After the disappointment of the Python the Fer De Lance is a breath of fresh air

[Dakron Nova]

Having owned a Python for a while, I admit I never really gelled with it I know its a great ship but I guess it never really suited my play style.

So I thought I would give the Fer de lance a go, headed out to Jameson Memorial and kitted picked one out A rated it and fitted a beam and four multi-cannons. Then headed across to the Gandii community goal. Have to say initial impressions are great.

Ship manages to yaw well around other ships and keeping the guns on target is relatively simple also has a good boost speed to get out of those tricky situations managed to get in the top 75% in only two trips into the CG.

Think I will carry on and finish the CG then set out to get it engineered.

Any tips from FDL CMDRs on how to get the best out of it would be appreciated, I tend to play multi-role mission running with bounty hunting to break these up.

 

[the100thmonkey]

Don't think you can run missions in it.

You can, I guess, but it will be pretty painful. It's a pure combat ship. Treat it like one and use the Python for missions.

 

[CMDR Cosmic Spacehead]

My FDL is mothballed, due to my Python excelling in every aspect.
But now my Python is mothballed due to my Anaconda excelling my Python. Lol

Ever since 2.2, i couldn't figure out a decent set up for my FDL. It was either too hot, or too slow to kill. Coupled with being confined to just combat, it makes a very dull ship. The FDL is probably the worst ship to try and multirole in. Lol
Which is a shame, it used to be my favourite, by far.

My Python, once engineered, was faster (FDL didn't get much love), better jump range, better internals, and better firepower, and could be used for nearly all missions without a change in outfitting. Which suits my lazy lifestyle. Lol

Sorry i cant be any more help.

CMDR Cosmic Spacehead

 

[StiTch]

The FDL is probably the worst ship to try and multirole in. Lol
Which is a shame, it used to be my favourite, by far.

Surprised it ever worked as a MR for you but not much has changed to make that aspect any worse.

It's a thoroughbred combat machine. OP, if you're doing PvE you don't really need to have a loadout spelled out for you as almost anything engineered will be overeffective.

PvP is a little different but only a little...still rocks in most aspects as long as you observe a few basic rules.

Feel free to post specific queries...but honestly just do what seems good. You can't die in that thing.

 

[Dakron Nova]

Shows the difference in play styles I guess, interesting.

 

[Hooplah]

It is not about the ship you fly. It is all about your skills. My FDL can easily take out any NPC as well as live PvP when I am not up against dedicated weapons to take me out in 15 seconds. My Python with frag cannons and rail guns can do the same plus haul 254 cargo. Heck I made my combat skills with the Viper, Vulture and FAS taking everything out. Going to the Corvette combat got boring. Hoping Multi-Crew will spice it up a little.

 

[CMDR Cosmic Spacehead]

Surprised it ever worked as a MR for you but not much has changed to make that aspect any worse.

It didn't. Lol
I couldn't even set it up for lolz exploration in it. Ran out of internals.
+1 for the Python again!

It really is just for combat or basking. Useless at anything else.
What's worse, in PvE combat, it's not even that much better than the Python to warrant using it.

 

[Straker]

I just moved from a fully engineered FDL to a now fully engineered Python and the lesson learned for me is that the Python is more a good fighting multi-role ship, however the FDL wins for a pure combat role but just don't expect any cargo space in it. I'm not giving up on the Python yet for combat as I have a few more experiments to run but in terms of speed, manoeuvrability and utility slots it's just looking like the FDL is superior. As with any ship, I guess you have to take the whole ship and what you want to achieve into account.

 

[StiTch]

It didn't. Lol
I couldn't even set it up for lolz exploration in it. Ran out of internals.
+1 for the Python again!

It really is just for combat or basking. Useless at anything else.
What's worse, in PvE combat, it's not even that much better than the Python to warrant using it.

Python has monumental firepower but once you've spent time in the FDL, there's basically no reason to not have an enemy in your sights, and the 6 utility slots let it have been asf shields.

Pythons are definitely awesome. But there's a reason almost everyone ever flies a FDL for PvP if not a 'vette.

 

[Dakron Nova]

I just moved from a fully engineered FDL to a now fully engineered Python and the lesson learned for me is that the Python is more a good fighting multi-role ship, however the FDL wins for a pure combat role but just don't expect any cargo space in it. I'm not giving up on the Python yet for combat as I have a few more experiments to run but in terms of speed, manoeuvrability and utility slots it's just looking like the FDL is superior. As with any ship, I guess you have to take the whole ship and what you want to achieve into account.

Yes this is the way Im begining to see it and I think it depends on your play style and the route you take in your ships

i.e. Viper --> Vulture --> FDL

Cobra --> ??? --> Python

 

[CMDR Cosmic Spacehead]

Python has monumental firepower but once you've spent time in the FDL, there's basically no reason to not have an enemy in your sights, and the 6 utility slots let it have been asf shields.

Pythons are definitely awesome. But there's a reason almost everyone ever flies a FDL for PvP if not a 'vette.

Because I don't really rely on armour in my PvE builds, my Python (with modified lightweight armour) with DD5 can actually out manoeuvre my FDL(with military armour) with DD3.

One day, I'll make the pilgrimage to Maia in my FDL to upgrade it's thrusters to DD5.
Then it'll be my Combat CG monster. Lol
As soon as i figure out what to put on it.

4 multies cooked it too quickly. And i never know what to put in the huge hardpoint...?

- - - Updated - - -

Yes this is the way Im begining to see it and I think it depends on your play style and the route you take in your ships

i.e. Viper --> Vulture --> FDL

Cobra --> Asp --> Python

To throw a spanner in the works, i went
Eagle --> Viper --> Sold Viper for DBS --> Vulture --> Python --> FDL --> Asp --> Another Python --> Sold Asp --> Anaconda

Lol

 

[StiTch]

Because I don't really rely on armour in my PvE builds, my Python (with modified lightweight armour) with DD5 can actually out manoeuvre my FDL(with military armour) with DD3.

