So, convince me to buy a Diamondback.

Okay, now I'm a bit stumped...

I found myself at Sopwith Horizons station, noticed the shipyard there was flogging the DBX for CR1.4m and couldn't resist.

Thing is, in it's standard pokey trim it weighs 418t and it has a maximum weight of 420t so I can't seem to buy any decent upgrades for it without going over the max weight.

This is something I've never encountered before.
Is there any way to increase the max weight limit or do people just run these with a bunch of empty slots (no optional internals etc) so they can get a decent FSD & power plant onto it?
I'm sick to death of juggling compromises with my Vulture's power-requirements so if this is going to be a similar thing, with weight, it's going straight in the interstellar auto-trader.

And then I guess I'll try a DBS for all my AH64-related fantasies instead.

Put A-rated thrusters on it and the problem is solved.
Max mass propulsed is tied to thrusters performance.
 
Took a Diamondback Scout to Sgr A and back in 3301, then promptly scrapped it. :p

We had some good times too at least...

7MBmkgB.jpg

They need larger fuel scoops to be useful in exploration. You're better off with a kitted up Cobra Mk. III, honestly.

I'm hoping expiration related ships get an exploration module slot that can hold a larger size fuel scoop for these ships.

I actually do really like the style of the Diamondback Scout. It just isn't really worth using beyond some niche type scenarios. Honestly, a Vulture even makes for a more efficient Exploration ship than the Diamondback Explorer, assuming your goal is exploration and not just racing somewhere, in which case an Asp would be better still, of course.

Feel free to "sign the petition" as it were. https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showt...Fuel-Scoop-Module-Slots-for-Exploration-Ships ;)
 
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Put A-rated thrusters on it and the problem is solved.
Max mass propulsed is tied to thrusters performance.

Great stuff.

I wondered if buying an improved hull or thrusters first would increase the max weight and then allow me to fit other stuff but, as I say, it's just not something I've ever encountered before.
Normally I just bung a half-decent FSD and a fuel-scoop on a new ship at the place of purchase and then jump it to a high-tech system where I can go nuts with the upgrades.

*EDIT*

Also, since we're doing video's, I defy anybody to fly a Diamondback without thinking of this:-

[video=youtube;XYFdldfYEJk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYFdldfYEJk[/video]
 
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Thing is, in it's standard pokey trim it weighs 418t and it has a maximum weight of 420t so I can't seem to buy any decent upgrades for it without going over the max weight.

The Diamondback Explorer is the antithesis to the Anaconda. Both are artifacts of FDs method to "balance" ships through mass and secret sauce. In the case of the Diamondback Explorer the mass is ridiculously high and the secret sauce cripples maneuverability and speed, in the case of the Anaconda the mass is ridiculously low and the secret sauce makes the maneuverability and speed better.

A rate the DBX and don't care about weight. You won't get the ship into min weight territory no matter what you do, but you will have real problems to get it out of optimal weight territory. The hull mass is so absurdly high that adding modules simply don't change that much.
 
the DBE is my ship-to-go, and the DBS is my preferred combat ship ... I'm also taking a DBS as an explorer for the silly ships expedition.

this is my DBE: https://coriolis.edcd.io/outfit/dia...F+I3UkTxQ4yze1+y3MgQmaL1C1GA5njfAQAA&bn=Kaiko

- it is very easy to land and finding a landing spot for being small
- it brings most interesting npc spawns with it
- because it is quite heavy, outfitting it to the max let it not loose a lot of jumprange or speed
- it has one of the higher straight-line speeds ingame
- it has a large hardpoint
- engineered >45 ly fully maxed out
- it has 4 utilities
- class 4 powerdistributor, which allows you to run more pips in ENG during combat > more manouverability
- it has a better acceleration, decelleration, yaw and stronger lateral thruster than an AspE
- boost needs less ENG distributor than AspEs boost

...
 
