Most fun ship for each role? Getting away from the Anaconda for a bit!

[CMDR Rhatigan]

Greetings, Commanders!

I've been using the Anaconda as a multi-purpose ship for quite some time now to do all types of missions/money running, and want to diversify my fleet. So, I thought it'd be fun to get your opinions on your favorite ship for each role, and a brief one-liner as to why you like it.

Format as follows for simplicity:

CZs/RES: Ship A
Trading: Ship B
Passengers: Ship C
Exploration: Ship D
Generic Mission Running: Ship E

P.S. - Medium landing pads preferred, as I don't even remember the last time I landed at an output haha

EDIT: Since a decent amount of people responded (many thanks!) I decided I'd do a brief summary of the top picks for each role to save some of you time if you're only here to read.

CZ/RES: FDL or Vulture
Trading: Python
Passengers: Dolphin or Beluga
Exploration: DBX or ASPx
Generic Mission Running: Python

 

[Droid8Apple]

Greetings, Commanders!

I've been using the Anaconda as a multi-purpose ship for quite some time now to do all types of missions/money running, and want to diversify my fleet. So, I thought it'd be fun to get your opinions on your favorite ship for each role, and a brief one-liner as to why you like it.

Format as follows for simplicity:

CZs/RES: Ship A
Trading: Ship B
Passengers: Ship C
Exploration: Ship D
Generic Mission Running: Ship E

P.S. - Medium landing pads preferred, as I don't even remember the last time I landed at an output haha

If you haven't, I strongly recommend using the Dolphin for anything not trading/combat. It's an absolute joy to fly and look at. Coming from a multiple-year Anaconda pilot who still hasn't bothered getting the Cutter/Vette because of my attachment to it.

EDIT: It has excellent jump range, it's fast, easy to land, decent enough shields, 4A fuel scoop with a 16t tank, 3 utility slots...

 

[Zebaoth]

I found the courier to be significant fun for bounties/mission running.
Get the thrusters from farseer, let palin tune it up to 11 and practice boost assist docking procedures.

 

[shadragon]

CZs/RES: Vulture
Trading: T-X series ships, whatever you can afford.
Passengers: AspX (Engineered FSD)
Exploration: AspX (Engineered FSD) or DBX (Engineered FSD)
Generic Mission Running: Cobra MK III or Keelback if you want fighter support.

For planet scavenging a Viper MK 4 is highly recommended.

 

[Cmdr Tel]

Vulture for combat
Dolphin for everything else. It is the definition of fun to fly!

 

[CMDR Rhatigan]

Vulture for combat
Dolphin for everything else. It is the definition of fun to fly!

If you haven't, I strongly recommend using the Dolphin for anything not trading/combat. It's an absolute joy to fly and look at. Coming from a multiple-year Anaconda pilot who still hasn't bothered getting the Cutter/Vette because of my attachment to it.

EDIT: It has excellent jump range, it's fast, easy to land, decent enough shields, 4A fuel scoop with a 16t tank, 3 utility slots...

Thanks for the input on the Dolphin guys! Yea, I've heard a lot of good things about how it's really fun to fly, and does have the perk of fitting on medium size pads.. but my one concern with it is the capacity of passengers it can hold, without wasting every internal slot on a cabin. Maybe I'm just spoiled with the amount of slots the Anaconda has lol but you guys do feel like a Dolphin is profitable *enough* with its limited space? Obviously I'm looking for fun over the optimal money making, but just wondering if the Dolphin is still good enough lol

 

[verminstar]

So just to be clear, its not the best ship fer a particular role, but the most fun?

If so, then the t9 fer exploration wins hands down fer the most fun. Terrible range, terrible handling but by far and away the best cockpit view bar none...spaces fer two others if thats yer thing, couple of slf and bobs yer uncle. Its not the least practical exploration ship, but its not far off it...it is however, hell of a lotta fun ^

 

[Suteksio]

This are my ships of choice for each role:

CZs/RES: Federal Gunship. Huge firepower, SLF helps a lot and RES sites are great for leveling your crewmates.
Trading: T9, this one also for mining. Nothing glamorous about hauling and mining. Just a brutal industrial design that handles and smells like a heavy and old piece of machinery.
Passengers: Beluga. Just think when we can walk around our ships. Yep, that's the reason I use mine.
Exploration: Asp Explorer. Asps in front of things.
Generic Mission Running: Python. Best multipurpose in the game. It can do everything.

I know, there are better ships for each role, but I find those aesthetically adequate and they get the job done fast and nice

 

[CMDR Rhatigan]

So just to be clear, its not the best ship fer a particular role, but the most fun?

If so, then the t9 fer exploration wins hands down fer the most fun. Terrible range, terrible handling but by far and away the best cockpit view bar none...spaces fer two others if thats yer thing, couple of slf and bobs yer uncle. Its not the least practical exploration ship, but its not far off it...it is however, hell of a lotta fun ^

Yes, most fun! and that sounds amazing.. just did a sample build gutting it and engineered, looks like it could get above 30LY which isn't TOO terrible for exploration.. might be worth those awesome views, and "'s" if you ever encounter another player far out from the bubble haha

 

[soddish]

Buy an Imperial Courier, push for high speed low weight and find something to fight. You can literally run rings around larger ships while keeping them in your sights. I have mine kitted out with 2 gimballed Beam Lasers for normal combat and a high yield fixed Cannon to finish off larger foes once their shields are down. Better yet, once you get bored of fighting you can take into canyon systems on planetary surfaces, see how low you can fly before faceplanting

