I started playing Elite back in January 2017. Spent my first year just puttering about learning my way around while throughly enjoying flying spaceships. By the end of the year, I had settled into a merchants career and bought my first real cargo ship, a Type-6. At that time its 104 tons cargo capacity was a big step up, more than doubling 44 tons capacity of my Cobra. This was in the early period of my Elite journey when funds were always in short supply, so the ship was purchased not fully kitted out. It needed upgrades in frame shift, thrusters and shields. Those initial cargo runs were alway white knuckle affairs, dreading any pirate interdiction until I finally earned the credits to fully “A” rate her. After that, even if a pirate could catch me, I easily evaded the interdiction. She was a wonderful ship, and from her profits I bought a mining AspX, exploration AspX, and Python.
The Python was my next step up in the merchant ship progression track. I know if I stayed with the Lakon line, it should have be a Type-7. But the Type-7 didn’t offer any real advantage in cargo capacity to offset its restriction to large pads, so the Python’s medium pad flexibility won out. With a 276 ton capacity, my cargo Python rendered the Type-6 obsolete. I initially tried to repurpose the Type-6 as a general purpose touring ship, but she ultimately ended up in mothballs.
The Python is a marvelous trade ship, and within a month I had earned the credits to buy a fully “A” rated Type-9. The medium pad Python and large pad Type-9 are perfect complements to each other and provide a merchant with all the capacity and flexibility one could need.
The Type-9 is a large, slow, lumbering ship that fully earns its “space cow” nickname. I set mine up as a shielded trader to carry 660 tons. I always throttle down to zero when jumping to the next star as its just too sluggish to go barreling in at full clip. With its heavy handling, I fly it like a 747, where you plan ahead and make no aggressive maneuvers. The Type-9’s strength and true purpose is being an incredibly effective cargo mover. It’s the ship I made most of my credits with before mining became the thing. She got me Trade Elite selling ridiculously overpriced basic medicines to desperate systems in outbreak.
Having recently ranked up to Duke, I purchased my first Imperial Cutter. I set it up as a laser strip miner to harvest tritium. Just for grins, I configured it as a pure cargo hauler to try it out in that role and see how it compared the Type-9. All I can say is wow. Yes, the Cutter is four times the price of a comparably equipped Type-9, but for that you get double the speed, 3 ly longer jump, 60 tons more cargo, better handling and a more agile vessel. No need to zero throttle when jumping into a system. Just fly in full bore and off to the station. Flying the ship is a pleasure, not a chore. Sorry Type-9, you served me well, but it's time for you to join the Type-6 in retirement. I’ve purchased a second Cutter as my new go-to bulk hauler.
Imperial Cutter “Regal Star” LA-02C
The Python was my next step up in the merchant ship progression track. I know if I stayed with the Lakon line, it should have be a Type-7. But the Type-7 didn’t offer any real advantage in cargo capacity to offset its restriction to large pads, so the Python’s medium pad flexibility won out. With a 276 ton capacity, my cargo Python rendered the Type-6 obsolete. I initially tried to repurpose the Type-6 as a general purpose touring ship, but she ultimately ended up in mothballs.
The Python is a marvelous trade ship, and within a month I had earned the credits to buy a fully “A” rated Type-9. The medium pad Python and large pad Type-9 are perfect complements to each other and provide a merchant with all the capacity and flexibility one could need.
The Type-9 is a large, slow, lumbering ship that fully earns its “space cow” nickname. I set mine up as a shielded trader to carry 660 tons. I always throttle down to zero when jumping to the next star as its just too sluggish to go barreling in at full clip. With its heavy handling, I fly it like a 747, where you plan ahead and make no aggressive maneuvers. The Type-9’s strength and true purpose is being an incredibly effective cargo mover. It’s the ship I made most of my credits with before mining became the thing. She got me Trade Elite selling ridiculously overpriced basic medicines to desperate systems in outbreak.
Having recently ranked up to Duke, I purchased my first Imperial Cutter. I set it up as a laser strip miner to harvest tritium. Just for grins, I configured it as a pure cargo hauler to try it out in that role and see how it compared the Type-9. All I can say is wow. Yes, the Cutter is four times the price of a comparably equipped Type-9, but for that you get double the speed, 3 ly longer jump, 60 tons more cargo, better handling and a more agile vessel. No need to zero throttle when jumping into a system. Just fly in full bore and off to the station. Flying the ship is a pleasure, not a chore. Sorry Type-9, you served me well, but it's time for you to join the Type-6 in retirement. I’ve purchased a second Cutter as my new go-to bulk hauler.
Imperial Cutter “Regal Star” LA-02C
