Ships Ships for Mat Farming in HazRES? (not 'Vette)

Akshually, I have very rarely bothered with picking up mats when hunting pirates in RES. Sometimes I notice some goodies floating around and then I pick them up manually, but I don't need to tell you that is a bit of a pain. So I noticed several of you mention that you bring collector limpets, but rn I can't find the threads in question so I can't check out which ships you're actually talking about.

My favourite combat ship, the Chieftain, does not appear terribly well suited to this job because I kinda need all my internals for defense and I can't open up a lot of cargo space for limpets.

So... might this actually be a reason to take a Python bounty hunting?
Or are you using a Krait II for the job?
Feel free to post your builds. :)

Oh and as I hinted in the subject line -- I am aware that the Corvette is a great ship to faceroll NPCs, but I am just not interested in the rank grind. I have Gunship and Clipper unlocked though.
 
I have a ship for exactly this role. I call it a combat sweeper. Prowl RES and CNBs, stopping occasionally to fire off a limpet or two to collect what dropped. After most kills I'll take a quick peek at the contacts to see what types of mats are within range. Some of course are more desirable or valuable than others. If the mix looks appealing I'll fire off the limpets.

I use a Krait II for this, with a C4 rack and 16 limpets, but of course you can always synthesize them. You want at least a C2 rack since they are made in batches of four.

This is the ship (edited 12Mar, swapped to bi-weaves, double engineered FSD, A sensors, smaller tank)

Poison Whiskey

Any good combat ship that can carry a collector limpet controller and a handful of limpets works fine for this role. I have a FDL that I use for assassinations. High level mission targets drop high level mats, so even with the limited space I have a C2 rack and a C1 collector controller just to make it easy to grab the booty. I struggle to manually scoop in the FDL.
 
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Riiight, I remember you posting Poison Whiskey elsewhere recently. That's definitely helpful.
Actually, since for such a ship I don't think I need FSDB or Fuelscoop - at least not class 5 - I'm a bit torn between building a Krait II with extra protection or go for half a size less with a Phantom. So apart from raw survivability, it's mostly a question of extra firepower vs more speed and agility. I already have a Phantom specced as explorer / long range ship and like it a lot, but ofc it uses undersized internals. Well, I'll have to run some comparisons on EDSY I guess.

And ofc Phantom and MkII can use the same core internals with the exception of bulkheads, so I can't go too wrong either way I suppose. ^^
 
If you have open C5 slots you could always consider a fighter, in the Krait II. If you have minions of course. I've yet to hire one in my Elite career. It's something I am saving for when I reach combat Elite. Good luck and keep us informed of what you decide.
 
Yeah, same... I don't use hirelings/SLFs bc I don't want to share my combat XP before I'm 1337... So fighter bay is irrelevant for me.
And I only just reached Dangerous yesterday. ^^
 
Both Kraits are imho the best ships to deliver a punch have good defense and enough rational cargo/collectors module/space to gather battle remnants easily,in Haz Res you usually get better Grade Mats. (or at CNBs)
 
Chieftain is not great for job, you will enjoy A LOT more something with 64 tones cargo rack AND plenty of tier III internal ( sadly, the limpets come in un-pair classes ....) so, putting a class III controller in a class IV compartment is obvious not the beast deal...
So, assuming you enjoy a medium agile ship who handles more like Chieffy, then the winner is .... Challenger !
Chally is almost as agile as Chieffy, BUT willl bring you some ideal internals: lots of class III internals AND a 64 tones cargo internal - I use mine loaded with 64 limpets AND - TWO class III limpet controllers ( if I want a fast harvest - like after I killed 1-2 wings of NPC at once AND I want to scoop ALL materials BEFORE the time runs out ! ) - then I fire 3- or even 4 limpets ; If I need scooping from just one or two ships, then I fire just 2 limpets ;

Having an agile ship means you can boost as close as possible near the debris field, so your limpets can run fast; Challenger is THE best for the job in the class of medium ships, from my experience.
 
Oh, another new contender I didn't have on my radar, thanks ^^
So another outfit to draw up. Weren't you running an all-frag build? ^^
 
I love the Challenger too, have fitted a couple along times but still...it's three size 4 military modules impair the whole scope of the "fighting/gathering" role imho. You have to sacrifice a lot.
why that ? I got mine sitting nice in the region of over 1500 shields, with 3 GSB in those military comps., and I run 3 heavy-duty SB.s + a "wanted" scanner (coupled to fire key so I scan for bounty when I fire) ) - and I never lost my shields. If things get nasty, boosting out at 500 is always an option... I fill the 64 tones with limpets and 2 of class III with controllers - so I can run 4 limpets at once if I wish, using the internals at the best.
 
why that ? I got mine sitting nice in the region of over 1500 shields, with 3 GSB in those military comps., and I run 3 heavy-duty SB.s + a "wanted" scanner (coupled to fire key so I scan for bounty when I fire) ) - and I never lost my shields. If things get nasty, boosting out at 500 is always an option... I fill the 64 tones with limpets and 2 of class III with controllers - so I can run 4 limpets at once if I wish, using the internals at the best.
And what about jump range and scooping? This one is good if you travel with another ship and you recall it,but I use my MK II "gatherer" that has all the goodies you mention PLUS jump range in the Forties and a nice big Scoop,that's what i intend for "fitting the role". Of course this is my idea at how it should be,someone else may think different,a ship for this role needs mobility.
 
