Ship Builds & Load Outs Vulture Redesign - Solo Mode or Private PvE only

[khaos526]

So I took my old Vulture I had collecting dust which I have actually never used and shipped it to Jameson Terminal so I could do a one stop shop and upgrade the thing finally.

I'm planning to maybe use it to get some engineering materials through combat rather than USS hunting for a change. Or maybe for bounty hunting.

I only play in Solo mode (or PvE in Mobius) and am thinking a lot of builds I've been seeing were more designed for Open play so this is why I'm asking for help.

My setup is a mouse and keyboard.

Engineers:
I've got all but Sarge and Lori unlocked (only 5 more Aberrant Shield Pattern Analysis to go to unlock Sarge) and the others are all G5 ready so I do plan on engineering my Vulture to the max (and have all the mats for everything currently right now).

So a few questions:

Thrusters: I've been reading between 5C and 5A and many people seem to opt for the 5C over the 5A. Does this still seem viable or is 5A G5 Dirty going to be overkill and too fast? Or would 5C (G5 dirty) be better? Do I even need G5 dirty on them?

Shields: 5A or 5C-Biweave? G5 Reinforced I assume would be the best for PvE, but do I need the 5A (I do get hit a lot and still haven't really mastered FA off with a mouse that easily).

Weapons: Not sure what to do with the 2 hard points. My FDL uses 1 big beam and 4 MC which I like (Kill Warrant scanner is set up with the big beam laser as well). With only 2 hard points though, would a beam and MC be viable? Would it be worth it to put corrosive on the MC or not since it takes down the ammo capacity which I might need with the Vulture being there's only 1 MC.

Or I see a lot of people with 2 Pulse Lasers as well. Would this be better for my needs (no restocking ammo).

Or is there some other great combination?

Point Defense vs Chaff (or both): I can't remember if one is really needed for Solo PvE mode or not. I seem to recall one isn't really worth it in solo mode, but not sure anymore. Should I get both, or just one of them?


Anyways thanks for taking the time helping me figure this Solo mode Vulture out...

 

[Ceekay]

So I took my old Vulture I had collecting dust which I have actually never used and shipped it to Jameson Terminal so I could do a one stop shop and upgrade the thing finally.

I'm planning to maybe use it to get some engineering materials through combat rather than USS hunting for a change. Or maybe for bounty hunting.

I only play in Solo mode (or PvE in Mobius) and am thinking a lot of builds I've been seeing were more designed for Open play so this is why I'm asking for help.

My setup is a mouse and keyboard.

I also use mouse/keyboard (played Freelancer for years!) so if you haven't already use keyboard for roll and set the mouse for yaw and pitch, if it's a gaming mouse with page fwd/back buttons set them for up/down thrust and one I found on the forums is the mouse wheel for pip control scroll fwd for weps, back for systems and scroll wheel click for reset.

Engineers:
I've got all but Sarge and Lori unlocked (only 5 more Aberrant Shield Pattern Analysis to go to unlock Sarge) and the others are all G5 ready so I do plan on engineering my Vulture to the max (and have all the mats for everything currently right now).

So a few questions:

Thrusters: I've been reading between 5C and 5A and many people seem to opt for the 5C over the 5A. Does this still seem viable or is 5A G5 Dirty going to be overkill and too fast? Or would 5C (G5 dirty) be better? Do I even need G5 dirty on them?

I'm in the 5C camp as I find G5 DDT 5A thrusters with fixed weapons hard work as the agility with them is a little extreme, also 5C's need less power (around 1.5 MW less) and lose just 7 m/s cruise and 20 m/s boost, a 5A G3 DDT will have similar performance to a 5C G5 DDT thruster if you can't be bothered trekking all the way to Palin but will use around 0.8 MW more power than a 5C G5 DDT thruster

Shields: 5A or 5C-Biweave? G5 Reinforced I assume would be the best for PvE, but do I need the 5A (I do get hit a lot and still haven't really mastered FA off with a mouse that easily).

I use 5C bi-weave and two boosters one G5 A0 kinetic and one G5 A0 thermal as they generally need less power than resist aug boosters and give a well balanced set of resistances

Weapons: Not sure what to do with the 2 hard points. My FDL uses 1 big beam and 4 MC which I like (Kill Warrant scanner is set up with the big beam laser as well). With only 2 hard points though, would a beam and MC be viable? Would it be worth it to put corrosive on the MC or not since it takes down the ammo capacity which I might need with the Vulture being there's only 1 MC.

