The Vulture and the sweet spot

EarlSinclair

EarlSinclair
When i started the game, my big goal in terms of ships was the Corvette. It's a great ship but after flying her for a while in both hazres and conflict zones.I felt like i need to go back to where i started. Back to the roots. Back to the small agile fighters. I feel they give you a very special kind of satisfaction. Something i didn't get from the big ships. I can't really put a finger on it. Maybe it's the dog fights.Maybe the speed, dancing around asteroids. There are are alot of reasons to choose a small fighter over a big bulky warship.

So i started with the eagles. While i really like their design,their damage was pathetic. Especially against large ships. I engineered them but wasn't happy. Might make a asteroid racer out of them.😋

Next was the viper and curier.
Both good ships. The increase in shield and hull armor was big step up from the eagles. While the damage better than before it was still lacking against big ships. I tried pretty much all weapons except torpedos.😏
But i wasn't happy with it.

I thought hmm.. Whats left🤔
A cobra, a dbx? No.. No.

My last option was the Vulture. This was the last chance to find a small craft that has everything i want. I outfitted and engineered her. And since i like symetry i chose two efficient plasmas.I went to a hazres and didn't like it at all. Slow projectile speed and terrible reload time. I thought this can't be it. There has to be something. I need a loadout thats good against both shields and armor. The solution was and i was very skeptical that it would actually work. Two c3 overcharged multi cannons, one with corrosive shell and one with incendiary ammo.

No more heat issues, distributor draw or anything that bothered me before.
Now i have great and agile fighter with good consistent damage.

There are a alot of things that make the Vulture stand out amongst the small ships. But for me it is the c3 hardpoints. It's the sweet spot of hardpoints. C2s are a bit weak against big ships.

The Vulture has earned a place among my favourite ships, right next to my Kraits. 👍
 
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Deleted member 257907

D
I build a vulture from the video of cmdr Exigious, the one with burst lasers https://s.orbis.zone/8hOk
I hated this build felt like I threw away mats. the long range with 3 degree jitter is like handing a storm trooper a sniper rifle..
I changed the 2 long range to 1 short range and 1 efficient feels alot better now but am thinking about making both short range feels like they do way more dmg.
 
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Terekhov

Terekhov
I am also a massive fan of the Vulture.

I'm now a little over seven months into the game. I've not been focussing on combat (although I am partial to a spot of PvE BH), and indeed for about three months let my combat rank rest at (a slightly fed-kill-snipe-assisted) 1/3 of the way through competent whilst I progressed other areas of the game (and started bringing up a second commander in a separate account). In the mean time, deliberately taking progression slowly, I gained more experience in the game, and unlocked more engineers . As I was not comfortable with my own combat ability matching my official ranking, about a month ago I set about trying to improve my ability, get comfortable with my rank, and move it on.

Early on in my own career, I missed out on most of the other small combat l ships as well, however I was more modest in where I ended up. My first dedicated combat ship WAS a Vulture.... "Tweetie pie" was born!.(well 'hatched" would be more appropriate, I suppose) ..... I had that before I had money to kit it out in A rated modules, or Engineers to tinker with her (they came over time).

I could see the ships potential, but as you would be (starting from where I was), I was always limited by the engineering that I could access (and a Vulture DOES need engineering to really shine). At each step, I found the engineering balance that suited my access to engineers , but it was not until I had much more grade 5 access that Tweetie really unlocked...

I've yet to progress/experiment beyond the more basic weapons, so I have a 3c G5 overcharged Beam with thermal vent, and a 3c G5 overcharged Multi-cannon (no experimental yet). To run that load-out I needed heavy engineering to the power distributor (g5 weapon focussed/cluster capacitors) and of course a PP capable of providing the juice. I rounded that off with G5 dirty thrusters, and Tweetie really came alive....Taking on far larger ships (I have taken Elite Anaconda's and FDLs out with her - well the lesser engineered ones, anyhow), and my combat skill (now a slightly more comfortable partway through Expert) just about holding in there.

I've stuck with my Vulture all of this time because at all stages of Tweeties development, she's been fun to fly and what I needed. I still really, really enjoy flying her.

Now, however, the need to fight the higher engineered bigger ships that have access to more space for a wider load-out of weaponry and defence might is on the limit of Tweetie's capability. I've not yet decided what larger combat ship I might go for (but I think I probably need to), and to expand my knowledge of the more advanced weapons and defences. However, that is a little down the road, as I'm currently working with my second commander to finish off his Exploration Elite (might just about be there with the Expo data he has on board but not yet cashed in).

@Lowbee - Go for it!..... Just be aware that a maturing Vulture needs continual tinkering with the power systems... Be ready with enough engineer access to cope with that...
 

Phazon Xenomorph

Phazon Xenomorph
Two Advanced Plasma Accelerators and a TON of engineering to the Vulture make it a nightmare to fight against and give it the power you need to pretty much do anything. With Advanced PA's you can alternate fire them for a non-stop barrage
 

EarlSinclair

EarlSinclair
McKeon said:
I am also a massive fan of the Vulture.