The Diamondbacks remind me of that song "Stuck in the Middle with You." Just saying...

[video=youtube;DohRa9lsx0Q]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DohRa9lsx0Q[/video]
 
Nah, don't do it. Don't get sucked in by the jump range and easy hardpoint placement. They are drifty, glass jawed barn doors. The DBS seems like it might be fast but is actually quite slow. The DBX seems like it might be a good explorer but it lacks the compartments and has an under sized scoop.
 
Nah, don't do it. Don't get sucked in by the jump range and easy hardpoint placement. They are drifty, glass jawed barn doors. The DBS seems like it might be fast but is actually quite slow. The DBX seems like it might be a good explorer but it lacks the compartments and has an under sized scoop.

I remember how excited for these ships we both were when they were first announced. We've had our share plus some using them and trying to make them work for us, but you can only polish a turd so much.
 
Or, to be more precise, let me know if you find them especially suitable for some role.

Bush pilots ship: passenger cabin and cargo rack. Pick up missions on outposts. Most passenger roundtrip missions don't need a fuel scoop and you can refuel at a station.
Engineer supply ship: easy and quick to get to those medium security +++ planetary outposts for the Embedded Modified Firmware. Can land almost everywhere.
Explorer: not for the speed run tourists, but for those who spend a lot of time in a system to scan it and know how to fly a ship (and don't need those repair kits)

It certainly isn't the ship for min/max easy path pilots, but it's a good ship for doing things slightly different.
 
I use my DBS as a scout/taxi.

It's armed, and has a wake scanner.
It can jump 33ly, and boost to 500m/s.

So I go around scanning wakes for data, and as a tug for moving slow ships to various Engineers.
And if I get attacked, I can usually win, or always escape. :D
 
Bush pilots ship: passenger cabin and cargo rack. Pick up missions on outposts. Most passenger roundtrip missions don't need a fuel scoop and you can refuel at a station.
Engineer supply ship: easy and quick to get to those medium security +++ planetary outposts for the Embedded Modified Firmware. Can land almost everywhere.
Explorer: not for the speed run tourists, but for those who spend a lot of time in a system to scan it and know how to fly a ship (and don't need those repair kits)

It certainly isn't the ship for min/max easy path pilots, but it's a good ship for doing things slightly different.

Every explorer has to fuel scoop sometime. The more time you spend fuel scooping, the less time you spend exploring. It's pretty straightforward to understand. No need to muddy the waters by erroneously trying to differentiate between "real explorers" and "min/maxers."
 
Every explorer has to fuel scoop sometime. The more time you spend fuel scooping, the less time you spend exploring. It's pretty straightforward to understand. No need to muddy the waters by erroneously trying to differentiate between "real explorers" and "min/maxers."

Yes, but if I spend up to 1 hour scanning a system the 30s difference in fuel scooping starts to look very minor.
 
If it hasn't been said already OP you should buy a DBS because it is the best ship to learn how to use fixed weapons. Not only is it a silent running dream (although maybe bugged at the moment) its fast, attractive and cool running and it will make your pew pew better.
 
Yes, but if I spend up to 1 hour scanning a system the 30s difference in fuel scooping starts to look very minor.

I usually don't take an hour to explore systems with only one star in them though. :p

If you're wanting to only use economic route plotting in a dense enough region of space, you can do well enough with them though I suppose. Just don't change your mind and decide to race off somewhere.
 
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Two things that have not been mentioned yet:

-Both the DBS and DBX have higher hardness values than their respective class.
-Both of them are really hard to snipe modules on. Unlike the Viper which loses its thrusters instantly or how exposed the Cobra PPs are for example.
 
Then you must not do much while you're there.

Actually, I am looking for a nice single star system for a particular test I have planned... :) More information to come.

That aside, I have no idea what you're trying to get at. Feel free to let me in on the secret anytime you want. ;)

By "only one star in them" I also was implying "and nothing else."
 
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