( Headline quoted from the newsletter )
No, is there a reason I should?
Yes, at least for the Krait.
Krait is the same as a Python
No it really isn't. It looks far better, has a much better designed bridge with two multicrew seats, is faster and more maneuverable and carries an SLF.
with unsightly blocky looks that remind me of Lego.
It's really not "blocky" at all. I think the term you mean is "angular", which compared to the simple triangle-shaped Python is not a very meaningful criticism. I mean the Krait looks like it could be a Star Wars ship. The Python could only ever really fit into the Elite universe.
And both my Python's are already engineered - so, there seems to be very little point in new ships that merely mimic existing ships in numbers and loadout.
The Krait does not really "mimic" the Python. It provides a very competitive choice as an alternative with some very clear tradeofffs. If you're doing mission running or cargo hauling, or want a ship that is more durable in terms of shields and hull, then the Python is a better choice. If you're doing combat, want a fast ship, want to carry an SLF, or if you want an excellent bridge view for planetary activities, then the Krait is a better choice. The ships both look and fly very differently. There are so many differences between the two ships that they are very distinct choices.
Ok, fighter hangar... If it had to be a Python equivalent with fighter bay for you - but I already got that on various other ships.
You already have that on various ships that are either overspecialized in order to carry a fighter bay or are large ships. The Krait provides a medium multirole ship that can carry an SLF without taking some sort of massive penalty to do so. The only other medium ship options there are the Keelback, which is literally a flying SLF bay with almost no other redeeming features, or the FGS, which is too slow and has limited internals compared to the Krait.
Challenger? idk if you liked the Chieftain, maybe its a minor improvement to you... But already for the Chieftain, I couldn't really see the need over other ships I have, nor was the cockpit view particularly enticing. (for an awesome cockpit, I might buy an otherwise same-same ship type)
I know, there's small differences - but not enough to spend the time, the materials, the credits and the money on - for me.
Granted, for players who only recently joined - a bigger selection is good at any rate
I am not a Challenger fan because I hate what they did when they ruined the Chieftan's excellent exterior. However, many players are saying they prefer the Challenger to the Chieftan for various reason so I wouldn't dismiss it either.
I think all we end up with, is the need to engineer another ~10-20 components and spend money on new paint jobs for no particular reason.
I already had most of the Engineered modules (legacy mods) that I needed for my Krait in storage before the ship launched so I only had to Engineer a G1 low emissions power plant and a G5 charge enhanced PD to get my Krait outfitted. Since it uses legacy mods it's not fully optimized in terms of top-end performance but it still serves very well for my needs. I estimated that credits and legacy mods I had in storage probably took me around 20-30 hours to earn, so call that around 24 hours, plus I had already trained two SLF pilots up to Dangerous, which is 12 hours each, and when I got my Krait I trained one of the SLF pilots up to Deadly, which was another 12 hours. That means I have around 60 hours of "grind" into my Krait right now although only 12 hours of that was done after the Krait launched. So in my case since I already did most of the work before the ship was available it wasn't a hard decision to buy one and get it up and running. I haven't bought a paint pack since the default paint is fine (but not great) although I have bought $12.50 USD worth of engine colors and nameplates which I can also use on other ships.
Have you found a real advantage flying these over one of your other ships for any specific purpose?
Yes, I find that the Krait is one of the best multirole ships in the game and is every bit the equal of the Python if you want a more combat-focused multirole option. The Krait is my favourite ship in Elite and is now my main ship that I fly. I've even updated my sig to reflect this and I almost never update my sig. I've even parked my Corvette because I enjoy the Krait so much. I've parked my Python because I have no particular need to do any credit or rep grind at the moment. The Krait, however, allows me to do a little bit of everything and in particular is a joy to fly in combat. It's like a perfect cross between the Python, the FDL and the FGS. I had taken a break from Elite for around 6 months since before Beyond launched and the only reason I'm playing again is the Krait.
Really I would suggest buying a Krait, taking the modules from your Python and doing a test flight yourself. Since you mentioned you have two Pythons you won't even need to stop flying the Python entirely. If you honestly have no use for the Krait or simply don't enjoy flying it, then you can sell the ship hull at a minimal loss (10% of the base hull price which is around 4.6 million credits, or around 4 million credits if you buy the hull with a discount) and put the modules back on one of your Pythons. Most likely, however, you are going to enjoy the Krait enough that you want to keep the ship.
)ship that is competent at everything, then the Krait might be the ship for you.