I'm now a little over seven months into the game. I've not been focussing on combat (although I am partial to a spot of PvE BH), and indeed for about three months let my combat rank rest at (a slightly fed-kill-snipe-assisted) 1/3 of the way through competent whilst I progressed other areas of the game (and started bringing up a second commander in a separate account). In the mean time, deliberately taking progression slowly, I gained more experience in the game, and unlocked more engineers . As I was not comfortable with my own combat ability matching my official ranking, about a month ago I set about trying to improve my ability, get comfortable with my rank, and move it on.

Early on in my own career, I missed out on most of the other small combat l ships as well, however I was more modest in where I ended up. My first dedicated combat ship WAS a Vulture.... "Tweetie pie" was born!.(well 'hatched" would be more appropriate, I suppose) ..... I had that before I had money to kit it out in A rated modules, or Engineers to tinker with her (they came over time).

I could see the ships potential, but as you would be (starting from where I was), I was always limited by the engineering that I could access (and a Vulture DOES need engineering to really shine). At each step, I found the engineering balance that suited my access to engineers , but it was not until I had much more grade 5 access that Tweetie really unlocked...

I've yet to progress/experiment beyond the more basic weapons, so I have a 3c G5 overcharged Beam with thermal vent, and a 3c G5 overcharged Multi-cannon (no experimental yet). To run that load-out I needed heavy engineering to the power distributor (g5 weapon focussed/cluster capacitors) and of course a PP capable of providing the juice. I rounded that off with G5 dirty thrusters, and Tweetie really came alive....Taking on far larger ships (I have taken Elite Anaconda's and FDLs out with her - well the lesser engineered ones, anyhow), and my combat skill (now a slightly more comfortable partway through Expert) just about holding in there.

I've stuck with my Vulture all of this time because at all stages of Tweeties development, she's been fun to fly and what I needed. I still really, really enjoy flying her.

Now, however, the need to fight the higher engineered bigger ships that have access to more space for a wider load-out of weaponry and defence might is on the limit of Tweetie's capability. I've not yet decided what larger combat ship I might go for (but I think I probably need to), and to expand my knowledge of the more advanced weapons and defences. However, that is a little down the road, as I'm currently working with my second commander to finish off his Exploration Elite (might just about be there with the Expo data he has on board but not yet cashed in).

@Lowbee - Go for it!..... Just be aware that a maturing Vulture needs continual tinkering with the power systems... Be ready with enough engineer access to cope with that...
Click to expand...
Maybe thats a reason many new cmdrs skip the Vulture. It needs engineering to shine.
 
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Phazon Xenomorph

Phazon Xenomorph
In fact, here's a fun build you can use as a template and modify from here what you want.

Coriolis EDCD Edition

A ship builder, outfitting and comparison tool for Elite Dangerous
s.orbis.zone s.orbis.zone

But this turns a stock vulture into a nightmare to fight against. Feel free if you can tolerate low jump ranges (or are patient enough for ship transfers) to ditch the guardian fsd booster in favor of more hull or module reinforcement. And if you can manage the heat, ditch the heatsinks for shield boosters.
 

Drelthar

Drelthar
The Vulture was great before engineering. It had huge power issues which I actually found really good fun to try and work with.

Now you just engineer the power plant and it becomes another bland combat ship.
 

Dutchman141

Dutchman141
The Vulture was my first real combat ship, years ago pre engineers, I loved it and made quite a buck with it.
Back in those days bountyhunting still payed off decently.
I got the FAS after the Vulture and then moved on to the Corvette.
My reaction isn't what it used to be and I got lazy at age 54 so the Corvette suits me fine.
I'd like to try the Vulture again though, but not without some engineering.
I realy like it's looks.
 
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CMDR Harada

CMDR Harada
The Vulture was, and still is, one of my favorites. Nimble and deadly. Packs a punch. Never to be under estimated.

Power always was the main issue with the ship. Engineering helps, but when you mod the rest of the ship, power requirements climb as well. Power management becomes an art form. The second issue I've always had was speed. It's straight line speed wasn't anywhere close to an eagle. Dirty Drive 5 helps. The third and final issue ( if you can call it that for a combat ship ) is jump range. It's awful. But Felicity and guardian tech patches that hole.

The weak canopy was never an issue for me. I'm usually close to a base, since I don't go far in it due the the jump range. It was blown out a few times, until I learned not to face tank. You can upgrade the life support and give yourself 25 minutes.

It handles very well. I can stick in an elite anacondas blind spot while I shred it's shields. And the class 3 hard points seal the deal. Good shields. With engineering and some love, this ship is an excellent choice. I prefer LR beams, with thermal vent. They help me select a target and get their attention. They also help finish off a 'runner' . With a good G5 PP/PD combo I have enough energy to run them, and a few SCB's. Add in some HRP/MRPs plus armor mods.. and it's a very tough ship to beat. It can take anything medium class and below, and quite a few large. I don't usually mix it up with the Big 3, but have. I prefer to knife-fight with the smaller ships.

I'd say, pound for pound ( or credit for credit ), it's darn hard to beat a Vulture. Think about this, a fully outfitted Vulture is under 40 million.. and thats EVERYTHING, including armor. You could have 15, 20, or more of these against any of the big 3 for the same price. Even 5 against a combat build Vette, and I'd lay odds on the Vultures.
 

Chaparral

Chaparral
The vulture is OP.

Don't discount the combat potential of the viper with rails, plasma, and appropriate engineering.

Even the guardian plasma on those smalls can be very satisfying.

I've even seen some mixed builds involving cannons that are pretty neat.
 
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