Are AFMUs really needed for long trips?

[Vasious]

Are AFMUs really needed for long trips, as the damage you likely suffered is either from
1) Emergency stops
2) Over heating

Emergency stops do some hull damage and a little system damage depending on the speed you exit at.
Heat damage will most likely be in the 100 to 149% range and anything above that is doing hull damage

The AFMU cannot fix hull damage or the Power Plant, but more importantly it is the canopy that as a module seems to be the weak link here.

I am currently limping back home with "canopy critical" after one too many accidents or Pairs of Red Giants that are too friendly.

Now the Hull is at 73% - plenty of breathing room there.
The FSD is starting to hiccup, and a lot of my other modules have malfunctions but are in the range of 50% to 70%

Now I do have two AFMUs and could fix up the systems and avoid the occasional malfunction that has no adverse effect, but the true limiting factor is the Canopy.

It suffers in both the emergency stops and overheating.

Now even a Power Plant failure isn't fatal 100% of the time as I am running at 42% currently so the loss to 50% would be .... nothing

I mean at the end of the day they weigh nothing anyway, but soon the choice between AFMU and SRV might be one we are making and how essential is the AFMU anyway.

If you didnt have one, and your suffered a complete failure in a module I suspect you canopy will have long since blown anyway

 

[Fen Harel]

It doesn't hurt, and can help a great deal.

Anyone who has ever had your FSD take damage and have no means to repair it will, trust me, regret not having an AFMU.

I would fix the FSD, if possible, to avoid accidents that will leave you careening into a star - for yet more damage. I'm not sure I understand your situation, if you have the AFMUs but are just not using them. True they don't fix everything, but they do fix some things.

At any rate, I hope you make it back to the bubble in one piece. Good luck Commander!

 

[Cmdr Frawd Digger]

I have been exploring the past few weeks without them (accidently...forgot to purchase them in my load-out) and am currently running at 90% hull and 89-98% modules. I would like to have them (that would make me feel better about receiving damage to the FSD, life support, thrusters and scanners) but have not been so concerned that I have rushed back to the bubble to get some (although I am only about 2000LY away so not a long trip back in an emergency).

I too am confused though...you have AFMU but are not using them?

Frawd

 

[-VR- pipestein]

I would not say that they are needed or mandatory in any way. My first trip out was a quick 4,000ly round trip I suffered 0% damage and had no AFMU. I am now on a longer range trip and this time I do have one and I am glad that I do, it gives me a little piece of mind knowing that any damage to my FSD or another critical unit can be repaired without cutting short my journey.

 

[Zeeman]

150k Ly+ travelled, I'm at 85% hull, 83% for my weakest model (cargo hatch...), and have sustained no damage in over 100k Ly.

So no.

Z...

 

[iain666]

Necessary or critical? No, not really.

Comfort blanket when you have them? Absolutely.

Give them up in a heart beat if re-jigging load out to carry an SRV requires it? Definitely.

 

[newman1702]

I see them about as needed as membership in your country's auto club. Will you need their free towing service? Probably not. Is it more comfortable knowing you have the option should you have a crash? Absolutely. You could always say "meh I'll be careful and not crash", but accidents are by their very nature unpredictable, both irl and in-game; afmu's give us some margin of error.

 

[Vasious]

150k Ly+ travelled, I'm at 85% hull, 83% for my weakest model (cargo hatch...), and have sustained no damage in over 100k Ly.

So no.

Z...

I am far more careless, the bulk of the damage was in the first leg of the trip when I, having cleared human space, I switched off the shield generator, and turned out was the engine, and I dropped out of frame shift

 

[Katejina]

Never absolutely necessary but always nice to have. I bought 2 modules before I left for my current expedition and I'm glad I did. I needed them sorely during the first month or so of the trip. Haven't used any in the last 3-4, though. I suspect I may need the little ammo left if I have any more incidents.

 

[EUS]

Not required, but they weigh nothing so there's no harm in having them.

 

[Cdr Voorheez]

Definitely required for long trips and I always carry 2. Zero mass so it's foolish not to carry a few.
I'm going to Beagle next week and I'm going to fit the Damocles with 3 just because it's a 130KLY round trip.
Essential kit in my opinion

 

[colprice2002]

As above, nice to have but not essential.
I did about15kly in an Eagle and there wasn't space for them (nor shields).
Came back with 98% hull due to one close encounter with a star.

The moral is not to go exploring when tired or "under the influence" and always use 'X'

 

[CMDR AKIRA MASAKARI]

For sure they can be usefull, but not a necessity. I'm out since 1st July, without any AFMU and doing fine (canopy 100%, Hull 96%, Cargo Hatch worst module at 93%).

 

[domaq]

150k Ly+ travelled, I'm at 85% hull, 83% for my weakest model (cargo hatch...), and have sustained no damage in over 100k Ly.

So no.

Z...

Yeah but, Z, you're a force of nature so that doesn't count!
.
If you have room, take one. If the decision is SRV or AFMU, go SRV. I've traveled with one AFMU and then with two just for kicks. Really didn't need one at all...but then I don't explore with heat sinks either...

 

[Kolato]

Never needed an AFMU in 400000LY of exploration. 'Nuff said.

 

[Stulli]

Travelled 250K LYs in one piece and afterwards I can say, AFMU were not necessary at all.

Just be careful, and the longer you travel the better it works, except for those bad binaries, there you have to have some luck.

I am out now for a long trip with a fresh CMDR with a Diamondback Explorer and without AFMU, but with an useless 16 ton cargo rack. Was cheaper to fill the gap.

BTW: Has anyone ever used the function "reboot/repair" or heard about experiences with it?

 

[Katejina]

BTW: Has anyone ever used the function "reboot/repair" or heard about experiences with it?

Haven't done it myself, but I hear it has a chance to marginally repair a module pretty much damaged beyond use, enough so to save your life.

 

[Fen Harel]

BTW: Has anyone ever used the function "reboot/repair" or heard about experiences with it?

I think that only applies if they get very low, so low the ship won't function otherwise. As I understand it, the process is like an AFMU except the "ammunition" is increased damage to other modules.

But, I've never actually needed to do this, so I could be very wrong.

 

[Zeeman]

Definitely required for long trips and I always carry 2. Zero mass so it's foolish not to carry a few.
I'm going to Beagle next week and I'm going to fit the Damocles with 3 just because it's a 130KLY round trip.
Essential kit in my opinion

I think you'll find it's closer to 160k-170k round trip.

One of the cool things about the new stats, is it's easier to see just how far one flies to reach the "as the crow flies" distance marked on the galaxy map.

Z...

 

[Cdr Voorheez]

Thanks Cdr the idea fills me with dread just thinking of the distance