One day, I'll make the pilgrimage to Maia in my FDL to upgrade it's thrusters to DD5.
Then it'll be my Combat CG monster. Lol
As soon as i figure out what to put on it.

4 multies cooked it too quickly. And i never know what to put in the huge hardpoint...?

What are you doing to cook a FDL with multis?!

Well this is why it's different horses for different courses. Or players in this case. But the Python will always lack the FDL's speed and ability to thrust laterally/vertically.

What you use on a FDL usually revolves around how ammo dependent you want to be. I'm tempted to go back to my old PvE loadout for kicks - two fixed bursts, two gimballed MCs, C4 PA. But you can never go wrong with an overcharged C4 MC.

 

[CMDR Cosmic Spacehead]

What are you doing to cook a FDL with multis?!

Well this is why it's different horses for different courses. Or players in this case. But the Python will always lack the FDL's speed and ability to thrust laterally/vertically.

What you use on a FDL usually revolves around how ammo dependent you want to be. I'm tempted to go back to my old PvE loadout for kicks - two fixed bursts, two gimballed MCs, C4 PA. But you can never go wrong with an overcharged C4 MC.

No clue! I guess my power plant modification wasn't as good as I'd hoped. Lol

But like i said, my FDL hasn't had much attention from the Engineers yet.

I put all pulse lasers in my FDL a while back, while not entirely effective, it was fun never running out of ammo, ever. Lol
I'm crap aim, so I ditched the C4 PA a long time ago.

 

[Dakron Nova]

One day, I'll make the pilgrimage to Maia in my FDL to upgrade it's thrusters to DD5.

I must do this after the Gandii CG.

Ive got a beam in the huge hardpoint currently but havent focused to much on out fitting yet.

 

[the100thmonkey]

I must do this after the Gandii CG.

Ive got a beam in the huge hardpoint currently but havent focused to much on out fitting yet.

I run efficient weapon with my huge beam laser. I even scored concordant sequence on it without having to call a favour, which was nice.

 

[UnhappyDev]

I put all pulse lasers in my FDL a while back, while not entirely effective, it was fun never running out of ammo, ever. Lol
I'm crap aim, so I ditched the C4 PA a long time ago.

Nothing wrong with all pulses for PVE, although some NPCs (e.g. Dropships) can be quite hull tanked.

I've tried various PVP loadouts on the FDL, and in the end I had to bow to the inevitable: 4 multicannons and 1 feedback rail.

 

[XW_Ziggy]

Definitely this:

Cobra --> Asp --> Python

Anyway, FdL has bad jump range and limited internal space so I don't use it for missions. Even lightened up without military composites and running an undersized PP and PD, I can still only jump 20LY in the FdL. The Python is just vastly superior for missions on jump-range and cargo capacity alone. The python is more than up to the job of base assaults and assassinations, so the FdL is only useful when I want to BH farm in a REZ or stack CZ missions. (Can you still stack CZ missions in 2.3?!)

Before I had the rep for my Corvette and Cutter, I experimented a lot with my FdL - it was my primary ship for over a year - and this is what I settled on:

1x C4 G5 overcharged multicannon
2x C2 G5 phasing-sequence, rapid-fire pulse lasers

..and then I toyed with all sorts of loadouts for the last two C2 hardpoints:

• Two more PS rapid-fire pulse were fun for a total of 4, but it did get a bit toasty during FA-OFF boost turning whilst firing.
• Incendiary C2 multicannons were fun until incendiary was nerfed to hell, also quite toasty
• Railguns, since 2.2.03 increased the ammo from 30 to 80, which is far more useful.
• Now I run fixed G5 overcharged high-yield cannons. I tried them after 2.2.03 because damage increased by 25%, clip size increased to 6 (from 5), reload time reduced to 3 (from 4), ammo reserve size increased to 120 (from 100)

Mostly the cannons are awesome because of high-yield shell. Don't waste them on NPC shields, that's what your lasers are for, but the corrosive debuff means that they hit for 45 hull damage per shot on anything, and when you get a high-yield proc, their internals are rekt.

 

[Deleted member 115407]

Yes this is the way Im begining to see it and I think it depends on your play style and the route you take in your ships

i.e. Viper --> Vulture --> FDL

Cobra --> ??? --> Python

To throw a spanner in the works, i went
Eagle --> Viper --> Sold Viper for DBS --> Vulture --> Python --> FDL --> Asp --> Another Python --> Sold Asp --> Anaconda

Lol

lol - yeah, I've jumped around in all number of ships, and own 12 or 13, with lots of pairs, but my Viper IV is the one I spend my most time in. Dakron, I guess you have a progression playstyle. Mine is more fly whatever makes me happy at the moment.

Glad you're enjoying your FDL. I've never flown own... mostly because I'm a cheapskate

 

[NCFCpaul]

I didn't get in with the Python either. With the FDL, which I loved was mostly to use the pips a lot, try to move sideways as much as possible, be patient to line up the huge PA.

Having said that I relied heavily on the huge shields as much as any manoeuvrability- better pilots them me would take a faction of the hits I do.

Just recently I've got my grubby paws on a fully engineered Anaconda. It's absolutely a beast- with quite limited play in a HighRes I hardly lost any shields at all. And that is with Ziggy's tactic from another post of flying backwards, sucking them in and just opening up with everything I got! Works incredibly well on NPCs! I have tried my sideways FDL tactics in my Anaconda and it only seems to really work well with other big ships. Those pesky FDL's keep flying in circles!