And what about jump range and scooping? This one is good if you travel with another ship and you recall it,but I use my MK II "gatherer" that has all the goodies you mention PLUS jump range in the Forties and a nice big Scoop,that's what i intend for "fitting the role". Of course this is my idea at how it should be,someone else may think different.

I use my medium combat ships for combat only - supported by my FC. IF and ONLY if I need to jump over 15-20 ly. I just board the FC, switch to fuel scoop, GFSDB, and I got 40 yl jump range in no time :)
But since my home is Maia ( those juicy Ant Hill Mob pirates assassination missions - you can stack them over and over and are precious ! ) - I just stay there;
I found Maia to be THE richest near bubble zone, both in stacking multiple assassination missions, AND probably THE best for mining....

So, what can you wish more ? :p
 
Does it? I mean, HazRES all drop the same kind of loot, don't they? I guess it's a thing if you go actively farming signal sources by system state, such as pirate activity in Civil Unrest or whatever. Then I'd also appreciate more jump range and -endurance. But as long as I just need to get to the next Haz or CNB, 20-25LY is plenty imho.

Btw I don't have a FC and don't plan to get one -- if need be I just use the transfer function.
 
FDL. My loadout has space for 16 limpets. For haz res fighting against NPCs you don’t need hull reinforcement, use that space for limpets. Letting the limpets collect mats between fights gives the bi weaves a few min to recharge. When my initial load of limpets is exhausted I synthesize more. I’d never take a boring space truck Python into combat for the sake of hauling limpets around.
 
I pick them up manually, but I don't need to tell you that is a bit of a pain

no it isn't (with the right ship. never flown the chief but with a fdl or a viper i scoop up any full batch in seconds). ;)

besides, real men scoop manually 🤭

and for bonus macho points, manual scoop in the midst of a high intensity conflict zone while whistling your favorite tune, with weapons retracted.

FDL. My loadout has space for 16 limpets. For haz res fighting against NPCs you don’t need hull reinforcement, use that space for limpets. Letting the limpets collect mats between fights gives the bi weaves a few min to recharge. When my initial load of limpets is exhausted I synthesize more. I’d never take a boring space truck Python into combat for the sake of hauling limpets around.

or this.

besides, @OP, to kill fast you also need to move fast. bigger slow ships will only kill faster if they have a steady flow of npc spawning upon them, i might be wrong but i don't think that's often the case. those big guns and limpets are just overkill slowing you down, being swift is better and more fun.
 
no it isn't (with the right ship. never flown the chief but with a fdl or a viper i scoop up any full batch in seconds). ;)

besides, real men scoop manually 🤭

and for bonus macho points, manual scoop in the midst of a high intensity conflict zone while whistling your favorite tune, with weapons retracted.



or this.

besides, @OP, to kill fast you also need to move fast. bigger slow ships will only kill faster if they have a steady flow of npc spawning upon them, i might be wrong but i don't think that's often the case. those big guns and limpets are just overkill slowing you down, being swift is better and more fun.

You can have little fun in the little Viper, but jokes aside, no mid-small ship compare to a Conda or a Vette when we talk about scooping; I use in my Vette a class 7 Collector, and I fight in a "cloud" of limpets - in 1h in a ResH I am full usually full, so I need to jump at a manuf. trader to exchange them for high grades.

Manual scooping ?! Haha ! Before you scoop 2 frags a big ship will scoop 22 ! Not to mention the exploding ships who will sometimes send a frag at 2 km dist and other at other 2km in the opposite direction !
A Vette and a Conda can engage with no problems 2 wings of NPC.s and in 2-5 min. have there 6 loads of frags - that is, 35-50 frags. - having 5 limpets racing fast and harvesting them in 2-3 min is important, you simply cannot do that in manual !
Sure you can pick only the most valuable ones, but I like more keeping my focus to the surrounding targets than browsing pages in search for what is worth to pick...

Challenger is a great compromise in this sense, can hold 64 limpets AND 2 x class III limpets contr. = 4 active limpets, who can be used solo or at max harvesting rate, 4 at once.
 
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