Or I see a lot of people with 2 Pulse Lasers as well. Would this be better for my needs (no restocking ammo).

Or is there some other great combination?

Weapons I've tried beams (G5 efficient) they run cool but still drain the PD fairly quick, efficient PA's are fun weapons but not that practical for RES BH work and the Vulture doesn't have the shield or hull to take a few licks when you're lining them up on target (5 on a Python is monstrous though Elite Conda gone in 30 seconds!), essentially I end up back with fixed pulses usually with G5 rapid fire mods the jitter isn't an issue as the Vulture is going to be close and dirty, some slight issues with heat but nothing serious.

Point Defense vs Chaff (or both): I can't remember if one is really needed for Solo PvE mode or not. I seem to recall one isn't really worth it in solo mode, but not sure anymore. Should I get both, or just one of them?

I never found chaff that useful so I usually fit PD's


Anyways thanks for taking the time helping me figure this Solo mode Vulture out...

Here's a few builds I use

https://coriolis.edcd.io/outfit/vulture?code=A2patfFalddksif31d1d03030404B22903272h24.AwRj4yKA.CwRgDBlZK7Q%3D.H4sIAAAAAAAAA02Qv0vDcBDFX1tTE9smpKYx1KkmOjjq4I9BcXLSRVykg5MOIgqCq6M6idhF%2F4H%2BEY5iBbeuOlo6OhRFFPo93w0pWR533Ofu3R3MOIChRaneukDlrQyUPvOAv0pJ3nOA5My6QgwRvhQArzUUsW%2BMiORNmPbXLktA3JgCoi5zr%2FMtEpz9ESqY%2Bsik5bO09CMS7dpAsMA0brMw2aeIZVZSp4lzOs2ozN0XAafJQQ2VWRWxzY6SY5R40Bex7tgUPX%2BJFDv09F7ZWH3UmU6G3OuR3FKyq%2BT%2BgOS1nlg2m%2BmK0Zq%2B4IK8f0JJpvWYtt5RyUBXCn0oFDJPNPKCX0Ku2VaI9kia%2FKh%2Fymd5Tw7xY13HM%2FOjZ2xwiFuvsXTI3O%2Bp3QEj8TPQYoXQQ0BoWaEjtdNI5B%2FYKjmrvQEAAA%3D%3D&bn=Vulture%205A%20(EDMC)


https://coriolis.edcd.io/outfit/vul...OISWIdQhkAuY/2U+mgcwBAAA=&bn=Vulture F (EDMC)

 

[khaos526]

Thanks, I see the 5C thrusters then and the Pulse weapons. Looking at your engineering it looks familiar. Have you posted this build in other Vulture threads in the past? If so I think I've looked at your build with other ones as a template already actually. Either that or several others might be posting similar engineering builds as yours then.

I think it was the Dirty G3 for the Thrusters and the FSD Increased range being only a G4 and the G5 Rapid Fire for the pulse weapons.

I haven't used Pulse lasers yet, so will have to try out the rapid fire at least. But I'll be going for the G5 increased FSD range for sure, and might have to play around with the thrusters, but seems like the 5C ones are more popular than the 5A ones which I'll have to try out as well.

Thanks

 

[Ceekay]

The Vulture is all about managing power, you can overcharge the power plant but above G3 that'll start causing heat issues, fit 5A DDT G5 thrusters and high power energy weapons will only add heat and potentially limit shields/boosters, essentially trying to find a comfortable balance of agility, DPS, shields, heat, fixed /gimballed weapons (BTW using gimballed weapons allows you to use 5A DDT G5 thrusters)

 

[khaos526]

When I got the ship out from storage I think that was my issue when I was trying to build it originally was the power issue. I noticed I had a G4 Overcharge on it and was thinking what the hell was that about. That might explain it why I originally put so much on it, but less would be better because of the heat then. So I'll just redo the power plant then and store that one I have. Will also take the advice on the thrusters to keep that as the 5C and see what level I can comfortably fit with that engineered (will try G3, G4 and G5 to test).

But yes over heating and power exceeding was my issue I think when I was starting to build it and ending up just storing it unfinished and buying an FDL instead...