Cobra mk3 for exploring?

MReTwitch

MReTwitch
Morning CMDRs o7,
I'm currently doing the engineer grind, getting a Vulture engineered for combat, bounty hunting and all that fun stuff. This obviously involves lots of travelling; 300-400 lys trips to get to the next engineer, or material trader or whatever. These trips I've been doing in my old cobra mk3, rather than the vuture, because the mk3 has better jump range, more fuel and cargo space (my vulture has none) and also because its an awesome little ship (i consider it my first "real" ship after having the starting sidewinder and then an adder, which were both a bit poo); and I tell you what, its given me a real interest in exploring.
I have about 25 mil creds, so could buy a ship for exploring but i quite like the idea of just doing it in my mk3 (it's FSD is a 4A, G5 engineered for long range, also has SRV, a fuel scoop and some other engineered bits: MCs, sensors, power plant - basically everything i could get from Felicity Farseer and Tod McQuinn).
Is it possible/un-suicidal to explore outside the bubble in a cobra mk3, if so has anyone done it? if not what ships do people recommend?
(also, on a side note: whats the difference between the 2 kraits?)
Thanks for reading and fly safe CMDRs o7
 

Northpin

Northpin
It is entirely possible to explore in a Cobra Mk3.
If you don't plan to go right to the fringes where the stars are really rare ( and all of them are already tagged :/ ), you dont really need more than 43 ly jump range and you can do it with even lower jumps.

Longer jumps are only good if you need to cover large distances fast.
Cobra Mk3 also has one of the best supercruise maneuverability - so it's quite a joy to fly it.
 

MReTwitch

MReTwitch
Northpin said:
It is entirely possible to explore in a Cobra Mk3.
If you don't plan to go right to the fringes where the stars are really rare ( and all of them are already tagged :/ ), you dont really need more than 43 ly jump range and you can do it with even lower jumps.

Longer jumps are only good if you need to cover large distances fast.
Cobra Mk3 also has one of the best supercruise maneuverability - so it's quite a joy to fly it.
Click to expand...

Awesome :)
Wasnt planning on going as far as the fringes to start with, so that works :).
It is lots of fun to fly, was using it for bounty hunting when i first got it, did some damage for a little ship. Then when i got the vulture i equipped it with SRV etc and its now my general dogsbody utility ship (i.e.I use the vulture for combat, but the cobra for everything else haha).

Thanks for the advise, i'll give it a go o7
 

Apsley

Apsley
My first explorer was a Mk3 and it was very good. The downsides are that the cockpit view is not the best, but you can use the camera for that. I think my build is so old it won't be much use now, and I guess that you may have to compromise somewhere on fitting compared to more expensive ship options, in SRVs for example.

But my cobra got me over 1000 lys outside the bubble and it really started my love of exploring and its really inexpensive, so yes it can be a perfectly serviceable explorer.
 

MReTwitch

MReTwitch
Apsley said:
My first explorer was a Mk3 and it was very good. The downsides are that the cockpit view is not the best, but you can use the camera for that. I think my build is so old it won't be much use now, and I guess that you may have to compromise somewhere on fitting compared to more expensive ship options, in SRVs for example.

But my cobra got me over 1000 lys outside the bubble and it really started my love of exploring and its really inexpensive, so yes it can be a perfectly serviceable explorer.
Click to expand...


That sounds good, yeah not too bothered about cockpit view, as you say got the camera :).
I'm pretty happy with the build i have, might swap out the cargo space for extra fuel tanks, but other thant that Ive got fuel scoop, SRV, a decent FSD etc already, so should be cool :).

1000lys? Awesome, nice one :) and here i was thinking i was big and clever for managing Deciat to Maia and back (389 lys each way) in my cobra haha.
Cool ok, thanks, I'll give it a go o7
 

Ashnak

Ashnak
Recommend...
you can explore in any ship that can carry a fuel scoop. People went to Beagle Point in every ship in the game, form Sidewinder via Mamba to Type-10.

If you want to go on serious long range trips, I'd recommend a ship you won't mind spending a few months in. This excludes (for me) the two most often recommended ships, the AspX and the Anaconda - I just don't like the cockpits.

Coming from the other end - the humble Hauler makes for an excellent bubble taxi through a combination of good jump range, good maneuverability and great speed (if equipped with Enhanced Thrusters). It tends to run a little hot, though - not a problem inside the Bubble with a repair station every now and then, but something to keep in mind when you seriously want to go out into The Black.

Going upscale, two of the more recently added ships also make great explorers - the Krait Phantom and the Krait Mk.II. The Phantom has pretty much replaced the AspX, and the Mk.II will enable you to bring along a Ship Launched Fighter for :poop:&😂 (and as a more versatile camera platform). The Dolphin also makes an excellent explorer - very good jump range, lots of internals, fast scooping, can land basically anywhere and is, with the latest buff, one of the coolest scooping ships in the game.
 

