fit weapons when exploring, however a SLF is very handy for planetary reconnaissance, selfie's, canyon runs and can potentially act as advanced chaff, distracting any NPC attackers long enough for your getaway. One of the reasons why I'm presently in my Anaconda, and not the Asp Explorer.

 

[Goobertech]

Regarding weapons, almost never fit weapons when exploring, however a SLF is very handy for planetary reconnaissance, selfie's, canyon runs and can potentially act as advanced chaff, distracting any NPC attackers long enough for your getaway. One of the reasons why I'm presently in my Anaconda, and not the Asp Explorer.

Honestly, I'm considering it. I'm not a fan of the size of the 'Conda, nor having a large part of my view being taken up by the Hull. However, have the SLF's on a longer journey would be a BLAST! I've found several planets with very deep and curving canyons that would be a lot of fun to race through.

 

[Duckfather]

You will always hear someone tell you you need this, or that, or blah. But the particular case of neutron boost aside, you basically don't *need* anything.

Start by learning your ship, how it handles, how to anticipate its reactions, until you feel perfectly natural with it. Then modules will bring some comfort during the trip. But startiing with too much comfort and you probably won't ever master your ship or be able to do without the help.

I've flown for months without shield, without AFMU, without heat sink, and never died for lack of those. Know your ship and keep focus.

I have to admit, my previous post aside, I massively agree with this! You would do well to learn the flight characteristics of whatever ship you fly. Knowing the flight envelope as it were can save you. The extras like heat sinks and AFMU's will make it easier.

But, you can only learn this from experience and getting into trouble and surviving (or not). It's not something you can prep for!

 

[GreyAreaUK]

I've flown for months without shield, without AFMU, without heat sink, and never died for lack of those. Know your ship and keep focus.

And the most important part of that is the 'keep focus' part. Almost all the damage I've taken while exploring has been due to me not concentrating at vital moments.

Fly safe. Fly sharp.

 

[osser]

Have had the same smart-alec replies to the suggestion to carry weapons for years, there have been multiple threads about explorers jumped by other players, if you are in open you should be armed or risk losing any and all data you collect. You have to get back somewhere to sell the data and the mere fact of being armed CAN save your skin from some players.

Here is the famous one.

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showt...n-Open-take-care?highlight=killed+Sagittarius

No need for name calling.

Ahh yes the famous one

A Brilliant and innovative Role Play move of the finest imagination.
This commander took over Sag-A in a Battle set Corvette.
Played in Open so it's fair game.
She warned you to leave the system, if ignored she would attack.

So popuptoaster what would you do in that situation?
Would you turn and fight that corvette with weeks/months of data on board..
With your measly weapon load out and d rated shields?
No need to answer.
Any sane commander would run.
(As we might have to run from any alien ships)

As I said weapons have 0 (zero) defensive value for an explorer.

Back on topic:

Get Class A AMFU's; they have less AMO but heal faster and better.

Apply the best fuel scoop you can afford. I have a 6b on my asp and it's served me well.

I personally like having a heatsink equipped. After 16k systems I've needed them a few times. but they do add weight. (as would weapons)

most of all just have fun. There's so much to see and discover.

 

[GreyAreaUK]

As I said weapons have 0 (zero) defensive value for an explorer.

Worse, they may lead to a false sense of security.

 

[Libluini]

Worse, they may lead to a false sense of security.

Don't knock fake security until you've tried it! My Imperial Explo-Cutter has two large lasers and tons of mine launchers and the 3-4 dead NPCs I got when leaving the bubble say that's a lot of fake security.

 

[Qohen Leth]

Don't knock fake security until you've tried it! My Imperial Explo-Cutter has two large lasers and tons of mine launchers and the 3-4 dead NPCs I got when leaving the bubble say that's a lot of fake security.

Like I said, that's an armed traveller's ship, not an explorer.

 

[popuptoaster]

No need for name calling.

Ahh yes the famous one

A Brilliant and innovative Role Play move of the finest imagination.
This commander took over Sag-A in a Battle set Corvette.
Played in Open so it's fair game.
She warned you to leave the system, if ignored she would attack.

So popuptoaster what would you do in that situation?
Would you turn and fight that corvette with weeks/months of data on board..
With your measly weapon load out and d rated shields?
No need to answer.
Any sane commander would run.
(As we might have to run from any alien ships)

As I said weapons have 0 (zero) defensive value for an explorer.

If you go back and dig out all the threads about the sag A incidents (there have been more than one) you will notice that the "pirates" were only attacking unarmed players, those who deployed weapons were left alone. An attacker can't afford to take damage any more than YOU can hundreds of light years away from a station.

Anyway it's your choice, as always people think they know best until they get jumped themselves, running away from something that can masslock you and/or keep up with you in straight line can be very difficult especially if you are not expecting to find anyone around so shooting back often discourages these types of players.

I explore weaponised and have done right from the start, I've been to the core and high above and below the galaxy and at one point when the stats were published I was in the top 50 explorers (may have even been top 30) I seem to remember so carrying weapons and shields does NOT harm your ability to travel OR explore.

Advising new players to run without either shields or weapons is a terrible idea unless you note that there is a small chance they may get attacked and give them the chance to choose. You have obviously not had the problem, but that doesn't mean you know what you are talking about, especially as it's obvious you are not actually checking what's happened in the past, you just assume you have all the answers based on your own limited experiences.

 

[popuptoaster]

Like I said, that's an armed traveller's ship, not an explorer.

Rubbish, any ship you explore in is an explorers ship, it's what you do with it that matters not what someone else classes it as because of its loadout.

 

[osser]

I absolutely never said to run without shields. I run with shields. D class but they are shields. I even have a shield booster(Which i do regret )

Limited experiences? LOL I've been on this exploration trip since Nov 2015.
16K systems visited.
I'd advise any new explorers not to play in open. or at least when going to Tourist spots. Switch to solo or get in a private PVE rule set group.

Sure there's griefers out there.

But again I ask: If you had weeks / months or in my case years worth of data aboard are you really going to fight back?


It's a simple question.

 

[Goobertech]

I absolutely never said to run without shields. I run with shields. D class but they are shields. I even have a shield booster(Which i do regret )

Limited experiences? LOL I've been on this exploration trip since Nov 2015.
16K systems visited.
I'd advise any new explorers not to play in open. or at least when going to Tourist spots. Switch to solo or get in a private PVE rule set group.

Sure there's griefers out there.

But again I ask: If you had weeks / months or in my case years worth of data aboard are you really going to fight back?


It's a simple question.

You've been out for over 2 months? Good heavens that's a long trip! I'm currently working on modding my Asp for heat efficiency where possible and then getting that grade 5 FSD. (chem m's and arsenic are a PAIN!) After that I plan on heading out and I'd love to be out that long! I want to have a first discovered ELW and a black hole.