 

[Cmdr Tel]

Thanks for the input on the Dolphin guys! Yea, I've heard a lot of good things about how it's really fun to fly, and does have the perk of fitting on medium size pads.. but my one concern with it is the capacity of passengers it can hold, without wasting every internal slot on a cabin. Maybe I'm just spoiled with the amount of slots the Anaconda has lol but you guys do feel like a Dolphin is profitable *enough* with its limited space? Obviously I'm looking for fun over the optimal money making, but just wondering if the Dolphin is still good enough lol

Yep! It bought all my other ships. You don't have to haul vast amounts to make credits. PAX runs, planetary scans etc, you don't need 60ly jump range to explore mine does 39ly fully geared for exlporation, SRV included with a AFMU. It is simply easy to fly and pop down onto a planet just to look see. You will see after flying the Annie for so long exactly what I mean...and cheap rebuy too!

 

[Wyaston Hypatia]

CZs/RES: Shieldless hull tanked twin rail & beam Eagle - Got to keep your eyes open and know when to bug out
Trading: T6 - Always a T6
Passengers: No idea - Never really done passengers
Exploration: Hauler - Good jump range basic exploring
Generic Mission Running: ViperIV - Strong defence with ok cargo.

 

[IndigoWyrd]

Greetings, Commanders!

I've been using the Anaconda as a multi-purpose ship for quite some time now to do all types of missions/money running, and want to diversify my fleet. So, I thought it'd be fun to get your opinions on your favorite ship for each role, and a brief one-liner as to why you like it.

Format as follows for simplicity:

CZs/RES: Ship A
Trading: Ship B
Passengers: Ship C
Exploration: Ship D
Generic Mission Running: Ship E

P.S. - Medium landing pads preferred, as I don't even remember the last time I landed at an output haha

CZs/RES: Beluga
Trading: Federal Drop Ship
Passengers: Dolphin
Exploration: Dolphin
Generic Mission Running: Orca (Large) or Federal Drop Ship (Medium).

 

[Hossi]

CZ/Res: Either the Ferdie or the conda. Depending on whether I want action or efficiency
Passenger: Short range: Beluga; Long Range: ASPX
Trading: Large Pad: Cutter; Med Pad: Phyton
Exploration: ASPX
Generic Mission Running: Phyton
Miner: T9 Heavy
Commuter: ICourier

I guess I will replace the battle conda with a 'vette (I'm on 'post commander' right now), and convert the the conda to a xeno-explorer, with a lot of corrosiv resitsant recks and SRV-Hangars.

 

[Meeklo Braca]

Sorry, but there is a little bit of overlap.

CZ/RES: Eagle
Trading: Hauler
Passengers: Adder
Exploration Ship: Hauler
Generic Mission Running: Sidewinder

 

[Cmdr Tel]

Sorry, but there is a little bit of overlap.

CZ/RES: Eagle
Trading: Hauler
Passengers: Adder
Exploration Ship: Hauler
Generic Mission Running: Sidewinder

Definitely a change from an Annie in that line up! Heck you could probably fit them all in an Annie.

 

[CMDR Rhatigan]

Thanks for all the input guys!! Looks like at the very least I'll be investing in a Dolphin lol didn't realize it was so well received! Probably an ASPX too for long-range exploration. Now just to iron out my combat ship idea.. digging the Vulture, or one of the Fed mid-range ships. Probably Gunship for that SLF :O Cheers! o7

 

[Ouberos]

My choices would be

CZ: Vulture space superiority fighter. Partly because it has the best name but also it's an awesome ship. Eagles and Imp Eagles are fun too but Vulture beats them on the name.

Trading: T6. Fast, reliable and cheap. Unarmed deliveries to CG's in Open are a hoot. My T6, "The Moonshine Express" recently got pulled over by a Cmdr in a gunship (missed me everytime) and then a Cutter (down to one shield ring before I high waked) much fun and likely not repeatable in a T7.

Passengers: don't know, not really into it. Maybe a beluga because it looks like a sex toy?

Exploration: Asp or my T6 again. You can fit a lot of Afmu in a T6!

Mission running: Ok, this is a bit weird but my Keelback is growing on me. I have a fighter bay, SRV and a fair bit of cargo room. Plus mines and dumbfires for those base assault bombing runs. It also has loads of scanners. I hate it, but kind of like it too. You try it, tell me I'm not mental.

But if you want a vanilla choice for all of the above use a Python. It's the best ship in the game for versatility.

 

[Hank]

CZ/RES: FAS
Trading: Beluga (does not hold as much cargo but is much more fun to fly; I had a Type-9 and its OK once you get used to it; also, I have not had my Conda long enough to try it out as a trader)
Passengers: Beluga
Exploration Ship: AspX (I just got back with my newly acquired Conda and it would be my 1st choice but since you have one already, the AspX is next)
Generic Mission Running: Python

 

[Alikat]

Combat: Nothing beat's an FDL in terms overall balance of firepower, handling, speed, and shield-tankiness.

Trading: Python, most cargo space on a medium pad.

Exploration: DiamondbackX. I like the 55ly+ jump range.

Mission running: iCourier. My current build has 400 shields with a full resist build, 725m/s top speed, 34ly jump range. 12ton of cargo space and still room for a fuel scoop and docking computer. You have to lightweight engineer everything, even weapons, for a build like this though.

Ships just cause they're fun: iEagle, DBS.

I disagree on the assesment of the dolphin, Saud Kruger ships look like space party-buses to me. Go with an Imperial ship if you want class.