Ship Builds & Load Outs Imperial Courier Weapons suggestions.

Stabby_Dave

Stabby_Dave
Hi.

Building a fast multi-role ship for bumming about in, doing courier missions and attacking the odd npc. I've got it pretty much how I want it, except for weapons. I'd like a bit more punch, but not sure what to go with. Three things to bear in mind:

1. This will be PvE only.
2. I can't use fixed weapons for love nor money, but I'm not totally ruling them out.
3. Speed is paramount, so lightweight is pretty much a must.

I have access to all engineers G5 level. All suggestions welcome, including for the ship itsself. Fill yer boots.
 

Vedmo

Vedmo
I recently revisited my Couriers and messed around with a bunch of different load outs.

For the speed build I think I've pretty much settled on 2 lightweight thermal vent beams (gimballed on the nacelles) and one lightweight corrosive mc. Distributor handles it fine with near total time on target vs large ships, and 2 lasers is a big help on getting their shields down; vs. smaller ships, lasers do enough hull damage with a corrosive mc tossed in that I think the benefit of actually getting shields down in a decent time on big targets outweighs any ttk losses in scenarios where shields aren't as big of an issue. PP sniping against ships with decent hulls is pretty much a must, but is very doable. I can take down Vettes & Condas np with it.

A light weight gimbal beam and mc on the nacelles with a lightweight rail in the middle would definitely work too. I found the same set up with a plasma instead of rail a little weak (but that honestly might have more to do with my ability to use it well than its actual effectiveness).

Another fun one, if you don't mind synth or are on a shorter jaunt of murdering, is a beam in the middle and gimballed frags on the outside HPs.



Ultimately though of course, while I often find myself searching for advice on load outs, the only right one for you is the one you try and like!
 

Stabby_Dave

Stabby_Dave
As it happens, I've got 2 lightweight gimballed frags lying about. One drag, one corrosive. Got a lightweight packhound, too. I'd thought about the beams/mc, and will deffo give that a try. What experimentals do you have on the beams? Thermal vent?
 

Vedmo

Vedmo
Ya thermal vent on both, more out of habit than anything.

Keeps it icy.

Edit: just remembered I'm running a smaller OC PP like you, thermal vent actually really helped with heat.
 
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Whorthy

Whorthy
I went For 2x Lightweight Gimballed Frags with screening shell, and a lightweight a plasma slug rail gun and it can take down pretty much anything while keping the distributor draw low (1 or 2 pips into weapons will be enough). I also went for a resistance oriented, fast charge Bi-Weave shield with 270 Mj that never once dropped.

Whatever you choose, please swap Drag Drive For Drive Distributor on your engines and you won't look back.
 

Stabby_Dave

Stabby_Dave
I just wanted a fast multi-role light fighter. My mamba boosts at over 600, so it wasn't worth it unless there was a significant difference. Have valready run from a couple of gankers in Deciat whilst doing some engineering. Well, apart from one cutter pilot who was camping the landing pad.
 

Vedmo

Vedmo
efoo said:
How often do you need to outrun gankers? 700mps not fast enough?
Click to expand...

I won't speak for Stabby_Dave, but I enjoy making speed builds that can still fight (pve) and that can outrun ganks. Part of the fun is seeing how much speed you can retain while still having weapons and enough shield/hull to make it. It's a balancing act. 700-800 mps range doesn't instantly put you that far ahead of someone intent on killing you, and seconds can matter. That kind of speed in a Courier also means you can use lateral thrusters to keep up with a boosting Anaconda, and that's just plain fun.
 

Justi

J
It's a sad story, but most of a time all versatile configs are rotating around half pulses/half MC build. Kind a not very good weapon balance currently.
 

Stabby_Dave

Stabby_Dave
I'm still experimenting, but right now, I'm trying out 2 g5 lightweight thermal vent beams and a short range g5 plasma slug rail. I can't hit the side of a barn with the rail, but it's fun to try. Boosts at 802.
 

AlSki

AlSki
I've run for years with Couriers with 2xBeam + 1xMultis. In fact I just stepped back into this and was surprised how effective it is.

However I've also been having a lot of fun with CytoScramblers. They are a Class 1, so weigh a lot less, but take out shields like a Class 3 as long as you are close. So my "do BGS everything fast" ship is now looking like this but I had a lot of fun getting into trouble with this too. The corrosive on the frag offsets the (lack of) penetration on the Cytos once the shields are down.
 
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Stabby_Dave

Stabby_Dave
Think I wasted the mats on the railgun - at short range with my skill level, it's almost unusable. Went back to a standard multicannon setup. Still not sure what to do with the spare class 2 slot. Didn't really want to diup below 800, so put in another AFMU.

This will probably always be a work in progress.
 

Whorthy

Whorthy
Stabby_Dave said:
Think I wasted the mats on the railgun - at short range with my skill level, it's almost unusable. Went back to a standard multicannon setup. Still not sure what to do with the spare class 2 slot. Didn't really want to diup below 800, so put in another AFMU.

This will probably always be a work in progress.
Click to expand...

That's why I love this ship so much, there is always something to try, you're never really done tweaking it.
Alski is right, Cytoscramblers are a ton of fun (only available in fixed tho), and i'm still partial on Frags, even with corrosive and Ligthweight it'll still do a ton of damage while shaving off 3,6 tons . (Or you could overcharge the hell out of it and keep it at 4t like your current Multi-Cannon and shred hulls)
 

Stabby_Dave

Stabby_Dave
I've got a whole range of g5 lightweight weapons for it. Frags, cannons, multis, packhounds and plasmas. I like the twin beams, cos they soak up the heat. Just not sure what to use in the 3rd slot. So many choices.
 

Whorthy

Whorthy
Well you need something to finish the hull after taking the shield with your lasers, you could keep the corrosive multi-cannon as it pairs well with the beams, or Maybe try a cannon to nuke the internals once the shield is gone? A plasma accelerator could also work since your beams will keep the temperature in check, but i'm not sure the distributor will handle such a loadout well.
 

Stabby_Dave

Stabby_Dave
Yeah! trying out various stuff. got a packhound on there atm. going to see how I go with that. I have one engineered for lightweight which puts the speed up to 840 on ammo. I'll see how it goes.
 
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