53.59ly from a Mandalay? Really?
- Thread starter CMDR Rusty Dog
- Start date
The diamond back explorer pound for pound atm is the best jumper not stripped out or lacking boost or overall strength.
No weapons though and default hull which you can engineer at no extra weight gain.
Even with shields it'll jump 80+ly
But the fuel scoop situation means a 4a max so a waiting period spent fuel scooping.
Atm its my goto runabout.
But add stuff and obviously it's range drops.
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No weapons though and default hull which you can engineer at no extra weight gain.
Even with shields it'll jump 80+ly
But the fuel scoop situation means a 4a max so a waiting period spent fuel scooping.
Atm its my goto runabout.
But add stuff and obviously it's range drops.
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#confidentlywrongFrom what I've heard, a fully engineered D-Rated Mandalay with Guardian FSD Booster and outfitted as you would expect an exploration ship to be, is around 53.59ly jump range. Is this right?
If so, then FDev have royally screwed up IMO.
Didn't they say it would be on par with or just beat the Anaconda? Did they mean stock?
The absolute maximum jump range of the Mandalay is 91.53LY. This just pips the highest known Anaconda jump range (91.50LY). So it does indeed out-jump the Anaconda (just).
Of course the real benefit is not an extra 0.03LY, but having jump range comparable to the Anaconda in an exploration-focused ship.
Of course the real benefit is not an extra 0.03LY, but having jump range comparable to the Anaconda in an exploration-focused ship.
The thing is, to many it's all about range.
All other considerations secondary.
Crew expendable.
Yes, certainly.
The Anaconda won't get 90LY either if you actually stick modules on it.
Compare these three Krait Phantom builds
https://s.orbis.zone/qAkP - 80.56 LY on fumes, has a 2D overcharged power plant (toasty!) to squeeze out just that tiny bit of extra range, etc.
https://s.orbis.zone/qAkQ - a paper explorer build, there's room to optimise the weight a bit more, but it's down to 74.65 LY range
https://s.orbis.zone/qAkS - make the shields a bit less papery (and the power plant bigger to cope), and it's down to 67.56 LY
(I haven't bothered adding AFMUs to any of these, since they don't weigh anything anyway, but there's space)
With less of the Mandalay's mass being "fixed" on the hull itself, it's going to be a bit more sensitive than the Anaconda is to the actual loadout. 53 LY with a Guardian FSD booster seems surprisingly low nonetheless for a class 5 FSD on a 230t hull - maybe they weren't undersizing as many modules, or had decided to take something heavy with them because 53 LY is still a good range?
That's different for everyone, as there even is no agreed upon definition for "exploration". For me, anything over 50 ly single jump range is luxury. Sure, nice to have if you want to get somewhere in a hurry, but not really necessary. I'd rather have:
- robust hull (ok, that one is free, as heavy duty on zero mass doesn't add any mass)
- A rated life support
- A rated, armoured power plant (you can't repair the PP, also adds a little bit of effciency)
- A rated FSD
- Thrusters, PD and Sensors no fixed preference, that depends on the specific performance after engineering in the respective ship.
- fuel tank often downgraded, 3 full range jumps is usually sufficient.
- Guardian FSD booster
- don't forget the DSS!
- a backup SRV
- a mining lance (alternatively, minig laser and a small beam)
- some people also used to take a plasma slug gun (to fine tune carried fuel)
- bumper shields that should survive at least one automated landing...
- selection of limpet controllers (repair, refuel, collector - in that order, depending on remaining open slots)
- an AFMU (one is sufficient)
- limpet controller also implies a small cargo rack
- some people like to take one or two heatsink launchers, I haven't yet seen the need for those
- if I use a sufficiently large ship: a fighter hangar. For fun planetside, and for reduced risk when approaching unknown stellar phenomena (should you be lucky enough to find one)
As an anecdote on this one...
My last long range exploration trip, I was happily going along, took a detour to a nearby tourist beacon ... and then remembered that I was in the "wrong" exploration ship and the one with the recon limpets and manifest scanner was in a dock tens of thousands of LY away (I'd expected the research limpets to be more likely to be useful, and then never actually used them...).
No criticisms, just my views on the subject…
Agree, It’s got to bounce well enough not to lose all the data
I have had 2 exploration related canopy blow-outs.
One was close to the bubble - mistook a White Dwarf for a Neutron and barely escaped, but was able to synthesise enough to get home with my D-rated life support.
The other was a way out in the black, and even an A-rated wouldn’t have got me to the nearest carrier.
D-rated is plenty for me.
Exactly this.
A given.
I find D-rated full size thrusters with a single boost is enough to escape any gravity I’ve been to. Under sizing thrusters may be okay for speed runs, but aren’t advisable if you’re heading planet side regularly.
With SCO eating fuel I’m less inclined to undersize.
Yes and yes.
Drive carefully and carry synth mats. Although I am considering carrying a second in the Mandalay…
Nope. I collect mats in the SRV.
No longer necessary, with SCO you can burn off fuel easily.
Yeah, gotta protect from rough landings.
They all add weight, do you actually need them? I carry a 1D repair for emergencies.
Yeah, I’ll put extra ones if there’s space as they weigh nothing, but one is most definitely enough.
I still carry one lightweight heat sink, just in case.
I’ve not found anywhere I can’t get the nose of a ‘Conda into, but they are fun to fly around.
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The utility of the SCO to dump fuel can't be overstated.
Using Plasma Slug makes me look forward to watching paint dry with excitement. (One of the reasons why I stopped plasma slugging, in fact).
I was so grateful after I accidentally refilled at Amundsen’s Star with 100t of fuel!
Yes - I should clarify that the absolute maximum of 91.53LY is a ‘one-jump wonder’:
- 2D power plant (Overcharged + Stripped Down)
- 4D thrusters (Clean/Dirty + Stripped Down)
- 5A SCO FSD (G5 Increased Range + Mass Manager)
- 1D power distributor (Charge Enhanced + Stripped Down)
- 5D sensors (G5 Lightweight)
- 5H Guardian FSD booster
You can synthesize life support refills. A D-rated an an A-rated life support use ther same mats for a refill, but the A-rated refill gets you much further.
I know, I did that in the example before. But the extra time that an A-rated buys is only useful if you can get to a station or fleet carrier before you run out of mats.
I think the number of cases that an A makes the difference over a D out in the black is small.
Doesn’t mean you can’t use one, I just think it’s as needed as additional AFMUs.
For combat it can, and has made a big difference for me.
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I thought people were getting 91 and a bit from the stripped out Mandalay.
Just because he knows better than to use a D rated FSD doesn’t mean that he hasn’t used one for reasons.
Maybe he was working with the standard version not the Stellar and it didn’t come with the A rated SCO but the D rated one and was showing what you could do without losing the free rebuy.
Was he the one who hadn’t fully engineered it before stripping it out for the max jump range? I was flitting between streams last night so not sure who did what.
I definitely saw one with a sensible exo build and over 80ly jump range.
Not sure I qualify but this is my current and most used for exploration build.
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Not sure I qualify but this is my current and most used for exploration build.
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A ship builder, outfitting and comparison tool for Elite Dangerous
I’m not sure a Hauler is pretty enough to be considered an exploration vessel
Any ship can be an explorer. I pick my cabin and then engineer from there, I have decent thrusters where I can outrun PvP with fairly decent shields ( I crash a lot when canyon running) max jump range is what I get when I have put all my stuff in . If it's above 50 then it's good and I'm happy .