Gelkadosh

Gelkadosh
Here's the mighty "Pedestrien Pre", my first Explorer, which I used to unlock Palin and do my first g4-matgrinding trips .
It's quite heavyly engineered now, but in the beginning it worked quite well without LW and the booster. Added a fuel tank to feel more comfortable 'till I got the booster.

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Meicyn

Meicyn
On the subject of the two Kraits, the Mk II is generally considered the better of the two for most tasks due to more space for internals, support for fighters, and an extra hardpoint. For exploration though, the Phantom is lighter and thus is usually capable of jumping about 7 ly farther, which adds up quickly if you’re trying to go for distance.

I recently switched to the Phantom from the Mk II and now it’s my main ship. I have it loaded with full size A-rated stuff, weapons, and a guardian FSD booster, and it still makes 42 ly laden after engineering. I lost a little firepower compared to the Mk II, but I gained more jump distance and a faster ship. I can outrun just about anything I can’t outgun, with unlimited boosting to 591 since I run dirty engines. I also love the boost sound, it sounds like a jet.

ETpWqe5XsAE2KHc
 

MReTwitch

MReTwitch
Ashnak said:
Recommend...
you can explore in any ship that can carry a fuel scoop. People went to Beagle Point in every ship in the game, form Sidewinder via Mamba to Type-10.

If you want to go on serious long range trips, I'd recommend a ship you won't mind spending a few months in. This excludes (for me) the two most often recommended ships, the AspX and the Anaconda - I just don't like the cockpits.

Coming from the other end - the humble Hauler makes for an excellent bubble taxi through a combination of good jump range, good maneuverability and great speed (if equipped with Enhanced Thrusters). It tends to run a little hot, though - not a problem inside the Bubble with a repair station every now and then, but something to keep in mind when you seriously want to go out into The Black.

Going upscale, two of the more recently added ships also make great explorers - the Krait Phantom and the Krait Mk.II. The Phantom has pretty much replaced the AspX, and the Mk.II will enable you to bring along a Ship Launched Fighter for :poop:&😂 (and as a more versatile camera platform). The Dolphin also makes an excellent explorer - very good jump range, lots of internals, fast scooping, can land basically anywhere and is, with the latest buff, one of the coolest scooping ships in the game.
Click to expand...

Cool, thanks for the info Ashnak. Definitely tempted by either of the Kraits, but hadnt considered haulers or the dolphin, but ill check those out too.
 

MReTwitch

MReTwitch
Cool Gelkadosh, that's a nice build (in my humble newbie opinion anyway haha). Been thinking about swapping my cargo space for fuel tanks, tho think ill see how i get on for now, i have a fuel scoop so might be ok as is :).
 

Ashnak

Ashnak
If you're interested in the Dolphin, this could be a (fully engineered) deep space explorer.
  • heavy duty, deep plating lightweight armour. The mods don't add any mass, but definitely increase the toughness.
  • armoured power plant: since that's the only module you can't repair out in the Black
  • dirty drag drives: why not? And size 5 thrusters are wasted on that ship
  • A-rated life support: since you can (now) synthesize refills, the A-rated life support makes sense for explorers. You can make it back from anywhere, even with a broken canopy
  • D-rated sensors. Other ratings take too much power and don't actually work any worse if there are no other ships to detect.
  • you could swap the fuel scoop and the FSD booster, you may lose a little time in scooping in exchange for a slightly (1 ly or so) higher jump range
  • dual SRV bay. Ooof - yes, it's heavy. But I'm currently out with a single SRV, and sometimes wish I had a spare. The single SRV makes you very careful when going over ground.
  • small shield generator. You'll only need it to compensate for bumps on landing. If you get interdicted by an NPC, you win the minigame. If you get interdicted by a CMDR, you're dead - no matter what shields you put on a Dolphin.
  • cargo rack. You need it to store the limpets
  • limpet controllers. Your choice of what to bring. Repair limpets let you fix your hull, research limpets might be useful out there (not confirmed until now, though). Fuel transfer limpets may let you help an other CMDR. Collector limpets let you pick up things.
  • DSS. Makes money,
  • small pulse laser. To prod things. Some of them react. Not all of those react friendly.
  • mining laser. If everything fails, you just might be able to get some synthesis materials from a planetary ring.
  • heat sink launcher. Another case of "why not". You might never need it - but then again, if you do need it, you'll be glad you lugged it all those thousands of ly.
  • chaff launcher. How else to burn off fireworks?
 

MReTwitch

MReTwitch
Thanks for the dolphin build, looks good.
Just one question, you said the size 5 thrusters are wasted on this ship, so could I swap the FSD and the thrusters over (so i'd have size 4 thursters and a 5 FSD)? Would there be any benefit or would just be getting a heavier FSD? haha.
 
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