I loved the Vulture as well, it's a fine ship. I eventually sold it and moved up to the FAS as my mission runner for a long time. I still have a soft spot for both of theses ships. They made the game fun.
Step up from Viper Mk4?
- Thread starter Gavin Burke
- Start date
It was unreasonably buffed and takes a chimpanzee to fly.
I like the way it sounds like a sportscar and even makes noises as if you're changing up and down, through the gears.
Now, where did I put my banana? [where is it]
As far as I'm concerned, there is no step up from the VIV when it comes to fun. 
Realistically though, there are plenty of options that are more capable. There's definitely a decent amount of similarity in the vibe of the python and the VIV, but the flying / fighting style of the FDL is the closer fit. They both benefit from a lot of the same tricks. If you want to stick closer to that flight style, go FDL. If you want to stick closer to the overall feel / role of the ship, go python. If you want a cheap ship to casually mess around with exclusively combat, go vulture. If you want something that will better prep you for big ship combat, go dropship or FAS.
Realistically though, there are plenty of options that are more capable. There's definitely a decent amount of similarity in the vibe of the python and the VIV, but the flying / fighting style of the FDL is the closer fit. They both benefit from a lot of the same tricks. If you want to stick closer to that flight style, go FDL. If you want to stick closer to the overall feel / role of the ship, go python. If you want a cheap ship to casually mess around with exclusively combat, go vulture. If you want something that will better prep you for big ship combat, go dropship or FAS.Before the Vulture buy an ICourier!
I missed out on that ship when it was introduced. I have one heavily engineered and it is amazing!
I missed out on that ship when it was introduced. I have one heavily engineered and it is amazing!
if my math is right, taken the numbers of Frenotx excellent thread here https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/286628-Research-Detailed-Heat-Mechanics
in account, looking at a G5 overcharged PP and dirty drive tuning in your build, and 18,74 MW powerusage, i predict overheating after ~20 seconds of sustained fire, bit less at a comp nav beacon around a star or if you boost often... but I'll be interested to hear about your experience. maybe it isn't that bad.
I just don`t like the name... Vulture... yeuck.
Well hey, in 2.3 you can rename it!
I love the science and maths about ED so I'm gonna build this potentially useless build then to see how hot it does run
+1, but mostly because it's the prettiest ship in the game.
The courier is kind of expensive for what it is, and not obviously an upgrade over the Viper Mark IV in terms of capability (although you'll easily be able to fit a small cargo hold), but damn if it isn't a hoot to fly and just so sleek and pretty. I also like how much visibility there is out of the cockpit - like a fighter jet.
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I went Viper -> Vulture -> FAS
After that, the FDL felt un-needed. FAS has been my favorite, but I really liked the Vulture!
I dipped into my "Corvette Fund" to buy an FdL and upgrade it but I have a feeling I wasted my credits.
It's not as agile as Fluffy, it's a bigger target than Fluffy and the additional power of the weapons is largely negated by the fact that it's not as easy to keep them pointed at the other guy.
In my head, it's ED's "Boba Fett" ship and so it's all tooled-up to track a single target across the galaxy (until the fuel runs out) and destroy it but, in reality, it's just another garage queen.
I spent 2 days RES-hunting solidly and every time I went out in Fluffy I had to RTB because my guns were dry but every time I went out in the FdL I had to RTB with damage.
Admittedly, that's probably as much my fault as the ship's but, if nothing else, it tells me that I don't get on as well with the FdL as the Vulture.
Only read the first page of replies BUT the Vulture is a fantastic combat ship, if somewhat power starved and slow in a straight line. Admittedly, after a while it will get boring, and this is advice coming from personal experience. The next step from the Vulture is the Fer De Lance. A key note is that MY personal experience with the FDL comes mostly from before it got buffed. Power and distributor management in the FDL will make or break the ship for you, the handling characteristics between 2 and 2.5 pips to engines is quite noticeable, so get used to bouncing those things around quite a lot. The agility of the FDL, with basic A grade thrusters makes pretty much everything else look like it's standing still and the straight line speed is absolutely addictive! If you use FAOFF alot then get ready to see the "red out" pretty much the entire time you are in heavy combat. The ONLY time I have ever been popped in my FDL was the couple times I boost slammed into an asteroid with my shields down to 1 ring and trying to run from local security because I fired just before the "wanted" marker popped in. Good luck and happy hunting!
Boosh - finished engineering my Vulture: https://eddp.co/u/r3VPXmeS